The Steeplechase

The Age of Main Street Banking

2010-06-30T07:04:00.000-05:00

In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, nearly all Nebraska communities had at least one bank. It was a necessity in an era much less mobile than our own. In order to convince the public of their stability and trustworthiness, these financial institutions turned to architecture to convey this notion. The result: substantial, well-built, ornate structures. While the Depression and rural demographic shifts brought an end to many of these banks, the buildings themselves often remain a downtown fixture; a reminder of the age of main street banking.

Chapman, Nebraska
Unidentified Bank

The Rural Churches of Cuming County

2010-06-29T06:35:00.003-05:00

I mentioned several months ago that I would be leading a tour of Cuming County's rural churches that was sponsored by Northeast Community College. It was very successful and the college has shown interest in offering this course or a similar one this fall. I'll keep you posted! The Norfolk Daily News published an article on the tour that I thought may be of interest. If you click on the photo, it will be enlarged for easier reading. Enjoy!

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Center, NE

2010-06-28T06:22:00.003-05:00

The early German Catholics of the Butler County area were served by the Franciscans of Columbus, Nebraska intermittently from about 1877 to 1883. Construction of a permanent church in Center, Nebraska (rural David City) began in the summer of 1879 and St. Francis was chosen as the parish patron. As the parish grew, plans were made for larger, brick church which was dedicated in 1900. Only five years later, a fire of unknown origin destroyed this church on April 16, 1905. The present church, designed by H.W. Brinkman of Emporia, Kansas was dedicated in 1916. It's worth noting that this church bears much resemblance to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Colon, Nebraska. Colon was dedicated in 1919 and is much larger, but given the many similarities in design, it's likely the same architect was utilized.

(Photo Source)

The interior of this Romanesque Revival church has undergone many renovations throughout its 94-year history. The photo above was taken in approximately 1931 and depicts the interior as it likely appeared near the time of its dedication in 1916. All of the furnishings are in place, but no decorative painting yet.

Around 2004, plans were drawn up to renovate the interior of the church in order to recapture many of the architectural and artistic features that had faded or disappeared over time. A sketch of the proposed interior....

... and as it was actually executed. A new mural of the Ascension was commissioned for the apse to replace a fading 1952 mural of Christ the Priest.

The sanctuary as it appeared cira-1940. Note especially the stunning painting in the apse. Painted in the Beuronese style, the mural is replete with imagery; angels hold symbols of six Sacraments, with Christ himself as the seventh Sacrament of the Eucharist. There are also images of the Trinity, the Vine and Branches, and the feeding of the sheep. This mural was covered in 1952 with an image of Christ the Priest.

By contrast, the sanctuary as it currently appears.

(Photo Source)

The nave in approximately 1965. Much of the interior decoration in this photo can be traced to the renovation of 1952. Note the mural of Christ the Priest as well as the simplified paint scheme.

Again, contrasted with the present interior.

The interior underwent further renovations in approximately 1978 and again in the mid-1990s. The ornate altars have been removed and the paint scheme further simplified. Depicted above is the interior in 2000.

The interior finally reached its present state in about 2004. This renovation effectively renewed the color and design of the space, while completely respecting its architectural integrity.

The barrel vaulted ceiling is a distinctive design element of St. Francis.

Christ sacrificed, ascended, and dwelling among us.

A side devotional area featuring statues of Our Lady of Grace, the church's patron St. Francis of Assisi, and the Baptismal Font.

The stations of the cross harmonize well with the church's architectural elements. Note especially the detail of the pilaster featuring the head of a cherub.

An original confessional graces the rear of the church, near the entry. The all-seeing eye of God watches over the main doors.

Two different stained glass window designs are found within the nave. The parish's patron, St. Francis is a full figural representation...

...while his sister, St. Claire is depicted in a portrait-like fashion.

The windows in the façade date from 1944 and replaced clear glass windows.

Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'" (Matthew 4:8-10)

Behind the church lies the parish's neatly-kept cemetery.

A small, peaceful shrine to Mary occupies a corner of the cemetery grounds.

The names of many early German settlers can be found on the older headstones. This particular one reads:

We cannot tell who next may fall
Beneath thy chastening rod,
One must be first but let us all
Prepare to meet our God

St. Francis of Assisi church and rectory as viewed from the back corner of the cemetery.

