By Sarah Campbell

scampbell@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Missy Shives has always marveled at the stories behind stained glass.
For example, she finds it fascinating that the windows at Haven Lutheran Church had to be boarded up when the glass that was ordered from Austria couldn’t be immediately shipped because of World War I.
“It’s a really neat story and they are really beautiful windows that could not be replaced,” she said.
Stories like that will be shared during the Center for Faith & the Arts’ first stained glass trolley tour, which runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
The event will kick off at Haven Lutheran, 207 W. Harrison St., and travel to St. John’s Lutheran, St. Luke’s Episcopal, Soldier’s Memorial AME Zion and Catawba College’s Omwake-Dearborn Chapel.
“They are all different and all spectacular in their own way,” Shives said.
A volunteer docent from each church will be there to give visitors information about how and when the glass was installed, how it’s cared for and the history behind the glass.
“These are people who also know the history of their church buildings and can speak to that,” Shives said.
Shives, a member of the center’s board of directors, said people can expect to see Tiffany-style glass at St. John’s and a newer style of stained glass at the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel.
“There is a tremendous difference in style and type of glass between the churches,” she said. “It’s an exciting thing for people to learn about.”
It was Shives’ idea to host the tour.
“I enjoy stained glass and I had seen the windows in all of the churches and knew they were beautiful and diverse,” she said. “I was curious to see them up close and hear the stories from each and I thought other people would enjoy that too.”
Shives said local architect Karen Alexander and Bill French, a Spencer man who makes stained glass, will be on the trolley to provide some insight.
Alexander will focus on architecture and French will talk about the technical aspects of stained glass and how the process of making it has evolved since its origin.
Susanna Hollingsworth, the center’s new program director, said she’d like to see the trolley tour turn into an annual event.
“It depends on the response we get this year,” she said. “There are many other churches in our county that we could tour. One of our goals is to extend our mission beyond the Salisbury city limits.”
There are currently about 15 slots open on the tour. The cost is $20 per person and includes lunch, which will be held at Haven Lutheran, home of the Center for Faith & the Arts, following the tour.
Advanced registration is required at faithart.org/events. For more information, call 704-647-0999.

Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.
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