Westbrook, CT - With the mission of keeping the town beautiful, as well as preserving its rich history, the Westbrook Foundation was more than willing to contribute $5000, by way of a grant, to the First Congregational Church of Westbrook to be used to help offset the $135,000 cost of replacing and repairing the one hundred and sixteen year-old stained glass windows throughout the church. The largest of which is 15 feet tall and depicts the resurrected Christ. It can be viewed by passer bys on Route 1 and is always a magnificent sight, especially as the sun shines through its green and yellow panes of intrically designed glass.

The window was first installed in the church in 1894, after the building was rebuilt due to a fire that took it to the ground on Christmas Eve 1892. The original cost for the stained glass windows, at the time of their installation was $642. For over a century, the dirt, grime and grease has started to deteriorate the lead holding the windows together. In addition, the glass was in poor condition as were the frames.

Thanks to the expertise of Fabio Pizzol of Milan, Italy, a third generation craftsman, along with Marsha Vasiloff Abrahamson of Vasiloff Stained Glass Windows of Old Lyme, it was possible to bring the windows back to their original luster and beauty without compromising the artistic, historic integrity. Now the largest window, located in the rear of the sanctuary has a protective plexiglass covering to ensure it will be around for several more generations of Westbrook residents and visitors to enjoy and marvel at.

“Thank you for your vision and insight to provide $5000 to the church to renovate and restore our 116 year-old windows. The window overlooking Route 1 was in dire need of repair, as were all the other windows and the congregation and you (Westbrook Foundation) stepped up to make it happen. Of course, when we started we didn’t know that the figure of Jesus in the rear sanctuary window was a reproduction of the 1507 Raphael, which currently hangs in the Vatican. But, your gift helped make the restoration a success and provide an example in the center of town of great art and culture. We can’t thank the Foundation enough,” wrote David Stoner, chairman of the Board of Trustees, who oversaw the fund raising efforts for the window replacement project, in a thank you letter to the Westbrook Foundation.