The Stained Glass Windows of Grace Episcopal Church, Middletown, NY by emsmusic

The Stained Glass Windows of Grace Episcopal Church, Middletown, New York

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

The chief purposes of stained glass windows in a church are to create religious atmosphere and to provide an aura of holiness. The fact that our windows are “Sermons in Glass” makes them even more interesting. Each window tells a Biblical story with its beautiful pictures and symbolism. Two types of glass were used in these windows—opalescent and antique. The early windows are made of opalescent glass, while the later ones are of antique. Each type provides a different function. The “Grace” in Grace Episcopal Church refers to “Our Lady of Grace,” St. Mary. Throughout the church, many symbols of St. Mary, such as lilies, roses, and Fleur-de-Lis, are present. She is usually clothed in blue, which is the color most commonly associated with St. Mary. Some other biblical references are present. Artists traditionally clothe Jesus in red, the color of the Passion, before the Resurrection. After, He is clothed in white and gold. These are the colors of purity, victory and majesty. Three of the windows show the Annunciation where the Angel Gabriel descended upon St. Mary to announce her significant role as the Mother of God. Jesus’ Ascension is repeated in three windows. Most of the symbols are based on Anglo-Catholic theology. We begin our tour in the Sacristy…

3 The Sacristy windows are the newest in the Church. The use of dogwood in both windows reminds us of the Crucifixion. The other flowers represent the Resurrection. Margreta Overbeck came out of retirement to assist in the designs. They are of antique glass.

Baptism – 1989. The font with the shell, the Paschal candle and dove, all surrounded by the flowers representing life are symbols of Baptism. This was designed by Margreta Overbeck of Lamb Studios, Inc. In loving memory of Anthony Joseph Morreale and Esther Watson Morreale. The Eucharist – 1989. The altar, chalice, and cross are all symbols of the Eucharist. The sacrifice of Calvary is made known and “re-presented,” made present again, by the sacrifice of the Mass. This window was designed by Margreta Overbeck of Lamb Studios, Inc. Dedicated to the Glory of God, in Love, for Gladys M. Porto

As we enter the transept from the Sacristy, we see on the left one of the most beloved windows at Grace: “I Am the Light of the World” – 1932. This is a well-known painting by Dolman Hunt. The triangle at the top is a visual reference to the Holy Trinity. The door has no handle because it is the door to your heart, and only you can open it. God is always knocking at the door, hoping He will be given entrance. The robe is of textured glass. The gold of the crown and lantern glows. The glass is opalescent. This window was created by a studio in New Jersey. To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Archibald and Jane Gordon and their Daughters Martha and Anna.

“St. Paul, the Apostle I” – 1953

“St. Paul, the Apostle II” – 1953

St. Paul, the Apostle I: The ark at the top is a symbol of the Church. The central section signifies the Pentecost. Next, the martyrdom of Stephen is shown with Saul holding the coats. In the lower panel, Saul is preaching. The top right panel shows the Risen and Ascended Lord speaking to him, “Saul, Saul...” The center section shows him on the way to Damascus when he was blinded and thrown to the ground. Saul becomes Paul. This window is antique glass. The designer was Margreta Overbeck. In memory of Byron and Antoinette L. Morgan. St. Paul, the Apostle II: St. Paul is at the top where he is depicted with a sword—the word of God—Eph. 6:10. The angel is talking to St. Paul suggesting that he go to Macedonia—II Cor. 1:16. In the center left section, St. Paul is preaching at the Tomb of the Unknown God—I Cor. 14:2. Next, St. Paul celebrates The Lord’s Supper at Troas.—II Cor. 14:2. Finally, St. Paul is in Rome and appears before the Emperor. In jail, St. Paul writes his letters, which become part of the New Testament. This window is of antique glass. The designer was Margreta Overbeck of Lamb Studios, Inc. Note that these windows show the original intent behind stained glass windows as an instructional tool. The Bodine Memorial.

