May 22, 2016

Oratory of Our Lady of Fatima

Oratory of Our Lady of Fatima
Chiasso, Switzerland

"As the southernmost of Switzerland's municipalities, Chiasso is located at the border with Italy, ...From the 2000 census, 6,235 or 80.8% were Roman Catholic,...The entire village of Chiasso is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites (Link 1.)

Chiasso, Switzerland at the most southern tip of Switzerland

(Google Map)

The simple pale yellow church faced with its four white columns  is now nestled between two tall apartment buildings.  It features a single center door and two round upper windows.  Its single peaked roof is supported by a facade of short white triple columns.

Sanctuary and Altar

"The church-oratory of Our Lady of Fatima in Chiasso is a neoclassical building built in 1844 by Luigi Fontana (1812-1877) by Antonio Bernasconi, consecrated in 1845. The facade has two pairs of paired pilasters and pediment. Restorations in the years 1957 and 1995, directed by Elio Ostinelli (born in 1948) and Peter Preisig.

Inside the hall is covered with a barrel vault, the choir has a vault with the fresco of the Assumption in the style of Antonio Rinaldi, of the nineteenth century.   in the aisle, portrait busts of Bernasconi brothers, of the nineteenth century; small altar painted doors with scenes from the life of St. Francis de Sales (?), the beginning of the eighteenth century; marble statues of Tavarelli 1936 Saints Peter and Paul, already on the high altar of the parish Tele depicting San Carlo Borromeo, St. Anne with the child Mary, the Visitation, all works of the seventeenth century; Madonna." (Link 2.)

Nave Crucifix

Small altar painted doors with scenes from the life of St. Francis de Sales

Marble statues of Tavarelli 1936 Saints Peter and Paul

Stained Glass Windows

Sanctuary Paintings

Portrait Busts of the Bernasconi Brothers

Bronze Plaque

Photos: Taken on an iPhone by RW while visiting Chiasso from his home in
                 Basel, Switzerland.
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiasso
Link 2: http://www.wikideep.it/madonna-di-fatima/ (translation)

Prayer

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

1330 Lakeshore Avenue

(Yahoo Images)

Lake Merritt United Methodist Church
Oakland, California

"Part of the Oakland geologic map showing Lake Merritt and surrounding geologic units"

(Link 4.)

"Lake Merritt is a large tidal lagoon in the center of Oakland, California, just east of Downtown. It is surrounded by parkland and city neighborhoods. It is historically significant as the United States' first official wildlife refuge, designated in 1870, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1966." (Link 3.)

"In June, 1984, two churches with long histories in central Oakland, First United Methodist Church, and St. Stephens United Methodist Church, merged to create Lake Merritt United Methodist Church.

"On July 4, 1981, the First United Methodist Church building caught fire for unknown cause, and was mostly destroyed, although some of the contents and stained glass windows were rescued. (The saved figural design stained glass windows are installed in light boxes in the hallway of the lower level of the church. Several of the geometrical design windows are installed in the Administrative Office hallway.)

Tiffany Panel

(Link2.)

" An invitation was extended by the St. Stephens United Methodist to combine the two Methodist churches for worship services and program.

"Soon merger conversations began, making the decision in 1984 to go ahead,...The name, “Lake Merritt United Methodist Church” was selected and the property at 1330 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland, on the eastern shore of Lake Merritt was purchased..      

"Architect Terrill Wade, of the firm Gillis, Judson, and Wade, designed the new building... The completed building was Hallowed on March 21, 1991, 

  
Lake Merritt United Methodist Church 
(Yahoo Images)     

"The western main entrance of the building at 1330 Lakeshore Ave., features a colored granite grand staircase. The sanctuary’s floor to ceiling windows frame a beautiful view of the lake and downtown Oakland. The northern wall is nearly completely covered by a triptych of three glass mosaic panels entitled “Te Deum Laudamus” (We Praise You, Lord) constructed under the direction of Louis Comfort Tiffany in about 1920." (Link 1.)