The parish hall, which also serves as the township hall, was constructed in 1930. Several scenes from the 1992 made-for-TV movie "O Pioneers!" were filmed at this hall.

St. Luke United Methodist Church, David City, NE

2010-06-25T12:04:00.001-05:00

The early Methodist settlers of the Butler County area were ministered to by traveling ministers as early as 1871. The first Methodist church in David City was constructed in 1874. The current St. Luke Methodist Church was dedicated on May 7, 1911. A more detailed history of the congregation is available at the church's website.

The exterior of the Neoclassical style church building has changed very little since it was constructed in 1910. It's not often you see a church in Nebraska with such a sizable dome, so I was quite excited to see the interior!

The church has a great sense of verticality, despite having a flat roof.

The front portico with its massive columns and ionic capitals grace the main entry.

The first thing that struck me about the interior was the conspicuous lack of a dome! I was told by church members that it had been covered over with a false ceiling sometime in the 1960s in order to conserve energy. What I wouldn't give to explore the attic of this church!

Despite the obvious lack of a dome, the church interior is quite pleasant. The contemporary banners and altar covering are a nice touch. I'm told that the pipe organ is no longer in working order.

The true treasure of St. Luke's is the trio of stained glass windows on the west wall of the nave. Depicted from left to right: the allegory of Hope, the Ascension, and the Angel at the empty tomb. These windows were recently restored.

The other windows in the church are much more subdued and are executed in various shades of amber glass.

The Age of Main Street Banking

2010-06-16T05:49:00.003-05:00

Bruno, Nebraska
Unidentified Bank

The remains of the bank vault can be seen through the façade.

St. Michael Catholic Church, Central City, NE

2010-06-07T21:50:00.003-05:00

St. Michael Catholic Church in Central City is a wonderfully angular, Mid-Century church that was constructed in 1966.

A vivid stained glass window of the church's patron resides above the main entrance.

Words of welcome above the doors leading into the nave.

Despite the light color of the interior walls and ceiling, the church is quite dark. The windows are large, but note how they are angled to give the congregation a full view.

The dominant element of the church interior is a large crucifix suspended above the altar. The sanctuary also features a very simple, but elegant marble altar.

Tabernacle in a reposition area in the sanctuary.

View toward the main entrance. The randomly placed upper windows are a fantastic Mid-Century touch!

The first station, Jesus Condemned to Death. I would imagine that these stations were from a previous church building.

The real treasures of St. Michael's Church are the large and colorful stained glass windows. Pictured here is St. Isidore, patron of farmers.

A delightful trio of windows in the choir area, near the sanctuary.

Alma Lutheran Church (ELCA), Mead, NE

2010-05-04T17:27:00.001-05:00

The Alma Lutheran Congregation of Mead, Nebraska was founded in 1870 by Swedish immigrants. The first church and parsonage stood where the current Alma cemetery is located. The word "Alma" is Latin for "nourishing one" - which is generally used in a mothering sense.

The current Gothic Revival church, in the town of Mead, was dedicated on September 18, 1886. A significant renovation took place in 1920. The church's website recounts this interesting story:

On Thanksgiving Day, 1919, $3,000 was placed in the offering plate specifically dedicated to remodeling the church. At a special meeting in January 1920, it was decided that the church would be lifted and a basement would be dug. While the church was standing on its wooden blocks on Easter morning, a terrible storm approached. The steeple swayed between 12-18 feet. There was great fear the building would fall, but "the Lord was with us," and everyone was relieved to see the building still standing after the worship service in Flodman Hall.

The interior of Alma is painted in subdued colors with an interesting stencil pattern on the ceiling which runs the length of the church.

The church's website also notes that a pipe organ was installed in 1920, but unfortunately it has dissapeared.

(Photo Source)

The church was again renovated in 1966, which likely resulted in the removal of the reredos and the addition of the large dossal curtain. The above photo depicts the interior as it appeared until 2009.

The sanctuary was renovated and entire church painted and refurbished in March of 2009 in celebration of the congregation's 140th anniversary.

A closeup of the unique stencil pattern which runs the length of the ceiling.

