RESTORATION — Andreas Mladek restoring a stained glass window at The Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver. An on-going project since 2002.

In an interview recently, stained glass artist Andreas Mladek said, "Stained glass windows in Canada are reaching a crisis point."

Mladek added, "I went through many economic ups and downs after emigrating to Canada in 1988 and know that nothing in life stays the same for very long, with the exception of the one subject dear to my heart, namely the necessity of the preservation and restoration of old stained and leaded glass windows.

You might think I am exaggerating, but there are voices among my peers which speak already of a crisis situation regarding the estimated 100,000 stained and leaded glass windows (some or most of them beautifully painted and fired) installed all over Canada between 1885 and 1960. This is our Heritage, worthy of being preserved for future generations. The people who are qualified to do those restorations are becoming a 'dying breed' and nobody is training the future generation of stained glass restorers in Canada."

Mladek said that the main problem is the limited life span of the lead used in those windows. Around 1885 metal foundries in North America developed new technologies, which allowed them to extract more trace metals like silver, antimony or zinc found in lead during the melting process. This made their owners richer and also proud of the fact, that the final lead product was purer and softer than before and in their words made it easier for glass artists like him to work with. This "purified" lead, in comparison to European, "contaminated" Lead (used since 1100 AD), has a limited lifespan estimated to be 50 to 100 years, before getting brittle and putting the structural integrity of those windows at risk.

The only solution to this looming problem is a complete re-leading of those windows, which can be done over time without straining the finances of any private individual, organisation or church congregations.

Besides having created, built and installed many new church windows over time, Mladek has also restored old stained and leaded glass windows for the better part of his professional life. "It always was and will be an honour and privilege to be entrusted with the preservation of those windows, which I call tangible heritage," he added. Andreas Mladek is a stained glass artist and restorer who started learning this ancient craft in East Berlin in 1978. He relocated with his wife Debra to Kelowna last summer after living in North Vancouver for 20 years, where he gained a reputation as a Master in his craft. His work can be found in churches, government buildings, as well as numerous private residences all over Canada.

If you have a project you would like to discuss with him: the name of his company is Creative Glass Art Ltd. He can be contacted in Kelowna at 250-300-9153 or toll free @1-877-422-8222. His Web site www.andreas-mladek.com contains more information and examples of his work.

Church is not the building

By Beth Woodbridge

photo by beth woodbridge

FLEXIBILITY — Lay-minister of word and sacrament, Dey Stewart, preparing a makeshift altar in St. Saviour's Memorial Hall, Nelson.

During the Advent Sunday of Joy, the congregation of St. Saviour's in Nelson discovers the joyous gifts of flexibility, teamwork and the power of gathering together. It was very cold, there was fresh snow on the ground, and to make it even more exciting the power had been off the night before. When the choir arrived to practice they discovered the heat was off in the church building. As members of the church arrived early to prepare for the service, a new plan had coalesced — we were moving to the Memorial Hall. A sign was placed on the church door, and an assembly line of people carried altar items, hymnbooks, Service Books, and the Reserved Sacrament over to the hall. An altar was set up on the stage, chairs were moved around, electric keyboard was brought in, an advent wreath was put on a small table next to some of the creche figures from the Sunday School. Electric Candles were on the altar, the presiders put on their robes, the congregation seated themselves and we smiled in the warmth of worship together.