Shield

The Ascension The east balcony portrays “The Ascension.” After telling the apostles to be witness for him to th eends of the earth, ” . . . he was taken up to heaven as they watched him, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” Acts 1:6-11; Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53 This window is the Sears Memorial. Mr. Sears was the owner of the Albany Planing Mill, C.W. Sears and Son. he was very much interested in seeing that the woodwork was smooth and beautiful. All of the windows were placed and framed by the Albany Planing Mill. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sears were members of the church. Mrs. Sears taught in the Sunday School and gave lovely parties for the children. Mrs. Alton Coates was a member of her class. Ed Sears, the son, continued in the business after his father’s death.

“The Consoling Christ” was given in 1918 by the Boys’ Bible Class taught by Roy C. Dowd. A contractor and carpenter, he took the boys on many outings and trips. Lazarus, Mary and Martha’s brother, became ill and died. after he was buried several people came to comfort the women. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went to meet him. “Your brother will rise to life,” Jesus told her. Martha returned and told Mary that Jesus wanted to see her. Mary arrived where Jesus was, and as soon as she saw him she fell at his feet. “lord,” she said, “if you had been here my brother would not have died!” Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart was touched and he was deeply moved. They went to the cave where Lazarus had been buried for four days. Jesus said, “Lazarus, come out!” and he did. John 11:1-44

“The Good Samaritan,” from the painting by Siemenroth, was placed in memory of John W. Ellison. He was very faithful and almost never missed Sunday School. His daughter was Mrs. Roy Parker. To answer the question “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered: “there was once a man who was going down from Jericho to Jerusalem when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead. It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man he walked by on the other side. In the same way, A Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by on the other side. But a Samaritan who was traveling that way came upon the man, and when he saw him, his heart was filled with pity. He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. “Take care of him,” he told the innkeeper, “and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him.” And Jesus concluded, “In your opinion, which one of these acted like a neighbor toward the man who was attacked by the robbers?” The teacher of the law answered, “The one who was kind to him.” Jesus replied, “you go, then, and do the same.” Luke 10:25-37

“The Good Shepard,” from a painting by Plockhorst, is in memory of Victor Simpson who lived from 1888 to 1906, and was a first cousin of Mrs. C. C. Cathey. He was devoted to the Sunday school but died at the age of eighteen. He was a friend of Edwin Fortmiller. Victor’s mother, Mrs. Mable Simpson, helped to dedicate the window. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep . . . I know my sheep and they know me . . . There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd.” John 10:1-21

The Pastor’s study contains “The Madonna of the Chair” by Raphael. The artist searched for a model when one day he saw a seated peasant woman holding a boy in her lap. He sketched the picture with a pencil on a barrel head. Sanzio Raphael (1483-1520), at the age of 25, was commissioned to design and paint large frescoes on some of the Vatican halls. Twelve years later, after painting 52 scenes, he became ill and dies. “The Madonna of the chair” hangs in the Pitti Palace in Florence The window is in memory of Dr. Armstrong Bennett Dill and was given by his grandson, George Matthew Dill Geselbracht.

“The Woman of Samaria” was given by Winslow Hutchin’s Bible class in 1917. She was a teacher at Albany College. A Samaritan woman came to draw some water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water,” (His disciples had gone into town to buy food.) The woman answered, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan–so how can you ask me for a drink?” (Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use.) Jesus answered, “If you only knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him and he would give you life-giving water. “Sir,” the woman said, “you don’t have a bucket, and the well is deep. Where will you get that life-giving water? It was out father Jacob who gave us this well; he and his sons and his flocks all drank from it. You don’t claim to be greater than Jacob, do you?” Jesus answered, “Whoever drinks this water will get thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I give him will become in him a spring which will provide him with life-giving water and give him eternal life. “Sir,” the woman said, “give me that water! Then I will never be thirsty again, nor will I have to come here to draw water.” John 4:1-42

This is My Blood

“Jesus Said Unto Her ‘Touch Me Not’.” The Pfeiffer Room tells the story of Jesus appearing to Mary Magdaline after the Resurrection. “Do not hold on to me,” Jesus told her, “because I have not yet gone back up to the father . . . ” John 20:11-18; Matthew 28:9-10; Mark 16:9-11 It is dedicated to Frances Barbara Pfeiffer, who lived from 1903 to 1923. She was the daughter of Franz and Alice Pfeiffer. Barbara had rather fragile health, but she played the piano well, was a Sunday School teacher, and was engaged to be married at the time of her death at the age of twenty. In late 1913, the church was assessed for the paving of Fifth Avenue. Franz Pfeiffer headed the men’s banquet given to raise funds for the assessment. The Franz Pfeiffer home at 530 Ferry Street was left to the church and used for classes and for several years as a manse. Dr. Morton L. Booth, minister of the church from 1947 to 1974 and then Pastor Emeritus, lived at the manse from 1947 to 1957. In the 1940’s efforts were made to obtain furnishings from the manse and other locations to furnish the Pfeiffer Room as a church parlor.

