The Connick Windows at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church (St. Paul, MN)

 St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in St. Paul, MN, has a large collection of Connick and Associates windows dating from a variety of decades.  There are a total of 23 Connick windows (many of them with multiple panels); I will be dividing the windows into four blog posts --

1. The Canticle and Narthex windows (see below)
2. The Chapel and Clerestory Windows (Coming soon -- will be linked here when posted)
3. The East Aisle Windows 
4. A discussion of Connick Associates' shifting style, comparing the hallway window to older windows and those on the West Aisle by Heaton, Butler, and Payne) (Coming soon -- will be linked here when posted)

We visited St. John's in late July, and found the administrative assistant very friendly and helpful as we asked for permission to view the windows in the sanctuary -- she even helped us find a window for which I had paperwork but could not locate in the church!

St. John's has a useful guide to their windows published on their website -- St. John's Stained Glass Treasures -- which I have used below to assist in describing the more complex windows.  It provides a very effective self-guided tour should you wish to visit these beautiful windows.

This church has some of the most beautiful carved wood in the Nave and Sanctuary -- and the whole space is alight with the colors of stained glass.  

In the photo on the left, you can see the placement of some of the windows -- the Te Deum window at the far end (chancel), the clerestory windows, and the location of the aisle windows (the East aisle windows are on the right side in the photos -- these are the ones by Connick).

I'm going to start this description with the largest individual windows -- the Canticle Windows and the Narthex Windows.  Use the links above to view the other Connick windows in the chapel and sanctuary.

The Canticle Windows

The Canticle Windows are the largest windows in the church, one above the altar and the other at the back of the nave, in the balcony.  Each represents one of the songs of praise, or canticles, of the church.

The Te Deum Window

Located above the altar in the South end of the church, the "Te Deum Laudimus" Canticle Window (Latin for "Thee, Lord, We Praise") contains five lancets, each dedicated to a segment of the "Te Deum."

The "Te Deum" window above the altar at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church.  
The risen Christ is in the center lancet; various saints, martyrs, angels, priests, and apostles are i
llustrated in the side lancets, along with the words of praise from the canticle.
 By Charles Connick; installed in 1920.  Photo by Paul Dahlberg.

Selected phrases from the canticle are included on the glass, as noted below (from the St. John's Stained Glass Treasures booklet):

Te Deum Canticle Text, St. John's Stained Glass Treasures, page 12

The window was installed in 1920, as a WW I memorial.  According to the order form (MIT archived form # 801), the window was "erected as a thanksgiving to God, in grateful memory of our Gold Star Men and in appreciative recognition of the members of our World War service roll."

The Benedicite Window

In the balcony at the back of the nave, framed by organ pipes, one can view the Benedicite Window, offering a song of praise from creation. 

The Benedicite "Song of Creation" window at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church. 
 By Charles Connick; installed in 1938.  Photo by Paul Dahlberg.

The window was installed in 1938.  According to the archived order form (MIT Archive #1991), Charles Connick wrote regarding this design:

From the archived order form

As described in the booklet provided by St. John's, the text of the canticle included in the window:

Benedicite Canticle Text, St. John's Stained Glass Treasures, page 11

The Narthex Windows

According to the order form for the Annunciation window (MIT Archive #2517), these two windows were originally planned as a pair: the annunciation to Mary, balanced by the annunciation to Zacharias.  The first of these was installed in 1944; however, the second was redesigned as a WW II memorial in 1949, and features the archangels Raphael and Michael.

The Annunciation to Mary

The Annunciation to Mary was designed "for close observation," as it is installed only three feet above the floor.  One can see the rich detail and read the wording on the panels with ease.

In the right panel, Mary is kneeling before her prie-dieu, which holds a book inscribed with the words from Isaiah 7:14, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son."  Above her is the Holy Spirit, descending as a dove; to the left is a vase of lilies, symbolizing her purity.  At the bottom right is the Ox, symbol of St. Luke, who narrates this story in his gospel.

In the left panel we see the angel Gabriel, holding a scroll with the opening words of the annunciation, "Ave Maria, gratia plena" (Luke 1:28).  To the right of his feet is the winged Lion of St. Mark.  I really like Gabriel's colorful wings -- like many of Connick's angels, he is much more colorful than the traditional white.  Also note the small angels of praise and prayer, along with more lilies, in the tracery panels above each window.

The World War II Memorial Window

According to Order 2791 (MIT Archive # 2791), the WW II Memorial Window was designed to harmonize with the Annunciation to Mary Window in terms of color and design.  The upper tracery windows use the same small angels of praise and prayer, and the borders around the main window match those of the Annunciation window, although this window uses stars in place of lilies in the lower traceries and border.  

Like its partner window, this one is only three feet from the floor, and it is designed with attention to detail that can be appreciated by close observation.

In the left panel, we see the Archangel Michael, captain of the Hosts of Heaven, with his traditional symbols of the scales of justice on his shield and the flaming sword. His open wings maintain the deep jewel tones of the earlier window.

In the right panel, the Archangel Raphael, protector of travelers and healing, stands with his pilgrim's staff (see the drinking gourd attached to the top of the staff), his had outstretched to young Tobias (whom he helped overcome a demon in the Book of Tobit).  The fish on the front of his tunic likely refers to his use of a fish to bind the demon and heal Tobit's eyes in the Book of Tobit.

This window was installed in 1949, in memory of "those who gave their lives" and in thanksgiving "for those who returned" from WW II.  Its date of installation indicates that it was designed after Charles Connick's death (in 1945); however, it maintains the elements of the earlier, companion window, and, according to details on the order form, imitates a similar window at the Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, OH, demonstrating how Connick Associates was able to continue to offer work in the Connick style after his passing.

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.