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Westminster Presbyterian Church was founded in 1854 under the leadership of Jesse
Ketchum, a prominent businessman and civic leader. The
current building, designed by H.M. Wilcox, was dedicated in 1858. It was the fifth
Presbyterian church built at a time when Buffalo was a city of only 50,000. The
congregation started in 1854 with 40 people. The sanctuary was built to hold 800
people, demonstrating the congregations' confidence that it would grow as the
city grew. The
stained glass windows of Westminster Church are in the Gothic Revival style, similar
to the design and construction found in the 13th century cathedrals of Europe
when tapestries of richly colored glass, supported by innovative flying buttresses,
taught the stories of the Bible and lives of the saints through beauty and emotional
impact on the viewer. Each window is a jewel-like mosaic made from many small
pieces of brilliantly colored glass held together by strips of lead. Incorporated
within their designs are medallions illustrating Bible stories or other Christian
themes. Westminster
is fortunate to have these seventeen stained glass masterpieces by four of the
leading artists associated with the Gothic Revival in America: Henry Willet of
Philadelphia, and Wilbur Burnham, Charles Connick and Joseph Reynolds of Boston. | 