Stained Glass Windows

Stained Glass Window

Our Church


Our House of God is beautiful to see:
A small cathedral built like those of old,
But not so large that men are lost in it
Or children over-awed. It's just the size
That folks like you and me will love
and call "Our Church".
The windows are like precious tapestry
Which genius wove of some translucent thread
All dyed in colors such as God Himself
Thought beautiful enough to make His light
Come streaming through in colors rich and rare
As all the gems he made for man.
...............................By J.H.L Trout

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About our Sanctuary Windows

     Bethany English Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio has a clerestory Gothic building, and so it has windows that conform to that type of architecture - thirteenth century Gothic. They were designed by R. Toland Wright of Cleveland who was considered the best designer or art glass windows between New York and Chicago. They were purposely designed to create the effect of the windows in Charte cathedral in France (considered the most beautiful stained glass windows in the world) and hence the predominent color is "Chartre blue". The decision to install this type of windows was made jointly by Mr. Wright and our architect, Bryce Hayden Long, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania school of architect who earned his Master's degree the Beaux Arts in Paris (considered the best school of art and architecture in the world at that time) and who wrote his graduation thesis on The Gothic Cathedrals of Central Europe. Mr. Wright's studio was able to make and install the windows before the church was dedicated on Nov. 3, 1929.

     In the 13th century few people could read and consequently the important events and teachings of the Bible were portrayed in church windows which were better teaching medium than Bible story books. The art glass window designers developed a picture language which we call symbols to identify persons and to record events. Some of our windows use this language, so all of our members should know these symbols well enough to teach them to their children and explain them to visitors.

     The Loge window that faces Triskett Ave, was given by Mr. and Mrs. Hatten S. Yoder in loving memory of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew K. Yoder and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Knieling.

American Greetings used photographs of our windows on greeting cards. And has granted us the use of these images on this website. They are copyrighted property of American Greetings and cannot be used without obtaining permission from American Greeting.
The Images contained on this website have been Reproduced by Permission.
American Greetings Corporation Copyright AGC, Inc.


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