Every day's a banner day for Anne Pflug

There's more to the velvet and satin banners at St. John the Baptist Church in Greenville than meets the eye. Invisibly stitched into each 4'x8' work of art are memories dear to the heart of parishioner Anne Pflug.

Two banners were made as part of the healing process after her husband George died at the age of 58. Another pair recalls memories of happy hours spent with her late mother, Carrie Fiorentino, at Our Lady of Hope Residence in Latham. Yet another set, displayed at the church during Pentecost, was originally designed to commemorate her son David's Confirmation.

In that sense, the banners were made not just with "love in every stitch" but with "memories in every stitch" as well.

Inspiration

"In many ways, my mother deserves a lot of the credit for the banners because she was the one who taught me how to sew and to appreciate the beauty of things that are hand-made," said Mrs. Pflug, a high school art teacher.

"My mother was a great crocheter all of her life, and made a lot of clothes for me and my two sisters when we were growing up in Brooklyn. In fact, she was still crocheting right up until she passed away earlier this year at age 89. She was a real inspiration."

Prior to her mother's death, the two women spent many hours sewing together -- first at Mrs. Pflug's home and later at the nursing home. Among the items they crafted together was a matching pair of satin-lined, gold velvet banners. One highlights a cluster of Easter lilies; the other features the words "He Is Risen" in large, Old English-style lettering. The letters were crafted by Mrs. Pflug, who also offers calligraphy workshops at the Greenville Memorial Library in her spare time.

Grieving and sewing

Working on another special set of banners after her husband's death two years ago helped Mrs. Pflug through the initial grieving process.

"Designing and sewing those banners kept me sane during that extremely difficult period after George died," Mrs. Pflug told The Evangelist. "When something like that happens, you just pray a lot and hope that you can find the strength to survive your loss. Making those banners was definitely a part of the healing process for me."

Those banners are stitched against a background of blue velvet with a Christmas theme. One shows a scene of Bethlehem with the words "Peace On Earth" inscribed in Old English. The other depicts shepherds walking in the direction of the stable.

Tribute to son

Another banner with special sentimental value was sewn when Mrs. Pflug's son David made his Confirmation in 1984. The red velvet banner, originally supported by a hanger David crafted when he was in Boy Scouts, features tongues of fire with the Holy Spirit (represented by a dove) in the middle.

The very first banner ever designed by Mrs. Pflug (who also has two grown daughters, Sandra and Liza) was crafted with the help of other parishioners who were handy with a needle and thread.

Active in parish

When not making church banners, Mrs. Pflug can often be seen doing other things at St. John the Baptist -- like singing in the choir and tending to her duties as a parish council member. She also enjoys painting "portraits" of houses, barns and other buildings. While Mrs. Pflug hasn't painted many churches, it's a subject matter she might consider tackling in the future.

"I've been an art teacher for about 25 years now and when those days come to a close, I'd like to try some new things," she said, adding that a possible "second career" down the road could well entail creating banners for liturgical celebrations and parish anniversaries.

(Anyone interested in contacting Anne Pflug can write to her c/o St. John the Baptist Church, PO Box 340, Greenwich, NY 12083.)

(06-19-97) [[In-content Ad]]