The NASA photos behind God's Cosmos

Come, Holy Spirit (Pentecost)
Based on a NASA image of a sun jet, depicting the dramatic solar wind. The cause of the powerful winds is not yet fully understood—photos like this one support theories that the winds are caused by sudden, rapid movements in the magnetic fields of the sun. This photo was taken by the Japanese Hinode satellite.
Printed on the stole are verses from the Acts account of Pentecost, and a traditional Celtic symbol for the trinity.





Pilgrimage (Lent)
The image in this stole is from a composite photo of the spiral galaxy M81. This grand design galaxy has a spiral shape similar to our Milky Way; M81 is 11.6 million light-years away.
Printed on the stole are words to the Afro-American Spiritual “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me,” as well as the pattern of an ancient labyrinth and an adaptation of the logo used for the Camino Santiago in Spain. Together, these invite us to a Lenten pilgrimage as we walk with Christ through these 40 days—remembering with gratitude that Christ is God walking with us.

O Come Emmanuel (Advent)
Taken from a composite image of supernova remnant W44, this stole shows a blue-purple sphere that shows the remains of this exploded star, which is about 100 light-years across. This image comes from two of the European Space Agencies satellites.
Printed on the stole are verses from the Song of Zechariah, Luke 1:78-79, and a Celtic knot used to depict the trinity. I connect its round shape and spirals with the creating, generative work of birth and incarnation.


Alleluia! (Easter)
Based on an image taken by the Japanese Hinode (Sunrise) spacecraft, this image depicts the dramatic activity in the chromosphere of the sun. Previously visible only during solar eclipses, the chromosphere is the site of tremendous and powerful solar activity.
Printed on the stole is a verse from Mark’s Easter account (Mark 16:6), and butterflies as a symbol of resurrection life. There is a cross, decorated with intertwining, life-filled lines.




Ordinary Time
This image comes from a computer simulation of “global aerosols,” wind and weather systems created by the Discover supercomputer at the NASA Center for Climate Simulation at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Used to simulate the movement of dust, smoke, sea salt, sulfates and fossil fuel emissions, it shows us connected far beyond physical (far less political) boundaries.
Printed on the stole are verses that affirm God’s presence in the cycles and movements of creation, Isaiah 55:10-11. At the bottom is a Celtic cross, which combines the cross with a circle—remind us of cycles and our belonging together on this one planet.
I am particularly pleased to use this image for Ordinary Time, a season named for time’s movement through the year; here, that movement is visualizes as cycling systems. They remind us again of our interconnection on Earth and in God.

Create Your Own Stole
An extra stole pattern included allows you to sew a blank stole, which you are invited to use so you can draw, dye, paint or in any way decorate for yourself or as a gift at a special time! A fun way to involve kids or others.