After looking at the beautiful Saunders window as a prominent part of our sanctuary for so many years I realized I was not seeing it clearly. The window is so fitting and blends so well into the lines and moods of this great, spacious room that one takes it for granted. At the same time, the stained-glass pictures with stories of Jesus relating to Mary and Martha and the Good Samaritan's ministering to a sick man along the side of the road connect us to our spiritual roots and give us a sense of reassurance.
From an artistic viewpoint alone the vibrant stained glass colors are pleasing and uplifting. The two scenes are tied together by colors which are repeated and balanced. The red of Jesus' robe is echoed in the Good Samaritan's robe. Mary and Martha's robe colors of purple and mauve are repeated in those of the Pharisees. When the light is just right one can perceive the brilliant gold in a part of Jesus' robes. Gold is repeated in the trumpet of the angel in the center of the window.
The family of John Richard Saunders and Ella Day Saunders donated this window to our church. In the early 1900s Mr. Saunders, a community leader who was very successful in naval stores and other businesses, had asked Stephen Fagin Fulghum to come to Pensacola to build a home for the Saunders. Mr. Fulghum was quite famous throughout Georgia for his building of many large churches, homes and public buildings. J. R. Saunders was chairman of the Methodist Church building committee and probably encouraged Mr. Fulghum to bid on the proposed new church building. Mr. Fulghum was selected as contractor and moved his family to live in Pensacola permanently. Unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Saunders died just before the church construction was completed in 1910.
Our church family has been blessed with members who are descendants of Stephen F. Fulghum, granddaughters Julia Fulghum Stringfield and Blanche Lamar McDavid, and great-grand-son Duncan McDavid. Furthermore, our Mackey family, Elizabeth Mackey Bell, the late Reverend Bob Mackey, the late Marjorie Mackey Hart and the late Louise Mackey Fitzpatrick are related to the J. R. Saunders family through their mother, Sallie Riddick Mackey. When Sallie lost both parents as a young girl she came to Pensacola to live with the Saunders, her cousins. Later, she met her husband-to-be in the choir. John Richard Saunders gave Sallie Riddick away to Will Mackey at their wedding at the Methodist Church on Garden and Palafox Streets.
This beautiful window gives even deeper meaning and pleasure when we contemplate the rich relationships and contributions that these beloved family members have made through the years to our church and to so many of us, individually.