Birth of an Idea

As early as 1965, local stained glass studios sent letters of interest to the church regarding the potential creation of art glass for the almost 2,000 square feet of window space.

By the early 1970’s parishioners started giving to support the future stained glass. In a letter dated February 12, 1980 Rector Harold Brumbaum announced the desire to actively begin the campaign.

In August 1981, following a questionnaire handed to the parishioners (330 families), church leadership wrote a memorandum to the stained glass subcommittee regarding the creation of the new windows.

Beginning in 1982, parishioners appointed by the church’s Fine Arts Committee spent two years investigating the work of stained glass artists worldwide.

During this same time period parishioners decided and committed to raise an equal endowment of funds to support local and global community needs. For every dollar fundraised for the windows, parishioners gave another dollar to give back to the community. In 1986 the parish achieved its goal and established this endowment.

To this day Christ Church celebrates the arts while worshipping every Sunday within the glorious glow of these windows and continues to support community programs--feeding the hungry and caring for the sick--from this endowment. The "birth of an idea" for the windows was really the birth of two ideas. It reflects the beautiful and long-standing tradition of Christ Church as a community-minded and community-serving parish with a deep appreciation for the arts.