Churches of the West: Catholic (SSPX) Chapel of the Annunciation, Ft. Collins, Colorado

Churches of the West: Catholic (SSPX) Chapel of the Annunciation, Ft. Co...: 

Catholic (SSPX) Chapel of the Annunciation, Ft. Collins Colorado.

I've passed by this church many times but this was the first time I stopped.  I knew it was a Catholic church of some sort, but I didn't know that it was a Society of St. Pius X Chapel.

The Society of St. Pius X is a controversial Catholic organization that at one time teetered on the brink of being declared irregular.  Under the last three Popes a dedicated effort to keep that from occurring was undertaken and now the SSPX has a somewhat more regular status with the Church but it is still somewhat on the outside, rather than fully on the inside.  When I last checked, which is awhile back, they had been granted the right to perform sacraments, but a person really ought to check if they're a Catholic and planning on going to a SSPX service.

This church isn't really in Ft. Collins (at least not yet), but on a less and less rural road between Ft. Collins and Windsor Colorado.  Technically its a chapel because, I think, canonically the SSPX are outside of the regular diocese for a region and their churches do not, therefore, have full church status in the eyes of the Catholic Church.  Again, I'm not an expert on this by any means.

This chapel appears to be an offshoot of St. Isadore the Farmer church in Denver, and served by it.

Sunday Morning Scene. Churches of the West: St. Dominic Catholic Church, Old Highlands District, Denver Colorado.

Churches of the West: St. Dominic Catholic Church, Old Highlands Distric...: 

St. Dominic Catholic Church, Old Highlands District, Denver Colorado.

This is St. Dominic Catholic Church in the Old Highlands District of Denver, Colorado.  

This large Gothic style church was the second St. Dominic's in Denver, both of which, fittingly enough, were and are Dominican churches.  The church was originally associated with a school, but the school closed in 1973.  The Church itself was built in 1926, replacing one that had been built in the late 19th Century.

The rectory for the church stands next door and is just a bit older, having been built in 1923.

Sunday Morning Scene. Churches of the West: Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, Old Highlands Denver Colorado

Churches of the West: Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, Old Highlands D...: 

Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, Old Highlands District, Denver Colorado.

This is the Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church in the Old Highlands District of Denver, Colorado.  The church was built in 1890 and at the time it was built, it had no surrounding structures.  The Gothic style church is still a Methodist church today.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Covenant Lutheran Church, Wheatland Wyoming

Churches of the West: Covenant Lutheran Church, Wheatland Wyoming: 

Covenant Lutheran Church, Wheatland Wyoming

This is Covenant Lutheran Church in Wheatland Wyoming.

This church is a modified modern style church, featuring some traditional elements that recall Prairie Gothic style architecture, but which also is updated to a modern look contemporary for when it was built.  When that was, I'm not exactly certain of.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: First Christian Church, Wheatland Wyoming

Churches of the West: First Christian Church, Wheatland Wyoming: 

First Christian Church, Wheatland Wyoming

When I started this blog I only intended to catalog traditional architecture, but I've obviously strayed away from that policy a lot, and nearly right from the onset.  I still think of going back to it from time to time, but I have not.

I guess that's a bit of a disclaimer for this post, and for being a bit more blunt on some of this than I used to be.  This is the First Christian Church in Wheatland Wyoming.  I'm not sure when this church was built, but it was fairly recently.

It's a nice attractive looking building, but it's largely devoid of traditional church architecture.  But for a few embellishments a person wouldn't immediately assume that it's a church.  One of those embellishments is the corner piece holding a bell, which is a feature designed, no doubt, to cause those observing it to realize that this is a church.  Otherwise, it wouldn't be immediately apparent.

Now, I don't mean to fault anyone for architecture of this type.  This is not an ugly building.  And traditional structures are expensive unless you go with the Prairie Gothic style of church which few do anymore. Still, there's something for the position that churches were designed the way that they were for a reason.  Still, if you aren't, at least this is an attractive structure.

Sunday Morning Scene: Churches of the West: Unidentified, Livermore Colorado.

Churches of the West: Unidentified, Livermore Colorado. (Sometimes the ...: 

Unidentified, Livermore Colorado. (Sometimes the photos aren't very good).

This is an unidentified, and likely abandoned Prairie Gothic church near the highway in Livermore, Colorado.

I've been by this church a zillion times, but until had to stop in Livermore the other day, I never attempted to photograph it. Stopping in, I found that unless a person is willing to is trespassing, which I wasn't, a moving highway photo is about as good as a person can do.

So why do it all? Well, at least its cataloged. 

This isn't, by the way, the only church in Livermore.  There's a much nicer newer one I'll photograph in the future.  I suspect that church replaced this one.

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.

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.