GOSPEL IN GLASS

The gothic windows depict the "Life of Christ" beginning at the southwest corner of the nave and following in chronological order: The Nativity, the Flight into Egypt, the Twelve-year old Jesus, Christ Blessing Little Children, the Lord's Supper, Gethsemane, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ. These together with the two side panels in the east wall were brought from the old church and reset in new frames. They were designed and executed by the Omaha Mirror & Art Company in 1943. The two side panels represent Jesus and Peter on the Water, and Christ Knocking at the Door.


The balance of the stained glass windows in the chancel, nave, narthex, chapel and auxiliary rooms are originals designed and executed under the personal direction of Mr. Paul H. Wolff, nationally known stained glass artist, who learned his art in Germany, and who had studios at St. Joseph, Missouri at the time of the church's dediction in 1952.

The windows were planned to not only add beauty to our church, but have been designed to serve as silent teachers of our Holy Faith. The master plan is simple to understand though profound in meaning.

The chancel has been designed and executed to focalize in the cross, heretofore mentioned. And accordingly, the restrained design of the "rose window" is intended principally to provide a halo of vibrant beauty to the holy symbol of our faith, the cross. At the opposite end of the nave (visible from the exterior at night or from the front of the nave during the datime) you will observe a full figure of Christ with outstretched hands inviting all "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."


The windows which separate the nave from the reception room are unique—and, to our knowledge, the only examples of their kind. These are the “beatitude windows” with each beatitude being represented by a biblical flower. Beginning at the west we find the virtue of “Humility” (the Lily of the Valley), “Penitence” (the Wormwood), “Meekness” (the Daisy), “Spiritual Hunger” (the Crocus), “Mercifulness” (the Daffodil), “Peace-Making” (the Olive), “Purity” (the Lily) and “Suffering” (the Rosemary).


The narthex windows are known as "The Sacraments and the Christian Life" windows and are to remind us of our blessed Faith. "Through Holy Baptism, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Trinity, one is received into the fellowship of the Christian Church, wherein he is instructed in God's Word, enlightened regarding doctrine and discipline, made a member of the congregation of the faithful through the rite of Confirmation, and is privileged to be a partaker in Holy Communion, a follower of the Good Shepherd, and an heir of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord."


The Reception Room windows depict "The Church Year" in appropriate symbols beginning in the northwest corner and continuing clockwise: "Advent" (the scroll of prophecy from Isaiah 9:2-7), "Christmas" (the Glastonbury Thorn), "Epiphany" (the star of the wisemen), "Lent" (the Crown of Thorns), "Easter" (the Resurrection Cross), "Asensiontide" (the Cross of Christ triumphant over the world), "Pentecost" (the seven-fold tongues of fire), and "Trinity" (the equilateral trinagle with the superimposed cross).


On the stair-case landing above the reception room are the "Bible windows" represented by "The Law" (the tables of stone with a superimposed flaming sword) and "The Gospel" (a lighted candle representing Christ as the "Light of the World." The Latin inscription is a quotation from John 1:5 "the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.")


The Children’s Chapel is enhanced by the Gospel Windows and the symbolism is based on Ezekiel 10:14 and Rev. 4:7, “Matthew” (a winged man), “Mark” (a winged lion), “Luke” (a winged calf), and “John” (a winged eagle).


The shields of "The Twelve Apostles" are featured in the classrooms beginning on the southeast wall of the annex and continuing counter-clockwise. They are "St. Peter" (inverted cross with keys), "St. Andrew (an X-like cross or saltire), "St. James" (pilgrim's staff with a scallop shell and wallet), "St. John" (a chalice with a serpent), "St. Philip" (a patriarchal cross and a spear), "St. Thomas" (a carpenter's square, spear and four arrows), "St. Matthew" (a purse), "St. Bartholomew" (a flaying knife, "St. James the Little" (a vertical saw), "St. Simon" (a book representing the Gosepl and a fish), "St. Thaddeus" (a small sailing ship), "St. Matthias" (an open Bible and a double-bladed-axe).


The choir vestry contains windows representing "Musical instruments of the Church" and "Sacred Music" (in God's name). The Pastor's study has windows depicting the likenesses of two great reformers "Martin Luther" (German Reformation) and "Ulrich Zwingli" (Swiss Reofrmation) and thereby connotates the two cultural, national and theological backgrounds of the Evangelical and Reformed Church (Lutheran and Reformed) united in one.


The Prayer Chapel appropriately directs the thoughts of the worshipper to the heritage of the past through the window "Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott" which faces the site of the original church while the other window depicts Albert Durer's painting "Praying Hands" and reminds the faithful of this avenue of Grace--prayer.


In itself "A church building is a great symbol. It speaks without words. It stands in a community for the eternal fact of the unseen God. It symbolizes man's age-long hunger for something besides material things. It recalls men to the principles which alone have made this nation great." And the symbols of these stained glass windows are designed to be these silent teachers to young and old for generations to come.