Our Stained Glass Windows

The art of stained glass is a handicraft perfected more than eight hundred years ago in France and England.  The same methods of fabrication are still practiced today much as they were during the Middle Ages.  A stained glass window is a mosaic made up of morsels of colored glass held together by strips of grooved lead, which in turn are reinforced by iron bars securely anchored to the window frame.  Features, folds of drapery, ornaments and textures are painted on the glass with a dark pigment which is permanently fused into it by intense heat.

The story behind each of First Church's stained glass windows is excerpted from "The First Three Hundred Years", edited by Elizabeth W. Clark, from the chapter on stained glass windows written by Merton E. Libby and and Mrs. R. Edgar Benson, Jr.

Marguerite Gaudin designed the meetinghouse windows. Ann Willet Kellog and Helene Martin designed the Sunday School windows.

Meetinghouse Windows Chancel South Nave Chapel   Tower Foyer   South Transept    North Transept

Other Windows Church School Red Door Classroom Church School Purple Door Classroom Room 303 Choir Room

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Chancel Window - The Festivals of The Church In memory of R. Edgar Benson, Junior
Golden effect at night The Traceries	The chancel window of the First Congregational Church is executed in the new gold technique. It presents the Christian seasons: Advent is seen at the bottom of the left lancet. This is symbolized by the Annunciation scene when the news of Christ's birth was imparted to the Virgin Mary by the Angel Gabriel. Next above is the Nativity scene showing the Holy Family in the stable at Bethlehem. Epiphany, or the showing of Christ to the Gentiles, is represented by the three gift-bearing kings being led by the star. Ash Wednesday begins the center lancet at the bottom, being symbolized by Christ's Temptation in the wilderness. Satan is seen offering Him a crown, bread, and the cities of the world. Christ is seated upon the highest point of the Temple from which He was asked to cast Himself down. Palm Sunday is next above showing Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday is represented by Christ washing Peter's feet. The bottom right lancet shows the crucified Christ flanked by Mary and John on Good Friday. Next above, the risen Christ emerges victorious from the empty tomb carrying a banner. Pentecost is at the top. Peter is seen standing in the center of the assembly of the faithful, while tongues of fire over their heads symbolize the descent of the Holy Spirit which is depicted in its typical form, a dove. The traceries, between Alpha and Omega, contain symbols of the four apostles. They are characterized by the four beasts mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel, as well as in the fourth chapter of Revelation. The winged man is the symbol of St. Matthew because that Evangelist begins his Gospel by tracing the human descent of Our Lord. The lion denotes St. Mark, because that writer opens his inspired Gospel by describing St. John the Baptist as a voice crying in the wilderness. The ox represents St. Luke because he gives a detailed account of the sacrificial death of Our Lord. The symbol of St. John is the eagles' wings to the very throne of Heaven. At the apex of the window appears the Chi Rho (XP) ancient monogram for Christ. The chancel windows were designed and executed by the Willet Studios of Philadelphia, using the sculptured gold technique. This Studio is reminiscent of European craftsmen's guilds, which preceded unions by many years. This is appropriate, for stained glass attained its artistic zenith in the medieval days when the great European churches were built. Critics often call Willet’s work "a renaissance of the medieval stained glass period."
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Chapel Window 1 - The 1640 Window In appreciation of the ministry of Vincent H. Daniels
	Starting at the bottom of the left lancet of the first window one may observe the landing in 1640 of the first settlers of Greenwich. At the top is one of the early buildings of the community being constructed with rough hand-hewn boards. The central figure is John Davenport (1597-1670) the spiritual leader of the New Haven Colony under whose jurisdiction Greenwich was first established. He asserted the Bible is the fundamental law of church organization, the Congregational model. The right lancet shows, at the bottom, John Eliot, first apostle to the New England Indians. The small building at the top is the schoolhouse in which the early church services might have been held. William Grimes was the first great benefactor of this congregation. When he died in 1670, he left 32 acres for the use of the Church to provide income for ministers. This land, now most of Shorelands, was sold in 1906, the funds from which were set apart as an endowment referred to as the Grimes Trust Fund.