The sanctuary retains its original altar and altar rail.

A view of the pulpit and font.

The windows depict various scenes from the life of Christ.

A statue of Jesus in the narthax. This statue likely resided in the original reredos.

A more detailed history of the parish is available here and here.

Reflections on Holy Week

2010-04-01T17:29:00.002-05:00

The always insightful and eloquent Archbishop of Canterbury offers his reflections as we begin our celebration of Holy Week.

The Rural Churches of Cuming County: An Historical & Architectural Tour

2010-03-16T06:32:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if I have many local readers or not, but I wanted to let everyone know that I will be leading a class, sponsored by Northeast Community College, in about a month that will examine the rural churches of Cuming County. All the pertinent information is below. Hopefully I'll see some of you there!

The Rural Churches of Cuming County: An Historical & Architectural Tour

Delve into the unique and fascinating architecture and history of Cuming County's six rural churches. Associated cultural and religious connections will also be explored. Meets Saturday, April 17, 1-5 p.m., West Point, Cuming County Fairgrounds, St. Matthew's Church. Transportation not provided. Preregistration required. Cost: $15.10. (HORC0616-30)

Churches on the tour include:
St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Cuming County Fairgrounds, West Point
St. Anthony Catholic Church, St. Charles
St. Boniface Catholic Church, Monterey
St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Aloys
Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Rural Wisner
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Rural Beemer
Zion Lutheran Church, Rural Bancroft

To register for this class, call Northeast Community College at (402) 372-2269

The Age of Main Street Banking

2010-03-10T06:06:00.000-06:00

Mead, Nebraska
Bank of Mead

News and Miscellany Roundup

2010-03-04T12:18:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm not sure how much of this is actually "news" anymore, but I think everything here is still worthy of notice.

Repeal Day... December 5 marked the 76the anniversary of the end of prohibition - Repeal Day. This recently setup website explains the history of prohibition and reasons to celebrate this day!

Omaha Church Renovation... Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Omaha has recently completed a renovation. The new altar was consecrated on November 28. A full story on the renovation is available here from The Catholic Voice newspaper. A pre-renovation photograph of the interior is available here.

View into Monastic Life... The PBS series Religion & Ethics produced a fantastic piece on the Monastic Life, featuring the Benedictine Sisters in Atchison, KS. Watch this moving video here.

First Nebraska Distillery... Cooper's Chase Distillery in West Point has claimed the title of the first legal distillery in the state of Nebraska since prohibition. The Omaha World-Herald has a great story and a video telling the story of the distillery is available here. Cooper's Chase is currently producing and vodka and will expand its offerings soon.

Another New Nebraska Distillery... Solas Distillery in Omaha opened shortly after Cooper's Chase. Here is the Omaha World-Herald story as well as a fascinating video of the distillery producing their first batch of whiskey.

Beer & Personality... What does your taste in beer say about you? Check this out! I've found it to be pretty accurate with everyone I've tried it with!

Benedictine Gristmill... NPR recently produced a story featuring the gristmill at St. Vincent's Archabbey in Latrobe, PA. It's well worth listening to and photos from the story are available here. What a wonderful interweaving of agriculture, spirituality, and history! The story also mentions the brewery that was once operated by the monks.

A Cathedral Centennial... The Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City celebrated its 100th anniversary this past fall. The Cathedral is an architectural and artistic gem. It is also well-know for its fantastic liturgy and superb music program. The Cathedral is also home to one of the nation's two choir schools. Read an article on the centennial here.

A Serious Jesus?... Did Jesus have a sense of humor? Jesuit Father Jim Martin explores this aspect of Jesus in NPR here.

A New Church in LeMars... St. Joseph Catholic Church in Le Mars, Iowa has unveiled plans for a new church. The current church suffers from massive structural issues. The new church will incorporate much of the artistic heritage from the current church. Read the story and see drawings here.

Rev. John Glaves, RIP

2010-03-03T07:48:00.000-06:00

In mid-January one of my childhood pastors, Father John Glaves passed away. He is pictured at right with my father and myself on the occasion of my first communion.

Father Glaves was a man of many (and obscure) interests. He had literally traveled all over the world, primarily observing the endless variety of plant and animal life. I remember the rectory at Exeter being chock full of plants of every sort; as well as several exotic birds!

