Isaiah

It is sunny! And what is more, according to the BBC website it was meant to be raining where I am, so that makes it a double bonus! :)

I've had a lovely day. I met up with one friend for a very yummy lunch, then went on to meet up with Hannah, and her mummy, daddy and sister in Starbucks for a quick cuppa.

While I was in Durham I nipped into St Nic's (where I go to church) to take this blip, and was able to have a quick chat with one of our lovely office staff while I was there. The church is well known in church circles as it is the subject of The Church in the Market Place by George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, and also former Vicar of St Nic's. Unfortunately the book is now out of print, but second hand copies are available.

Carey had a vision of making the church open and available to all, seven days a week, and offering hospitality and social care. This resulted in considerable redevelopment of the building in 1980-81 to make it a usable space. Consequently many people are surprised by the modern interior when they come in for the first time. We continue to be open for visitors most of the time during office hours, and our 'Community Coffee Lounge' is open Monday-Saturday mornings, 10-12:00.

The window is one of a pair designed and made by Leonard Evetts (leading stained glass craftsman) in 1961. It depicts key stories/scenes from the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament (see below for explanation if interested).

I did wonder whether it would be better to make the most of the sunshine and blip an outdoor scene, but the sun really brings the windows to life.


Centre Panel - Based on Isaiah ch 6
Isaiah kneels in the temple, and above him one of the seraphim cries "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The earth is filled with His glory".
Isaiah receives forgiveness for all the wrongs he has done, and then God calls him to his role as a prophet, or a "messenger to the people". Isaiah accepts this task, and goes on to bring messages of judgement, but also hope, salvation and love, prophesying about the coming of Christ.

Left Panel - Based on Isaiah ch 11
A tree sprouts from the Star of David and leads to the cross of Christ.
Isaiah points to the coming of Christ, descendant of King David "Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot - a new branch bearing fruit from the old root". He writes of the hope that this "shoot" will bring, stating that he will be a "banner of salvation to all the world".
The star at the top is a reference to ch9, v2 "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light" (often heard in Christmas services) and is also a reference to Christ coming to the world in human form

Right Panel - Based on Isaiah ch 53
The images of the whip and cross are a reference to Christ as the suffering servant "despised and rejected" by the world, suffering crucifixion to carry the weight of our wrongs - "the Lord laid on him the sins of us all". The rose at the top symbolises the joy of salvation "the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose" (ch35 v1). Because of Christ's suffering we have this hope.