Stained Glass Window Tour

The beautiful stained glass windows in the church were designed and crafted by Robert Harmon, who is a designer and craftsman

These windows are essentially symbolic windows. Massey Shepherd, a prominent Episcopal liturgist, has said that a symbol is an outward and visible form of an inner reality. It has been my intention to design these windows so that they are accessible in terms of logic and feeling. — Robert Harmon

Please take a tour and find out the stories behind each window.

1. The Annunciation

At the very top of the window is a triangle representing the Trinity. From this symbol in a downward reach through the clouds are shown the hands of God sending the dove – a symbol of the Holy Spirit – to announce to Mary – symbolized by the lily – that she is to be the mother of Christ. The lily has its roots in the soil, symbolizing Mary’s humanity, while from the flower form proper, lines extend upwards in an openness, suggesting her receptiveness to God’s will.

2. The Nativity

Here again the hands of God, in an open giving gesture, are shown at the top of the window, while in the circular form below, symbolizing completeness and fullness, is shown the child in the manger. Hovering above the circular form of the manger is shown the lily, the symbol of His mother. Dispersed throughout the background and under the canopy, symbolizing in a sense the church, are to be found the donkey, a cow, a duck, a chicken, a turtle and a flower, representing all creation.

3. The Epiphany

In the upper portion of the window is the star of the Epiphany, shining down on the Chi Rho as a symbol of Christ. The half circle form behind the star is merely a means of accentuating the star through design. The compression patterns in the line and color, cutting through the circular radiation from the core of the Chi Rho, are meant to suggest in a poetic sense the identification of the child as Special by the three kings, symbolized by three crowns at the base of the window. Each crown is placed near the gift borne by its respective king. The thrust of the earth pattern in to the mound at the base of the window is meant to suggest in a symbolic way the dialogue between the earth and its creator.

4. Lent

The desert is symbolized by the cactus, which acts as a foil for the Chi Rho. Surrounding the cactus, starting on the lower right-hand corner, are the rocks with the plate of bread, symbolizing the temptation to change the rocks into bread. To the right of the cactus is the architectural form symbolizing the temple in which Christ was tempted to throw himself into the courtyard. Above the cactus is a crown in a dark cloud, symbolizing political power which was offered to Jesus. The community is symbolized by the patterns of the houses and buildings in the center area of the design. The cloud patterns, linear forms and colors are meant to symbolize one’s feelings – disaster and depression.

5. Palm Sunday

Here we have shown the road from Jericho to Jerusalem strewn with palms, symbolizing the joy of the coming Messiah but ending in the tragedy of the condemnation symbolized by the axe in the bundle of sticks. The cartouche is here shown in a mourning mood at the crucifixion symbolized by the cross.

6. Resurrection – Easter

The design of this window is meant to appeal primarily to one’s feelings – the joyous news of the resurrection. The stone has been rolled back and the lily is shown in a somewhat ecstatic form. The earth has opened up and the fish in the dark moody color has been surmounted by the vibrant movement in the Chi Rho above.

7. Pentecost

Here the paraclete symbolized by the dove descending from the resurrected Christ symbolized by the Chi Rho in the upper part of the window is presenting the seven gifts. The undulating lines and colors suggest the excitement and vibrating of the whole earth in the coming of the Holy Spirit.

8. All Saints

In this window we have used a kind of Jesse tree form to hold flaming symbols of different apostles The tree has its roots in the form of an alpha and the fish a symbol of the Christ and culminates at the top of the window in the symbol of the Eucharist – the chalice, the host and the omega, which might well be read as a stole.