Hyde Park Speaks

Words from the Windows: One Last Look

By Matt Horan

          This is a special place.  Sacred things have happened in this sanctuary, in this chapel, for more than a century.  I love these ever present reminders.
     Our story is a powerful one.
     We are right in the middle of it.
     Jesus Christ, all around us. 
     Here, present.  Watching over us.  Hearing us.  Inviting us.  Journeying with us.  It is a special place.  Sacred things happen there.
      I'm thankful for the people who have prayed in these sacred places for generations.  Praying for the church.  Praying for Tampa.  Praying for their families, their friends, or joining with people in prayer for people that they don't even know.  I'm thankful for this sacred place, where I firmly believe that prayers will continue to rise from between these windows... for generations to come. 

Words from the Windows: Awesome

By Matt Horan

          Awesome.
          If there are any words in the American  lexicon that are surely overused, that might be the one at the top of the mountain.  I'll confess that I say it so often that it loses some of it's punch.  
          Maybe there are some other words that might suffice.  "Striking"?  "Astonishing"?  Perhaps.  But neither of those capture the gravity of the space that has been created in the sanctuary at Hyde Park United Methodist.
          I first walked into the sanctuary on Ash Wednesday of 2007.  I was about to finish seminary, and Susan and I had just finished visiting a church in Pinellas County that was possibly going to be my first appointment as associate pastor.  We were on our way home to Orlando when we got a phone call from Jim Harnish, asking if we could come by and visit sometime and talk about whether I might be a good fit as the associate at Hyde Park.  Since we were practically going to drive right by Hyde Park on the way home, we decided to take Jim up on his offer to visit that very night.
          He was still in his shirt and tie and ashes from the service that evening, but he still had infectious energy as he gave us a quick tour of the campus.  We walked into the sanctuary, and the sunrise window hovering above the massive organ pipes instantly grabbed my attention.  I'm afraid I only had one word for it.
          Awesome.

Words from the Windows: The Peter Window

By Matt Horan

          There might be several common themes that could be found in the stained glass windows at Hyde Park United Methodist.  One that I've noticed is that they all seem to speak to the humanity of Jesus, as well as the humanity of the people around him.
          Perhaps there are few that are more human than Peter, and so he got a window--on the wall in the chapel facing Magnolia St.
          It shows him at his most human.  He impulsively asks if he too could walk on the water with Jesus.  He walks successfully for a few steps, until he began to sink.  Jesus asked him about why his faith wavered.  Perhaps it was faith in Jesus, or perhaps faith in his own ability to carry on the life of Christ in his own ministry in the future.  In any case, his sinks, and the window is a snapshot of Peter's panic, and Jesus reaches out to rescue him.  An all-powerful lifeguard.
          Like the sanctuary, the chapel windows also display the many symbols of our faith story.  The top of Peter's window contains symbols particular to Peter's story.  There's the rooster crowing at sunrise, reminding us of his abandonment of Jesus at his moment of need.  There's a rock, looking much like the Rock of Gibraltar, invoking the meaning of the new name, Peter, that Jesus gave to an outspoken fisherman named Cephas.  Peter means "The Rock."
          There's an unusual symbol at the very top of the window, an upside down hand.  The meaning is not obvious to me, but I wonder if it was the hand of Christ, reaching down to rescue Peter, or the hand of Christ outstretched to forgive and restore him after his denial of Christ (John 21:15-18).  A last theory: in John 21:18, Jesus predicts that one day, when Peter is old, he will stretch out his hands and people will lead him where he does not want to go.  Perhaps an allusion to the crucifixion of Peter, which, according to historians, was done upside down at Peter's request, because he felt that he did not deserve to die in the same way that Jesus did.
          The healing prayer team meets in the chapel every communion Sunday.  Broken people, sinking, reaching out for Jesus.  I'm glad that this window is nearby--a reminder that when we reach out to Jesus, he indeed reaches back.

Words from the Windows: If Windows Could Talk...

