NEW STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS AT CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SHADYSIDE THAT DEPICT PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL FIGURES, INCLUDING MISTER ROGERS ON THE FAR RIGHT. | PHOTO BY NATALEY DAVIS

Walking into a church, you may not expect to see an image of TV’s Mister Rogers in his iconic red cardigan etched into the stained-glass windows.

Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside paints a different picture of what churches can be, using inclusivity and creativity as the foundation for how they represent themselves through art.

The church, built in 1907, has a long-standing tradition of honoring the figures of historical Pennsylvanians in its ornate stained-glass windows, says The Rev. Jonathon Jensen, rector of the church.

For example, you’ll see Abraham Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address and George Washington at Gen. Edward Braddock’s funeral, among events featured in the glass around the building.

The church is now taking on a new renovation project to modernize some of their amenities and art.

MISTER ROGERS IN THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS OF CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SHADYSIDE | PHOTO BY THE REV. JONATHON JENSEN

Part of this project is a new stained-glass depiction in the administration part of the building honoring three famous Pennsylvania and religious figures: the Philadelphia 11, the first women to be ordained priests in the Episcopal church in 1974 at the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia; Absalom Jones, the first Black priest in the Episcopal church; and Fred Rogers of the children’s TV program “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” (who was also a Presbyterian minister and Latrobe native).

STAINED GLASS DEPICTING THE PHILADELPHIA 11, THE FIRST WOMEN ORDAINED AS EPISCOPAL PRIESTS. | PHOTO BY THE REV. JONATHON JENSEN

Rogers’ show actually featured a small replica of Calvary Episcopal Church in his neighborhood, which was largely inspired by Pittsburgh.

ABSALOM JONES, THE FIRST BLACK PRIEST IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH | PHOTO BY THE REV. JONATHON JENSEN

Jensen says that they chose to honor three people of collectives who would not usually be seen in the Episcopal church to foster a more diverse and welcoming atmosphere.

“We wanted to take the Christian theme and the Pennsylvania theme and put them together, and put them in a place where everybody could see,” Jensen says. “The windows we have are historically European, which would make them Caucasian figures, as well as native American figures, and so we wanted to broaden that and include more people.”

THE REPLICA OF CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, WHICH WAS PART OF THE ‘NEIGHBORHOOD’ ON ‘MISTER ROGERS’ NEIGHBORHOOD’ ON TV. IT NOW SITS IN THE OFFICE OF THE REV. JONATHON JENSEN. | PHOTO BY NATALEY DAVIS

The windows were installed on Oct. 14 by Emil Frei & Associates, a liturgical design studio based in Missouri. The company was able to replace the clear, 5-foot windows with their design in one work day.

Jensen says that they were the obvious choice for the job because of the chemical process they use to design, which ensures their windows will last forever as long as they are cleaned every 50 years.

The new windows are open to the public for viewing during church operating hours. Below them, is an informational poster explaining the story behind each of the figures shown in the glass.

CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SHADYSIDE | PHOTO BY NATALEY DAVIS

Jensen also created coloring pages using artificial intelligence that mimic the new designs to give out to children at the church; he hopes to eventually create a coloring book of the stained-glass figures to sell.

Although certain communities may take issue with non-biblical figures being displayed in a church, Jensen finds that the people honored in the new windows exemplify the very nature the Episocal church was built on.

“It depends on the particular congregation…but here it’s always been a part of us and our community to welcome other people,” he says.