My congregation is in the midst of celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year.  In conjunction with that, we are having a thank offering for sanctuary remodeling.  In preparation for that process, we are doing a series of “steeplechases”, that is, going and looking at area churches and looking at the art and architecture of the space.
The second church we looked at is St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Racine.  The congregation is 164 years old.  It was built using (now historic) Milwaukee cream city brick.  Here is a link to some of the pictures.  You can click on any of the images to see them in a larger format, or you may look at them on Flickr, where they live:
[flickr-gallery mode=”photoset” photoset=”72157625829339723″]
This is really a remarkable space.  The woodwork is stunning, the risen Christ in Judgment is beautiful and warm, the stained glass  is rich and vivid.  I have a couple of critiques of the space:
1. The lighting isn’t sufficient for the space. Â It looks like the nave lighting is 20-25 years old, and it shows.
2. The baptismal font(s) are really off center. Â When you’re looking through the space, you have to look hard to even find it.
All in all, though, it is a gorgeous church, and I’m sure one of the most beautiful in Racine.
-Pastor Peperkorn
The nave lighting is only about three years old-(a long and painful story).
They also have a "moveable" baptismal font they have been using for the past couple of years.
When there is a baptism, the more "portable" font is moved "front and center" on the congregation's level.
The beautiful and ornate marble/carved wood font is too tall to put in the middle and too heavy to move.
I am guessing that the placement of the permanent font may be in the English tradition. (but I could be wrong)
Very interesting. I'm sure there is a long story about the lighting. As a photographer, I am doubly sensitive to the use (or misuse) of light in acoustic space.
So where would the permanent font be placed in the English tradition?
Our beautiful marble font is too much for us to move each time for a Baptism. I read that your church also uses a more portable font for those occasions. Please tell me more or send a picture/brand name. Thank you. Judy Price