If you have ever traveled to Europe, I’m sure that you have noticed quite a number of old churches. If you are anything like me, the opportunity to explore these holy spaces was likely a highlight of your trip. To put it in the simplest of terms, they just don’t build things like they used to.
My husband Paul, his mother, and I were recently fortunate to travel to Greece, and while there, we saw innumerable churches. One example in the center of Athens—the Church of Panagia Kapnikarea—dates to the year 1052 and sits on the site of another ancient temple. It is difficult to imagine the centuries of Christians who have worshipped in this dark, smokey, candle-lit space filled with mosaics, murals, and a deeply embedded scent of beeswax and frankincense.
While exploring family villages in the Peloponnese, we met with distant relatives who were eager to show us some of the churches in Dimitsana. At its height, Dimitsana was a village of over 2,500 residents, 26 churches, 4 monasteries, a seminary, and the seat of a bishop. Now, the churches and monasteries remain, but after wars, financial crises, and a military dictatorship, the population has dwindled to around 350 year-round residents.
Upon entering several of these churches, you are taken by the beauty and history contained within. Most date to the 17th and 18th centuries, and while older than the Church of the Good Shepherd, they are relatively young compared to many others in Greece. What struck me—and indeed the reason I am telling you this story—is the response of our guide when we found a large pile of plaster that had fallen from the dome of one church. In broken English, she said, “I came earlier today to clean this up…you can see more has fallen. We are trying to find the money to restore this church. We have not been able to yet—but we will.”
This simple exchange left an indelible impression, especially given my role as Vestry Liaison to the Buildings and Grounds Committee. We worship in a beautiful Gothic Revival building constructed over two years beginning in 1893. The first services were held in 1894 and the building was consecrated in 1910. It is truly a gift that we are able to call this edifice our spiritual home. Given our history, perhaps it is a greater gift that we are called to steward this place toward another 132 years of transcendent Christian worship and vibrant ministry.
After years of too little investment, a new spirit of proactivity has emerged to meet the needs of our buildings and properties. We have recently installed ADA accessible ramps and repaired soffits and downspouts on the retreat house. We have contracts in place for HVAC maintenance and landscaping. In coming weeks, we will be installing signage around campus to assist newcomers and visitors. Even the fire alarm sounding during the voluntary after Sung Mass on Trinity Sunday serves as a testament to the work being done here.
We know that large projects are on the horizon, and while we don’t currently have the funds to pay for a new roof or restore stained glass, we will. God will provide what is needed to maintain our space for generations of Christians to come. The Church of the Good Shepherd has been, is, and will continue to be a place where the Word of God is proclaimed and His Sacraments are celebrated. And while we wait, let us continue to pray for all yet unknown to us whom God will draw to this place to come to know and love our Lord Jesus and for the growth of ministry here for the sake of the Gospel.
William Hillegeist
Vestry Liaison for Buildings and Property