What happened to beautiful churches?

I grew up in Fairbury, Ill., a small farm community about 100 miles southwest of Chicago. Four buildings marked the community. Three were churches, the other was the city hall. They all had towers that rose above the community. They were all built of red brick, and all were architecturally pleasing. City hall had a clock tower that rang out the hour and the half hour. The city clock kept time for the whole community. It was taller than it was wide. It said to me that city government was important.

The three churches were Roman Catholic, Methodist and Baptist. I was a Baptist. All three buildings stood on corner lots and were not far from the town’s center. The Baptist church building was on the corner of 2nd and Oak Street. Oak Street was also U.S. Route 24. No one could drive through the town without noticing the majestic and beautiful Baptist house of worship.

In the best of Baptist tradition, the building was not usually called a church. The church was made up of the membership. The building at 2nd and Oak was where the church came to sing, pray and listen to the Gospel preached. We did this in one of the finest buildings in the community. The congregation took great pride in its building. We took meticulous care of the old structure. The great gathering place featured long wooden pews that focused on communion table, pulpit and baptistry. The organ and the seating for the choir were front-left. As a boy and youth, I was never in a building with such a high ceiling. The worship area was dominated by tall, elegant stained-glass windows. On one side was a portrayal of Jesus carrying a lamb to safety. On the other was Jesus praying in a garden.

That large worship area was my spiritual home. When I entered I knew that I was in the presence of God and that Jesus was at my side. The interior of the building cared for me and the congregation. The exterior of the building witnessed to all who passed by that God was important to our community.

After World War II, the congregation under very capable leadership grew. Over the years, the building was remodeled and two major additions were added. Both additions were carefully done to be compatible with the original architecture. In my adult years, I returned to my spiritual home many times, and I did so with thanksgiving.

To my horror, I returned once again to 2nd and Oak to find a gas station and convenience store. The congregation had purchased 10 acres on the outskirts of the town and built large, flat steel buildings with a large parking lot in the front of the new structures. The interior is devoid of beauty and is just another place for entertainment.

I have now lived just outside of Palmer in the Matanuska Valley for 25 years. Our Southcentral Alaska valley has been the fastest growing area in Alaska throughout those 25 years. Many new churches and additions to churches have been built. Only a small handful of church buildings have been built that speak to the community with beauty to the glory of God. Three are Mormon Stake Houses. Another is Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wasilla. One other church, the United Protestant Presbyterian Church in Palmer, has added an addition that has architectural dignity and communicates the special character of God and the people of God.

I have a passing knowledge of architectural language and have a layperson’s appreciation of beauty. What happened in Fairbury, Ill., is painfully personal. But, even more, I am deeply concerned about the way Christian churches are presenting themselves to their communities. In the past, many churches put priority on building places of worship that were durable, beautiful and designed with the intent to communicate the greatness of God to the communities that surrounded them. They built buildings that were not for lifetimes, but for centuries. They built buildings that, when entered, caused even insensitive people to pause in awe.

When visiting a friend in Independence, Mo., I had the privilege of entering the temple of the Community of Christ in Independence. I was stunned and could only stand still in awe of this magnificent house of worship. I wanted to extend my visit so that I might have the opportunity to sing a hymn in this building that speaks of the glory of God.

Life is always on the move and churches are not an exception. I pray that we might have a rebirth of building great buildings for worship that make our communities beautiful and are witnesses to the values that make life meaningful for all. Ugly steel buildings, surrounded by asphalt parking lots and dominated by movie screens and high tech sound systems just do not do much for me.

Too expensive? It depends on what we value.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.

Opinions expressed on the Faith page are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, its staff or its parent company, Wick Communications Co. To submit a column or other news for the Faith page, send email to news@frontiersman.com, or call 352-2250.