May 25, 2014

111 Gladwin Drive

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

Gloria Dei is a Latin phrase meaning "Glory of God."  This title was chosen when the parish was established at Highland's Elementary School in North Vancouver.  The first Sunday worship service and Sunday School was held in May 1961.  In May of 1962 the congregation had a sod turning ceremony  at their new site just above the Upper Levels Highway at Lloyd Avenue.  The completed church opened later in that year.

Sod Turning-May, 1962
(REF. 2.)

The church was a single building with a steep pitched roof. The entrance doors were on Gladwin Drive with a hall running along the west side of the sanctuary. The entrance to the Sanctuary was off this hall at its south end.

Copy of photo of 1962 Church
(REF. 2.)

On the south wall of the sanctuary there was a floor to ceiling colored glass cross. (See below.)

2014 photo of south wall of 1962 Church

On the north wall of the Sanctuary there was a triangular panel with colored glass outlines of clear glass that allow for a view of the north shore forest. (See photo below.)

2014 photo of North Wall of 1961 Church

The 1962 church with its colored glass cross and triangle panel is now used as a Parish Hall.  

2014 Photo of 1961 Church

The church pipe organ was dedicated in 1985 and used in the original 1962 building.  It was moved into the new Sanctuary when it was built in 1992.

The 1985 Pipe Organ

(Photo of a painting.)

(REF 2.)

In 1992 an addition was built on to the 1962 church.  The construction on the west side of the 1962 church included a Sanctuary with a flat roofed wing of church offices, meeting rooms, an education wing, and a courtyard joining the two peaked roof buildings. Carved front doors, stained glass windows, yellow cedar furnishings, and an aggregate stone floor from the Chilliwack River celebrate the local area. (REF. 1.) (See doors  in photo below and in the right of the top photo.)  The entrance to the 1992 Sanctuary is on the east wall through the hallway.

Sketch of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
(Note 1962 Sanctuary and Hall on right, 
1992 flat roofed education, office, and courtyard wing in the center,
and new 1992 Sanctuary on the left.) (REF. 1.)

Front Doors on Gladwin Drive Entrance

"Guardian Angels grace the main doors of Gloria Dei. The archangel Michael is the image of God's power to destroy evil and bring justice. The archangel Gabriel sounds the last trumpet when God's reign is fulfilled and all creation restored." (Link.)

Sanctuary

"The font is built with eight sides, depicting the eight days of creation.  The "fingerprints" of God, moulding and shaping the baptized, are evident in the sides of the font." (REF. 1.)

Sanctuary

(Note 1985 pipe organ on right side.)

"The window in the north wall, near the organ, is the earth window. It represents the earth and the earth's place in the universe and in the mind of God. Its diverse colors and shapes interplay with the light bringing us a near living form with which to interact day by day and season by season." (Link.)

Water Window

Stained glass window-west wall of the Sanctuary

"The window in the west wall represents wind.  In both biblical languages, Hebrew and Greek, the word for wind is the same word used for spirit.  In the first creation story God's spirit blows across the ancient waters bringing forth life just as in the Pentecost story, the spirit of God blows over the early church bringing it to life.  In this window the Spirit fills the sail of the church represented as a sailing ship moving it in mission and ministry." (Link.)

Stained Glass Window on the south wall of the Sanctuary

Fire Window

Stained Glass Window on east wall of Sanctuary

(above courtyard)

"The east window over the church entrance represents fire. God first appears to Israel's leader, Moses, in the fire of a burning bush that is not consumed. The coming of the Holy Spirit to the early Christian community in Jerusalem after the ascension of the risen Christ is accompanied by a vision, "Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them" [Action 2:3]. Each time we leave worship we are reminded of the energy and power of fire." (Link.)

Center Courtyard

"The courtyard is a memorial garden....  The memorial garden will serve as a place for remembrance as well as a place for meditation and prayer. (REF. 1.)

Thank you: To Shelley Meglaughlin Office Administrator.

Photos: Colored-taken in April 2014 by SW.  
Reference 1: About the Chancel, single sheet pamphlet.
Reference 2: From Historical Document Binder, in church library.
Link: http://www.gloriadei.ca/

                     *******  

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.                   

                                                                                                                                  May 18, 2014

131 East Kings Rd.

WestCoast Baptist Association

North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

The 1993 District Heritage Inventory, Page 117.  "1915-Secondary List-This plain and modest church is simply detailed in the Craftsman tradition, with triangular eave brackets, exposed rafter end, and pointed verge-boards. Originally the Bethel Methodist Church...the name was soon changed to North Lonsdale Methodist,"  then in 1925  until 1953 North Lonsdale United Church.

According to the Building Permit book at the North Vancouver Archives In 1954 it became Kingscrest (Kings Road-REF.) Baptist Church in 1954. The Building Permit book also  lists a $950 church repair to Kingcrest Baptist Church at 131 East Kings Rd., Southern Baptist Church. 

"The building is owned by Kings Road Baptist Church (which you referenced when you wrote about Westlynn Baptist Church in 2012), and has been rented out to various churches over the years. The WestCoast Baptist Association (our denomination’s office for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and Whistler) is the current tenant and has been here since 2007. 

