Category Archives: Churches

The Buckeye State

Ohio country roads. We didn’t make it to the larger cities in Ohio like Cleveland or Columbus. On this drive we were headed to the airport in Detroit to fly back to Washington State.

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It was always a treat to see a horse and buggy although it was scary to see scenes like this next one.

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A tanker passing the buggy on the road.

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Millersburg

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We stopped at this General Store near Sunnyslope before we drove through Nashville, Ohio.

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Word of Truth Bible Church in Nashville, Ohio.

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First Presbyterian Church in Loudonville was having a Ham and Bean Supper. Loudonville is in the heart of Mohican Country.

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Just after Hayesville we connected to Highway 30 to head west and connected to 75 north onward to Michigan. We stopped in Toledo, Ohio for lunch. Toledo was the largest city we navigated on this trip.

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Holy Toledo! Many of us have heard the expression, but where did it come from?

The origin of the exclamation “Holy Toledo!” is the subject of much speculation. One suggestion is the name came about because of the heavy concentration of churches located on Collingwood Boulevard, according to the Greater Toledo Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Also, the City of Toledo, Spain, after which the American city is named, is often called “the Holy City of Toledo.”

Other suggestions of origin are not religious, but may be more likely. Holy Week has always been the worst week at the box office for show business; old-time Vaudeville actors contended that any week in Toledo was Holy Week. Toledoans Joe E. Brown and Danny Thomas popularized the term as they became nationally known performers.

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This Ghost Sign says Lucas County Board of Elections.

to-dtw-048After driving around this area looking for a spot that was open to have lunch we settled on the Ye Olde Durty Bird. It was open and there was parking across the street. Sometimes those are the best reasons to choose a spot in a downtown area. Thankfully it was good.

Time will tell if I link up to any memes this weekend. Got some laziness going on. How’s your Saturday going?

I will link up to InSPIREd Sunday and to the Barn Collective and to Monday Mural and signs, signs.

Thank you to Beth, Sally, Tom, Oakland Daily Photo and Lesley.

InSPIREd Sunday

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My last two churches from Ohio Amish Country happen to both be white. This first one is St. John’s United Church of Christ.

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The name of this simple church is Holmesville Church of Christ.

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I think the best feature on this country church is the belfry. We did not see any bats up there…

Bats in the Belfry: An antiquated term for insanity, madness. Belfry: the top of a bell tower on a church, where the bell is housed. Often infested with bats, who enjoy the darkness and seclusion of the place.
She’s got bats in the belfry, sqirrels in the attic, owls up in the loft.

Linking up to InSPIREd Sunday with Beth and Sally.

InSPIREd Sunday

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Central Christian Church in Elkhart, Indiana

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Grace Lutheran Church in Elkhart, Indiana.

heritage-tour-105We saw these two churches and a few more on our Heritage Trail Driving tour while in Indiana the end of September. I’ll add a couple more here that were quick drive-by shots.

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First Presbyterian Church in Goshen, Indiana. Goshen is the county seat for Elkhart County and the following photo is the courthouse.

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Linking up with Beth and Sally for InSPIREd Sunday.

Saint John of the Cross Episcopal Church Indiana

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While we were in Shipshewana Indiana we took a drive on The Heritage Trail to many small towns circling back to Shipshe. We stopped at this church in Bristol to take photos and found out it was a historic landmark.

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heritage-tour-118 Linking up to InSPIREd Sunday with Beth and Sally.

We are having a slow Saturday here at this old house. Patio covers are removed and…

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…we are just watching the leaves fall. How’s your weekend progressing?

A Church in a Barn…

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When were were driving the Heritage Trail on a Sunday in Indiana it didn’t take us long to figure out that there was a church gathering happening in a room in this barn.

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All the horses were unhitched from their buggies.

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At one point a fussy little one had to be taken out to the buggy for something to soothe the tears.

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I’m linking up to…

InSPIREd Sunday with Beth and Sally and

The Barn Collective with Tom The Backroads Traveller.

