the stained glass windows
The eight foot round stained glass window is predominantly located over the altar. It was beautifully designed by Spectral Glass of Clinton.
The separate arc stained glass windows in our church were designed by Marilyn Sue Waltz.
Each window has been dedicated in honor or memory of treasured members from our church family.
THE ALTAR WINDOW
This stunning eight foot round stained glass window, predominantly located in the center of the sanctuary, over the altar is a piece of art. It vibrantly projects the natural light.
Dedicated in Memory of Lelia Ehnis
by her husband, Waldo Ehnis
THE SHIP
The apostolic Constitution, written in the thrid century, directs: “Let the building be oblong, toward the east, like a ship.” In the early days, the church, symbolically speaking, was the ark or ship of the Lord – the ship in which Christians sailed the sea of life. The Sanctuary is often referred to as the nave, which is derived from the Latin word for ship.
Dedicated in Memory of Rowland & Norma Beatty and Henry & Isabelle MacCartney
by Alan & Connie Beatty
THE CHALICE AND WAFER
The Chalice and Wafer are symbols of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supperas recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Methodist Articles of Religion, NO XIX: “The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people; for both the parts of the Lord’s Supper, by Christ’s ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike”
Dedicated in Memory of Jalen Deion Jackson
by Ken & Alice Wimple
THE TRINITY
The triangle of three intersecting semi-circles is one of the most beautiful and satisfying of the symbols of the Holy Trinity. (Matthew 28:29) It symbolizes God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as One. The continuous line expresses endless or eternal existence of the Trinity.
Dedicated in Honor of My Friendship with Jesus
by Bonnie Barnley
THE HOLY BIBLE
The Holy Bible is the most appropriate symbol of Divine Authority. The two book marks bear Greek letter monograms. The Old Testament T-Shaped (Tau) Cross was first used by Moses. (Numbers 21: 19 & John 3: 14) The XP (Chi Rho are the first two letters of of the Greek word for Christ, thus suggesting the New Testament.
Dedicated in Honor of the Hawkins Family
by Paul and Wilda Hawkins
THE HAND OF GOD
The Hand of God is one of the first symbols of God the Father and was employed frequently in the early Christian art. The “Hand of God” represents the creative power of God stretching from the cloud of the earth. (Proverbs 1: 24) The three rays portray the Holy Trinity and the encompassing circle signifies endless or eternal divinity.
Dedicated in Memory of Patricia Doornbos
by John & Marlene Cooper & Family
THE ALPHA AND OMEGA
The Chi Rho-Alpha and Omega monogram signifies that the eternal Christ is the beginning and end of all things. The symbol in this glass is a modification of the original XP, first used on the battle banner of Constantine the Great, A.D. 312. He was the first ruler of the converted to Christianity. XP (Chi Rho) are the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, XPISTOS. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last (Revelation 22: 13)
Dedicated to the Grace of God
by Lucy Faust & Nancy Miller
THE DECENDING DOVE
The most authentic symbol of the Holy Spirit is the decending dove with the three-ray nimbus (halo). It is based on the account of the baptism of our Lord found in all four gospels. Luke writes “…Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove…”
Dedicated in Honor of the Wesley Proctor Family
by Wesley & Virginia Proctor
THE FISH
The Fish (Ichthus) is one of the earliest symbols employed by Christians to represent the Savior, God the Son. (Mark 1: 16 & 17) Although simple in design, it is most complex in meaning. This type of drawing was probably used by the persecuted Christians as a secret method of identification. Traditionally, the Greek letters in the word IXOYC (ICHTHUS) formed the initial letters of the phrase, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.”
Dedicated in Memory of Jack H. Warren
by David & RoxAnn Warren
Colored glass has been made since ancient times. Both the Egyptians and the Romans manufactured small colored glass objects.
Stained glass gained recognition as a Christian art form sometime in the fourth century as Christians began to build churches. The spread of Christianity throughout Europe is directly related to the expansion of stained glass across the globe and made stained glass the dominant art form of the new millennium.
One of the oldest known examples of multiple pieces of colored glass used in a window were found at St. Paul’s Monastery in Jarrow, England, founded in 686 AD. The oldest complete European windows are thought to be five relatively sophisticated figures in Ausburg Cathedral.
Stained glass was also produced by Arab architects in the Middle East in the 8th century. Jabir ibn Hayyan ,the Persian chemist described 46 original recipes for producing colored glass in Kitab al-Durra al-Maknuna (The Book of the Hidden Pearl).
During the Gothic period (the 13th and 14th century) stained glass history expanded and stained glass windows took center stage in elaborate and monumental cathedral designs. By the mid 1400’s, the new realism in painting by the great Renaissance artisans, including people like Jan Van Eyck, led to a decline of traditional stained glass.The bold lines and strong figures of Gothic styles stained glass eventually phased out and stained glass windows evolved into something more like a painting on glass than an architectural element.
Until the sixteenth century, stained glass was a primarily a Catholic art form and much of the precious art form was destroyed during the 1600’s by order of King Henry VIII after his break with the Church.
Beside religious unrest, the decline of stained glass was caused during the Baroque period when the use of more clear glass was required in the arcitecture because the fashion leaned toward more intricately detailed interiors and elaborate wall painting.
During the late seventeenth century the artisans returned to Gothic style architecture which emerged a new found interest in stained glass. The openings for the new windows were truly Gothic, but the art of the windows was a combination of the old and the new.
During the movement of the Gothic revival many styles were enveloped.
During the nineteenth century, glass artists La Farge and Tiffany created opalescent stained glass.
During the 20th century many new and imaginative forms of this art began to take shape. Matisse, Braquer, Leger and other with their abstract and semi-abstract designs broke the traditional figurative mold of earlier times. The windows changed from painted art to decorative art. Artists from different parts of the world continue to experiment with new techniques and designes to create their glass artwork which lead to a new golden age of stained glass.