Ironically, you can say:  “You don’t know what you have until its gone.”   

We are finally starting to get some closure on the items taken from the Chapel back in November.  I have been working closing with the detectives from Barrington Police to recover our items.  As of this week, we have been able to have most of the items returned.  We still are missing the pewter candle sticks.  The cross and rugs have been returned.  All the legal appearances have been filed with the court systems. Our ultimate hope is for the individual to receive the mental health help that he needs. This really is a one-of-a-kind event therefore the Chapel doors will remain unlocked for people to pray when they need comfort.   We are grateful for the quick recovery of these historical items from the Police Department. 

We did not really realize how valuable the Persian rugs were until we spoke with some of the altar guilt.  Since they have been recovered, Carol Hebert and I had them appraised with The Persian Knot in the Icehouse Mall.  Both rugs have an appraisal of between $4,000-$5,000.   Now I have set a goal to update all the church’s valuables, inventory and obtain necessary appraisals.  We will be buying less expensive rugs to use in the Chapel.  All should be back to normal for Lent.  

The handwoven Heriz rug was woven in the 2nd/3rd quarter of the 1900s in the Azerbaijan district of NW Persia. The rug is a village woven in the traditional geometric central medallion Heriz design. 

The other handwoven Kurdish Camelhair area rug was woven in the first quarter of the 1900s in the Hamadan district of NW Persia. The rug is a tribal/village woven in a geometric design with scattered design of animal forms throughout. The field is in a camelhair color with the three medallions in a column format. The rug has an attractive camelhair wide border with geometric designs and accent colors in red, yellow, orange, and brown.  

The rugs have been cleaned, repaired, and prepped with a hand sown backing.  The plan is to hang these rugs with a framed description on the wall next to it.  The building and grounds committee will discuss the actual location with the vestry.  

Kim C.