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D I R E C T O R Y

Our sanctuary was built in the "Carpenter Gothic" style.  Constructed by local shipbuilders, it is itself the inverted hull of a ship.  It is of such fine quality that it has been placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks.

In our sanctuary, we are surrounded by symbols---images whose messages are reminders of our faith.  Ever since the days when people began to think about their relationship to the Creator God, they have used symbols and imagery to speak of that experience.  For the early church, these symbols became reminders of the story.  For people of faith through the centuries, they are both devotional and educational.    It is, for instance, a little easier to understand the concept of the Trinity when you can see it. 

Symbols create an atmosphere of worship and provide food for thought even before the worship service begins.  They are expressions of faith.  Each day for years to come the sun will rise and, early in the morning, as its rays shine through the stained glass panes, it will cast the colors of the rainbow across the walls and floor.  And, again, as it sets, the pattern will reappear---the colors of simplicity, the aura of the Holy Spirit, a reminder of the rainbow of Noah and the covenant relationship.

Take this tour to learn more about the following symbols and images in our church:

• Gothic Revival Architecture

• Sign Posts on the Way

• Figures of the Godhead

• The Apostles' Symbols

Gothic Revival Architecture

Click on the image to enlarge         

Gothic architecture, arising in 12^th Century Europe, was the first distinctly “Christian” ecclesiastical style.  Unlike other architectural forms which seemed bound to the ground, Gothic soared.  Upward, ever upward, it reached, pointing its spires and towers and ornamentation toward the heavens.  As one overlooked the western European landscape, the Gothic Cathedral rose above the villages and dominated the skyscape of the cities. 

 

In the Middle Ages, the cathedral was so-called the “Bible of the poor” because in its carvings and windows and ornamentation were told the great stories of the Bible; God’s promises to man as well as his commandments; and interpretation of the Christian life, as well as its rewards and punishments in the afterlife.  Medieval Gothic church architecture bore witness to the glory of God and to the power and wealth of the temporal church; offered sanctuary for the suffering; inspired the earthly; and taught the unschooled.

 

Beginning in the 17^th century and continuing through the 19^th, there was a re-appreciation of Gothic style architecture.  This revival was expressed initially by the wealthy and privileged in the design of their private houses – born of an idealization of a past way of life and a desire to add importance to themselves by establishing a “romanticized” connection with ages past.  It was not until the 1830’s that Gothic Revival found its expression in Church building.

A leading exponent of Gothic Revival was the English writer and architect, Augustus Pugin (1812-1852) who was convinced of its structural truth and purity.  He viewed Gothic as “good” and of the “true faith” as opposed to the “pagan” Greek style which was also experiencing a revival at that time.  Parenthetically, it might be mentioned that the Mamaroneck Methodists’ 1845 church on Prospect Avenue was of Greek Revival design – the style then in vogue.  Pugin’s import was given greater weight an exposure through the Ecclesiological Movement, which arose in England in the 1840’s and spread to the United States, supported by Episcopal bishops who viewed Gothic Revival as appropriate for Anglican liturgy.

 

The leading Gothic Revival architect of the time in the United States was Richard Upjohn, a self-schooled New England cabinetmaker become draftsman-architect who designed and had built the present Trinity Church, Wall Street, New York City – recognized as one of the best examples of Gothic Revival church architecture in the United States.  Upjohn’s work is also represented in Trinity Church of new Rochelle.

 

The demand for Gothic Revival church designs exceeded his possible services, which he rendered only, it appears, to Episcopal congregations.  He created “high” churches – urban churches.  However, he recognized how very appropriate the Gothic Revival style was for “country” churches, springing up, as was ours, in the mid-19^th century, as congregations grew in the environs of large cities.  In response to the demand, he created and published a plan book, “Rural Architecture” (1852) which contained plans for wood frame churches of simple construction of modest churches and appropriate for “low church” denominations such as Congregationalists, Methodists and Baptists.

 

John Correja, a New York City architect, designed our church building – one of two Gothic Revival churches known to have been built according to his plans.  The second, which bore a striking resemblance to ours – the Brighton Heights (Dutch) Reform Church on Staten Island (1854) – was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1996.

 

Although Gothic Revival churches, like ours, were built of wood – an available and less expensive material than stone – the intent was to mimic the stone construction of the early Gothic.  The tight vertical wood siding gave mass to the exterior of the building, while the interior scored plaster walls, faux-painted to resemble sandstone, carried the image to the inside.

