The team from Gilbertson鈥檚 Stained Glass, including Chris Scharpf, Mike Marousek, Max Gilberston and owner Ed Gilbertson, works to install a panel for one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒.
JANESVILLE 鈥 On Palm Sunday, as it began Holy Week, First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒 revealed its 2 newest stained-glass windows.
On Easter Sunday, it embraced the new windows with a special ceremony, following the previous installation of 2 new windows in 2019.
Gilbertson鈥檚 Stained Glass employees Mike Marousek, left, and Chris Scharpf works to install a panel for one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒.
More than 100 people gathered in the curved pews of the church at 54 S. Jackson St., singing 鈥淐hrist the Lord Is Risen Today,鈥 as choir members in white gowns and gold sashes processed in and sang along.
鈥淎ll are welcome, regardless of who you are and where you come from,鈥 said the Rev. Dr. Tanya Sadagopan, her white clergy robe bearing a gold cross on the right and five colorful butterflies on the left, as she called children up to take a look at one of new two-story windows.
The window, entitled 鈥淐aring for God鈥檚 New Creations,鈥 is on the east side of the building. It depicts two scenes from scripture, after the devastation of the world.
One of the scenes is from the book of Revelation, depicting a new heaven and new earth after endless wars, including a golden path lined by fruit trees.
The upper portion of one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒. This Christmas-themed window features a candlelight caroling scene outside the church鈥檚 front door with music notes from 鈥楽ilent Night鈥 just above.
The upper portion of one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒. This Christmas-themed window features a candlelight caroling scene outside the church鈥檚 front door with music notes from 鈥楽ilent Night鈥 just above.
鈥淭he trees will bear fruit [for] all seasons so that no one will go hungry and the leaves of the trees will be for the healing of the nations,鈥 Sadagopan said.
The second is a jungle scene of animals exiting Noah鈥檚 Ark and entering a new life. 鈥淭hat new creation shows the promise of God鈥檚 faithfulness to us after ecological devastation,鈥 Dr. Sadagopan said.
A rainbow arches across a blue waterfall and over lush plants and animals including lions, polar bears, lemurs and Wisconsin鈥檚 Ornate Box turtle and a Karner blue butterfly, the latter an endangered species in Wisconsin.
A bald eagle is also represented, although it is no longer endangered. 鈥淚t represents the joy of humanity working with God and creation to protect and preserve life,鈥 Sadagopan said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a success story.鈥
鈥淲hat do you see?鈥 Sadagopan asked the children.
鈥淎 zebra, a rhino, a lion, a turtle,鈥 children answered.
Sadagopan went on to share 鈥渁 big word, you might have heard it before. The word is metamorphosis. [It] means a big change.鈥
鈥淚t breaks out of its cocoon and becomes something entirely new,鈥 she said, pointing to the Karner blue butterfly incorporated into the stained glass.
The upper portion of one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒. This window is named 鈥楥aring for God鈥檚 New Creations.鈥
In the same manner, 鈥渨e tell the story of Jesus鈥 death going into the tomb, being in [there] for a few days and then those stones rolled away when Jesus comes back to life,鈥 she said. 鈥淣ew life, just like a butterfly.鈥
Donated costs
The two new windows cost $24,000 each, covered by donations.
鈥淐aring for God鈥檚 New Creations,鈥 is in honor of Joan and Richard Skyles with the lighting in memory of Joyce Schaaf.
鈥淭his window is a reminder that God is faithful to us, bringing us new life if we work in partnership with God to both protect creation, restore the endangered animals, to full health and to rebuild our cities, because that鈥檚 what will be required in all the places that are dealing with war. Including Ukraine, Gaza and Israel and all of the pain and suffering that comes from war,鈥 Sadagopan said.
The lower half of one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒. This window is named 鈥楥aring for God鈥檚 New Creations.鈥
The lower half of one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒. This window is named 鈥楥aring for God鈥檚 New Creations.鈥
Originally founded in 1845, the church has always been interested in social justice work, Sadagopan said. It was established based on the principle of abolishing slavery.
鈥淎s the #LoveandJusticechurch we are an open and affirming congregation. We are inclusive and welcoming to people within the queer community,鈥 Sadagopan noted. The UCC also welcomes immigrants and actively works towards supporting immigrant justice issues.
The second new window, on the east side of the building, is called 鈥淥ur Silent Night of Refuge.鈥 It was given in memory of Lillie Markham and Greg Anderson.
Max Gilberston, of Gilbertson's Stained Glass, secures a panel for one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒.
On top of 鈥淥ur Silent Night of Refuge,鈥 is the Helix Nebula, also known in the church as God鈥檚 eye. The eye looks down, watching over the Wise Ones as they arrive in Bethlehem to see the Christ child. A full moon reflecting into the water, celebrates the night, Sadagopan said.
The Christmas Bethlehem star shines bright over a glowing home, where Jesus had just been born. God鈥檚 eye protects the Wise Ones and Jesus鈥 family as they flee from danger as King Heron comes to kill them, Sadagopan said.
The bottom part shows the unique, double blue doors of the UCC on Christmas Eve in 2020, during the pandemic. 鈥淣o one was allowed in the church,鈥 Sadagopan recalls. 鈥淲e came together on those steps and sang Christmas carols.鈥
Notes to 鈥淪ilent Night鈥 are displayed on the window, along with characters with and without masks on to represent the time.
The lower half of one of the two new stained-glass windows, each two stories tall and made with six panels, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown 糖心Vlog传媒.聽
鈥淚t was windy and terribly frigid,鈥 Sadagopan said. 鈥淲e sang Christmas carols because Christmas could not be stopped, and we were going to outlive the pandemic.鈥
The bottom has a Christmas tree and a glowing church window, celebrating the night and God鈥檚 faithfulness during bleak times.
鈥淚t tells us that God鈥檚 Eye protected Jesus and the Holy Family that first Christmas Eve. That same God protected us in December 2020 during the raging pandemic, and we survived,鈥 Sadagopan said.
鈥淭he church is alive,鈥 she continued, and the window celebrates resiliency of the people in 糖心Vlog传媒, and the church.
Sadagopan worked closely with Gilbertson鈥檚 Stained Glass of Lake Geneva for four years to create and install the windows. The previous windows were blanks that were installed when the church first opened. They were old and decaying.
鈥淪o, it was an opportunity and timely for those windows to be restored with something really beautiful,鈥 Sadagopan said.