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Trinity Lutheran Church
Chestertown, Maryland
Willet Hauser Architectural Glass was founded in Pennsylvania in 1898 and is one of this country’s premier stained glass studios. Currently located in Minnesota, they have provided thousands of windows for churches and other structures including the Church Center at the United Nations, the Smithsonian Institution and the Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Military Academy. This last was the subject of a competition that Willet Hauser won in 1911 and consists of a window for every West Point class from 1802 to 1976. Among the artists employed by the studio, it is of note that one who worked on Trinity’s windows was Anthony Mako, an immigrant originally from Hungary who came to the U.S. from Germany in 1950 with his wife, a concert violinist, and their four-year-old daughter, Ildyko Jaid Mako. Jaid became a successful actress and author. She married John Barrymore, Jr. and is the mother of actress/host Drew Barrymore.
Trinity’s vibrant windows, seven of which were executed and installed by the renowned architectural glass company Willet Hauser, contribute to the atmosphere in the sanctuary. The round, or rose window, stands over the altar and depicts Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to his betrayal by Judas Iscariot. It was the first to be installed in 1962 and is dedicated to the memory of Dorothy Coxon Crouch. The remaining seven, five on the right and two on the left, came later and take their chronological cue from the rose window. They depict scenes from the life of Christ, integrating the Gethsemane Window. These seven, along with the first, were dedicated on April 10, 1983.
Walking from the back of the sanctuary, the first window on the right starts the story with the birth of Christ. The Nativity Window depicts the Holy Family and Christ Child with the star above and city in the background. It is dedicated to the memory of Melvin H. Wessel.
The Baptism Window was given to the Glory of God by The G.E. Koppelman Family and depicts John the Baptist pouring water onto Jesus’ head with his left hand. In his right hand he holds a staff with a banner that proclaims Ecce Agnus Dei; Behold, the Lamb of God. This window is a favorite. Look carefully at John’s left hand and you will see that he has five fingers and a thumb. This was discovered at inspection and Willet Hauser offered a corrected window. Trinity declined the offer.
The Sermon on the Mount Window is at once inspiring and a little foreboding. Several people are gathered to hear Jesus, people of differing races and a woman with a very young child. These people are clearly hanging on Jesus’ words, attentive to His teaching. But check out the Roman soldier on the right. He’s not happy. And under Jesus’ arms are blue panels. Etched on the left is a Sadducee and on the right is a Pharisee. The first looks skeptical and the second seems to be looking down. It feels like a sign of things to come. This window was given in memory of Paul William Wicks.
The next window, which depicts the Healing of Bartimaeus, was given in memory of Helen A. Kahlstrom. It is a profound reminder of how faith that does not yield can overcome great obstacles. Recall that Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who sat begging outside the walls of Jericho. He heard that Jesus was passing by and, firmly believing that He could heal, called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The crowd tried to silence him, but he would not be silenced. The window tells the story, and by calling Jesus Son of David, Bartimaeus attested to His divinity.
The last window on the right before the rose window is the only one that does not contain an image of Christ. It was given in memory of William Otto Coxon, Sr. and Mary Pauline Coxon. This one depicts the return of the Prodigal Son to his father. The prodigal son, dressed in rags, kneels before his father, possibly weeping in shame. The father, clearly a man of great abundance, welcomes his son with open arms. The symbolism is in front of our eyes. Our forgiving God welcomes truly repentant, believing humanity.
After the Garden of Gethsemane, the first window on the left, closest to the altar depicts the Crucifixion. It was given in memory of Frank Kelly, Jr. and is a traditional scene, with Mary (His mother) and John kneeling at the foot of the cross. Below Christ’s outstretched arms are depictions of a red sun on the observer’s left and a crescent moon on the right. These were often incorporated into Christian art to reflect darkness at daytime, the three hours of darkness that fell when Jesus died.
The Resurrection Window was given in memory of Eva Scheeler. It offers a beautiful depiction of the risen Christ, including the wounds of crucifixion. His right hand holds up two fingers, a symbol of His dual nature: human and divine. The other three fingers, folded down, represent the Trinity. In his left hand, he holds a staff with a banner of white emblazoned with a red cross. This is a symbol of the resurrection and Christ’s triumph over death.
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