9  The Ascension

According to Luke, Christ joined two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  Later he appeared to other disciples.  Near Bethany he blessed them and parted from them. According to the King James Version he was carried up into heaven.  (Luke 24:51-52)  The Ascension is also described in the beginning of Acts.  (Acts 1:9)  In this window Christ is shown slightly above the ground, making him more than human, giving him divinity, and increasing his preeminence in the picture.

Pentecost

The last window shows the disciples gathered together for the celebration of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, fifty days after the Passover.  “And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind … and there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them,” (Acts 2:1-4)  leaving the disciples in this picture looking like so many little gas lamps.  Which only proves that some things are better taken metaphorically than literally, or visually.

The four small windows are the four evangelists, depicted as winged man, lion, ox and eagle, as they are in the large Chancel Cross.  At the top are carpenters’ tools for building the church of Christ.

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