6 The Nave windows, located in the main part of the Church on each side of the pews, are the same design except for the center section. The top sections include the Fleur-de-Lis, which is a symbol of St. Mary, an oval section, which could be seen as a pedestal stand with a book lighted by a candle, and an ambulatory, a walkway similar to what is seen in monasteries. The center sections all contain four yellow circles of glass. This is to attract your attention to the main section of the window. The other sections are open to interpretation, but one view might be of a chalice. Below that is a view of an ambulatory from the outside. The most important symbol in each window is raised. The same artist created all of these windows of opalescent glass.

“Annunciation and Nativity” – 1924. The lilies represent the Annunciation to St. Mary. Jesus’ birth is noted in the Creche with the head of Jesus in raised glass. To The Glory of God and In Loving Memory of Oscar Candee Olmstead 1848 – 1913.

“The Epiphany and Presentation of Christ in the Temple” – 1924. Gold, frankincense and myrrh were the gifts of the Kings. (Epiphany: January 6). The two doves, which are of raised glass, were the gifts of the common people. (Presentation of Christ in the Temple: February 2.) To the Glory of GOD and In Loving Memory of Caroline Tredway Brodhead.

“Christ Before the Doctors and the Baptism of Christ” – 1924. The scrolls represent the method of record-keeping or possibly the Torah that Jesus was explaining in the Temple. (Preaching at the Temple.) The dove, of raised glass, along with the water, are the symbols of the Baptism of Jesus. To the Glory of GOD and In Loving Memory of Fannie Louisa King.

“The Last Supper and the Crucifixion” – 1924. The Last Supper is portrayed by the chalice and paten. Christ’s Crucifixion is represented by the nails, sword of Longinus, I.N.R.I. (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews—Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudacorum), the sponge used to raise vinegar to His lips, and the pincers used to remove the nails from the Cross. I.N.R.I is of raised glass. To the Glory of God and In Loving Memory of Louise Rogers Hagen 1840 - 1909

“Resurrection and Ascension” – 1924. The door of the tomb is open for the Resurrection. The footprints on the raised stone represent Christ’s Ascension. For All Thy Saints Who From Their Labors Rest “Alleluia.”

10 We now enter the peacefulness of the Wayside Chapel. Please indulge me as I digress from the exclusive subject of stained glass. A plaque outside the Wayside Chapel reads: ABOUT THE CHARRED CROSS ABOVE THE ALTAR “The Cross was damaged by fire late in the morning of October 6th, 1969, set by a person or persons unknown. Months later the Rector referred to the charred cross as ‘A symbol of our times.’ He wrote: I examined closely again the Shrine Cross, which was damaged in the recent fire. Except for the out-stretched arms, and just above the crown, the Cross is intact. Charred, yes! But I am still inclined to believe that it is a stark, moving symbol of our times—more so than a bright, newly carved Cross would be. One thing the damaged Cross says to me is that THIS IS THE KIND OF WORLD WE ARE LIVING IN—troubled, destructive, unloving. It is not at all unlike the world into which Jesus was born. This Cross also is a reminder to us that OUR LORD HIMSELF CANNOT BE DESTROYED. They did not succeed when they nailed Him to the tree 2,000 years ago. Nor did they succeed when they set fire to this Shrine a few months ago. He survives, and all the values that He represents—wounded limbs, charred hands and all. The Cross reminds me also of HOW MUCH WE ARE LOVED—regardless of how hateful we so often are. The Cross has always been, for Christians especially, the symbol not only of man’s sin, but chiefly of God’s love for him—and the extent of that love. It has been suggested that we ought to plan on opening the Shrine to the public again ‘as an act of forgiveness.’ That has still to be decided. But one thing I know, I would re-hang the damaged Cross.” This is the story behind the Cross. May it speak to you as it has to others, and may you not leave it behind without a prayer. Postscript: The Chapel was reopened, but this time with a surveillance camera in place. The burned area was covered with paneling and a drapery. (Note: The Rector at the time, and writer of the above, was Fr. Joseph Matthews.)

The charred cross with the drapery behind it.

