November 1, 2015

St. John's Episcopal Church 2015

St. John's Episcopal Church

Ketchican, Alaska

"St. John's Episcopal Church and St. Agnes Mission 
were newly built above the tides in 1902."
(REF.)

"St. John's was built in 1904 on the waters edge. Many of the congregation who attended would tie up their boats to the pier at the church's front door, climb up a ladder and make their way into the church to worship. St. John's was constructed by local shipwrights and craftsmen using red cedar milled about three miles south of town in Saxman. Due to the growth of Ketchikan the pier which St. John's sat on has been replaced with a hard surfaced road known as Mission Street. " (Link 1.)

"In 1898, St. Agnes Mission was built in what is now St. John's parking lot. That native school was operated for almost 25 years before being turned over to the Office of Indian Affairs.

"The clergy house on the other side of the mission was enlarged between 1908 and 1912, and converted to a 12-bed hospital. In the 1970's and 1980's, it served as the Seamen's Center.

"In the 1960's, St. John's welcomed back the native congregation of St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, a mission church which had been formed out of the congregation of St. John's. Maintaining its presence in Ketchikan's downtown has remained a priority for St. John's, hosting weekly meals for the homeless and providing meeting space to various community groups.

Side View 2015

"To this purpose, parishioners keep the church open all week during the summer so visitors can share in the beauty and serenity of our sanctuary which is adorned with handsome stained glass windows, the oldest of which dates back to the 1930's. St. John's remains firm in both its mission--serving to the glory of God in Ketchikan---and its location--its steeple rising from the center of town as a visible symbol of God and his work.

Rear of Church 2015

"The old rectory which once stood behind the church was taken down to provide for the widening of Dock Street." (Link 2.)

                                                                        Sanctuary

(Link 1.)

"Upon entering the church you are immediately drawn to the stained glass windows which adorn the sanctuary, some of which date back to the 1930's. The alter and pipe organ are without a doubt some of the most beautiful I have ever seen.  (Link 1.)

                                         Statue carved from whale bone and

                                    adorned with gold from the 1800's gold rush.

(Link 1.)

                         Stained Glass Window (Link 1.)

                                           Stained Glass Window (Link 1.)

                                                Stained Glass Window (Link 1.)

Note: For map see Blog Post October 18, 2015.                                        

Exterior Photos: Taken in September 2015 by SW.
Reference:  Our Town, Discover Ketchikan Alaska.

Link 1: http://www.rwal54.newsvine.com/_news/2009/06/07/2905625-st-johns-episcopal-church-ketchikan-ak
Link 2: http://www.stjohnsketchikan.com/aboutus.htm

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/

*****

Prayer

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

                                                                          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)

                                                                    

                                                                                                          June 24, 2012

St. John's Episcopal Cathedral
127 Twelfth Avenue

St. John's Episcopal Cathedral
Spokane, Washington

St. John's Episcopal Cathedral at 127 Twelfth Avenue commands the escarpment south of the downtown area of Spokane.  Its spires and carillon bells are  beacons to the Christian community throughout the city.

"Notice the large rose window over the west entrance as it changes colors with the varying light of day."(See photo below.) (Reference.)

West entrance

"Often called the finest cathedral in the North west because of its beauty and authenticity, this Gothic-style cathedral was constructed between the years 1926 and 1954. Architect Harold C. Whitehouse adhered strictly to the principles of Gothic design in construction in this "labor of love".  Mr. Whitehouse worshipped here every Sunday until his death.  The solid masonry tower, which houses a carillon, stands 166 feet above the cathedral floor.  The interior is well worth a  tour." (Reference.)

Sanctuary

"The Cathedral organ is an instrument of generous size and genuine majesty representative of the finest period of cathedral organ design in America. It consists of three divisions and pedals plus a gallery division, over 4,000 pipes. It is installed in two chambers high above the entrance from the crossing to the chancel, with four ranks and the state trumpets mounted above the balcony at the west end of the Cathedral. The organ was designed, built and installed by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company of Boston, builders of the most notable pipe organs in America. In 2000, the console underwent major renovation and received new keyboards, draw knobs, digital combination action and digital control for all the pipework, performed by Marceau and Associates Pipe Organ Builders of Portland, Oregon.

"It is rare indeed for a city the size of Spokane to have a carillon at all, much less one as fine as this. The carillon in the tower of Washington National Cathedral, also cast and installed by Taylor and Sons, has only four more bells, 53 instead of 49." (See Link.)

One of a pair of front doors

Reference: Spokane's Historic Architecture, 1977.

Photos: Taken in October 2010 by SW.

