wfn.org | Britain honors Wesleys with Christmas stamp

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Nov. 9, 1999 News media contact: Linda Bloom·(212)870-3803·New York
10-71BP{598}

NOTE: A photograph and a sidebar, UMNS story #599, accompany this report.

By Kathleen LaCamera*

LONDON (UMNS) -- Britain's national postal service has chosen the life and
contributions of John and Charles Wesley as the theme for its most popular
denomination of Christmas stamp.

The stamp is part of a series of four released by the Royal Mail in November
entitled "The Christian's Tale," celebrating the last 1,000 years of
Christian experience in Britain. Texas-born artist Brody Neuenschwander, an
internationally renowned calligrapher living in Belgium, designed the stamp.

This 19p (US$.31) stamp is a tribute to Methodism's founder -- who traveled
more than 225,000 miles and preached some 40,000 sermons -- and his
prolific, hymn-writing brother. Philip Parker of the Royal Mail Design
division explained that John and Charles Wesley are "touchstones" of the
evangelical tradition in Britain and represent a move that took the Word of
God out of the pulpit and into the open air to the people.     
    
The stamp design incorporates a mixture of written texts and image, an
approach for which Neuenschwander is particularly well known. As part of his
research into the Wesleys, the artist visited John Wesley's Chapel in London
as well as Wesley Seminary in Bristol. One of the chapel's stained-glass
angels served as inspiration for the stamp.  

"The style of the glass (at Wesley's Chapel) was so much like that of the
Methodist church I went to in Houston," he told United Methodist News
Service. 

Neuenschwander also used fragments of a letter from John to Charles and a
portion of Charles' Christmas carol, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," taken
from a first-edition hymnal, to create his work. At full size, the stamp
measures 1˝ by 3/4 inches.

"The problem with a stamp," he explained, "is that I have a very rich theme
and a very small space."  

Though Neuenschwander described his upbringing as "non-religious," he has
fond memories of visits with friends to First United Methodist Church in
Houston while growing up. He recalled being impressed with his friends'
"moderation combined with conviction." 

"Methodists have been movers and shakers," he said. "...Something important
was going on in these people's heads. ... I was surprised how appropriate it
was that I would have a chance to deal with this subject." 

Part of the training that prepared Neuenschwander for the assignment came
from Methodist-related Roehampton Institute in London, the only academic
institution in the world with a degree program in western-style calligraphy.
Neuenschwander also designed this year's Royal Mail Christmas Aerogram,
which makes much use of his trademark layered calligraphy style.  

# # #

*LaCamera is a United Methodist News Service correspondent based in England.

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United Methodist News Service
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