Such beautiful writing to start the day. Thank you, GK! I lived near that lovely ol church for years (those sloping steps alone!). Maybe the sale of the building can salvage the facade, interior artifacts as it’s developed into a new filing cabinet on the UWS.
And to your point: This is the day we are given; rejoice and be glad in it. Selah!
Driving down Charles street last week I noticed a block of a building where St Mary's was. One of my first memories was my mom saying "Stay here." as she slid behind a curtain and I heard her say "Bless me father for I have sinned...
I decided to walk home, being a 5 year country boy. When they caught me she was crying ...They can't take that away from me...but these years since mom left me an orphan, I grew to love that big empty building and hate the new one down by the river...
Here is another twist on the cane. In later years my father used a cane. He was a gregarious sort and loved to entertain with one liners. Often when he walked into a room of strangers he would hold up the cane and say, "I don't really need this. It just makes me look more distinguished!".
I disagree, don’t tear this magnificent church down. It’s a piece of history and it’s grandeur lies in it’s purpose. It’s a place of worship and community. Yes, it dilapidated and crumbling but maybe the community could save it for prosperity. A reminder of our better selves. A very handsome building that took a lot of architecture skills and artful workmen to construct.
As for you, your name and work will be remembered. Maybe as well as Mark Twain and Woody Guthrie, the name and works by Garrison Keillor won’t disappear into the murky past all that soon. You’ve made your mark in your genres and you should be proud.
I guess that Presbyterian church might make a handsome ruins but Manhattan doesn't go in for ruins. And the Presbys are to poor to fix it. This is not a battle worth fighting.
Corporations have gotten pretty good at making cheap filing cabinets, The preachers of the Word have gotten pretty good at extracting pennies from the pockets of sheep looking for a shephard, but no one has found the elixir to replace the sweat, the learned talent, and inspiration that came from the tradesmen and women who designed and built this structure. Save the ovens and file cabinets for Auschwitz and Exxon. Keep the Church for the sake of past and future inspirations!
"Leave the past upriver." That, thanks to Carl Hiaasen, is a Cree phrase he introduced to me that seems to fit here. I recently stopped in Butte, Montana on a road trip across the west. There have to be more "historically significant" buildings in that town than any town I have visited. All have gone beyond their best by dates and then some. Most are beautiful in their own ways. But, judging from the state of the town, none will be brought back to their former glory. Most, if not all, will continue on their slide toward an ignoble end. Butte, Montana is my metaphor for old age. If we humans are to go out with dignity intact, we ought to leave the past upriver and build anew with what time we have. Thanks, Garrison, for the reminder.
The red sandstone conundrum.... We got them here too. Highly absorbent soft stone used anywhere near the 40th parallel...in that tender area between the sometimes tolerable 4th climate zone, and always frigid 5th...it just doesn't work out. Freeze/thaw, and we know what happens next. All manner of idiotic repairs have been done on all of them, the houses and churches, with only the richest mopes capable of handling the expense of St. Astier or Limeworks materials utilized by high skilled craftsmen accomplishing anything like a useful repair.
It's sad, but the teardown is not a bad idea. Ouch.
Yes to cribbage! I played it with my Dad and grandfather and now my 24 yo son plays it with me and his grandfather. A great game with luck and skill and laughter. Buy a board with 3 hole path and you can play with 2-6 people!
The old Presbyterian church in New York might have low attendance due to fear of being hit by falling masonry, but it might also be because of the same thing that has befallen our local Presbyterian church, our big beautiful historic Methodist church and our small, old but intimate Episcopal church — and I don’t know what that cause is. A good attendance in them these days might be 8-10 souls. One of the Baptist churches, however, is thriving. The Lutheran church is closed. The Catholic Church limps along but has seemed to lose attendees, except for Christmas and Easter of course,, under a succession of young priests from Africa and India who are well-meaning and zealous but hard to understand and may as well be speaking in pre-Vatican II Latin. The Baptist minister is a hard right conservative whose political asides, starting in the Obama years, finally drove me away. Our county voted 80% for the candidate who lost the election but claims he didn’t. People say this little southern Oregon town is a good place to raise kids, but it is a hard place to live.
How ironic, you write of waking up cheerful.. Today is Yom Kippur, the holyiest of days for Jews. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day's observances consist of full fasting and ascetic behaviour accompanied by intensive prayer as well as sin confessions (traditionally inside of a synagogue).
One small disagreement...There is certainly something holy about some buildings. For anyone able to see them, countless artisans labored to produce something beautiful out of wood and stone, enclosing space that holds their collective efforts. Lotsa stuff is just fine being scraped away, but one should be very careful about which stuff.
Such beautiful writing to start the day. Thank you, GK! I lived near that lovely ol church for years (those sloping steps alone!). Maybe the sale of the building can salvage the facade, interior artifacts as it’s developed into a new filing cabinet on the UWS.
And to your point: This is the day we are given; rejoice and be glad in it. Selah!
