The Inspiration for St. Matthew’s New Logo

Looking at St. Matthew’s new logo, it’s easy to see its relationship to the stained glass panels in the church. The window’s abstract design, and the logo it inspired, are a unique representation of St. Matthew’s Community, but that “inspiration” didn’t come right away.

First came months of gathering input from parishioners and working through numerous iterations with the designer. All the input, revisions and critiques helped to move the process forward, but nothing seemed to hit the mark until one day, someone suggested the stained glass windows. Something clicked.

At the time, most of us knew very little about the artwork. The wall of colored glass stretching along the west side of the church was just another feature we took for granted, without really seeing it.

As we launch our new logo, we’d like to reintroduce you to the unique work of art in our worship space. We hope you take a moment to enjoy its beauty and reflect on its message of transformation. Read Father Steve’s reflection on page two and explore what Transformation of the Cross means to you.

The Artwork

Created by Pegasus Studios, most of the panels are fabricated from hand blown glass imported from Germany. The artists used abstract images to represent the idea of “transformation,” and to create a peaceful, prayerful mood of calm reflection. When the sun is at the right angle, the beveled, clear, float glass that appears throughout the panels refract the light, projecting a luminescent rainbow of colors into the church.

A Memorial Gift – Installed and Dedicated in 1999

The artwork was a gift to St. Matthew’s from Marie Heimel Kraft and her husband, Anthony, in honor of Marie’s mother, Christine Messerich Heimel (1876-1953). Christine’s parents were among the founding members of St, Matthew’s in 1886, and Christine was one of the earliest students at St. Matthew’s School, back when classes were held in the basement of the church. Christine was married at St. Matthew’s Church in 1909 and had two children before her husband died in 1916. She never remarried but held many jobs to see that both her children attended St. Matthew’s School in the “new” building. Christine died at her home on South Robert Street in 1953 at the age of 77.

Transformation of the Cross

The stained glass windows on the west side of the church were installed April 21 - 22 and dedicated on June 5, 1999.

A reflection by Fr. Steve Adrian, former Pastor of The Church of St. Matthew, which he wrote for the dedication of the stained glass windows.

A good work of art allows the viewer to bring his/her life experience to the work and to find in the work an expression which touches the soul. I offer you a simple reflection on the windows which is mine, and makes no pretense of being the mind or intention of the artist.

The constant and central piece of the windows is the cross. As I move slowly from the south end to the north the panels, I observe that the cross seems to be surrounded by and immersed in more complex settings.

As the cross of Christ takes a more central place in my life it begins rather simply, personally. I see the cross as embracing my life. Gradually, I come to see the cross of Christ embracing not only me but the diverse elements that make up my life and the lives of the people around me. Bit by bit, I come to see the cross of Christ over-arching and embracing and touching all of the elements of life and the fullness of the universe.

Pierre Teihard de Chardin, in reflecting on the over-arching effect of the mystery of the cross of Christ says:

All things individually and collectively are penetrated and flooded by it, from the innermost core of the tiniest atom to the mighty sweep of the most universal laws of being: so naturally has it flooded every element, every element, every energy, every connecting link in the community of the cosmos, that one might suppose the cosmos to have burst spontaneously into flame.

As I walk the other way, from the north end to the south end of the panels, I see yet something different. I see the cross initially in the midst of diverse and complex elements which make up my life. As I move further south, the complexity becomes simplicity and it is as if the cross of Christ reconciles all of the seemingly diverse and unconnected and disparate elements of life … the effect of being a simple expression of the mystery of Christ.

As I grow in the mystery of the cross, the seemingly contradictory and diverse elements of life come together. I begin to see the simplicity and directness of life more clearly. It is as if the cross of Christ absorbs and contains “all the stuff” of life that seemed overwhelming to me. The cross of Christ finally stands as all there is.

Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again.