The Chapel was built as part of the original plan for the church in 1955, and has served as a place for personal meditation, prayer and special services since then. In January of 1991 it was formally named in honor of Dr. Oswald Delgado. At the time of the naming, a committee was formed to consider replacing the original casement windows with a thematic set in stained glass. It was decided that all funding for the new windows would be provided through the memorial gifts and donations of members and friends of the congregation, and at Dr. Delgado’s suggestion, proceeds from his book, “Come Before Winter,” were also contributed to the project.
Dr. Delgado suggested the theme, “Our Father’s World,” as well as the creation story from Genesis 1. The commission for the project was awarded to the J. Piercey Studio of Orlando, Florida.
During the following months, the committee worked closely with the artist during all the stages of production, from concept to creation, and with a great sense of excitement the five resulting windows were installed during the summer of 1992.
Their strong graphic qualities and intense saturation of hue allow the windows to make exceptional use of the morning sun on the east side of the Chapel, while the borders of clear beveled glass act as prisms to help illuminate the interior surfaces. The window depicting “Light” (Genesis 1:3) is the first one on the east side of the Chapel, resting over the organ. Also on the east side are the windows depicting “Land” (Genesis 1:9-10) and “Flora” (Genesis 1:11-12). On the west side are remaining two windows which depict “Water” (Genesis 1: 6-8), and “Fauna” (Genesis 1:24).
It has always been the hope that the windows would serve to further honor and glorify God, encourage prayer and meditation, and inspire children and those of all ages to experience the wonders and joys of God’s beautiful creation.
