•7:15 AM
Yesterday was a big day in the life of the church we have been attending this year. They held the very first worship service ever inside their new sanctuary, and we were there. Whereas I had mixed feelings a few weeks ago about the new property, I have to say that the experience yesterday was very beautiful. The music was extraordinary. The sermon was on Jacob's dream of a ladder going to heaven, and his later realization that surely the Lord had been in this place. And it took me back to the church experience of my childhood.
The whole time you are there, you have to remind yourself that this is a brand new church, built in 2009, the 21st century. Nobody builds churches that look like this anymore. Churches look more like civic centers or all purpose centers than traditional churches. Simplicity is the rule of the day. There are certain reasons for this, one of them economic (obvious) and the other is that modern churches seek to create a different ambience, tone, and environment than the churches of our grandparents did, mainly to attract the unchurched and the under 40 crowd.
Well, I have to say, the under 40 crowd was definitely here in force yesterday. In fact, on a normal Sunday, this church has about 900 in attendance. Yesterday, this 1500 seat structure was packed and rows of extra seats had to be put out. It seemed like nearly all the Reformed world (at least in our part of the state) was there to see the spectacle and to enjoy the first preaching of the pastor, Dr. R. C. Spr* ul, in his new sanctuary.
Now normally, Self-Reliant man and I are very pragmatic when it comes to the use of church resources, preferring the simpler and more cost efficient/ economic solution when spending church resources. In fact, if you don't have the money, don't spend it. That is the way we live our personal lives, and that is the way we especially believe the church should be when it comes to finances.
However, we definitely were caught up in the enthusiasm of the day, yesterday. Like I said, it was truly beautiful. The worship experience (which was the same as always except for special music), the grounds, everything about it, were beautiful. Those of you who live near me, you must check this out some time, either for a morning or evening service.
Music was provided by the normal string quartet that plays at every service, but in addition, there was a brass and woodwind ensemble, as well as the adult choir and organ. The music was glorious, and the acoustics (for the music) were amazing. What a place to play the violin! I could hear our friend's (Miss O, the leader of Mark's chamber trio) first violin all the way in the back of the church. Music included Sleeper's Awake (Bach) and Allegro from Magnificat (Bach). It was magnificent. The hymns that were sung were Surely the Lord is in this Place (Colvin), Holy, Holy, Holy! (Heber), Amazing Grace(Newton), and a hymn that was written by our pastor, Clothed in Righteousness.
Well, I felt like we were part of history yesterday, as it was the 12th anniversary of the founding of this counter-cultural church. I didn't take any pictures of the inside of the sanctuary but I do have these few photos of the outside and the grounds.
Here is the main entrance, after the service was over.
This is the adjacent lake, with a view of one of the structures of the adjoining property of Lig*nier Ac*demy (brand new seminary and Bible college).
A shot across the lake revealing a different building. This is taken from the fellowship hall of the new church.
Here is another picture of the grounds that you walk past between parking and entering the church. Not a bad place to go to seminary.
The whole time you are there, you have to remind yourself that this is a brand new church, built in 2009, the 21st century. Nobody builds churches that look like this anymore. Churches look more like civic centers or all purpose centers than traditional churches. Simplicity is the rule of the day. There are certain reasons for this, one of them economic (obvious) and the other is that modern churches seek to create a different ambience, tone, and environment than the churches of our grandparents did, mainly to attract the unchurched and the under 40 crowd.
Well, I have to say, the under 40 crowd was definitely here in force yesterday. In fact, on a normal Sunday, this church has about 900 in attendance. Yesterday, this 1500 seat structure was packed and rows of extra seats had to be put out. It seemed like nearly all the Reformed world (at least in our part of the state) was there to see the spectacle and to enjoy the first preaching of the pastor, Dr. R. C. Spr* ul, in his new sanctuary.
Now normally, Self-Reliant man and I are very pragmatic when it comes to the use of church resources, preferring the simpler and more cost efficient/ economic solution when spending church resources. In fact, if you don't have the money, don't spend it. That is the way we live our personal lives, and that is the way we especially believe the church should be when it comes to finances.
However, we definitely were caught up in the enthusiasm of the day, yesterday. Like I said, it was truly beautiful. The worship experience (which was the same as always except for special music), the grounds, everything about it, were beautiful. Those of you who live near me, you must check this out some time, either for a morning or evening service.
Music was provided by the normal string quartet that plays at every service, but in addition, there was a brass and woodwind ensemble, as well as the adult choir and organ. The music was glorious, and the acoustics (for the music) were amazing. What a place to play the violin! I could hear our friend's (Miss O, the leader of Mark's chamber trio) first violin all the way in the back of the church. Music included Sleeper's Awake (Bach) and Allegro from Magnificat (Bach). It was magnificent. The hymns that were sung were Surely the Lord is in this Place (Colvin), Holy, Holy, Holy! (Heber), Amazing Grace(Newton), and a hymn that was written by our pastor, Clothed in Righteousness.
Well, I felt like we were part of history yesterday, as it was the 12th anniversary of the founding of this counter-cultural church. I didn't take any pictures of the inside of the sanctuary but I do have these few photos of the outside and the grounds.
Here is the main entrance, after the service was over. 
This is the adjacent lake, with a view of one of the structures of the adjoining property of Lig*nier Ac*demy (brand new seminary and Bible college).
A shot across the lake revealing a different building. This is taken from the fellowship hall of the new church.
Here is another picture of the grounds that you walk past between parking and entering the church. Not a bad place to go to seminary.
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3 comments:
It is a lovely structure, and a very peaceful setting. Now wait a few years until your kids reach the 7th grade Child's History of Art: Sculpture course, and tell you about all the fabulous architectural details it contains!
How amazing to have a new church building. I don't think there are many new churches being built in Scotland, if at all. The problem is we have a surplus of old churches and falling congregations. Instead of a new build, what happens is that congregations merge, often 3 or 4, and use one of the existing, often hundreds of years old, buildings. The other churches are then deconsecrated and sold for other use. It's very sad.
I've always enjoyed going to church in the US, although my experience is limited to California. When I was a student I spent a couple of summers in LA and then returned with my family 20 years later on a house exchange holiday. The churches were so full of life - and young families! They really made us feel part of the community and we could have stayed on quite happily.
What a beautiful church and seminary! I definitely thought it was an old church when I first saw the pictures. Sounds like you had a wonderful worship service there.