May Brown, a friendly 98-year-old lady, sits sipping her tea every Sunday after the service, joining in with the conversation at her table.  It was during one of these occasions, that I discovered she was a keen embroiderer.
Before she retired many years ago, May was an Art teacher in Dumfries.  She grew up near Dunscore and went to a one teacher primary school at Glenesslin.  She went on to Dumfries Academy, cycling two miles to Dunscore and back every day to catch the bus to the secondary school.

However, it wasn’t at school that May learned her embroidery skills – it was at Edinburgh College of Art.  Although she enjoyed drawing and painting, May became interested in textile art.  One of May’s tutors, that she particularly admired, taught her all the stitches, giving her the knowledge and confidence to create many embroidered pieces.
May contributed these embroidery and design skills to our hanging in Maxwelltown West Church completed in 2016.  This hanging depicts the social events, organisations and teamwork that contribute to the life of our Church.

May’s design and stitching of the ‘Good Companions’ square highlights how essential a cup of tea is to aid friendly chat and companionship!  There is also a colourful and very beautiful banner, commemorating
the Millenium year 2000 in Dunscore Church. May was a member there during that time.  She designed, stitched and organised its construction, helped by 24 other members of the Church and its community.  It features items representing the Christian faith and three influential people associated with the history of Dunscore Parish: Robert Burns, Thomas Carlyle and Jane Haining.

May is modest about her artistic achievements, but this smiling lady, quietly sipping her tea, has used her embroidery skills to create timeless creations, illustrating the life and fellowship of the Church.

Kathleen McMillan