Presentation in the Temple

This window depicts Mary kneeling in the front of Simeon with a pair of caged pigeons, in obedience to Jewish Law. Joseph is standing behind her. Above Jesus head is the Star of David reminding us of his genealogy. The Menorah (candlestick) symbolises the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; wisdom, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, understanding, piety and fear of the Lord. The stone arch and tapestry around the window stand for the Temple.

Pentecost

Here the Holy Spirit (represented by the dove) is descending with tongues of fire (made from rare ruby glass). The disciples and Mary are looking up toward the giver of this gift. The Disciples have ruby haloes as a symbol of their martyrdom while Mary has a halo of gold.

History

In 1984 George Saunders (a local mill owner) asked the Collie Parish Council if he could donate a stained glass window in memory of his recently deceased wife. The Priest at the time was Revd. John McDonald who was very keen to see this project get off the ground so he enlisted the help of Ted Gowers in the development of the concept. Other parishioners soon followed suit (to fund a window) and 17 windows were commissioned to be built by E G Gowers & A S Brown. These men and their apprentices were stained glass artists and craftsmen in Perth.

The windows follow a sequence telling the story of Jesus birth from the time of the Annunciation and then his death and resurrection..

These windows also tell the story of a very loved red setter dog called Sir Bertrand Russell. In the signature at the bottom of some windows is an etching of a dog and GBR (Gowers, Brown, Russell). One window has two dogs as this was the window being made by Gowers & Brown when Sir Bertrand died of old age and a Lady Russell was purchased.

Mary Magdalene

In this window Mary Magdalene is seen looking at the Risen Christ. Olives, figs, vines with jasmine, lilies, thistles and other flowers surround them. Calvary can be seen in the background.