Osceola Sermon Stained Glass Windows Pastor Bob Vale / Dec. 27 th, 2009 Biblical Focus: I Corinthians 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1. Look around you. What do you see? Our church building was built by our spiritual grandparents with you in mind. Both the architecture and symbolism was put in place to draw you closer to God without the reading of scripture, the preaching of the word or the singing of the hymn and chorus. 2. Today I want to especially draw your attention to the beautiful stained glass windows in our sanctuary. You may now know this, but the artwork in our windows comes from an American master in Stained Glass work. It was commissioned by The Charles J. Connick Studio out of Boston, Mass. He was quite famous for his work and the company has over 15,000 pieces of artwork around the world. Please watch this brief video about the work of Charles J. Connick. Charles J. Connick once said, If churches are made radiant and beautiful places of worship, we can have a spiritual regeneration without anyone knowing what is going on. Beauty can preach as very few men with bundles of words can preach. I want to make beautiful interiors for both churches and souls. I want people to hear my windows singing..." --Charles J. Connick One minute of the following video youtube video about the Charles J. Connick studio: Only the first minute. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygy53of6gne 3. Many of the churches that are being built today have little to no religious symbolism in it. They feel stained glass windows and crosses in the sanctuary might turn people away from the church. As with most things in history the pendulum will more than likely swing the other way, and while we wait, I am so very glad our church was built in a time when religious symbolism was important in the architecture of the church. 1964. Pastor Ed Green, was a former pastor of our church and was also a theology student in Boston. Pastor Green had a very close relationship with another pastor from the Boston, who was an expert on Stained glass windows and also a person friend of Mr. Connick. Because of these two connectional Boston relationships, when Pastor Green put the development committee together to look at other church stained glass windows, it became clear the Connick windows were the ones to get. Pastor Green along with the committee studied each window and made changes to make them just right for our church. A tremendous financial savings was also given to the church because of these
friendships to secure these beautiful stained glass windows. If we were to put these windows in our church today, it would cost us about $150,000 or more. I was told in 1964 the nine side windows cost our church about $10,000 and was a gift by Mrs. Selma Pickrell in Memory of her husband Mr. J. Wauferd Pickrell. Remember also that $10,000 in 1964 could have nearly bought you a new house. Today that would be a gift of $100,000 or more 4. Let s walk around our church sanctuary and see what Charles J. Connick Studios left us as a silent Sermon through the beautiful artwork of Stained Glass. Opening Hymn: # 397 I Need Thee Every Hour Prayer Chorus:# 394 Something Beautiful. Hymn of Discipleship: # 395 Take Time To Be Holy 1. Jeremiah (Extended Hand) We begin with Old Testament Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a major prophet who is seen here with two images. One is a chain to represent the bondage of prison and the Babylonian captivity and the scroll to represent his prophetic writings. Jeremiah was a bit unusual in that he did odd things to teach and preach a message of repentance to the Hebrew people. These were called Prophetic Parables. Much like the prophet Isaiah who had to walk stripped and barefoot for three years and the prophet Ezekiel who had to lay on his side for 390 days and eat measured food, Jeremiah is instructed to perform a number of prophetic parables to illustrate the LORD s message to his people. For example, the LORD commands Jeremiah to buy a clay jar and smash it in the Valley of Ben Hinnom in front of elders and priests to illustrate that the LORD will smash the nation of Judah beyond repair. The LORD instructs Jeremiah to make a yoke from wood and leather straps and to put it on his own neck to demonstrate how the LORD will put the nation under the yoke of the king of Babylon. Each of our 7 side stained glass windows has a personal picture to depict a message of history for the church. In this window is the Extended Hand, to represent the extended hand of hope and good will to all people in our community and around the world. This is why we give away the food baskets and also give away nearly 15% of our budget outside the walls of our church to missions and church support outside of Osceola. It s who we are as a Methodist people. You will also notice that each window has the name inscribed into the stone at the bottom. This was a memorial gift in honor of Bus & Kenny Kelver s mother. 2. Isaiah (Plowing People)