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Chapel Window 2 - The 1676 and 1691 Windows Left: In memory of Jeremiah Peck, first settled Pastor of the Church, given by Herbert H. Ferris Right: In memory of Jeffrey Ferris, Colonist, given by The Ferrises
	Jeremiah Peck was the Pastor of the First Church from 1678 to 1690. The building shown here is the meetinghouse built in 1694. "A church ought to be set like a Biblical City on a hill," said the Church fathers, and so a church building was laid out on the rise of ground overlooking the valley at the intersection, which is now Lockwood Avenue and Tomac Avenue. The Half-Way Covenant Dispute led to the resignation of Mr. Peck. The difference of opinion concerned infant baptism. Jeffrey Ferris was a builder and one of the first seven proprietors of the Town of Greenwich. The Reverend Doctor Abraham Pierson, another early pastor of First Church, later became the first rector of Yale College. The seal which is at the top of this window is that of Yale University. At the bottom is shown Tomac Cemetery, the earliest burying ground in town which is still in existence.
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Chapel Window 3 - The 1952 Window In appreciation of First Church by a member of the parish
	The central figure in the left lancet is the Reverend Ephraim Bostwick, who served as pastor of First Church for at least thirteen years (1733-1746). The scene in the lower left is Greenwich Point which was the special purchase of Elizabeth Feake from the Indians in July of 1640. Its beauty brought peace of mind to the struggling pioneers, and today its beauty is an inspiration to all those who behold it. In 1735 another meetinghouse was built in the exact location of the previous one. It differed a foot in length and breadth and rose to a height that would accommodate a gallery. In the right lancet one sees the church of 1837 which was built on Sound Beach Avenue on a portion of the present cemetery. This was a white church building with Doric pillars, Greek Revival in architectural design. In the right predella is pictured the Morning Star. This ship was bought and outfitted with money collected from children from all over the country. Boys and girls from First Church Sunday School helped build this boat which sent missionaries with the Gospel to the Islands in the Pacific, now known as the Micronesian Islands.
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Chapel Window 4 - The 1896 Window Left: In memory of Dr. DeWitt Eggleston, Pastor, given by his granddaughter, Mrs. Chandler Withington Right: In memory of our parents, given by James and Imogene Kratzer
	The last window brings the First Church history up to the present. The Reverend DeWitt Eggleston was pastor from 1894 to 1910. He was the first minister to preach in the new Gothic stone church. In 1930 the Parish House was built in memory of Edwin (June) Binney, Jr. and has served as a recreational, social, religious and cultural center for the whole community. The ladies seen in the lower left predella are packing barrels for missionaries. This reveals the missionary spirit of First Church during the hundred years of great missionary outreach and expansion. The cultural scene in the right lancet shows the young people of First Church celebrating the Easter Festival at a Sunrise Service at Greenwich Point. Tomorrow is bright with promise when youth faces the future with faith. The present Church is depicted in the lower right predella. The expansion of the original stone meetinghouse, doubling the seating capacity, was started in October of 1960 and rededicated in February of 1962. Several new Sunday School rooms were added in the Undercrofte. Our faith meetinghouse, serene in its landscaped setting, is a physical symbol of our fellowship, a finger of our faith pointing Godward.
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South Transept Window - The Great Commission In loving memory of Donald Matthews Freeman 1909-1960, given by his family and friends
Detail	The large three-lancet transept window (at the rear left of the congregation) contains post-Resurrection scenes. The central scene at the left lancet is the supper at Emmaus. Christ is shown breaking the bread at the table, and at that moment, the two disciples who have accompanied Him along the road recognize their companion. A small vignette shows another scene of recognition. Mary Magdalene in the garden coming early to the sepulcher on the first Easter morning realizing that He whom she thought was the gardener is in truth her Master. The center lancet shows the Great Commission, the command of Christ to His disciples to go into all the then known world and preach and live the Gospel. The right lancet shows Thomas, that Apostle who doubted Christ's return, making his great confession of faith, "My Lord and My God," as he feels the wound prints. In the small vignette is seen Christ charging Peter to "Feed My Lambs." In the