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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A new $14 million chapel at a Christian university featuring stained glass windows created by a Danish artist incorporates a design that the school said seeks to draw worshippers with a sense of awe, transcendence, inspiration and intimacy.
Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids commissioned the four windows from Peter Brandes to be the hallmark feature of the 1,450-seat Christ Chapel, which was dedicated at a ceremony Monday.
The windows mark the north, south, east and west walls of the sanctuary. The glass pieces were made in Lyon, France, specifically for the project under Brandes' supervision.
"I could touch the feelings of the people who are in the room through the light and the colors," Brandes told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
A blue window represents the baptism of Christ; a yellow window represents light and joy, and previews the resurrection Christ, who is shown on the cross; and a red window represents resurrection morning. The fourth window showcases three motifs from the Old Testament.
Cornerstone is an independent, non-denominational Christian liberal arts university. Its president, Joseph Stowell, said the windows of the chapel help "enable this sacred space to be bathed with meaningful beauty."
"The presence of Christ Chapel on our campus stands as a visual testimony to our commitment to the preeminence of Christ in our midst," Stowell said in remarks prepared for the dedication.
The building was funded by donors and is Cornerstone's first dedicated to worship. Bill Knott, vice president for donor relations, told The Grand Rapids Press that the chapel is "a statement of what our values really are."
"Spiritually, there's nothing that really demands that you have one space over another, and you can worship effectively outside, you can worship in a warehouse, in a gym, or in a sacred space," said Knott, who noted that prior to now Cornerstone held chapel service in its gymnasium.
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