by Steve Jones, Elder for Administration

Repairs were recently completed on the sanctuary’s “Good Shepherd” stained glass window located above the balcony. The window was given by William Fisher (1873-1952) in the memory of his wife, Eva D. Fisher (1868-1951), and was dedicated in 1954. It was designed and painted by Chester Floyd Mack Sr., whose studio was in the Bethany parish.

The window depicts Christ as the Good Shepherd standing with a lamb in one arm, the other arm raised in benediction. Across his breast are the Greek letters alpha and omega—the Beginning and the End. The trinity is portrayed above—the hand of God the Father, the lamb with banner and halo as the Son, and the descending dove as the Holy Spirit. The two side panels depicting the sheaf of wheat with the words “I am the Bread of Life” and the gold chalice framed with grapes and wheat represent the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The rich colors speak symbolically: red, of sacrificial love; green, of resurrection and eternal life; purple, of the suffering and passion of the royal King of Kings for us.

Over the decades, the window has quietly endured the elements (wind, rain) and adolescents (rocks, BBs?). Before the repair, those sitting in the balcony may have noticed that some panes were loose, others were crudely repaired, and the framework that held the window together had corroded through in places.

In addition to straightening a bulge, replacing seven panes, and repairing and replacing structural bracing, a new protective cover was added to the exterior. The new cover stands farther away from the old one, and includes venting. Furthermore, errant projectiles are kept away from the glass, the additional space and venting help extend the window’s life by preventing wind gusts putting a strain on the window. The work was performed in mid-August by Willet Hauser Architectural Glass at a cost of approximately $22,000, as part of our effort to be “good shepherds” of Bethany’s aging facilities.

(Paragraphs 1 & 2 of this article are adapted from the Bethany website.)