One thing that, in retrospect, I greatly admire about Father Glaves was his great interest in and love for liturgy. He was well versed in even the most localized rites of the Church and was even able to celebrate a good number of these rites himself.

Along with his liturgical expertise, Father Glaves also harbored a great interest in ecclesiastical art and architecture. His primary interest lay in various cultural artistic expressions and he had collected a number of works in both painting and sculpture from his world travels. He even dabbled in calligraphy and became quite good at it. During his lifetime, he built two new churches: Ss. Mary & Joseph in Valparaiso and St. John the Baptist in Prague. While the architecture of these church buildings may not suit everyone, they do point towards his concern for simplicity and clarity in worship. He spoke often of "his church" in Valparaiso (see architectural sketch below); it was clearly his pride and joy.

May he rest in peace! Below is his obituary as it was printed in the Southern Nebraska Register:

Father John Glaves, a retired priest of the Diocese of Lincoln, died Jan. 17 at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, where he had been a resident for three years. He was 82.

Born in Lewiston, Mo., Father Glaves attended seminaries in Illinois, Texas, Ohio and Colorado. He was ordained to the priesthood March 19, 1956 by Bishop Louis Kucera.

Father Glaves served parishes in Fairbury, Wallace, Wellfleet, Lawrence, Cambridge, Bellwood, David City, Curtis, Farnam, Paul, Dunbar, Lincoln, Palmyra, Douglas, Brainard, Valparaiso, Davey, Prague, Plasi, Alexandria, Gilead, Morse Bluff, Cedar Hill and Exeter.

In addition, Father Glaves taught at Aquinas High School in David City, Lourdes Central Catholic Schools in Nebraska City, and Bishop Neumann High School in Wahoo. He was also actively involved in the Knights of Columbus.

A funeral Mass was celebrated by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz and priests of the Diocese at St. Peter Church in Lincoln Jan. 21. Burial followed at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Lincoln. Butherus-Maser and Love Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

The Renovation of St. Mary Catholic Church, Alton, IA

2010-03-02T10:28:00.000-06:00

Thanks to a comment left an embarrassingly long time ago on my original post, I've finally managed to search my files and find my pre-renovation photographs of St. Mary Catholic Church in Alton, Iowa. It's also worth noting that since my original post, the parish has launched a website, where the history of the parish can be found. Below are the before and after shots of the interior. Enjoy!

St. John Lutheran Church (LCMS), Rural Waco, NE

2010-01-29T06:33:00.000-06:00

If you're traveling down Nebraska Interstate 80, between the Waco and Utica exits, look to the north; if you're paying close attention you may catch a glimpse of St. John Lutheran church of rural Waco.

The cornerstone of the church reads "U.A.C. 1903." Apparently the area was settled by very conservative German Lutherans, as nearby Zion in Thayer is also a U.A.C. Church. A comment on my Thayer church post by gnesio-lutheran explains that:

U.A.C. does indeed mean "Unaltered Augsburg Confession".

It was commonly used in the formal name of many early Missouri-Synod Lutheran congregations. This was to distinguish the congregation from other 'Lutheran' congregations which used an altered form of the Augsburg Confession, the primary statement of the Lutheran faith. This altered confession was created early in the 19th century in an effort to unite Lutherans and Calvinists in Germany. (Lutheran teachings on the Real Presence in the Eucharist, baptismal regeneration, and Confession/Absolution were deleted to make the it acceptable to Calvinists.) The Missouri Synod was founded by German immigrants who wished to retain the original unaltered form.

Thank you very much for explaining the history of this movement!

The church's steeple is adorned with pressed tin shingles and pinnacles.

The interior is absolutely fantastic! These photos do a poor job of illustrating the true height of the structure. St. John's is certainly a rare jewel among rural Lutheran churches!

Particularly unique features are the wrap-around balcony and the pressed tin which covers both the ceiling and walls. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the interior is that it appears to have retained its original appearance for over 100 years.

Elevated pulpit and altar in the sanctuary.

The altar is very ornate and dramatically lit.

Note the wonderful curve on the balcony corners.

