In a sermon some time ago, John Shaffer mentioned stained glass windows. His flock at Stanwood United Methodist Church was quick to react.
“People started looking around, but there weren’t any,” the pastor said.
Built in the early 1960s, the church building in the heart of Stanwood includes a sanctuary and spacious community room, both with lofty ceilings and polished wooden beams arching skyward. The present Stanwood United Methodist Church replaced an original building constructed in 1890.
While Shaffer’s church has a long history, until this year it had no stained glass.
This Christmas, along with celebrating a blessed season, church members are enjoying seven new stained glass windows. Some members can look at two of the windows with personal pride.
Jo Hagloch, a Stanwood glass artist and church member, recruited and trained 17 others who became Stanwood United Methodist’s “stained glass team.”
Using Hagloch’s designs and working in shifts in her studio, the novice artisans crafted two windows that recognize the beauty of the church’s natural setting. One features a blue heron, the other shows snow geese in flight and the view of the Stillaguamish River from the artist’s home.
“Jo really let us do it,” said Sally Lesher, of Camano Island, who joined the church this year. “Now I can say the purple hill to the left is my hill,” Lesher said of the Stillaguamish window.
“It was fun, I had never done it before,” said Mary Lee, of Stanwood. She described the process of cutting, foiling, inserting and soldering glass pieces to create the luminous scenes.
For the other windows, including a dramatic piece at the church entryway, Shaffer turned to professional glass artists. Altogether, the window project cost about $7,000, he said.
Church history is reflected in two windows by artist Lewis Neeld. One depicts the old church building, the other represents the current church.
A design by Everett glass artist Stan Price is included in a rhododendron garden window over a church doorway. Price was recognized by the Arts Council of Snohomish County as the Snohomish County Artist of the Year for 2006. The garden window was made by Price’s staff at his Everett business, Covenant Art Glass.
The most theological of the windows are two created by Camano Island artist Jack Archibald. Called “Immanence,” the abstract designs on either side of the church entry have bold colors radiating out from a circle.
Discussing the design with Archibald, Shaffer said they explored the ideas of creation and of God’s presence in our lives.
As in years past, Stanwood United Methodist Church held a “Blue Christmas” service last week. Shaffer said the service is meant to convey a message of God’s unconditional love to those who may be struggling with grief, loneliness or despair during the holidays.
That message is meant to come through in Archibald’s windows. The artist wrote a statement about his work, which said, in part:
“I had an old friend, long gone now, who said, ‘For those who ask no questions, there are no mysteries.’ … I think what my friend meant was that life isn’t a riddle, it’s more like music. … Immanence is that force, that energy, that spirit, that godness, that whatever name you want to call it that permeates the world. … These windows are small grace notes in the music I hear in a world I do not at all understand. I hope, given their context, they make a joyful noise.”
For Sally Lesher, time in the artist’s glass studio brought new friendships. “I was new to the church. Working one-on-one, it gave us a chance to get to know each other,” she said.
The season brings her a special anniversary. “I first came to this church by invitation last Christmas Eve,” said Lesher. Her handiwork now has a permanent place there.
There is mystery in the joy of Christmas.
Columnist Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460 or muhlsteinjulie@heraldnet.com.
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