Lawrence Co. panel says windows in former church aren’t a conflict

By Mary Grzebieniak

Lawrence Co. panel says windows in former church aren’t a conflict

Despite passage of a state budget, no money has yet trickled down to the county.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Lawrence County commissioners said that they see no church-state conflict with leaving stained-glass windows in the former Presbyterian Church which they recently purchased to convert to office space.

They were reacting Tuesday to a letter published in a local newspaper from Janet Verone, a Neshannock Township woman who was a member of the first Lawrence County Study Commission and is an officer in the Lawrence County League of Women Voters.

Verone stated in her letter that as a Christian, she feels that Christian symbols left in the building could be offensive to non-Christians. She said she would be “upset” if religious symbols were left in a public structure that had formerly been a mosque or synagogue. Verone said she fears commissioners are opening the county to a lawsuit if they keep the windows and believes they should be sold.

However Commission Chairman Steve Craig disagreed, saying: “It was a church, no denying. It was a Christian church. There’s only so much you can do to obscure that fact. There’s nothing there that should offend anybody.” He added, however, that a large cross behind the altar will be removed and said he will look through the building again to see if there is anything that could be offensive. He said there is a case pending before the Supreme Court concerning religious symbols in public buildings, and the decision will give direction. Commissioners plan to use the sanctuary for a public meeting room. Other parts of the church will be used for offices.

Commissioner Richard DeBlasio added he doesn’t see any legal problems and said, “The separation of church and state sometimes can be carried a little too far.”

John Altman, candidate for New Castle City Council who regularly attends commissioners’ meetings, called the windows “a historical treasure” and commented that images of God are not unusual in public buildings and are even included on the nation’s currency.

The church sanctuary contains two large windows depicting Jesus Christ as the good shepherd and light of the world. A third window depicts Ruth, a biblical figure.

The balcony of the sanctuary contains windows portraying Sts. Peter and Paul and the risen Christ. Pictures on other smaller windows include a crown, chalice, incense burner and Bible.

Also Tuesday, Craig said no money has yet arrived from the state even though a new budget has been passed.

But the county already has been notified it will not be reimbursed for any interest lost because it had to use local general-fund dollars to make up for money being held up in Harrisburg by the late budget passage.

DeBlasio said he also heard that the new budget cuts economic development money by 45 percent and said this will affect job creation and adversely affect many communities.