The window
January 11th, 2008
A few weeks ago, I discovered one of the greatest things I missed from my former church. The list of things I would change — both about the ELCA and the UCC, and my individual churches previous — are myriad, and the rituals I thought I would miss from the Lutheran church are not always the same as what I have found I miss the most.
It is the stained glass window at Trinity.
When I first started attending Trinity my freshman year at Carthage, something simply clicked between me and the congregation that I still can’t explain. It wasn’t the high church liturgy that I love. It was void of many of the spiritual practices that I yearn for in my own life. Surely there wasn’t anything spectacular about the congregation’s mission. And don’t get me started on the music! But what Trinity lacked in all these things, it more than made up for in the worship environment.
The worship space at Trinity “looks” like a church, with beautiful stained glass windows and traditional neo-Gothic styling. The deep blues of the windows contrast with the gray and white of the walls, which complement the rich wood of the beams and ceiling. The blond wood of the pews give a 1960’s retro feel to the room.
Centered above the communion table and altar at the front of the room is the window that has become so iconic in my worship life. As we would speak in unison the words of the historic creeds, I could follow through Christ’s life in that window, taking me from birth to baptism, crucifixion to burial, ascension to the sure promise of his return. Every time I speak the creed, I have the image of the stained glass window burned in my mind.
The window
