Sanctuary Windows of the National Presbyterian Church

According to the 1984 writings of Dr. Howland A. Fowler, the sanctuary windows of the National Presbyterian Church were executed in hand-chipped glass by the Willet Studios of Philadelphia, in 1968-69. The glass is mounted in framings of epoxy cement, which contribute outline features of the designs. Technically, the windows are not termed "stained glass" because the colored glass is not mounted in lead.

The numbers in the floor plan map show the locations of the windows described below.

Transept Windows

Large compound windows, composed of several towering lancets, light the transept and the chancel. The symbolism is spread across the width of all the lancets.

I. North Transept Windows: Book of Revelation as Prophecy
Center: God/Christ and his Bride, the Church, surrounded by figures of the Church Triumphant. Rainbow across top; Golden city. Tree of Life at top, left of center. The four Beasts are the Evangelists. River of life across lower middle. Conqueror/War/Famine/Death as horsemen at the bottom, with the dead arising for judgment.

II. South Transept Windows: John 8:32 - The Redeeming Power of Truth
Center: Jesus and Everyman. Large Ellipse is the unified world. At top: God the Father, dove of the Holy Spirit, lion and lamb together. Surrounding: workers; the Church Militant; the Church in the world. Truth brings mankind upward from darkness into light, in many scriptural, historical and contemporary examples.

Corner Lancets: Confessions of the Church

A. The Modern Confessions
B. Scottish and English Confessions
C. The Shorter Catechism
D. The Creed
E. Early Christian Confessions
F. The Continental Confessions

Side Aisles: Teachers and Preachers of the Old and New Testaments

As you walk down the aisles of the sanctuary from the narthex toward the liturgical center, you will observe a change of color and tone in the windows on the aisles. Near the back of the sanctuary, the windows are constructed of mostly blue, green and purple glass, imparting a cold light. As you near the center of the sanctuary the colors gradually warm to reds, yellows and whites.

Left Aisle

1. Abraham and Isaac
2. Moses on Mt. Sinai
3. David in the Temple
4. Isaiah with seraphim
5. John the Baptist
6. Stephen as martyr
7. Paul preaches at Athens

Right Aisle

8. Peter preaches on Pentecost
9. James the pilgrim
10. Joseph, father of Jesus
11. Amos, shepherd and vinekeeper
12. Samuel the lawgiver
13. Joseph with Pharaoh
14. Noah builds the Ark