Have you taken the time to really look at the stained glass windows at Saint Thomas? You’ll find pictures of Saints, intricately designed leaves, and beautiful flowers. I took a long look the other day at the West Window in the Sanctuary. The sun was cutting through the glass as my eyes moved from date to date, with each date marking a mile stone in the church’s growth.The top panel of the West Window is dated 1943. There are seven small people around the table and an adult. It memorializes the first church school held in Medina, in October of that year. As, the small group grew, holding church services in people’s homes became increasingly difficult.
Colin Radford, son of Jean and Fenton Radford, remembered how his father found a solution to the parishioner’s problem. Fenton found a small building up near North Bend. Having previously barged their house to Medina, moving this building didn’t pose a problem. Colin recounted the way they, “took big timbers and greased them up with stinky black grease. They would slide the (building) up onto the shore with pulleys. There they would set them on post and beam.” This was the way the church came to be housed in a small building on the corner of 84th NE and NE 12th.
The West Window’s second panel, dated 1948, commemorates the building’s arrival and the year St. Thomas was incorporated as a parish. Dated 1953, the third panel represents the first unit of the church building.
The final panel has a purple cross and fleur-de-lis with the date 1957. It was in September of this year the first services were held in our “daughter” churches, St. Margaret’s Church and the Church of Resurrection.
by Mikaela Cowles
Wow, that was great, Bob! I had never looked closely at that window. I wish you could make it a series, and do something similar for each of the church windows!
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too, Bob. I especially enjoyed the part about Colin's father moving the buildings.Can't wait to collar Colin on the subject when I see him next.
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