The Great West Window
"Since Jesus was born, and grew to his full stature, and died, everything has continued to move forward because Christ is not yet fully formed: He has not yet gathered about him the last folds of his robe of flesh and of love which is made up of his faithful followers." - Fr. Teilhard de Chardin
The Great West Window, like all great works of art, affects each person differently. Its scale and power are re
minders of the God we gather to worship in this place. Its beauty reflects not only the skill and artistry of it's creators, but is a reminder of the masterwork of the Creator.
The people depicted in the window represent the universality of God's care and the varied ways in which God can be made known through human lives. Some are as old as recorded history, others lived in this century. Some are Christian, others reveal something of God to us from outside the Christian fellowship. Some are theologians, others are scientists or statesmen. All are part of the "Cloud of witnesses" that surround us, cheering us on as we "run the race that is set before us"
And, of course, above all the others, embracing them all in the folds of his robe is Jesus. The original concept of the window was that of Rev. Dr. Culver Nelson, the founding pastor of Church of the Beatitudes, who wrote, "Proceeding through the narthex doors into the main House of Worship, one is confronted with the figure of Jesus Christ, hands raised in blessing, at the center of the worship space and part of a stained glass window nearly six stories in height. One becomes aware of faces and figures in the folds of Jesus' robe; individuals, real persons who have shown in their lives the qualities that Jesus describes in the Beatitudes."
