Windows of Faith

I've admired the windows in my church for years and decided to share them with my readers on Sunday. Each Sunday I will feature two stained-glass windows along with an explanation of each window. Previous windows can be viewed by typing "Windows of Faith" in the search box in the top left corner.

The Ship and Anchor windows

The main body of the church building, lying between the entrance and church is called the nave, the part we sit in. This is a very interesting term derived from the Latin word "navis," meaning ship. In the early days, the Church, symbolically speaking, was the ark or ship of the Lord, the ship in which Christians sailed the sea of life. So the ship has long served as a symbol of the Church.

By the grace of God, members of the Holy Christian Church, are passengers, who should not fear the storms and waves which from time to time rock the ship. With Christ as our Head, our Captain, we can say with Paul - "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

The symbol of an anchor is one of the earliest Christian symbols. It was a symbol that frequently appeared in the catacombs and is based upon the Word of God recorded in the Book of Hebrews 6:18-19. "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope sat before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. . ."

The symbol of an anchor at times also takes the form of a cross, thus symbolizing both hope in the life eternal and salvation from sin through the merits of the Savior's death and glorious resurrection. A familiar combination of emblems is a cross, an anchor, and a heart; thus, signifying faith, hope, and love.