Stained Glass Windows at St. John United Methodist Church in Aiken, SC

In 2015, St. John United Methodist Church renovated their sanctuary that was built in the 1964. The sanctuary contained double hung wood sash windows with clear glass. The light was so bright from the window that they used wooden shutters for most of the services. Laws Stained Glass Studios replaced twenty of the windows with leaded, opalescent glass windows.

The ten main windows (size 40" wide x 159" high) and two windows near the altar area (size 32" wide x 159" high) each contained a small cross that matched the shape in the doors. The six windows in the balcony area (size 32" wide x 79" high) did not contain artwork. The two round windows in the altar area (size 36" diameter) were located high on the gable ends.

Laws removed the existing wood sashes and installed the new opalescent glass windows into the existing wood frame. On the exterior, the wood frame was painted white. At the bottom, a couple of the windows had rotten sills. Laws replaced them. Laws covered all the wood sills with white aluminum flashing. On the outside, Laws installed 1/4" Lucite acrylic as the protective covering. It is held in place with two rows of 1/2" x 1/2" white aluminum stop.

Laws also provided a couple of door panels (size 25" wide x 19 1/2" high) and a couple of cross-shaped door panels. All of the door panels contained clear leaded glass.

View of the existing double hung sash window from the outside

Another view of the existing windows from the outside

Sanctuary before the renovation and the new windows

Close-up showing the existing windows with shutters

Close-up of the cross-shape in the door that was matched

Rotten wood sill on one of the smaller windows in the balcony area.

Replacing the rotten wood

New opalescent glass windows in the altar area during the renovation

New opalescent glass windows during the renovation

New opalescent glass windows in the renovated sanctuary

New opalescent glass window set into the existing wood frame. Note that the middle border is a blue water glass color.

Close-up of the cross that matches the cross design in the doors

Close-up of the bottom of the opalescent glass window

Opalescent glass windows in the balcony area

Close-up of a window in the balcony area

Close-up of window in the stairwell

Close-up of the 36" round window

Another close-up of the round window

Front view of the church with the new opalescent glass windows

Opalescent glass windows with 1/4" Lucite acrylic as the protective covering

On the outside, new 1/4" Lucite acrylic is installed as the protective covering. It is held in place with (2) rows of 1/2" x 1/2" white aluminum stop. The bottom of the window frames are flashed with white aluminum.