The stained glass window on the east wall of St. Peter
the Fisherman Lutheran Church was designed and made by
Laukhuff Stained Glass, Inc. in Memphis, Tennessee. After
reading an article about the Laukhuff Studio in the February 1985
issue of the Lutheran Witness, Pastor Larry Rohlfing contacted
the Laukhuff Studio. Ralph and Mickey Laukhuff own and operate
the business. It helped us a great deal that the Laukhuffs are
members of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
Pastor Rohlfing requested two things: First of all, that the window
depict God using the traditional forms. The open hand pointing
down toward earth shows God the Father as our creator and
provider. The Lamb of God beneath the gold crown and cross
shows God the Son as our victorious Savior. The Dove shows
the Holy Spirit coming to us through God’s Word and
Sacraments. This is portrayed in the top three panels looking
from left to right. Secondly, Pastor Rohlfing wanted the remaining
nine panels of glass to depict the name of our church and
describe the area in which we live here in Lincoln City. Mickey
Laukhuff and her staff selected the colors and designs.
The window was ordered in April of 1986. The cost for the window
was $6,769 plus $1,800 for crafting and shipping. The Laukhuffs
charged us 40% of the value of the window. The twelve panels of
glass were shipped to Lincoln City in September 1986. However,
eight panels were broken since the windows were not stacked on
edge. The new panels arrived in December and were installed by
members of the church on December 10, 1986.
Traditional Christian symbols are portrayed in the top three
panels.
The hand pointing down is for the Father as our Creator. God
blesses us through creation and recreation by baptism and faith.
Believers are blessings to one another and the world.
The center panel showing the Lamb of God is the oldest symbol
for Jesus as our Savior. Jesus is the world’s victorious risen and
ascended Savior. The golden crown of victory replaces the crown
of thorns.
The top panel on the right is for the Holy Spirit coming to us as
a Dove. The Holy Spirit descended from heaven at the baptism
of Jesus. The Holy Spirit descends upon us at the time of our
baptism and/or faith. The Holy Spirit is the Giver of life and eternal
life through God’s Word and Sacraments.
The three panels on the right side show us ocean scenes – a
lighthouse, fish in a net and in the water, a fishing boat and a
sailboat. In the lower panel, Jesus is healing either a lame or a
blind man. We want to show Jesus as our helper and Savior. The
water can be the ocean or a lake.
The center panels focus on the name of our church. The main
figure in the boat can be Jesus or the apostle Peter. Behind the
boat are rocks depicting the mountains in our area. There are
birds and fish in several places.
The three panels on the left depict growing trees and cut trees.
The stream of water shows the rivers nearby. You see people
being drawn to the central figure in the boat. Notice their clothes
change from bible times to our time. People are drawn to God
from God’s Word and actions.
Object lessons come through stained glass
The Christian church has used stained glass windows as visual
object lessons and to control the amount of light entering the
sanctuary. For centuries, people couldn’t read and write. The
average person had no books and few pictures. So, bible stories,
history lessons, heroes of faith, important people were portrayed
in stained glass windows.
Our stained glass windows are faceted and chipped. This
reflects and refracts the light in countless ways. Think of a
diamond that has been cut and faceted and you realize how many
ways light can appear and be seen. Our windows are not flat
stained glass set in a metal frame. The faceted glass is 1-1 ½ “
thick and set in epoxy. Under normal conditions, the windows will
need no upkeep and are unbreakable. There are glass windows
on the outside covering the stained glass windows. This protects
the windows from moisture and extreme weather patterns here on
the Oregon Coast.
Our Sanctuary is in the shape of an octagon, which is, eight-sided
An octagon is a circle with a planned/determined shape. The early
Christians used an octagon shape to show completeness. The
pews in the church set in such a way that every person faces
toward the altar and toward four more sides of the building. While
you are seated, you can look around and see the faces of many
people and you can also see the large stained glass window and
five of the side windows. The baptismal font is also octagon in
shape. Several years ago archaeologists uncovered an octagon
shaped church built on top of the apostle Peter’s home.
Church Furnishings
The altar, pulpit, baptismal font, five privacy stands by the front pews and
the walls around the sound system are made from oak wood. This was
done to match the organ console. Rick Martin, a local artist in making of
furniture, made all items. Total cost was $6,000, which was 30% of his
regular charge. Gifts and memorials covered all items
The Ten Stained Glass Windows
Stephen Wilson Stained Glass in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
made the ten stained glass windows. The five windows on
the south side of the sanctuary, on your right as you face the
altar, depict the life of Christ. The five windows on the north
side of the sanctuary, on your left as you face the altar, depict the
life of a Christian.