We are in the country again this weekend in Northeastern Washington State. The guys are working on finishing up a staircase project while us girls are walking and enjoying other things. The big storm that was suppose to hit the Western part of our state fizzled out. That’s okay by us. Hope your weekend is filled with peace.

La Grange, Indiana

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I tried to get some information on this mural on line and couldn’t really find anything. There were some references to Corn School.

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La Grange Methodist Church?

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1st Presbyterian Church in La Grange, Indiana.

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On our way to Shipshewana, Indiana from the Detroit airport we stopped in La Grange on Highway 20 a few miles from “Shipshe” for dinner and saw these churches and mural while scoping out our dinner options. It didn’t take long to decide on one of the two spots that were open. The barn was spotted on the road before we reached La Grange.

Linking up with Tom the Backroads Traveler for The Barn Collective,

InSPIREd Sunday with Beth and Sally,

and Monday Mural at Oakland Daily Photo

Combining these three memes since all these photos are from La Grange, Indiana.

InSPIREd Sunday…

Steeples and bell towers from the road in Spokane, Puyallup and a message in Colville Washington.p1060668

Peace Lutheran Church in Puyallap Washington.

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I think this is the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane taken from Providence Sacred Heart Hospital. I plan to take an up close and personal view of this cathedral in the future.

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For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

I saw this verse on the side of a building in Colville, Washington.

We are having a nice visit with my cousin and friend from college who married my cousin. The weather has changed here with wind and rain and lots of leaves falling.

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We took a selfie. We are eating well with an egg scramble for breakfast, cucumber salsa, and pulled pork sandwiches with beans and coleslaw for dinner and a shrimp cocktail chaser that my cousin Jim served up. Oh and there’s a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for dessert.

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Tomorrow Jim and Jeanie head to Canada and a ferry ride to Vancouver Island. We are inspiring them by watching the survival show “Alone” that was filmed on Vancouver Island. Have you watched that show?

Linking up with InSPIREd Sunday hosted by Sally and Beth! Thank you!

InSPIREd Sunday- Colville

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I copied the description of this church from their webpage.

We are a congregation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church located in Colville, WA.  We are a Reformed church.  Our prayer is to reach out to this world with the good news of the gospel.  We proclaim God’s free grace in Christ, we worship our Lord in Spirit and in truth, and we seek to grow in unity and maturity in the Lord.

Emmanuel Presbyterian Church…is a worshiping body of believers, united to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith and nourished by means of the public ordinances of Christ’s Church. We are a local congregation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, a conservative, Reformed, and Presbyterian denomination.

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The Word “Orthodox”…

…in our name means: “committed to correct teaching and doctrine.” We are unswervingly committed to the whole Word of God as the divinely inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word from God — the only rule of faith and godliness.

I took these photos in August while visiting our son and daughter in law.

To see more of InSPIREd Sunday posts from around the world go to the link up hosted by Beth and Sally.

We are having a beautiful weekend here in the Seattle area. We celebrated Dear’s birthday yesterday and tomorrow we are looking forward to a start of a new series at church called God and Politics. Should be interesting and of course it’s timely. Hope you are having a peaceful weekend.

InSPIREd Sunday

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I’ve posted this church before but on this day the light and the clouds and all made for a lovely view of it. I took this on our recent trip to our son’s home in August.

This is St. Mary of the Rosary in Chewelah Washington. Chewelah is a one signal town in Northeastern Washington on Highway 395.

I’m linking up with Beth and Sally at InSPIREd Sunday.

InSPIREd Sunday

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St. George’s Anglican Church in Fort Langley, B.C.

History of the church can be read by clicking on this link.

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Dear and I spent a few hours in Fort Langley British Columbia on July 19th. We spotted this church and walked over to get a closer look.

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There was a prayer meeting going on so I didn’t take photos inside the sanctuary. I did zoom in to get a glimpse of the stained glass window. “In 1908, St. George’s was consecrated and in 1912 the Good Shepherd window above the altar was installed.”

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My Refuge and My Fortress Psalm 91: 1-4 (ESV)

 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
 He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

I’m linking up to InSPIREd Sunday with Beth and Sally.