(Colourful murals of inspiration bring joy to all who pass the Stittsville United Church. The art works can be seen along the fence located at the corner of Fernbank Road and Stittsville Main Street.)
When you drive or walk by the corner of Fernbank and Main Street, you can’t miss the many oversized pieces of art along the fence. For weeks, the Stittsville United Church (SUC) have been sharing the bright murals, each with an individual message, to bring cheer to our community. The congregation and community partners have also been busy with their ‘Art for the Heart’ monthly program. They deliver heartfelt messages, art work, homemade cards and treats to lift the spirits for those who may need a boost.
Every year during the Christmas season, SUC displays bright posters for their annual seasonal play. With the inability to hold the play in 2020, Reverend Grant Dillenbeck and his wife Ruth Richardson brought their creativity to life and designed life-like murals for the characters of Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Linus, Sally and Lucy from the Christmas classic Charlie Brown’s Christmas to be displayed along the fence on Stittsville Main.
From that, blossomed the idea by Ruth to add more brightly coloured murals, each with an inspirational message. So she set to work by “drawing the design on each piece of coroplast and getting the church youth and congregation members involved”. They were given the fun of colouring each mural with oil-based markers using their favourite colour mixes to help with the meaningful project.
Every few days, a new mural could be seen along the fence bringing much joy and cheer to all those who pass by. Ruth tells us, “more are being completed to join those already in place.” She recently ordered “another 20 sheets of coroplast and will begin creating new designs”.
Ruth added, “the church has also been contacted by others to have a mural made for them – one being a local nursing home wanting one for their lobby”. Ruth hopes to see the murals on other fences around Stittsville once the church fence is filled.
SUC also began a six-month program entitled, ‘Colourful Connections – Art from the Heart’, with each month having a different theme. January brought Light into the participants life and February will bring them Love for Valentine’s Day.
The church works closely with their community partners – Imagination Station Day Care Centre, Long Term Care and Retirement Homes and others in our congregation and community – who provide pieces of art or receive the art.
There are two ways you can get involved:
- by becoming a Colourful Connector artist (all ages are welcome) and create a monthly piece of art to help lift someone’s spirits by completing the form at this link, or
- nominate a person who you feel would benefit from receiving a piece of ‘ART from the HEART’ created by someone in our community. This art will be mailed to them once a month with a note from the Colourful Connections team. If you know of someone who you think would be helped by this monthly gift, nominate them by completing the form at this link.
The Stittsville United Church congregation and community partners have certainly brought joy to the lives of many with their vibrant murals and thoughtful monthly gifts of art. We can’t wait to see what the next mural will be!