Millcreek Ward: Stained Glass Details

Everyone makes mistakes, right? Well, months ago, I posted about the stained glass located in the old Millcreek Ward chapel. In that post, I lamented the fact that the windows, while saved and moved to a modern chapel, could not be viewed properly because they were not lit from behind.

Well, I was wrong. I had a hunch I was wrong, and so I finally got the chance this morning to revisit the chapel. Yes, the windows are lit from behind--they just were off when I visited the first time, and I couldn't find the switch.

In case you can't remember, the original Millcreek chapel had two windows--one facing outward that was added around 1910, and another facing inward that was added in the 1930s. They are virtually identical, but there are some differences.

Here is the original 1910 window, which is in the new building's south lobby:

And here is the 1930s window, in the north lobby:

There are distinct differences between the two, particularly in the colors of the glass. The older window has some coloring that is non-traditional for a stained glass setting of the good shepherd; whether this was intentional or not is unknown. Thank heavens these windows can still be enjoyed properly!

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.

Millcreek Ward

In southern Salt Lake City used to stand one of the oldest chapels built in the valley--the adobe chapel belonging to the Millcreek Ward.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

Ground was broken for this chapel in 1866, and I believe that it wasn't fully completed (the original portion, anyway) until 1875. A recreation hall was added in 1915.

You will notice the large stained glass window in the front, but first, let me point out that a few smaller stained glass windows were along the sides of the chapel.

(Image Source: Church History Library)

According to some sources, these windows rolled in on freight wagons in 1866, making them some of the, if not the oldest, stained glass in the church. (In a later conversation with an employee of the Church History Department, I was told that they were added in 1910, but I never got to clarify if we were talking about the windows on the sides of the chapel, or the large window at the front, which was certainly added around 1910. So there's some confusion on that part.)

The large window at the front was donated by Jane Gardner Miller. She was also one of the donors of the stained glass that sits in the Murray First Ward's chapel. Apparently, she had a moving experience upon seeing the stained glass and thinking of the words to the Psalm: "The Lord is my Shepherd."

(Image Source: Church History Library)

There was originally one window that faced outward. A matching window that faced inward, and so could be enjoyed by Latter-day Saints who worshiped in the chapel, was added around 1937.

This chapel was demolished in 2002. It was about 130 years old at that time! I'm sad that it couldn't be preserved--however, the large stained glass window was moved to a nearby building at that time. I'll show pictures of its new location in my next post.

(Image Source: Church History Library)