Arts @ Banbury St Mary hosted a community talk with the Revd Stella Fairbairn to hear about her creative work and textiles that led her on a journey to ordination.
Stella was one of the first women to be ordained in the Church of England, she was deaconed in 1987 and priested in 1994 and designed and embroidered her own vestments for the occasions.
Prior to ordination, Stella trained as a teacher in Salisbury but always had a passion for art. Over many years Stella has been part of the Embroiderers’ Guild, creating kneelers for Norwich, St Paul's and Exeter Cathedrals.
Stella first became involved in church life at Evensong at St Mary’s Banbury in response to a notice she had seen in the St Mary’s Church magazine and took on different voluntary capacities at the church. She continued her passion for art and it played a key role in her faith journey. Stella created a selection of church vestments and altar frontals for the church over the years, and in 1973 she founded a branch of the Embroiderer’s Guild in Banbury. It was through this and being part of St Mary’s, that Stella felt a calling to ministry and after her ordination she served as a minister at the church until 1999.
After retiring at the millennium, Stella didn’t stop there and continued to develop her ministry at St Mary’s. Stella has always been keen to acquire new skills, she completed a Fine Art degree at De Montfort University in 2013 and learned the guitar in her 50s so she could play in church, something she still offers at St Mary’s at the communion service each month. Stella even took up ballroom dancing, passed all the amateur dance exams, and in her 80s passed the advanced driving test!
Now in her 90s, Stella is still active in church ministry, assisting in church services, and in 2020 was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Winchester in recognition of her services in the field of education.
The Revd Sarah Bourne, Chaplain for the Arts at St Mary’s Banbury, said:
“It was a privilege to hear Stella’s moving story, told with honesty and humour, and to see the beautiful needlework and drawings. Stella is a very talented person, in addition to being a role model for many as a priest.”
Exploring your vocation
Is God calling you? You may have a clear idea of what God is calling you to, or you might just have an inkling or a 'nudge' from God.
Vocations come in many forms, it could be your paid employment, being a parent, or helping with a youth group. If that is where God has called you to and to be a Christian as you fulfill the role, that is an important part of your Christian life and witness.
For some, God calls them to a more formal role within the church, either paid or unpaid: this could be as a vicar, chaplain, youth worker, lay preacher, joining a religious community, or becoming an evangelist.
Our Vocations Team are trained to help you think through your sense of vocation with access to the information you need and answers to questions that will help you understand your call and what it might mean to you, your family and the church.