Isaiah is another major prophet who also wrote a book of the Old Testament. The picture depicts the tongs holding the coal of fire as mentioned in his dramatic calling from God. Isaiah 6:5-8 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." ISA 6:6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." ISA 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah was known as a very faithful and courageous prophet who spiritually led the Hebrew people in both good and bad times. None of these prophets were afraid to tell the people, Straight talk about their sins and failures and that they needed to repent. Perhaps that is a reminder to the pastors who preach to you each week, not to water down the gospel message and to not wink at sin. The historical picture for the Osceola UMC in this window is a picture of a man with a plow and people assisting to also help pull the plow. Several older members of the church remember this happening when they first broke ground on the church in 1954. They actually walked the plow from the Moran elementary school to our current site. 3. Amos (Cooking Pot of Fire Apples) Amos is one of the minor prophets in the Old Testaments who is honored with a stained glass. One might ask the question. Why Amos? Why such a minor prophet to get his own window. He is called the great prophet of the 8 th century B.C. and is noted as the first prophet to be recorded in the scriptures. Amos was a farmer and called the shepherd of Tekoa. The Book of Amos is set in a time when the people of Israel have reached a low point in their devotion to God - the people have become greedy and have stopped following and adhering to their values. The wealthy elite are becoming rich at the expense of others. Peasant farmers who once
practiced subsistence farming are being forced to farm what is best for foreign trade, mostly wine and oil. He is the people s prophet. The historical picture is that of a large Copper Kettle over a fire with two apples above it. It represents the Apple Butter that was once made here at the church regularly by the Star Class as a fundraiser. 4. Moses (UM Church on Apple Street) Of course we know Moses to be the man of God who freed the Hebrew people from Egyptian slavery and walked them through the wilderness for 40 years and handed them off to Joshua into the promise land. He is best known for giving the Hebrew people the Ten Commandments from Mt. Sinai. The history picture within this stain glass window is the old church on Apple Road. The church was built in 1894 and continued to serve our community faithfully until 1957. Some of you still here today were perhaps baptized or married in that church. How many here have been inside that church at one time in your lives? 5. Back Doors
The Western Cross: It reminds us of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. The three point on top remind us of the trinity and the cross itself is a reminder of God s grace pointing to the North, South, East and West. Many of us have this symbol around our neck, on a t-shirt, hanging on our wall, and many have it places permanently on their body as a tattoo. Chi Rho Cross: Two Greek Letters for Christ. It is one of the earliest symbols for Christ going all the way back to the 3 rd century. Cross of Triumph: Where some would think that the cross is a symbol of defeat, Christians know better. We understand the cross to be a sign of victory over Satan and ultimately death from a risen Christ from the cross of Calvary. Anchor Cross: We are anchored in Christ. When the storms of life come our way, Jesus keeps us safe as we are anchored to Him. 6. John Wesley (Money Bag with V)
John Wesley was the founder of the United Methodist Church as we know it. Although he never became a United Methodist himself, he remained a Episcopal Priest all his ministry years and started the Methodist movement in America. John was one of 16 children and was born in 1703. He practiced a strict set of guidelines to become holy like God is holy. He would say there is a Method to becoming like Jesus Christ in your life. Through prayer, Bible study, service to others and giving to those in need, one can become like Christ. He was one of the greatest preachers in British history and his famous brother Charles wrote over 5,000 hymns. Together they were a great team of evangelist. John Wesley sent over two Bishops to America to begin the Methodist church; Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury. They began to train and ordain Methodist Clergy to ride on horses from town to town preaching the gospel and starting churches. Our historical picture within this stain glass window is that of a Money Bag with a V in front of it. This comes from the Victory Sunday School class to represent the final victory we have when earthly debts are paid and we go towards heaven for greater service. 7. St. Francis (Lady s / Child s Face) St. Francis of Assisi represents our close connection and long church history of the Catholic Church. As United Methodist we are a part of the church universal, which includes the Holy Catholic Church. St. Francis of Assisi preached to both men and at one tome to the birds of the trees and told them of God s goodness to them. He is called the patron saint of Animals. St. Francis of Assisi is probably most famous for his prayer. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to
understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. In the lower right hand corner of this window is a picture of a woman or child. It is supposed to be a child, but it looks more like a woman. When I first looked at it, I wondered if it represented Susannah Wesley the saintly mother of John and Charles Wesley. Could it be a past faithful worker of the church who helped build the church and lead people to Christ? Someone asked me if it could it represent Janet Keller? It actually represents a child as a reminder to always be a church that has a focus on children s ministry. What a great reminder to us to reach out to children. 8. St. Paul (Peanut Brittle) As most all of us know, Paul was the major writer of many of the books in the New Testament. He is also noted as first and great missionary of the gospel. Many of the doctrines of the church are in place because of his writings about God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The peanut brittle in the picture represents the making of peanut brittle in the past by the Home builders class. Laurie Coffel actually has the secret hand written recipe for the peanut brittle given to her by her grandmother who was part of the Homebuilders class. Let s take a look at it. (Show it quite briefly on the screen.) I guess the family wants to keep it a secret. Choir Windows: Let s not forget these two beautiful Choir windows in the back of our sanctuary. One is playing church bells and the other is playing a harp. Very fitting for all the beautiful music we use each week to share the story of God s love. Thanks to our musicians Ms. Lee Keefer, our pianist Andrew, Choir director Pastor Joyce Kuhn, our choir, our hand bell choir, our praise team and the many other musicians who lift the name of God up on Sunday mornings to draw us closer to the God of the universe.
The Rose Window at the Osceola U.MC. Rose Window: (1964) Charles J. Connick Studios out of Boston. The Rose window is a special gift of Mrs. Clarice Green in memory of her husband, Mr. Harry Green. The symbols in the Rose window symbolize and honor the four gospels of the New Testament. The Lamb of God is in the middle holding the Christian flag of victory and cross. The lamb is no longer wounded, but suggesting the victorious nature of His sacrifice. Above and below the lamb of Christ are symbols to emphasize the four gospels in the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. 12 O clock: The Winged Man of St. Matthew to illustrate the genealogy of Christ and sharing the gospel message to the world.
3 O clock: The Ox: is in honor of the Ox, which was the typical sacrifice in the Old Testament, but in the gospel of Luke the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is the main theme. 6 O clock: Eagle: symbolized the lofty heights of the gospel of John as he talks about the mind of Christ. 9 O clock: Lion: symbolizes the gospel of Mark, who begins his gospel with the phrase The voice of one crying in the wilderness. The lion represents the wilderness. Passion Four Corners: On each of the four corners of the window rest symbols of the Passion of Christ: The Communion Cup from the last supper with his disciples, The Rooster from Peter denying Christ three times, The Crown of Thorns which Jesus wore on the cross, and the blessed Cross itself where Jesus paid for all of our sins. All these symbols represent the Passion of Christ death. Have you sensed the artist of 40 years ago speaking to you? Will your entrance into the sanctuary be different in the future now that you know some of the spiritual symbolism that was placed here for you to reflect upon each time we gather for worship? I have an odd question for you? How would your life be represented if it were set to a stain glass window? What would be to your left and right? How will the world remember you? 1. Pictures of different people in the congregation as they would be if they re likeness were turned into a stained glass window. 1. Bus Kelver: Frog, Fishing pole. Fish Fry 2. Janet Keller; UMW, cook book, 3. Pastor Jeff: Bugs Bunny; Chocolate 4. Pastor Bob; fishing pole, guitar 5. Etc.