Tulip Window

Broadalbin Street Entrance

“Calvary” was given by Mrs. Russell Wallace’s Bible Class in 1917. Mrs. Orah Olmstead Wallace was a lovely, attractive lady, and she was sincerely interested in the church. Matthew 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-32; Luke 23:26-43; John 19:17-27

“Christ and the Rich Young ruler,” painted by Hofmann, tells the story of a rich man who came to Christ and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?” Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments . . . ” The man replied, “Ever since I was young, I have obeyed all these commandments.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing you need to do. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.” But when the man heard this, he became very sad, because he was very rich.” Luke 18:18-30; Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31 This window is dedicated to Judge Lawrence and Cynthia Flinn, and was placed in the church at the request of their daughters. Judge Flinn’s son-in-law, Dr. A. C. Schmitt, who spoke at the 75th anniversary celebration of the church, was very active in building the church. Judge Lawrence and Cynthia Flinn had three daughers: mrs. Orpha Flinn Schmitt, Mrs. Anna Hunt, and Mrs. Will Barrett (mother of Bob Barrett and Mrs. Paul Murphy.) This window was “signed” and dated Dec. 1912.

“Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane” or “Christ in Gethsemane” by Hofmann was given by Flora Mason’s Bible Class in 1917. Prior to his crucifixion, Jesus and his disciples went to a garden on the Mount of Olives. They came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him. Distress and anguish came over him, and he said to them, “The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me. Stay here and keep watch.” He went a little farther on, threw himself on the ground, and prayed that, if possible, he might not have to go through that time of suffering. “Father,” he prayed, “my father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want: Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46; Matthew 26:36-46

“Christ in the Temple,” or “Christ Among the Doctors,” by Hofmann, in the office next to the Pastor’s study, illustrates Jesus as a boy. Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual. When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. his parents did not know this; they thought he was in the group, so they traveled a whole day and started looking for him among their relatives and friends. They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him. On the third day they found him in the temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers,, listening to them and asking questions. All who hear him were amazed at his intelligent answers. His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.” He answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my father’s house?” But they did not understand his answer. Luke 2:41-50

Christ Knocking At The Door The north balcony of the sanctuary contains a window painting, “Christ Knocking at the Door,” by Hofmann. The theme is found in Revelation 3:20. Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come into his house and eat with him, and he will eat with me.”

“Christ Taking Leave of His Mother” or “Jesus and Mary” by Plockhorst, was given by the Women’s Bible Class. The women sold teaspoons to earn money for the window. Mrs. Viola Price Franklin was the teacher. She was Albany’s first paid librarian and held that position for eleven years. she organized the Shakespearean Study Club for Albany College. Mrs. Mable Simpson was the class secretary.

“Consider the Lilies” was given to the church by Bessie Jean Fleming’s class in 1920. jean was a niece of Mrs. Wallace How Lee. She later taught in a Bible school in Seattle, helped in a tuberculosis hospital, and took a leave of absence to teach soldiers in Japan. Mrs. Fleming was a first cousin, once removed, of Mrs. Robert Moench and Beatrice Thompson. One of the examples that Jesus used with his disciples to illustrate trust in God was flowers. Look how the wild flowers grow; they don’t work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers.” Luke 12:22-31; Matthew 6:25-34

“Crown of Thorns” by Guido Reni, a Bolognese painter who lived from 1575 to 1642 is in memory of Mrs. Clara Sprenger who lived from 1861 to 1934. She was the mother of Mrs. Loren Wilson and was a member of the church for 44 years. She was a “shut-in” for a number of years but was always interested in the church. She left money to the church, and Dr. Mortimer Stocker, the minister from 1928 to 1937 dedicated the window to her. Then they made a crown out of thorny branches and placed it on his head . . . prior to the crucifixion. Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; John 19:2-3

Flower Window

The painting “He Is Risen,” by the German artist Plockhorst, tells of the resurrection of Jesus. After the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome brought spices to go and anoint the body of Jesus. Very early on Sunday morning at sunrise, they went to the tomb. On the way they said to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us to the entrance to the tomb? Then they looked up and saw that the stone already had been rolled back. So they entered the tomb, where they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe–and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here–he has been raised! . . .” This window is dedicated to the Rev. E. J. Thompson, and was placed here in his memory by the Knights Templar and friends. Dr. Thompson was at one time president of Albany College. He served as minister in Albany, Corvallis, Independence, and Salem. Mrs. William Fortmiller was his daughter, and he was the grandfather of Edwin Fortmiller and Mrs. Ralph Cronise.

I Am The Bread Of Life

“Mary and Martha” or “The good Housekeeper” by the artist Hofmann was given in memory of Eugene Cusick, who lived from 1886 to 1904. He was the brother of Charles Cusick. As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him in her home. She had a sister named Mary who sat down at the feet of the Lord and listened to his teaching. Martha was upset over all the work she had to do, so she came and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!” The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things, but just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing and it will not be taken away from her!” Luke 10:38-42

“On the Way to Emmaus” was given in 1917 in memory of Mr. William Fortmiller who became a member in 1881, an elder in 1886, and clerk of the session in 1905. Following the resurrection, “On that same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. As they talked and discussed, Jesus himself drew near and walked along with them . . . ” Luke 24:13-35; Mark 16:12-13