Stained-Glass Windows

Original Art-Glass Windows

In 1944 there were sixteen art-glass windows placed in the original church.
These were gifts of eleven individuals and three organizations.
The order to St. Joseph Art Glass Works in St. Joseph, MO was placed at a total cost was $1,176.50.
They were shipped to Glasgow on the train and installed by a representative of the
Pittsburg Glass Company who lived in the area.
These windows were salvaged after the fire of 1974, then repaired and restored.

This row of windows was installed in the new church when it was built in 1976.
They are in the sanctuary behind the south row of pews.

In 1991 two of the remaining art-glass windows from the old church were installed.
They had been salvaged after the fire of and stored in the basement for years.
Before installation some restoration work was required.
Mike Pederson did the initial cleaning as part of his Eagle Scout project.
They were then restored by Jim Perry of Perry Stained Glass Works of Issaquah, Washington.
Dedication took place on October 27, 1991.

This window was installed in the back of the sanctuary.
Lighting was later added to improve illumination.

This window was installed in the north entryway of the church.
This portrays Martin Luther’s Seal.

Modern Stained-Glass Window

This stained-glass window depicts the remarkable beauty and contrast of the landscape of Eastern Montana and projects how the grace and goodness of God minister to us.
The artist, in a ride through the area with members of the stained-glass committee several years ago, was inspired by the landscape’s singular beauty. He was particularly impressed by the “rich pockets of life” that burst forth wherever water was present.
Water is the central theme of the work.
At the center of the window, water spills into a small pool and is surrounded by images of cattle, sheep and grain, the lifeblood of our economic community.
The hills and buttes are portrayed on both sides of the window by layers of glass. The large blue expanse suggests Montana’s “Big Sky”.
The strong vertical emphasis and the inverted arc
at the top of the window draw the eye upward and outward, as if one were looking at the dam or spillway of Fort Peck.
Birds soar upward with the rays of the sun.
The window is rich in symbolism. The design represents a sheltered place within a more hostile environment. The water represents our cleansing,
healing and rebirth through baptism. The birds are representative of the Holy Spirt, as are the spheres.
The window visualizes a message of thanksgiving and harmony. The brilliant rays of light direct our prayers toward heaven.
The design was executed in fabricated glass,
set in an epoxy matrix and covered with a sand finish.
This stained glass process originated in France.
Molten glass was ladled from a glass furnace
and casted into molds to form the 8 by 12 inch slabs.
To shape the glass into its window pattern pieces,
the glass is rough cut with a diamond bladed masonry saw and then shaped with a chipping hammer.
The tops of the glass pieces are faceted to
increase the light refraction. Components of the window came from West Virginia, Utah and England.
The window was designed by Mark Gulsrud, Tacoma, Washington. It was fashioned and installed by Jim Perry of Perry Stained Glass Studio of Issaquah, Washington.

The window was dedicated November 25, 1990.

1990
Stained Glass Window Installation
(section by section)
by Jim Perry of Perry Stained Glass Studio
of Issaquah, WA, with
Paul Aune and Don Fast

Memorial Stained-Glass Windows:

This window was installed in memory of Carolee Grina Wallem
1934-1999
Donated by SWO WELCA

It hangs in the sanctuary, in the middle of the north-side set of windows.

These windows were given by
Tony & Sandi Sundsted
- In Honor of Robert J. Nilsen Pastor 1981-1990
- In Memory of Helen Martens Organist 1960-1992

They hang above the elevator lift
that was installed in 1989.