The Christ the King Window is located in the choir loft on the west wall/old narthex at St. Mark’s.
The window was given in memory of many different people (see below)!
The Christ the King window was designed by Cummings Glass Studio, San Francisco and cost $3,033. It is the largest window in the sanctuary.
The window was installed in 1961.
While we are used to a sanctuary full of beautiful stained glass windows, it actually took St. Mark’s more than 10 years (1957-1968) to raise the funds to have all of the planned windows designed and constructed one by one.
A trio of lancet windows (high narrow windows that are a common element of Gothic architecture) was planned to highlight the west end of the sanctuary building that faces Colorado Avenue. While space was left for these three windows (and all of the planned stained glass), a contract for construction of the the first two lancet windows was not signed until 1961 (St. Mark’s Archives).
The center of three large lancet windows, known as the Great West Window, was designed with the theme of Christ the King. The agreement was signed in February of 1961 and the window was planned for an October, 1961 delivery date. The cartoon for the window specifies design elements such as “Jesus Christ Conquers” and “Chalice and Water.”
The total cost of $3,033 was the most St. Mark’s paid for any of its windows and was given not by one individual, but by donations from the entire congregation. It was a true “group effort.” There’s no memorial plaque for this window, but we did find a document that lists 86 names designated as “Memorial names for “Christ the King” window.”
- Dr. Waite Alberty
- Bion B. Bierer III
- Henry H. Bogardus
- Phoebe HIppenmeyer Booram
- Beulah Bower
- Dr. E. Tanner Brown
- Leroy Caldwell
- Robert M. Catlin III
- Amy Clarke
- Robert E. Clarke
- Eliza Cory
- Wilma Cox
- Frank Crumpton
- Paul Culbertson
- Col L. Dl. Davis
- Wilfrid Dawson
- Mrs. Ida Dorn
- Mr. Paul Drake
- Charles Drysdale
- Mrs. Maude Edsell
- Mrs. Ernst
- Mrs. Evans
- W. Shepard French
- W. Friedel
- Harriet Gamage
- Charles Gerhard
- Cladys Gros
- Grace Helliwell Haydon
- Ernest Hempson
- Genevieve Horne
- Mrs. Hubener
- Mrs. A.J. Hutchinson
- Leslie Johnson
- Helen Moffett Juliher
- Nelle Fiske Keesling
- Angeline Kirk
- Douglas Lampkin
- Dr. P.G. Lasche
- Mary Elizabeth Lean
- Dorothy Lindsay
- Pearl Matthis Littlefield
- Dr. R.I. Longabaugh
- Laura McDermott
- Irene McDermott
- Maud Maryatt
- Mrs. Oscar Mead
- Edith Meiggs
- Henry Meiggs
- Lawrence Meiggs
- Misses Merry
- Robert B. Miller, Sr.
- Capt. L.C. Montgomery
- Mr. T.C. Morehouse
- Frank S. Morsman
- William Clay Muldoon
- William George Muldoon
- Miss Alice Nichols
- Julia Nichols
- Col. Charles M. O’Connor
- Mrs. E.G. Patton
- Bill Parker
- Frankling Arthur Peters
- William Ernest Peters
- Kraig Persson
- David Plough
- Mrs. A Plumelet
- Martha Jane Pond
- Mildred Poole
- Beulah Radford
- Florence Reynolds
- Jane Ricker
- Hazel Roberts
- Capt. G.W.Shepard
- Flora Spellman
- Dr. Albert M. Snell
- Fred Straub
- Ruth S. Tucker
- Martha Ford Todd
- Bertha Walker
- William T. Weis
- Mr. Cecil Walker
- Martha Ellison West
- Robert Gillette White
- Marie White
- Mary Floyd WIlliams
- Alice Wing
It must have been an especially exciting time when this spectacular window was installed in 1961. It wasn’t until four years later that the two side lancets were also installed, so for quite a while, the Christ the King window was the prominent feature of the main sanctuary.
The next time you’re in the main sanctuary, please take a closer look at this beautiful window…climb the stairs to the choir loft to get a closer look. It’s well worth the effort!
