There is something about banners that perks people up, brings joy to their hearts, and a song to their souls. What is it about banners that does this? What is it that banners do in a parade or a procession that sets the tone of the celebration?  

Raise the Banners High answers these questions and more. This is a book not just about making banners but one about the theology of banners. Before you even get to the “how to” part, the authors develop the “why” in such a way that the “how to” becomes a journey within itself.

By the time I had read the first three chapters, I was inspired to begin thinking about a particular banner for a particular season. I did not want to jump right in, gather some fabric and thread and begin a project. Rather, I wanted to carefully think about the purpose of this banner, what was the message it would send to those who saw it, how it would add to the liturgy, what images came to mind, what colors. I wanted to be truly creative. And although my abilities don’t lend themselves to creating something from scratch, I felt capable of using the patterns and examples given and still be creative and inventive within those examples. Chapters 4 through 8 gave me clear, precise, useful information to carry out my project -- everything from hardware to techniques and design.

Even if you do not sew and have no desire to make a banner, the first 3 chapters of Raise the Banners High will give you a greater appreciation for them. If you do sew and want to make banners, it will take you on a pilgrimage that will bring you true inspiration.