‘It has been a light to the community’: St. Louis Park stained glass window to be lit for final time

Sunday evening, the congregation of the Prince of Peace Church will light up a stained glass window – which was known to be the largest in the United States – for a final time.

Congregation members spoke Sunday morning on what the image means to them before it comes down Monday.

“It has been a light to the community, it has been a spirit of God to the community, no matter what their faith. At Prince of Peace, it’s a benediction or a blessing. And it’s a blessing everyone that goes by. And we hope it continues to bless in a new home,” said Pastor Heidi Zimdars of Vista Lutheran Church.

The image has stood 33′ tall and 9′ wide over highway 7 in St. Louis Park for decades, but congregation members reached a decision to take the giant piece of glass down almost three years ago.

Turning a place for the St. Louis Park community to worship into new homes the neighborhood and surrounding area have been desperately needed, according to the now-combined congregation and pastor who leads them.

The property was sold to a non-profit developer named CommonBond Communities, which says it has plans to replace the church with a five-story mixed use building that will include 120 affordable apartments, with a mix of one and two bedroom units.

There are no permanent plans for this piece of glass yet, and 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is told they will be taking it down, putting it in storage, and possibly selling it at cost to wherever its new home may be.