In January 2021, an open invitation went out for Muslim and Christian women in Gloucestershire to come to a community-led group. They would get to know each other, read stories about women at wells in the Bible and the Qur’an, and craft their responses. The group has flourished – and they now have their own exhibition.
Henrietta Cozens, a member of St Catharine’s Gloucester, shares how the Women at the Well came about, and the stories behind the craft they have created.
“It was at the start of 2021 that three of us put our heads together to come up with a way to creatively engage Muslim women with Christian women, and both with Scripture. A Holy Book Club, using the Scriptural Reasoning method, had previously been running in Gloucester, but numbers had dwindled. Previously, that group had made and displayed a ‘Tree of Life’ at Cheltenham’s Christian Arts Festival (CAF), and with the spring 2001 Christian Arts Festival approaching, an opportunity was seen.
“We advertised for women to join us in crafting our responses to Scripture passages featuring women at wells, which would then be displayed at CAF – and 30 people signed up – half Muslim women, half Christian women.
“We gathered together (unexpectedly on Zoom, as another lockdown had started) and read passages about Hagar, and about the Samaritan woman that Jesus met. Through one of our members, we also learnt about Jordan, a water-poor country where Muslims and Christians work together to conserve water. We made a big bluey-greeny quilling banner to show our personal responses to the physical and the spiritual. After we finished, we had a surprise email from the Chaplain at the University of Gloucestershire, asking if we could hang it in the university’s faith space (‘The Sanctuary’).
“After three months, the banner was moved to Cheltenham Open Studios, then, last summer, to Discover de Crypt (where it was used for a prayer event for COP26, and admired by the Young Climate walkers). Its current hanging place is The Museum of Gloucester.”
The group ran its second project last Christmas. They looked at passages on gardens and provision through nature, in the Bible and the Qur’an, quilling greetings cards showing garden scenes, or Christmasy plants to give to friends.
Henrietta says, “Our most recent project was called Vessels of Faith – and we met in the Museum Café on five occasions. Starting with the story of Moses being placed in a basket on the river through the faith of his sister and mother, and then to the boats that Jesus taught from, and finally looking at ourselves as vessels plus heavenly vessels, together we made a large basket-vessel from our old clothes.
“Developing an environmental conscience of reusing, recycling and reducing fabric and natural resources has been a bonding point for our interfaith community.”
The Women at the Well’s first full-gallery exhibition of their creative work is currently showing in the Community Gallery of the Museum of Gloucester. The Revd Dr Cate Williams, Environmental Advisor for the Diocese of Gloucester, along with Imam Ahmed of Ghousia Mosque, helped to launch the exhibition to 62 people at an evening event.
Henrietta says, “If you’d like to be involved in future workshops or events, please do let us know. The exhibition runs until mid-December. Go and see it! Join us on a journey of reflection, faith, hope and action, as you encounter the various stories of women at the well, God in the garden, and vessels of faith, through our artwork and our community.”
The exhibition at the Museum of Gloucester runs until Friday 16 December 2022. Entrance is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. No need to book just turn up at Museum of GloucesterFor information about the group, email Henrietta, or follow the Women at the Well on Facebook for updates: Women at the Well (Gloucestershire)