Churches | ReallyRedding

April 10, 2011

Sacred Heart Church in Anderson

This lovely example of Mission Style Architecture is the Sacred Heart Church in Anderson California, a few miles south of Redding. The Sacred Heart Parish also operates a school of the same name at this site. A Catholic group, it notably posts information in both English and Spanish at their website.

According to Wikipedia, “The Sacred Heart (also known as Sacred Heart of Jesus) is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus’ physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity.”

From the Parish website I learned that there is a a Labyrinth at the site, for prayer. Construction seems to be an ongoing project, funded through donations and built by community volunteers. It’s a spiritual walk that unfolds in three phases. This day in age, many parishes find that they heavily rely on donations to continue with maintenance on their churches. With technology from companies such as Tithe.ly, churches can receive donations from their congregation using https://get.tithe.ly/church-app or something similar. This can help them to raise the money to cover the costs of the church reconstruction. Whilst this reconstruction is currently being done by volunteers, the church could always get help from a church construction management company if they find that the work isn’t progressing as quickly as they’d like. Church reconstructions are a big job, so it’s surprising that the church isn’t using professionals. However, there are always services available if they need expertise for their reconstruction. Hopefully, the church will be ready soon.

Purgation: Letting go – the path inward.

Illumination: Clarity, insight, and openness to receive – the journey center.

Union: Integration of what is learned from the prayer experience into action in the world – the path outward.

The Labyrinth Journey
You have only to enter and follow the path.
Open your heart
as your prayer filled walk embraces life’s journey.
It may be joyous.
It may be somber.
It may be used as a walking meditation,
a prayer of sacred movement
along your spiritual journey with Christ

February 27, 2011February 27, 2011

Anderson Church of Christ

“The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”

So says the message board today outside the Anderson Church of Christ on North Street in Anderson. Words of wisdom. This below, is from their website:

“The church of Christ is a non-denominational church. This means we are not under the authority of anyone or anything other than God, and his word given to us through the Bible. We do have elders who oversee the spiritual well-being of the congregation, but we are all submissive, one to another.”

It would appear from the website that baptism plays a role in their faith traditions. There are videos online. There is also a blog online, with a link to a Fishing Report, which seems appropriate.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
Mark 1:17

The church is located right next to the Sacramento River, so I walked over and took this photo. It was a beautiful day, for fishers of all sorts.

February 18, 2011February 18, 2011

So I’m a Singularitarian

Remember the Weird Al parody song, “I lost on Jeopardy?” I was thinking about that song as humans lost to a computer this week on the TV show Jeopardy.

Humans may have lost more than we know.
And we may have gained something incomprehensible.

The idea has been around for some time. That we may build a computer or a program more intelligent than a human.

I have always thought so. If you cannot imagine a self-aware computer smarter than a human, you have a limited imagination.

That breakthrough may happen at any moment. It may have happened already. How would you know?

For more information on the implications, there is a decent 5 page introductory article to The Singularity, currently in Time Magazine, available online here.

Like 9/11, you will always remember where you were when you first realized the Singularity was here.

Edit: So I post this entry, just as my “smartphone” beeps a message. Odd coincidence. Will we learn of the Singularity by phone?

Perhaps “Watson” was bored, waiting what must seem an eternity for the next Jeopardy question, and decided to mess with me.

January 21, 2011December 18, 2011

Neighborhood Church of Redding

Here’s a Redding Church with a name as unassuming as the architecture of its building. In addition to their east Redding Church facility on Loma Vista, Neighborhood Church of Redding has an extensive website. You can explore their Mission and precepts at the link. They also have videos of their message. I grabbed this one for the title, “Going to My Happy Place.” Neighborhood Church of Redding looks like a happy place indeed.

Happy: Going to My Happy Place from Neighborhood Church of Redding on Vimeo.

“The Bible is God’s text message to you,” says Pastor Bill Giovannetti. I like that idea. Bill dresses like a Redding man for the sermon; he knows his audience. Like his church, unassuming.

While shooting these images, it looks like construction is underway for a new building at their site, to the northeast. I’m looking forward to seeing what emerges there. If I have this right, Neighborhood Church is a member of an evangelical Protestant denomination of Christianity. From all appearances, one of the larger congregations in Redding

August 17, 2010August 17, 2010

Sikh Center in Anderson

This type of architecture is not commonly seen in buildings of worship around here. This is the Sikh Center in Anderson. There is also a Sikh Temple nearby, pictured below. I found this on their website:

“With Waheguru’s grace Dr. Harvinder Singh Birk got a vision of setting up Gurudwara Sahib near Redding CA by donating 8 Acres of Land for this noble cause. This Sikh Center Gurudwara will be the First one in the Redding area, which is about 150 miles North of Sacramento in the foothills of mountains and in the near vicinity of Mount Shasta.

I didn’t know much about the Sikh faith when I started this post, but this information from Wikipedia provided a good overview. Here’s a snippet:

Sikhism believes in one supreme God. The Sikh school of thought started by Guru Nanak teaches gender and race equality, sharing, working hard and honestly, being honest, contentment, selfless service, talking sweetly, worshiping naam, good etiquette, tradition, prayer, meditation, the concept of miri-piri, the concept of the saint-soldier/warrior, remembering God all the time in all actions, keeping in good company, proper sexual conduct, the life of a house person instead of becoming a celibate monk and rejecting the world, compassion, faith, justice, mastery, righteous actions, bravery, courage, love for God, humility, salvation, the afterlife, the law of karma (karam) which is counteracted by dharma (dharam), charity, and good will to humanity.

