St. John's Episcopal Church (Detroit) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Episcopal Church |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Denomination | Episcopal Church |
| Churchmanship | High Church |
| Website | www.stjohnsdetroit.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint John the Apostle |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Episcopal Diocese of Michigan |
| Province | V |
St. John's Episcopal Church is a very old church located in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It stands at 2326 Woodward Avenue. This church is the oldest one still standing on Woodward Avenue. This area was once known as "Piety Hill" because many religious buildings were there. St. John's Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It was also named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1987.
Contents
History of St. John's Church
The St. John's church community started in Detroit in 1858. A successful businessman named Henry Porter Baldwin helped a lot. He later became the governor of Michigan and a United States senator. Mr. Baldwin bought the land for the church. At that time, it was on the edge of Detroit's city limits. He also gave money to build a rectory (a house for the priest) and a small chapel. This first chapel could seat 150 people.
When the chapel was finished in 1859, it was already too small. The church community was growing quickly. So, a new, larger church building was planned right away. It was built fast and opened on December 10, 1861.
Today, the church uses older, traditional ways of worship. For example, they use the 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. Some weekday services even use the Anglican Missal. This is different from many other modern Episcopal churches.
Architecture and Design
St. John's Church is a great example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. This style looks like old European cathedrals. The church building is 170 feet long and 65 feet wide. The tallest part is the bell tower, called a belfry, which reaches 105 feet high.
Building Materials and Features
Most of the outside of the church is made from rough limestone. The decorative parts are made from a smoother stone called Kelly Island sandstone. Strong supports called buttresses help hold up the side walls and the roof. The roof is also supported by special wooden beams called hammer beam trusses. You can see decorative stone carvings, like gargoyles, along the roofline. These are also above the windows and doors.
Inside the church, there are balconies, called galleries, on three sides. They stick out without pillars underneath them. This design made the church feel open, like an auditorium.
Stained Glass and Interior Details
The church has beautiful stained glass windows. There are six memorial windows on each side of the main hall, called the nave. These windows were put in between 1880 and 1954. The top parts of these windows still have their original clear and colored glass. A very large stained glass window, called the great west window, was added in 1963.
The altar, which is the table at the front of the church, was installed in 1873. It is made of white Caen stone. It was given in memory of the mother of a former priest, George Worthington. Many other church furnishings were also given as memorials. These were added during renovations in 1892. They include a screen made of iron and Caen stone, a matching pulpit, and a brass lectern (where readings are given). Hand-carved oak seats for the clergy and choir were added after a renovation in 1936.
Changes to the Church Building
St. John's Church has had two big changes since it was first built. The first change happened in 1892. The area around the altar, called the chancel, was made deeper. This created more space for the organ and the choir. To do this, the original chapel had to be taken apart and rebuilt ten feet further east.
The second major change happened in 1936. Woodward Avenue was being made wider. So, the entire church and chapel building had to be moved 60 feet backward!
The oldest part of the church, the chapel, is still standing today. It also has several stained glass windows. A special historical marker from the State of Michigan now stands at the church.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia Episcopal de San Juan (Detroit) para niños
