(Photo by The Ridgetown Independent News)
By Michael Bennett
Local Journalism Initiative
The Ridgetown Independent News
Duart Presbyterian Church may be a memory, but part of its physical presence still lives today, thanks to another local church.
Duart Presbyterian’s 88-year-old stained-glass window depicting Jesus’ ‘Suffer The Little Children’ from Matthew 19:14 is now displayed in the new sanctuary at The Gathering Place Community Church in Ridgetown.
After Duart Presbyterian closed in April of 2010, an auction was held that September to sell off some of the contents before demolition of the building.
“In the time between the Duart church’s closing and being demolished, a lady who attended that church began worshipping with us,” said Pastor Doug Rowley of The Gathering Place. “She purchased the window at an auction, knowing that one day we intended to expand our church.”
He said the woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, had stored the window for about 12 years before it was brought out to be incorporated into The Gathering Place’s new sanctuary.
“Unbeknownst to her, every church has its own niche to try to reach out and especially care for children and youth,” Rowley said. “The art piece she purchased is an artistic impression of Jesus hiding children, ‘Suffer the little children.’”
“It’s really appropriate for what our church is,” Rowley added.
The backlit stained-glass window is prominently placed on the sanctuary’s feature wall above the platform, which drew plenty of praise during The Gathering Place’s grand opening last October.
“It’s gorgeous, a beautiful piece of a time in history, as stained glass windows aren’t being incorporated into churches as much anymore,” Rowley said. “It really blends the old with the new.”
He said the window represents “the larger faith community.
“We had a number of families migrate from there (Duart) and join with us,” he said. “One church closes, and part of it is fused with another church and brings that history forward, which is really characteristic of our church.”
Adam Frazee of Frazee Glassworks – which is located behind the church – was commissioned to restore the 88-year-old window for its installation into the new Gathering Place sanctuary.
“He did a phenomenal job,” Rowley said.
