Stained Glass Windows
The stained glass windows and various plaques on the walls and pews commemorate individuals who have given years of service and dedication to St. James'.
St. James' is known for its stained glass windows. All of the windows are original to the present building, and they all survived the fire of 1929.
The main style of the windows in the Nave and Sanctuary is the Gothic Style, with the exception of the two windows, one of the Madonna and Child and the other featuring Easter lilies, both designed by the noted American artist Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass.
The Tiffany Windows are very typical of his style and were purchased prior to 1910. They are executed in the favrile (from the Old French word for "handmade") style that Tiffany made popular, and were purchased at a cost of about $700 each, not an easy sum of money at that time.
All of the windows along the sides of the Nave were commissioned by the families of the ladies who comprised the King’s Daughters to honor each of these ladies. The King’s Daughters were a group of very strong ladies who preceded the present day Episcopal Church Women (ECW). They were instrumental in purchasing the land where our present building sits, and in assisting in procuring the funds to build our present building. They also accomplished wonderful outreach work in the community.
The Rev. Richard T. Davis was a beloved rector from 1868 until his death in 1892. The triptych window above the altar in the Sanctuary was purchased by the King’s Daughters in loving memory of him; the window also is in the Gothic style popular in the 1890s. His five unmarried daughters worshiped at St. James' until the last of them died in the 1950s. Fr. Davis' picture can be found in the Janney Parlor.
Below the Christ the King triptych at the back of the church by the bell tower, there is a plaque with the information about who purchased it. Again, this window is in the Gothic Style, prevalent in the 1890s.
The window over the door leading to the Acolyte Robing Room and Fellowship Hall dates to the mid-1900s or so.
The window over the door leading to the Sacristy was designed and created by parishioner Elaine Nunnally in the 1990s, during renovations and updating of the church.
Located in the Narthex, the Faithful Witness window, also designed and created by Ms. Nunnally, was commissioned to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the present St. James' building when centennial festivities were held from November 1996 until November 1997. The Faithful Witness window was then dedicated by former Presiding Bishop Edmund Browning during the culminating ceremonial service.
Across the top of the window, Faithful Witnesses are being sent out to, in the words of the Postcommunion Prayer, "do the work [God] has given us to do". The remaining pieces depict John Tolbert (1905-1999), community leader and longtime Vestry member here as well as fellow civic leaders and longtime active parishioners Lawrence and Lucille Muse (father and mother of current active members Joy Griffith and Rachel Roberts), John and Janet Waller, Burr Powell Harrison, and others. The names are on plates beneath each piece.
Along with the Faithful Witness window, Ms. Nunnally designed a companion window which depicts St. James' involvement with outreach, including Water for the People in Honduras, Solar Light for Africa, Literacy Program, Project Abraham in Costa Rica, and Highland Education Project in Welch, WV. This window was commissioned to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ministry of The Rev. John Ohmer, Rector of St. James' from February 1999 to August 2012.
