One of most popular shows on PBS is still This Old House, now in its 45th season. I was curious about its popularity and found that many people believe “the show's popularity is due to its ability to educate and empower homeowners with trusted content. Viewers say the show has given them the confidence to tackle projects and have meaningful conversations with tradespeople.”
Interesting to me, in my search, was the lack of a deeper perspective from the homeowners themselves. Yes, they want to learn how to do things and how to do them right, but ultimately, don’t these people go through the gyrations of renovation because they love the house? They believe in the bones of the house to be solid and worth maintaining and enhancing. The house is part of them and they are part of the house.
Certainly, this is one of main reasons we work and worship at St. John’s Church. We love this building, built in 1809. We love the large stained glass window at the back of the chancel and above the altar, the simple appliqued designs of the sanctuary windows, the luscious colors of the walls, the large old ball pendant lights, the carved woods, and the hand-needlepointed kneelers. And of course, the pipe organ that fills the space luxuriously when played with deft hands and feet.
It’s not hard to imagine these same pews filled with people from two hundred years ago, their heads bowed in reverence to a God who saved this little piece of glory during the War of 1812 and then later, from the ravages of a fire. Truly, “peace like a river” flows through this space.
But with all of the appreciation for a historic building, what ultimately makes a church is the people who make community within it.
Some of the parishioners have attended St. John’s over seventy years and some less, like thirty or forty years, while still others are new to the fold, and have called St. John’s home for seven, four, or even a year. But no matter the length of time, it’s clear they are all here to stay, to build community, to worship God, and to reach out to others with the love Jesus taught us to practice.
Remember, what we love is a very old building. But, like an old car, things begin to fail as the years accumulate. Most recently, the air conditioning (important to the integrity of the plaster walls, the pipe organ, and to combat mold spores) went out on us and that fundraising campaign just raised $25K for replacement but now we are looking at another $15K for ongoing maintenance, floor replacement in the Admin building, brick that needs re-pointing, and windows re-caulking. Will “this old church” ever be done? Probably not. Is it worth it? We think so because this building’s soul is still alive! -- by Irmgarde Brown
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