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.)

                                                                                                                         June 17, 2012

806 West Knox Avenue

Corner of Knox and Post

Knox Presbyterian Church
Spokane, Washington

The origin of Knox Presbyterian Church started with the formation of Centenary Presbyterian Church in 1888.  It was organized by the pastor of First Presbyterian Church,  Spokane and had 19 members.  It was at Centenary Presbyterian Church, at the suggestion of Sonora Smart Dodd,  that the national  holiday "Father's Day" originated on June 10, 1910. (Link 3.)  "The Centenary Church at Sinto Avenue and Wall Street was partially destroyed by fire on March 2, 1917. " (Link  2.)    

                                       Centenary Presbyterian Church (Link 4.)

"Ground was broken May 17th  (1917) for a new edifice at Knox Avenue and Post Street with the name changed to Knox Presbyterian Church in honor of John Knox, the founder of Presbyterianism. The first service was held in the new building on November 11, 1917, less than six months from the time of groundbreaking. On December 1, 1918 the Reverend W. S. Middlemass of Red Wing, Minnesota was called at a salary of $1800 and free use of the manse. At the end of 1918 church membership was 338 and the outstanding indebtedness was $12,000... After Mr. Middlemass left, the Reverend Charles F. Koehler served from 1923 until 1946. His ministry was notable for 34 young people who went into various forms of full-time service for Christ. (Link 2.)

Sanctuary

Stained Glass Windows

Knox Street side of Sanctuary

Dormers in Roof of Sanctuary

"On February 17, 1957 a remodeled church was dedicated. The structure included new east and west entrances , extensive alterations to the sanctuary and educational units, and electrical and heating improvements. (Link 2.)

The old 1917 church building was nestled in the center of the new surrounding 1957 red brick.  A new entrance on the corner of Post St.and Knox St. was added to the sanctuary and downstairs fellowship hall.  Another addition was built on to the original 1917 building at the alley corner off Post St. The  large educational wing was added to the far end of the original 1917 building.  However, the 1917 sanctuary retained many of original elements: the dark wood beams of the ceiling, the stained glass windows, and the dormers in the roof.  At intervals its 1917 stained glass windows peek through the 1957 red brick.

Rear View from Post Street

"The Reverend Leigh P. Taylor began the second longest pastorate at Knox Church on August 1, 1967. His coming inaugurated one change in the relationship between church and pastor. He was offered the choice of the use of the manse or a manse allowance. He accepted the allowance and served the church for 23 years. He became very involved in the establishment and progress of “Operation Nightwalk” which began in October 1970. Spokane ministers took turns walking the streets of downtown Spokane at night to be available to individuals with problems of homelessness and despair. In 1980 the Reverend Joel Crosby began his ministry at Knox. His tenure included the formation of a “Trainee” ministry to conduct an active ministry with children, youth and adults during summer times. The program was supplemented by an “Enabler” ministry in which employed young people were encouraged to give spare time to church service. 

"The history of Knox Church would not be complete without mention of the unique ministry of Albert Arend. He was born June 5, 1900 and joined Knox Church in 1910. At age 22 he became an elder of Knox Church. During the years that followed he spearheaded the Christian Endeavor movement at the church. Of special interest also is the correspondence relating to the rescue of the Reverend Leon I. Rosenberg from Nazi persecution in Lodz, Poland just before WWII." (Link 2.)

"Knox Presbyterian Church has embarked on a fascinating new journey called Shared Ministry. Shared Ministry represents a return to how the early Christian churches practiced and lived their faith. It is congregation-centric, not leader-centric as in the true spirit of Presbyterianism. Under the Shared Ministry model adopted by Knox Presbyterian Church, the Session (elders) provides the vision and leadership for the church, and the congregants—by organizing and actively participating in one of three shared ministry  “teams” (Administration; Worship experience; Outreach/mission)—run the church. In fact, Knox and its shared ministry ‘experiment’ will be one of the daily featured devotionals in the 2012 Presbyterian Yearbook For Prayer." (Link 1.)

The Korean congregation of Spokane Hope Christian Reformed Church also meets at Knox Presbyterian Church.  

