May 26, 2013

885 4th Street

United Church of Christ (Congregational)

Blaine, Washington

The congregation of the Congregational Church in Blaine, Washington has built three churches.  The first was a log cabin, the second a brick building, and the present church in the craftsman style faced with wooden shingles.

The first "Congregational Church was built in 1876 on California Creek, close to the corner of Loomis Trail Road near Blaine. This was the first church built in Whatcom County. (Washington) In his 80th year, the Reverend W.M. Stewart visited his son in Whatcom County and quickly decided to move here and build a church. He had led an active life. From 1914 to 1955, the Tom Snow family lived in the Church. It was moved to Pioneer Park in 1968 under the sponsorship of Elmer and Edna Pike. Meetings are still held in the church from spring to fall and it is growing as a popular location for small weddings." (Link 6.)  Each July during  "Old Settlers Week" the congregation  from today's United Church of Christ in Blaine holds their Sunday service at the log cabin.

    Congregation Church, Pioneer Village, Ferndale, Washington (Link 6.)

The second Congregational Church was built of brick in Blaine.  However, it was found that the bricks were faulty and after about 10 years the church was torn down.-Alma Wegener

The third and today's church was built at 885 4th Street in Blaine.

Sanctuary Entrance on 4th Street

       "Our church building, located on a corner property, was built in 

         1910 and still uses the bell from the original church of 1878. 

         The facility consists of the sanctuary, narthex, two offices, a 

         meeting room, and a music room upstairs. The downstairs (Dug

         after the church was built, possibly 1913, with access through 

         the door in the small addition on the Clark side of the 

          building.-Alma Wegener.)  includes a large fellowship hall,

         a kitchen, two classrooms, a nursery, and a playroom. 

         We also have a loft and additional room above the narthex. 

         We have an elevator providing handicap access to the main 

         level and downstairs. (In addition on Clark side of the 

         building-Alma Wegener.) The sanctuary is in a thrust stage 

         format (pews around three sides of the altar) and 

         the elevated,  formal altar is now the fourth wall 

         up two steps from the main floor." (Link 5.)

  Altar, 2014 (Link 1.)

The rectangular windows of the Sanctuary are of colored opaque glass in banks of two and three.  The banks of two feature center white bows. 

"Colorful ribbons and bows remind us of the bond of perfection which is love. They show us that all people are to be bound together in brotherhood and peace." (Link 2.) 

Sanctuary Stained Glass Windows

(Exterior)

The two center banks of three windows each feature  the cross in the middle with a spray of lilies on each side window.   The cross and crown " is often interpreted as symbolizing the reward in heaven (the crown) coming after the trials in this life (the cross) (James 1:12)." (Link 3.) "The white lily symbolizes purity and innocence and is the traditional flower of Easter.  The three petaled lily is also representative of the Blessed Trinity." (Link 4.)  

Sanctuary Stained Glass Windows
(Exterior)  

The church has a square steeple. The entrance to left of the steeple leads to the narthex with the three windows. (See top photo.) The altar of the sanctuary is at the opposite  end, toward Steen Street. (The roof dormers are original to the 1910 church.) The exterior of the church is surfaced in wooden shake shingles. 

                                             

 1950's or 1960's Addition,  Facing Steen Street

The 1950's or 1960's  addition facing Steen Street was built for Sunday school rooms, meeting rooms, and the music library.

Modern  Crafted Cross in Window  1950's or 1960's Addition

The modern crafted cross at the top of the steps at the entrance to the 1950's or 1960's addition was made by an interim minister who was also a metal artist.  It was bought by a member of the congregation and donated to the church.

Thank you: To congregation members Sandy Wolf and Alma Wegener for

            information on the church history.

Photos: Taken in February 2013 by SW.
Link 1: http://www.blaineucc.org/gallery.html (2014)
Link 2: http://www.penitents.org/stmartin2006.htm#CHRISTMAS_BOWS
Link 3: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_and_Crown
Link 4: http://www.goldclipart.com/products/crestchristian.htm
Link 5: http://blaineucc.org/uploads/UCC_Blaine_profile_Apr__11.pdf
Link 6: http://ferndaleheritagesociety.com/cabins.php#church

                                                                                                                           May 19, 2013

604 H Street Road

(West side of church)

St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church
Blaine, Washington

"Blaine is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The city's northern boundary is the Canadian border. Blaine is the shared home of the Peace Arch international monument. The population was 4,684 at the 2010 census.

Blaine, WA USA (Link 1.)

"The area was first settled in the mid-19th century by pioneers who established the town as a seaport for the west coast logging and fishing industries, and as a jumping off point for prospectors heading to British Columbia's gold fields....The city has a "turn-of-the-century" theme, marked by remodeled buildings and signs resembling designs that existed during the late 19th century and early 20th century.

