Fire at Illinois Church Transforms Stained Glass Window into Unique Pendants

One winter night, smoke rose from the roof of Christ United Methodist Church in Rockford, Illinois, after an organ caught fire during a practice. Everyone evacuated safely, and firefighters quickly extinguished the accidental blaze on February 23, but the sanctuary sustained considerable damage. To ventilate smoke, firefighters had to break a stained glass window depicting the crucifixion of Christ—a central image for the church. This 10-foot tall window shattered into hundreds of pieces, both inside and outside the building.

It was devastating, Deb Laskey of Winnebago, a congregant, said. That was one of the first things we knew, that the window had been broken out.

Instead of discarding the shattered panes, the congregation repurposed them. A church volunteer, Mark West, collected the fragments. When I collected the glass, I felt a sense of urgency, said West, the church trustee chair. He brought them to a local glassblower, who transformed them into over a hundred small round pendants. These serve as keepsakes for church members, symbolizing their resilience as they work towards restoring the church.

Laskey, who owns a blue pendant, mentioned wearing these pieces as a connection to the church. It was part of Christ United Methodist, and we all have a little piece of it with us, she added.

This transformation of the stained glass reflects how religious artwork can be preserved amid disasters. Fires and floods have threatened many sacred items in Chicago and across the country. Closures also necessitate the preservation and reuse of such objects. Wars and persecutions worldwide have further destroyed religious materials.

The Archdiocese of Chicago actively transfers sacred items from closed churches to others to ensure their continued use. A Jewish Iraqi American artist also explores themes of renewing spiritual artifacts, drawing from his family’s history of fleeing persecution.

During a recent Sunday service in Rockford, many congregants wore their pendants. Sue Spitzer from Rockford described her green pendant: It went through something terrible, she said. And now it’s something beautiful.

Turning the damaged glass into pendants involved significant work. The original, thick panes had to be broken further before being melted down. Laura Johnson of Starved Rock Hot Glassblowing and Ceramics Studio managed this careful process, ensuring the glass could be fused without cracking.

That’s one of the great properties of glass, Johnson commented. It can be constantly recycled and remelted to make something new.

This effort parallels larger trends in Chicago, where materials from closed churches are reused. St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, built with salvaged parts from other shuttered churches, exemplifies this practice. The church’s exterior consists of limestone from the now-defunct St. John of God Church, and its interiors include features from other closed churches.

In times of tragedy, neighboring communities can offer support. After the fire, Christ United Methodist held services at Temple Beth-El, a nearby synagogue. This gesture created new interfaith bonds.

Michael Rakowitz, a Jewish Iraqi American artist, focuses on reimagining lost or damaged religious items. His work includes reconstructing looted Iraqi antiquities, creating new life for these artifacts using materials from Iraqi communities abroad.

Rakowitz buried part of his own personal collection of damaged prayer books at an ancient synagogue site, where a date palm grows over them, drawing nutrients from the decaying texts. This symbolizes giving spiritual texts a second life.

Returning to Rockford, a new crucifixion window was installed in September, allowing the church to regain its missing element. While the sanctuary is not fully restored, the replacement console offered some solace. Congregants find hope in the renewal process, echoing their faith’s themes of resurrection and renewal.

James Bielo of Northwestern University says many Christian denominations lack formal procedures for disposing of religious items, making reuse important. His “Secondhand Sacred” project explores the circulation of these items, illustrating their shifting spiritual significance.

Bielo’s collection includes both serious religious objects and pop-culture pieces. Despite the temporary nature of his “Secondhand Sacred” project, he aims to find a permanent place to continue sharing these religious artifacts.