Note: For more on the origin of Father's Day see Blog Post 1/17/2012 on Central United Methodist Church, Spokane, Washington.
Photos: Taken in April 2012 by SW.
Link 1: http://www.spokaneknoxpc.org/
Link 2: http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/ark:/80444/xv71480
Link 3: http://fathersdaybirthplace.com/includes/media/documents/FathersDayPressRelease_srcvb0110.pdf
Link 4: http://www.sos.wa.gov/history/cities_detail.aspx?i=18

                                                                            Prayer

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

                                                                                                                June 10, 2012

First Presbyterian Church
1910 Church
Fourth and Cedar

First Presbyterian Church
Spokane, Washington

"The Rev. Thomas G. Watson, a Presbyterian missionary from Waukesha, Wisc., stepped off the train in Spokane Falls, as Spokane was then known, in 1883 to start a new church in the dusty frontier town of 1,500... meeting in various downtown buildings..." (REF 2.)

One of these was the Bank of Spokane Falls.  In 1884 they moved because the  bank needed the office space.  (REF 1.)

Bank of Spokane Falls (REF 1.)

"... a new First Presbyterian Church was dedicated in December 1886 at the corner of Riverside Avenue and Monroe Street.  The cost: $3,200.  Amid a real estate boom, the church was sold in 1889 for $21,000..." (REF 2.)

1886 Church (REF 1,)

"The congregation's first edifice of its own, erected 1886, where the Spokesman- Review building now stands, served the members until early 1889 when it was sold for $21,000 in a booming real estate market.

1890 Church (REF 1.)

"The second building, dedicated Dec. 21, 1890, was located at the south-east corner of Second and Jefferson Streets.  Church officers considered it a temporary place of worship since they envisioned a "magnificent stone church" to be built on an eligible site.

1890 Interior (REF 1.)

"Interior of Second and Jefferson church.  It was fitted out with 535 opera chairs.  The congregation worshipped here until 1910. (REF 1.)

The  new stately stone church that is used today was built  at Fourth and Cedar and  dedicated June 12, 1910. (REF 1.)  

The sanctuary arches around the distinctive exposed organ pipes at the back of the chancel.  Below the pipes are the chairs for the choir.   A large stained glass window is on the wall to the right of the pipes and a decorative screen on the wall to the left. The red draped area of the chancel in the photo below held the bells for the bell ringing choir that was playing to celebrate Easter.  The curved communion rail is below that.  The pews are banked with side aisles.  Large stained glass windowa also are on the east wall on the main floor and the south wall of the balcony. (See bottom photo.) Adjacent to the sanctuary on the west, below the wooden screen, is a room that can be opened for additional seating.

Sanctuary Easter Sunday 2012

East Wall of Sanctuary 2012

East Wall of Sanctuary 2012

(Center Detail)

Balcony 2012

In 1995 an education wing was added that includes a gym. A section of the exterior wall of the 1912 building was left exposed near the entrance to the new wing.   Today the First Presbyterian Church of Spokane serves a congregation of 2000.

Note: In Canada in the year 1925 The United Church of Canada was formed.  All the Methodist and Congregational Churches joined and most of the Presbyterian Churches.  Today there are still a few Presbyterian Churches in Canada, but only one in North Vancouver, St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church.  Suzanne Wilson attended this church for a short period of time and two of her children took piano lessons from the pastor's wife, Mildred Allison.

Thank you: To the ushers and women in the church library for their help.
Photos: Taken on Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012 by SW. 
                 Also from Reference 1. below.
REFERENCE 1: Many Lamps, One Light, A Centennial  History  1883-1983 
                       First Presbyterian Church, Spokane, Washington.
REFERENCE 2: The Spokasman-Review, February 20, 2012, page 5, 'Review Tower, Newspaper's home replaced Presbyterian church'.
Link: http://www.spokanefpc.org/

                                                                               Prayer

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

orld. Amen

                                                                                                                            6/3/12

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

1023 East Russell Avenue

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1023 Russell Ave. Entrance to church prior to 1959

(Published on Bay View Heritage Facebook)

According to the "1970 Photo Directory" of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, it was founded and dedicated in 1870.  The "1970 Photo Directory" which included the history of the church was published to commemorate its 100th anniversary.  The original entrance to the church was at 1023 Russell Avenue in the heart of the Bay View area on the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The high vaulted ceiling of the sanctuary gave it the look of a cathedral.