Link: http://www.stjohns-cathedral.org/about/about_index.php

                                                                           Prayer

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

                                                                                                                        October 16, 2011

St. Margaret's Episcopal Church

Palm Desert, California

The first St. Margaret's Episcopal Church began in 1962.  70 people formed the congregation when they met for the first Eucharist in 1964 at the Fairway Cafe on Highway 111.  Later the congregation paid $50 a month to meet at the Silver Spur recreation building. A  new church was consecrated in 1965 with master plans for a large church building  just about where the current sanctuary now stands. Additions were made in 1971.  In 1991 this building was converted into a Parish Hall with a stage and kitchen. (REF.)

A new church was planned and former President Gerald Ford participated in  the ground breaking.  "On 'St. Margaret’s Sunday', November 19, 1989, the new (current) sanctuary (at 47535 Highway 74, across the parking lot from the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church attended by President Eisenhower-see April 17, 2011 Blog Post) was consecrated..." (Link)

The first St. Francis statue was sculpted by Frances Rich, and stood in front of the church. In 1987  when the present sanctuary was dedicated it was moved to the north side of the patio and then in 1995 moved again to in front of the Nordstrom Campus of St. Margaret's Episcopal School.

The bell tower holds a C bell that was cast in 1908.

"While President of the United States, Gerald and Betty Ford attended services here. Later the Fords became Seasonal Members of St. Margaret’s," (Link.)and their daughter Susan was married there in 1979.  President and Mrs. Bush have also attended services. (REF.)

In 1994 St. Margaret's School opened its doors adjacent to the church.  The original attendance was 25 kindergarten and 1st grade students.  Today the school serves preschool, elementary, and middle school students.

Photos: Taken in 2010 by SW.

Link: http://www.stmargarets.org/
REFERENCE: "A Brief History" pamphlet available at the church. 
Note: For information about Palm Desert see Blog Post April 17, 2011.

**********

Prayer

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

                                                                                                          May 15, 2011

4778  Island Highway

St. Andrew's Pioneer Church
Courtenay, B.C.

St. Andrew's Pioneer Church is situated at 4778 Island Highway. It is one  mile north of downtown Courtenay, B.C. and 27  miles north of the Fanny Bay Inn (See October 2nd, 2010 blog post, http://www.demolitionmama.blogspot.com/ Saturday Travel Feature, the Fanny Bay Inn, Fanny Bay, B.C.) on the very same highway as the Inn.

Courtenay, B.C. on Vancouver Island (Mapquest)

"Used since 2002 by Living Word Reformed Episcopal Church, this building is also known as St. Andrew's Pioneer Church. It was constructed in 1876 after a group of local Presbyterians, who had been meeting  jointly with the people of St. Andrew's Anglican Church, chose to form their own congregation. The building was actively used by the original congregation until about 1950, at which time it was temporarily taken over by a Lutheran congregation in the process of building their own facilities. From approximately 1955 to 1977 the building was vacant and fell into disrepair. In the late 1970's the descendants of the original builders restored the building. It came back into use as a church in 1989 when Covenant Congregational Church began using it. They met there until late 2001. The main body of the church remains essentially unchanged. A small addition was made to the back of the church in the mid-1990's to house a kitchen and washrooms downstairs and office and Sunday School space upstairs.

                                                 Sanctuary with original pews
                                                                    (Link 2.)

"The pews are original and were made from local materials not long after the building was constructed....  In the late 1990's wooden crosses were made and affixed to the end of the pews. I believe this was done about the same time the cross was added to the front of the church.... The pulpit, judging from the style, dates from 1900-1925 or thereabouts, but as far as I know has always been with the building.  The Communion Table was donated to the St. Andrew's Heritage Society by Comox United Church, I believe at the time of the centennial restoration project in 1977..  Like the pulpit, it's made of quarter-saw oak and probably dates to the same time period. 

"Based on the photos I have and/or have seen, the lychgate was built by Covenant Congregational Church, which used the building between 1989 and 2001." (See Reference.)

 "The building is a great example of early Vancouver Island pioneer architecture, built from local materials. Of special interest is the portion of wall just inside the main doors. Preserved behind glass is a section of wall showing the original plaster made on-site from oyster shells and horsehair. The floors in the nave are still the original hand-cut timbers.

City Cemetery 2011

City Cemetery Gravestone 2011

The church is situated in the city cemetery which was originally the parish cemetery. Grave markers for some of the founders are just outside the north door of the building." (Link 1.)

***********

Reference:  E mail from Rev. William Klock of history of the church and
               sanctuary.
Photo: Taken in Courtenay B.C. in 2011 by SW.
               For other photos see Link 2.
Link 1:
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM3ZH1_Living_Word_Reformed_Episcopal_Church
Link 2: http://homepage.mac.com/klock/lwec/index.htm

Prayer

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