Utterly magnificent ... palatial ... the best Lutheran church in NW Ohio! Now THIS is what I'm talking about when I say, small town treasure!
This Gothic Revival masterpiece was built in 1928-29. In 1946, the church began an ambitious project to replace the stained glass windows, which continued for over 25 years! Those windows are also masterpieces which will be covered in another post, just as extensively as I can!
This aerial photo of the entire complex is from the back cover of a book detailing the stained glass windows. The sanctuary, parish house, and former parsonage, now used for offices, cover an entire city block and wrap themselves around a cloistered courtyard. The church itself is cruciform in its layout.
I love these lacy quatrefoils ...
The parish house from inside the courtyard.
Wonderful carvings of an owl and eagle over a parish house door.
Nice monastic feel to this ...
The sanctuary windows also used to be this sort of smoke-glass geometric, but the congregation eventually decided to make some changes -- and they went whole-hog with it. The windows as they are now, beautifully complement the elegant, palatial nature of the building.
Nice!
The former parsonage houses a day care center as well as the church offices.
Even the downspouts have class!
This green man standing watch at a rear door is a nice little surprise ...
Reaching for the sky, this beautiful steeple over the left transept ...
This Gothic Revival masterpiece was built in 1928-29. In 1946, the church began an ambitious project to replace the stained glass windows, which continued for over 25 years! Those windows are also masterpieces which will be covered in another post, just as extensively as I can!
This aerial photo of the entire complex is from the back cover of a book detailing the stained glass windows. The sanctuary, parish house, and former parsonage, now used for offices, cover an entire city block and wrap themselves around a cloistered courtyard. The church itself is cruciform in its layout.
I love these lacy quatrefoils ...
The parish house from inside the courtyard.
Wonderful carvings of an owl and eagle over a parish house door.
Nice monastic feel to this ...
The sanctuary windows also used to be this sort of smoke-glass geometric, but the congregation eventually decided to make some changes -- and they went whole-hog with it. The windows as they are now, beautifully complement the elegant, palatial nature of the building.
Nice!
The former parsonage houses a day care center as well as the church offices.
Even the downspouts have class!
This green man standing watch at a rear door is a nice little surprise ...
Reaching for the sky, this beautiful steeple over the left transept ...
Glad to see you back in the saddle. Nice Post to start of the year. Awesome Church.
ReplyDeleteRuss - I know I haven't had much time for this, but I guess I need to make some time! If you ever, for any reason, know you're going to be getting up to the Fremont area, call the church office and set up a time to get in. It's amazing! The interior will be a post of its own, and the wonderful windows will be another post. They gave me a book detailing the windows. Hope 2011 is going good for you so far!
ReplyDeleteHeck I think we should get together for a photo shot sometime. I've been wanting to come up your way and take some pics for quite sometime. I too was on hiatus for awhile but have started posting.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to plan something, I'm off on weekends. If you're coming up here, the two you have to see are Rosary Cathedral and Historic St. Pat's!
ReplyDeleteWow! This place is fantastic! Very glad to see that you're posting again. Can't wait to see the inside!
ReplyDelete@Chase: can't wait? Go here:
ReplyDeletehttp://s652.photobucket.com/albums/uu244/shariys2/Churches/Grace%20Lutheran%20Fremont/
Hi Shariys! Thank you for stopping on our blog, The Villages (Florida) Photos.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed these pictures very much as they reminded me of those beautiful Lutheran churches of the midwest...
For many years I was an ELCA pastor; I even had one stint at the Division for Parish Service. In the late 70s, I was asked to become assistant to the bishop of the Ohio Synod. That didn't seem right to me at the time I declined.
Went on to teach school and retired some years ago.
You do good work and your photography is excellent!
Lowell -- thank you for your kind comments My brother lives in Bellview FL, and recently my mother went to stay with him for a week. She came home talking about this church in the Villages with Spanish architecture. Turned out to be Church on the Square that she was talking about, but it wasn't the first one I thought of!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had more time to work on my church blog. Had plenty of time when I was laid off during 2009. Well, I'm working again and while that's certainly a good thing, it leaves me with no time for the blog. Maybe I'll just do short reviews -- although when I have 60 or so photos each of churches as nice as the ones here, that's sometimes a challenge!
Hi again! Thanx for not mentioning my previous excursions into religion in your comment on The Villages.
ReplyDeleteThe Church on the Square is a gorgeous building. I'm not sure who designed it or built it and know nothing of the windows, but it is obviously modeled after the more historic churches. It's very non-denominational...I have no idea as to what they preach or teach but I think it's great that the church is used by the community for a variety of events.
I'll keep in touch. You have a great blog and I enjoy your excellent photography even if I'm no longer involved in the church.
Hi, Lowell. Long time no talk to ya. I've been so busy with work that I have seriously neglected this blog. I'd like to start doing posts again even if they're just brief ones. But what I want to let you know is this: Some time this year, I am going to sell my house and make the big move on down to
DeleteBelleview. I'm already in the process of buying a place that used to belong to my brother, so I know what I'm getting. So once I get down there and start taking pictures, It might just be NW Ohio and middle Florida! Hope 2014 is treating you well so far.