 

Also contributing to the choice of wood as a building material for the Mamaroneck church may have been the presence of master shipbuilders in the area and within the congregation.  Our church is very distinctive among Carpenter Gothic Revival churches of its day in that it did not have battens – little half-rounds of wood placed over the joinings of the vertical exterior boards.  Additionally, the boards are narrower than those generally used to side Carpenter Gothic buildings and are, in fact, the width used in the construction of ships.  Our builders knew how to build water-tight wooden boats and applied tongue and groove fitted boards on the exterior.  They knew how to work with timber – and the massiveness of the structural elements of this building and their joinery is witness not only to the mastery of the builders, but to the sheer strength, inventiveness and will of those who raised the timbers with out benefit of powered machines.  Solomon Gedney, in whose memory his great-granddaughter, Muriel Gedney Flood, supported the Restoration, was the builder; a member of a family of shipbuilders originally from Salem, Massachusetts.

 

With the exception of the atypical vertical siding, our church is treated as any wooden Gothic Revival building of the day.  On the inside, the plan is for a rectangular nave with side aisles and a centrally located steeple at the main entrance.  Features most commonly associated with Gothic Revival architecture – the lancet windows of tall proportion which come to a pointed arch and the window tracery – distinguish our building.  Stepped buttresses, the spire, pinnacles and finials are emblematic Gothic Revival features that enhance the grace and upward sweep of the building.  Other decorative features applied by carpenters to wooden buildings of the period, from which comes the familiar term “Carpenter Gothic”, are to be found in the church.  Look at the exterior for the drip cornice molding and the frieze band uniting the tower’s buttresses rendered in a quatrefoil motif.  Within the sanctuary, the quatrefoil and trefoil are repeated as a recurrent and unifying decoration.

 

Now restored to its original condition and appearance, the Mamaroneck United Methodist Church stands at the heart of the Village – a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture.  Like the European Gothic cathedrals of old, still today, the spire of our church rises above any other building in town and is visible when anyone looks up, whether from the surrounding streets or from the waters of the harbor or Sound.

Sign Posts on the Way

Jesus spoke again and again in figurative language.  He referred to Himself as the "Good Shepherd," "the Door," "the Light of the World," "the True Vine."  Looking up at the capitals of the columns in our sanctuary you will find that a grape motif covers each one.  "I am the vine, you are the branches, bear much fruit." (John 15:5)

The acorn pinnacles at the end of each pew reminds us of the small beginning of the oak tree which denotes strength, durability, and steadfastness (Amos 2:9).  In religious imagery, the eight lobed leaves of the oak suggest regeneration.

Both inside and outside the church, we see the quatrefoil motif---a leaf of four lobes, representing the four Evangelists or the four Gospels: Mathew, Mark, Luke and John.  They are also, more significantly, reminders of the Cross.

There are a number of trefoil designs incorporated throughout the sanctuary, representing the Trinity of God---the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The twelve columns do not just support the ceiling and roof, but are reminders of the pillars of the church---the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Twelve Apostles. The Gothic vaults that sweep skyward serve as imaginative reminders of the Word and the Sacraments by which God and humanity are joined together in relationship. Pointed arches are interpreted by some to be illustrative of the beneficence of and the hospitality of the Christian faith. Without a doubt, they focus our attention "heavenward" and invite feelings of aspiration and awe.

The pulpit and altar are both central in this church and the pews are so arranged that the congregants are focused on the preacher and/or the celebrant—the one who shares the Word of God and the one who prepares the holy meal.  In our sanctuary is found the balance between the significance of the Word and the centrality of the sacraments.

Framing the altar behind the pulpit is the apse, a graceful curved columned area, which to many looks like the contour of a ship's hull with its ribbing terminating in a bowsprit of a decorative motif.  Within this apse are found symbols introduced into the Church's decoration in the 1950's restoration, modified and replaced in 1996. 

FIGURES OF THE GODHEAD

In the center of the apse are the Figures of the Godhead.  The Cross, created in cherry wood, is the work of Richard Ward Baxter, a timberwright and boatbuilder.  On the side sections are the shields of the twelve Apostles, which, along with the symbols of God and the Holy Spirit, are rendered in stoneware clay reliefs by the artistic and inspired hands of Grace Powers Fraioli, a member of this congregation.  The cut-out image of each relief usually represents the means by which each Apostle's life was taken.  The symbols of the Apostles, whose life stories and martyrdom we all know, serve to remind us of our heritage and to lift our faith.

The Eye, symbol of God’s "all-seeing eye."  "Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him."

The Dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit.  Mark 1:10 reminds us that at Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit descended as a dove. Notice the three-rayed nimbus around its head. A nimbus is a luminous emanation believed to envelop a deity. This flame is also a reminder of the Holy Spirit's anointing of the disciples with tongues of fire in the Pentecost story (Acts 2:3-4).  The dove image also reminds us of peace and salvation.  "O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest" (Psalm 55:6).  Jesus  also said, "So be wise as serpents and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)

The Cross, this simple cherry wood Latin cross is the centurys' old symbol of Jesus’ ultimate act of love.

