Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Metropolitan Community Church, Denver Colorado.

The thing omitted from this commentary was that I was somewhat lost when I took this photo, even though I've been in this neighborhood a million times.

Oops.

Churches of the West: Metropolitan Community Church, Denver Colorado.: 

Metropolitan Community Church, Denver Colorado.

I really know nothing about this church at all, other than its in the Capitol Hill region of Denver where a lot of older churches are.  It's not far from the large Episcopal Cathedral in Denver.  Based upon what I can find about it, it fits into the politically and theologically liberal branch of Protestantism, and its occupying a church that was almost certainly built for another denomination some time ago.  

My photo of it is awful, but I was in a hurry at the time I stumbled across it.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church, Cheyenne, Wyoming

Churches of the West: Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church, Cheyenne ...: 

Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church, Cheyenne Wyoming.

This is Holy Apostles Orthodox Christian Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  This church was built in 2012 and is located on the edge of Cheyenne.

This church is interesting in several ways, one of which simply the way it is named.  The Church is what would normally be called a Greek Orthodox church but presents itself as an "Orthodox Christian" church.  This stands in contrast to what we typically find with the various Orthodox churches which usually identify an ethnic component to them, such as Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox.  Indeed, while the various Eastern Orthodox churches are in communion with each other, they are all autocephalous and there are real distinctions between them at least to the extent that each of them has their own hierarchy.

They are also very traditional in many ways and to find one that doesn't note the ethnic component is simply unusual for them.  Also unusual is the design of this church which is highly modern (unfortunately in my view, as I don't care for this external office building appearance).

While not knowing for sure, I suspect that these departures from tradition here were intentional and reflect an effort to deal with a decreasing ethnic component in the Orthodox Churches which they are going to have to deal with in order to survive. At the same time, however, it also may reflect an increased interest in the Orthodox community among traditionalist Protestants of various kinds who have investigated their own churches origins in the wake of numerous doctrinal changes in recent years.  There's been a bit of a boom, more than a ripple but less than a tidal wave, of traditionalist protestants coming into the Orthodox Churches, typically the Greek Orthodox Church, as a result of that.  This church, in its name and design, seems to be designed with an eye towards accommodating that. 

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Redemption Church, was Kaycee United Methodist Church, Kaycee Wyoming

Churches of the West: Redemption Church, was Kaycee United Methodist Chu...: 

Redemption Church, was Kaycee United Methodist Church, Kaycee Wyoming

We rarely feature a church twice here, although occasionally we do if there's a reason.  This is one such example.

We posted on the Kaycee United Methodist Church quite some time ago in this post:

Churches of the West: Kaycee United Methodist Church, Kaycee Wyoming: 

Kaycee Wyoming is a small ranching community in southern Johnson County. This Methodist Church is located there.

Here's the same church today:

The church is still there, but it's no longer a Methodist Church.  It's name indicates that it is the "Redemption" church which causes me to suppose its likely some type of non denominational protestant church.  That doesn't surprise me much because, in modern times, having a sufficient population of Methodists in a small town such as this would be a bit of a surprise for Wyoming.  I'd have expected the Baptist church, which is often the default protestant church in this part of the country, but a Methodist church is quite specific.  This is not to say, of course, that this pattern always holds.  For example, Shoshoni has a prominent Presbyterian church.

For much of modern small town Wyoming today, however, what we'd expect to see is probably a non denominational protestant church, maybe a Baptist church, a Catholic church, and a Mormon church.  We might omit any one of those, or perhaps half of those, depending upon how small and isolated the town is.  This contrast notably from a century ago, or half century ago, when an Episcopal Church would almost be a default for any small Wyoming town and we'd see more active small, but denominational, churches.

In all of this Wyoming follows a bit of the modern trend, although that trend isn't really properly analyzed as a rule.   There are very distinct doctrinal differences between the various protestant churches but a lot of rank and file protestants don't really acknowledge them very much which has given a boost to "non denominational" Christian churches which are not quite as non denominational as it might seem in real terms.

Anyhow, this church appears to have changed roles a bit.  I wonder what denomination originally built it?

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Grace Mission Baptist Church, Kaycee Wyoming.

Churches of the West: Grace Mission Baptist Church, Kaycee Wyoming.: 

Grace Mission Baptist Church, Kaycee Wyoming.

This is Grace Mission Baptist Church in the small Johnson County town of Kaycee, Wyoming.  Other than the location and that its a Baptist church, I don't know much about it.

Sunday Morning Scene. Churches of the West: Abandoned Church, Sinclair Wyoming

Churches of the West: Abandoned Church, Sinclair Wyoming: 

Abandoned Church, Sinclair Wyoming

Given the Spanish style of this abandoned, but apparently still maintained, church in Sinclair, my guess is that it was contemporaneous with the  construction of Parco, as the town was originally called.  All the principal buildings that were built in the early 20th Century along the refining town on the Lincoln highway, were built in that style

I'm not sure what denomination used this church, or even when it was last in use.  As noted, it's still receiving maintenance even though it is not serving as a church and is partially boarded up.  Oddly enough, the Baptist Church in Sinclair is using the giant Parco Hotel of the same vintage for its church.

