707 W. Hornet Avenue

Pier 3

USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier-Chapel
Alameda, California

"The USS Hornet Museum is a museum ship in Alameda, California, USA. (Link 1.)  Tucked away on the lower deck is the Library which also serves as the Chapel.  In front of rows of blue chairs are the altar, the small organ, and the lectern.

Sign for the Library and Chapel

Chapel area of the Library

"• Every Sunday – Protestant Divine ServicesHornet Chaplain John Berger conducts church services at 11:00am in the ship's Chapel. All hands and guests are welcome." (Link 4.)  The Sunday bulletin is titled "All Hands General Worship". (See photo below.)

"All Hands General Worship" Bulletin

The Office of the Chaplaincy is adjacent to the worship area.  Hanging on the side walls are photos of past chaplains as well as the crest of the "Chaplain Corp, U. S. Navy". (See photo below.)

Crest of Chaplain Corps, U. S. Navy

Bibles, spiritual books, and hymnals are available in bookcases lining the walls of the library area.

In a glass case opposite the worship area is the banner used at outdoor services. (See photo below.)

Outdoor 

Worship services are held on deck for special occasions such as the one that was held this Memorial Day.

On Deck Worship Service

"This year marks the 13th year the museum is holding this ceremony (Memorial Day) and it will include a special invocation by retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Chaplain John Berger, a special wreath-tossing ceremony off the ship, and the presentation of Colors by the Boy Scouts of America. There will also be musical performances featuring the Hornet Band and the Young American Patriots Fife & Drum Corps beginning at 11 a.m." (Link 3.)

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"It (USS Hornet Museum) is composed of the USS Hornet (CV-12) aircraft carrier, exhibits from the NASAApollo moon exploration missions, and several retired aircraft from the Second World War and the transonic and early supersonic jet propulsion period. A number of compartments contain exhibits concerning contemporary carriers that are supported by related associations. The flight deck, hangar deck, and first deck below are open for self-guided tours. Docent-led tours are available into the ship's navigation and flight deck control areas of the island and down into one of the engineering spaces containing two of the four ship's propulsion turbines.

"It is located on the southernmost pier of the former Naval Air Station Alameda. There are plans to relocate it to the corner of the Seaplane Lagoon closest to the Alameda Point Museum in conjunction with a ferry terminal and a light rail or bus connection toBART." (Link 1.)

"The USS Hornet CV-12 is one of the 24 legendary Essex-class aircraft carriers built during and after World War II. Built at Newport News, Virginia, and the eighth ship to be named “Hornet,” she is one of the most decorated ships of the US Navy.  For 16 continuous months Hornet was in action in the forward areas of the Pacific combat zone, sometimes within 40 miles of the Japanese home islands.

"Hornet participated in World War II, the Vietnam War, and the first moon missions.

• Earned 9 battle stars for her service in WWII
• Awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her WWII operations (only nine carriers so cited).
• Flawlessly recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule and the first men to walk on the moon. A few months later, she also recovered the Apollo 12 capsule and its all-Navy crew; 1969
• USS Hornet (CVS-12) is designated a National Historic Landmark; 1991
• Hornet opens to the public as an aircraft carrier museum in Alameda, California; 1998
• USS Hornet is designated a State Historic Landmark; 1999.
• The F/A-18 strike fighter carries on the name of Hornet in today's NAVY." (Link 2.)

Photos: Taken in June 2013 by SW.
Link 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hornet_Museum
Link 2: http://www.uss-hornet.org/history/heritage/index.shtml
Link 3: http://articles.latimes.com/2013/may/23/news/la-trb-memorial-day-uss-hornet-20130522
Link 4: http://www.uss-hornet.org/calendar/upcoming/

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Prayer

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

St. Joseph Bacilica
Alameda, California

"In the center of Alameda stand the buildings, old and new, of St. Joseph Parish.(1106 Chestnut St.) For over 133 years this parish has served the spiritual life of the Catholic families of central Alameda; at one time, all of Alameda. St. Joseph Parish started as a mission church in 1873. Land on the southeast corner of Santa Clara Avenue and Chestnut Street had been donated by Mr. Minturn, a non-Catholic, and the first Catholic church in Alameda was built... Each Sunday Fr. Gleeson came to Alameda on horseback or on foot to celebrate Mass and to teach Catechism. He served the entire Catholic population of Alameda which consisted mainly of families of Irish extraction. ..Twice in a period of seven years the church was enlarged. Finally in 1881 St. Joseph Church was moved to the southwest corner of Chestnut Street and San Antonio Avenue, just across from its present location...In 1885 St. Joseph became an independent parish.

                                                                Sanctuary 2011

"Just ten years after St. Joseph Mission Church became an independent parish, it had grown to the extent that a new church was needed. The new building was to be a beautiful Gothic edifice with a seating capacity of 700.

                                                      Window above altar 2011

"St. Joseph Church was designated a minor Basilica by Pope Paul VI on June 4, 1972....

                                                             High side windows 2011

In 1989 " It was decided early on that the altar needed to be moved closer to the congregation to an area near the meeting of the nave and transept of the Basilica...The new altar is made of wood and is square in shape. The ambo and presider’s chair are also of wood with the same design motif. The original high altar is still in place at the rear of the sanctuary. The tabernacle for the repose of the Blessed Sacrament is still mounted on top of the high altar and is separated from the new altar and congregation by a screen made of wood and plaster to create a sense of privacy for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Also, pews in the north and south transept of the basilica were turned inwards at a 90 degree angle to allow worshipers a better view of the altar." (See Link.)

