Our Chapel was built by the Reformed Church of Saugerties in the 1870s (we believe it was completed in 1876).  The land it was built on was donated by the Kierstad family, the first physician in the Saugerties area. The building is described as a Queen Anne–style chapel

In September 5, 2025 we removed the plywood that covered the center section of the star, which is badly damaged, and installed plexiglass so the star could be seen in its full beauty, as pictured here. At some point we hope to repair the entire stained glass window.

The six-pointed star that sits above the entrance — often called a hexagram—has a very long and layered history, appearing across cultures, religions, and time periods. It has been used in Hindu, Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Native American and esoteric traditions as a symbol of unity, balance, and protection. We are often asked if the space was once a synagogue because of the star - and it was not. Here is some basic research we've done for those interested in the history of the 6 pointed star.

Ancient Origins

  • Geometry & Symbolism: The hexagram is a natural geometric form, created by overlapping two equilateral triangles. Because of its symmetry, it appeared in many early cultures as a decorative or mystical pattern.

  • Mesopotamia & India: Early versions show up in Mesopotamian artwork and in Hindu yantras, where it symbolized the union of opposites (male/female, fire/water).

  • Alchemy & Occult Traditions: In ancient alchemy and esoteric traditions, it represented the harmony of elements and the merging of spirit and matter.

In Judaism

  • Early Use: The six-pointed star was not originally a uniquely Jewish symbol. In Jewish contexts, it was sometimes used decoratively on synagogues or in manuscripts, but it had no exclusive religious meaning for centuries.

  • Medieval Period: By the Middle Ages, Jewish communities in Europe began using it more often, sometimes as a seal or emblem on synagogues and tombstones.

  • The "Star of David": By the 17th century, the hexagram became associated specifically with Judaism, often called the Magen David (Shield of David). In Prague, for example, it appeared on the Jewish community’s flag.

  • Modern Symbolism: In the 19th century, it became widely adopted as a symbol of Jewish identity, and in the 20th century it was placed at the center of the Israeli flag.

In Christianity & Islam

  • Christian Use: In medieval Christian art and churches, the hexagram appeared as a decorative or mystical motif, sometimes symbolizing creation or the union of heaven and earth.

  • Islamic Art: The hexagram also appears frequently in Islamic art and architecture (sometimes called the "Seal of Solomon"), where it was linked to protection, astrology, and geometry.

Native American Uses 

  • Petroglyphs and Star Symbols:
    Some tribes incorporated six-pointed star shapes into petroglyphs and symbolic art. These often represented stars, celestial beings, or directions

  • Plains and Southwestern Tribes:
    In certain beadwork and pottery patterns, hexagram-like motifs appear. For example, among the Lakota (Sioux) and Navajo, star patterns sometimes use six points to symbolize the Morning Star, the Great Spirit, or balance in the cosmos.

Ceremonial Use:
Among some Pueblo peoples, geometric star forms (including six-pointed stars) were integrated into ritual sand paintings and weavings, where they symbolized harmony, order, and the universe.

Cross-Cultural Influence:
By the 19th century, as Native communities interacted with European settlers and missionaries, hexagram motifs also spread through trade blankets, beadwork, and Christian-influenced symbolism. It’s sometimes hard to distinguish which uses were indigenous and which were adopted through contact.

Esoteric and Modern Uses

  • Kabbalah & Mysticism: In Jewish mysticism, the hexagram sometimes represented the relationship between God and humanity or the balance of spiritual forces.

  • Occultism: Western occult and New Age traditions adopted it as a mystical symbol of harmony, balance, or magical power.

  • Secular/Decorative Use: Today, the six-pointed star is also found in folk art, logos, and design simply as a geometric motif.

The Hexagram in the Reformed Church Context

  • Architectural Motif:
    In Dutch Reformed (RCA) and other Protestant churches, the hexagram sometimes appears in stained glass, wooden carvings, or floor tiling. This use came from European church architecture, where the hexagram was a geometric, biblical, and apotropaic (protective) symbol.

Symbol of Creation & Covenant:
In Christian symbolism more broadly, the hexagram has represented:

  • God’s creation in six days (six points = six days; center = Sabbath/rest).

  • Harmony of divine and human (interlocking triangles = heaven + earth).

  • Sometimes the Seal of Solomon, a biblical symbol associated with wisdom and protection, which entered Christian and Islamic traditions.

Adoption in RCA Tradition:
Because the RCA has roots in Dutch Calvinism (settled in New York/New Amsterdam from the 1620s), its churches often borrowed from European Protestant decorative vocabulary. The hexagram appeared alongside other biblical symbols (crosses, circles, stars) without being unique to Reformed theology.

  • Not a Denominational Emblem:
    Unlike in Judaism, the hexagram was never an identity symbol for the RCA. It was used ornamentally or as a biblical-geometric motif, not as an official denominational marker.

    Timeline History of the Six-Pointed Star  

c. 2000 BCE — Mesopotamia & India
Hexagram appears in Mesopotamian seals and Hindu yantras.

c. 500 BCE–500 CE — Alchemy & Early Esoteric Use
Used as a symbol of harmony, balance, and the merging of opposites.

6th–12th c. CE — Christian & Islamic Art
Seen in churches, mosques, and Islamic geometric designs.

12th–16th c. CE — Jewish Decorative Use
Appears on synagogues, manuscripts, and tombstones.

Pre-Colonial to 19th c. — Native American Traditions
Six-pointed star forms used in petroglyphs, beadwork, pottery, and ceremonial art to symbolize stars, harmony, and cosmic order.

17th c. — Adopted as Jewish Communal Symbol
Used in Jewish community flags (e.g., Prague); called Magen David.

19th c. — Symbol of Jewish Identity
Widespread emblem of Judaism in modern identity movements.

20th c. — Israeli Flag & Global Recognition
Placed at the center of Israel's flag; recognized as Jewish symbol.