This is one of the six new stained glass windows installed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seymour.
Submitted photo
Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seymour will dedicate new stained glass windows Sunday in the sanctuary, installed as part of the church’s 150th anniversary in 2020-21.
The theme for the anniversary was “Celebrating Our Past, Embracing Our Future.”
All are welcome to attend the services at 9 and 11:15 a.m. Sunday or at 7 p.m. Monday at the church, 605 S. Walnut St.
In November 2017, a committee was appointed to study how to improve the beauty and energy efficiency of the sanctuary, according to a news release from the church.
The 1962 windows allowed for substantial heating and cooling loss. The wooden framing was deteriorating and needed to be repaired.
After reviewing proposals, the committee received approval from the voters to hire ButlerVargo, a firm in Indianapolis, to work with local contractors to use the windows from the 1890 to 1962 church building and expand their stories. These Christ-centered windows fit the name Immanuel, which means “God with us.”
This proposal was adopted unanimously by the voters assembly in January 2019 and paid for by special gifts.
The project included replacement of windows in all six bays in the sanctuary — four on the south and two on the north. The center window of each bay is a historic window that graced the old church built in 1890. Most of them had been added to the 1890 sanctuary as part of a beautification project in honor of Immanuel’s 75th anniversary in 1945.
When the old sanctuary was demolished in April 1962, these windows were removed and placed on the west side of the chapel of the new church, which was dedicated in January 1963. In 1995, they were relocated to the atrium as a clerestory.
The six windows show key scenes in the life of Jesus: His birth, teaching in the temple, teaching Mary and Martha, the crucifixion, the resurrection and the ascension. They are arranged chronologically from the southwest corner of the church. This sequence engages the historic windows in the front and rear for the sanctuary showing Christ in Gethsemane and walking with his disciples to Emmaus.
In addition to relocating historic windows, new panels were created in a complementary style to expand the message of each window and to connect the work of Christ with his people today. A separate booklet describes these new windows and will be provided to all who attend the upcoming services.
Three additional historic windows were moved, as well, the Good Shepherd window in the chapel and Jesus blessing the children and knocking on the door in the narthex.
Plaques are located beneath each window recognizing them, and they also are listed in the booklet.
The stained glass window committee included chairwoman Karen Grindlay, Blake Hackman, Bette Huddleston, Linda Blanford, Sandy Kilgas, Jane Nolting and the Rev. Ralph Blomenberg, advisory.