Originally written by Pastor David Stecholz (Messiah's second called Pastor) in 1991, we are reprinting it with the hope that it will deepen your appreciation and understanding of our beautiful stained glass windows.

Messiah Lutheran Church has followed the rich tradition of our Evangelical Lutheran Church in arranging for beautiful windows-to the glory of God. The windows are of a faceted glass construction, somewhat different than conventional stained glass.  The windows contain various sized pieces of glass, cut in facets to diffuse the light, and are set in symbolic patterns.  The glass pieces are up to an inch and a half thick, and set in an epoxy cement. The windows form a unity, beginning from the very front of the Church.

The foremost of the windows is located above the Chancel.  Jesus Christ is depicted in red clothing as the Messiah, in keeping with the name of our congregation.  The red reminds us that He came to earth not as a "political messiah" but as One who would lay down his life and whose blood would be shed to win forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation for mankind.  Jesus, God the Son, has the light of God the Father coming down upon Him, and coming (proceeding or spirating) from the Father through the Son is the Holy Spirit, represented as a white dove.  In our Lord's right hand are 3 ‘diamonds' to depict the persons of the Holy Trinity.  Notice the Palm branches which recall the entrance into Jerusalem and of our victorious Lord and which now acclaim the praise and honor of His Name.  Observe the grapevines and the wheat, recalling the Lord's Supper.  These weave throughout the Church windows and are a reminder of God's providence to us in this beautiful God's acre of the world.  The bow is a reminder to us both of God's rainbow and covenant promise to Noah and is testamental promise of Divine grace through His holy word and sacraments.

The round circular window (above the organ) aptly complements the Messiah window.  Here we see our Risen Lord in the lower center, with golden light streaming from the stony tomb to the right and the three crosses of Calvary to the left.  Notice that the repentant thief's cross is to the right of our Lord's and in the light, while the unrepentant thief's cross is in the darkness of sin and eternal death.  A dove, symbolizing again the Holy Spirit, is returning to our victorious Lord, and even now the large brown cross of the crucified Christ is bathed in the splendor of the open grave's radiating light.  Note the wheat and the grapevines and the palms.  Recall, too that Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches.  This window shouts with Easter joy, "He is alive!  Christ is risen!"

Back up to the Chancel area and below the Messiah window we see the Word and Sacraments depicted.  Behind the pulpit is the Word of God window with its open Bible, red cross to depict the crucified and risen Christ as the heart of the Scripture.  Notice the angel above the open Bible, the bearer of the everlasting Gospel (read Revelation 14: 6-7 ).  The emblem of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the "Luther Crest" is in the lower part of this window, and the words "joy" and "love," which come from the sacred Word of the Most High God, are found here.

To the left of the altar are three windows that together portray the Lord's Supper. Jesus is in the middle, consecrating the bread and cup (wine) and giving His very Body and Blood to six (a representative number) of His apostles in the Passover meal.  Notice that the chalice is red and that our Lord is hallowed in yellow light.  As with all the windows, the richness of the color is profound and not unintentional.  Can you find the Cross of Golgotha looming along the side in the far right of these windows?

As we move leftward from the Messiah window and through the Means of Grace windows, we come to the Bapistry.  Again we have a trilogy of windows marked with crosses.  The Cross of Jesus is "the tree of Life' for believers.  Each window has a cross, and in Holy Baptism we are marked (crossed) with Christ.  Since the baptismal candidate is usually center behind the font, above his or her head in the middle window is a dove, again the Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit, who plants the seed or miracle of faith in the human heart.  The Holy Baptism windows have a strong sense of line along with blues and greens, recalling our Lord's baptism in the Jordan river and how in our baptisms we are clothed with Christ.  The earth tone colors, symbolic of our base nature and sinfulness are covered over.

Above the door to the left of the Bapistry is the Crown of Thorns window.  We are reminded that our Lord wore not a regal robe or golden, kingly crown but a wretched crown of cruel thorns.  This was part of His all availing sacrifice to atone for our sins.  In a sense this recalls Confession and Absolution, the pronouncement upon our repentance that our sins have been forgiven on earth before Almighty God.

Fruits of the Spirit

Perhaps one should follow now the upward sweep of the faceted glass windows to the left.  But before looking at the taller Kingdom of Heavens windows which come next, we'll look at the nine fruit of the Spirit windows.  In Galatians 5:22-23 , St. Paul tells us of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. Again, the bold sweep of the line, the unity of color, and the subtle nuances in each of these nine windows intrigues the mind and heart, and they also collectively say, "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever"  (Psalm 118: 1 )

When Lutheran artist Roger Hogan (Hogan Studios, Crescent City, CA) and Pastor Stecholz discussed the windows of Messiah, they were in need of a good theme.  Pr. Stecholz suggested the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven, from the Gospel according to St. Matthew and, as Pr. Stecholz tells it, ‘the face of Roger lighted up.'  Originally there were to be two sets of three windows, but due to a structural change, the "triad' theme implicit in the architecture of this House of Prayer had to yield.  What grew out of this was two sets of two windows each.

Smaller Set

The smaller set of the ‘Kingdom' windows (as you are facing the narthex, look to the far right hand corner of the church) depicts seed planters.  The seed of God's word  is being sown with the intent of the harvest of souls.  (see Matthew 13: 1-23.)

Larger Set

The larger set In the larger "Kingdom" windows set is found the fishing nets, another depiction of the harvest of souls (see Matthew 13: 47-52 ).  Note the full heads of ripened wheat along with the bountiful catch of fish.  The angels of God and the celestial aura at the top of these larger windows humbly prepare minds and hearts for the Great Judgment at the end of time.  (The "beatific vision" with the yellow colors looks like pipes of a great heavenly organ!)  And so now in the day of grace, we as followers of Jesus are "fishers of men" and "sowers of the seed."  In our area, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.

And what does our Lord say for us to do?  See Matthew 9: 38 .  You are that worker!  The windows of Messiah preach powerful sermons.  The Triune God gives us-through His crucified and risen Son, our Lord and Messiah, Jesus Christ, the means to receive His grace so that we may be His children of light in this world.  The windows have bold but gentle stories to tell.  Rising from God's word, the hope is that they will always speak to us of the great mission of Messiah Lutheran Church.  To God alone be the glory!