By Matt Horan

          As I spend one last week reflecting on our windows, I've gotten to thinking about history.  If these windows could talk, just imagine the stories that they'd tell!  How many thousands of baptisms have they stood over?  How many weddings?  How many Easters?  How many prayers have risen to the ears of God from between them?  These windows have been here a long time.  
          I love this picture--taken during the initial construction of the sanctuary in 1907.  It is taken from Cedar Street, and you can see the empty frames that would eventually hold the stained glass windows that now reside on the right side of the sanctuary when facing the chancel, or front platform area.  (If you look at the farthest window frame you can see the circular part of the frame at the top that would eventually hold yesterday's "swooping" Holy Spirit image.)
           Interestingly, I learned today the reason why there are no Bible scenes on two of the panels on the right side of the sanctuary.  There are scenes on all three on the left side, and there is a scene on the one on the right side farthest from the front. 
         I didn't realize that the first design of the sanctuary, before it was remodeled in the 1950's, was oriented in the round.  The front platform area was actually in the corner that is now the right side of the chancel (when facing the front), and the seating surrounded it in an arc formation.  So, these two windows would have formed a backdrop that the congregation would have faced during the worship services in the original sanctuary.  Therefore, they are distinguished from the other windows that all depicted Bible scenes.  These two highlight the many symbols of the faith that have been handed down to us over the centuries. 
           For example, this picture shows the middle right side window.  The bottom images include grapes, which connect to the sacrament of communion.  Next to that are lillies, reminding us of Easter.  The top row shows the Bible on one middle panel and a chalice on the other, also invoking a communion connection.  On either side there's an interesting interpretation.  As I stare at them, it appears, in my own humble and unqualified observation, that the artist created the Greek letters "Alpha" on the left and "Omega" on the right, formed out of carpenter tools.  I'd encourage you to take a look for yourself and see if you can see what I mean next Sunday!

Words from the Windows: Nosedive

By Matt Horan  

          Often symbolized by a dove (Luke 3:22), most artistic interpretations of the Spirit are peaceful looking birds.  They give a sense of presence, hovering, reminding us that God is here, present with us in good times and bad.  They are soothing images, invoking feelings of safety.  This "descending dove" stained glass window is a good example.  (At right)
          I love this depiction of the Holy Spirit.  (Below)  You can find it at the top of the very front stained glass window on the right side.  This dove is not "descending."  It's more like "swooping" or "diving."  It's an image of the Spirit swooping into the world to do some things, to come to the rescue, to storm into the situation out of nowhere.
          I know that peace is an essential element of the presence of the Holy Spirit.  But there's something reassuring about the accelerating, nosediving Holy Spirit that says, "Do not fear, I am on My way."  I like the sound of that.

Words from the Windows: A Shadow on the Wall

By Matt Horan

          Okay, I love my sister, and I know that she is capable of great things.  I'm not sure if she intended it, but this picture is pretty impressive in it's symbolism.
          The scene in the window is the Nativity.  She took the picture with the crucifer's cross in the foreground, and the baptismal font a little ways off to the lower left.
          If you look closely, you can see that the flash from the camera makes a large shadow of the cross fall on the Nativity scene.  A stark reminder that the story that begins with the birth of a baby will hurtle towards death on a cross.
          Further, it is a story that we are each invited into.  We are initiated into the story through the waters of baptism.
          So, maybe she did all of that on purpose, or maybe not.  Either way... whoa.

Words from the Windows: Beautiful Crosses

By Matt Horan

          The cross is probably one of the most frequently interpreted images in the history of art.  I mean, I don't have any statistics on it or anything, but if you think about it, it's not hard to find the cross artistically presented somewhere.
          It's strange, because the cross is the first century equivalent of the electric chair, the gas chamber, the guillotine, or even a noose.  It was a device used to execute someone in a public and painful way.  The cross was horrific.
          Yet we celebrate it in our art.  We wear it as jewelry.  It adorns our churches, standing atop steeples around the world.  I don't know the story of how our particular stained glass windows were chosen, but they chose not to depict the crucifixion scene in any of the windows.  Still, the cross has made it into the windows in subtle, artistic ways.
          I wonder if the cross' move from torture device to art subject is a testimony to the power of Jesus' sacrifice.  No longer do we see if for the horror that it is.  Now we see something beautiful--a symbol of grace and redemption.  The very cross itself has been redeemed.  It is no longer an expression of pain and agony and fear--rather it invokes feelings of comfort and peace.
           We should never forget the pain of the cross.  We should never forget the lengths to which Jesus went for our redemption.  But at the same time, what a powerful testimony to the effectiveness of the savior.  That which brought terror and shame is now a symbol of hope and peace.  At one time the cross was difficult to even look at.  But now, it is beautiful. 