11 In 2014, a group of dedicated parishioners undertook the restoration of the Wayside Chapel. In removing the paneling, they uncovered another stained glass window. We knew it was there from the outside, but many parishioners had never seen it. Unfortunately, little is known about this window.

On May 4, 2014, the Wayside Chapel was rededicated during the 10:30 AM service. Those who devoted their time to the reconstruction were Joe Barrett, Justin Card, Rick Scott, Tim Powers, Tom Lux and Dave Catizone. The Rector at the time was Fr. John Warfel.

12 The window for which the Wayside Chapel was named faces North Street. Information we have gathered is that this was once a doorway through which caskets were brought into the church.

The Road to Emmaus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1958. Jesus is wearing white and gold, the colors of purity and majesty. This is the only window where He is not shown in red because He has risen and returned from the dead. The two disciples do not recognize Him. This story is told in St. Luke 24:30. Antique glass was used in this window. The designer was Margreta Overbeck. This window is much beloved by parishioners. On a summer morning when the sun is shining brightly, go into the Wayside Chapel and touch the glass in this window. It is almost too hot to touch! This gives us an idea of the stress our stained glass windows go through as the seasons come and go. In Memory of Elizabeth C. and Walter R. Batcheller.

St. Mary and St. Martha – 1895. This window was inspired by St. Luke 10:38 – 42. Its mottled glass and surrounding pieces suggest that it was made using the Tiffany technique. St. Martha is pouring wine; her expression shows she is displeased with her sister. St. Martha feels that St. Mary should be helping her instead of sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening. The box on the shelf above Jesus’ head probably contains the ointments St. Mary used to wash the feet of Jesus. This window is made of opalescent glass. The designer was Frederick Stymetz Lamb of Lamb Studios, Inc. (See the Addendum for information about the refurbishing of this window.) In memory of Charles Evans Wakefield by his wife Martha, 1895. We now enter the choir transept.

“Suffer The Little Children To Come Unto Me” – 1950 “Suffer” is Old English for “permit” or “allow.” The subject of this window is based on a painting. The children represent the Bright family of the time. The rainbow in the background adds beauty and reminds us of the hope of children. This window, of antique glass, is from another studio. Its style is different from the others. To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of John Bright 1884 – 1948.

“The Prince of Peace” – 1956 At the top of the window is the “Pantocrator,” Lord of the Cosmos, Almighty God, The Prince of Peace. On the left is the Annunciation to St. Mary shown in blue, the Angel Gabriel and the descending dove. The Nativity is located in the middle of the window. Next is the Baptism of Jesus by St. John the Baptist with the dove descending. Finally, we see the Last Supper. Judas is in brown and St. Peter has a red halo. On the right at top is the Crucifixion, including the thieves and St. Mary Magdalene. The next panel shows the Risen Christ with St. Mary Magdalene. He is telling her not to touch Him since He has not yet ascended. You can see that it is dawn. The Staff represents the Lamb of God. The following panel shows the Ascension of Jesus. Note that St. Mathias has joined the Apostles in the scene showing the Ascension. This is the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles. Last, we see the Prince of Justice. The sword also denotes “The Word of God,” which establishes the contours of true justice. This is called the “Gospel Window” because these events are recorded in all four Gospels. This window is of antique glass and was done by Lamb Studios’ designer Margreta Overbeck. In Grateful Recognition of the Men & Women of Grace Church Who Have Served in the Armed Forces of Our Country.

“I Am The Good Shepherd” – 1929. This is a period painting representing the quote from St. John 14. Parts of the window are raised. The robes are of textured opalescent glass. This is one of three windows done by Payne Studio in Paterson, New Jersey. The Guild of the Holy Comforter Whitsunday – 1929.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come Unto Meâ&#x20AC;? 1916 This quote from St. Matthew 11:28 is another period painting. The robe is of textured glass. It is a double-layered window, the rays behind are in a separate pane of opalescent glass. This window is from the Payne Studio in New Jersey. To the Glory of God and in Memory of Charles Dill and Apphia C Genung. We now enter the Sanctuary.