Pastor Larry Rohlfing contacted Mickey Laukhuff in April 1989
indicating that the congregation wanted to begin design and
thinking concerning the ten side windows in the sanctuary. Mickey
Laukhuff informed us that she and her husband has sold the
business. However, she gave us the name of Stephen Wilson
Stained Glass in Baton Rouge. She told us that Stephen worked
for Laukhuff Stained Glass as their best-trained artist and
craftsman. She also said that she would work with Stephen
Wilson Stained Glass to make certain that the same colors of
glass would be used to match the large window behind the altar.
After more than twelve months, Pastor Rohlfing and Stephen
Wilson finally approved the design of all ten windows. The five
windows on the south side cover five major events in the life
of Christ. These windows reveal the message of the Gospel.
The five windows on the north side cover five major events in
the life of a Christian. These windows depict the power of the
Holy Spirit working through the Word of God, especially the
Gospel.
The Lutheran church follows the church year calendar as we
worship God week by week. The five windows showing the life
of Christ cover the first half of the Church year, Advent
through the ascension of Jesus into heaven, forty days after
Easter. The windows reveal (number one), the promises and birth
of Jesus, (number two) Jesus’ first miracle – changing water into
wine; (number three) the crucifixion of Jesus (number four) the
resurrection of Jesus and (number five), the ascension.
The five windows showing the life of a Christian cover the
second half of the Church year, Pentecost through the time of
Thanksgiving. The windows reveal (number six) baptism, (number
seven) the Lord’s Supper, (number eight) the victory over all evil
and forms of evil, (number nine) the miracle of Jesus feeding
more than 5,000 people five loaves of bread and two fish. This
reminds us that God takes care of all our needs, (number 10)
Jesus is the vine and Christians are fruit bearing branches.
The windows also connect as you look at each window and the
window across from it. Number one connects with number six
– Jesus’ birth and our rebirth in baptism. Number two connects
with number seven – Jesus changes the water of purification
into wine and the Lord’s Supper replaces all need for sacrifices
and traditions in the Old Testament. The Gospel centers upon the
cross of Jesus and his empty tomb. Number three the
crucifixion of Jesus overcomes all evil and the power of evil.
Number four the resurrection of Jesus implies that God gives
us life and provides for all our needs: spiritual and physical.
Number nine bread and fish. Number five Jesus ascends into
heaven but is also as close to us as the vine is to the branches
seen in number ten.
The cost of the windows was $7,000 plus shipping and
insurance to bring the total to $10,000.
The stained glass for all the windows are faceted glass which is 11 ½” thick. The glass is cut and chipped which creates thousands
of faceted edges. This reflects and refracts all light coming to and
through the glass. Consider how a diamond is cut, that is faceted,
and what a difference there is compared to flat glass.
Stephen Wilson, artist and creator of the ten side windows gives
his view of these windows.
“I know that one of the early functions of stained glass was
to tell the stories of the Bible. But I am sure Abbe’ Suger’s original
intent in using stained glass at St. Denis (cathedral) in 1140 A.D.
was to control and color the light which flooded the architecture.
My first concern is to create a jewel when someone looks at the
window, then to draw them into the subject matter by using the
medium symbolically to ask a series of questions…. perhaps
someone may begin to say, “ohhh, I see now.”
Faceted glass is a very abstract medium, requiring any
subject matter to depart from its realism. Symbols work well,
especially in small formats such as these ten windows… I work
hard at color combinations, at value control (the arrangement of
varying degrees of lightness and darkness of glass), and the
interpretation of scripture into a unique glass expression. I pray
the windows will be jewels of truth as well as jewels to the eye.”
Special gifts and memorials covered the entire cost of the
windows. When the sanctuary was built and dedicated, the
windows, the pipe organ and the pews were paid for by special
gifts and memorials.
Colors in the windows have basic meanings:
RED – the color of blood. Jesus’ cross is red
GOLD – the color of victory
WHITE – the color for purity and forgiveness
GREEN – the color for the earth and new life
SHADES of BLUE – color for heaven and eternal truths.
For example, the Cross of Jesus is Red telling us that Jesus was
born of the Virgin Mary in order to be able to die on the cross for
our sins. In the windows showing the Life of Christ the cross is
red meaning death and dying; the Cross is Gold meaning victory
over sin and evil; the Cross is White meaning complete, total and
lasting forgiveness comes from Jesus through his death and
resurrection
The Ten Stained Glass Windows
Life of Christ – windows 1-5 on the south side of the sanctuary
1. Nativity Window – Looking at the window from the top down: The star shining
over Bethlehem, the Cross of Christ in red, the Star of David in green. The
manger consists of three crowns: Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of
the Virgin Mary and does the will of his Heavenly Father.
