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The
First Church building includes beautiful and
valuable stained glass windows - some were part
of the original structure, others were added
more recently. The
First Church contains both inlaid and painted
glass windows within the sanctuary.
The
Avery Window
Descendants
of the Avery family wanted the new meeting house
to include a stained glass window commemorating
Captain James Avery as founder of the church
and the Avery family members as church supporters
for two centuries.
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A committee led by Elizabeth Miner Avery of
Groton solicited descendants from all over the
country for donations. One descendant who responded
generously was John D. Rockefeller who donated
$1000 (one half of the total cost) toward the
purchase of the Avery Window. Mr. Rockefeller's
paternal grandmother was Lucy Avery Rockefeller
(1786-1867).
The
committee chose a design based on the 'Parable
of the Talents' submitted by Edward Peck Sperry,
a well known designer for the Church Glass and
Decorating Company of New York City. There are
four panels on inlaid glass. The center two
panels are figurative, and the outer two are
decorative.
The
inscription at the bottom of the window reads
as follows:
This
window is erected in the memory of James Avery,
one of the founders of this church and town,
by his descendants, A.D. 1902. Well done,
thou good and faithful servant, enter thou
into the joy of thy Lord.
Recently
a noted scholar Dr. Paul Norton, author of Stained
Glass Windows in Rhode Island, Professor
at the University of Massachusetts and a recognized
expert on Edward Peck Sperry, examined the Avery
Window and stated that it was one of the best
works done by Sperry that he had ever seen.
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The
Allyn Window
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The Allyn window, dedicated in 1903 to long
time Deacon Wilson Allyn and donated by his
wife's Sunday school class, was also part of
the original building. The
design of this opaque window is purely decorative.
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The
Woodhull Window
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On
April 12th, 1903, the church dedicated an opaque
window made by the Tiffany Studios in New York,
probably the most valuable window in the church.
It depicts a nighttime scene, 'Christ as the Shepherd
of His Sheep.' The second Mrs. Woodhull donated
the window in memory of her husband, the church
minister and historian John A. Woodhull. |
The
Pilgrim Memorial Window
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On November 24th, 1985, the church dedicated
a window "given in memory of departed members
and friends by contributions to the Memorial
Fund." This painted window, designed and built
by J. Wippell & Company Ltd. of Exeter, England,
depicts the landing of the Pilgrim fathers at
Plymouth.
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The
Lighthouse Window
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Dedicated in 1987, the Lighthouse window. like
the Pilgrim Window, is painted and was created
by J. Wippell & Company Ltd. It was given
by Dwight and Yvonne Harvey Norris in memory
of their parents John and Abby Harvey and Della
and Clarence Norris.
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