Photos: Taken in 1911 by SW.

Link: http://stjoseph94501.parishworld.net/

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Prayer

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

First Congregational Church/United Church of Christ
Alameda, California

"First Congregational Church of Alameda was founded in 1879 by missionaries. The first minister (George Morris) of our church was was born in England and traveled from there via Capetown South Africa and Tahiti before coming to San Francisco and the Bay Area. When the rent of $2.50 a week at the original space became too high, services were moved to a hayloft above a livery stable on Webster Street and the Church became known as the "hayloft Church." In 1883 a small building was purchased in the 1700 block of Central Avenue which was moved in 1885 to our present location at the corner of Central Avenue and Chestnut Street, (1912 Central Avenue) in the heart of Alameda. In 1904 the cornerstone for the new building was laid and the completed structure was dedicated on Easter Sunday 1905. An education wing was added in 1963.

"In 1961 the members of the Church voted to become a congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC) which was formed in 1957 by the merger of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Churches.

Corner Scroll Plaque

"The UCC has a proud history of being on the leading edge of working

toward social justice. FCCA joined in this tradition in 1987 when our congregation accepted the 1985 resolution and call from our General Synod to declare ourselves “Open and Affirming,” adopting an Inclusive Non-discrimination Policy that states: “We do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, marital status, or the differently abled.”

                                                        Left side feature window


"In 2004 we celebrated our 125th anniversary as a congregation and the 100th anniversary in this historic structure. Today, FCCA is a growing and vibrant community of Christian faith, where all persons and families are welcome. We move into our future full of hope and with gratitude for God’s faithfulness – yesterday, today and tomorrow." (See Link.)

Photos: Taken in 2011 by SW.
Link: http://www.fccalameda.org/index.html

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Prayer

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

First Presbyterian Church
Alameda, California

"Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island (also known as Harbor Bay) portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 72,259.

"The island that Alameda occupies was originally a peninsula connected to Oakland...The city was founded on June 6, 1853...Alameda became a charter city and adopted a council-manager government in 1916." (Link 1.)

"Preparations to organize the First Presbyterian Church of Alameda began in 1864 when all Protestants residing in hamlets of the Oakland peninsula known now as Alameda attended the Methodist church. By 1865, the Presbyterian Church had 12 charter members that were meeting in the schoolhouse, having paid their "rent" by purchasing a bell for the school. In 1867 Rev. Nash was installed as the first "non-traveling" pastor.


"Under Rev. Nash’s leadership, the purchase of land and erection of the first sanctuary building, then located at the current corner of Central and Versailles Avenues, was accomplished. The new church was dedicated on March 8, 1869 and the congregation grew quickly. A Sunday School building was added and soon as many as sixty children received their Christian education in the building. A parsonage was built nearby on Versailles to house a succession of pastors who led the congregation.


"By 1883, the church membership had outgrown the original sanctuary building. The city’s population center was expanding towards the western end of the peninsula and the sandy roads made travel difficult for new members to attend. These factors motivated the congregation members to begin raising funds to purchase land and build a new sanctuary in a more central location.

"Nearly 20 years later, land was purchased at what is now the corner of Santa Clara and Chestnut. Congregation member Henry H. Meyers, a prominent local architect, designed the new sanctuary building. Mr. Meyers had been part of the design team to create the plans for the Alameda City Hall built in 1895 and the Carnegie Library in 1902. Meyers chose a Grecian design that followed the design of Kings Chapel in Boston, Old Trinity of New York City and similar buildings in Paris. He fashioned the side elevations similar to the Boston Public Library.

Sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church of Alameda

                                                                       Christmas 2005

"Rev. Frank Brush, having traveled to Italy, was instrumental in the inclusion of the beautiful stained glass windows similar to the ones he had seen in Italy. (Stained glass windows line both sides of the sanctuary.)

FPCA Window

 

1904 Stained Glass Window
(Link 2.)

"Under the direction of Mr. A. J. Burgner, an Elder and Trustee as well as a prominent local builder, the cornerstone was laid in September of 1903. (2001 Santa Clara Ave.) The completed sanctuary was dedicated on Easter Sunday, April 3, 1904. The beautiful sanctuary has been in continuous use since for social, cultural, and religious purposes. In 1977 the City of Alameda declared it an Alameda Historical Monument.

"In preparation of the sanctuary¹s centennial, the exterior of the sanctuary was painted and the stained glass windows were cleaned and repaired by the congregation in 2003. Partial funding provided by PROPOSITION 12 California Heritage Fund Grant Program was used to restore the church facade.

"Centennial celebrations were held at the beginning of September 2003 and culminating in a time capsule ceremony on Easter Sunday 2004.  Extensive interior renovations were completed in 2005." (Link 2.)

Photo: Top photo taken in February 2011 by Suzanne Wilson.

Thank you: To Sue, Office Manager at First Presbyterian Church, for the photos

                of  the  Sanctuary on Christmas 2005 and FPCA window.

Link 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alameda,_California
Link 2: http://www.alamedachurch.com/

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Prayer

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