It was an ordinary day. Reading in the FAITH & VALUES section of my local newspaper about the installation of the 26th and final stained glass window in Bel Air, Maryland's Emmanuel Church.
The church was built in 1896 and since there was no electricity at the time, the original windows of the church were made of yellow glass to bring in as much light as possible. Once the church had electricity, churchgoers were invited to buy stained-glass windows to replace the original ones. 24 windows, all from the Associated Crafts & Willet Hauser Studio, originally based in Pennsylvania, were installed, beginning in the 1930s. They all depicted Jesus and the things he did and the progression of His life. The 24th and final window was finally finished and installed this past July and depicted the prophet Isaiah in the Temple of Jerusalem. The gradual pace of the project was due to the fact that windows were installed at the rate at which people purchased them; whether they were dedicated to a loved one or to honor an event. The average cost of a window is about $28,000. The stained glass windows contribute to a "multisensory experience of worship." The final window is dedicated to Dorothy and Robert Scharmann and their names appear on the base of the window.
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