Churches of the West: St. Barbara's Catholic Church, Powell Wyoming

Churches of the West: St. Barbara's Catholic Church, Powell Wyoming:

St. Barbara's Catholic Church, Powell Wyoming

This is St. Barbara's Catholic Church in Powell, Wyoming.  This church was built in 1964 on the site of the original St. Barbara's which it replaced.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: First United Methodist Church, Powell Wyoming

Churches of the West: First United Methodist Church, Powell Wyoming: 

First United Methodist Church, Powell Wyoming

This is the First United Methodist Church in Powell, Wyoming.  Other than its location, I can't provide any other details about this modern architecture church.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: St. Anthony Catholic Church, Guernsey Wyoming

Churches of the West: St. Anthony Catholic Church, Guernsey Wyoming: 

St. Anthony Catholic Church, Guernsey Wyoming

This modern architecture church is St. Anthony Catholic Church in Guernsey Wyoming, the training headquarters of the Wyoming Army National Guard and a farming, ranching and railroad community.  The church is served by St. Rose of Lima in Torrington, which was posted here just the other day.

There are an unusual number of St. Anthony's Catholic Churches in Wyoming.  I'm not sure how this came about, but there are at least four, including this one.

Churches of the West: Ft. Laramie Community Presbyterian Church, Ft. Laramie, Wyoming

Churches of the West: Ft. Laramie Community Presbyterian Church, Ft. Lar...: 

Ft. Laramie Community Presbyterian Church, Ft. Laramie Wyoming

This Prairie Gothic church in the small town of Ft. Laramie, Wyoming, is in the Prairie Gothic style.  The town of Ft. Laramie is just a few miles from the historic frontier era Wyoming fort.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Torrington Wyoming

Churches of the West: St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Torrington Wyoming:

St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Torrington Wyoming

This Romanesque style Catholic Church is St. Rose of Lima in Torrington Wyoming.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church, Torrington Wyoming

Churches of the West: Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church, Torrington Wyoming:

Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church, Torrington Wyoming

This is the Christ Reformed Presbyterian Church in Torrington Wyoming.  The church was built in 1909.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: First Baptist Church, Torrington Wyoming

Churches of the West: First Baptist Church, Torrington Wyoming:

First Baptist Church, Torrington Wyoming

This Romanesque style church is the First Baptist Church in Torrington Wyoming.  I'm unaware of the history of the church itself, so I have no other details on it.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Grace Lutheran, Worland Wyoming

Churches of the West: Grace Lutheran, Worland Wyoming:

Grace Lutheran, Worland Wyoming

This is Grace Lutheran in Worland Wyoming.  Other than the name and the location, I'm afraid I can't provide any other details about this particular church.

August 31, 1920. Building.

On this date in 1920, John Lloyd Wright was given a patent for what would become Lincoln Logs.

Wright had been marketing the toy logs since 1918, and had based them upon his observations of Tokyo's Imperial Hotel's foundation, designed by his father, Frankly Lloyd Wright.   The foundation featured an interlocking log structure to give it flexibility during earthquakes.

The standing hotel following the devastating 1923 earthquake.

An election held on this date in Hannibal Missouri was the first to be conducted following the 19th Amendment going into effect.  Marie Ruoff Byrum was the first woman voter to cast a ballot to have been given the right to vote under the amendment.

Of course, women had been voting for some time in states that had adopted universal suffrage on their own, including Wyoming's female voters.

Mrs Byrum lived until age 73.  She had been involved in politics and had retired to Florida in her later years.

Tennessee, which had been the 36th state to vote to add the 19th Amendment, on this day voted to rescind their ratification in an effort to reverse course on it.  The effort came too late as retroactive post ratification rescissions are not allowable, assuming recessions are at all, which itself isn't clear.

It's odd that it was attempted in this context.  If the vote had preceded the adoption of the Amendment that would have raised a Constitutional question, but doing it after the ratification would fairly obviously do nothing.

1862 French map used as a template in 1920.

French Genera Henri Gouraud issued a decree that set Lebanon's borders in anticipation of creating a separate Lebanese territory the following day.

Sunday Morning Scene. Churches of the West: St. Peter's Catholic Church, Greeley Colorado.

Churches of the West: St. Peter's Catholic Church, Greeley Colorado.:

St. Peter's Catholic Church, Greeley Colorado.

This is St. Peter's Catholic Church in Greeley, Colorado.  The Gothic style church was built in 1909.  In addition to serving the residents of Greeley, it also serves the students of the University of Northern Colorado.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Greeley Mennonite Church, Greeley Colorado.

Churches of the West: Greeley Mennonite Church, Greeley Colorado.:

Greeley Mennonite Church, Greeley Colorado.

This is the Greeley Mennonite Church in Greeley Colorado.  The church was originally a Lutheran church but I don't know when it the Prairie Gothic church was built.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Belfield North Dakota.

