As a special gift to the church, Mrs. Mae Moore, widow of E. Ray Moore, wished to replace the original, plain glass window above our Sanctuary choir loft with a stained glass window. On December 28, 1966, the church commissioned the Willet Stained Glass Studios in Philadelphia, PA, to design and install the 3-foot by 25-foot single stained glass window.
The new window, designed with church guidance, has as its central theme the resurrection of Christ. At the top are the words of salvation from Christ – “Because I live, you will live also.” Heaven is depicted … a dove … and the fire of Pentecost.
The Lord emerges from the empty tomb bearing aloft the banner of the triumph of life over sin and death. Far in the distance are the three crosses on Calvary’s hill, evoking the three crosses mounted outside our Sanctuary above our Heil Avenue entrance.
The angel, who gave the Easter message “He is not here, he is risen,” kneels, holding the cover of the tomb rolled back with earthquake and storm. Also kneeling is the centurion, the Roman soldier who trembled with fear saying “Surely, this was the Son of God.”
The locale of Huntington Beach is recalled in the window by the farmer on his tractor, an oil derrick and the Boeing plant (originally Douglas, then McDonnell Douglas). Our congregation’s original Wintersburg Methodist Church building is also shown. The bell from the original Wintersburg church at Gothard Street and Warner Avenue is mounted in our current bell/cell tower.
This unique, one-of-a-kind window was executed in what was then a new technique, to harmonize with the contemporary style of architecture of the time. Brilliant colored glass about one inch thick was cut to the desired shape. The inner surface of selected pieces was then chipped or faceted conchoidally (in shell-shaped concave or convex fracture surfaces) to enhance the design and add a jewel-like quality. The glass pieces are joined in a supporting matrix of epoxy resin. The thickness of the glass assured the breathtaking radiance and complete purity of the color, which are the outstanding characteristics of this particular medium. The window, which cost $5,000, was dedicated on April 20, 1966, in loving memory of E. Ray Moore, after whom our Moore Hall is named.