Words from the Windows: You Should See Them From the Inside

By Karen McCormick

          Not too long ago I was looking at the windows from the outside.  From that view, they seem more structure than story. The lead solder outline of the glass is more dominate and the glass seems all one dark drab color with a few reds and greens standing out here and there. 
          You can make out some figures, and you know they are probably somthing to do with God but you really can't see any detail.  It isn't until you get inside and expierence the sun coming through the windows that you get to see the beauty of the colors and the details of the stories.  I have experienced the multitude of hues depending on the time of day, sun and shadows.
          I thought about putting a little sign outside that says "you should see these from the inside."
          I've thought about God as the color of our lives and our hues and intensity are ever changing as is our walk with Him.  I envisioned one time, that God puts the color to the words and stories of the bible.  He takes the black and white right off the page and presents their meaning in full living color, via the Holy Spirit. When we accept this, we go from being on the outside, to living and expierencing God in a way that becomes integral to our very core.  We change to being more story than structure.  We begin to transform, just as surely as our beautiful windows. 

Words from the Windows: The Parenting Window

By Matt Horan

          There's a window in the sanctuary where the centerpiece is Jesus sitting with little children who are bringing him flowers.  It's a beautiful image--an artful expression of Jesus admonition that the apostles, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Mark 10:14)
          An easy to miss element is the left panel.  There are two children sitting with Jesus already, but in the left panel is--what seems to me--a parent carrying one more child on their shoulder to Jesus.  The parent is carrying flowers as well.
          It reminds me of the times when I was little, and I would ask my parents if I could put their money in the offering plate when it came by.  It wasn't my money, but they let me give it anyway.  They took me to church, and once there, gave me some practice in the spiritual discipline of generosity.
          Here is a parent, bringing their child to Jesus, and carrying the flowers that the child will soon give to Jesus.  The parent brings the child into the presence of Jesus, and then trains and equips them to give the Savior the honor He deserves.
          So here's a thanks to my mom and dad for taking me to church, taking me to meet Jesus.  Thanks to all of the parents in our church who do the same.  Many thanks to the volunteers who love and teach our children in our many children's ministries, so that they can someday grow into parents who will bring their children into the presence of Jesus as well.

Words from the Windows: Flocks or Herds?

By Matt Horan

          I love the details that are so carefully included on our stained glass windows.  It reminds me of the feeling I get at Disney World.  There are so many little details that go into the settings that they create.  Are they necessary?  Could they include less detail and still charge the same amount of money to get in?  Probably.  But there's something about Disney World's presentation that says that they're not just about making money.  They love to make people look at what they have done.  The whole place is art.
          That's what caught my eye when I saw this picture.  My sister captured things that I'd never noticed before in her pictures.  I guess that's what good photographers do--make you see something that you otherwise would have missed.  
          So I looked at these sheep, and I confess that my first question was, "what do you call a group of sheep?"  The Bible speaks of shepherds guarding "flocks" and "herds."  Which one is sheep?  And what about when it's a verb?  You can herd animals, or even people for that matter, (which actually reminds me of Disney World again when I'm in line at Space Mountain).  Animals can also flock, but can they be flocked?  Do you herd your herds and flock your flocks?  You can flock to your flocks, I suppose.  Doesn't sound right.  Maybe you herd both your herds and your flocks.  "Today's not good for me--I have to go herd my flocks."
          By the way, a group of Albatross?  A "rookery."  Next time you want to impress a date, point out the "rookery of albatross" flying by.  Or is it "albatrosses"?  I'm not sure.  Look that up before your date.

P.S.  I'll be spiritual tomorrow.