predellas at the base of each lancet are great testimonies to the Resurrection. The left panel shows the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen, being stoned. He prays, forgiving his murderers and viewing Christ in heaven who is symbolized by rays of light shining down on Stephen from above. The center predella section shows the conversion of St. Paul on the road to Damascus. On the right is portrayed St. John, the Evangelist as an old man experiencing his vision on the Isle of Patmos and writing down the book of Revelation. In the traceries at the top of the window are the Resurrection symbols. The butterfly emerging from the chrysalis in a new and beautiful form, soaring heavenward, recalls the power of our Lord Jesus to raise up all the dead at the last day. The peacock is said to shed its feathers annually, after which he has new feathers more brilliant than before. Likewise, an old legend states that the peacock's flesh is incorruptible. In like manner our Lord's body was not corrupt. This was a popular symbol in the catacombs. The phoenix, which is also a very ancient symbol, is a legendary bird said not to die but to rise, recreated anew from the ashes of her burning nest. The bursting pomegranate, which is also observed in the traceries, is a symbol of the power of Christ which was able to burst the tomb on Easter Day and come forth alive.
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North Transept Window The St. Cecilia Window - In loving memory of Hannah Marie Hendrie 1793-1849, given by her sons, John and Charles Hendrie I Am - In memory of Dr. Walter S. Landis 1881-1944, given by his wife, Antoinette Landis The Home in Bethany Window - In memory of Lucy A. Marks 1824-1888, given by her family These windows have been installed in the North Transept through the generosity of Mrs. Walter S. Landis, 1896.
	These windows (rear right of the congregation) of opalescent glass, manufactured by Lamb's Studio at Tenafly, NY, were placed in the church in 1894, and are reported to contain the work of John Singer Sargent. (Note the flesh tones of the faces.) The central lancet contains the "Head of Christ" (shown below) copied from Heinrich Hofmann's The Light of the World. This was placed in the chancel window of the stone church as a memorial to the first church benefactor, William Grimes. When the chancel was enlarged and the Sunday School addition built in 1950, the chancel window had to be given up. The Grimes' Memorial (Head of Christ) was put in a window of the Historical Room in the new addition. It was a happy solution when the Grimes' memorial was put back in the meetinghouse in 1961 as a part of the north transept window. The right lancet is a reproduction in glass of Hofmann's The Supper at Bethany. The left lancet was copied from Raphael's St. Cecilia. Both these windows were originally placed in the transept in 1894.
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South Nave Window #1 - The Saint Paul Window In appreciation of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Guy and Mr. and Mrs. John F. Gerdes given by Mr. and Mrs. J. Robert Guy
	The south nave windows in First Church (on the left of the congregation) portray the "Ongoing Church" from the Acts of the Apostles to the present and indicate the spread of the Church of Christ to all parts of the world. The infant Christian church began to spread throughout the then known world preaching the Gospel and baptising in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Paul was perhaps the most assiduous of these early missionaries. The window, illustrating his ministry, begins in the upper left with the stoning of Stephen which Paul witnessed. The central scene in this lancet is his conversion on the road to Damascus. The left predella shows Paul preaching. In the right lancet Paul and Barnabas embark on their second missionary journey. At the top Paul dreams that the Macedonians call him to come to them with the Gospel message. At the bottom right he is shown ending his days imprisoned in Rome writing Epistles to the churches he founded.
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South Nave Window #2 - St. Francis of Assisi Preaching to His Friars In memory of Elzey Walters, Sr. by his family
	South nave window number 2 shows Saint Francis of Assisi, that great figure of the medieval church, who was dedicated to poverty and a simple Christ-like life. The text quoted is a part of his most popular prayer* which is still widely used today. Here the Saint is addressing a group of people of varying ages and stations. Small vignettes depict him preaching to the birds and the wolf of Gubbio. * "Lord make me a channel of Thy peace. Lord grant that I may seek rather to comfort than be comforted. Where there is hatred I may bring Love. For it is by giving that one receives."
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South Nave Window #3 - Figures of the Reformation In memory of Mary McCool Buscher, given by her husband, George C. Buscher