Thank you: To Rob Herrmann, Congregational Administrator, Lake Merritt 
               United Methodist Church
Link 1: http://www.lakemerrittumc.org/default.asp?sec_id=18001594Link 2: http://www.lakemerrittumc.org/site/cpage.asp?cpage_id=180076993&sec_id=180015948

Link 3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Merritt
Link 4: http://geology.about.com/library/bl/tours/bloaklandgeo-lake.htm

Prayer

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

                                                                                                                May 8, 2016

Cathedral of Lourdes Catholic Church

Booklet

Spokane Washington Churches

The Booklet "Spokane Washington Churches" has been donated to the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture Eastern Washington State Historical Society-Archives.

Title Page

The booklet is a compilation of blog posts from "Churches On Sundays" at http://www.churchesonsundays.blogspot.com of churches in Spokane, Washington.

Table of Contents

Cover: Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church

              1121 West Riverside Dr.

              Blog Post at July 22, 2012

Christ Episcopal Church

Booklet
Blaine Washington Churches

The booklet is a compilation of blog posts from "Churches On Sundays" at http://www.churchesonsundays.blogspot.com of churches in Spokane, Washington.

Title Page

The Booklet "Blaine Washington Churches" has been donated to the Whatcom County Historical Society.

Table of Contents

Cover: Christ Episcopal Church

               382 Boblett Street

               Blaine, Washington

               Blog Post April 7, 2013

Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church

Booklet
Palm Springs Area 
California

The booklet is a compilation of blog posts from "Churches On Sundays" at http://www.churchesonsundays.blogspot.com of churches in Spokane, Washington.

Title Page

The Booklet "Palm Springs Area Churches" has been donated to the Palm Springs Heritage Society.

Table of Contents

Cover:Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church

             47321 Highway 74 

             Palm Desert

             Blog Post 4/17/11

Gelterkinden Roman Catholic Church

Brulegasse 7

Gelterkinden Roman Catholic Church
Gelterkinden, Basel, Switzerland

"Gelterkinden is a municipality in the district of Sissach in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland...From the 2000 census, 1,248 or 22.8% were Roman Catholic,...(Link 2.)

"The Roman Catholic church of Gelterkinden is located south of the old town center. The white church has a square steeple at the left side. The main side is oriented towards north. Above the main entrance there is a large stained glass window.

"The church does not seem to have any well known name. It is just called the catholic church, even on their own web site. I could not find any documentation about this building; all I know is that it is from the 20th century." (Link 3.)

Sanctuary

Stained Glass Window Above Nave

Sanctuary Windows

Sanctuary Organ


Baptismal Font

Madonna and Child Sculpture

Saint Antoine with Infant Jesus

"Stations of the Cross refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and also to the prayers Christians say when contemplating those images. Often a series of 14 images will be arranged in numbered order around a church nave or along a path, and the faithful travel from image to image, in order, stopping at each "station" to say the selected prayers and reflections. This will be done individually or in groups. Occasionally the faithful might say the Stations of the Cross without there being any image, such as when the Pope leads the Stations of the Cross around the Colosseum in Rome on Good Friday. This practice is common in Roman Catholic, as well as in a number of Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist churches.

Metal Sculptures of Stations of the Cross

1. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane,
2. Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested,
3. Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin,
4. Jesus is denied by Peter,
5. Jesus is judged by Pilate
6. Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns,
7. Jesus takes up his cross,
8. Jesus is helped by Simon to carry his cross,
9. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem,
10. Jesus is crucified,
11. Jesus promises his kingdom to the repentant thief,
12. Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other,
13. Jesus dies on the cross,
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb " (Link 5.)

Side View of Gelterkinden Church

************

Photo: Taken by RW with i Phone while living and working in

               Basel,  Switzerland.

Link 1: http://www.kathbl.ch/index.php/kirchgemeinden/151-gelterkinden 
              (translation)
Link 2:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelterkinden
Link 3: http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMN0MD_Katholische_Kirche_Gelterkinden_BL_Switzerland
Link 4: http://www.katholische-kirche-gelterkinden.ch/
Link 5: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross

Prayer

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

Bay View United Methodist Church

2772 Kinnickinnick Avenue

Blog Post: 7/3/11

Booklet

Churches of Bay View

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This booklet is a compilation of blog posts from "Churches On Sundays" at http://www.churchesonsundays.blogspot.com of churches the Bay View area of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

The Booklet "Churches of Bay View" has been donated to the Bay View Historical Society. 

