Stained_glass_windows

Jeff Green | Jul 06, 2006

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Historical stained glass windows in jeopardy

The beautiful stained glass triple lancet window behind the altar in St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Sharbot Lake was brought from England shortly after the building of the church in 1899. It depicts Christ as the Good Shepherd. The large window on the opposite, west wall of the church was presented in 1923 by Fred Shibley of New York , in memory of Mercy Thomson, Elizabeth Shibley, and Letitia Lyle, three ladies who were supporters of St. Andrew's. Many ancestral families of the Sharbot Lake area supported the construction of St. Andrew's and the installation of the historical triple lancet stained glass windows, as well as the small side windows alongside the pews.

Unfortunately, these lovely windows are in jeopardy, especially the one on the east wall, behind the altar. The cost of restoring both triple lancet windows is between $6000 and $7000. Plans are going ahead to restore the window on the east wall, which is at the most risk. However, the one on the west wall also urgently needs repairing.

We are asking church and community members for any support they can offer in our effort to save these historical windows. All donations, small or large, would certainly be welcome towards this urgent repair. A generous donor has already come forward to pay for the restoration of a large panel of the windows in memory of family members. A memorial plaque will be hung beside the windows for anybody wishing to make a memorial donation. Please forward any donations to the Wardens, St. Andrew's Church, P.O. Box 26 , Sharbot Lake , ON , K0H 2P0 and an income tax receipt will be issued.

St. Andrew's is in the process of having the stained glass windows of the church registered with The Registry of Stained Glass Windows in Canada , a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to establish an historical and pictorial record of architectural stained glass in Canada in both public and private possession. It is a worthwhile effort to maintain these beautiful works of art as well as to record them for history.