Friday, October 22, 2010
 
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Remarkable quilt to be auctioned at Harvest of Talents

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[October 22, 2010]  Flora Ventura-Bycroft, a Lincoln Christian College graduate, has made a quilt called "Second Harvest" that will be auctioned on Saturday at the Harvest of Talents. While at Lincoln Christian, she was a voice student of Marie L. Graham, who inspired the quilt theme.

InsuranceThe quilt is comprised of 81 blocks, plus settings and borders, pieced from 12 fabrics of the Stonehenge collection by the Northcott company: 11 on the face of the quilt and one additional that is used only for the backing. The basic block is "Stars and Rails" set on point and embroidered with Scripture references related to evangelism, discipleship and living the Christian life.

Around the inner borders are the names of the men and women who have served as full-time professors over the history of what is now Lincoln Christian University, from the school's inception to June 2010. Across the top border are the names of the school's presidents and significant sayings.

The half-inch "broken glass" border was pieced from the scraps cut away to create the stars, so even the scraps were not wasted, presenting a message that the Lord uses small, seemingly insignificant things in people's lives to accomplish his purpose.

The fabric for the quilt was selected the weekend of November 2009; machine-piecing was completed Memorial Day weekend 2010; and hand-quilting began immediately thereafter, as well as plotting of the names around the borders. The embroidery of the Scripture references was finished July 10, followed by embroidery of the professors' names, which were completed Oct. 1. The final border stitching and securing of the binding was finalized on Oct. 10.

Ventura-Bycroft and her husband of 40 years, Dick, reside in Joplin, Mo., where she has been employed by the Empire District Electric Co. for the past 23 years as an accountant.

She graduated from Lincoln Christian College in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in sacred music. She served as graduate assistant in the LCC Music Department intermittently from 1970 to 1974 and on the staff of Ozark Christian College from 1982 to 1986, as well as teaching privately. She was a member of the Kirk Ringers handbell choir in Neosho, Mo., for five years, and she and her husband are presently active with the College Heights Christian Church in Joplin, Mo., where she plays cello in the church orchestra.

She has quilted for several years, generally machine-piecing and hand-quilting her projects.

The source idea of the quilt

Miss Graham, the inspiration for the quilt, had no earthly children of her own, but she considered her students to be her spiritual children. She prayed consistently for each of them over the years, updated a journal regularly regarding events in their lives and families, and spoke of her "second harvest" through their ministries. Just as the

Apostle Paul told Timothy to teach faithful men who could teach others and so bring him joy, she believed that as her students faithfully served the Lord, the fruit of their ministries would also return to her as a second harvest in joy and blessing.

In her last days, she spoke to Flora often of how the Lord had richly blessed her through her teaching, but also how he had given her a second harvest of blessing through her students' faithful ministries.

Flora Ventura-Bycroft gives her thoughts and grateful thanks on the quilt's journey to completion:

As creator of the "Second Harvest" quilt, my first harvest will be the blessing of the quilt being sold for the benefit of IDES; my second harvest will be the blessing of knowing that the Gospel will be shared and that His Word never returns to Him void. As purchaser of the quilt, your first harvest will be the blessing of the administration of the proceeds in the Name of the Lord to those in need. Your second harvest... you will discover.

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Acknowledgements:
("Thanks" is hardly an adequate word.)

Teri Garner, owner and operator of Country Store Quilts in Carthage, Mo., had pieced a "Stars and Rails" block in Stonehenge and had it on display. She helped me select the fabrics that I ultimately used and generously allowed me to help her in the shop several weekends to defray some of the expense of the fabric.

Tom Tanner and Lynn Laughlin helped me compile the professors' names. My daughter, Carissa Bycroft-Kutz, was my "idea person." Her artistic eye helped me again and again, placing the blocks for best color balance and selecting the borders. Her ongoing encouragement to meet the date deadlines I had set for myself was invaluable.

Pam Braeckel, my dear friend, fellow quilter and co-worker at Empire, almost single-handedly stitched the final border and machine-secured the binding while I was waylaid with some unexpected family matters and unavoidable personal business. She would not accept payment for her labor and blesses me with her appreciation of the art form. I value her opinion highly.

My sister, Juanita Ventura-Mabie, and her husband, Jim, encouraged me to keep on keeping on and opened their home so I could escape the concerns of home for a couple of very valuable days and devote myself exclusively to working on the quilt.

My dear husband, Dick, allowed me to push him into the background for periods of time so I could stay on schedule. He is delighted to have the project done so he can "have his wife back."

Special thanks belongs to Lincoln Christian Church for being my home church while I was in college, for giving our daughter a place to serve the Lord with her heart, and for allowing our family to participate in the Harvest of Talents these past several years. It is a privilege to share my sewing "talent" for the benefit of IDES, anticipating the "second harvest" that will be produced through their ministry.

[Text from file received; LDN]

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