The Window at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Solon Springs, WI

 We stayed several nights last week at Lucius Woods County Park so Paul could attend a school reunion, and on Sunday we attended church at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Solon Springs, WI.  We have attended church there many times over the past 40 years, but this is the first time that I have looked at the window above the altar with a thoughtful and critical eye.  

I believe the window was installed in the mid 1970s.  Like the windows at St. Anthony's Church (described here), the background relies heavily on opalescent glass, which lets in muted light while emphasizing the clear jewel tones of the central image and border.

I like the greenish cast to the background -- it reminds me of the extended period between Pentecost and Advent ("ordinary time" in the church calendar) when the church wears green.  The blue border could indicate the times of preparation in the church year (advent, lent), while the red reminds us of the days we celebrate the Holy Spirit (Pentecost, Reformation Sunday).

The center image suggests some interesting things about the faith and focus of the congregation who chose this window. It is symbolic, with no hint of human form. This was not a congregation that wanted to meditate on a humanized representation of Christ or on the angelic glories of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Instead, we see an open book, with a cross behind it -- a focus on the God's Word as the center of the congregation's life of faith. Meditating on this window before service on Sunday, one might first be reminded of the importance of God's word, "I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways" (Psalm 119:15) -- a good centering thought for the start of a worship service!

The shape of the medallion is suggestive of several interpretations. It could be a lamp, as in Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path," which emphasizes the importance of focus on the word of God. Or it could be a dove, representing the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in helping us move from word to action. Or perhaps it represents a crown, reminding us of Christ's kingship.

One could still make a case that this image represents Christ, using John 1, "and the Word [Christ] became flesh and dwelt among us," especially as the empty cross behind the book reminds us of Christ's saving power over death. The shape of the medallion as a dove, the Holy Spirit, reminds us in this case of Christ's promise that He would send a "comforter" to be with us (John 14:26, Psalm 51:11), while the shape of the medallion as a crown suggests Christ as Lord.

This is not, perhaps, a beautiful, ornate, or intricately crafted window.  But the simplicity of the design, coupled with the complexity of the central image, represents, to my mind, the austere, pragmatic people who built this church and helped found Solon Springs, along with their deep-felt, often wordless faith in God.

I hope there are records regarding the planning, purchase, creation, and installation of this window.  If you know more, please get in touch with me!  As I find more information, I will update this post.