St Paul Lakewood Lutheran Church - Going, going....

[Jim O'Bryan]

The last piece of stained glass being removed from Lakewood Lutheran Church

after the last of the fixtures had been removed...


of everything...


The stained glass has been placed into storage for possible future use.

I have put together over 130 images of this process, please check them out at:

http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/jim-obryan/lakewood-lutheran-church-the-last-days

Related story: http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10281
Westshore fire departments to use the buildings (school and front retail building) all week
for practice. This was arraigned with the help of Zaremba Construction.

.

[Gary Rice]

Wow...

There are news photos and then, there's real photojournalism.

That photo of the worker removing the window of Christ is one of the most powerful statements that I've seen in a long time, concerning our city.

Nice work, Jim.

That was a true "front-page money shot", as its described in photojournalism circles...

Powerful, emotional... Especially for those of us having church traditions that we grew up with.

That photo brought a lump to my throat.

Back to the banjo...I need to either find a dirge, or a lament, to play today.

[Stephen Eisel]

So sad Nothing is permanent.

[Betsy Voinovich]

The last piece of stained glass being removed from Lakewood Lutheran Church

after the last of the fixtures had been removed...


of everything...


The stained glass has been placed into storage for possible future use.

I have put together over 130 images of this process, please check them out at:

http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/jim-obryan/lakewood-lutheran-church-the-last-days

Related story: http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10281
Westshore fire departments to use the buildings (school and front retail building) all week
for practice. This was arraigned with the help of Zaremba Construction.

.

I just showed my kids these pictures, my soon to be first-grader wanted to get on our bikes and ride up there and see the stained glass Jesus as they took him away. I told her he was already safely packed away, and that it was only a picture on glass of him anyway. The pictures certainly capture the feeling. I'm really glad that wasn't my church, and the images we are saying goodbye to are only ones we passed on our bicycles everyday, not ones that we looked up at in church every Sunday.

Gary,

I've had this song in my mind since looking at these photos. I think I found the dirge. I searched for it under
"Goodbye" but the name of the song is "One more try" so maybe it's more optimistic than it sounds. The lines, "whose teacher has told him goodbye, goodbye, goodbye" are pretty haunting, but as I told my kids, it's only a picture.



Yeah, it's George Michael, I like George Michael it's true.

Betsy Voinovich

[Bryan Schwegler]

I'm really glad that wasn't my church, and the images we are saying goodbye to are only ones we passed on our bicycles everyday, not ones that we looked up at in church every Sunday.

Yeah it is definitely surreal. I grew up in that church, was confirmed there, youth group there, even taught a few years of vacation Bible school to the younger kids.

Just such a strange sight to see it all torn down. I sent the photo link to one of my best friends who also went there and even attended the school.

[Gary Rice]

It was everyone's church.

Betsy, Brian, all...

At the risk of sounding preachy....

Let us attend to the Gospel of the Lord:

"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" John 2:19

"My kingdom is not of this world" John 18:36

"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21

With these words of the Son, we are reminded in no uncertain terms that the bricks and mortar that we experienced here are very transient and outward things indeed.

There is a more important aspect to be comprehended.

The faith community that worshiped in this place still worships in Lakewood, right down the street. The building did not make that community. Rather, the community, and the Spirit of God made that building useful and dedicated to God... but... for a relatively little while, in the span of our earthly years. Then, they felt the need, and perhaps, the Spirit's call, to move on.

Weep not for a building. Weep not for God. He knows how to handle things. There are always people to weep for, and (perhaps more importantly than ever these days) to live for.

Out of the pulpit and back to the banjo...