Stained Glass Windows in CoC?

[longdistancerunner]

There was a big controversy over the Union Church of Christ constructing a building with classical type columns. It was viewed as too opulent and this was discussed in the Gospel Advocate. This occurred sometime around WW2. It apparently was part of a change in the CoC from being a pacifist apocalyptic church towards being a more denominational church. People in the CoC pre WW2 largely believed the end was near and we should reject involvement with government and material things. Foy Wallace was a big factor in this change although originally his thinking was more along the preWW2 mentality. Pearl Harbor attack was a significant emotional event for him and others that changed their thinking.

[Shane R]

I am reminded of Julian Snell. He bridged that gap. Julian was a mentor to my grandfather and I spent several months working with him on a radio show on 93.? out of Pikeville, KY. Julian was born in 1926 and logged a bit of Naval service in WW2. I don't know that he was yet a Christian at that time. But he later came to be one of the more notable NI preachers in KY and TN. I don't remember him speaking much on the end.

[Moogy]

One cofc I attended for almost a decade, an old wooden building, had a stained glass window of MLK, Jr. A friend there told me about it, but I never actually saw it. I think it had been covered / boarded up, because cofc. I hope that whoever bought the place after our group left was able to save the window and find a place for it to be properly displayed.

If you are talking about the tiny NICOC where I first met you, here is what I remember. The building was purchased from a church of a different denomination. I attended there before the window was boarded up. It was a memorial of a previous preacher, Methodist I think. (Sorry, not MLK.) I told them I wanted the window if they didn’t want to display it, because I like stained glass. At the time, I did not have funds to remove the window. Years later, when they sold the building, I had already apostatized. However, they contacted me to see if I still wanted the window. Once again, I did not have enough money to move it.

When I first attended that church, it also had a bell in a small tower. They sold the bell since they did not plan to use it. I hated to lose it, and I think they sold it too cheaply. Are church bells instrumental music?

The church my parents attended (in another city) installed stained glass. They were randomly shaped, broken pieces of colored glass scattered in a field of black. They added some needed color to an otherwise drab auditorium. They also prevented the sun from shining too brightly and heating up some areas of seating. I thought they were attractive and appropriate for a COC.

[B.H.]

Roy Cogdill would not have been pleased with the little bell at the top of the church. He was probably skeered when people heard it ring it means the church was collecting for an orphan home or something ungodly like that

[Ivy]

Oh my goodness Moogie!! Why did I think it was MLK?? An example of memories changing years after the fact. Thank you for refreshing my recall about the window. Yes, that was the one. I wish you could’ve gotten that and the church bell. What a conversation piece that would have been…Where was it exactly? In the “odditorium”? In the upper room? I didn’t remember that they called you when it was selling. That was courteous of them.

[Moogy]

Oh my goodness Moogie!! Why did I think it was MLK?? An example of memories changing years after the fact. Thank you for refreshing my recall about the window. Yes, that was the one. I wish you could’ve gotten that and the church bell. What a conversation piece that would have been…Where was it exactly? In the “odditorium”? In the upper room? I didn’t remember that they called you when it was selling. That was courteous of them.

The bell was above the foyer. There was a tiny little raised area (no steeple!) on the roof.

The rather claustrophobic “upper room” was built above the classroom wing, just behind the baptistry. I remember when it was under construction. Those stairs were absurdly dangerous. But it was designated as the college kids classroom. None of the older ladies could have managed the stairs. Were we still wearing high heels to church in those days?

I heard that at one time, an architect bought the building as a home. At another point, it was some sort of vegan/hippy restaurant. (I don’t remember which was first.) Eventually, the building burned down.

[Ivy]

You bring up several things I don't remember. I may have been disassociated some of the time when I was there, thus blotting out
some memories. Ivy's comments in red, below, with your quote.

The bell was above the foyer. There was a tiny little raised area (no steeple!) on the roof. I don't remember that. Where was the stained glass window placed?

The rather claustrophobic “upper room” was built above the classroom wing, just behind the baptistry. I remember when it was under construction. Those stairs were absurdly dangerous. But it was designated as the college kids classroom. None of the older ladies could have managed the stairs. Were we still wearing high heels to church in those days? I remember the upper room quite well. It had attached, wooden, fold-up seats, the old fashioned kind. I don't think we wore high heels much; more likely sandals, tennies, clogs, or maybe Earth shoes. As for the stairs, we were all young and healthy, even running some. So I don't remember worrying about stairs back then like I do now.
I heard that at one time, an architect bought the building as a home. At another point, it was some sort of vegan/hippy restaurant. (I don’t remember which was first.) Eventually, the building burned down.
I remember you telling me about the guy buying it for a home. I bet that was a fun project. I thought a Buddhist group bought it for their gatherings, but maybe that was the veggie restaurant I'm thinking of. I now remember being told it did burn down. It was a very cool, funky building.

[Ivy]

A little anecdote...once John and I brought his preacher friend from Houston to a service there at that little church. He was of the "Word-Faith" sect, I believe. Very sweet guy and passionate about his beliefs, and wanted to see what our church was like. He told us afterward he "saw" demons sitting up in the rafters of the church above the ceiling.

I thought...hmmm. Who's to say?

[B.H.]

Ivy didn't fellowship demons and neither did moogy. They were probably just the men and baptized boys not wanting to get tagged to lead a prayer or serve communion.

[Ivy]

Ivy didn't fellowship demons and neither did moogy. They were probably just the men and baptized boys not wanting to get tagged to lead a prayer or serve communion.

Oh, Moogy for sure didn't.