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Unusual Altar Given To Ypsilanti Episcopal Church By Local Women

Unusual Altar Given To Ypsilanti Episcopal Church By Local Women image
Parent Issue
Day
21
Month
April
Year
1938
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

Unusual Altar Given To Ypsilanti Episcopal Church By Local Woman

ANTIQUE ALTAR REPRODUCED FOR YPSILANTI CHAPEL: The altar above which has been placed in the William Gardam Memorial chapel of St. Luke’s Episcopal church at Ypsilanti, was given by Dr. Inez R. Wisdom of Packard Rd. and was designed and carved by Ross X, Bittinger of the University faculty.

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(Special to The News)

YPSILANTI—An unusual altar has been presented to St. Luke's Episcopal church here by Dr. Inez R. Wisdom of Packard Rd., Ann Arbor, and has been placed in the William Gardam Memorial chapel of St. Luke’s, to be dedicated by the bishop when proposed improvements in the chapel are completed. It was designed and carved by Ross T. Bittinger, instructor in decorative design in the University school of architecture, and the altar stone was given by Joseph L. Arnet of Ann Arbor.

The altar is of an antique design, built of oak, and carries on the front and on the retable a series of Greek designs connected with early symbolisms of the church. In the center of the retable is the tabernacle surmounted by a wooden cross and carrying on its door a carving of the chalice and host.

Plaque In Center

A plaque in the center of the front of the altar bears the Greek letters meaning “Jesus Christ Conquers.” At each end of the retable at the back of the altar is a St. Andrew’s Cross. Other symbols on the shields on the ratable are, from left to right, YHS,” the first three letters of Jesus’ name in Greek, and the Ichthus or fish, a mystical symbol of the first letters of the Greek phrase meaning “Jesus Christ, Savior of Man.”

The first symbol on the retable to the right of the tabernacle is composed of the Greek characters, Alpha and Omega, referring to the words from the great throne in Rev. XXI:6, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” Next to this is the “Chi Rho,” the first two Greek letters of Christ’s name.

Used For Small Meetings

The chapel, in memory of Rev. William Gardam, rector of St. Luke’s church for many years, who died in 1916, is located at the southeast corner of the church, and is used for Thursday noon meetings and other small gatherings of members of the church.

Present plans call for extensive improvements, including installation of stained glass windows in place of the present plain glass; the purchase of a new carpet; a complete redecorating of the interior of the chapel, and other changes, The altar has been accepted by the church, but the date when the improvements on the chapel will be completed and the altar dedicated is uncertain.