Thursday, April 21, 2016

Millcreek Ward: Interior

Note: I have since added another post with pictures of the stained glass lit from behind. That post can be viewed here.

When the Millcreek Ward was demolished in 2002, the stained glass windows were moved to this chapel, also in Millcreek, on Jeannine Drive.


The windows aren't in the chapel, though.


They're in the lobby. You'll remember from the last post--there are two windows. So each lobby (on either side of the chapel) has a window.

North Lobby Window

South Lobby Window
Which is the original, and which was the newer addition? The original is actually the one in the South Lobby (the second one.) You'll notice there are some differences between the two windows--the colors of Christ's robe, the angle of his staff, etc.

I was originally concerned that these windows were unlighted; however, they do have lights behind them now. Originally, the only place I could find pictures of the lighted glass was from an Ensign article from January, 1981:


The other, funnily enough, came from a seminary video. In the video, the man tells us he is going to the "Holladay Third Ward"; in the next shot, he is outside the Bonneville Ward chapel, and later in the video, we see that he is inside the Millcreek chapel, giving us a beautiful shot of the stained glass, albeit brief:



Finally, I was able to find a photography collection of the meetinghouse that was taken while it was in the process of being demolished. I requested that it be digitized, and they graciously complied! You can enjoy the pictures at this link. There are interior and exterior shots, including quite a few of an old mural that was uncovered while the building was being razed. It provides a neat view of what the chapel looked like with the window, though.

Also, on another note, you'll notice that the exterior window was originally wider.

(Image Source: Church History Library)
The sides--which just add to the beautiful nature scene--were cut off. And, from what I could see, the original stained glass on the sides of the old chapel aren't anywhere, either. They're probably in storage.

The north lobby of the new chapel also had a display with some old sacrament items, the scriptures that were used at the dedication of this newer chapel, and an adobe brick from the original chapel.



These windows are beautiful. I'm glad they were saved. I'm glad they're still enjoyed by Latter-day Saints in this chapel. The windows make me think of Jane Gardner Miller, and how the words to the psalm must have struck her so powerfully when she first saw (and subsequently donated) this window:


The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

8 comments:

  1. I am a seminary teacher and I have been looking for this stained glass ever since it appeared in the video you mentioned. The google earth street view of the building on Jeannine Dr. however does not appear to be the same church pictured in your article. Can you please give me a better idea of where I can view this work of art?

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    1. BroJay,

      The windows are now located in the Church at 4220 Jeannine Dr, Murray, Utah. It looks like they've changed the steeple recently, which is why it may look different in Google Street View.

      I'm actually trying to plan another trip up there to see if I can get better pictures of the glass (maybe in the evening, so the glare from the sun isn't in the way). I'm also going to double-check to see if there's no way to light it up from behind. It's such a beautiful piece of work!

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  2. I just got my hands on an original bench from the Millcreek Ward building. I am in the process of restoring it. Exciting!
    Scott Curtis
    Millcreek, UT
    curtis1983@gmail.com

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    1. Scott, that's really exciting! Good luck!

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    2. is it one of the earlier benches or the ones it had when it was demolished? I loved the early ones. Alas, all I have is a hymn book I took home from the final devotional

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    3. I used to look at that window every week in church. I was raised in the Mill Creek third ward from 1964 till about 1976. I remember the article in the ensign. Thank you for this article.

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  3. What was the original address/location of the Millcreek Ward Building before it was demolished? What stands it its place?

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