THE APOSTLES' SYMBOLS

Peter - Peter was the first leader of the Church.  Although he denied the Lord at the time of His arrest, Peter was the first to say that Jesus was "The Christ, the Son of the Living god" (Matthew 16:16).  Jesus said to Peter (Matthew 16:19), "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." The keys represent earth and heaven and the power to bind and loose. They depict spiritual authority.  Peter was martyred in Rome by being hung on an upside down cross because he felt unworthy to die as did Christ.  He requested that the cross be inverted so that he might look heavenward as he was crucified.

Andrew -Andrew was the brother to Peter and a fisherman. He was bound to a cross, rather than nailed, in order to prolong his suffering. Andrew is represented in the cross shaped like an "X" called the cross soltaire or crux decussata or the St. Andrew's cross.  The anchor image represents his background as a fisherman and his ardent discipleship, as he followed Jesus' invitation, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of all people" (Matthew 4:18:22).

James the Greater - James the Greater, with his brother John, left his father Zebedee;s fishing business to follow Jesus. We can assume that James, John and Peter were closest to Jesus as they were chosen to accompany Him and witness the transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8).  James was the first of the Apostles to suffer martyrdom, dying under the sword of Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-2).  Legend has it that James founded churches in Spain. For over 1,000 years pilgrimages have been made in his name to Santiago de Compostela.  The three scallop shells signify pilgrimage; the cross on the shield represents his martyrdom.

John -John was brother to James. The Bible refers to John as the "disciple whom Jesus loved." (John 19:26).  John took Mary, Jesus' mother and provided a home for her through the remainder of her life. The serpent drawing comes from a legend that an attempt to poison John was unsuccessful because the poison turned into a serpent that crawled out of the cup. The cup represents the image of Jesus telling John and his brother James that they must drink of the same cup (Mark 10:35-39).

Philip - Philip is symbolized by a staff surmounted by a cross. The staff and cross refer to his successful missionary journeys among the people of Asia where he spread Christianity and the cross of Christ. The loaves of bread recall Philip's remark when Jesus fed the multitude: "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" (John 6:5)  Philip also is quoted as asking Jesus, "Show us the Father and we will be satisfied." (John 14:8)

Bartholomew - Bartholomew and Nathanael are held to be the same person about whom the Bible tells very little. Jesus said of him, "Behold, an Israelite in whom is no guile!" (John 1:47)  According to tradition, this apostle won King Polymus of Armenia for Christianity.  But, it happened that the brother of the king was so angry at Bartholomew that he had him flayed, crucified with his head downward and then beheaded. The symbol of Bartholomew is three flaying knives referring to his matryrdom.

Thomas -The usual symbol of Thomas is the carpenter's square and a lance or arrow since tradition says he took Christianity to India and built churches with his own hands and skills. His shield represents those churches. The winding image, which can be the yoke of Christ, represents the long road to India. The spear represents his martyrdom at the hands of King Midsa for converting Queen Tertia, his wife, to Christianity. The story more familiar to us is of the "doubting" Thomas, who said: "Unless I see the print of the nails in His hand, and place my finger in the mark of those nails and the wound in His side, I will not believe." (John 20:25)

Matthew - Matthew was the tax collector, Levi, unpopular person because of society's disdain for his occupation. Yet, to Matthew, Jesus says, "Follow me." (Matthew 9:9).  The symbols are three money bags, referring to his occupation; and a battle-ax, referring to his martyrdom, which is said to have taken place in Ethiopia, where he was decapitated.

James the Less - James the Less, the son of Alphaeus, is called "the Less" because of his small stature. He was a dwarf and shunned in society which had no for the odd or deformed. Tradition says that at the age of 96 he was thrown from the temple pinnacle by the Pharisees to an infuriated mob, which stoned him as he prayed to God to forgive them. Someone repeatedly beat his head with a club; hence he is usually represented by a bat or club. The windmill symbol relates perhaps to a legend that James the Less went off to the Low Countries of Europe spreading Christianity. It could also represent the pinnacle of the temple. The blades of the windmill form a cross.

Jude -Jude asks this question: "Lord, how is it that You  will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?" (John 12:22)  Tradition has it that Jude traveled with Simon as a missionary. Jude is symbolized by a sailboat with a mast in the shape of a cross referring to his missionary journey and the legend that he a carried a cross to many ports of call. In our shield the ship is represented by a nautilus shell, highlighting the spiral form, which symbolized Jude's growth on his spiritual journey to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13) and also God's promise of eternal life. The sailing mast in the form of a cross is a reminder of his decapitation and martyrdom.

Simon - Simon, a member of the Zealot party, was Bishop of Jerusalem. He is pictured as a fish, referring to his success in fishing for people with the Gospel. He was martyred by decapitation.

 

 

Matthias - Matthias replaces the original apostle, Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus. Matthias was elected by the other followers of Jesus by casting lots (Acts 1:15-26) in order to maintain the number of apostles at twelve - a number representing completion and perfection.  The open book of the Bible represents his teaching of the Gospel. The Word of God acts as a two-edged sword (Hebrew 4:12).