Creation Window

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-18

In structure and design, the window designed by Emily Carlson, owner of Solstice Art Source, Inc.,  proclaims that “In Christ we are a new creation.” The window frame presents the cross of Christ as both a tree of death and a tree of life as the arms of the cross extend with new growth.  Against the darkness of death, the window procliams the Christ as the new life and light of the world (John 4:1).  The colors in the cross quadrants depict the four ancient elements of creation — earth, air, fire and water.  Ancient creation embraces the cross which proclaims our faith in the new creation of Christ crucified and risen.

At the center of the window there is a quatrefoil, an opening as if to image the cross as the place of meeting — the place of reconciliation between God and humankind. (2 Corinthians 5:18)  Around the open center point of reconciliation, the quatrefoil symbolizes the number four as the image of wholeness — the four Gospels where we meet Christ, Ezekiel’s four winds from which God’s Holy Spirit breathes life even into dry bones (Ezekiel 34:9-10), the four seasons of a year, the four ancient elements of creation, the four means to love God with all our heart, soul, might and our neighbor as ourselves.

The Creation window was installed in 2010 in memory of Ruth Ratcliff 

Drake Ratcliffe and his family commissioned Emily Carlson to design and execute the Creation Window in memory of Ruth Ratcliff, asking only that Emily place a hummingbird somewhere in the window. The hummingbird is a personal reminder to family and friends of Ruth and her love for the tiny birds with whom shared her summer home in the north woods. You will find the hummingbird in the earth (green) section of the window, outside row, fourth pane from the center.  Take a look at the slideshow album showing the whole process of creating and installing this window.

This window is used as the basis for the logo that represents this church.