Stained Glass Windows at Center United Methodist Church in Concord, NC

Center United Methodist Church in Concord, NC has a large traditional sanctuary that has eight large windows. The church needed to update their old windows, but could not afford to do it all at one time. So in 2010, Laws Stained Glass Studios began by installing just (2) new opalescent glass windows. Laws installed the other windows in 2011, 2013, and 2014.

The (8) large opalescent glass windows (size 54" wide x 125" high) feature a 20" x 32" hand-stained glass medallion with a scene from the "Life of Christ" series. At the bottom of each window is a memorial plate. The width and size of these windows required an aluminum frame for proper structure. Laws removed the existing wood sashes and flashed the exterior wood frame with white aluminum. Lapping over the flashing, Laws set inside the wood frame a new white aluminum frame. The leaded glass window is set on the inside and on the outside, a 1" clear insulated glass unit with Low E is installed as the protective covering.

At the front of the church, Laws installed an opalescent glass window in the transom above the front doors. This window was installed into the existing wood frame, and 1/4" Lucite acrylic was placed on exterior as the protective covering. The transom has a scroll that reads "Enter to Worship, Depart to Serve" from the outside.

View of the existing windows from the inside

Close-up of the existing window from the inside

An existing window from the outside

View of an existing window on the interior

Opalescent glass window with a 20" x 32" hand-stained glass medallion and a memorial plate at the bottom

Opalescent glass window with a 20" x 32" hand-stained glass medallion and a memorial plate

Opalescent glass window with 20" x 32" medallion and a memorial plate

Interior view of more windows

Close-up of 20" x 32" medallion of "Come Unto Me"

New white aluminum frame set into the existing wood frame (before the wood frame is flashed)

Bottom of a wood frame flashed with the side still exposed.

Close-up showing the finished installation of new white aluminum frame and the flashed wood frame

Laws' worker Mario is installing the new white aluminum frame into the existing wood frame that has new white aluminum flashing. On the exterior, this window has a 1" thick Low E Insulated Glass Unit as the protective covering.

Exterior view of the new windows with 1" thick Low E Insulated Glass Units as the protective covering

Close-up of the white aluminum frame and 1" thick Low E Insulated Glass Unit

Opalescent glass transom from the inside

Opalescent glass transom from the outside

Opalescent glass window with a 20" x 32" medallion and a memorial plate

Dark Objects Behind Stained Glass Windows Cause the Windows to Appear Darker

After the first two windows were installed, the church noticed that the windows looked different. Laws had installed one window (the Nativity) on the south side and the other (Come Unto Me) on the north side. The difference was so much that they thought maybe we put a different type of glass in one. We assured them that it was the same glass and actually showed them on subsequent trips to the church. The reason the windows looked different was mainly due to what was in the background behind the windows. Behind the Nativity window were trees and foliage which made it look darker. Behind the Come Unto Me window was mainly bright blue sky which caused it to appear brighter. No objects were in its line of view behind it. Below are pictures sent by the church showing the two windows.