Stained Glass Window

Installed May 2001

Notes from the Artist - Brad Butler

The description of the windows begins with the Lamb.  Lambs were used in the Old Testament as sacrificial offerings to God in atonement for sin.  When John the Baptist saw Jesus Christ, he exclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)  Christ was indeed sacrificed so that we may have forgiveness of our sins.  After His crucifixion it was no longer necessary to use lambs as offerings to God because the sacrifice of Christ was all sufficient for all time.  Today the Lamb is more than a symbol of Christ sacrificed for us.  He is also the triumphant Son of God, as the Bible declares: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"  Revelation 5:12  The Lamb here is carrying the banner of victory which represents His resurrection.  The halo around His head is the tri-radiant nimbus which incorporates the cross and is used to further convey the Lamb as Christ. 

The Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.  They became ancient symbols of Christ because He says in Revelation 22:13, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."  Her the letters are combined with a Cross reminding us that Christ is our Savior.

Water is used to represent the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, and three drops of water represent the Holy Trinity.  Some ancient traditions indicate that John used a shell when he baptized Jesus so the ancient use of three drops of water dripping from a shell is a powerful symbol of both Jesus' baptism and ours.

When Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples, He said that the bread was His body and the wine was His blood, "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:28)  Bread is made from wheat and wine from grapes.  Wheat and grapes represent the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

The Bible itself is not necessarily a symbol, but the Open Bible is a powerful symbol of the Word of God being understood by everyone.  There was a time when the Bible was a closed book written in a language that the average person could not understand.  Then Martin Luther translated the Word and made it an accessible "Open Book" for all mankind.

The gold surrounding the images represents our faith;  the green and magenta are budding flowers, symbols of the promise of our own resurrection through faith;  and the gold rays emanating from the buds represent the fact that God is everywhere and will be with us always.

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