Robinson Memorial Window

by Mia McLeod

Elmo Robinson was our first minister.  He came to us when we changed from a fellowship to a church. He and his wife Betta were loved by everyone.  ”Robbie,” as he was affectionately called, was a retired University professor when he took on the task of being our minister.

Elmo Robinson had been a lifelong Universalist.  When he retired from the ministry in Los Alamos he and Betta stayed in town.  It was a sad day when Robbie passed away.  His wife survived him by about ten years.

When Betta had passed away it was suggested that we have something in the church to commemorate our first minister.  Somebody suggested that it would be nice to have a stained glass window. Everyone agreed that would be a lovely memorial.  I suggested that we should ask Challis Thiessen to create one for us.  I knew Challis, because I had been asked to give her weekly Physical Therapy treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.  She had studied art in college and was intrigued by the nuances in color, surface texture, and pattern variety of stained glass panels.  She had made many small stained glass pieces, each of which was more beautiful than the ones she had done before.

Challis had never undertaken a multi-panel piece before.  After careful consideration she made the decision she would do it if we would have patience as she could only work a few hours a day before her hands were too tired and painful to work longer. We agreed and signed the contract.

I was in charge of raising the money.  Lew Agnew also was on the committee.  All the members and friends who had known Robbie pitched in and we had enough money in hand before we needed to make payments.

Challis went to work.  First she interviewed several old-timers about Robbie’s hobbies.  Robbie and Betta were interested in preserving nature.  They owned a redwood grove in California so that no one ever would be able to cut down these majestic trees.  The tree in the window depicts a California redwood tree.

Challis had the habit of picking out pieces of glass for each small detail from multiple glass panels.  If she saw a leaf shape in the middle of a panel that was just right in color and texture she would take it from that spot.  For instance:  the bottom panel contains a fallen log.  The end of the log has tree rings.  I always wondered where she found a piece of glass like that.  She hunted among multiple sources and finally found a very thin slice of petrified wood that precisely depicted the tree rings she needed for her design.  All of you should give the window a careful look and admire the fine detail.  It is unique for a church window.

Then she talked to me about the symbolism of the Flaming Chalice.  Challis decided that since the Chalice was the most important symbol of the church she would put it in the sky with rays of light flowing from it.  Look at the top panel at what a magnificent job she did depicting the centrality of the Flaming Chalice in Unitarian Universalism.  It took her two years to finish this work and it was worth waiting for.

The first Sunday after the window was installed (in 1985) I observed two small girls trying to pick up the colors the sun shining through the window projected on the floor of Robinson hall.  They tried repeatedly to hold the colors in their hands but lost them every time.

Betta and Robbie always had high tea with sherry in the afternoons. To celebrate the installation of the window we had a high tea in Robinson Hall with Duncan MacArthur and John McLeod in full Scottish dress serving sherry.   It was a lovely formal occasion.

We have enjoyed the window immensely every time we are in Robinson Hall.  The window will always remain an integral part of our church building no matter what we do to the building itself.

The window celebrates both Elmo Robinson as our first minister and the wonderful artwork of Challis Thiessen.  Arch Thiessen, widower of Challis, came specially to view the window and the new plaque explaining the significance of the window and honoring the artist. Carl Newton installed the plaque before Arch’s visit on Sunday, March 30, 2008.