"The world's largest salmon cannery ^[6]was operated by the Alaska Packer's Association for decades in Blaine; the cannery site has been converted to a waterfront destination resort on Semiahmoo Spit.... Several saw mills once operated on Blaine's waterfront, and much of the lumber was transported from its wharves and docks to help rebuild San Francisco following the 1906 fire there." (See Link 1.)

St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church is probably the closest United States church to the Canadian border in Washington state.  H Street is the first main intersection south of the Pacific Truck Crossing. At the south west corner is Blaine High School.  Six blocks west is St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church.  And  another six blocks west are the downtown streets of Blaine leading to the Pacific Ocean.

Front and east side of church
(Note 1960's Parish Hall addition)

St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church was built in Blaine in 1905, as the historic plaque attests.  "Saint Anne (also known as Ann or Anna, from Hebrew Hannah חַנָּה, meaning "favor" or "grace") of David's house and line, was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ..." (Link 2.)

"Greek icon of Saint Anne and Mary, by Angelos Akotantos"

(Link 2.)

The simple church has a small cupola style steeple topped by a cross.  The entrance is extended and has double doors.  Four Gothic pointed arched stained glass windows line each side of the sanctuary.

Sanctuary Window
(West side, exterior)

Sanctuary Window
(Exterior, west side)

Actually St. Anne's is one of two mission churches of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Ferndale, Washington.  The other mission church is St. Joachim of the Lummi Nation. As of 1996 these three churches have assumed the common name of The Northwest Corner Catholic Community.  The share a common pastor, staff, offices and in some areas, budget.  The members, as well as visitors from B.C., attend all three churches. The Northwest Corner Catholic Community is part of the Archdiocese of Seattle. (REF.)

"In 1860 Fr. Chirouse (from France) made his first visit to the Lummi Nation.... In 1861 Fr. Chirouse and the Lummis built a little log chapel near the mouth of the Nooksack River and dedicated it to St. Joachim-the father of the Virgin Mary and husband of St. Anne... the first Catholic inhabitants of ...Bellingham...sould cross the river in boats to attend mass at the Lummi church....a larger wooden frame church (was built) in 1869 (the present St. Joachim's)  It remains the 5th oldest standing church in Washington State...

"Fr. Chirouse also began to celebrate mass in homes of pioneer families in the Ferndale area, beginning in 1867.... In 1894 he (Fr. Boulet) and the Ferndale Catholics built the first St. Joseph's Church along the banks of the Nooksack.... in 1900, the St. Joseph's Church was moved to 3rd St. in Ferndale.

"Beginning in 1896, when Blaine was made a mission, Fr. Boulet took trips to Blaine by the train in order to celebrate mass in the Loomis Hall on Martin Street.  Our (St. Anne's) present site on 6th and H Streets was bought for $350 in September of 1905.  Fr. Boulet used money from his own savings to build the church between 1905-1907.... Fr. Boulet would come to Blaine once a month...  

"The 1920's brought many changes to our parishes.  In Blaine, St. Anne's underwent its first renovation... St. Anne's was enlarged in 1938 and the interior was covered with the present knotty pine paneling.  The parish hall was added in the 1960's, as was electric heat.  

Church Marque with Brass Historic Plaque Above 

"In, 1997, St. Anne's was named an official historic site in Blaine and a memorial plaque was affixed to the front of the church building." (REF.)

Photos: Taken in February 2013 by SW.
Reference: The Northwest Corner Catholic Community.  Thank you to Meg
               at the office at St. Joseph's for this publication.
Link 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaine,_Washington
Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Anne

Prayer

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

                                                                          April 7, 2013                                                 

382 Boblett Street (2013)

Christ Episcopal Church
Blaine, Washington

The first Christ Episcopal Church was built in Blaine in 1890.  It faced 4th Street at the southeast corner of 4th and D streets.  The  combined chapel and rectory seated 75. In 1892 the value of the church property was $2000. In 1904 this property was sold and the new church at on Boblett was built. (REF.)

The 1904 church was built in the Arts and Crafts design.  "Red cedar shingles cut in Blaine cover the exterior of Christ Church and its fellowship hall....  The shingles originally had a green stain ... The narrow Tudor upper brackets on the porches, the roof with the flared eaves, and the gable overhang shaped by the narthex window  are also Craftsman characteristics. (REF.)

Sanctuary (2013)

"The interior features plain fir woodwork in beaded wainscot and ceiling.  The fir scissors trusses and beams that support the building and the fir pews retain some of their original green tint.  The hall has the same fir wainscot, along with fir walls and coved ceiling.  The stained glass windows of deep purple and gold diamond panes with bright green trim are a Tudor design and complement the brown and green tones of the interior woodwork.  The diamond panes in the trefoil window above the altar were probably clear glass originally, colored now in pale purple shades caused by the action of sunlight on magnesium present in the glass made before World War I.  The narthex window is the only nod to traditional Gothic church architecture. 

