Last fall, the Session formed the Stained Glass Task Force to consider changes to the stained glass window at the front of the church (pictured here). This action stemmed from concerns about the depiction of Jesus as a white man in this window, events of racial injustice in 2020, and considerations of our complicity in upholding white power in ways that intentionally or unintentionally hurt our siblings of color.
The Task Force presented their recommendations in the June Session meeting, and the Session endorsed their recommendations. The Task Force recommends changing the images of Jesus in the window to depict a Jesus with brown, tan skin, and hair and features that match this. The reasoning for these changes is twofold: one, to portray a more historically accurate Jesus that represents his heritage in what is the contemporary Middle East; and two, to provide a representation of Jesus that promotes a more universal understanding of Jesus by decentering whiteness.
We recognize that our visual representations of Jesus play a large part in our welcome to all. We also recognize that discussions of race can be difficult, uncomfortable, and emotional for many people. We hope this can be the start of broader conversations and work on these subjects, and we will be holding spaces of conversation, discussion, and education in the fall before Session approves a final design for the window. With any questions or concerns, please contact Jeanne DeWaard, Elder for Social Justice, at jeldersdewaard@comcast.net, or Susan Jennings, task force staff liaison, at susanj@wpcgr.org.