By: Michael Bennett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Ridgetown Independent News
Duart Presbyterian Church may be a memory, but part of its physical presence still lives today, thanks to another local church.
Duart Presbyterian’s 88-year-old stained-glass window depicting Jesus’ ‘Suffer The Little Children’ from Matthew 19:14 is now displayed in the new sanctuary at the Gathering Place Community Church.
After Duart Presbyterian closed in April of 2010, an auction was held that September to sell off some of the contents before demolition of the building.
“In the time between the Duart church’s closing and being demolished, a lady who attended that church began worshipping with us,” said Pastor Doug Rowley, of the Gathering Place. “She purchased the window at an auction, knowing that one day we intended to expand our church.”
Pastor Rowley said the woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, had stored the window for about 12 years before it was brought out to be incorporated into the Gathering Place’s new sanctuary.
“Unbeknownst to her, every church has its own niche to try to reach out and especially care for children and youth,” Pastor Rowley said. “The art piece she purchased is an artistic impression of Jesus hiding children, ‘Suffer the little children.’”
“It’s really appropriate for what our church is,” stated Pastor Rowley.
The backlit stained-glass window is prominently placed on the sanctuary’s feature wall above the platform, which drew plenty of praise during The Gathering Place’s grand opening last October.
“It’s gorgeous, a beautiful piece of a time in history, as stained glass windows aren’t being incorporated into churches as much anymore,” Pastor Rowley said. “It really blends the old with the new.”
Construction on the Duart Church began in 1870, and the first service was held on Jan. 29, 1871.
The dedication ceremony for the memorial window was held in 1939.
Mrs. Peter McKellar donated the window in memory of her late husband, a very active member of the congregation.
Pastor Rowley said the window represents “the larger faith community.
“We had a number of families migrate from there (Duart) and join with us,” he said. “One church closes, and part of it is fused with another church and brings that history forward, which is really characteristic of our church.”
Adam Frazee of Frazee Glassworks – which is located behind the church – was commissioned to restore the 88-year-old window for its installation into the new Gathering Place sanctuary.
“He did a phenomenal job,” Pastor Rowley said.
Frazee said lead glass windows typically have a functional life of around a century – sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.
He said this style of window doesn’t suddenly fail at 100 years. Still, he suggests that owners and caretakers begin monitoring windows around 50 years old annually for any changes in appearance. The structural framework that holds the individual pieces of glass together will gradually fatigue.
Frazee said the panels on the Duart window were bowing (curving or bulging) out of the original flat plane, affecting the lower sections of the overall window.
“Often, deflection in stained glass windows or panels can be flattened, but if the lead is severely deteriorated and fatigued, flattening a deflection is not advised,” Frazee said.
“The weatherproofing putty had aged as well and become dry and crumbly, losing its waterproofing qualities and no longer providing the window rigidity.”
Frazee disassembled and cleaned all the panels, and any broken glass was repaired using accepted conservation methods.
Additional support bars were added to mitigate any future structural bowing.
“When the window was installed in its new setting, each panel was installed independently from the panel below it,” Frazee said. “This style of installation reduces stress on the lower panels because they are not required to carry the weight of the entire window, as was the case during the previous 80-plus years.
“In short, existing problems were corrected, and the installation method improved,” said Frazee.
He said the restored window will serve The Gathering Place for many generations to come.
“The traditional gothic design of the window and the warm colour palette harmonize well with the design of the new space,” he said. “They work hand in hand to create a warm and inviting sanctuary.”
Frazee said what makes this window so special is a reflection of Historic Stained Glass Window Making becoming an endangered craft.
Aging practitioners, high retirement rates, a lack of apprenticeships, declining educational opportunities, a decrease in the availability of traditional mouth-blown antique glass, and global stresses on the supply chain are combining to make it very difficult to maintain the craft.
“Churches that are fortunate enough to have painted figural church windows are stewards of an increasingly rare art form,” Frazee said. “It’s very admirable what The Gathering Place was able to do, preserving a piece of local heritage and including it in their new worship space.
“It was an honour and a privilege to be entrusted by the congregation of The Gathering Place to lend my skills and hands to such a landmark project for them, and the community of Ridgetown,” he ended.
