His work already appears in the homes of many members and friends of Fifth Avenue. You may have one of his pieces yourself.

“I began woodworking when I was forty,” says Will O’Connor with a smile. “Since then, I haven’t looked back.”

Making old things new

Will, much sought after by clients and with a waiting list of projects, has been hard at work for this congregation. Earlier this year, he took some of the Kirkland Chapel’s old pews and used their wood to fashion small crosses.

Every donor to the Kirkland Chapel renovation project receives a cross as an expression of appreciation for their support.

To make each cross, O’Connor first had to break the pews down. Handplaning each section of wood respected the integrity of the material and ensured the crosses would be smooth to the touch. This preserved the source pew’s distinct divots and aging; the face of each small cross was once the surface of a pew.

“For these crosses, I used Japanese woodworking techniques and tools in their cutting, planing, and fitting,” says O’Connor. “These methods avoid nails. Instead, each cross is friction-fit at its arms.”

A processional cross for generations

O’Connor has just completed a beautiful new processional cross for Fifth Avenue. Senior Pastor Scott Black Johnston pointed Will to the stone-carved standing crosses of Scotland, particularly those from Iona, for inspiration. Fifth Avenue’s new cross features elaborate knotwork, a triquetra in its center, and a unique staff that will allow for easier carrying. O’Connor is carving its decorative elements by hand, having designed the pattern himself.

“In Great Britain and Ireland, you come across beautiful, tall stone crosses that are elaborately carved,” says O’Connor. “Some of them are over a thousand years old. We wanted to reach back to that history with this design.”

The cross’s decoration includes intricate interlacing, where a single ribbon weaves in and around itself. This is a common feature of the Insular art style found throughout Ireland and Great Britain. Replicating it is a painstaking process, from reverse-printing the original design onto the wood to carving each detail and applying two different finishes to the final product.

The cross will also have a custom-made octagonal staff. “Many processional staffs are round,” O’Connor says. “This makes it hard to hold and to orient. How do you know which way the cross is facing? You have to look up, which, when carrying a cross, is the last thing you want to do. With an octagonal shape, the staff gives you a better grip and lets you know by feel which way is facing forward.”

“We are thrilled with Will’s skillful creations,” says the Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston. “His care and artistry are evident in every cross he produced for supporters of the Kirkland Chapel renovation. The new processional cross is a magnificent addition to our congregation, one that, like the renovated chapel itself, we are proud to pass down to future generations.”