Welcome back to Windows Wednesday! Next week will be our last post, but all the posts will be hosted permanently on our website at Kentmethodist.org/windows-wednesday. This large window divides the history of Methodism thematically into three parts: the left (or east) side is the story of the Old Testament, the top represents the life of Jesus, and the right (or west) side shows the story of Pentecost through the founding of the United Methodist denomination. Today, we are looking at the top portion of the South Façade Window.
The peak of the window is full of symbols of events in the life of Jesus. On the left side, we see crossed keys, a symbol of the apostle Peter, and a chalice with a snake, the symbol of John. We see a pilgrim’s staff holding a bag, the symbols of James, son of Zebedee. We also see the fish and basket representing the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes that Jesus performed to feed the crowds, and which can also symbolize the apostles Simon and Philip. On the right side, we see a boat, representing Jude. Nearby, three bags of silver represent the 30 pieces paid to Judas. At the peak, we see the trinity represented by three common symbols. The Hand of God represents God the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth. In the center, we see the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) which represents Jesus Christ, the Son of God who, like a sacrificial lamb, took on the sins of the world and died to redeem them. On the left, we see the dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit as recounted in the story of Christ’s baptism. All throughout, the white ribbon of the Biblical story weaves together these elements, carrying the eye across to the next segment of the window.
Next week we will conclude the Windows Wednesday series with the discussion of the west side of the façade window.
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” John 1:24–34