Driving down Charles street last week I noticed a block of a building where St Mary's was. One of my first memories was my mom saying "Stay here." as she slid behind a curtain and I heard her say "Bless me father for I have sinned...
I decided to walk home, being a 5 year country boy. When they caught me she was crying ...They can't take that away from me...but these years since mom left me an orphan, I grew to love that big empty building and hate the new one down by the river...
I know how hard it is to let go.
Here is another twist on the cane. In later years my father used a cane. He was a gregarious sort and loved to entertain with one liners. Often when he walked into a room of strangers he would hold up the cane and say, "I don't really need this. It just makes me look more distinguished!".
I thought I invented that line. Guess not.
Wonderful post, dear Garrison!
Thanks for the beautiful on-target message!
I disagree, don’t tear this magnificent church down. It’s a piece of history and it’s grandeur lies in it’s purpose. It’s a place of worship and community. Yes, it dilapidated and crumbling but maybe the community could save it for prosperity. A reminder of our better selves. A very handsome building that took a lot of architecture skills and artful workmen to construct.
As for you, your name and work will be remembered. Maybe as well as Mark Twain and Woody Guthrie, the name and works by Garrison Keillor won’t disappear into the murky past all that soon. You’ve made your mark in your genres and you should be proud.
I guess that Presbyterian church might make a handsome ruins but Manhattan doesn't go in for ruins. And the Presbys are to poor to fix it. This is not a battle worth fighting.
I guess it's "Out with the old and in with the new." Pity.
Corporations have gotten pretty good at making cheap filing cabinets, The preachers of the Word have gotten pretty good at extracting pennies from the pockets of sheep looking for a shephard, but no one has found the elixir to replace the sweat, the learned talent, and inspiration that came from the tradesmen and women who designed and built this structure. Save the ovens and file cabinets for Auschwitz and Exxon. Keep the Church for the sake of past and future inspirations!
As a pastor, I appreciate your words so much. And I agree, tear the church down. Move on. The Holy Spirit will go with you.
"Leave the past upriver." That, thanks to Carl Hiaasen, is a Cree phrase he introduced to me that seems to fit here. I recently stopped in Butte, Montana on a road trip across the west. There have to be more "historically significant" buildings in that town than any town I have visited. All have gone beyond their best by dates and then some. Most are beautiful in their own ways. But, judging from the state of the town, none will be brought back to their former glory. Most, if not all, will continue on their slide toward an ignoble end. Butte, Montana is my metaphor for old age. If we humans are to go out with dignity intact, we ought to leave the past upriver and build anew with what time we have. Thanks, Garrison, for the reminder.
the Golden Ages are always in the past...sometimes at the expense of the future. Is there a "silver" lining here?
The red sandstone conundrum.... We got them here too. Highly absorbent soft stone used anywhere near the 40th parallel...in that tender area between the sometimes tolerable 4th climate zone, and always frigid 5th...it just doesn't work out. Freeze/thaw, and we know what happens next. All manner of idiotic repairs have been done on all of them, the houses and churches, with only the richest mopes capable of handling the expense of St. Astier or Limeworks materials utilized by high skilled craftsmen accomplishing anything like a useful repair.
It's sad, but the teardown is not a bad idea. Ouch.
Thanks for the education about sandstone. There are some great old sandstone mansions in St. Paul and what I hear is that they are a misery to own.
Yes to cribbage! I played it with my Dad and grandfather and now my 24 yo son plays it with me and his grandfather. A great game with luck and skill and laughter. Buy a board with 3 hole path and you can play with 2-6 people!
You’re right on, and write on. I love how your circle back to the door you opened, and take us out. Good theology too!
The old Presbyterian church in New York might have low attendance due to fear of being hit by falling masonry, but it might also be because of the same thing that has befallen our local Presbyterian church, our big beautiful historic Methodist church and our small, old but intimate Episcopal church — and I don’t know what that cause is. A good attendance in them these days might be 8-10 souls. One of the Baptist churches, however, is thriving. The Lutheran church is closed. The Catholic Church limps along but has seemed to lose attendees, except for Christmas and Easter of course,, under a succession of young priests from Africa and India who are well-meaning and zealous but hard to understand and may as well be speaking in pre-Vatican II Latin. The Baptist minister is a hard right conservative whose political asides, starting in the Obama years, finally drove me away. Our county voted 80% for the candidate who lost the election but claims he didn’t. People say this little southern Oregon town is a good place to raise kids, but it is a hard place to live.
I am so sorry to hear this.
Where is this, NYC?
How ironic, you write of waking up cheerful.. Today is Yom Kippur, the holyiest of days for Jews. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day's observances consist of full fasting and ascetic behaviour accompanied by intensive prayer as well as sin confessions (traditionally inside of a synagogue).
Garrison. I just want to reinforce the feeling I get reading your notes, especially the one called, let's just relax, OK?
One small disagreement...There is certainly something holy about some buildings. For anyone able to see them, countless artisans labored to produce something beautiful out of wood and stone, enclosing space that holds their collective efforts. Lotsa stuff is just fine being scraped away, but one should be very careful about which stuff.