In this the final and longest season of the Christian year, the window
symbolizes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples and the
beginning of the church as the vessel to continue the ministry of Christ in
the world. The usual symbol for the Holy Spirit is the dove, descending
upon the world with her multiplicity of gifts. The dove indicated the
power of God at work in humanity. The images of the Holy Spirit in the
Pentecost story is tongues of fire and the rushing of wind (Acts 2:1-4).
Traditionally, there is a cluster of seven flames -- seven being for the early
church the sacred number that indicated wholeness. Fire was throughout
the Old Testament the medium of sacred communication -- as in the burning bush
of the Moses story.
The symbol below the Pentecost scene is the official symbol of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) This symbol was adopted after the merger of
the "northern" and "southern" churches in 1983. The
flames that flank the cross blend in shape and color with the tongues of fire
of Pentecost. The cross itself is complex in its imagery. By a
series of simple lines it represents an open bible, a baptismal font, a pulpit,
a descending dove, and the sign of the fish. The seal of the PC(USA) in
the midst of the Pentecost window is a reminder of our calling to follow
Christ and that the Holy Spirit sustains us in our journey.
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