Windows

Stained Glass Windows

We gather to work on our faith so that it matters.

One of the most beautiful and moving features of the church is the set of stained glass windows, designed and constructed especially for our building by artist Tenold Peterson of Junction City. (The exceptions, the very old window at the front of the sanctuary and the two smaller framed windows at the back, all from the old Methodist Church in town.) The seven large windows were constructed over a period of seven months, from late 1984 to early 1985. The frames for these windows were restored by Dave Davidson. Glen Harrington constructed the frames for the windows on each side of the front doorway into the Narthex. These frames were finished by John Nail.

The windows, "A Remembrance of the Life Of Christ in Stained Glass" were provided from memorials and gifts given to the Junction City United Methodist Church.

The Advent Window

Isaiah 11:1-9 provides the message for portions of this window. The four Sundays prior to Christmas Day is Advent, a period where we remember the events leading to the birth of Jesus. The lion and sheep represent a promise from God that someday predator and prey will live in peace together. Directly below the lion and sheep is black and white stained glass with a shoot coming from the right side. From Isaiah 11:1-9, "Out of a stump of David's family will grow a shoot, bearing fruit from the old root." The shoot represents the Spirit of the Lord.

Additional features of the window are the four purple advent candles, one for each Sunday of Advent, with the white Christ candle in the center. The circle that surrounds the Christ candle represents not only God's promise to send a savior into the world but to look into the future to his coming as a signal to end history.

This window is in Memory of Rupert Edwards and in Honor of Mary Edwards. The window was given by the Rupert Edwards Family and the Rupert Edwards Memorial Funds.

The Christmas Window

The Christmas season consists of twelve days between Christmas Day, December 25th, and January 6th. This time period focuses on the early stage in God's plan to bring peace and power to the world by the gift of his only son. The biblical readings describing the birth of Jesus are found in Matthew 2 and Luke 2.

The Christmas window is primarily white, the liturgical color of the Christmas season. The white also symbolizes the innocence of baby Jesus who has come into our world of grief and suffering. On a sunny winter's day, one will find rainbows radiating throughout the Sanctuary. These are the result of the prism at the center of the star and throughout the window. This window is particularly effective at night when the blue background brings focus to the radiance of light illuminating from the heavens.

This window is in Memory of Beatrice G. Nail, given by her husband, John Nail.

The Epiphany Window

This window represents the beginnings of Jesus' ministry and life in a season know as the season after Epiphany. The first Sunday after Epiphany is remembered when Jesus began his ministry with his baptism by John in the Jordan. (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:13-22; John 1:29-34). The Dove as it is descending represents the Holy Spirit. The rushing water from the right side of the window represents the Jordan River and the graduations of green is that of the voice of God saying "You are my beloved son, I am fully pleased with you" (Luke 3:22) The last Sunday after Epiphany is always remembered as the time when Jesus' appearance was changed on the mountain. The white band surrounding the window is representative of the proper liturgical color for the two Sundays.

The green color in the balance of the window is the color of the season after Epiphany and shows the growth of Jesus' early ministry like the fresh new green growth of spring.

This window is in Memory of the Michael Family. Claude R. "Mike" Michael, Delpha O. Michael, Robert Ray Michael and Donald Fred Michael. The window was given by Delpha O. Michael.

The Lent Window

Lent is the forty day period prior to Easter Sunday, a period of preparation for the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.

Our window has a varying color of purples which represents Jesus' faithfulness as the King of the Jews and the Son of God. Within the window is a head of wheat with glass rising from it. This refers to John 12:24, "A kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be done - a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels - a plentiful harvest of new lives." The band of black glass in the window symbolizes the death of Jesus. At the very top of the window a sliver of light escapes from the darkness of death giving us hope and reminding us that God is good and that he will be with us always.

This window is in Memory of G. Barron Buttke, Alma M. Jager, Earl C. Jager and in Honor of Grace Buttke. The window was given by their son and daughter, Raymond and Ruth Jager and the Alma M. Jager Memorial Funds.

