Our Sanctuary
Covenant Presbyterian Church is a stone structure of 14th century Gothic style of church architecture. The church was designed by George Savage who visited several European churches before designing Covenant. It has the appearance of a medieval cathedral with it's beamed ceiling, richly carved detail, high Gothic arches and transepts. The Bell Tower stands 120 feet tall. The stained-glass windows, which were patterned after Old World cathedrals, were designed by P.J. Reeves of Philadelphia and tell the Gospel story.
The Stained Glass Windows
Covenant is fortunate to have many beautiful stained glass windows throughout the church. The color of the glass has liturgical meaning–green symbolizes hope; red, divine love; blue, the light of heaven. The windows were designed by Mr. Percival “Percy” J. Reeves. Mr. George Savage, the designing architect, and Mr. Reeves worked together on several churches in the suburbs of Philadelphia, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, New York and Washington, DC.
The Organ
The organ, built and installed in 1962, is located in the choir loft under the Rose Window and is the second organ at the church replacing the original smaller one. If you ask our organist emerita about our organ, she will light up and share with you how fortunate and blessed we are to have an organ like this one in our church. When asked how our organ compares to the many organs that she has played, she states it ranks second to another organ that she played in Europe. Why? The sound, the quality, and the resonance of the sounds make it remarkable. When playing a low or high note, the sound is rich and deep.
Covenant’s organ is a Schantz organ, has three keyboards or manuals, 56 ranks, and 3,046 pipes. If you look on the wall on either side of the Rose Window, you will see trumpets, the Trompette en Chamade, that produce commanding, loud trumpet tones.
The Schantz Organ Company was founded in 1873. Schantz is the largest and oldest pipe organ builder still under management by the founding family. Mike Lauffer, Vice President Peebles-Herzog who has maintained our organ since 1985, states that “The organ at Covenant is an "American Classic" leaning heavily towards an English style (great for choir and congregational accompaniment) but with some of the flair of German and French concepts woven in that allow for a more authentic performance of a broader scope of organ. Our organ is a fine example of organ building by the Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, Ohio. The organ is both mechanically sound and tonally versatile, two things that are greatly appreciated by any organist.”
The Paraments
Liturgical colors have an instructive purpose and point us to the life of Christ and the great acts of redemptive history. These colored hangings, called paraments, are seen on the pulpit, communion table, and lectern. White represents purity. It is displayed for festivals of the Lord Jesus, primarily used in celebrating Christmas and Easter. Blue represents hope, expectation, confidence, and anticipation. It is displayed during Advent. Purple represents royalty, repentance, and suffering. It is displayed during Lent, a time of preparation and penitence. Black represents death and mourning and is displayed on Good Friday. Red represents the fire of the Holy Spirit and Pentecost. Green represents spiritual growth and world missions. It is displayed during “ordinary time,” which is the period from Pentecost to the beginning of Advent and the period from Epiphany to the beginning of Lent.
