The Stained Glass Windows

 

Some of the most beautiful components of any church building are the stained glass windows. These can be seen in myriad colors, shapes and designs. They can be beautiful in their simplicity, like those outside of the church office, which are made up entirely of different-colored diamond shapes of glass. The windows that line the Sanctuary are much more ornate, and each is special and unique.

 

• The largest stained glass window in the First Presbyterian Church is located above the balcony. It contains a descending dove which represents the Holy Spirit, and a cross inlaid with lilies. This reminds us of the death and resurrection of Christ. The lilies symbolize life springing forth from a seemingly dead mass, as the flower bursts forth from the bulb.

• The ten remaining stained glass windows in the Sanctuary are all identical except for the images in the round medallions at the top of each window. Facing the chancel, beginning on the west (left) side of the Sanctuary and starting front to back, the medallion in the first window contains a cross encircled by a crown. This symbolizes the promise of life after Christ's death on the cross.

 

• In the medallion of the second window is a torch with the words "The Lord is my light." The torch is symbolic of our witnessing for Christ and carrying His love and light into the world.

• The chalice with grapes and vines in the third window's medallion remind us of the Lord's Supper and the New Covenant with God, bound through the blood of Christ. The vines refer to John 15:5 where Jesus says, "I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who abide in me shall bear much fruit..."

• The fourth window bears a Noah's Ark and a dove. These are symbolic of the covenant of God in the Old Testament following the flood, and of peace and the promise of new life.

• A sheaf of wheat appears in the last window medallion on the west side of the Sanctuary, symbolizing the Bread of Life, and God's promise to fulfill our daily needs.

• The first window medallion in the front on the east side (right) of the Sanctuary contains a cross on a rock surrounded by a stormy sea. This symbolizes that Christ is our Rock through life’s struggles and storms.

• A bunch of grapes is the image in the second medallion. They remind us of the single bunch of grapes cut from the vine in Canaan, when God gave that land to the people of Israel. This represents one of God's promises fulfilled.       

• In the third medallion is an anchor. This symbolizes security in Jesus Christ.

• A castle on a rock in the sea appears in the fourth window medallion. An inscription above the castle reads, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God". This is a quote from a favorite hymn by Martin Luther. Psalm 18:2 says, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress..."

• The rear-most window on the east side contains a bouquet of flowers. These could be lilies, representing the Easter resurrection, and new life coming from a dead mass (a bulb).