St. John's Lutheran, Fremont

Downtown Fremont, Ohio is a historic church wonderland! Among the many treasures is St. John's, actually only a block away from the bigger congregation of Grace Lutheran. Very surprising to see that this arrangement works out, since both congregations are holding their own pretty nicely. Wish that sort of thing could work out in Toledo ...
Even from the outside, these windows are tantalizingly beautiful. Love the tracery ...

Monolithic tower ...The apse, facing an alleyway so it's not easy to see ...

This mighty fortress was built in 1917, although this cornerstone speaks of a much older time and place ...

We visited on two occasions. The first time was late in the afternoon on an increasingly blustery summer day, and the church was locked. I shot this teaser of a photo through the front doors ... then I went home and called the church office to set up a time to get in there!

And when you DO get in there ... this is what you see from the balcony. Marvelous!!Bride-and-groom's-eye view from in front of the altar ...

These pipes are wonderful!

Lovely baptistry and marble font ...

It appears that the church's website is being re-constructed, so I can't access any historic info. However, at the time of my visit, I was given some info regarding the windows ...
An article from the Fremont News-Messenger in 1986 read in part: "The windows in St. John's Lutheran Church in Fremont and St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Clyde look more like oil paintings than glass with their deep red, purple and green tones. (note: I have photos of Clyde St. Paul's also, which I will get to as quickly as possible.) St. John's windows were installed in 1917 when the church was first built. They were designed by the Von Gerichten Art Glass Company in Columbus, which just happened to have some of the Bavarian glass on hand from their German studios."
"The windows, like most others, are in the Gothic style, with five panels or lancets creating a single scene. The church's south window depicts Jesus in Gethsemane with his disciples sleeping in the background as he speaks with an angel. The north window depicts the resurrection with Jesus coming out from the cave, rising from the dead."

Look at the detailing in the robes, both the angel's and Christ's...

Mary Magdalene's wavy hair ... and the greens and blues of the trees and fields and mountains in the background ...The geometric patterns in these windows, that resemble spires and pinnacles, are spellbinding!

More of that detailing in the angel's robe ...

... and the sleeping disciples, bathed in more shades of blue.

Now ... take a good, close look at that altar. It's not immediately easy to see because of the light-on-light tones of the altar against the wall, but ... that reredos is literally over the top ... of the center window! This is thoroughly unique.
High pinnacles at either side ... the golds and greens in the side windows picking up the gold color in the gilt-edged tracery.

Wow.

Yes ... it lights.Beautiful, lacy old crucifix.

... and tall, ornate candlesticks.

Fascinating Last Supper inlaid sculpture ...

Framed by this most unusual altar, is this lovely scene of a tranquil Christ in the lilies, with His arms outstretched.
The balcony window is just this giant geometric color wheel ... I LOVE the burning-candle imagery, and the patterns in that quatrefoil!

Now this is just THE BEST - THE BEST pulpit I've seen anywhere!!

WROUGHT IRON, for cryin' out loud!!!

Another striking eagle lectern. I've seen several of these beautiful pieces now. Some are wooden; some, like this one, appear to be brass or another metal. (There is an Episcopal church in Buffalo that has a magnificent, museum-caliber brass eagle lectern on an ornate brass and marble base. It's just over the top!).

Two lovely tapestries on the walls by the back entrance.

And standing watch, in a sitting room inside the parish house ...

A big word of thanks to the staff of St. John's for being so very accommodating!

Requiescat in Pace

Pastor Les Slagle You'll be missed.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

former St. John's Lutheran, Rocky Ridge

As one enters the tiny hamlet of Rocky Ridge, this stately old steeple towers over the town. I had to go see what it was!
But as you round the corner toward the church, it becomes immediately obvious that something is NOT. RIGHT.

Now this is about sad.

What a MESS! Obviously abandoned for many years. I thought this only happened in the big city. Deteriorating, falling apart, forgotten. Rotting. What WAS this tattered place that was obviously beautiful at some distant time past??!?

Oh, for cryin' out loud.

Oh, this is just a crime.

The St. John's congregation still exists, in their newer and larger church at the edge of town that they built in 1967 (taking the old bell with them). At the time, they properly sold the building. It's out of their hands (but I'm guessing it's not out of their hearts).
While I was taking these pictures, I was joined by a lady by the name of LaVerne who lives right across the street. She has co-written a book called "Reflections of Rocky Ridge", that can be had at the Port Clinton or Oak Harbor library (and I intend to get the book when I can; it's not carried at the Toledo library). She told me that she had grown up in this church, was baptized and confirmed here. She talked about the little evangelical congregation that used the church for some years after St. John's sold it; that on warm summer Sunday evenings, they'd prop the front doors open during their services, and she'd listen to and enjoy their music.
But eventually that congregation disappeared. The church was shuttered and abandoned; but that it was purchased at some point by a SLUM LORD (my words) in a nearby town who just hasn't done anything with it but let it sit and rot. He owns other properties in the town, a former grocery store next to the church, now boarded up and suffering the same fate. Shameful. (In other words, it really IS a crime.)
The overgrowth of flowers and vines gives this buttress a strangely tranquil appearance, even though it's on the verge of collapsing.
What IS this, anyway?? Some sort of septic tank sitting in the yard?!
I was told that flocks of pigeons have been known to use the building as a roosting place (thus adding, no doubt, to the highly unpleasant circumstances on the other side of that barricaded door). This makes it easy for them. Let's not even talk about bats.
Hey, Rocky Ridge SLUM LORD. CLEAN IT UP!! The people of this little village don't want to have to keep looking at this. Either fix it up and get tenants in it -- these things are in demand as private homes these days, there's a beautiful little one in Scotch Ridge -- or tear it down. It hurts me to suggest that, but this is an eyesore in an otherwise bucolic little town that doesn't want this sort of big-city blight in their midst. Quit using it as a tax writeoff excuse. CLEAN IT UP!!!