Photo by Kyle Jones Productions | Watercolor Art by Judy Avrett
As these windows, which have carried the prayers of generations before us, rest in skilled hands, we invite you to hold this space in prayer: for those doing the restoration and for all who will one day sit beneath these windows and find hope, beauty and God’s light shining once again.
— Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church
On January 12, 2026, congregants at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church were summoned to a uniquely notable prayer. It was a call to pray over the complete restoration project of their stained-glass windows, more specifically, to pray for the commissioned artisans charged with removing, packing, shipping, restoring and reinstalling the sacred artworks.
The collection of stained-glass windows at Reid was designed to replicate the painted windows found in 11th- and 12th-century Gothic cathedrals of France and England.
During the project’s on-site inspection, it was found that the windows were fabricated by renowned stained-glass artisans, Willet Studios, which was originally located in Pittsburgh, Pa.
It was also discovered that Reid’s windows were created with a highly specialized glass, known as Norman Slab Glass, a rare and no-longer-produced specialty glass made by blowing a glass bubble into a wooden box mold, which ultimately resulted in slabs of glass that varied in thickness.
The first window of the scheduled project was the church’s colossal Redemption Window above the balcony, which faces Walton Way. Approximately 30 separate pieces were carefully packed by workers from Gaytee-Palmer Stained Glass Studio and then shipped off to their workspace in Minneapolis, Minn. The surrounding limestone walls were also revitalized in preparation for the window’s reinstallation in April.
The Redemption Window features lancets — tall, narrow masonry frames with sharply pointed arches at the top that contain stained glass sections. The individual frames show various scenes depicting the life of Christ, such as “The Coming of the Savior,” “The Passion of Our Lord” and “Post-Crucifixion Events.”
Its uniform decorative sections burst with detailed expressions in highly saturated colors, resulting in a size and storyline that are among the sanctuary’s most sacred focal points. Artisans and congregants alike can understand the depth of precision and time-consuming process it would have taken the original artisans, as well as appreciate the comprehensive work achieved by the current restoration artists.
The tracery openings, located in the largest opening of the rose at the top of the window, show Christ seated enthroned in glory, surrounded by the seven golden candlesticks, the seven churches and the keys to the bottomless pit.
Reid’s Redemption Window measures 11 feet wide by 22 feet high and is a striking reminder that the beauty of religious artwork transcends time, culture and politics. Presenting audiences with an original concept of visual storytelling, stained glass art showcases the creative synthesis of craftsmanship and celestial color.
As seen in the August/September 2026 issue of Augusta magazine.
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