Banners, Sculpture and Embroideries:

THE BANNERS - SITUATED IN THE NAVE OF THE MAIN CHURCH:

Paul Kathner designed and created the twelve banners in the body of the church  based on a similar technique used for the House curtain for the State Theatre at the Victorian Arts Centre.  Born in 1937, he started his artistic career with JC Williamson’s training as a scenic artist, and since 1976 continued to design for the Australian Ballet, Victoria State Opera and Adelaide Festival.

The intricate and delicate designs for St. Andrew’s Banners were constructed using imported Dutch velvet.  The entire process of creating the Banners took six months from initial research to installation. A  Service of Dedication was conducted by The Most Reverend Dr. Keith Raynor, AO, Archbishop of Melbourne, on Thursday 3rd June 1999 at 8pm.  Paul Kathner has told a story with each Banner and included local aspects in his designs.  The Banners were donated by people connected with St. Andrew’s and add colourful brilliance to our place of worship.

Right side (from back of church)

1. City of Bayside
   
   
2. Bishops Broughton and Perry:
   Broughton the first and only Bishop of Australia.
   Perry the first Bishop of Melbourne.

3. Bringing the Church to a strange land:
   The ship signifies the trip made by Missionary priests.  Christian symbols illustrate a land peopled by believers in Christ. 
   St. Thomas: Patron Saint of Builders.

4. St. Peter and St. Paul:
   Peter is remembered with an inverted cross.  The crossed Keys recall the tradition of him having the Keys of Heaven. 
   Paul represented by the two crossed swords.

5. Mary, Mother of our Lord and the Resurrection Women:
   Mary shown by the Interlocking monogram of the Blessed Virgin. 
   The second panel depicts the “Resurrection Women”.

6. Jesus: Lamb of God on the top, with the Trinity underneath. 
   Jesus Lamb of God is portrayed by the classic Paschal Lamb.
   Triangle in a circle to show the Trinity. 
   
   

Left side (from back of church)

1. Mission in Brighton:
   Symbols are a mixture of local landmarks, waves of the Bay, swirl of yachts and old and new Councils – superimposed with Christian crosses.

2. The Ancient Land:
   Europeans found themselves in a land of different colours, climate and contrasts.  Christian symbols are superimposed – the ICTHUS fish and cross.

3. The English Church:
   Augustine first Archbishop of Canterbury. His shield contains the cross and pall in the top left – the lily of the Madonna is added because he died in May, the month of Mary. 
   Hilda of Whitby (town of James Cook) – her shield shows legendary coiled snakes … that her prayers changed snakes into stones.

4. St. Andrew: The foundation Saints, Andrew, Peter and Paul are depicted.
   Andrew’s symbols are well known to this parish along with the reason for the X-shaped cross, commemorating the diagonal cross of his crucifixion.

5. The Spirit of God:
   The Holy Spirit is shown as a dove, and the Trinity by Interlocking sectors of a circle: again timeless symbols for a timeless God.

6. God Creator & Saviour:
   Top panel depicts God as Trinity (with triangle in circle) and Creator in the lower half represented by the all-seeing eye above God’s blessing hand, being recognised as among the most ancient of Christian symbols.

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THE SCULPTURE:

Prodigal Son: The sculpture above the altar was executed by Guy Boyd, and presented by him to St Andrew's. It was dedicated by the Vicar at the time, the Reverend Harlin Butterley, on Sunday 6th December 1987. Based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, it represents forgiveness, with the father welcoming the son's return.
"His father saw him, and had compassion and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him".

Guy Boyd passed away suddenly on 26th April 1988. The parish is deeply grateful to him for his generosity to St Andrew's, and gives thanks to God for Guy's life of service, dedication and joy.

Prodigal Son 1987 by Guy Boyd (1923 - 1988)

Guy Boyd began his professional life as a designer and manufacturer of commercial pottery. In 1965 he abandoned commercial pottery for a full time career as a sculptor and became successful with commissioned works done in a competent, pragmatic and conventional manner. These included large relief sculptures for Tullamarine and Sydney International Airports. He held many exhibitions at the Australian Galleries. He was also active in conservation and matters relating to the preservation of historic buildings, and did much fine work in such causes, particularly in the suburb of Brighton where he lived.

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THE EMBROIDERIES - SITUATED IN THE LADY CHAPEL:

The Crowning: A dossal - depicting 'the crowning' of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a corollary of Mary's Assumption. It was first preached in the west by Gregory of Tours (d.594) and comes originally from S.Ephraem of Syria in the 4thC as a poetic reference to Mary as Queen of Heaven. This depiction shows Mary enthroned on a crescent moon, dressed royally, bearing orb and sceptre. Four angels lower the crown onto her head while her feet repose on a royal footstool.
Designed and made by Beryl Dean (UK) 1964.

There is a Green Hill: A complementary Altar Frontal depicting the Hill of Calvary after the Resurrection of Jesus, as attested by the winding sheet draped over the central cross. The darkened sun and moon are now revealed and the world is made new again. On each side at the base is a colonnade of arches, Gothic on the left, Romanesque on the right, referring to the post Resurrrection apostolic foundation of the church in the west and the east respectively.
Designed and made by Beryl Dean (UK) 1964

The Kneelers: The purpose of a kneeler (hassock) is simply to make kneeling more comfortable. In 1930 Louisa Pesel revolutionised the designs of these hassocks when she organised the first kneeler project at Winchester Cathedral, combining designs from historical sources. Enthusiasm for the decoration of Church kneelers became popular after World War 2 when many churches needed rebuilding and refurnishing.
After a visit to St George's Cathedral Jerusalem, where they admired the kneelers, two parishioners approached the Melbourne embroidery designer Robyn Mountcastle, to design kneelers for the Lady Chapel at St Andrew's. The brief was to create designs that both reflected the presence of Beryl Dean's work and the Brighton setting by the sea.

The sanctuary of the Lady Chapel featuring the Beryl Dean altar frontal, dossal and some of the altar kneelers.