Wednesday, September 10, 2008

In the Sanctuary


Inside the sanctuary of an abandoned church in Hale County looking toward the front.
The piano is in the right hand corner.

The sacred desk - or pulpit, and the altar

Close up of the piano. Note the horizontal board walls and the wainscoting paneling, probably added in the 70s.

View from behind the pulpit. Some of the light fixtures were intact. The large white rectangles in back are closed in sections where restrooms were added. The entrance to the restrooms were outside on the front porch.

One of the front arches from the inside of the porch. See the kudzu taking over?

8 comments:

Virginia said...

Wonder why the pulpit was inside of a "playpen"? Interesting photos! I love the last one with the pretty arch and the vines winding their way inside.

D said...

Virginia,
I have no idea, but I've seen that kind of bannister before in churches. I wondered if it was to keep the angry congregants from going after the pastor! ha ha

Janet said...

So glad you got inside to take these photos. They are wonderful, and I wish this old church could be preserved.
I wonder if it was a Methodist church, because they typically had altars that curved around the pulpit for communion purposes. During communion, the congregants kneel on the altar benches. the longer the altar, the more people who could be served at one time. At least, I think that is the reason!

D said...

RR - you may be right. I think the new church across the street was AME or CME, and the M is for Methodist.
I couldn't believe my usually very cautious husband was willing to go in. The church is on a main highway, so people saw us. I suppose technically we were trespassing and could've fallen through the floor. But thankfully it ended well and was quite an adventure. He remarked that it was really still in good shape and could've been fixed had they just kept it up.

Tanya Breese said...

I can't believe they've left that awesome piano inside!
I love the picture of the kudzu growing through the arch. Very nice!

Debbie Courson Smith said...

Glad to see kudzu entering a church, it needs to learn to not be so greedy.

Rose said...

I love those archways...and can't help but think I am so glad the inside bathrooms today are not right in the sanctuary.

D said...

Tanya - that piano is cool, but I bet it weighs so much it wasn't worth moving. I'm surprised it hasn't fallen through the floor!
Boise Diva - kudzu takes over EVERYTHING that doesn't move!
Rose- ME TOO! I guess at least they put them at the back instead of the front!