Sanctuary Windows â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1924. Jesus is surrounded by angels. These windows are of opalescent glass. Because of the similar style, the windows were probably done by the same studio as the Nave windows. We do not have information on who these windows might be in memory of. The Sanctuary windows replaced former ones. The black and white photo below is all we have to tell us what the old ones looked like.

19 Our tour ends in the Lady Chapel.

“The Annunciation” – 1944. The angel Gabriel is announcing to St. Mary that she is to be the Mother of God. The Holy Spirit overwhelms her; the Dove overshadows her. This is a perfect window for the Lady Chapel since St. Mary is Our Lady of Grace To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Willian Otto Bender 1846 – 1916 and Berthan Speer Bender 1847 – 1929.

20 A little girl asked of her mother during Mass as she was looking at the stained glass windows, “Mommy, who are those people the Light shines through?

The Light shining through “Come Unto Me” This ends our tour of the stained glass windows at Grace! On the following pages is an Addendum with expanded writings on some of the stained glass windows, and photos from the reconstruction project of the front of the church and the Mary-Martha window. Most of the writing in this book was taken from a booklet created in the past by the Stained Glass Restoration Committee. Unfortunately, we do not know who wrote the booklet, or the year it was written. At least some of it was probably done by Fr. John Osgood, Rector at the time. The retyping and most of the stained glass photographs are by Kathryn Parker. The photos from the restoration are by Joe Barrett. Photos of our window being worked on in the studio are by J & R Lamb Studios. This booklet was done in 2019 by Kathryn Parker and was edited by Diana Ice. Our Rector at this time is Fr. Victor Sarrazin.

21 Addendum: Expanded Information on some of our windows: “I Am the Light of the World” (Page 4) The “Gordon Window” copies for us a famous painting of our Lord holding a lamp (as the Light of the World—an image frequently employed in St. John’s Gospel) as He knocks on a door which does not have a handle on it. How peculiar! Entry through this door can only be granted by the one on the other side; all Jesus can do is knock—the permission to come inside depends entirely on the decision of the occupant. This notable aspect of this painting has often been interpreted as the door of our heart. As powerful as Jesus is, His entry into the deepest place of our life is, by His choice, a decision made by us. He can bring His Light into our world but at some mysterious level He permits us the right to grant permission, to invite Him in, to open the door from the inside. It is a delicate moment in our spiritual life captured by the rich imagery of this window. There are other allusions and symbols we should know about. For example, the Holy Trinity is referred to at the apex of the window by the traditional composite of three circles and three triangles intertwined. Or there is the red robe Jesus is wearing—the color commonly associated with His Passion and the shedding of His Blood, the sacrifice we share in the Eucharist. This reference is further expanded by His Crown, comprised of thorns, to show us the transformation of all suffering into glory. The strong use of blue connotes holiness and the stone slab He stands on as a type of doorstep triggers associations in Jewish and Christian imagery with the sacrificial nature of the Altar. There is a great deal of our Sacred Story in this window. Certainly, one area of meditation we could usefully consider is the combination of images that refer to the self-offering of the Christ for us (the Altar, the Crown of Thorns, the blood-red robe of the Passion) with the importance of seeking our own self-offering for Him. God became human so that humans can become divine, as St. Athanasius, an early theologian of the Church, put it. What would this mean? This window speaks to us of love and the intimacy that the love of God commands and bestows. Jesus of Nazareth has died on the darkness of the Cross to bring His light into the darkness of our hearts. He asks, by His knocking, to be allowed to come in and dwell in our hearts. We meet this offering, this oblation, in the Eucharist. We hear, in the silence of our prayer, His knock. What, then, will our answer be?

