History of Church of The Master

Church of The Master was founded in 1956 and is part of the United Church of Christ denomination. The UCC was formed by a merger of Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Church. Church of The Master takes much of it's identity from the characteristics which represent our founding denominations. From the "Christian Church", we confess the authority of one God. We celebrate to holy sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion. From the "Evangelical Church", we take our commitment to the broader mission of the church. From the "Congregational Church" we see the love for the local church as a key unit of the Christian family.

Church of The Master U.C.C. is fortunate to have a wonderful and unique set of art glass windows.

Some people think of them as ‘stained glass’ though they aren’t stained. The east and west walls of our sanctuary are 57 feet long and are made up of 28 individual panel windows of faceted glass set in a matrix of epoxy with a silica finish. As the sunlight flows through these crafted shapes of thick glass - the rays are radiated making the pieces seem larger than they actually are. Created by artist Roy Calligan, Jr. of Cumberland, Md. the windows feature many phrases from the Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ (1959 version). More than 70% of the words of The Statement are reproduced in the windows along with many symbols which illustrate its meaning.

The windows follow the Statement in sequence - beginning at the left rear, proceeding to the front, then from front to rear on the right (West) of our sanctuary.

Twenty of the symbols represent our Christian faith in sequence with the UCC Statement of Faith.

Notice in the second panel from the left rear the hand of God symbolizing the "deeds" of God to which we testify.

A gold horn in panel # 4 that "calls the worlds into being".

The scales of justice in panel # 7 by which God "judges" both people and nations with "righteousness".

The cradle in panel # 8 to commemorate the incarnation by which God, in Jesus the Christ, "has come to us and shared our common lot".

The church with a steeple in panel # 12 to remind us that by the Holy Spirit God is "creating and renewing the Church of Jesus Christ.

Clasped hands in panel # 16 that signify the "binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races".

Christ bearing his cross in panel # 18 reminding us that there is a "cost" as well as "joy" to discipleship.

The lamb in panel # 26 representing the Christ as lamb of God by which we are given "eternal life";

The trumpets in panel # 27 shouting the words of doxology, "Blessing and honor, glory and power" to God.

These windows are ONE OF A KIND, only to be found at Church of The Master U.C.C. in Florissant.