To appreciate fully each aspect, one has to interpret this type of art, a handcraft perfected more than 800 years ago and still practiced much as it was in the Middle Ages. Each window is a mosaic made up of morsels of colored glass. Symbols, familiar signs, are employed to convey a Bible message to the congregation.
One can sit quietly alone in the sanctuary and be surrounded by the message of the Life and Ministry of Christ. The symbols in the six side windows tell the story of Christ, The Living Word. The rose window in the center of the choir loft depicts Christ, The Written Word.
The new lancet windows depict the three members of the trinity.
The story of the Life and Ministry of Christ and the On-Going Church
is told by means of symbols in our side windows. Beginning at the Park
and Dayton Avenues entrance and going toward the pulpit, are windows numbered
1,
2,
and 3. Then, beginning at the pulpit and going along
the parsonage side back to Park Avenue, are windows numbered 4,
5,
and
6. To fully understand the symbols, it is suggested
that you read the scripture references provided. Each window is described
from the top down.
| Central in the rose window is the open Bible
- The Word of God. While the six nave windows depict Christ, The Living
Word, the rose window symbolizes Christ, The Written Word. Surrounding
the Bible in the center square, the words of John 14:6 are to be found:
"I am The Way, The Truth, The Life."
Four sections portray the Old Testament. In the upper left will be seen the tablets of the law, representing the Pentateuch or Books of Moses. The upper right has a harp similiar to that used by David who wrote many of the Psalms. In the lower left are the major prophets. The balance scale singularly represents Daniel who said to King Belshazzar, "Thou are weighed in the balance and found to be wanting." In the lower right, we have the minor prophets, especially Malachi who speaks of the "sun of righteousness arising with healing in its wings." The other four sections represent the New Testament which are identified by the symbols of the four evangelists. Not all agree on the symbolism of the four Gospel writers. The backround for this is to be found in Revelation 4:7. The most logical would be to identify the figure on the left, the winged lion as Matthew who presented the "kingly" aspect of Christ. On the right, Mark is portrayed as a winged Ox, often used as a sacrifice and a foreshadowing of Christ's sacrifice. At the top, a winged man represents Luke, who presented the human side of Jesus. The bottom medallion which includes a winged eagle identifies John, who represented the lofty, divine aspect of Christ. It is interesting to note that the book of Matthew begins with the genealogy of Christ which takes us back to David, thus presenting Christ's legal claim to the throne. Mark presents Christ as the Servant and a servant does not need a genealogy. Luke takes Christ's heritage back to Adam to show that He is the Son of Man, while John soars to great heights in expressing the heavenly nature of the Savior. |
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After years of steady decine,the aging lancet windows have been replaced on the front of our church. The new stained glass windows were designed by Barbara Alber.
The bottom panels of the windows depict the three members of the trinity:
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This page last modified 04/16/06.
