Meditation

Read Matt 4:18-23. Place yourself in the position of one of the disciples called. Hear Christ recruiting you. Are you responding "straightway" to being a follower of Christ and a "fisher of men"? Do you have to change your life style to do this? Are you willing? Are you willing to consider becoming willing? Are you still in the boat tangled up in nets? Who were the fishers of men who acquainted you with Christ? Give thanks for their lives.

History

This window is a memorial to Governor Charles R Miller and Abby Woodnut Miller given by their son, Charles R. Miller, and dedicated after the "City of God," probably in November of 1926. They wanted it done by November 29th and before their daughter was to be married in December. In it, Jesus is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee with the town of Capernaum in the distance. He is calling the fishermen brothers Peter and Andrew, and then James and John, to be disciples. with the words, "And Jesus said unto them I will make you to become fishers of men and straightway they forsook their nets and followed him" (written across the bottom). It is one of the few windows signed by Schoonover. The bird draws the viewer into the scene so that one can feel Christ call. Of the rose fish, Schoonover said, "We tried several times but just couldn't get it to glaze the right color." Schoonover sought to portray a typical fishing boat sail of the time, one probably' patched with the fishermen's own clothing. The fish are in a net close to shore, brought up so one can see what is going on. Schoonover stated that he had planned to have Christ's hands rough but he changed his mind because "it didn't depict the sweetness and gentleness of his character." D'Ascenzo remarked in a conversation with Schoonover, "He didn't indulge in much manual labor, did he?" Schoonover responded. "Well, he was a carpenter." (Read Matthew 4:18-22.)