Stained-glass windows return to rural church

By Dave Lutz

St. Joseph Church, Faith, was started around 1911. One of the first priests, Msgr. Joseph Golden was the pastor from 1914-1919. He was instrumental in completing the first church around 1917. Family members helped build the church and pay for costly stained-glass windows. In 1998 parishioners began construction on a new church; due to lack of funds the stained-glass windows were omitted.

Several of the elders decided to remove and save the 25 stained-glass windows prior to selling the old frame building. Their intent was to restore the old windows and use them in the new church building. The stained-glass windows ended up in one of the parishioners’ garage and were stored there for 20 years. Three years ago, a restoration project began. Memorials, grants and donations have raised the project’s estimated cost of $72,659. With some changes to the windows and the addition of lights the total constructed projected came to approximately $80,000. A company from Iowa, Bogenrief Studios, was contracted to remove and disassemble the glass from old frames, repair or replace broken pieces, clean the glass, as well as assemble and restore 18 of the windows with new lead and grout. The same company built two laminated wood frames to install the windows in groups of nine to be placed in front of the two big windows in the sanctuary.

One of the restored window groups has been installed in front of the window in the baptismal area and features Faith, Hope, Charity and Noah’s Ark. The second framed group was installed in front of the window in the choir area, and it features the Four Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Caption: Parishioners at St. Joseph Church, Faith, have undertaken an extensive project restoring and installing stained-glass windows from their first church building circa 1917. (Courtesy photos)