The Uniting Heaven and Earth Window
The theme of this window is Uniting Heaven and Earth. The inscription in the window is "Erected to the Glory of God." The theme finds inspiration in Isaiah 65:17 “For, behold I create new heavens and a new earth…”, Isaiah 11:9 “…for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”, and Revelation 21:1 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” In the tracery at the peak of the arch the theme is first stated where angels, two with red wings and one with blue wings, hold shields which carry the symbols of faith (a Latin cross), hope (an anchor cross), and charity (a heart). The tree of life mentioned in Revelation 22:2 as standing in the celestial city and whose leaves were for the healing of the nations, is represented by conventional leaves in spaces at either side of the central angel. The eternal stars, each in a conventional canopy, appear here and there throughout the design.
Jacob is the subject of the left lance which depicts his dream described in Genesis 28:12: “And behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” Moses with the tablets of the law and the burning bush (a type of annunciation) is the subject of the second lancet. The third lancet shows David the psalmist with the lyre, his musical instrument, and the Tower which represents the Lord: “My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower and my deliverer”. (Ps. 144:2) Ezekiel in the fourth lancet carries the mystic wheel of four faces (man, lion, ox, eagle later used in ecclesiastical art to represent the four Evangelists). The wheel is described first in Ezekiel 1:10 and it appears elsewhere throughout the book. At Ezekiel’s feet are a few human bones, recalling the valley of dry bones (Ezek. 37:1-10), and the injunction of burial whenever a bone is found (Ezek. 39:15).
The medallion below Jacob is the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30). Below Moses is the conversion of Saul on the Damascus road (Acts 9:3-4). Below David is the parable of the house that was founded upon a rock (Matt. 7:24-25). Below Ezekiel is Luke 24:30-32, recognition of Christ at Emmaus. The signature of the maker of the window in the lower right corner occupies a small single square: Connick Assoc Boston 1982. On the wall at the right of the window is a bronze tablet reading: "This window is the gift of Curtis and Ruth Hutchins / Felix and Helen Ranlett / and Charles and Anna Bragg / and their families / 1982."