The Chancel Cross
The sanctuary and nave are designed so that one's eye is drawn
to the cross. The four stained glass windows around the cross form a
circle representing eternity. It is a reminder that Jesus Christ is the
eternal Son of God, who took on human flesh and suffered and died for
our sins on the cross.
These same four circular windows form the bottom of another
symbol on the outside wall. As you look at the east exterior wall of the
church, you will notice the circle is at the bottom of the cross. In
this symbol, the circle represents the world. The large cross represents
that the Gospel message of Christ crucified and risen is for the world.
The Altar
The altar is where God's
people offer to Him their sacrifice of prayer and praise and where
Christ feeds his people with His body and blood. The two candles remind
us that Jesus is the Light if the world. The alter is covered with the
fair linen, reminiscent of the linen in which Christ's body was wrapped
when it was laid in the tomb. On the fair linen, there are five
embroidered crosses, symbolizing the five wounds of Christ (two hands,
two feet and side). The altar is freestanding as it is the table at
which the Lord serves us with His Supper.
The Pulpit
The Pulpit serves as the locale for the proclamation
of God's Word of Law and Gospel. The Word, along with Baptism and the
Lord's Supper are the means of grace through which God forgives, saves,
strengthens and comforts His people. Next to the pulpit is the
processional cross. The crucifix is a visible reminder that it is the
preaching of Christ crucified that is to be proclaimed from the pulpit
since the cross is our source of salvation.
The Baptismal Font
The baptismal font stands opposite the pulpit in a
prominent place. It has eight sides. The apostle Peter connects the
number eight with baptism in his first epistle, where he draws the
connection between the eight survivors of the flood (Noah and his wife,
his three sons and their wives) and the water of Baptism. Not only did
the waters of the great Flood kill and destroy, but the same water
lifted up the ark to save Noah and his family and all animals on the
ark. In the same way, the water of baptism also kills and makes us alive
as through this Sacrament we are joined to Christ's death and
resurrection. In Baptism, the old Adam drowns and dies and the new man
is raised.
The Paschal Candle
The Paschal candle is lit whenever there is a celebration of
new life. Thus, it is lit during the fifty days of the Easter season, at
baptisms and at funerals when it is placed at the head of the casket.
Our Pipe Organ
Our pipe organ was
installed in the church in 1991. It is the 54th instrument built by
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders of Lake City, Iowa, and is their second in
Indiana.
(The first is at
Indiana
University.)
It was built to a high standard of quality, and even in 1991 was
intended to be moved to our new church. Lynn Dobson, owner and artistic
director of the firm, designed the organ case, which is made of white
oak with accents of red, blue and real gold leaf, to harmonize with the
architectural elements of our old church. In a similar way, the new
church has been designed to complement the architectural character of
the organ, and to provide a supportive acoustical environment for the
organ and other musical instruments. While it can play concert music,
the organ was designed primarily to encourage congregational singing in
worship, to accompany the choir, and to play solo music based on hymn
tunes.
The organ contains
914 pipes, some of wood or zinc but most are of alloys of tin and lead.
They are arranged in 13 tonal colors, or stops, and 16 sets, or ranks.
There are two manual keyboards and a pedal keyboard. Each key is
directly connected to a valve that opens when the key is played,
allowing wind to enter a pipe. This mechanical system, or tracker
action, has hundreds of thin wooden strips, or trackers, that connect
the keyboards to the pipe valves. This mechanical system has been used
in organs since the instrument’s invention by the Greeks about 2,300
years ago.
Between March 23, and
April 1, 2009,
two Dobson technicians, John Panning (one of the original installers in
1991) and John Ourensma disassembled and then reassembled each piece and
pipe of this instrument with the help of numerous church members. A big
“thank you” to all the volunteers who did so much tedious work as well
as heavy lifting through this amazing process!
The present-day
replacement value of this high quality instrument, a gift from
St. Paul
member Dora Fischer, is approximately twice its original purchase price
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