"A church named One Spirit Mission Church did meet in this building for a few years, as a tenant of Kings Road Baptist Church, ... Also First Baptist Church... rented for many years. (They were not part of the Capilano Southern Baptist Association.) The WestCoast Baptist Association (formerly Capilano Southern Baptist Association) has rented the building since 2007." (REF) 

"We started out as the Capilano Southern Baptist Association (1955-2008).On October 9, 1955, thirty messengers from four Southern Baptist churches in Greater Vancouver met to organize the Capilano Southern Baptist Association. Seventy people attended the meeting at Grace Baptist Church.  The new association voted to assume responsibility for the Baptist Student Union and to take over the publication of The Baptist Horizon begun by Kingcrest church. The first Southern Baptist association had been founded.  Seven "Canadian Southern Baptist" churches across three provinces reported a total of 466 members and had baptized 127 in the year ending September 30, 1955.   A new denomination had begun in Canada. "The name was changed to WestCoast Baptist Association in the annual meeting in October 2008 and WBA was registered as a non-profit society in BC." (Link.) Westlynn Baptist Church (See Blog Post 4/1/12.) is a member of the WestCoast Baptist Association.  It is west of Mountain Highway in North Vancouver District.  The sanctuary/meeting hall has been divided into meeting rooms to meet the needs of the Association. (REF.)

For further information on First Evangelical Baptist Church at 131 East Kings Rd. see Blog Post 3/23/14.

Photo: Taken in 2010 by SW.
Reference: e mail from Janet Campbell, Office Administrator, WestCoast 
               Baptist Association.

Link: http://www.westcoastbaptist.ca/

*****

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.

                                                                                                                          May 11, 2014

47-783 Monroe Street

Las Palmas Community Church
"A Nazarene Church of the Coachella Valley"
Indio, California

The Nazarene Church of the Coachella Valley "Started in a house in 1939 on Highway 99(now Highway 86) and Ave 61 in Thermal CA.  There were "Primarily two families (of the Millsap brothers and two teens).

"As the group grew, walls were knocked out (and the meeting area increased). At some pont the members felt they should find a place to move in Indio,  A place was found at Requa and Smur. (This church was dedicated in 1945.) This is where the Church remained until the present property was found and the Church was built." (REF)

1945 Church on Requa and Smur

Construction of church on Monroe, 1967

Las Palmas Community Church on Monroe Street was built in 1967.  Blond laminated beams were used in the vaulted ceiling of the sanctuary.  This was typical construction of the time and several other area churches were built with this same detail.  (See Blog Post for St. John's Lutheran Church,  5/4/14.)  Stone is another building material typical of the area, although the types of stone varies. (See Blog Post for Trinity Lutheran Church, 4/20/14.)

Corner Stone of church on Monroe, 1967

Front Entrance of Church on Monroe

The  double bank of  blond pews in the sanctuary match the blond laminated beams of the high ceiling.  A large cross dominates the chancel.

Sanctuary

Greeting the congregation on Sunday mornings is a cheery hand painted mural in  the narthex. 

Narthex Mural

"We are a Christ-centered church that is biblically based.  We purpose to Encourage and love people, Equip believers for ministry, Evangelize the lost, Exalt His name and Enable fellowship."   A Senior Pastor, Youth Pastor, and Children's Pastor lead programs  including: worship, Sunday School, prayer meetings, women's/men's/children's/youth groups. (Link)

Thank you: To Children's Pastor, Deanna Gibson for her help. Photos: Colored photos taken in February 2014 by SW.
Reference: Our History is His Story, 68th Anniversary Celebration, by Ruth 
                      Millsap, April 6, 2008.
Link: http://www.laspalmascommunitychurch.org/

*****

                                                                                                                             May 4, 2014

42695 Washington Street

St. John's Lutheran Church
Palm Desert, California

"Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately 14 miles (23 km) east of Palm Springs and 122 miles (196 km) east of Los Angeles....A major center of growth in the Palm Springs area, Palm Desert is a popular retreat for "snowbirds" from colder climates (the Eastern and Northern United States, and Canada), who swell its population by an estimated 31,000 each winter." (Link 2)

Stand alone steeple to St. John's

"On January 13, 1963 St. John's held its first worship service in the recreation center of Palm Desert Country Club.  On July 18, 1963, St. John's was formally organized with 30 charter members.  Ground breaking services were held on Washington Street on November 24, 1963, on a site purchased by the "American Lutheran Church Board of Missions.  On February 9, 1964, a cornerstone laying ceremony was held." (REF.) Distinctive features of the church's exterior are the front cantilevered roof and the tall pyramidal free standing steeple topped by a simple cross. The steeple is called the "Symbol of Faith Tower". (REF.)

Entrance to Sanctuary

The entrance to the sanctuary is on the side of the building.  The doors are framed with rectangles of colored glass: red, green, yellow, clear, and opaque. 

The window above the double doors features a red glass rectangular outline of a cross. 

Stained glass windows at entrance to the Sanctuary

The sanctuary was built with blond laminated beams typical of the 1960's. It originally seated 175, but with expansion now seats 235. (REF.) The tall rectangular side windows reflect their colors of green, yellow, and red in the pale wood surface.  Dark wood ceiling rafters are also exposed.  However, when air conditioning was installed it necessitated an enclosing rectangular white box to be mounted most of the length of the center of the ceiling.

The cross above the altar is lit to give a double shadow.  It, therefore, presents not one, but a trinity of crosses for meditation. (Note photo below.)

Sanctuary

At the rear of the Sanctuary is a step-up balcony and the entrance to the Ministry Center.  The Ministry Center, built in 2012, includes meeting rooms and offices for the church staff.

Step-up balcony at rear of Sanctuary

The Fellowship Hall was a separate building behind the Sanctuary that was added to the property in 1994.  The Ministry Center now connects the Fellowship Hall to the Sanctuary. 

Portico to Fellowship Hall


Ministry Center

Visitors are welcome to the two worship services  held on Sunday mornings: traditional worship at 9:00 am and praise worship at 11:00 am.  

Photos: Taken in February 2014 by SW.

Reference: St. John's Cookbook donated by visitor from North Vancouver B.C.,

               Barbara Mayer.

Link 1: http://stjohnslutheranchurchpd.com/

Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Desert,_California

*****

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen