Posted on Jun 15, 2022
124-year-old stained glass company teams up with artist Cbabi Bayoc
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A University City church is changing how Biblical figures are represented in stained glass.
Mike Angell, pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, felt there were too many images of white Jesus in his church for a congregation that is 40% Black.
The church integrated in the 1960s. “But we have not integrated the art,” Angell said. “It becomes very important that people see themselves in the sacred story. They see themselves in the biblical story. They see themselves represented in their church.”
To that end, Holy Communion leaders enlisted the help of 124-year-old stained glass company Emil Frei and Associates. The St. Louis company has created art for more than 7,000 churches around the globe, including St. Francis Xavier College Church in Grand Center and St. Francis de Sales off Gravois Road. It also helped design the mosaic patterns for the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.
Mike Angell, pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, felt there were too many images of white Jesus in his church for a congregation that is 40% Black.
The church integrated in the 1960s. “But we have not integrated the art,” Angell said. “It becomes very important that people see themselves in the sacred story. They see themselves in the biblical story. They see themselves represented in their church.”
To that end, Holy Communion leaders enlisted the help of 124-year-old stained glass company Emil Frei and Associates. The St. Louis company has created art for more than 7,000 churches around the globe, including St. Francis Xavier College Church in Grand Center and St. Francis de Sales off Gravois Road. It also helped design the mosaic patterns for the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.
124-year-old stained glass company teams up with artist Cbabi Bayoc
Posted from news.stlpublicradio.org
St. Louis
Christianity
Religion
Art
Stained Glass
Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The piece, installed last week, is the first of what the congregation hopes will be four windows in all, outlining the biblical road to salvation. Angell said this installment symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus. He sees Mary Magdalene’s raised fist as a posture of hopefulness and power.
“We loved this idea that Mary would be the last figure you see, on her way out with her fist in the air — the revolution continues, the work continues,” Angell said.
Angell said the windows are also meant to stand in defiance of recent efforts to whitewash history. He quoted something he was told by the church’s lead layperson, Rudy Nickens.
“In a small way, in a small local church, we can put together something that he called ‘a loving, beautiful contradiction’ to what can feel like hard days for folks who care about diversity and equity,” Angell said.
Bayoc managed to employ timeless painting, glazing and soldering techniques to create a fresh take on sacred art. It’s a take that Frei said he hopes will inspire conversations between people and God.
“I've not seen [Mary Magdalene] depicted like this before, and I have worked in thousands of churches,” Frei said.
Holy Communion now hopes to raise more than $50,000 so Bayoc can finish the story."
..."The piece, installed last week, is the first of what the congregation hopes will be four windows in all, outlining the biblical road to salvation. Angell said this installment symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus. He sees Mary Magdalene’s raised fist as a posture of hopefulness and power.
“We loved this idea that Mary would be the last figure you see, on her way out with her fist in the air — the revolution continues, the work continues,” Angell said.
Angell said the windows are also meant to stand in defiance of recent efforts to whitewash history. He quoted something he was told by the church’s lead layperson, Rudy Nickens.
“In a small way, in a small local church, we can put together something that he called ‘a loving, beautiful contradiction’ to what can feel like hard days for folks who care about diversity and equity,” Angell said.
Bayoc managed to employ timeless painting, glazing and soldering techniques to create a fresh take on sacred art. It’s a take that Frei said he hopes will inspire conversations between people and God.
“I've not seen [Mary Magdalene] depicted like this before, and I have worked in thousands of churches,” Frei said.
Holy Communion now hopes to raise more than $50,000 so Bayoc can finish the story."
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