Sanctuary Stained Glass Window

Later additions to the church included the stained glass windows.  The primary window faces east and the church's school building.  The other five major windows depict the "Mysteries of the Rosary".  A new entrance, in the photo above,  on Kinnickinnic Avenue the main commercial street of Bay View, was built in 1959.  It features four Greek columns.  Sometime after 1959 the most spectacular feature of the church building was added.  This was the 2 1/2 storey high mosaic mural behind the front altar of the sanctuary.  It depicts the family tree of Jesus from Adam and Eve to Mary and Joseph.

Mosaic Mural behind the Front Altar

Today 500 families  are registered as member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.  The Pastor is Rev. Ronald E. Kotecki. 

Thank You: To Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Youth Minister Bob Boehm for the information references from the "1970 Photo Directory" regarding the history of the church.  .

Photos: Exterior photo taken in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2006  by SW. Interior photos taken by Myron Thomsen 2012.

Link:  http://icbayview.wordpress.com/

Note: Suzanne Wilson grew up on Logan Avenue (See Blog Post August 4, 2010.) two blocks from Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, (or "IC" as the neighbors called it). 

St. John the Divine Historic Church
Yale, B.C.

"Located at the southern entrance to the spectacular Fraser Canyon, the town of Yale is one of southwestern British Columbia's oldest and most historic communities, having been the bustling steamship navigation capital during the Gold Rush. (Link 1.)

"Founded as a Hudson's Bay fort in 1848, Yale rose to prominence as the inland terminus of the Fraser River sternwheelers and a waystation for those travelling up and down the Fraser River.

"Like many towns in British Columbia, Yale's fortunes followed that of the Gold Rush. In 1858 gold was discovered on a gravel bar just 2 miles south of Yale on the Fraser River. This place was soon known as Hill's Bar named after the prospector who found gold there. The discovery of gold caused a massive influx of people to pour into the region from all over the world, the majority of which came from the California Gold Rush of 1849. At the height of Gold Fever in 1858, this town boasted 20,000 residents.

"During the period of railway construction in the 1880's Yale became the main supply centre for all the work in the Cascade Division of British Columbia. The railway that now passes right through the middle of Yale in front of the museum and church is the Canadian Pacific Railway.

"Today the residents of Yale number only 200. Though the gold ran out, Yale continued prospering, as it still does today as a forestry and service centre."(See Link 4.)

Front of Church
Original 1863 Building Plans (Link 3.)

"St. John the Divine Anglican Church in Yale, BC. built in 1863 is one of the oldest churches in the province. Much of the church is still original, including the bell tower steeple and the pews. The Church was associated with the All Hallows Anglican girls school, which operated in Yale from 1884 to 1920. The Church is now de-sanctified and designated as a Provincial Heritage Site.

An exhibition entitled "Enduring Threads" was prepared by Jennifer Iredale  in 2003.  It included   handmade liturgical textiles from St. John the Divine Church  dating back to the time of its origins in the 1860s.   The catalogue is available from the Yale Museum." (See Link 1.)

Interior of Church
Original 1863 Building Plans (Link 3.)

Side and Interior of Church
Original 1863 Building Plans (Link 3.)

"While it is still not possible to attribute each piece from the Enduring Threads exhibit to its individual creators, it is now clear that they were made by First Nations and European students together with the nuns at All Hallows Anglican girls' school, which operated in Yale from 1884-1920. Three nuns from All Hallows convent  in Ditchingham, England (an order known for its fine ecclesiastical embroidery) arrived in British Columbia in 1884 to establish a school for First Nations girls from Lytton, Spuzzum and Yale, with a stun of money First Nations people had earned on construction of the railway, which they turned over to the Anglican church, says Ms. Iredale, quoting from newspaper articles of the time. A school for European girls was soon established next door at the request of settlers." (See Link 2.)

Back and Interior of Church
Original 1863 Building Plans (Link 3.)

For more on original site and architectural plans and details see Link 3.

 Photo: Taken in Yale, B.C. in 2005 by SW.
Link1:http://www.maltwood.uvic.ca/cura/projects/liturgical_textiles/home.html
Link2:http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Housekeeping+task+turns+up+treasures.-a0112244682
Link 3:http://www.bcheritage.ca/yale/tour/drstjhn.htm
Link 4: http://www.vancouverisland.com/regions/towns/?townID=3380

Prayer

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

680 Courtenay Street

1890 Church

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
Victoria, B.C.

"The 1868 Church

The 1868 Church

"First Steps

"After a number of unsuccessful attempts to resolve the difficulties with First Presbyertian Church, the newly formed congregation rented St Nicholas Hall on Broughton Street as a temporary home at a cost of $12 per month. Almost immediately they set about the task of building a new church.

"They applied to the Colonial government for a grant of land on the same terms that land had been provided to the Church of England when the colony was established. Seeing it as a troublesome precedent, the approach was quickly rejected. A request was then made to the Church of Scotland for a grant of $7,500 to assist building a church. After some consideration, the Colonial Committee of the church approved a grant of $2,500 and urged further discussions with First Presbyterian Church as the congregation there was very much smaller and the church building not well used. The discord of the initial separation however was still too fresh for a settlement to be reached.

"On March 21st 1868 a lot was acquired at the north east corner of Broughton and Courtney at a cost of $900. The building committee offered a prize of $100 for a church plan. H.O. Tiedemann's gothic style plan was selected and a contract for construction was awarded to Hayward and Jenkins. Tiedemann is perhaps better know as a surveyor who did a great deal of work mapping the interior

Navy Window

"Laying the Cornerstone 

"The lot was cleared, ground broken on August 4th and the cornerstone laid with a full Masonic ceremony on August 20th. There, representatives from Nanaimo and New Westminster and both the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the newly formed Grand Lodge of England participated. Rev Somerville, as the Chaplain of the Scottish Lodge, opened the ceremonies by depositing coins, a Masonic scroll and newspapers in an metal box in the stone. In a Masonic tradition, the plumb, level and square were applied by the officers of the Order and the Grand Master gave three knocks saying "May the Almighty Architect of the Universe look down with benignity upon our present undertaking and crown the edifice with success". Wine, corn and oil were applied to the cornerstone and the 100th Psalm sung. In his comments, Rev Somerville praised the recent decision the Lords and Privy Council to place Presbyterians, Methodists and Episcopalians on equal footing in the colonies.(1) The contents of the stone were recovered when the building was demolished in 1935 and the stone itself occupies a place of honour in the current church. 

Main Floor South Window

"Fundraising and Dedication

"The total cost of the new church was about $12,000 with the Church of Scotland contributing a very generous $7,500 and the Presbyterian Church in Canada $300. $575 was raised by the ladies of the church at soirees and concerts with tickets to the gala purchased broadly throughout the community. As was the practice of the day pews were rented by subscription and most had been sold before opening day. The church was dedicated and opened on April 4, 1869 with the service taken by Mr Lindsay of Portland in the morning and Mr Aitkens of First Presbyterian Church in the afternoon.

The Last Supper Window

"The Building 

"The gothic style church measured 82 ft 10 inches by 50 ft and could accommodate about 250. In 1881, the congregation acquired a new organ. The local newspaper reported that "besides being nearly as wide again as the Methodist instrument it is much loftier and will altogether present a much fined appearance. As John Robson, and elder of the Church was also the editor, we cannot altogether discount a degree of Presbyterian bias in the account. (3) The main pipes of this original organ remain a prominent part of the magnificent instrument that serves the church to this day. The building continued to serve the congregation until 1890 when it could no longer accommodate the burgeoning church attendance. After it was deconsecrated, it served as the first office for the Province Newspaper. Later still when the newspaper re-located to the mainland, it was converted to a garage and automobile display room. In 1935, the building was finally demolished to make way for a new bus depot. The cornerstone was recovered and for some years served as the baptismal font in the new church." (Link 2.)

"By 1888 the congregation had grown to almost 400 and the original church was simply too small. A building committee was formed chaired by John Robson. At the time Robson was the editor of the British Colonist and a long time elder of the church. By June 19th, a site had been acquired at the corner of Douglas and Broughton at a cost of $7,000 largely because it was less expensive than other options considered. Although the city was going through tough economic times, the church had some assets at its disposal including the old church, a hall on Broughton Street and two manses. The church also had a small group of active members including Robson, Robert Dunsmuir and R.P. Rithet who were among the wealthiest men in the city. 

Front Doors of 1890 Church

"The building committee selected Leonard Butress Trimen, a prominent architect recently arrived from England, to prepare a design that would, in both scale and grandeur, stand out in the community. His design, referred to as a Scotish Baronial Style, was originally to have been completed in stone at an estimated cost of $40,000.

"The final inspection of the building was completed on October 12th and the formal opening and dedication ceremony held on January 12th 1890. The new church building was reportedly the fourth church in North America to be equipped with electric lights. At the time, the lights themselves were leased along with the electric power at a cost of $200 per quarter, a very substantial sum in 1890. (Link 2.)

"Pipe Organ

"The first organ installed for the Congregation of St. Andrew’s dates back to 1879, and that organ was installed by the S. R. Warren & Son organ builders from Toronto, Ontario. That organ had to be shipped to Victoria by sea around the Cape Horn and was reported to be the finest and largest in the Province at that time. From its earliest home to the present, the organ has undergone a number of revisions, rebuilds and upgrades. Those revisions and upgrades saw the transformation of the original organ, wind powered by a water-engine and with a disposition of 21 stops to its current version of 72 speaking stops of which 37 are pipes and the remainder  digital, all available through a beautiful Rogers Organ console installed in 2001.

"The organ contains 2190 pipes, and the latest rank installed was the Trumpet 8′ built by Casavant Organ builders in Quebec, Canada. The pipe work still uses 3 ranks from the original Warren organ and was built by the Walker organ company in 1872.

"St Andrew’s was fortunate to be able to obtain a number of ranks of pipes from Christ Church Cathedral as the Cathedral replaced their organ with a new tracker instrument. Those ranks were from the English organ builder Hill Norman and Baird and added greatly to the current ensemble. (Link 1.)

Photos: Exterior photos of 1890 church taken in 2004 by SW.
Link 1: http://standrewsvictoria.ca/?page_id=386
Link 2: http://web.uvic.ca/vv/student/st_andrews/index.php

Prayer

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

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

349 North Main Street

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Seymour, Wisconsin

Emmanual Lutheran Church at 349 North Main Street in Seymour, Wisconsin was built in 1915. The red brick building with white Bedford stone trim around the trinity front doors features double square steeples with stained glass windows. The larger of the steeples contains a bell tower and clocks on each of its sides. A trinity stained glass window is above the front doors. The sides of the church also feature trinity stained glass windows. The church is on the corner of North Main Street and County Road G. If you travel further down North Main Street you come to the Outagamie Fair Grounds.

Sanctuary (Link 3.)

Deanna and Jay DeBruin are currently (2010) working on the history of Emmanual Lutheran Church. Here are some of the highlights from the Lutheran Standard of March 4, 1939. Rev. Frederick H. Ohlrogge was minister during the erection of the $30,000 church that was dedicated on Jan. 9, 1916. The debt was paid off in five years. The church is 110 feet long and 45 feet wide. The tallest of the square towers is 75 feet high. The front doors are of heavy oak. The Gothic design of the interior features a wooden altar in a large semicircular niche twenty feet wide. A life sized figure of the Lord with arms outstretched stands in the center of the altar and in the lower part a plaque of the Last Supper. The organ is in the rear balcony that seats 100. The main floor seats about 500. Cark Reiman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and a member of the Stained Glass Association of America 1912-1923 was the designer of the interior and the Neo-Gothic stained glass windows.

Note: Emmanual Lutheran was the church of Marie Juergenmeyer, Seymour Wisconsin, grandmother of Suzanne Marie Wilson, North Vancouver B.C., and great-great grandmother of Holly Marie Misner, Spokane Washington.

Suzanne remembers attending the church with her grandmother when she was a young child in the 1940's . It was there she learned the Apostle's Creed. The minister at that time was Rev. Theo Ohlrogge.

Note: See Blog  Demolition Mama, Post-February 20, 2010  for more about Seymour, Wisconsin.

Thank you: To Seymour Wisconsin residents: Deanna and Jay DeBruin, Ellen Piehl, and Mark Ellis.

Photo: Taken in 2006 by SW.

Link 1: http://seymourwi.com/
Link 2: https://seymourfaith.ctsmemberconnect.net/home-ctrl.do?view=0&grpId=35013
Link 3: https://seymourfaith.ctsmemberconnect.net/home-ctrl.do

Prayer

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