While writing the book, in 2014, I went back to Guardian Lutheran Church in Dearborn, MI to revisit what I recalled from my Lutheran High School days in the early 1960s. I was pleased that the art which inspired me then, was still as magnificent, and was as I remembered it.
The explanations were provided to me by Kathy Sillanpaa, the Business Manager at Guardian, who found descriptions in a church dedication booklet. (which is below in italics). I am most grateful.
The explanations were provided to me by Kathy Sillanpaa, the Business Manager at Guardian, who found descriptions in a church dedication booklet. (which is below in italics). I am most grateful.
This large limited edition print, beautifully framed, hangs on a wall of a passageway that gives access to the back of the nave. Notice that the art speaks for itself. No Scripture needs to be posted across or under it.
Around the corner from the above crucifixion painting is this elegant crucifix. The juxtaposition of the two tells us much about how the mind's imagination fills in the gaps and gasps at the verisimilitude. Upon entering the church, one comes to this simple foreshadowing, of the more explicit image waiting for the worshiper just around the corner.
Walking up the stairway in the south side of the church, we shall see on the landing a mosaic that was used for a convention at the Michigan District a long time ago and put together by Guardian members. It depicts the Christ of Revelation who holds the Seven Stars of the Seven Churches in His right hand. A detail is below. The large 15-foot high mosaic was designed by Guardian's founding Pastor, Rev. T.H. Voss and fashioned under the guidance of Miss Lorraine Sass.
Imagine the patience and even painful cutting and chipping of the ceramic pieces to get the many feathers just right.
The Sanctuary, Altar and Focus of the Congregation During Divine Services.
The eye is immediately drawn, as it should be, to the chancel area, where the beautiful faceted glass windows designed by the Jacobi Studio of St. Louis, the sculpture by George Zambrzycki, the altar and other furnishings designed by Michael Trautman, the aluminum castings by artist Oscar Graves should send the spirit soaring to the heavens in the worship of the Living Christ.
The altar of white and black marble stands away from the reredos wall in order that the officiant can stand both before and behind, and the altar becomes once more what it was meant to be in the earliest practice of the Christian church: no longer only the symbol of an altar upon which innocent lambs in the Old Testament were slain, not only the empty coffin of the Risen Christ, but simply also a table from which the family can be served the Holy Meal and be strengthened for its Body ministry in Jesus Christ, the Resurrected Lord.
The windows also depict not scene or person, but the movement of the spirit of man and his prayers ascending as incense to the Throne on high, and the Holy Spirit's decent.
The Zambrzycki Reredos Sculpture is also an abstraction. It is basically a cruciform, but intends to convey the work of the Descending Spirit poured on the Christian heart, the spreading wings of the Presence of the Angel of the Lord --- and the bright shafts of both our spirit's ascending into the heavens and the force of God's new creation coming down in the Holy Spirit upon us and all His creation. "Truly" the artist is saying to us as he interprets this insight of Scripture, "we are in two worlds at once, and our worship acknowledges the Presence of the Living God in the finished work of Jesus Christ, the Crucified and Risen King, with us in and through the annointment of his Spirit.
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