22 “The Good Shepherd” (Page 16) One of the earliest and fondest images of Jesus is of a shepherd. This is a common picture of our Lord, but we do not often meditate on its deeper layers of meaning. The large window near the choir section depicts Jesus as The Good Shepherd in a red robe, red being the color symbol of His Passion, with the Holy Spirit signified above His Head in the form of a descending Dove, holding a sheep in His Arms. Notably, He has no sandals on His Feet, for in this way His poverty, and His solidarity with all of the poor and marginalized, can be captured by visual symbolism. We should also note the Northern European style of this window because of the white male with red hair; while it is certainly natural for cultures to picture the Redeemer in ways that allow their own inherent characteristics to speak, it is still important for us to remember that such a picture is limiting. While we cannot be absolutely certain of our Lord’s precise physical features, we can be sure that He did not look as if He originally came from Scotland! But the primary purpose of this window is to enlighten us, to let the light shine on the Church (us). It uses the pastoral image of the shepherd, the one who is closely tied to the flock, who is with them always, who hunts for the lost sheep, who guides the flock, feeds them, protects them, whose voice they not only recognize, but also trust. These are the associations that early Christians quickly assigned to the Christ. They soon were transferred to Bishops, for we see in their major symbol of a shepherd’s crook (called a Crozier) the same type of connection, the same level of trust, the same degree of care. And to some Christian communities this imagery has been attached to the local “pastor” who has been trained in “pastoral” care. This window, in other words, reminds us of the common, everyday presence of our Savior in our Lives, of His care and love, of the guidance and mercy we can turn to when we ourselves have gotten lost, or need to be fed, or protected. These are fundamental truths of our faith that tell us a great deal about the God of peace who comes to us and addresses us in the Word and Sacrament, in community and solitude, in the ordinary and the routine. When we reflect on these truths we come to a richer and deeper understanding of God’s activity in our daily lives, an activity comprised of love, the essence of holiness. Why not read the tenth chapter of St. John’s Gospel in front of this window sometime and pause when Christ points out that His sheep follow Him, to ask – do I follow him?

23 Our Story (Page 15 ) Not everyone realizes that stained glass windows originally served as instructional tools. There was a time when illiteracy was commonplace, when very few could own their own Bible, let alone read one, and visual aids were employed in order to teach the faithful the essentials of Sacred Scripture. The dark background to the window in the Choir Transept (given in memory of parishioners who perished in the armed forces) sets off, in strikingly bright hues, the greater events of the Gospels. It was precisely this type of arrangement that enabled parish priests to teach and preach these fundamentals of our salvation to the people in their pastoral care. If you begin at the top, you see the standard elements that depict Christ the Pantocrator (Greek for Almighty). Below this image, beginning on the left side and descending so that you climb back up on the right side, are key moments with which we should all be familiar: The Annunciation…where the angel announces to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she will conceive the Messiah… The Nativity…where shepherds and St. Joseph remind us of the great mystery of the Holy Incarnation… The Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan…where our Lord displays total solidarity with all the sinful… The Last Supper…where Jesus gives us the example of humble love in washing feet and the Food of Love in the Eucharist… The Crucifixion…where God displays in total self-giving a complete and eternal Passion for each of us and all of us… The Resurrection…where Mary recognizes her Risen Lord… The Ascension…where all humanity is wondrously offered a future of union with God… And the Parousia…where Christ the Judge will weigh our deeds on the scales of justice, which we see on one side, with the Word of God, symbolized by the two-edged sword He holds, on the other side. These are salvific events. They form the essentials of our redemption. We should be familiar with them; indeed, we should be able to explain them to anyone who inquires about them. Could we do that? If we feel we need to learn more, then this window has served its purpose.