The Easter Window

From the Gospel of John, Chapter 20, Verse 1, "Early Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance."

Our window with its white radiance shows the stone rolled away from the tomb's entrance. The rainbow of colors coming from the tomb, lilies rising from Jesus hands and pierced wrists symbolize rising from the dead, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This window was given in Memory of Jacob C. Jager, given by his wife, Frieda L. Jager, daughters Lorna Heilbronner and Eleanor Smartt, Eleanor's husband Tom, and their sons, Steven and Scott Smartt.

The Pentecost Window

From Acts, Chapter 2, Verses 1-4, "On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability."

The fire, flames and smoke of this window speaks of the verses from Acts 2:1-4. Reading Acts 2 and interpreting its words gives meaning to fully appreciate this window.

This window was given as a gift from W. L and Inez McEldowney.

The "Sunday of Fulfillment" or "Christ the King" window

This window is based on the last Sunday of the church year and the book of Revelation, Chapters 21 and 22. Represented in glass is a "new Jerusalem", the width and height are equal, the walls built on a foundation of stones each for one of the apostles. Flowing from the city is a River of Life with trees on each side of it which bear fruit for each month of the year. To appreciate this window in its fullest, read the above mentioned chapters.

This window was given by the following: Gifts from Lloyd and Edna Amundson; in Memory of Robert R. Anderson, given by his wife, Clara Fay Anderson and memorial gifts; in Memory of Warren Averill, from memorial funds; In Memory of Ruth Barto from memorial funds; in Memory of Drew Campbell from memorial funds; in Memory of Paul Carlsen, given by his wife Rosella Carlsen; in Memory of Elizabeth Domaschofsy, from memorial funds; in Memory of Jeanette Dowland, given by her cousin, Pauline Sandoz; Gift from Lyman and Erma Fisk; In Memory of H. E. Griffith, given by his niece and family Susan and Jim Bowden, David and Scott; in Memory of William C. Jensen, given by his wife, Grace S. Jensen and memorial funds; In Memory of Bryan and Winnie Keaton, given by their son, Dr. Alan Keaton; in Memory of Vernon Kloster, from memorial funds; in Memory of Paul Kortlever, given by his wife, Janet Kortlever, and Collette Kortlever; in Memory of Elizabeth Mackenzie Mortland, given by her daughter and son-in-law, J. H.and Helen Minkler; in Memory of Beatrice G. Nail, from memorial funds; in Memory of Margaret E. "Bessie" Neave, from memorial funds; in Memory of Alfred Nielsen, given by his wife, Nina Nielsen; one half of the window a gift from O. N. and Marjorie Peterson.

The Narthex Window

This is the east Narthex window. The window on the west side of the entrance is similar to this window. The Narthex windows are more abstract from those in the Sanctuary but based on scriptures to remember when entering the church. The border design is similar to those in the Sanctuary and relates to the gates mentioned in Psalm 100. The hues of purple and gold symbolize the royalty of Jesus. The black border represents the darkness of Jesus death and then lightened and eliminated by the steaming of light from the top of the window, which is the theme from 1 John 1:5-7.

This window was given in Memory of Jerry Brown, given by his wife, Jo Brown

The Chancel Window

This is the oldest window in the Junction City United Methodist Church. This window was at the front of the Sanctuary in the old Methodist Church that was located on Ivy and 7th Street, the current location of Dr. Marion Fletchall's office. This window was placed at the front of the Sanctuary of the current church when it was constructed. Over the years this window has experienced damage and repaired. The last time the window was out of the frame was in 2002, when some broken glass was replaced and leading repaired.

At the back of our Sanctuary are two small windows that have been framed. These windows were also from the old church. There is a photograph in our church that shows the location of the small windows.

Special thanks to Elaine S. Anderson and Pastor Barbara Nixon for their help with this page.

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