We find them in many, if not most churches. They come in all shapes and sizes, with all kinds of messages. Some are old, some are new. Some are simple, some are ornate. Some tell a story, some make you think, and some do both. They are stained glass windows, and while their beauty can be inspiring, their presence can almost be forgotten. And yet, with just a small investment of time, they can meditatively draw us into the presence of God as we consider what they are saying. We at Memorial are blessed with a beautiful stained glass window that looks over us each time we come to worship. Upon a closer look, the window at the front of our sanctuary speaks to us. It evokes great passion—the Lord’s passion and His suffering on the cross for us. It tells us the story of Jesus and the cross and can remind us of our Lord’s sacrifice each time we see it.
Gray – Gray reminds us of the ashes of Ash Wednesday, and the ever-present reality of death. “From dust we came, to dust we will return.” Gray is also the color between black and white, between darkness and light. As disciples of Jesus, we find ourselves in the gray, as we live in the tension between our sin and God’s grace
.Job 42:1-6; Matthew 11:20-24
White – White symbolizes purity and holiness. In Revelation 1, Jesus’ hair is white as wool. In Isaiah, the Scripture says “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” God’s saints in heaven wear white robes, washed in the blood of the lamb. That lamb is Jesus: pure, holy, perfect—a lamb without blemish.
Exodus 12:1-6; John 1:29
Orange/Yellow – The earthen tones of yellow and orange remind us of our flesh, the same flesh our Savior took on. Jesus understood the weakness of our human flesh, a weakness that he willingly bore as he went to the cross for our sins.
John 1:14-17
Purple – Purple is a color that signifies royalty. Jesus’ captors placed a purple robe upon him, only mockingly saying he was a king. But he was a king! He was a king who wore a crown of thorns. He is also our king now, ruling us by his grace. Finally, he is coming again to establish his reign forever!
John 19:1-3
Red – the color of blood. Blood is at once and the same, both a picture of death, and the substance of life. The blood of Jesus says no less. His blood, shed in death, brings us life. When Jesus was crucified, the crowd, thirsting for his death, cried out for his blood to be on them. Thirsting for life, we cry the same.
Matthew 27:24-26
Dark Blue – When we look up, the deepest and darkest of blues seem to transition into the darkness and absence of light. So it was when Jesus neared death. So it was when our Savior breathed his last. There was darkness. But the cross shows us that even then, the light of Christ can shine through.
Matthew 27:45-50
Memorial’s cross was designed by Tony Cox, of Miller and Cowan Associates and part of the sanctuary dedicated in 1978.