Stained glass windows serve many purposes. They allow light to illumine a church’s interior, they are works of art, and they are teaching tools. For centuries, stories of faith have been depicted in stained glass windows. For those too young to read or those unable to read, windows are a means of telling these stories of faith. Even for readers of the Bible, stained glass windows are reminders of the stories of God’s enduring, amazing love.
The stained glass windows at First Presbyterian Church of Muskegon will enhance the worship, faith development and Christian education of this church for years to come. Keep reading to learn more about our windows.
Creation | Genesis 1-3
Did you know the book of Genesis begins with not one but two stories of creation? Both stories are represented in this window. The first creation stroy is…
Noah’s Ark | Genesis 6-9
By the sixth chapter of Genesis humans have become so wicked that God decided to destroy them all. God decided to send a flood that would wipe outliving…
Abraham | Genesis 12-22
God called Abraham to leave his home in Ur and go to another country, a country God promised to give to Abraham’s descendants. God promised that Abraham’s family…
The Burning Bush | Exodus 3
While tending the flocks of his father-in-law, Moses saw an amazing thing, a bush on fire but not being burned up. When Moses came closer to see this…
Passover | Exodus 11-12, Genesis 22
On the night the Hebrew people were to leave Egypt they were to have a special meal. According to God’s instructions they were to slaughter a lamb and…
The Altar of Sacrifice | Joshua 3, 4, 8, Deuteronomy 27, Judges 4-5
Moses gave instructions to the Israelites before they entered Canaan, the land God promised to Abraham’s descendants. They were to build an altar, cover it with plaster and…
Continue Reading The Altar of Sacrifice | Joshua 3, 4, 8, Deuteronomy 27, Judges 4-5
David Dances Before the Ark | 2 Samuel 6, 1, Chronicles 15-17, Exodus 25, 37
As king, David brought the twelve tribes of Israel from a loose confederation to a united nation. David chose Jerusalem as the new capitol city. During the reign…
Continue Reading David Dances Before the Ark | 2 Samuel 6, 1, Chronicles 15-17, Exodus 25, 37
Amos Before the King | Amos 2, Kings 15
The prophet Amos, like the other prophets of the Bible, was a messenger of God. The prophets reminded the Hebrews that as God’s chosen people they were to…
A Child Will Lead Them | Isaiah 11
God’s messengers, the prophets, spoke to God’s chosen people. The message was often a call to turn away from greed, dishonesty and injustice and to turn to justice…
Annunciation | Luke 1
Annunciation means announcement. God sent the angel Gabriel to announce the birth of Jesus. Gabriel came to the village of Nazareth to a young woman named Mary who…
Birth of Christ | Matthew 2, Luke 2, John 8
The stories of Jesus’ birth are some of the best known and well-loved in the Bible. On the left are the three wise men. To find the “Child…
Continue Reading Birth of Christ | Matthew 2, Luke 2, John 8
Baptism of Jesus | Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, Isaiah 9
Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by a prophet of God named John.John recognized Jesus as the Son of God and wanted Jesus to baptize him instead.Jesus…
Continue Reading Baptism of Jesus | Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, Isaiah 9
Washing of the Feet | John 13
Jesus was in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover with his friends and disciples. To show them the kind of life he wanted them to lead Jesus washed their feet.…
Death of Christ | Matthew 21, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19
Jesus was a threat to the authority of both the Jewish religious establishment and to the Roman political establishment. This combination was deadly. After a sham religious trial…
Continue Reading Death of Christ | Matthew 21, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19
Resurrection | Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20
After Jesus died his body was placed in a tomb carved into rock. Because the sabbath began the evening Jesus died, the women had to wait until the…
Continue Reading Resurrection | Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20
The Holy Church | Matthew 8, 14, 22, Mark 4, 6, 12, Luke 8, 10, John 6, Acts 13-28, Deuteronomy 6, Leviticus 19
The sailing ship has been used as a Christian symbol for centuries. It is a reminder of Christ’s ability to calm the wind and the seas. It is a…
Sacraments | Exodus 11, 12, Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 14
A sacrament is an outward, visible symbol of the inner spiritual gift of God’s grace.The scallop shell and flowing water symbolize baptism. In baptism we make a public…
Continue Reading Sacraments | Exodus 11, 12, Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 14
New Jerusalem | Revelations 21, 22
This window is a picture of a future time. It has symbolic images of the New Jerusalem, the River of Life, and a new heaven and a new…
Stained glass windows were only a dream for FPC when the sanctuary was constructed in 1958. The dream became a reality when the sanctuary was renovated in 2004-2005. At that time a committee was appointed to oversee the design, construction and installation of the windows. The ideas for the side windows came easily for the committee–nine windows for both the Old and New Testaments. The chancel window design came from the stained glass artist Richard Hanley. A man with a deep personal faith, Richard was a blessing to the project. Mr. Hanley is such a talented, skilled artisan.
These windows came into existence through several important factors. First, the prayers of the congregation upheld the process every step of the way. Second, generous financial gifts allowed the work to be undertaken and completed. Nearly 60 families and individuals pledged and paid for the windows. Lastly, and most importantly, the Holy Spirit was, and is at work through these windows. It is our hope and prayer the windows will draw all to see them into an ever-deepening, ever-growing relationship with God.
