# A Thread On Church Pictures?



## JonDouglas (Jul 28, 2021)

*Church Pictures*? As a kid, I never liked going to church. Instead of being out playing baseball or doing fun things on a day not in school, there was the agony of sitting for hours on a hard seat, listening to people who couldn't sing make noise, accompanied by some long-winded preacher telling me I was going to hell that was full of fire and brimstone. Since then, a better understanding of the historical and social significance of a town church has emerged. In the early days of this country, the town hall was also the church and vice versa. It was the social and governing center that got this nation moving and often the thread for the fabric of society. It would seem you wouldn't have to be "religious", a "believer" or church goer to at least understand their societal importance. As such, many of us find church structures to be interesting at the very least. You should be aware that one of the world's largest motorcycle forums, which is also one of the most "rough and tumble" and devoid of "shrinking violets" types has a thread on church pictures. So, to that end, we continue. . . .!

*An Old Stone Church*:  Built in the 1890s, this Baptist church was abandoned when the area around it was flooded as a water reservoir.







Now empty, with bare stone walls, the interior of the church looked like this back when it was built.






After being abandoned, the church fell into ruin.  In 1973 the roof collapsed into a pile of rubble.  Since then, the stone walls were repaired and a new roof structure built.  It was a community effort.  The interior was never refinished and is bare.






Today, the stone church is a local area attraction that also hosts weddings and, sometimes, special Sunday services.






The church continues to attracts a good number of couples, picnickers, walkers and photographers, especially in the fall.






If you've a picture of a church you like, post it.  My first post was, perhaps ironically, somewhat long-winded but yours needn't be.


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## CinnamonSugar (Jul 28, 2021)

Great thread, @JonDouglas !  Love churches and church architecture

here’s a few of the mission church in San Diego:


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## hollydolly (Jul 28, 2021)

Jon, that's probably the most scenic and prettiest church I've ever seen.....

Our churches are all small where I live here in the countryside.. so they're all village churches...I'll see  what I have, certainly nothing as spectacular as that... ^^^


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## katlupe (Jul 28, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> Jon, that's probably the most scenic and prettiest church I've ever seen.....
> 
> Our churches are all small where I live here in the countryside.. so they're all village churches...I'll see  what I have, certainly nothing as spectacular as that... ^^^


I love small churches and would love to see your village churches too.


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## bowmore (Jul 28, 2021)

katlupe said:


> I love small churches and would love to see your village churches too.


Our Lay Queen of Martyrs Angsley, Wales


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## JonDouglas (Jul 28, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> Jon, that's probably the most scenic and prettiest church I've ever seen.....
> 
> Our churches are all small where I live here in the countryside.. so they're all village churches...I'll see  what I have, certainly nothing as spectacular as that... ^^^


Thank  you, @CinnamonSugar for posting those.   Having been through some of the great cathedrals of Europe, I have a greater appreciation for what the smaller town and community churches has done in deeds, if not size.  Some people might find it odd that grizzled old motorcycle riders would like to take pictures of church structures and architectures, but there are a good number of us.  I will be posting more and hope you and others do the same.  Churches can be peaceful, restful and helpful places (without long-winded preachers yelling negative vibes).


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## JonDouglas (Jul 28, 2021)

CinnamonSugar said:


> Great thread, @JonDouglas !  Love churches and church architecture
> 
> here’s a few of the mission church in San Diego:
> 
> View attachment 175883View attachment 175884



Thank  you, @CinnamonSugar  for posting those.   Having been through some of the great cathedrals of Europe, I have a greater appreciation for what the smaller town and community churches have done in deeds, if not size.  Some people might find it odd that grizzled old motorcycle riders would like to take pictures of church structures and architectures, but there are a good number of us.  I will be posting more and hope you and others do the same.  Churches can be peaceful, restful and helpful places (without long-winded preachers yelling negative vibes).


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## hollydolly (Jul 28, 2021)

Well I've searched ,  and I know I have more somewhere especially from abroad.. but for now I can only find a few 

here's our village church in summer & winter.. these are old and taken with my old Fuji camera..


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## hollydolly (Jul 28, 2021)

This was a shrine of Mary Magdalene inside a mountain church in Spain, but for the life of me I can't find the pictures I took of the rest of the tiny church ..


