The Windows of St. Clement's
The original intent of stained glass windows in churches was that they were to be used by the illiterate faithful as teaching and meditating tools. The faithful were supposed to observe and meditate on the message in the window which contained a variety of themes such as the “Fall of Adam and Eve, “The Adoration of our Lord,” and many others.
For example, the Altar Window offers an opportunity to meditate on the life and sacrifice of Saint Clement of Rome; the depiction of ocean and water may serve to meditate on God’s creation (Genesis 1); on the sacrifice of Christ our Lord (the cross), and other themes that may be found in the symbols in the window. Stained glass windows have been artifacts of beauty and splendor throughout the ages.
​
We invite you to use this as a guide for your own meditation as you observe the artistry and symbolism of the Windows of St. Clement's. The meditation starts with the Altar Window, then proceeds counter clockwise to the back of the nave, through the narthex to the Vesting Sacristy, the Nursery, then returns to the back of the nave on the west side of the church and ends in the prayer altar at the front of the church.
​
The Gothic Style Windows
​
The basic design premise of this group of nine windows (seven in the main nave and one in the Children’s Nursery and one in the Sacristy) is to give the faithful the feeling of being in a garden surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation.
While meditating on the theme of each individual window and realizing that, while the believer is able to look at the world outside, the incoming light of Christ reminds one that Christians may live in the physical world but they belong to the spiritual Kingdom of God. This effect is achieved by allowing 70% light transmission into and out of the Church.
​
To meet the above premise, each window is designed with a repetitive design of symbols, flowers and religious images in a variety of colors where the liturgical colors of the Church predominate from one window to another.
Each Gothic-style window offers the faithful an opportunity to meditate on simple Christian themes, such as “The Life and Ministry of St. Francis of Assisi,” “The Obedience and Life of Mary,” and “the Baptism, Life, Suffering, and Ascension of Christ, our Lord and Savior.”
​
In the main nave of the Church, all of the saints images are facing the Altar to accompany the believer in worship.
The dimension of each Gothic-style window measures 36”x 82” and the Altar Window has a diameter of 60 inches.
​
Click each window for information about each window.
Acknowledgements
​
The windows were designed and constructed over a period of 16 years as a spiritual discipline and prayer exercise by parishioner Inocencio (Ino) Martinez with The Rev. Lucy A. Martinez, as color and theme advisor. The Martinez's became members at St. Clement's Episcopal Church in the summer of 1995 and were active until 2018 when they relocated to Savannah, Georgia.
​
The ideas and concepts of the main images were conceived by Ino Martinez in consultation with The Rev. Deacon Lucy A. Martinez.
​
Click here for more information about Inocencio (Ino) Martinez, Artisan.
​
The original drawings of the central figures of each window were made by former members Mrs. Barbara Hawthorne (St. Francis) and by former member Mrs. Mary Foulks (David), and they were modified by Mrs. Pamela West Mayer to conform to the theme of these windows: The St. Mary, the St. Clement, and the St. Joseph and Child Jesus were original drawings by Mrs. Pamela West Mayer of Substantial Lion Studios, Marble Hill, GA., and they are copyrighted.
The figure of Jesus was downloaded from the web and as explained in the page regarding the window, the original drawing was made by Finnish-Swedish immigrant Warner Sallman during prayer in 1924 as a charcoal rendering for the cover of the Magazine of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
​
The Jesus and the lamb images were downloaded from the web and the authors are not known at this time.
​
Note that, in all instances, the central images and the Plaques were beautifully converted into the artful glass painting appearing on the windows by Mrs. Pamela West Mayer.
​
Heartfelt thanks to those parishioners who assisted in transporting and installing the windows, and in installing the protective shields. Here are a few, but they are by no means the only ones: Walton Davis, George Guill, Alan Loeffler, Jim McKenzie, Jim Barr, Don Lees, Curtiss Boyd, Tom Bommelje, Jim Hamilton, and Jay Foulks. In addition, special thanks to Mr. George Guill who modified the window frames to accommodate the windows and the shields.
​
The windows and related images were photographed by The Reverend Lucy A. Martinez.