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[December 09, 2013] 
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The large window at the front of the church is
28 feet high. It is fully encased in stone.
The three circles at the top carry the symbols
of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Below are the symbols of the four evangelists:
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Each man holds a book:
Matthew's book is closed, meaning Jesus had
fulfilled the law, which was Matthew's message to the Jews.
Mark's book is beginning to be opened, showing
the opening door to the Gentiles.
Luke's book is opened wide, symbolizing that he
would put the life of Christ in an orderly account.
John is still writing in his book, symbolizing
his desire to write more.
Just above each Gospel writer are images of a
man, lion, ox and eagle. Many church historians recognize these
four "cherubim" of Revelation 4:7 as corresponding with the four
Gospels. Over the smaller circles are three large circles
representing the attributes of God that are essential to our
worship: The great hand coming down from heaven represents our access
to the power of God; the dove represents our invitation to encounter
the Spirit of God; and at the top, Jesus, the Lamb of God, is flying
the banner of salvation over his head as he sits on an altar of
sacrifice.
Pastor Otto suggested that many Sundays as he
looks at the four men watching over him, he thinks they are watching
over worship "to make sure the story is told accurately." These
beautiful windows are meant to enhance worship for those for attend
services, and understanding their story augments the worship
experience.
The stress of time has caused the windows to
buckle and weaken. Repair of the windows is scheduled to take place
in the spring of 2014. It is estimated that the cost to clean and
reglaze the windows will be $50,000. This is only a limited repair,
and more extensive work will need to be done in the future to
maintain the beauty and integrity of the windows.
Pictures by Lisa Ramlow and Nila Smith |