Churches of the West: St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Belfield North Dakota.:

St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Belfield North Dakota.

There are at least two Lutheran churches in tiny Belfield Montana, including this Prairie Gothic church.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: St. Bernard's Catholic Church, Belfield North Dakota.

Churches of the West: St. Bernard's Catholic Church, Belfield North Dakota.:

St. Bernard's Catholic Church, Belfield North Dakota.

One of four Catholic Churches in Belfield, North Dakota, this beautiful Romanesque style church dates back to the 1950s.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: St. John's Ukrainian Catholic Church. Belfield, North Dakota

Churches of the West: St. John's Ukrainian Catholic Church. Belfield, No...:

St. John's Ukrainian Catholic Church. Belfield, North Dakota

Belfield, North Dakota has a population of 800 people and four Catholic Churches, which says something about the nature of this region of the United States.  One of those four, St. John's, is a Ukrainian Catholic Church.

We featured a Ukrainian Catholic Church here for the first time yesterday.  Here we are doing it for a second time in the same region, and in fact at a location that's only a few miles down the highway from the one we featured yesterday.

In parts of the United States we've featured before, such as East Texas, seeing something like this in regards to Baptist churches wouldn't be unusual.  Here we're seeing a much different cultural history at work, and a very interesting one at that.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: St. Demetrius Ukrainian (Greek) Catholic Church. Fairfield, North Dakota

Churches of the West: St. Demetrius Ukrainian (Greek) Catholic Church. ...:

Monday, August 14, 2017

St. Demetrius Ukrainian (Greek) Catholic Church. Fairfield, North Dakota

This is St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church which is outside of Fairfield, North Dakota.  The church is over a century old and gives testament to the enduring Ukrainian presence in the prairie states and provinces of the West.

This is one of several Ukrainian Catholic churches in western North Dakota and its the first Ukrainian Catholic Church to be featured here (a prior entry on the topic of the Ukrainian Catholic Church referenced a biritual priest then in Lander Wyoming.  People with a casual familairity with the Catholic Church tend to believe that all Catholic Churches are "Roman" Catholic, but this is far from true.

Just as Catholic as "Roman" (Latin Rite) Catholic Churches, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, to give it its full name, is one of a collection of Eastern Rite Catholic Churches.  The Catholic Church features three major groupings of Rites based on this initial early transmission of the faith. These are the Latin, Antiochian, Alexandrian and Byzantine, with the Byzantine having derived from the Antiochean.  All still survive in spite of the rift created by the Great Schism which caused separate churches that are not in communion with Rome, typically called "Orthodox" churches, to also come into existence which also descend from all but the Latin Rite.  From these four groups come something on the order of twenty three Rites, of which the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is one.

The history of this particular Rite is not well known to me and it is difficult to fully know it without an in depth study.  This is part made confusing because it is one of the two major churches of the Ukraine, both of which use the Eastern Rite liturgical form, but only one of which is in communion with Rome.  The other major Ukrainian Church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is an Eastern Orthodox Church (usually called "the Greek Church" by native Ukrainians) which is regarded as a self governing church by the Russian Orthodox Church, but only by the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Ukrainian Catholic Church has an ancient history dating back to the Christianization of the Ukraine itself.  Because of the Ukraine's close association with Russia there has always been some tension between its status and that of the Russian Orthodox Church and this was greatly increased during the life of the Soviet Union as the USSR suppressed and drove underground the Ukrainian Catholic Church while favoring the Russian Orthodox Church.  Today the Ukrainian Catholic Church is claimed to have the allegiance of a minority but growing percentage of the population of the Ukraine, at the expense of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but frankly telling what is what in regards to this history is difficult.

This church predates the establishment of the USSR, of course, and reflects a strong late 19th Century and early 20th Century Ukrainian migration to the prairie regions of North America.  Coming from a wheat growing region and stemming from a population of independent small farmers, Ukrainians were reestablishing that pattern of life on the North American prairie.  It's perhaps telling that so many Ukrainian Catholic Churches are present in this region, rather than Russian Orthodox, and that either says something about the populations that migrated or the allegiance of Ukrainians at that time.

The Ukrainians have proved to be enduring as a culture in North American in these regions, which these churches show.  In terms of their organizational structure, while fully Catholic (any Catholic is free to worship at any Catholic church, irrespective of Rite) they are subject to their own jurisdiction. Therefore, they are not part of the Diocese of Bismarck, but rather the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saint Nicholas of Chicago, which covers over half of the United States and all of the western United States.

Indeed, in recent years the Ukrainian nature of this Eastern Rite church, together with the Slavic and Eastern nature of the second major Eastern Rite Catholic Church in the United States, the Byzantine Catholic Church (sometimes called the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church) have increased.  In the late 19th Century the Church in the United States had a Latinization policy in an attempt to unite all Catholics in North America more fully under the belief that this would help incorporate Catholics into society more ably, but this has been reversed.  At the present time the Catholic Church has sought to preserve the Eastern Rites wherever possible and this has lead to a de-Latinization process and a revival of practices that never diminished in Europe.