Faith, Form and Light: A Guide to the Stained Glass Windows at Christ Anglican Church

Window 4: Miracle of Loaves and Fishes – the Miracles of Christ
According to each of the four Gospels, Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 people from just ve
loaves of bread and two sh as shown in the fourth window. This window serves as a
reminder not only that Jesus was a miracle worker, but also that He is the Creator, making
manifest the meaning of God as provider through His miracles.
Although part of a miraculous process, the sh and loaves are made of matter; they are
tangible things. The representation of the sh and loaves as just that—two red sh and ve
tan loaves in a straw-colored, woven basket—reinforces Jesus’ ability to create in palpable
ways. The actual, recognizable objects in this window therefore speak to why His miracles
were impactful: Jesus forged a bridge between the divine and the material world. He made
manifest sustenance for the masses. Furthermore, in viewing this window, we are placed at
the scene of this miraculous event by the blue, undulating curved band in the bottom half
denoting the Sea of Galilee.
Through this, we understand these events as occurring on Earth. The representation of the
sea, as the source of these sh and the site of this miracle, is also a sign of God’s abundance.
He has provided us with the means to not only feed ourselves but also to care for
others—the expansiveness, depth, and ultimate incomprehensibility of the sea serves as a
metaphor for the limitless capacity of God’s grace.
This window further shows the meaning of abundance, the possibility to amplify resources
to serve thousands, by the light it casts throughout the church. While each window casts
different degrees of colorful light, this window underscores the symbolic meaning of
stained glass: sunlight brings an ever-changing, prismatic glow reected on the church
walls through simple material forms—small red, blue, purple, and white oval, rectangular,
and triangular panes of glass—as the God of Love transforms those in whom He shines.