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Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: December 29, 2010 08:31PM
Hopefully, you great folks can help. I have a faint memory from early childhood (during the mid 1970s) of a north side church that had a steeple or belltower on which was mounted a statue of a hand with an index finger pointing upward. I seem to remember passing by it a lot, so must have been in the neighborhoods we lived in around then (Granville & Clark, then Keeler & Montrose), and I also remember that nobody could explain it to me.
Asking relatives has proved fruitless, although an aunt was convinced I was thinking of the hand statue that used to hang near the entrance of the old Thorek Hospital on Montrose. Which I was not. If it helps, I think this was a red-brick church building, not necessarily tall and it may have had a neon cross sign hanging on the front.
Google has only turned up one image, of a church in Georgia with a pointing-finger-steeple.
Asking relatives has proved fruitless, although an aunt was convinced I was thinking of the hand statue that used to hang near the entrance of the old Thorek Hospital on Montrose. Which I was not. If it helps, I think this was a red-brick church building, not necessarily tall and it may have had a neon cross sign hanging on the front.
Google has only turned up one image, of a church in Georgia with a pointing-finger-steeple.
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
bwalsh
()
Date: December 31, 2010 06:52PM
Here's some info I found on a church in Cincinnati with the same type steeple, perhaps the one you saw would be this denomination - might narrow it down a bit:
http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/Philippus_United_Church_of_Christ
It was originally a German church. Thanks to a Flickr photo that someone recently posted, I saw the steeple and remembered your question.
http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/Philippus_United_Church_of_Christ
It was originally a German church. Thanks to a Flickr photo that someone recently posted, I saw the steeple and remembered your question.
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: January 01, 2011 03:30AM
Thank you! That does help narrow it down. I have a few more family members to ask; hopefully I can at least pin down the neighborhood.
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
bwalsh
()
Date: January 01, 2011 06:18PM
"A hand on a steeple – a finger lifted heavenward, symbolic of the church’s ministry of pointing the way to God; pointing the lost to the Savior; pointing the Christian to God’s full measure of love; pointing the discouraged to the source of peace; and pointing the indifferent to the One he has forgotten. A hand on a steeple – reminding its members of a responsibility and a glorious privilege – symbolic of our hands dedicated to point the way to God through our Lord, Jesus Christ."
I found this on a site for a Baptist church in Georgia - maybe the one you found. So, the German church theory is probably not going to help after all. Well, one thing for sure, it wasn't a Catholic church! So, it had to be a Protestant church of some denomination. Wonder if it's still there? You've definitely aroused my curiosity.
I found this on a site for a Baptist church in Georgia - maybe the one you found. So, the German church theory is probably not going to help after all. Well, one thing for sure, it wasn't a Catholic church! So, it had to be a Protestant church of some denomination. Wonder if it's still there? You've definitely aroused my curiosity.
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
adgorn
()
Date: January 12, 2011 04:18PM
Thorek: you mean Irving, not Montrose
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: January 13, 2011 04:33PM
I can't believe it, but I found it!
The pointing finger is on the top of the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1500 W. Elmdale. It's clearly visible in Google Street View.
The family members I asked couldn't remember the pointing hand...and the ones who [i]would[/i] remember are now dead. Ah, the wonders of the Internet!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2011 01:45AM by WayOutWardell.
The pointing finger is on the top of the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1500 W. Elmdale. It's clearly visible in Google Street View.
The family members I asked couldn't remember the pointing hand...and the ones who [i]would[/i] remember are now dead. Ah, the wonders of the Internet!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2011 01:45AM by WayOutWardell.
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
Artista
()
Date: January 13, 2011 05:26PM
Wardell first of all ,,great to 'see' you. sorry that i was away..secondly GREAT FIND ..i cant wait to see this steeple.
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
Johnny Sauganash
()
Date: January 14, 2011 12:08AM
Cleanup ... The hospital at Rockwell and Montrose, featuring the hand sculpture made of chrome car bumpers, was Forkosh.
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: January 14, 2011 01:44AM
Johnny Sauganash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cleanup ... The hospital at Rockwell and Montrose,
> featuring the hand sculpture made of chrome car
> bumpers, was Forkosh.
Excellent, thanks for that Johnny!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2011 01:52AM by WayOutWardell.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cleanup ... The hospital at Rockwell and Montrose,
> featuring the hand sculpture made of chrome car
> bumpers, was Forkosh.
Excellent, thanks for that Johnny!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/14/2011 01:52AM by WayOutWardell.
Re: Strange Church Steeple
Posted by:
222psm
()
Date: January 14, 2011 08:35PM
I remember the hand, when did they take it down?
