Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church is a Baptist-doctrine gospel church located in Holly Springs, Mississippi. The church’s humble quarters consist of a small building located at the end of the street in a quaint and charming neighborhood. The lush surroundings and beautiful trees create an instantly inviting atmosphere for all who come to visit. Members enjoy an intimate setting that fosters a strong sense of community and family-like atmosphere. Over the years, the church has served as a focal point of activity and become deeply loved and cherished by the community.
The church is home to a beautiful set of stained glass windows that have been in place for about forty to fifty years. These lovely artistic pieces are held in fond regard and serve as a source of inspiration during Sunday service. As the sunlight pours through the colorful glass and lights up the room, you cannot help but feel a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty around you. Therefore, you can imagine how distressing it was when the stained glass was suddenly and severely damaged by a violent storm.
Assessing the Damage
After the storm passed, only one of the three windows was left fully intact. Another had half of its glass missing and the bottom panel was missing entirely. The third has been completely shattered.
The church took steps to remedy the situation by filing a claim with their insurance company. Meanwhile, they contacted our team and invited us to evaluate the damage and help design a solution. 50% of the glass was destroyed but the other 50% was still intact. They wanted to preserve the 50% but at the same time design a solution where the windows would all look like the originals.
How We Approached the Repairs
We spoke with the insurance adjusters to discuss possible avenues for repair. We searched long and hard for new glass that we could use for the repairs. Unfortunately, we were unable to find colors that were a perfect match. The colors we could get were very close, but they weren’t exactly the same as the original colors. That meant if we were to rebuild the missing panels, the new ones wouldn’t match the old ones completely.
As an alternative, we suggested using a combination of both new and old glass to rebuild all three windows entirely. We would take apart the remaining panels that hadn’t been destroyed by the storm, discard the leading, and keep the glass. Then, we would use a mixture of both the old glass and new glass to rebuild all six panels. This way, each panel would have a mixture of the same colors.
The church agreed that this was a much better option. This way, the panels would all match and look aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, it was also less expensive than building entirely new windows from scratch. With the church’s approval, we proceeded to remove the panels and begin the repairs. The stained glass was transported to our studio, where to work to carefully dismantle the panels and take them apart. Then, we completed the repairs according to plan, returned to the church, and reinstalled them in place.
Project Outcome
The stained glass looked beautiful once the repairs were complete. It was almost as if the storm never happened. Since each piece was cleaned and polished to perfection, you couldn’t even tell that some of the glass was old and some was new.
The church was very pleased with the results. Their windows looked brand new, but still had some of the original glass. This also satisfied the insurance company because it allowed for the reuse of the original materials, which helped to control costs. The church members can once again enjoy seeing the stained glass shine gloriously in the sunlight each Sunday when they come to visit.
Bring new life and beauty to your church with Church Stained Glass Restoration from Scottish. Contact our office to speak to a designer about your project or to receive an estimate on our services.