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## Sassycakes (Jul 28, 2021)

St. Monica's Church where I went all my life until we moved almost 2 years ago. My Husband and I got married there.


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## JonDouglas (Jul 28, 2021)

One more for the road tonight.  Below is the 1766 Congregational Church in Shrewsbury, MA, where we used to live.  The picture was taken on Dec. 25 some years back.  In the summer, it becomes difficult to photograph the church for the trees.






Below is a picture of the sanctuary.


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## Pappy (Jul 28, 2021)

The Episcopal church where I married my wife in 1956. Rev. Charters was our minister.


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## hollydolly (Jul 29, 2021)

This is Sanctuary dedicated to Santa Maria Magdalena,  situated in the hamlet of Novelda near Alicante, Costa Blanca Spain... 

It's 100 feet high, and built in beautiful  Art Nouveau style...on the day we visted the church was closed, and there were no tourists.. but I've since learned that inside is Bare and bland with the exception of an organ totally made from Marble...


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## Happyflowerlady (Jul 29, 2021)

At the opposite end of the spectrum of churches, this is a little country church/graveyard that was built in north Idaho in 1903. When I lived about a mile down the road from the church, it had been closed for a while; but the building was open now and then for revivals, and other religious activities.
Out behind the church is the old cemetery, with the old style monuments, rather than the flat ones like most cemeteries now have. I have family members who are buried in that graveyard, so for me, this is a very special church .
The community has done remodeling work on the church, so it can now be used again, if someone wants to have an event (like a wedding) at the church.

We lived in a little cabin that didn’t have running water, so we drove our old pickup truck down to the church, and filled up the 55 gallon drums with water for ourselves and the livestock we had. There was even a small orchard along side of the church, so the kids picked up apples when we were getting water sometimes.


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## JonDouglas (Jul 29, 2021)

Happyflowerlady said:


> At the opposite end of the spectrum of churches, this is a little country church/graveyard that was built in north Idaho in 1903. When I lived about a mile down the road from the church, it had been closed for a while; but the building was open now and then for revivals, and other religious activities.
> Out behind the church is the old cemetery, with the old style monuments, rather than the flat ones like most cemeteries now have. I have family members who are buried in that graveyard, so for me, this is a very special church .
> The community has done remodeling work on the church, so it can now be used again, if someone wants to have an event (like a wedding) at the church.
> 
> ...


Personally, I think a church like that is just as good as any other and I would probably enjoy it as much as any other, assuming the minister wasn't long-winded preachy    .


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## Happyflowerlady (Jul 29, 2021)

Picture of the same church back in the 1950’s before the restoration and painting.


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## hollydolly (Jul 29, 2021)




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## ohioboy (Jul 29, 2021)

I like the little quaint church/cemetery Bobby Fisher was laid to rest at. The greatest chess player that ever lived.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laugardælir


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## RadishRose (Jul 29, 2021)

The "big" church downtown in the city I grew up in


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## hollydolly (Jul 30, 2021)

RadishRose said:


> The "big" church downtown in the city I grew up in


wow...that would be a Cathedral here....


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## JonDouglas (Jul 30, 2021)

I rode by this church in CT 6 years ago and stopped to get a pic but don't remember exactly where it was.


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## hollydolly (Jul 30, 2021)

This is the old church in the next village... it was built in the 1640's....


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## hollydolly (Jul 30, 2021)

This is the oldest church in our area.. it was built in the 13th century AD... and is still in use today, albeit tiny...


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## katlupe (Jul 31, 2021)

Pappy said:


> The Episcopal church where I married my wife in 1956. Rev. Charters was our minister.
> 
> View attachment 175950


Right up the street from me!


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## JonDouglas (Jul 31, 2021)

Below is the church in Leverett, MA, at coordinates 42.452141, -72.501529.






The view from the north side, above, is almost pastoral, so it was back from here where I launched the drone.






I then rolled left toward the road and got a more frontal pic






I feel an attack of fall color pics coming on.  Get the smelling salts.


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## katlupe (Jul 31, 2021)

I am taking my pictures from my mobility chair and sometimes they are at an angle. I try to fix them when I edit them but sometimes it is impossible. Sorry about that. This is pictures I took today of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church about half a block from where I live.


