15 January 2009

Jen B

has taken some beautiful pictures of the installation of Pr. Mark Braden at Zion Lutheran Church, Detroit. Pr. Petersen featured them them on his blog, but I didn't realize that Jen took them. They show the beauty of Zion and a parish that does not believe in "least common denominator" liturgics. Enjoy!

click here

15 comments:

ToddPeperkorn said...

Uh, link?

X said...

Aww shucks. *blush*

Elephantschild said...

Is there an antiphonal organ behind the altar at Zion?

Just wondering. I'm married to an organ geek!

Beautiful pictures, Jen. Oh - wait - I guess those are darkened stained glass windows, not a decorative screen. Church looks like it was built in the mid twenties. Am I right? Does anyone know?

Jon Townsend said...

It was built in the 20s/30s and it was built from the limestone of the old post office in Detroit that was torn down around that time.

As far as I know, the organ and it pipes are in the balcony. At least I remember the sound coming from the back of the church.

I have never seen a more beautiful Lutheran church in North America.

Elephantschild said...

Thank you, Jon. I like architecture.

Oh, and *cough, cough* you've obviously never been to the church I was married in, Trinity Downtown, Milwaukee. :) Although Zion does look beautiful.

-Jenny

X said...

Jon's right. The pipes are in the back. These photos were taken after the sun had set so the stained glass is very dark.

Historic Trinity in Detroit is really beautiful too. It's smaller, but taller and grander-feeling. It has wonderful carved wood and icons. I thought it was prettier than Zion... but Zion's liturgy is richer.

www.ziondetroit.org

Thanks!

Jon Townsend said...

Jen:
I was a member at HT for a while, Zion has it beat, by virtue of the two statues in the front and the stations :)

Anonymous said...

Re. the organ. There is an antiphonal organ in the chancel. It is in a chamber above a sacristy on the Gospel side (liturgical north) of the altar.

Rev. Paul T. McCain said...

In my opinion, the most beautiful Missouri Synod church in America is St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne. It will blow your mind.

Elephantschild said...

I think Pr. McCain may be right. At the very least, the en chamade trumpet (the one that sticks out from the casework) on that Austin organ will blow your mind!

Deacon M. Thanks. I thought I could see an organ screen to side of the windows!

Anonymous said...

why is the pulpit on the wrong side of the chancel?

Jeff

X said...

There is a lectern on the left and a pulpit on the right (which also happens to be nearly true North).

Rev. Paul T. McCain said...

Does Zion still have the shrine to Mary complete with vigil candles?

X said...

You mean the statue of Mary holding infant Jesus? Yes. There's a statue of Jesus as well. Both have space around them for candles. I think you have to bring your own candles though.

William Weedon said...

You might remind Pr. McCain, Jen, that IF you want to have a statue of the infant Christ, the most natural way to do so would be to show Him in His mother's arms. Hence, not so much a shrine to Mary, as a shrine to the Child of Mary!