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/

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Prayer

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