{"id":31012,"date":"2022-11-02T18:09:25","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T22:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=31012"},"modified":"2022-11-09T07:34:47","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T12:34:47","slug":"worship-wednesday-you-are-a-shining-light-rend-collective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=31012","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – You Are a Shining Light – Rend Collective"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Heartlight<\/a><\/p>\n

[Adapted from the Archives<\/a>]<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing have I asked of the Lord<\/span>, <\/span>that will I seek after: <\/span><\/span><\/em>that I may dwell in the house of the Lord <\/span><\/span>all the days of my life, <\/span><\/span><\/em>to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord <\/span><\/span>and to inquire in his temple.\u201d \u2013 <\/span><\/span><\/em>Psalm 27:4<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Matthew 5:14<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.\u201d \u2013 <\/em>1 John 1:5<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a>Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France<\/p>\n

My mom instilled in me a love for colored glass. She filled beautiful old wine decanters with color-tinted water and set them in our windows at home. On sunny days, the rooms dazzled with rainbow light. Such delight for us children! Then she discovered depression glass<\/a> and again placed these translucent colored pieces on window ledges as well as our dining table, making special occasions even more special.<\/p>\n

[Incidentally, today marks the 20th anniversary of Mom’s Homegoing. She brought so much beauty into our lives…so much beauty.]\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Finishing Strong – On the Anniversary of My Mom’s Glorious Homegoing<\/em> – Deb Mills<\/a><\/p>\n

My kitchen reflects my Mom\u2019s influence with colored glass.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until I became an adult that stained glass windows became a real experience. Their wonder and beauty is mesmerizing as they change with with the light.<\/p>\n

Over the course of the last several years, my family has had opportunity to see some of the beautiful churches in the world\u2026and right here in our own city. Below are just a few samples:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>St Paul\u2019s Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Richmond, Virginia<\/p>\n

Stained glass windows evoke \u201cthe presence of the holy in our worship spaces\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(in the words of artist Elizabeth Devereaux<\/a>).<\/p>\n

We know from Scripture that God is with us wherever we are. We count on that. Still, in a culture that cries against His very existence, being surrounded by sweet reflections of His light and beauty can lift our eyes up\u2026to Heaven, to Him.<\/p>\n

Stained glass relies on a light source for its characteristic vivid illumination. [It] is specifically designed to be highly translucent. This quality allows a great deal of light to pass through it which highlights its colors beautifully. That is why stained glass is particularly bright when viewed from inside a building on a sunny day or from outside the building on a night when there is ample light within.<\/strong> Stained glass works with the light to create its powerful effect<\/strong>\u2026the color and brightness of the glass clearly has immense aesthetic appeal. That beauty often triggers powerful emotions within us \u2013 joy, inspiration, elation, humility, gratitude, and virtually anything else along the human emotional spectrum. \u2013 <\/em>Steven L. Yarbrough<\/a>
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

What Makes a Stained Glass Window Shine?<\/em> \u2013 Steven L. Yarbrough<\/a><\/p>\n

Our gathering space may be such that it has to work for multiple purposes \u2013 worship, concerts, conferences, suppers together. When we worship, visual art forms can set a tone for us to corporately and intimately connect with God<\/p>\n

Stained glass windows are such an art form.<\/p>\n

Stained Glass and the Book of Revelation<\/em> \u2013 Msgr. Charles Pope<\/a><\/p>\n

Our church building in Richmond (Movement Church<\/a>) actually has stained glass windows. They weren\u2019t on our wish list; they were part of a great gift<\/a> to us by Patterson Avenue Baptist Church.<\/p>\n

They are beautiful and we are grateful.<\/p>\n

As Yarbrough says above, stained glass windows transmit light \u2013 either from outside during the day, or from inside during night hours. They speak to us of the great impact of God\u2019s light in our daily lives and our darknesses.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>Movement Church, Richmond, Virginia<\/p>\n

As beautiful as stained glass windows are from the inside, they call us to worship at night as well. A church near our home has stained glass windows, and I love when they have services at night. Driving by, glancing over, I am transported by the colored light streaming through into the dark night reminding me. Not of differences in religions, or worship preferences, or negative religious experiences. No\u2026none of that. I am reminded of the light and beauty of God. Joyfully.<\/p>\n

We may be coming back around<\/a>, the church today, to a preference of a more classic and sacred worship space\u2026a place where stained glass windows draw our eyes and hearts up toward Heaven and all the hope and joy it reflects.<\/p>\n

Our teaching pastor, Cliff Jordan<\/a>, is currently preaching on 1 John. Sunday’s sermon<\/a> concentrated on 1 John 1:5:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.\u201d \u2013 <\/em>1 John 1:5<\/a><\/p>\n

I wanted to reflect on stained glass today as a vehicle for beautiful light. As we think on the Lord, we are like these stained glass windows – reflecting His light. We each have a particular make-up meant to give special glory to Him as He permeates each one of us with His light and love. That’s the church – a beautiful stained glass window – with broken pieces joined together in ways that make the whole even more exquisite than the parts…especially when His light shines through.<\/p>\n

As the days fast approach another December 25, we pulled out our Christmas music and are playing on repeat every day, as opportunity allows. The Christian band, Rend Collective<\/a>, from Northern Ireland, has several such albums. Today’s song Shining Light<\/em> and the anniversary of Mom’s Homegoing inspired me to again celebrate Jesus, the light of the world<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Heartlight<\/a><\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me to Rend Collective<\/a>‘s beautiful Shining Light<\/em>:<\/p>\n

Roman candles that burn in the night
\nYeah, you are a shining light
\nYou lit a torch in the infinite<\/p>\n

Yeah, you are a shining light
\nYeah, you light up my life<\/p>\n

You have always been a thorn in their side
\nBut to me you’re a shining light
\nYou arrive and the night is alive
\nYeah, you are a shining light
\nYeah, you light up my life<\/p>\n

We made a connection
\nA full on chemical reaction
\nBrought by dark divine intervention
\nYeah, you are a shining light<\/p>\n

A constellation once seen
\nOver royal Davids city
\nAn epiphany you burn so pretty
\nYeah, you are a shining light<\/p>\n

You are a force, you are a constant source
\nYeah, you are a shining light
\nIncandescent in the darkest night
\nYeah, you are a shining light<\/p>\n

We made a connection
\nA full on chemical reaction
\nBrought by dark divine intervention
\nYeah, you are a shining light<\/p>\n

A constellation once seen
\nOver royal Davids city
\nAn epiphany you burn so pretty
\nYeah, you are a shining light<\/p>\n

Roman candles that burn in the night
\nYeah, you are a shining light
\nYeah, you light up my life*<\/p>\n

In closing, I want to display the only pieces of stained glass I have at home \u2013 each piece is a reminder of the Lord\u2019s great gift of a Godly mom gone from us now 20 years. A mom who taught us the Word and brought so much beauty into our lives \u2013 including a garden full of irises. God’s beautiful light shown through her to us…now, we have the privilege to do the same to those around us as well.\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

*Lyrics to Shining Light<\/em> – Songwriter: Tim Wheeler<\/a><\/p>\n

A Bright Shining Light: Five Things Revealed to us by John’s Jesus<\/em> – N. T. Wright<\/a><\/p>\n

Worship Wednesday – Stained Glass Windows – Reflecting the Light and Beauty of God<\/em> – Deb Mills<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Photo Credit: Heartlight<\/a><\/p>\n

[Below find one of the videos of the sweet band Rend Collective.]<\/p>\n