Stained Glass Repair Appeal
We need your help! On Friday, January 31st, 2020, St. Matthews kicked off a fundraising campaign to repair our large church side windows.
-The transept windows (at the front sides facing the altar) are very large: 42 feet high and 18 feet wide, and are arguably the most beautiful large church windows in Kitchener. The stained glass windows are original, dating back to 1914, and were gifts of the Sunday School and the Youth Group. They fit in with the overall Gothic architecture of the building as they have a pointed arch.
-On bright and sunny days, they let in a lot of brilliant light, and at night, they glimmer with the street lights. Their imposing size adds to the sense of grandeur you feel when entering the sanctuary, and your gaze is directed upwards, towards heaven. The windows are inspiring and evoke a transcendent feeling of spiritual connectedness to God. When looking up at the windows you might exhale; “Yes, God is here!”
-Our recent Heritage Impact Assessment has indicated that the “predominant vertical lines in window tracery” (e.g. the delicate branching pattern” of the frames) is of heritage value, and the “light protruding through the stained glass” (esp. these transept windows) are an essential part of the interior aesthetic.
-While the stained glass itself is in good condition, the frames and trims (installed in 1989) are in poor repair. Some parts are rotting, some parts are disintegrating.
-All the exterior trims need to be removed and replaced, and some of the window frames that are starting to rot need to be repaired. Then the windows need to be repainted (as well as the exterior of the main church), for a total repair budget of at least $80,000. (As of December 2020, nearly all funds have been raised. Thank you!)
-These repairs are urgent because damage to the stained glass windows could soon occur if the frames and trim become more weathered. Such damage could be very difficult and costly to repair, and could even be permanent. (Repairs are scheduled for Spring 2021)
How can you participate and be part of the legacy of keeping these windows intact for future generations?
-Admire the display created by Bob Karn (at the front left of the sanctuary, beside the display case)
