Dennis Roberts of IHS Studios (see link below) designed, made and installed the stained glass in our church (and in many churches throughout Texas AND in the impact area in the Pentagon from 9/11).

Dennis taught me in Sunday School from 1976 - 78 and attended my classes in the 1980s and 90s in Houston at Christ Lutheran (at that time). His first work was in our church in Houston. He uses familiar Christian themes in his work that are very Lutheran.

For our devotion, we will take time to look at his work in our church and use it as the prayer and reflection for today and as we enter the Hope sanctuary (see pdf for photos).

God the Father, Creator

Hand of God - Isaiah 66:2 As you enter our sanctuary and look to the right, you see Christ the baby in the manger in the first pane. Behind that is the "hand of God," or God the Father, from whom all things are made. You also see the triangle with three circles, representative of the Trinity.

God the Son - Christ

Pictured as an infant in the Father pane and shown in the largest pane on the right side of the sanctuary on the cross. The incarnate Christ came to earth to redeem us and fulfill God's plan, created by God, to overcome sin, Satan and death. As an aside, the anchor with the heart is representative of "faith, hope and love" as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13.

God the Spirit

Dennis uses an image resembling a dove in the middle frame on both sides of the church in the upper half of the pane. On the left side of the church, Dennis uses God's Word, combined with the Spirit and physical elements of water, wine and bread for the Sacraments (Lutheran through and through). On the right side, the Spirit completes the Trinity. Both sides have the Spirit in the middle frame. The dove is the form the Spirit takes at the baptism of Christ (Matthew 3:13-17).

Each person of the Trinity has a role as God, but we have one God. We find all Three present at creation (Genesis 1 - God the Father spoke His Word (Christ in John 1); God's Spirit hovered over creation.)

Prayer as we enter the church for worship: Gracious Father, by Your faith given to us in our baptism through Your Spirit, we have hope in the love You've given us. Our Faith, Hope, and Love are gifts from You we do not merit, but because of the sacrificial gift of Your Son's suffering, death and resurrection, we are able to know our salvation is secure. Help us today as we hear and read Your Word, open our hearts and minds on Your redeeming work in and through us. Help us to apply Your Word and to share the promise with others. In Your Son's Name, Amen.