FORWARD

I grew up in Bay View, in our family home at 2839 South Logan Avenue where my parents, Hazel and Orville Frank lived from 1938 to the late 1960's.  

2839 S. Logan Avenue

(watercolor by Suzanne Wilson)

The six surrounding churches were part of my life during those years and are part of my most vivid memories to this day. I had some or much contact with all of them: Bay View Methodist Church, Bay View Baptist Church, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church,  St. Lucas Lutheran Church,  Christ Church, and St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

Orville and Hazel Frank

Mark and Suzanne

(Probably 1946)

One of my first memories of my brother Mark (now deceased), four years younger than me, is walking him to Sunday School at Bay View Methodist Church.  I still can feel his soft small hand holding tight to mine.  We walked down Logan Ave. to Montana St. for three short blocks to Clements St.               then across Kinnickinnic Ave. to Trinity Methodist Church (the name at that time).

Bay View Methodist Church/Trinity Methodist Church was "my church"; it was my parents church  Some of my best friends were made there: Ann Middleton, Diane Carter, both of which I am still in contact with.  Diane (Carter) Wilhite and I travelled to Israel together in 1992. We met weekly in Sunday School, MYF, and choir with Mrs. Cotton. My piano teachers, first Muriel Blackwood and later Pauline Middleton were also members of the congregation.

Bay View Baptist Church on Logan Ave. was a block closer to K K Avenue than our house. Again I walked by it on a regular basis on the way to K K Avenue or on the way to Llewellyn Library just around the corner on Russell Avenue. Again we had neighbors that attended the church, Mel and Ethel Salmon.

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church was the church that was at the end of my street, Logan Avenue.  I saw it on the way to school, when I went shopping on K K Avenue, or when I waited for the #15 streetcar to go to Mitchell St. or Downtown to Wisconsin Ave. Our neighbors next door, the Greulich's, attended church there. 

St. Lucas Lutheran Church is also on Kinnickinnic Avenue. Although both of my grandmothers attended Lutheran Churches what was important to me was that it was in back of my grade school, Dover Street School.  So although I was never inside, it was daily in my periphery.

St. Lucas Lutheran Church was also on Kinnickinnic Avenue. Although both of my grandmothers attended Lutheran Churches what was important to me was that it was in back of my grade school, Dover Street School.  So although I was never inside, it was daily in my periphery.

Christ Church, on Oklahoma Avenue, across the street from Humbolt Park is where I went every week with my Clement Avenue friend Darlene Gruneau (now deceased) to Girl Scouts.  Our leader was Mrs. Kearns, Louis Kearns mother. Our 1956 graduation class also attended Sunday worship aws a group on graduation weekend.  It is a vivid memory since it is one of the only times in my life I remember fainting, right during the singing of one of the hymns.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church was just down the block from Christ Church on Oklahoma Avenue. I saw this church on a weekly bases as I grew up because it was across the street from Lakeside Bakery.  And Lakeside Bakery was where my dad took me each week for a shneck of my choice.

Blog Posts of these 6 churches are included in this Booklet "Churches of Bay View".  The 7th church is the Welch Church which I included because I found in my research that it was the first church established in Bay View. I have walked on Superior Street, but don't remember seeing it.

This strong presence of "Churches" has continued where ever I have lived: Madison Wisconsin, Hollywood California, Vancouver Island B.C. Canada, and North Vancouver B.C. Canada  It also was the influence and inspiration for me to write the Blog "Churches On Sundays".  By Suzanne(Frank)Wilson, 2016.

**************

            Bay View United Methodist Church, 2772 South Kinnickinnic Ave.,    
                               6/26/11.
            Christ Church UCC, 915 Oklahoma Avenue, 8/14/11.
            Immaculate Conception Catholic Church,1023 East Russell Ave.,  6/3/12.
            St. Lucas Lutheran Church, 2605 S. Kinnickinnic Ave, 2/14/16. 
            Posthumous-Bay View Baptist Church, 2701 S. Logan Ave., 3/27/16.
            St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 3200 S. Herman St., 6/12/16.
          
            First Church-Welch Church, 2739 South Superior Street, 6/19/16.
                                                            ************************

Note: Suzanne(Frank)Wilson was a member of the Bay View High School graduating  class of 1956 and a classmate and friend of John Ebersol.