24 Paul’s Story (Page 5) As we previously noted, stained glass windows were originally intended to serve as visual teaching aids—they pictured events from Scripture and from the lives of the Saints or of the Church so that the imagination could be inspired and the memory assisted. In the right transept (if you are facing the Altar) we have another of the panels that list a number of significant moments in our salvation history—these two windows focus particularly on the life and ministry of St. Paul, author of a significant part of our Greek Scriptures. Descending down the left side and then ascending up the right side, with the Church symbolized at the top by the image of a ship, we find: The Ascension…And the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost…then Saul (St. Paul’s old name) presiding at the martyrdom of St. Stephen the deacon (with the chilling biblical notation “And Saul was consenting”)…followed by Saul Preaching…which leads us to his being stoned by a mob at Lystra for healing a cripple…where the focus then turns to elements of the apostolic life, namely the Laying On Of Hands and The Holy Eucharist…where our eye then comes upon the famous Damascus Road encounter Saul had where he was blinded by overwhelming light as the Risen and Ascended Lord speaks to him…when then we move over to the Call To Macedonia, the Shrine to the Unknown God, the Eucharist at Troas, Eutychus Being Raised to Life, and Image of St. Paul’s letters, His Preaching to the Gentiles, then to the Romans, culminating in the standard image of St. Paul holding a sword (a frequently used symbol for the Word of God). In order to grasp the sweep and significance of these selected moments, one needs to read the Acts of the Apostles. Then the references in St. Paul’s letters, themselves, will take on a new importance as we can see the change in his life, the development of his theological uniqueness and the impact of his missionary work. And this is exactly what our windows are designed to do—to send us back to the Sacred Text that forms us, informs us and, ultimately, transforms us.

25 The Fleur-de-Lis Notice that all five of the (older) windows in the Nave of the church have a Fleur-de-Lis at their summit. This is not without meaning. This symbol is rich. In the Tradition of the Church it has always carried three primary associations theologically (so as to distinguish its use historically). The first and most common association it carries is as a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary: it serves as an immediate reminder of Our Lady of Grace. It would appear that the original donors of these windows were aware of this connection because our Fleur-de-Lis is resting on a blue field of color and blue is frequently used in the Western Church as a color-code for Our Lady. The second and quite obvious association it carries is as a symbol of the Holy Trinity: notice its trident design. Such a structure was often used by clergy and catechists in the Church to point to the Unity of the Trinity of the Three in One. The third and relatively common association it carries is as a symbol of the Resurrection: surely everyone would immediately think of the lily as THE flower of the Paschaltide. All three meanings are valid and useful, and all three are capable of prompting fruitful meditation on our part. We look to the Blessed Mother of God, the Holy Theotokos, as a primary image of ourselves, the one who gave birth to the Holy One to show us that this is, ultimately, our role as the Church nowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to birth God in our daily life. This, of course, reflects our monotheistic belief in the Trinity, the One God, a belief that we share because we have been born into it through the womb of Baptism since Christ opened the Tomb in His Resurrection. How we live all this is the really important question. When we sit in our parish church and look out at the world through our stained glass windows, we see the world through this particular focus. What do we think the world sees as it looks in at us?

26 In 2010 it became evident that the Mary-Martha window, as well as the stonework in the front of the church, needed extensive repair. Thanks to the generosity of parishioner Penny Ames, Lamb Studios was hired to remove the window and take it to their studio to be completely overhauled and repaired. The many photos taken during this time cannot be left out of this booklet. The window is in memory of Charles Evans Wakefield by his wife Martha, 1895. Charles and Martha Wakefield were born in Manchester England, coming to the United States sometime around 1851.They originally settled in Brooklyn, NY, and later New York, NY, where Charles worked as a laborer and eventually a confectioner. They had no children. Following Charlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; death in New York City on November 12, 1888, Martha moved to Middletown. A lifelong member of the Episcopal Church, she became a parishioner of Grace Church. In the latter half of 1894, Martha commissioned our Mary-Martha window in memory of Charles. Shortly after she purchased the window, Martha died of pneumonia at the Commercial Hotel in Middletown, where she had lived for several years with her nephew, Charles Higham. She was buried in the Hillside Cemetery, never having seen the window installed.

The condition of the window before work began.

The window is prepared for removal.

We were without our window for about two years.

Work begins on the faรงade.

Stones are numbered for replacement.

An artisan at Lamb Studios works on our window.

Work continues.

Lead is applied.

Part of our faรงade is down.

Rebuilding.

Halleluia, our window returns in early 2012!

The window is reinstalled. Many noted that it had a new depth that we had not seen before.

All work completed. The window is lighted at night as a welcoming sign to the Middletown Community. The End.