Sunday, July 13, 2008

How about a little church?

One of the first things I saw as we drove into the city of Savannah, were church steeples towering over the city. There is just something about seeing church steeples that makes me very happy. The fact that they point toward heaven and the one true God who is love and happiness probably has something to do with it. A connection of peace and Christian love and community is apparent in this town and it has been here for so many years. Most of these churches have endured much hardship over the years, and yet they are still here, with congregations that still send up prayers from the same churches that our forefathers did.

This is the steeple of the Independent Presbyterian Church. Woodrow Wilson married here in 1885 and the Forrest Gump feather scene was filmed in front of this church.



This is the First Baptist Church in Savannah. Pretty, huh? It was the only church that didn't burn down during the fires. According to our tour guide, people wondered what it was the Baptists were doing since theirs was the only church that didn't burn down. It seemed they had been the only church to build their church out of stone and not wood.

This is one of the rare churches that held services throughout the Civil War. That is pretty cool in itself. I can only imagine the gut wrenching prayers that were said for soldiers and families torn apart, and for the country itself.


One of the most ornate and beautiful set of steeples belong to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. This church actually burned in the late 1800's and was rebuilt about 1900. The congregation was organized in 1799 and is the oldest Roman Catholic group in Georgia, and that says a lot since Oglethorpe banned Catholics when he first started the colony-felt their loyalty was questionable to the crown. This was the only church that we were allowed to walk into and I got some great pics of their stain glass windows. Absolutely beautiful!

This is the St. John's Episcopal church. We passed it on the way to the Wilke's House to eat lunch. I took this pic from the view of Madison square. It was really pretty the way it was framed by the trees.
This church was interesting. It is the First African Baptist Church formed in 1788 and is the oldest congregation of African-Americans in the whole United States. I love the double red doors.
There were several churches that I didn't get to visit. I was sorely disappointed, I really wanted to see them. I really wanted to see the Wesley Monumental Church built in 1868, it was built as a memorial to the Wesleys. I also didn't get a chance to see the statue of John Wesley.
I must have seen the Lutheran Church but I didn't get a picture, nor do I remember it. I think I must have been on overload because I know I walked over in that area. It had burned in the late 1700's and was rebuilt in the mid 1800's. It was close to the Trinity United Methodist Church which is the oldest Methodist Church.
I also missed the Christ Church. The original building was built before 1940, and the present building was built within its own walls just before 1900.
I know there is probably more, but I will have to make do with what I saw until I have a chance to go back again and explore Savannah. So much to see, so little time. But God sure made sure he brought some church to Savannah!


Matthew 16:18
And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it.

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