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Sunday, August 29, 2010

Steeple Sunday #25: Our Church

The church steeple(less) featured today is our church, Tabernacle Baptist Church.
The first two pictures (taken on 8/21/10) are of the original church. My husband and I were raised in the church and were married there on February 14, 1970. Due to the declining membership and the location of the church it was sold in the late 1990's. Thirty plus acres were bought in North west Raleigh on which to build a new church. Unfortunately, the area of downtown Raleigh where our church was located was a very bad part of town. Any time there were functions at the church we had to have members guarding the doors for the safety of the members. Things have been 'cleaned' up somewhat today but it is still not in the most desirable area. This is the front of the church. As you might notice we don't have a steeple like most of the Baptist Churches.

This is the side entrance...Today part of it is still a Church called Unity Church and part of it is
called the Longview Center which is an events venue.

This collage is of several of the stained glass windows that were in the original church shown above. If you look closely at the windows on the original church you will see where some of the windows in the collage once were located.
The new church shown at the end of the post was designed around all of the stained glass windows from the original church. When looking at the picutures of the new church at the end you will see many of these windows . The round window on the bottom right corner of the collage was dedicated in 1877. If you enlarge the collage you might be alble to read the dates the others were dicated. The removal, restoration and installation of all of these very old and valuable windows was a major undertaking.


Tabernacle Baptist Church was founded in 1874. These windows dedicated in the late 1877.
Most of the dates are on the windows in the above collage. Hopefully you can click on it to enlarge it or possibly enlarge the below picutres. They are absolutely stunning on a bright, sunny North Carolina day








The first service in our new church was held on July 22, 2001.
We are very thankful the beautiful original stained glassed windows from the original church
found a new home in the new church on Leesville Road. This building we used today is supposed to be our Chapel. There are plans to build a Sanctuary

I thought today would be our last Steeple Chase post because I am trying not to go outside of a 10 mile radius of home; however, I'm happy to report we have found more churches. The Steeple Chase will continue for a bit longer.

15 comments:

  1. MAdi
    Those are some really neat stained windows. Good idea to use them in the new church, makes it look unique.

    wags
    Jazzi

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  2. Beautiful windows...Happy Sunday, sweet Madi...xoxo...Calle, Halle, Sukki

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  3. Happy Sunday Madi and Mom,
    Yay fur the Steeple Chase! Both of dese churches is beootiful and both buildings are filled with happy memories fur you too, how nice.

    Woofs and Licks,
    Maggie Mae

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  4. The original church is very pretty, the top looks like a castle. I like the new one also.

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  5. The windows are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Oh, it's wonderful that you could move those windows to the new church. The old one is in still a very pretty building, but you know that they say - Location, location, location! I'm so glad you didn't run out of churches quite yet.

    lotsa licks, Lola

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  7. I hustled right over to see the stained glass!

    It is gorgeous! And I think I like the windows even BETTER in your new church. Your new chapel and building with the unadorned brick is a perfect setting for the ornate glass. I was reminded of a sturdy "olde" English church in the design.

    Thanks for showing us YOUR church!

    MomKat Trish

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  8. That is wonderful that they could save those beautiful stain glass windows for the new church!
    Such a treasured art that can't be found any more these days!
    Such a long rich history for the congregation!

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  9. Oh good. I love seeing all the different kinds of architecture!

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  10. That was neat HiC.
    Young love and the same church.
    You are a great steeple chaser.

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  11. Great post! I am happy to hear this is not your last Steeple post!

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  12. Those stained glasses are soooo beautiful!
    Happy Sunday!
    Kisses and hugs
    Lorenza

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  13. It had crossed my mind in the past weeks that you had never mentioned attending any of the other churches, I thought maybe I had missed one.

    It is great that the original stained glass windows could be part of the new building. They are very beautiful.

    Good idea to stay out of the heat. We have cooled off for the weekend which is helping will all the wildfires in this area.

    Hugs & Purrs,
    J and Cindi

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  14. Ya'll have a very nice church. Glad you found some more that you can also share for a while.

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Cecilia and Angel Madi
Email: candb214@att.net