2. Wedding at Cana – Jesus performs his first miracle by changing water into
wine. The six clay pots containing the water and around the pots are the
colors for water and wine. Two wedding rings united by the cross also form
the mandorla (two intertwining circles). The mandorla represents the divine
and human nature of Jesus Christ. Jesus uses water set aside for the rite of
purification for this miracle.
3. Crucifixion Window – Three crosses. The Cross of Christ is red. The Crown of
Thorns, and great drops of blood onto green leaves for Jesus’ agony in
Gethsemane. Green is also the color for life. By the Blood of Christ, we are
given life.
4. Resurrection Window – A traditional symbol for the resurrection is the cross
adorned with jewels and looking radiant. The cross is now white. There is no
more need for the shedding of blood. Easter Lilies are pushing up through the
blue color. Blue is the color for heaven. Life on earth and life in heaven are
God’s gifts through Christ’s resurrection.
5. Ascension or Transfiguration Window – Again the mandorla *(two intertwining
circles) and cross are seen. They are obscured by the glory and radiance of
Jesus Christ, our victorious Savior. Jesus is the “light of the World.” The
larger pieces of green represent the earth, and the smaller pieces of green
represent new life for all believers made possible through our risen and
transformed Christ.
These five windows portray the Gospel.
The Cross of Christ is in every window.
*Mandorla is the Italian word for almond and is a medieval Christian artistic convention by which
an oval or almond shaped area surrounds a deity, most commonly Jesus. (Source - The Columbia
Electronic Encyclopedia)
Life of a Christian – windows 6–10 on the north side of the sanctuary
6. The dove, the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, the Cross of Christ, and
the water portray our Lord’s Baptism and Our Baptism. The water and the
name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit constitute Baptism and New Life.
7. Holy Communion is a means of grace. Stalks of wheat and bread, the kernel of
wheat surrounded by four touches of red breaks and falls down as “manna”.
Also, read John 12:24-26. The grapes of the new wine fall into the chalice as
His blood, which is “poured out for many”.
8. Legion represents Satan, Evil Angels and all evil, which is overcome by the
death of Christ on the Cross. The oblong design surrounding the cross is the
center of the intertwining circles, the mandorla. Christ is truly God and truly
Man.
9. Jesus provides loaves and fishes for food. He is God with the Father and the
Holy Spirit with full power and control over life.
10. Christ is the vine and we are the branches, bearing much fruit.
Ten Stained Glass Windows
Made by Stephen Wilson of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Pulpit
Life of a Christian
6. Baptism
Matthew 28:19
Roman 6:1-11
Galatians 3:26-28
Titus 3:37. Holy Communion
Matthew 26:26-30
Mark 14:22-26
Luke 22:14-20
I Corinthians 11:23-25
8. Legion
Matthew 12:22-32
Mark 5:1-20
9. Loaves and Fishes
Matthew 14:13-21
Luke 9:10-17
John 6:1-14
10.Vine and Branches
John 15:1-17
Organ
Life of Christ
1. Nativity
Matthew 11:18-24
Luke 2:1-7
John 1:1-18
2. Wedding at Cana
John 2:1-12
3. Crucifixion
Matthew 27:32-44
Mark 15:21-32
Luke 23:26-49
John 19:17-27
4. Resurrection
Matthew 28:1-10
Mark 16:1-8
Luke 24:1-12
John 20:1-10
5. Transfiguration
Mark 16:19-20
Luke 24:50-53
Acts 1:9-11
The Life of Christ is portrayed in the five windows on the south side of the church. Each
window highlights, like a jewel, a major event in the Life of Christ. These windows
portray the Gospel. From the Gospel, the Good News, we know who Jesus Christ is and
what he did and does for our salvation. The five windows on the Life of Christ also
portray the first half of the Church Year from Advent through Pentecost.
The Life of the Christian is portrayed in the five windows (#6 – 10) on the north side of
the church. These windows portray, like a jewel, major truths concerning our life as
Christians. The five windows on the Life of the Christian also portray the second half of
the Church Year. As the people of God come together for worship in the church, the Life
of Christ and the Life of a Christian enclose them. Years ago, before people were taught
to read and write and before Christians could have their own copy of the bible; stained
glass windows portrayed bible truths.