	The Renaissance meant an increase in the learning of the common man. Books came into greater demand. The invention of the printing press aided in the dissemination of knowledge. John Wycliffe, in the center left, is called the "Morning Star of the Reformation." He sent out poor preachers, called Lollards, who grew strong and numerous to petition for reforms in the English Parliament. He translated some of the Bible into English. At the top of the left lancet, William Tyndale is being burned at the stake for issuing the first complete English translation of the Bible in 1526. Martin Luther, in the left predella, is shown writing. He translated the Bible into German. John Calvin is shown at the upper right. He produced the "Institutes," a work which became the standard for the reformed wing of Protestantism. John Robinson, in the center left, led the Separatists or Pilgrims from England and Leiden, Holland.
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South Nave Window #4 - Pilgrims in The New World Left: In memory of Walter Fielding and Emma E. Firth, given by their family, Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Hoffman Right: In Memory of Letitia Mills Sandreuter by Oliver Sandreuter
	In the upper left, the historic church at Scrooby, England has been called "the beginning of New England." In the center left lancet, a small group of Separatists met at the manor house of William Brewster. They moved to New Amsterdam and then Leiden, Holland. The Hall of the Plumber's Company where the congregation of Separatists met in London is in the left predella. The Mayflower is shown in a small vignette. In the center right is shown the vessel anchored off Cape Cod, where the company drew up the Mayflower Compact by which they created a civil body before God and each other. This was Congregational polity, though civil rather than religious. One of the most remarkable men of seventeenth century New England was the Reverend Thomas Hooker, pictured in the upper right, who grasped the significance of separating church and state. In a vignette the Pilgrims are shown going to church. The Cambridge Synod defined and promoted the established Congregational polity, which resulted in a certain rigidity and let to splits and quarrels within the churches. The ministers depicted in the right predella are John Cotton, Richard Mather and Thomas Hooker.
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South Nave Window #5 Missions In memory of Burt N. and Eva M. Pierce by Mr. and Mrs. William C. Pierce
	In the left center lancet, one may see a prayer meeting which was held on a hot humid afternoon in August 1806 in a grove of trees near the campus of Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. This was one of a series of meetings that were held each week. Those attending, Samuel Mills, James Richards, Francis Robbins, Harvey Loomis, and Bryan Green, were caught in a sudden heavy rainfall. They took refuge under a haystack. The rainbow following the storm was accepted as a good omen. Today the site is marked by a monument to commemorate these men who inspired American foreign missions. The Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was instituted in 1810. There was an ordination in Salem Tabernacle on February 12, 1812 of the first American Foreign Missionaries, as seen in the upper left. In the lower left predella is Samuel J. Mills distributing copies of the Scriptures. He is one of the original members of the Haystack Meetings and one of the early missionaries to the American Southwest. Largely through his influence the American Bible Society was organized, in 1816, to circulate the Scriptures. In the center right lancet, Eugene Carson Blake is shown addressing the meeting of the World Council of Churches in Amsterdam in 1948. The ship with cross-topped mast is the seal of the World Council of Churches. In the upper right is the union of the National Council of the Congregational Churches of the United States with the General Convention of the Christian Church consummated in Seattle, Washington in 1931. This formed a single national organization known as the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches of the United States of America. In the right predella, in 1960 in Philadelphia, the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Church merged to form the United Church of Christ.

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Tower Entrance - Dogwoods In memory of Victor R. Denson 1893-1976 and Mary E. Denson 1893-1991 by their family	Church School Red Door Classroom - The Infant Moses
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Church School Purple Door Classroom - Noah, Dove, Rainbow	Church School Purple Door Classroom - Noah's Ark
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Room 303 - Jesus Blessing the Children	Choir Room - The Nativity Story

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