Windows of color

Editor’s note: FPC contracted Willet Stained Glass Studios to create two stained glass windows for the new Chapel space. Design Manager Jonathan Mayer sent this update on the process:

Since we have not made a window that combined leaded glass with faceted glass in several decades, our first task was to run some test pours to find the best way to create the epoxy panels so that they could be captured by a lead came [a metal channel designed to hold pieces of glass together]. We came up with a creative solution that was very successful, so we moved forward with the plan.

I was tasked with selecting the glass, so I filled some boxes with slab glass from our inventory that matched the design and labeled them according to where they should go in the design. Other team members matched the slabs to the patterns, saw-cut them, and then faceted them with a hammer.

After faceting, they put a dam of putty around the beveled edges of the glass to prevent epoxy from spilling onto the facets during the pour.

According to our project plan, we are pouring between June and July. We haven't done any of the final pours yet, but they're all prepped and ready to pour in the next few weeks. The machine-rolled and antique glass are starting to be cut as well.

---

subscribe

Sign up here to be notified of new Messenger online posts.

Welcome to the Messenger online

REFRESH—For many years, The Messenger has been at the center of First Presbyterian Church communications. As a printed newsletter, we have been able to share stories of faith, service, and friendship. We have presented ministry updates, human interest stories, personal testimonies, profiles, and reflections, reminding us again and again how God is at work in our community.

But times change, and so do the ways we share information. In order to better serve our congregation, The Messenger is moving online. What does this mean? Instead of waiting for a quarterly issue to arrive, you’ll be able to read stories as soon as they are posted. Ministry news, event details, and biblical reflections will be posted in real time, keeping us more connected and engaged with one another.

This new format allows for greater flexibility and immediacy. Whether it’s a photo gallery from the youth mission trip, a closer look at ministry experience, or a story highlighting volunteers, you’ll be able to access it right away. Plus, our online format makes it easier to share with friends and family—helping our church’s witness reach beyond our walls and into the world.

The Messenger remains a tool to inform, inspire, and celebrate the life of First Presbyterian Church. The medium may be changing, but the mission remains the same.

We invite you to be a part of this new chapter. If you have a story idea, an experience to share, or photos from a recent event, please send them to Cathy Richardson, Director of Communications.

So, welcome to the new Messenger! Check in often, share widely, and celebrate how God is working among us in real time. Together, we will continue to tell the story of our church for years to come.