In 1947, Second Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian Church merged to form Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The new campus broke ground in 1951. The beautiful sanctuary’s steeple stands tall at the edge of Uptown, and its stone neo-gothic style is adorned with ornate statues, structures, and stained-glass windows.
In 1953, the church dedicated its stained-glass windows. These images depict popular stories from Scripture in color, cast hues of blue and red across the sanctuary. When daylight refracts into the sanctuary in the afternoon, and the room is awash with color; it is quite beautiful. However, the windows also tell the story of a painful, problematic history.
Biblical characters and prominent Christian historical figures such as Constantine, Saint Augustine and John Calvin, were accompanied by depictions of Confederate General and Presbyterian elder Stonewall Jackson, President Woodrow Wilson, Confederate General D.H. Hill, and pro-slavery Presbyterian minister Benjamin Palmer. Given that the church was built during segregation and the Civil Rights Movement, the windows reveal the values and attitudes of the congregation at that time.
Some things have changed over the past decades. The U.S. seems to be living through a moment of reckoning, a time when Confederate monuments are being removed from some public spaces. And, yet, some things have stayed the same. States still fight (albeit, with less physical conflict) over what and how history is told. Churches are not exempt from this cultural tug-of-war and are forced to confront their relationship with the past and consider their commitment to the future.
Over the past few years, Covenant Presbyterian Church has set out to address its history and respond according to the values we have discerned as a community devoted to Jesus. After a multi-year Arts Task Force conducted research and curated conversations, the task force recommended removing the controversial figures from Covenant’s windows.
On July 12, 2024, the church held a worship service to confess and repent for its role in glorifying people who were flawed and whose legacy caused people pain. There was much to lament — the glorification of problematic people, decades of inaction, and the slow work of repentance and repair. In a way, the windows are an example of the peccability of the church, that is, that the church, as a people, is prone to sin. The church also has an opportunity to respond faithfully. In the bulletin of the service, the church offered the following response:
“We remember that [the windows] were received as a gift to this congregation memorializing the leaders of the Confederacy in a time when segregation was still the law of the land, when racial division in all aspects of life was social practice, and when the most segregated time of Christian America was on Sunday morning. The removal of the images serves as a testament of Covenant’s commitment to furthering the vitality of God’s beloved community where the divisions of race and color, North and South, segregation and separation exist no more” (Bulletin).
Weeks later, the windows were removed and are set to be replaced with people whose legacies represent progress. The selection criteria for the individuals were:
- Deep roots in the Presbyterian Church
- Influenced Christian theology and practice
- Important 20th-century Presbyterian leaders the original window designers overlooked, including women and African Americans
- Fit the historical context of the existing windows
- Tied to local and regional churches, seminaries, and/or Covenant
- Tells a history that includes and welcomes all to Covenant and builds bridges to the broader community
- Unanimous endorsement of Arts Task Force
The Task Force recommended the following additions:
Stapleton-Davidson Internship
This program funds Davidson College students as they engage in full-time community service in Charlotte. It was founded by Covenant members George Donnell “Donnie” Davidson Jr. and his wife Anne Stapleton Davidson in 1989.
Rev. Dr. Daniel Jackson Sanders (1847-1907)
Born in Winnsboro, South Carolina; Education: Western Theological Seminary (now Pittsburgh Theological Seminary), 1874; Lincoln University, Honorary MA and D Div, 1875.
Rev. Dr. Elo Henderson (1908-1990)
Born in Shelton, South Carolina; Education: Johnson C. Smith University, BS 1939; JCSU Seminary; B Div 1942
Rev. Dr. Katie Cannon (1950-2018)
Born in Kannapolis, North Carolina; Education: Barber-Scotia, BS Education 1971; JCS Theological Seminary at ITC (Atlanta), M Div 1974; Union Theological Seminary NY, MA 1983; Union Theological Seminary NY, PhD 1989
Rev. Dr. Rachel Henderlite (1905-1991)
Born in Henderson, North Carolina; Education: Agnes Scott BA 1928, NYU MA 1936, Yale Divinity PhD 1947
What will become of the old stained glass? That is being discussed as restoration work continues for both the church and its windows. For now, temporary lancelets have been installed, placeholders as the church continues to grow and educate, however painfully, into what God is calling them to be.
Reflecting on this summer’s liturgy and the work ahead, I am reminded that it is never too late to do the right thing. In our service of lament, I witnessed God’s ongoing reconciliation. God is present in our confessions and renewed commitments to bring about a more just world where all people flourish. But reconciliation is impossible without repair. Removing the windows is a step toward that repair, but the work remains unfinished in many ways.
Our tradition calls us to live empowered lives by the Holy Spirit “to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace” (Brief Statement of Faith). To that end, I want to share a particular prayer of confession that captures this continual call to action through the rhythm of repentance and repair:
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
To read more about the process and updates: https://www.covenantpresby.org/stained-glass or https://www.covenantpresby.org/stained-glass-update
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