Narthex Window (2013)

The present stained glass of the narthex window was originally donated in 1952.  "The red panel from the 1952 window was replaced in 2991 after being cracked by heavy equipment work on the road in front of the church.  Ruth Green, a stained glass craftsman formerly of Blaine, designed and made the panel of the narthex window that depicts a Celtic Cross. 

"A 1904 building cost memorandum lists $1906.85 for the church complex, including $115 for the lots.  An additional $797.65 covered freight, cement sidewalk, paving on Boblett and Adelia streets, and sewer work, for a total of $2704.50. (REF.)

"Christ (Episcopal) Church has a collection of original maple furnishings, likely made by J.M. Eaton...."  The altar is made of curly maple in memory of Rt. Rev. Philips Brooks the author of the words of "O Little Town of Bethlehem." In 1991 the moved forward from its original placement below the trefoil window. The brass "Holy Holy Holy" plaques  were moved from the reredo to the front of the altar." (See photo below.) (REF.)

Altar (Link.)

Stations of the Cross Plaque (2013)

Hanging on the walls of the Fellowship Hall are both photos of Roll Call of Clergy and plaques of Stations of the Cross.  The Roll Call of Clergy includes two that traveled from Canada for services.  The plaques of the Stations of the Cross (See photo above.) are part of an unfinished set carved in the 1990's by Donald Whitesmith, son of E. M. Smith, vicar 1907-1908. (REF.)

"Resurrection Window"

Hallway Stained Glass Window

The above stained glass "Resurrection Window" by Leslie Mason  brightens the hallway between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall.

"Our church is very active in the community with feeding the hungry, annual winter coat drives for the needy, local school supply drives, helping the unfortunate, elderly, and children in Mexico by supplying items for home and schools, building nursing homes and sanitary facilities." (REF.)

Christ Episcopal Church is also part of the early history of Saint Innocent Orthodox Christian Church in Everson, Washington (about 20 miles east of Blaine).  "The parish that became St. Innocent's had its beginnings at another church. In the late 1980s, the congregation of St. Herman of Alaska Russian Orthodox Church in Langley, British Columbia included several Americans who regularly commuted across the border to attend services.  As the American parishioners got to know each other, they developed the idea of founding their own parish on the American side of the border. Two major obstacles immediately presented themselves: the congregation had no building to worship in, and they were not recognized as a parish and thus did not have permission to serve liturgy.
 
"The first obstacle was temporarily resolved when Christ Episcopal Church in Blaine allowed the group to worship in their building. The parish began serving vespers on Wednesday nights in that location in March of 1990. (They continued to commute up to St. Herman's for Divine Liturgy.) Official parish status took a little more time, but in the end, the congregation's patience was rewarded. On June 14, 1992 (Pentecost Sunday) Father Mel celebrated the first Divine Liturgy. 15 people, 10 adults and five children, were present. After consideration, the parish took St. Innocent as their patron. St. Innocent was a great American saint, a man of many talents and almost inexhaustible drive and energy. It would take that kind of drive, the parishioners felt, to build the tiny parish into a thriving community. 

"The parish continued to worship at Christ Episcopal Church for almost four more years. During that time, the size of the parish grew and parishioners began to seek out a more permanent location. Although grateful for the generosity of Christ Episcopal Church, the Orthodox congregation had to admit that sharing space was inconvenient. The Orthodox had to wait until the Episcopalian service was completed to celebrate Divine Liturgy; often this meant that Liturgy would not begin until 11 or 11:30 in the morning. Furthermore, the service had to be "portable." The parishioners had to set up and take down their icons and other liturgical items each service. 
In January of 1996, the parish moved..." (Link 2.)

Thank you: To the congregation members who gave me the reference booklet and a tour of the church.

Photos: Taken in February 2013 by SW.

Reference 1: Christ Episcopal Church, Blaine, Washington 1904-2004.
Link 1: http://christchurchblaine.org/
Link 2: http://www.saintinnocentchurch.com/history.html
Note: 5/8/14 comment from April  Eaton- 

"Since your visit, the purple & gold argyle windows have been replaced with beautiful stained glass matching the landscapes of the environment they face (mountainscape on one side, beachscape on the other) with the 23rd Psalm running through each window wrapping the sanctuary. It is quite beautiful! The artist is Leslie Mason, a local glass artisan & parishioner (the same who did the Resurrection windows in your piece above)."                                                                             Prayer God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW)