WORSHIP, HOUSE OF

7591 Church Buildings and Usages

Churches in the United States have about $80 billion invested in real estate, mostly in church and Sunday school buildings. This represents about 80% of total resources of religious bodies in this country.

It has been estimated that America’s nearly 400,000 churches show a facility utilization rate of only 1%. This means the average church makes full use of its property and equipment about one hour for every 168 hours in the week. No architectural structure is used so sparingly in the world.

7592 Decor: Discomfort

Such is Time’s headline regarding Architect Wenzler of Milwaukee and his concept of church architecture. His new idea is meant to combat “complacency, smugness, comfort, escape from reality.” His plans are “no soft lights, lush carpeting, cushioned pews, or padded kneelers.” Says Spartan Wenzler: “The Church of today must be prodded, worried, concerned, disturbed.” After his exhortation came the congregation’s unanimous response: “Delighted.”

7593 To Face The East

In early centuries, churches were built with the pulpit on the east end. The sun rises in the east, and believers were supposed to look to the east for Christ’s return (Matt. 21:27).

During the Reformation, the pulpit was moved from the side of the nave, and people were positioned around it as focus point (amphitheatre style). There was a separate room for the Lord’s Supper with long table for the people to sit.

In the third century, basilicas had east ends raised a little, with a “bishop’s chair” at its center, from where he preached and was surrounded by presbyters. In front of him was the Lord’s Table, around which deacons grouped.

Today, many church building incorporate the above features: amphitheatre-styled seating around the pulpit, with raised platform.

7594 Lincoln As Church Builder

Due to the presidential campaign of 1860, the world knows that Abraham Lincoln put in time as a rail-splitter. Few people realize, however that in his youth Abe also helped his father construct a church building and was its janitor during his teens. This fully documented fact squeezed itself into history in a most curious way.

—Charles Ludwig

7595 Building Amidst Hard Times

During Cromwell’s seventeenth-century England most public worship became a crime and thousands of churches were torn down. One man built a church, even then, that still stands. The reason for its endurance can be interpreted from the inscription found over the door:

In the year 1653

When all things sacred throughout ye nation were

Either demolight or profane

Sir Robert Shirley, Baronet

Founded this church

Whose singular praise it is

To have done the best things

In ye worst times

and

Hoped them in the most callamitous.

7596 Pastor’s Insurance Builds Church

The death of a noted Oklahoma City minister will bring his congregation $400,000 closer to an ultra-modern youth center he had envisioned for his “Church of Tomorrow.”

He had been insured by his congregation, the First Christian Church of Oklahoma City, for $400,000, with the proceeds dedicated to help erect a million-dollar youth center. Construction on the building had already been slated to begin.

The Rev. William H. Alexander, 45, was killed in the crash of a light plane near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, this month. Alexander’s wife and the pilot of the plane also died.

—Christianity Today

7597 Made of Insulator Parts

In Pincher Greek, Alberta, Bastian Zoeteman, a retired businessman, worked for over eight months constructing a remarkable church from more than 7,000 glass telephone line insulator parts. The 8-by-8-by-14-foot “insulator church” is now on view for the public. Using cement moulds of his own design, he built clear insulators into wall panels and green-coloured insulators into windows and doors. The interior contains six small pews, a pulpit, and carpeting. A bell tower has been added to finish the exterior design.

7598 Everything Built By Himself

A spry sixty-eight-year-old man has set out to build a church by himself. He is spending his own money to build a cement-block-and-stone church complete with parking lot and auditorium on a five-acre plot near Greelawn, New York. William H. Henderson, who formerly owned a construction business, estimates that the church will cost him $90,000 when finished. He plans to leave it for people to use. He calls himself a minister, but one who prefers to do all the work “with my own two hands.” He boasts of not having “a lick of help” since beginning the project in 1963. “I don’t want anyone coming to help me,” he says. “Too many people gets things disorganized. I do better working by myself.”

7599 Poor Widow Also Helped

A king desired to build a cathedral, forbidding anyone from contributing anything, in order that the credit might be all his. A sign was placed on the site with the king’s name as builder.

But that night, he saw in a dream an angel who came to erase his name, replacing his name with the name of a poor widow. This was repeated three times.

Awaking from the dream, the king summoned the woman and demanded what she has been doing. The trembling woman replied, “I love the Lord and longed to do something for His name and for the building of His church. Since I was forbidden to touch it in any way, I brought a wisp of hay for the horses that drew the stones.” He commanded that her name be inscribed in the cathedral.

7600 Little Girl Also Helped

When Milan Cathedral was finished, in the vast throngs of people assembled to witness the dedication was a little girl who was heard to cry out in childish glee, as she pointed to the great building, “I helped to build that!” “What!” exclaimed one of the guards who was standing in brilliant uniform. “Show me what you did.” “I carried the dinner pail for my father while he worked up yonder,” she replied.

Her part, though humble, helped to complete the plans of the architect. In relating this story, Bishop Leonard makes this comment: “Our part in life may seem small, but it should bulk large in our thought when we remember that it is helping to complete the plan of the Divine Architect.”

—Christian Herald

7601 His Eye For Sale

He had two good eyes. Never had either of them given him any trouble. But he could see with one. He had tried it, and although his vision was limited to some extent, he could still get around.

Why not offer one of his good eyes to the hospital in the South? They would pay him good money, and he could—well, what could he do with the money?

Buy himself a car? Get a new house? Make sure that he lived well for months to come?

No, he wanted to give the money to repair the church building in which he and a handful of his fellow Christians met from Sunday to Sunday. It was badly in need of some repairs. When it rained, the people inside were soaked. When it was cold, they were exposed to the bitter wind.

That’s it! He would sell one of his eyes and give the money to the Lord. That would mean, of course, that he would be permanently disabled and disfigured; but he loved his Lord, and he wanted to do something for Him and for His people.

Arriving at the hospital, he offered his eye for sale; but the hospital authorities would not hear of such a thing. They immediately discouraged him and sent him back home, telling him that the members of his church should save in order to repair their church buildings. He should not have to sell his eye for that.

After this demonstration of love and sacrifice the members of his church did rally around, and although they were poor, desperately poor, repairs were duly made to the building. Repairs were made, but it took one man to provide the incentive—one man with an eye for sale.

—The Prairie Overcomer

7602 Church Bell And The Corn

There is a little town in the far north of Germany by the name of Grosslaswitz. In the tower of the village church is a bell with an engraving of a six-eared stock of corn, and the date, October 15, 1729.

Why the stock of corn? The church had an old bell which could not be heard throughout the village and, as you know, in those days people depended upon the bell to tell them the time of services. They decided to buy a new bell, which they found beyond their means, since the parishioners were rather poor. Each gave what he could, but it still was not enough.

The schoolmaster of the district on his way to church noticed a strong stock of corn growing out of the churchyard wall. He had an idea. Closely he watched the stalk until it grew six well-formed ears of corn. These he put away and sowed the next spring. Each year following he did the same thing, finally dividing the ears among his friends, until after eight years they raised a crop big enough to earn money to buy the bell.

From such a simple beginning and with wholehearted cooperation they secured the bell, whose story is told by the six-eared stalk of corn engraved upon it.

7603 “Humility Gate”

There is a church in Palestine the doorway of which is so low that one must stoop to enter it. This was to prevent medieval raiders from riding their horses into the church and disrupting the worship. The door is called “Humility Gate.”

7604 Two Bricks Per Sin

One of the distinctive sights for residents of and visitors to Bogota, Columbia, is the Church of the Penitents.

It stands at an elevation of 10,400 feet above sea level. It was built over 300 years ago by penitents who carried up two bricks for each sin committed.

A spectator beholding the building and recalling that each two bricks represents one sin could exclaim: “A church of sins!” or “A church which sins built!”

Although none of the original contributors of bricks is alive today, the bricks nevertheless perpetuate the memory of their sins.

—Christian Victory

7605 Gothic Church Moved

Prague, Czechoslovakia (AP)—What do you do when you find 88 million tons of coal under a 12,000-ton Gothic church? The Czechs decided to put the church on wheels and cart it to a new site. The church has now began its month-long journey of 1.2 to 3.2 centimeters per minute, almost one kilometer down the hill.

The church, built by King Vaclay I in the 13th century, has 20 outer and 16 inner graceful pillars reaching upward in an intricate web of masonry. It is considered one of the three architectural treasures of Bohemian religious art.

7606 When Church Is Miraculously Moved

The faith that moves mountains is borne out by the church that was moved by the Hand of God.

Such a church stands to this day in the village of Swan Quarter, North Carolina. Before it was built in 1874 the congregation eyed with longing a desirable plot of ground but was unable to purchase it for reasons deemed adequate by the owner of the land. The disappointed assemblage thereupon erected the structure on an alternative site—but could not forbear to cast longing glances at the original location.

Two years after the building was completed, on September 17, 1876, a storm of great violence struck the countryside. Pelting rain, a raging wind and roaring tide combined into a miraculous motive power. The edifice was lifted up by the elements as if it had been a scrap of paper. It was airborne a distance of 300 feet, and although its path was not straight, it found its mark with unerring accuracy.

The House of God came to rest upon the exact plot of ground which the worshippers had so ardently desired. The divine transfer awed and thrilled the village and even stilled the objections of the owners. The sacred edifice still stands on the plot ratified by the Hand of God. Its name has been changed from Methodist Protestant to the Church of Providence—and the site has long been acknowledged as Holy Ground.

MISCELLANEOUS

7607 No “Souls” In Cathedral?

An elderly lady was being conducted through a great cathedral in Europe. The guide spoke of its beauty of design, calling special attention to its statues and wonderful paintings. The old lady was unimpressed. At the conclusion of the tour, she asked the guide, “How many souls have been saved here this year?”

“My dear lady,” said the embarrassed guide, “this is a cathedral, not a chapel.”

—Walter B. Knight

7608 Playing It Safe

A certain congregation was about to erect a new church edifice. The building committee, in consecutive meetings passed the following resolutions: (1) We shall build a new church. (2) The new building is to be located on the site of the old one. (3) The material in the old building is to be used in the new one. (4) We shall continue to use the old building until the new one is completed.

7609 “Judas Iscariot!”

A minister riding a streetcar in N.Y. and passing a very nice church, sat next to a rider who said, “If these Christians would stop building fine churches and give their money to the poor, it would be much more to their credit.” “I’ve heard of similar remark before,” was the minister’s quiet reply. “By whom?” “Judas Iscariot.”

7610 Riverside Church’s Building

During my student days, Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick preached a sermon in the famous, multi-million dollar, Riverside Church which had just been built under his pastorate. Lest his members have too much pride in their new cathedral he preached a sermon on the subject, “The Wrong Way to Build a Church.” He took as his text the story of the builders of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9). Said those ancient builders, “Come let us build ourselves a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves.” Commented Dr. Fosdick, that a building program begun in pride was sure to end in disaster, and so it did.

—Eugene A. Hessel

7611 Scaling The Spire!

Rev. James Bogie, chaplain of York University, England, has found the ideal training ground for an Alpine expedition which he plans to lead this year. Every morning before communion, he scales the spire of the university chapel to get the feel of things. “It’s perfect,” he claims. “When the wind is up, the conditions can get similar to those I’ll encounter in the Alps.”

7612 Ideal Church Layout

There is a legend concerning a layman who promised to build a badly needed new auditorium for the church if permitted to keep the construction plans secret until the first day it was used. The big crowd came early and was seated near the door, one row at a time. When they were seated, the pews rolled automatically down to the front. The process continued until all were seated. The preacher was so carried away by the occasion, he was just getting wound up well at twelve o’clock. Sharply at two minutes past twelve, a trap door opened, and the preacher dropped into the basement.

—Maxwell Droke

7613 Parsonage Not Sacred?

The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that a parsonage is not a sacred building. It reversed a Circuit Court judge in Sarasota, who denied a liquor license to a place of business within 500 feet of a parsonage. The Supreme Court said that a parsonage, except for the “goodness” of its occupant, doesn’t differ from any other residence, because it is used for secular, not religious purposes.

—Christianity Today

7614 Tax-Exempt Custodians’ Buildings

Apartments owned by churches and inhabited by their custodians are exempted from real-property taxes, the County Board of Equalization has ruled in Seattle. It was argued that it would be unsafe to leave the church building unattended at night and that since the purposes of the church require a church building … it follows that the custodian’s apartment is used for church purposes.

—Pastor’s Manual

7615 Washington Cathedral

The “Washington Cathedral” is more officially the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul. Construction began in 1907 and is not expected to be completed until the year 2,000 when it will be the world’s fifth largest church building and bear a cost of many millions of dollars. It includes a bell tower over 300 feet tall that alone cost over two million dollars. This church is already famous with 100,000 visitors coming each year just to view its stained-glass windows and collections of religious art.

7616 Washington Cathedral’s Carvings

Since 1907 contractors, carpenters, and artists have been working on Washington Cathedral. No end is yet in sight. Some believe it will not be finished before 1990.

According to the Washington Post, “stone carvers in the thousand-year history of cathedral buildings have been having their fun by clowning around with original works of their own on the solemn edifices they are decorating—particularly when it comes to carving gargoyles up high and out of sight.” These gargoyles, we are told, “relieve the austere of the hundreds of angels and saints that are chiselled all over the structures.”

It has been made public that some of the gargoyles and grotesques carved on the Washington Cathedral’s rainspouts resemble such people as General de Gaulle, Eleanor Roosevelt and Albert Schweitzer.

“Whether names were attached before or after completion is the stonecarver’s secret.”

—Prairie Overcomer

7617 Gothic Preference

Over in the Registrar’s office they were busy compiling statistics about student religious preferences. They found the usual number of Methodist, Lutherans, Catholics, etc., listed under “Church Preference.” But a neatly- lettered card filled in by an architecture major really stopped them. His Church Preference was “Gothic.”

—Pelican

7618 Epigram On Worship (House of)

•     Seen on a church bulletin board: “You aren’t too bad to come in. You aren’t too good to stay out.”

—Indianapolis Star