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There’s something so inviting about sanctuaries in Lutheran churches. Walking into a sanctuary invites me to experience people’s stories and their desire to connect with God and the community at large.
One of my favorite sanctuaries is where the small congregation I currently serve worships – just a 30-minute drive from downtown Austin. Two incredible stained-glass windows are located at the front and back of the sanctuary. The front window depicts grapes and bundled wheat, with a baptismal shell on top, all surrounded by a river. At the top, in the sky, a dove basks in the sun’s rays.
Isn’t that what we talk about as Lutherans? The river and baptismal shell represent our and Jesus’ baptism. Baptism is the start of our new, transformed identity in Christ. The images of wheat and grapes represent Jesus’ body and blood given to us in the Lord’s Supper, as we continue to live in the promise of God’s grace and love. The dove and the rays call to mind the Holy Spirit and the presence of God the Creator. This stained-glass window, the first image people see as they walk through our sanctuary, is a reminder of God’s love and grace.
This message is excerpted from “In this space” by Hephzibah Penumaka in the June/July/August 2025 Gather magazine.