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## JonDouglas (Jul 31, 2021)

katlupe said:


> I am taking my pictures from my mobility chair and sometimes they are at an angle. I try to fix them when I edit them but sometimes it is impossible. Sorry about that. This is pictures I took today of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church about half a block from where I live.
> 
> View attachment 176461


Personally, I think angle shots are the best.  Love it.


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## JonDouglas (Aug 1, 2021)

*Church From Afar*:  Below is a picture of a church in Wilton, NH, that was taken from across the river (in the police station parking lot).







It was quite hazy that day, reportedly due to all the fires out west, which accounts for the loss of some (reflective) color.


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## -Oy- (Aug 2, 2021)

A few cathedral ceilings I've taken...

1. Peterborough





2. Ely





3. Rippon





4. Worcester





5. Carlisle





6. Chester


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## Capt Lightning (Aug 2, 2021)

St. Hubert's church,  Idsworth - close to where I lived in England.    Its origins are in the 9th. century, but was rebuilt in the 12th and 13th. centuries.  It has wall paintings from around that time.


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## JonDouglas (Aug 6, 2021)

Below is the 1874 Tudor Gothic style church built by industrialist George Gilbert, in the village that grew up around his mills.






As best I can tell, Gilbert did an excellent job creating a beautiful community for the people who worked in his mills.  As a related footnote, one of the very best, (wood-fired oven) bakeries I know if is just down the street.  To say their breads, danish and sticky buns are heavenly is an understatement,.


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## CinnamonSugar (Aug 6, 2021)

JonDouglas said:


> Below is the 1874 Tudor Gothic style church built by industrialist George Gilbert, in the village that grew up around his mills.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


O M Gosh, it's like a fairy tale come to life!  Beautiful!


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## win231 (Aug 6, 2021)

This one's down the hill from me.  (also an elementary, middle & high school)


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## JonDouglas (Aug 6, 2021)

CinnamonSugar said:


> O M Gosh, it's like a fairy tale come to life!  Beautiful!


It's absolutely gorgeous and, would you believe, in the winter of 2011-2012, the congregation closed the church and walked away.  I don't know why and am trying to find out but townsfolk and some of the congregation stepped in to save it. The church reopened in 2016 to all.  Just this summer, crews finished tuckpointing the upper reaches of the steeple. I've some homework to do on this one, including getting inside for pictures.  I understand Gilbert also bought and installed an organ of note.


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## CinnamonSugar (Aug 6, 2021)

The Methodist church on the grounds of Magnolia Manor. It has a carillon that plays various hymns on the hour


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## bowmore (Aug 6, 2021)

​St Columba's Chapel on the island of Canna, Inner Hebrides, Scotland.​.


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## win231 (Aug 6, 2021)

The Reagans were married in The Little Brown Church:


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## Leonie (Aug 6, 2021)

Found this little beauty in Port Douglas, Australia.  I liked the way the sun caught the windows.


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## katlupe (Aug 7, 2021)

The First Baptist Church within walking distance of my apartment. The trouble I found when trying to get pictures of my local churches in the downtown area is that other building are built in close proximity to the church. So hard to get the whole church without the other buildings. In the first picture the front of the building appears to be the back because it faces a parking lot on a side street.


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## CinnamonSugar (Aug 7, 2021)

Baptist church in Plains GA


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## katlupe (Aug 8, 2021)

This church is directly next door to my building. It is the United Church of Christ First Congregational. From their website: "The church  was organized in 1814 by settlers from New England, and identifies with the Pilgrims and Puritans of colonial New England, the founders of the Congregational tradition in America. The meeting house we now have was built in 1862, and the building was expanded to its present size in 1874."


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## katlupe (Aug 18, 2021)

A Methodist Church in Walton, NY.


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## Happyflowerlady (Sep 11, 2021)

This is a picture that my daughter just took. She is working in the Netherlands, and lives right on the waterfront of a canal.  The picture shows the canal with the cathedral in the background, all lit up at night.


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## hollydolly (Sep 11, 2021)

Me at the  Very high Lectern of our old 12th century village pub... (  sorry,  that the quality is bad, the photo was taken with someone's camera which didn't do well indoors)


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