McKinley Presbyterian Church — Champaign, Illinois
At the edge of the University of Illinois campus, McKinley Presbyterian Church was the first Presbyterian Church in America built especially for students at a state university. It celebrated its centennial with seven special Sundays in 2006-2007. The sanctuary’s stained glass windows were featured as a theme of the centennial and as continuity for each of the special commemorative events that were organized to celebrate McKinley’s history and theological tradition.
The windows remind McKinley members that our forbearers not only stood up for social justice, but also lived their Christian values with acts of faith and service. Our windows record the civil rights movement, the Central American refugee movement and our continuing involvement in women’s, children’s and family issues.
The windows continue to challenge us into the next 100 years as we seek to live our Christianity with stands for justice and the expansion of our ministry to students. The windows are a testimonial to the words of the prophet Micah, to “Do justice, act kindly and walk humbly with your God.”
– Dave Bechtel, elder (mckinley-church.org)
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