
Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church
Commissioned Cir. 1958
316 N Bragg Ave Lookout Mountain, TN
The Windows at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian
Rudolf Buenz worked with JR Lamb Studios to design, build, and install stained glass windows for Lookout Mountain Presbyterian near Chattanooga, Tennessee between 1956 and 1967. The church had undergone major renovations, including expansions to the sanctuary and creation of a fellowship hall. The fourteen windows were commissioned by pastors serving at that time, including Dr Sam Wiley and Dr George W. Long Jr.
Repairs to the church started in 2022 and are still ongoing. The stained glass windows were removed and repaired in 2023, giving them additional insulation and supports.
A special Thank You to Diane Reichmann of LMPC for permitting us to photograph and visit the church in November 2024, and for your dedication in preserving the history of the church.
Thank you to C. Holt and friends for helping gather external photos!
The Rose Window and Five Public Ministries of Christ Windows
The rose window located high on the eastern wall of the nave was the first to be installed, during the remodeling efforts in 1956. It accompanies a series of windows which depict the public ministry of Christ and were installed between 1958 and 1959.
The left-most window in the lower series features imagery of the the ministry of Discipleship and stories from the book of Matthew. This window was placed in August of 1959 and specifically dedicated to the memory of Hollis Marion Caldwell, Frank Hollis, and John Bartlett Caldwell.
The window second from left depicts the ministry of Healing through imagery from the stories in the books of Mark, Matthew, and John. This window was also placed in August of 1959 and dedicated to the memory of William Franklin Smith by his family.
The center window depicts the ministry of Teaching through moments in stories from the book of Matthew. The window was dedicated to the memory of Leon Graham Smith by his family and installed at Easter in 1958.
The next window, second from right depicts the ministry of Miracles as performed by Jesus in the books of Luke and John. This window was dedicated in memory of Sammie Childress Carter and her daughter, Lucile Carter Glascock during its placement in August of 1959.
The right-most and final window in the series depicts the ministry of Jesus’ Deity with scenes from the book of Matthew. Installed in August 1959, the window was dedicated to the ememory of Morris Eugene Temple, and his wife Mae Waldrop Temple by their children.









Windows of the North and South Sanctuary Walls
The windows lining the Sanctuary North and South walls display the Biblical history of Jesus. The North wall starts with the first window, closest to the Sanctuary Nave, outlining the Old Testament begining with creation and moving to the preparation of the coming of Christ. It was placed at an unknown date between 1958 and 1965 but dedicated to Leon Park Smith and Caroline Graham Smith. This is followed by a second window themed with the story of the Nativity which was placed on October 21st of 1962 and dedicated in memory of Henry Knox Smartt and Elizabeth Collier Smartt by family. The third window of the North wall details the life of Jesus through boyhood, baptism, and temptation which was placed June 9th of 1963, in memory of Roberta Evans by her parents.
The windows along the South walls display the Biblical history and Jesus’ Passion, Resurrection, and a transition to modern ecclesiastical history. The first of the South windows, beginning at the back of the nave, features the cleaning of the Temple after Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, John at Christ’s empty tomb, Christ’s appearance to Thomas, the Supper at Emmaus, and the giving of the Great Commission before the Ascension. This window was placed around 1960 in memory of Vera Bowen Munson by her family.
The second South wall window is a representation of the history of the early church from scriptures and historians. Panels show the ascension of Christ into heaven, giving of the Holy spirit, the stoning of Stephen, Peter’s vision, the conversion of Saul, Paul’s vision , testimony of the epistles by the Apostles, Ninian’s white house, and Columba reaching Iona spreading the gospel. This window was placed on June 28th, 1965 in memory of States Rights Gist Finley Jr. by his parents.
The third South wall window continues the historical overview of the church closer to modern history, depicting the Reformation and beginnings of Protestantism. Its panels feature historical figures like John Wycliffe, the Waldenses, Martin Luther, John Calvin, the original seal of the Presbyterian Church, John Knox, Francis Makemie, and Charles Wesley. The window is believed to be placed on June 28th, 1965. Given in memory to the late board member, Robert Nelson Chambliss, by the Maclellan Foundation.
The fourth and final window on the South wall is a collective of visual representations of the present and future of the church. The present includes the continuation of Christianity in the home, the sacraments of baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Sunday school. The central panel of this window shows the original site of the Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church, the “City set on a hill which cannot be hid” from the book of Matthew, and a depiction of global missions. The final panel of this last window focuses on the future, showing the Second Coming of Christ, the Last Judgement, and the descent of heaven to earth. This window was dedicated in memory of Lenora Elizabeth Schier by her husband at a date between 1958 and 1965.
The Chapel Window
A large solitary window in a style closer to that of Buenz’ apprentice, CZ Lawrence, can be found in the Chapel of Lookout Mountain Presbyterian. It glows with intense colors like other windows throughout the church but is unmistakably busier in design and mesmerizing to behold. This was the final installation of the windows, placed in 1967.
The window represents the Trinitarian nature of God. The left most panel depicts God in the Father in three panes, as a god of covenant, law and eternity. The central panel depicts God the Son, moving through motifs of Christ’s Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, and Crowning in a successive four panes. The right panel depicts God in the role of the Holy Spirit in three panes, represented as the wind and flames of Pentecost, the dove from the baptism of Jesus, and the trumpets in reference to the return.