At the heart of Anglicanism is the worship of the Triune God. When you walk through the front doors of St. John’s you know you have entered into sacred and consecrated space. When Joseph Patterson, a member of St. John’s was appointed architect he chose an early English Church architecture to best express the joy and the beauty of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is architecture common from A.D. 1180 to A.D. 1275, which makes St. John’s a Pre-Reformation design. This era of English architecture emphasized height, as if the building were reaching for the heavens.
Architecture is important and it has great influence upon us. The physical attributes of the building become prayer and expression of faith and hope. The contours and colors function as a silent partner in our worship of God, “speaking” to our mind and soul the great story of our Redemption in Jesus Christ.
When you enter the interior of Saint John’s Church you step into sacred space illuminated with beautiful sounds, smells, colors, and light. The light of the sun filters through the stained colors of glass forming a sense of the transcendence of time. The images and designs in the stained glass not only create a distinctive atmosphere of worship but they also reflect and embody many of the fundamental insights and mysteries of the Christian faith.
All of this can give people certitude in the transcendence of God and a true feeling of joy and appreciation of His love and mercy towards all.
