In which I relax discretion to share with friends.
I've sat on this for some time. I really wasn't sure I would put these up so as not to attract undue interest in this place. The pics are not great as mine usually are not but I wanted to share. I will say this first. I have a huge respect for Churches, Cemetaries and such. I've always thought folks looking for historical fact and interest of a given period or era can gain a great deal from them both. some prefer to view the design and architecture. Others to trace family roots or to identify communities. I admire all legit points of interest. Sometimes however a fixation occurs which is to say the least, unhealthy. I have observed obsession in other sites and sometimes it can feed whimsy. You get Wierd N.J. types lurking about in night hours looking for spooks and then you get stranger folks about and then damage occurs. I have seen the results of stone robbing and cemetary theft/vandalism. Folks do stupid things in dark hours. I have no taste for such. We have a couple wondrous photo folks here and I've not seen one night shot taken from behind a gravestone looking for a spook. It's simply respectful.
That said, I have had the Good fortune to view the inside of a well known little place of the pines. Put my hands on it's wood and feel the very solidity of the place in as much as it is seemingly pretty sturdy. Aside from members of it's regular congregation of which I know none here (I mean no disrespect to any in showing these) I suspect most site regulars have viewed it many times from outside but rarely if ever in. I will not name it because the core group pretty much knows it well I imagine.
A friend of my wife's has access to the church and let me view it one late afternoon. I will share some shots.
When you walk through it's doors you are instantly aware of the fact that simplicity has prevailed here. Even in the little way that they have expanded the small space to include an area for youth care is simple. You might not be surprised to see that not much is really been teched out at all, save for a little lighting and some speakers for sound and music.
I was actually shocked to see a central air unit outside.
I offer now a little look from the inside of this quiet place of worship that has observed so much change around it as our Pine Barrens have evolved to present day.
A typical window view
It is so hard to represent the type of glass used because my camera can not capture it but it is the very same stuff you see of course at Batsto
and like structures where the glass came from such. I just love looking through it. It distorts the world in a manner that almost seems... fitting.
You can almost see the distortion in this one. Funny tale, My wife's friend shared with me that in painting the place over the years, the very sills and seams of the windows were painted shut. Not a first for such historic places indeed and surely a little extra help to keep the drafts down.
Now here you may observe a crack that has been there for some very long time. It is funny to me that there really isn't anywhere fitting to make a pane to match it.
A view if you would of the well kept cemetary.
The seating itself is very plain and simple, as you can see and some have imagined it is a warm, small, and intimate setting.
That's it folks... seven small rows per side, yet a dedicated congregation.
While the remaining group is very small, they steadfastedly maintain this facility and it's future. Sadly, some two years ago they suffered the loss of their longtime Pastor to a sudden passing in a vehicle accident.They continue in faith and devotion as has been done for many years.
There is no squandering here. Only recently have they allowed themselves padding to their seating.
It is actually a bit fun to move about and look closely at the details. While no real access is easily gained to the space below, there are some knots popped out in the old wood floor planking that give one a little look.
I'll not go into a great detail of the items inside and they are scant but I will share with you the humble piano which graces the church.
Now try to imagine if you will, with that very piano in mind, and the very simple look and size of the place, and the very nature of the faith of this church being quite conservative... a typical Sunday service today does not have so much a contemporary feel but may perhaps mirror the same stoic tone and grace that it had 100 + years ago, welcoming all willing to come from the pines to share in God's grace.
That said, I took a couple shots that I considered a little fitting and hopefully that will allow constant readers here to get a little understanding of how simple things really were in our Pine Barrens at the end of the day, how people worshipped, and how in some ways, that spirit exists.
And looking out to the small yet so significant setting that people came together in worship and in hope.
Thank you all for reading.
g.
I've sat on this for some time. I really wasn't sure I would put these up so as not to attract undue interest in this place. The pics are not great as mine usually are not but I wanted to share. I will say this first. I have a huge respect for Churches, Cemetaries and such. I've always thought folks looking for historical fact and interest of a given period or era can gain a great deal from them both. some prefer to view the design and architecture. Others to trace family roots or to identify communities. I admire all legit points of interest. Sometimes however a fixation occurs which is to say the least, unhealthy. I have observed obsession in other sites and sometimes it can feed whimsy. You get Wierd N.J. types lurking about in night hours looking for spooks and then you get stranger folks about and then damage occurs. I have seen the results of stone robbing and cemetary theft/vandalism. Folks do stupid things in dark hours. I have no taste for such. We have a couple wondrous photo folks here and I've not seen one night shot taken from behind a gravestone looking for a spook. It's simply respectful.
That said, I have had the Good fortune to view the inside of a well known little place of the pines. Put my hands on it's wood and feel the very solidity of the place in as much as it is seemingly pretty sturdy. Aside from members of it's regular congregation of which I know none here (I mean no disrespect to any in showing these) I suspect most site regulars have viewed it many times from outside but rarely if ever in. I will not name it because the core group pretty much knows it well I imagine.
A friend of my wife's has access to the church and let me view it one late afternoon. I will share some shots.
When you walk through it's doors you are instantly aware of the fact that simplicity has prevailed here. Even in the little way that they have expanded the small space to include an area for youth care is simple. You might not be surprised to see that not much is really been teched out at all, save for a little lighting and some speakers for sound and music.
I was actually shocked to see a central air unit outside.
I offer now a little look from the inside of this quiet place of worship that has observed so much change around it as our Pine Barrens have evolved to present day.
A typical window view
It is so hard to represent the type of glass used because my camera can not capture it but it is the very same stuff you see of course at Batsto
and like structures where the glass came from such. I just love looking through it. It distorts the world in a manner that almost seems... fitting.
You can almost see the distortion in this one. Funny tale, My wife's friend shared with me that in painting the place over the years, the very sills and seams of the windows were painted shut. Not a first for such historic places indeed and surely a little extra help to keep the drafts down.
Now here you may observe a crack that has been there for some very long time. It is funny to me that there really isn't anywhere fitting to make a pane to match it.
A view if you would of the well kept cemetary.
The seating itself is very plain and simple, as you can see and some have imagined it is a warm, small, and intimate setting.
That's it folks... seven small rows per side, yet a dedicated congregation.
While the remaining group is very small, they steadfastedly maintain this facility and it's future. Sadly, some two years ago they suffered the loss of their longtime Pastor to a sudden passing in a vehicle accident.They continue in faith and devotion as has been done for many years.
There is no squandering here. Only recently have they allowed themselves padding to their seating.
It is actually a bit fun to move about and look closely at the details. While no real access is easily gained to the space below, there are some knots popped out in the old wood floor planking that give one a little look.
I'll not go into a great detail of the items inside and they are scant but I will share with you the humble piano which graces the church.
Now try to imagine if you will, with that very piano in mind, and the very simple look and size of the place, and the very nature of the faith of this church being quite conservative... a typical Sunday service today does not have so much a contemporary feel but may perhaps mirror the same stoic tone and grace that it had 100 + years ago, welcoming all willing to come from the pines to share in God's grace.
That said, I took a couple shots that I considered a little fitting and hopefully that will allow constant readers here to get a little understanding of how simple things really were in our Pine Barrens at the end of the day, how people worshipped, and how in some ways, that spirit exists.
And looking out to the small yet so significant setting that people came together in worship and in hope.
Thank you all for reading.
g.
