Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: St. John's Episcopal Church

Studio Name: Willet Hauser Architectural Glass

City: Royal Oak

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Date of Window: 1943

Subject/Title of Window: Annunciation/Birth of Jesus/Angel Announces Birth to Shepherds

Brief Description of Subject: This window was designed for this parish's Gothic styled Church which opened in 1926. Subsequently the congregation needed a larger church and replaced it with a modern styled church which opened in 1957, moving the stained glass to the new Church.

This is the first in a series of ten windows, consisting of three scenes each, covering the life of Christ, and were placed in chronological order in the narthex. All of the borders on the scenes feature geometrical patterns alternating with small scenes that is some cases relate to the larger scene they border.

Top Scene: Annunciation. The story of the Annunciation is found in Luke 1:26 - 38 --- An angle appears to Mary and tells her she has been chosen by God to give birth to the Savior and she is to name him "Jesus." This is depicted by an angel holding a white lily (purity), and a kneeling Mary with a starred nimbus (In Revelation 12:1 a woman, identified as Mary, wears a crown of 12 stars upon her head). One of the small scenes in the border has the words, "The Lord is with thee," Luke 1:28 KJV.

Middle Scene: Birth of Jesus. The scene is depicted using Luke 2:6 - 7, "... the time came and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room at the inn," NIV. The man holding a lantern, and looking into the stable, would be the innkeeper.

Bottom Scene: Angel Announces Birth to Shepherds, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, he is Christ the Lord ... you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger," Luke 2:11 - 12 NIV.

According to Church records, this window was given in memory of Izetta L. Simpson by her husband Harold E. Simpson and her son-in-law and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ellery Worden and dedicated January 10, 1943.

Inscriptions: In Loving Memory
Izetta L. Simpson
To the Glory of God


Condition of Window: Good

Height: 78"

Width: 16.25"

Type of Glass and Technique: Lead Came

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