‘Miscellany’ Archives
Last building on BLOCK 5: Lost Heritage & Trust
BY HARVEY WINJE Messiah Lutheran Evangelical Church Pastor, Dr. Rev. Leonard Kendall, (1943-1953) instilled is us students many tenets of Lutheranism and the Bible, but outstanding to me, 65 years later, is that we must always trust that the teacher, the leader, will always “have our back.” Trust like that in church, government and institutional leaders has lessened and, in the case of Block 5 (e. 25th St. to E. 26th St and Chicago to Columbus), been completely LOST! A decade ago Children”'s eliminated trust in institutions by Phillips Community as they disrespected and DEMOLISHED most of Block 5 and the trust of neighbors who had spent thousands of hours of their time negotiating a Land Use Covenant with local hospitals. It also damaged the trust of other neighbors including a large, local non-profit who sold multiple properties in disregard of neighborhood covenants. “For this reason, as became brutally clear in 2004, our Twelve Block Agreement had [...]
Letter to the Editor: While hoping for Sale, Messiah”'s pianos to kids, hymnals to Africa, music to churches, and archives to smaller boxes
Dear Editor, After speaking to you, I hear that here are many issues involved in the possible sale of the Historic Messiah Church. I wish to address just one assumption from your paper. As a long-time member of Messiah, I was very hurt by the intimation that we would “trash” our beautiful sanctuary. To me it seems inevitable that we will have to sell our property. But that does not mean that we are not responsibly caring for our building. After 100 years of occupancy, it as an enormous task to make sure the move to vacancy is done with the dignity and love that it deserves. For example: We are considering Keys/4/4/Kids for our four pianos. We are considering Books for Africa for our hymnals. We are looking for other churches interested in inheriting our extensive music library. We are gleaning and pruning our Archives to a manageable and meaningful size. In the meantime, we will heat the necessary spaces with space heaters. This all will be done in [...]
How about a partnership to restore and/or repurpose?
BY JANA METGE So, I have to vent. I was baptized and confirmed Lutheran. The leadership at Messiah Lutheran Church here in Phillips plans to demolish this gorgeous church located at 25th and Columbus. It is a Harry Wild Jones design. Few left in this city. Look at the fabulous pipe organ. This is such waste and disrespect. Demolish something with this kind of craftsmanship? It makes me sick. Shame on those who made this decision; who didn”'t reach out to develop a better plan, one that did not include demolition of such a work of art. Such disrespect for the Elders who struggled to build this sanctuary-- their painstaking efforts, deliberate design, and skill. I am really frustrated with the leadership of this congregation. I am very frustrated with the Hospital”'s lack of vision. I am posting this and I hope everyone will post far and wide. This is a disgrace. A terrible, terrible disgrace. Are there no solutions? None? Really? And worse, the Hospital. The [...]
