The October 1 Cup Release
Marks worth keeping.
Hand-thrown in Minnesota and made for every morning. Choose the Luther Rose Cup or the two-sided Crusader's Cup, each in one of two glazes. Only 200 cups were made for this release.
A single run of 200: only 50 of each design in each glaze.
The full release
Two designs. Two glazes. Four choices.
Choose the mark
Two cups. Three historic Christian symbols. One small Minnesota run.
The Luther Rose Cup
A whole confession in one small seal
In 1530 Martin Luther explained the seal that would come to bear his name. Every part had a purpose: a black cross in a red heart, resting on a white rose in a field of blue, all held within a ring of gold.
The cross and heart speak of faith in Christ. The white rose carries joy and peace. The blue field points toward heaven; the unbroken gold ring, toward a blessedness without end.
Nearly five centuries later, the Luther Rose remains one of the most recognizable marks in Lutheran life. Here it is not printed on the surface. It is pressed into the clay.
The Crusader's Cup
Made to be turned in the hand
The Crusader's Cup carries a different medallion on each side. One cup, two ancient ways of pointing to Christ.
The Jerusalem Cross
One large cross with four smaller crosses set in its quarters. Long associated with Jerusalem, its five crosses have carried several readings: the five wounds of Christ, Christ with the four Evangelists, or the Gospel carried to the four corners of the earth.
The Chi Rho
Chi and Rho are the first two letters of Christ's name in Greek, laid one over the other. Christians have used the monogram since antiquity. On this medallion Alpha and Omega stand beside it, with a crown above.
The maker
Made by hand, passed hand to hand
Peter and Mary Deneen started Deneen Pottery in a two-car garage in Saint Paul in 1972. Today a team of craftspeople makes the pottery there; Deneen describes its process as involving more than twenty-four pairs of hands from start to finish.
That work leaves its evidence. The glaze pools and breaks a little differently on every cup; small differences in color and form are part of the making.
Two glazes
Two glazes, each a little different from cup to cup
Everyday use
The hand-thrown tall-belly shape holds 14+ oz.; slight capacity variation is part of the making. Dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe. Lead- and cadmium-free. Like all pottery, spare it sudden changes of temperature.
Before you choose
A few practical notes
How limited is the release?
Two hundred cups were made: fifty of each design in each glaze. Availability is shown as you make your selection.
Can I order both designs?
Yes. Select your first cup, then choose “Add a second cup” to pick another design and glaze in the same order.
How does the October 1 price work?
On October 1, the Luther Rose Cup is $28.99 and the Crusader's Cup is $44.99. The price is applied automatically with no code, and both cups return to regular price at midnight Central.
How should I care for the cup?
The stoneware is dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe, and lead- and cadmium-free. Avoid sudden changes of temperature.
Some of the most important work a pastor does happens out of sight.
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. A cup is small beside that work. It is also the thing within reach through early meetings, hospital visits and the sermon that will not come.