The Lord spoke to Moses: See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft. Moreover, I have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given skill to all the skillful, so that they may make all that I have commanded you. (Exodus 31: 1-6)
Visual grace
Suzanne Halvorson chose the phrase ‘visual grace’ to describe the experience of discovering beauty throughout our building and campus. Please explore and share the delight of faith expressed through art. You’ll find textiles, works on paper, a stone bear, even a handmade boat. And do take time, every week, to appreciate our lovingly-arranged altar flowers.
We are part of a tradition of deeply faith-filled expressive art that reaches back to the earliest days of Christian history. From great cathedrals to illuminated pages, beautiful craftsmanship has always been part of Christian worship. St. Thomas continues this ancient tradition. Our stained glass windows, hand-woven vestments, and rich diversity of visual art bring grace and inspiration to those who come to our church building.
Stained Glass
The Creation Windows in our sanctuary, the Spirit Window in Heritage Hall, and the Alpha and Omega windows in our narthex were created by stained glass artist Charlotte Paul of Bloomfield, Indiana.
Liturgical Art
Many of the banners, vestments, and furnishings used in worship at St. Thomas are original creations of member artists and craftspersons. Suzanne Halvorson, a textile artist, has woven many of our liturgical textiles. Jim Doering, a master carpenter, has done beautiful custom work at the church – the baptismal font and welcome table are examples of his craftsmanship. The inset tiles on our altar and pulpit – shown above – were created by Jim Halvorson, a ceramics artist.
