Before It Was "Old" Grace Church

Bill and I are the third post-church owners of "Old Grace Church". First, was Mark and then Mike & Jen. We were curious about what the place had looked like back when it was still a church and Bill had run across some of Mark's photos online. So, Bill went about tracking Mark down (successfully) and asked Mark if he had any photos he would be willing to share. Sure enough, he did. So here are a few shots of what the place looked like when it was still Grace Church.

[I think it was May or June when Mark sent these photos to Bill, but putting this post right after the New House posts, seemed like the right order to me.]

Here's an outside shot. You can see the "Grace Church" sign hanging alongside the front door. The parking lot was on the "south" side, between the church and the road. You can just make out the stained glass windows which were moved over to the new church.

At some point the spire went away. The second owners (Mike & Jen) tried to find it so they could restore it.   They were unsuccessful and so Mike created a small ... hmmm, would you call it a "steeple"? It mimicks what sits atop the new Grace Church (in the village). Mike told us that on the day he sketched it there were a couple crows sitting on the cross and he included the crows on the cross that sits atop this "steeple".

Bill and I are quite glad that Mike & Jen didn't find the old spire. We like this much better.

OK, back to the old photos. More exterior shots ...

The front doors ...

The curved walls on either side of the front doors ...

(The first time we looked at the place, I walked in the front doors without notincing the exterior curved walls. So, from the inside, I went looking for the door into the little room that is always behind those curved walls in churches. It was only when I couldn't find a door anywhere that I finally walked outside and saw that the same curve on the inside is also on the outside.)

Below is a shot from the north. On the right side of this photo, you can just barely make out the bird bath that still sits outside the front doors.

Now to the interior. Looking from the front of the church to the entry ...

Looking from the entry to the front of the church ...

A stained glass window. (These were moved to the new church.)

The lighting along the top of the walls.

Now to the "efficiency apartment" section. Looking toward the south east corner. That's the bathroom behind the walls with a mini-kitchen on this side.

Looking toward the north east corner ...

So, that's what Old Grace Church looked like back when it was simply Grace Church, Lopez Island.