A Reuter pipe organ, dating from 1949 resides in the rear gallery. More information on this instrument, including a stoplist, is available here.
View from the sanctuary toward the church entrance. The organ chamber is to the left.

Detail of the balcony railing and side walls.

One of the few windows not obscured by the balcony. The windows are mostly geometric designs that feature a particular Christian symbol.

The Winter of 1957

2010-01-18T19:13:00.000-06:00

I was sorting through some old family photographs this evening, and this group caught my eye. They are all labeled "1957." Judging by the looks of things, the winter of 1957 was a rather snowy one as well. In fact, this article cites the winter of 1957 as having 38.8 inches of snow - the 17th highest on record for Nebraska.

This particular photo was labeled "1957 at Exeter Public School." The area surrounding the school apparently had many more trees at the time, as there aren't many today. The frost covered evergreens have been a familiar sight in northeast Nebraska these past several days.

"1957 snow. Alphonsus Becker's car on west road of farm." Alphonsus was my great-great uncle. He grew up and lived on the farm that was homesteaded by his father in 1881; the same farm I grew up on.

Alphonsus (or "Funzie") with the dog that saved his life. The story has it that Funzie was picking ear corn. A repair or adjustment needed to be made to the picker, and somehow in the process his hand became lodged in a chain.

The dog ran back to the house and began to bark. It's said that this dog never left Funzie's side, so when his wife Christabel came to the door and saw the dog alone, she knew something was wrong. With the dog's assistance she was able to find him procure proper help.

The Age of Main Street Banking

2010-01-15T06:47:00.000-06:00

Pender, Nebraska
Logan Valley Bank

St. Patrick Catholic Church, Jackson, NE

2010-01-07T05:52:00.001-06:00

St. Patrick Parish in Jackson, Nebraska is an incredibly historic parish, (more on this below) tracing its roots to 1856. The current church was built in 1913 in a modified Romanesque style with a unique domed tower.

The original interior entry doors are intact and feature ornate "Pull" plates and stained glass panels.

The church's patron resides in a niche in the vestibule.

St. Patrick's has an interesting connection with Apollo VIII. Click on the photo to enlarge the writing on the plaque.

The interior is fairly simple, yet quite pleasant. The heavy beamed ceiling of this sort is fairly uncommon in a neo-Romanesque styled church.

The sanctuary wall is accentuated with light stenciling and an image of the Holy Spirit.

The art glass windows depict various Biblical scenes. Note how the scene is shaped around the architectural frame of the window.

A particularly unique element of the structure are the dormers located above the choir loft. St. Patrick's is one of the very few churches that I have seen which utilize this architectural feature.

The dormer as seen from the interior.

A shrine near the church, constructed in 1960, commemorates early founder and prolific missionary, Fr. Jeremiah Trecy.

A Nebraska Historical Marker also indicates the cultural and religious importance of the parish.

A Belated Christmas Message

2009-12-29T12:19:00.010-06:00

Though I'm several days late, I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas (Season!) and offer my profound thanks for everyone who has visited these pages over the past year. I greatly appreciate the kind and heartwarming comments that I've received.

I hope that this site has proved to be both an inspiration and source of information to those who have stumbled upon it. It certainly has been a joy for me to share my photography and love of history and architecture with a much larger audience than I ever would have imagined!

As always, I'm open to suggestions and comments. Feel free to contact me at the email address on the sidebar. Again, thank you and be assured of my best wishes during this Christmas Season!

In the spirit of Christmas, I also wanted to share some clips from Christmas Vespers at the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. The first clip (above) consists of the the Entrance Processional (featuring Olivier Latry on the Great Organ), Lucinarium (Service of Light), Imposition of Incense and Opening Hymn. The other sections of the service are available here and here. Enjoy!

Also, of note is the image at the beginning of this post, which is part of a series depicting the life of Christ found in St. Paul Cathedral, London. The work is entitled "The Holy Virgin" and was completed in 2003 by Russian-born artist Sergei Chepik.

Zion Presbyterian Church, Rural Clarkson, NE

2009-12-21T18:54:00.000-06:00

Zion Presbyterian Church is a familiar sight to travelers on Highway 15 north of Schuyler. The church building, designed by Czech architect M.D. Flechor was constructed in 1887. This is the first Czech Presbyterian church in the state of Nebraska.