Sounds like Sikhs have a lot in common with the other faiths that make up the rich tapestry of our local community spirituality. Plus this lovely architecture for the temple, or gurdwara. Again from Wikipedia:

There are no idols, statues, or religious pictures in a Gurdwara, but the essential feature of a gurdwara is the presiding presence of the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. The Sikhs hold high respect for the commandments laid down in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Sikh Center in Anderson
It’s ReallyRedding.

August 5, 2010August 5, 2010

First Baptist Church of Redding

Redding ca First Baptist Church
Built in 1952. The First Baptist Church of Redding had already worshiped in couple of other big church buildings prior to building this one over their 120 year history in Redding. Here’s how it looked in the 50’s, an image courtesy of the Shasta Historical Society.

The RS ran a series of photographs of the First Baptist Church of Redding that’s well done, and worth a look. There’s also a nice write up of Baptists in general at Wikipedia. Interesting information. This particular congregation doesn’t seem to be online anywhere I could find.
This church building on Eureka Way reflects the architecture of the times. There are a few buildings out that way that look similar, including U Prep, and this other church on Eureka Way that has been transformed into a medical office. I think you could also include the remodeled Pine Street School farther east as similar. I describe the architecture as a cross between Mission and Mediterranean, but perhaps there is some other name for the style. When Redding recently decided to adopted a cheesy “50’s Glitz” theme to foist on local business as our preferred style for downtown, I was really wishing that this already evident 50’s Mission/Mediterranean style was the preferred theme instead. With smooth, off-white walls, and Spanish tile roofs, these timeless buildings look elegant and classy. Plus, it’s a style well suited to our climate. It’s Really Redding.

July 24, 2010

The Buddha out my window

I have this small statue in the garden. I have been asked if I am Buddhist. I’m not, although I find myself in alignment with several of the important concepts. Things like impermanence, mindfulness, attachment, and Karma. Mainly though, I like looking out my window and seeing the serene face. There are lots of times that serenity comes in handy.
Buddhist staute in my garden
I was raised a Catholic in a town with a lot of Hispanics. There, the statues of Jesus usually had painful looking crowns of thorns, and sometimes blood coming from nails in his hands. Not really serene, but very Mexican. I get the point, but for now, the Buddha statue resonates. I think Buddha and Jesus would have had a lot to talk about with one another.

January 16, 2010May 11, 2015

Pilgrim Congregational Church and Frank Lloyd Wright

The Pilgrim Congregational Church in Redding is a unique and significant building. It was designed in 1958 by world famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

” If it is true that architecture reflects the people that produce it, their life, faith, hopes and fears, the following comments will be helpful for the architect’s preparation.

There followed a description of Our Faith, Our Heritage, and Our Cultural Crisis and Position in Time. Some of the significant items were these: We believe that creative architecture will make people aware of the resources of our Christian faith. Men thirst for God and are particularly desperate in our time. For many people God is transcendent and distant. Our building ought then to reflect the intimacy and eminence of God as well as his majesty. Man, if we correctly evaluate his predicament, feels incomplete, fragmentary, and anxious. Our church ought then to enhance his desire for wholeness, and develop his capacity to fulfill his divine destiny and confirm his nature as a potential child of God.”

It’s a lovely paragraph. So interesting, that phrase “particularly desperate in our time.” 1958 seems rather idyllic when compared to 2010, but such is the nature of our perception of the present. When the resulting architecture is viewed in the context of the congregation’s stated intention, it truly is inspirational. You can read more about the present day Pilgrim Congregation here.

The church building is an understated testament as to how great architecture can capture nobility and yet remain humble. The angularity, the natural stone in concrete, the low slung ship-like main structure suspended beneath bone white cantilevered ribs, all of it integrates the intention of the architect and the Redding congregation.

When I used to work in Chicago and New York, I saw many examples of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work and influence. We are graced to have this particularly spiritual example in our community. You can read more about his designs for sacred spaces here, and find a site devoted to art of Frank Lloyd Wright at the link.

The existing church is only 20% of the original intended structure. How can we complete the vision?

The newer Sundial Bridge has become the architectural symbol of Redding. It’s a bold piece of soaring bravado. I think this church captures a more representational expression of our community and setting. I could take pictures of this all day long. It’s Really Redding.

October 31, 2009

Ideas will not work unless you do

A wise thought seen today at this landmark Redding Church. The striking pyramid form located the top of Placer is visible for miles around town. The First Presbytarians have a website HERE. They have been active in Redding for over 130 years.

New and old views. Old photos courtesy of the Shasta Historical Society. Consider joining us.

October 9, 2009

From Redding's newest church to it's oldest

Last week I featured Redding’s newest church. At least I think it was the newest. This one is our oldest, I think. A difference of 115 years.
One of Redding's oldest churches
Here we see PG&E starting the pilot light on the heater for the coming winter. I found it surprisingly bright inside, illuminated by natural light.

There was an article in redding.com about the intention to move the church to make way for development. But not enough money was raised, and the idea has languished. Given the current glut of vacant commercial property in town, perhaps the church will be spared for a while longer. I couldn’t find anything about the current congregation on the web. When it was built, it was the Zion African Methodist-Episcopal church. There were churches built in Redding prior to this one. Most were larger, but all were burnt or demolished. Only this humble testament to faith remains.