Restoration Underway

The high pitched tap-tap-tap of hammers on chisels will once again be on of the sounds of progress this spring at St. John's.  Craftsmen from Pristine Glass will set up some 30 feet of scaffolding removed the east clearstory window.  This is the second phase of a multi-phase multi-year project to restore all of our stained glass windows. The window was removed over three days. 

How It's Done

The stained glass windows are set in the stone with mortar.  That mortar must be chipped away by hand carefully.  A sacrificial border in the window's pattern is broken away, lead snipped, and the widow removed section by section. 

After a serious soaking at the workshop craftsmen carefully disassemble and number (left)each section of the window.  Each piece is again, evaluated for repair or replacement, and cleaned (below).  New glass pieces are cut to replace damaged ones.

An artist (below) paints the shading on the glass to restore the figures' details. This special paint is applied on a light table. After it dries, the artist scapes the paint away to allow light to come through the glass; the paint remaining appear as the features of the people, plants animals and other objects depicted in the window.  The pieces of painted glass are then fired in a kiln and the paint becomes a part of the glass.

Once the window pieces are restored the process reverses itself.  The pieces are put back together with new lead, and the frames are reconstructed.  At this point a new sacrificial border is installed as part of the window and the panes of stained glass are prepared for re-installation. 

About six weeks after the windows are removed, the scaffolding will be back in the sacntuary and the re-installation process begins.  Panes of stained glass are installed from the inside and "mortared" into place using a special flexible compound.  The lift allows workers to remove the protective glazing on the outside of the windows that caused the damage in the first place.  The restored windows are water-tight and should last for generations. 

After the east clearstory window is complete, the windows along the sides of the sanctuary will be restored. Anticipated date for work to begin on them is summer 2008.

Thanks!

Thanks to the members and especially the friends of St. John's UCC, the $97,000 the project will cost has been donated.  We appreciate the generosity of our friends and members more than words can express.  Thanks again.  And may the story of the life of Jesus these windows depcit  be a witness and blessing to generations to come!