The adjacent cemetery predates the church building and was dedicated in 1875.

Regular church services were held until December 1975 and the property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The absence of a regular congregation has taken a serious toll on the building over the past 35 years. Many of the stained glass windows were stolen several years ago.

Most of the windows that remain in place are in an unfortunate state of disrepair.

Given the historical and cultural importance of this church, I hope that it can be preserved. Unfortunately, it seems that the building has been in a steady state of decline for some time now. I'm unsure of who even owns the building or looks after it. Any reader insights?

The Age of Main Street Banking

2009-12-18T06:31:00.000-06:00

Wakefield, Nebraska
Unidentified Bank

Former St. James Catholic Church, Mead, NE - Camp Creek Church, Rural Waverly, NE

2009-12-16T06:44:00.001-06:00

The original St. James Catholic Church in Mead was constructed in 1883. When a new church was constructed in Mead in 2002, the former church was moved to rural Waverly, where it is now part of an historical village at the Camp Creek Threshers site. For a detailed history of the parish and this church building, click here.

Very few elements of the original church remain, though historical artifacts are continually being added by the Camp Creek Threshers.

A photograph of the church interior as it appeared in the early 1990s.

St. Mary Episcopal Church, Blair, NE

2009-12-14T17:22:00.000-06:00

The current church was consecrated in 1967. A history of the parish is available here and here.

Ohiowa United Methodist Church, Ohiowa, NE

2009-12-10T20:44:00.001-06:00

This past summer I attended the auctioning of the contents of the United Methodist Church in Ohiowa, Nebraska. I've been to several church and school auctions and they are truly uncomfortable events; it's these places of worship and education that often form the center of a community. An odd mixture of sadness, fond memories, and questioning is easily sensed.

Methodist Circuit Riders began visiting the Ohiowa community as early as 1871. Later, the minister from nearby Chelsea was charged with providing services for the growing Ohiowa congregation. At this time, services were being held in the schoolhouse and various locations around town.

In 1888, Rev. C.S. Kathan was appointed to serve the Ohiowa area and oversaw the building a permanent church that same year. In 1910, excavations were made for a basement. The church was move onto this foundation and an addition was built on the east side for the choir and an alcove on the west for the pulpit.

Various other renovations later took place, including the addition of large folding doors to the east, a gas furnace, a remodeled basement, and new altar furniture.

The church interior was quite simple, but cozy. The pressed tin ceiling and graceful curved pews were the main embellishments of the interior.

The last service in the church was held on June 7, 2009. The church was also officially deconsecrated at this time. Two article on the church and its closing are available here and here.

An ornate, etched transept window indicated that it was donated by local Civil War Veterans, the members of the G.A.R.

"The time has come for this congregation of Christ's holy Church, under God's leadership, to disband and take leave of this building. It has been consecrated for the ministry of God's Holy Word and Sacraments. It has provided refuge and comfort for God's people. It has served well our holy faith. It is fitting, therefore, that we should take our leave of one another and of this consecrated house, lifting up our hearts in thanksgiving for this common store of memories."

-- Declaration of Purpose from the Deconsecration Ceremony

Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Weston, MO

2009-12-05T06:59:00.002-06:00

Holy Trinity in Weston, Missouri is a unique neo-gothic limestone structure that dates from 1912. The parish itself, however is much older and can be traced back to 1842 - one of the oldest parishes in the Kansas City area.

While the church has a commanding presence on a hill above the town of Weston, the building is actually quite small.

Note the unique design of the sidewalls and roof structure.

The history of the parish is briefly described on an historical marker in front of the church.

I would assume that the altar is from the parish's previous church building, as it is primarily Romanesque in design, while the church itself is Gothic.

The windows contain various scriptural and doctrinal symbols. This particular window depicts symbols of Jesus' Passion.

Reflections on Advent

2009-12-01T09:10:00.004-06:00

As we begin the season of Advent, the Archbishop of Canterbury offers some wonderful reflections on this season and its spirit of anticipation. This year, I'm trying to really make this time prior to Christmas a time of preparation: waiting longer to put up the Christmas decorations and attention to Liturgical prayer. A blessed Advent to everyone!