The Second Church in Newton

Dedication: To all mothers -- mothers who are gone, mothers who are with us still, and mothers who are yet to be. 

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The central medallion shows the Madonna and Child. Scenes from Jesus' life surround the central medallion, including the annunciation, nativity, journey to Jerusalem, and blessing of the children. 

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There are many animals in the window, including a hen with her brood of chicks, symbolizing mother love; lambs, a donkey, and even a snake.

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In the quatrefoil at the top there is an image of the Dove of God descending. Angels are on either side with symbols of purity, service, honor, and mystery.

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The Mothers' Window is typical of Reynolds' style, using more blue and less white than Connick. The deep blue glass was, however, influenced by Connick's style and was imported from England. (American glass was not used until after 1920, when huge tariffs made imported glass prohibitively expensive.) The reds in the Mothers' Window reflect an early thirteenth century French motif. The ruby glass in the window is chunky like the thirteenth century cathedral at Chartres. Interest in using a French motif was probably due to the United States' close alliance to France at the time the window was designed. *

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* The text for this paragraph was taken from a lecture given at Second Church in November 2008 by Peter Cormack, an English historian of English and American stained glass.