About Grace Windows & Bell
From Luxora with love...
When the Luxora United Methodist Church closed its doors in June 1996, they gave a wonderful gift to our church. Their gift included the twelve beautiful, stained glass windows that grace our main worship center (plus one in our fellowship hall).
The Luxora Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1901 on the Mississippi River east of Jonesboro. In 1918 they purchased the stained glass windows when their church building was constructed. From what we know, the windows were probably manufactured in Chicago. Each window contains a memorial panel indicating the name of the person who originally purchased the window. The Luxora Church originally held the complete set of fourteen windows. The windows were appraised by the Pearl River Glass Studio of Jackson, Mississippi in 1992 to have a replacement cost of approximately $10,000 per window. Twelve windows were given to Grace and two windows (Christ Preaching, and Christ with Mary Magdalene) were given to the Highland Valley United Methodist Church in Little Rock.
In the future, when a larger worship center is built, the windows will be relocated so persons can see all twelve from any seat. In the new worship center all of the windows will receive natural sunlight.
What each window depicts...
Click the images of the windows below to see a larger version.
The angel of the Lord carrying a palm branch depicting the Holy Land and a silhouette of Jerusalem.
The meeting of Elizabeth and Mary before John the Baptist and Jesus were born. The roses symbolize Christ's eventual death. And the Easter lilies symbolize Christ's resurrection.
The Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus (Luke 2:1-7)
Jesus said, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all.”
A young woman with a lamp from Matthew 25:1-13. "Keep awake (be on alert) for you do not know the day nor the hour when the Kingdom will come.”
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows the sheep by name and leads them out to find good pasture. Jesus , the Good Shepherd, lays down His life for the sheep. (John 10:1-15)
Jesus and his mother, Mary, the moment she realizes her son is to be crucified.
Jesus kneeling in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before His crucifixion. (Matthew 26: 36-56)
A replica of the painting, “The Ascension” by G. P. Biermann, depicting Jesus ascending to heaven after rising from the dead. (Acts 1:1-11)
Christ comforting Mary Magdalene outside the empty tomb on Easter morning. (John 20:11-18)
An angel appearing to John. (Revelation 1:1-3)
Calling us to worship each Sunday...
Each Sunday morning the sound of a large, bronze bell (located in our prayer garden) calls us to gather for worship. It is usually rung by children under the supervision of one of our ushers. This is the story of how we received this 100+ year-old bell.
In the summer of 1999, Grace United Methodist Church was given a 24" cast bronze bell. The gift came from the London United Methodist Church, (Pope County, about seven miles west of Russellville). The church closed in June 1999.
The bell had been installed in the attic of the London church, with the pull rope extending through a small hole in the ceiling. Since there was no exterior access to the bell, it was apparently installed when the building was constructed. The original 1870 building was damaged in a storm, and replaced by the existing building in 1901. It is not known if this bell was originally installed in the 1870 building. But the date of the bell's casting is certainly prior to 1901, and perhaps prior to the 1870 original London Methodist building. The bell bears the casting mark: "Louisville, KY, Wm Kaye."