Posted: 11/27/02

Memory of Ray Tolzmann inspires stained glass window project at Faith Lutheran

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Ray Tolzmann would have been proud, his wife Mercedes thought as construction workers went about setting new stained glass windows in place.

Tolzmann died on Aug. 30, 2000 at age 80 and now two years later, the Forest Lake native is being remembered as the catalyst to motivate the window project at Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake where he worshiped for most of his life.

ìI am so thrilled,î Mercedes Tolzmann said as the last of 30 windows was installed by Gaytee Stained Glass of Minneapolis. It was Friday, Nov. 1, All Saints Day, as the window project was completed.

It was shortly after Tolzmannís passing in 2000 when Mercedes and other family members began discussing ways to remember Ray Tolzmann.

After years of worshipping at Faith, the Tolzmann family considered the new windows for the two side walls of the sanctuary ó windows that would follow the pattern of Faithís distinctive stained glass window located in front of sanctuary behind the pulpit.

Idea catches on

The familyís idea for new stained glass windows soon became a hit.

Mercedes Tolzmann took the concept to the church council for approval and also received backing from the property and memorial committee at Faith.

With 30 windows needed, it was no small undertaking. The family would need about $15,000 to take care of the project.

In presenting the project, Mercedes Tolzmann was first in line to commit to three of the windows in memory of her husband. The donation represents Mercedes and her two sons, Terry and Tracy, and their families.

But other church families were quick to jump on line. In a short time, 27 other church families had donated funds in memory of relatives to cover the cost of the windows.

Once the project was approved and funds were in order, Mercedes Tolzmann researched a number of stained glass companies and selected the Minneapolis company for the project.

Tracyís role

Son Tracy, who now lives east of North Branch, provided a key assist to the project.

When the project was ready to move, Tracy sketched an outline for two of the windows to give the company an idea of what the church wanted. When Gaytee staff saw the sketches they insisted Tracy sketch out designs for all 30 windows.

ìI had made a couple of drawings,î he said. ìI hadnít planned on designing anything.î

The project has moved fast in the last year. ìWe got the ball rolling this fall,î Tracy said.

The past year has been spent on final steps in the design and the manufacture of the windows at Gaytee in Minneapolis. The installation on Nov. 1 was completed in a matter of hours.

Tolzmann turned to Mark Hansen, a Faith member and retired art teacher at Forest Lake High School, for expert consultation.

ìMost of them are really the way I drew them,î a pleased Tracy said.

Biblical theme

Gaytee craftsmen used Tracyís designs to sketch out each window. Selecting colors was a challenge as the windows needed to match the large window in front of sanctuary to continue the flow of colors down the aisle windows.

Good fortune smiled on the window project. The manufacturer of the original glass continues to make the matching colors which were acquired.

Every other window contains a Biblical symbol. The symbols placed on the pulpit (left) side of the sanctuary represent the Old Testament.

In chronological order, from the back of the church, they are: The Hand of God, the sun, Earth and moon depicting creation, Noahís ark, the burning bush, the Ten Commandments, the Psalms and the Old Testament Scriptures.

Similarly, windows placed on the lectern (right) side of the sanctuary contain symbols representing the life of Christ from the Bibleís New Testament.

From back to front, they are:

The birth of Christ, the baptism of Jesus, the miracles of Jesus as represented by the loaves and fishes, grapes and wheat signifying holy communion, the crown of thorns and the crucifixion of Christ, the lily signifying new life in Christís resurrection, and the crown of Jesus Christ.

ìThe neat thing is that the windows are all given in memory of loved ones from Faith Lutheran,î Tracy Tolzmann added.

And thanks to the desire of one family to remember a loved one, many Faith families have rallied in the same spirit with a project that will live on for years to come.

Faith Lutheran Church formally dedicated the windows during its services on Sunday, Nov. 24.

It was a project two years in the making but one worth the wait, Tracy Tolzmann said.

And Ray Tolzmann would be pleased, Mercedes added.

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