Wanderings Of A Canadian Loon Through The National Capital And Beyond
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
A Church?
It doesn't look the part, at least at first. This is the Mennonite Church in the Ottawa South neighbourhood. The design is different than what I'm used to.
Great photo! I have seen churches that don't look like the churches that I am used to as well, William. Churches of Christ, for example. (and I am not referring to the Mormons, but a church known simply as the Church of Christ.) Their buildings are modest and simple.
nice building I think its more important that churches use their money to care for the poor than on their buildings (which the more grander ones must have at one time or the other)
Yeah - you could've fooled me; it looks like something from a 1970s housing estate. Jen Massey, above, makes a good point though. And as an infrequent church-goer, other than to admire the history and architecture, what do I know?!
Non traditional looking churches are popping up in my neighbourhood. I see them in industrial units, store fronts in strip malls and one has even taken over a building that used to be a restaurant.
To Modern looking they must be Mexican Mennonites as we have a lot of them down here and they are more modern folk . It looks more like a Funeral home to me I like the old churches they have here that people still use , Oh well each to his own eh? Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !
The so-called "free" churches often have a less than traditional design. The don't want people to mistake them for Catholics or Anglicans! :) We have a lot of small fundamentalist groups in Florida who locate in small strip shopping centers. They have names like "Holy Bible-Believing True Followers of Jesus".
yeah, it looks more like a house! here we have churches anywhere they can fit a congregation...schools, building in a strip mall...i guess it's not the building that matters, it's the word spoken inside!
@Lowell: there's one in a neighbourhood where I used to live housed in former medical offices, with a really strange name.
@Karl: a steeple is something you do expect.
@Tanya: I guess that's true.
@Jan: it could easily pass for one.
@Tex: there is that look to it as well.
@Stuart: definitely.
@Denise: when you're more used to a traditional style, it's a bit unusual to see something like this.
@VP: I should photograph the Quaker place near my home sometime. It's even more out of the ordinary.
@Grace: if not for that billboard out front, I wouldn't have looked. The church name is marked on the building to the right, but it's not that noticeable.
@Judy: I've passed by it before, but never really gave it much thought.
@EG: there are more Mennonites in southern Ontario, particularly in the Wellington and Waterloo areas.
The Mennonites were basically in the Midwest and then they started moving. Phoenix had more than one congregation forty years ago. I didn't see any in Washington so have no idea if they are here or not.
Very unobtrusive and mellow
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^=
Great photo! I have seen churches that don't look like the churches that I am used to as well, William. Churches of Christ, for example. (and I am not referring to the Mormons, but a church known simply as the Church of Christ.) Their buildings are modest and simple.
ReplyDeletenice building I think its more important that churches use their money to care for the poor than on their buildings (which the more grander ones must have at one time or the other)
ReplyDeleteYeah - you could've fooled me; it looks like something from a 1970s housing estate. Jen Massey, above, makes a good point though. And as an infrequent church-goer, other than to admire the history and architecture, what do I know?!
ReplyDeleteAt least it's not in a strip mall!
ReplyDeleteNon traditional looking churches are popping up in my neighbourhood. I see them in industrial units, store fronts in strip malls and one has even taken over a building that used to be a restaurant.
ReplyDeletePlain buildings for a plain people--that's how the Mennonites would put it.
ReplyDeleteit totally looks more like a house than a church
ReplyDeleteFrom afar it looks like a garage.
ReplyDeleteTomás.
To Modern looking they must be Mexican Mennonites as we have a lot of them down here and they are more modern folk . It looks more like a Funeral home to me I like the old churches they have here that people still use , Oh well each to his own eh? Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !
ReplyDeleteI've seen churches like that in cities,they don't look particularly welcoming.
ReplyDeleteJane x
@Cloudia: a little of both.
ReplyDelete@Linda: there's a Quaker church here that has the same effect.
@Jen: that's true.
@Mike: it does have a residential feel to it.
@Halcyon: that's true.
@Andy: there seems to be quite a variety these days.
@Revrunner: that would fit them.
@Hilary: it does fit into the neighbourhood, which is all residential.
@Tomas: I can see that too.
@Country Gal: there's a certain degree of funeral home to the design.
@Jane and Chris: it's rather unlike everything I've expected in churches.
The so-called "free" churches often have a less than traditional design. The don't want people to mistake them for Catholics or Anglicans! :) We have a lot of small fundamentalist groups in Florida who locate in small strip shopping centers. They have names like "Holy Bible-Believing True Followers of Jesus".
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
I agree with Hilary, and I miss a steeple :-)
ReplyDeleteyeah, it looks more like a house! here we have churches anywhere they can fit a congregation...schools, building in a strip mall...i guess it's not the building that matters, it's the word spoken inside!
ReplyDeleteIf you had written that it's a farm, I would have believed you too.
ReplyDeletereminds me of a doctor's office or convalescent center. :)
ReplyDeleteA tad more subtle than yesterday's church.
ReplyDeleteYes, very different. I was going to say something very similar to Tanya's comment. We live in the same State.
ReplyDeleteMy mom's garage looks more a church than this...
ReplyDeleteIt would probably be possible to drive past and not realize it actually was a church William.
ReplyDeleteI would not have guessed!
ReplyDeleteIt's different from most churches, it's true, but quite similar to a Mennonite church near where I live. :))
ReplyDeleteI agree. It looks more like a residence.
ReplyDelete@Lowell: there's one in a neighbourhood where I used to live housed in former medical offices, with a really strange name.
ReplyDelete@Karl: a steeple is something you do expect.
@Tanya: I guess that's true.
@Jan: it could easily pass for one.
@Tex: there is that look to it as well.
@Stuart: definitely.
@Denise: when you're more used to a traditional style, it's a bit unusual to see something like this.
@VP: I should photograph the Quaker place near my home sometime. It's even more out of the ordinary.
@Grace: if not for that billboard out front, I wouldn't have looked. The church name is marked on the building to the right, but it's not that noticeable.
@Judy: I've passed by it before, but never really gave it much thought.
@EG: there are more Mennonites in southern Ontario, particularly in the Wellington and Waterloo areas.
@Sharon: it really does.
No unnecessary decoration for them!
ReplyDeleteLooks almost like a McMansion!
ReplyDeleteIt looks more like a church than I lot of worship buildings I've seen in the US. The run down trailer look used to surprise me (and still does...)
ReplyDeletehouse shape, look, and style. I know some folks recycle house into other things?!! ( :
ReplyDeleteIt definitely does not look like a church to me, but then they might like it that way.
ReplyDeleteThe Mennonites were basically in the Midwest and then they started moving. Phoenix had more than one congregation forty years ago. I didn't see any in Washington so have no idea if they are here or not.
ReplyDelete@RedPat: very basic.
ReplyDelete@Cheryl: that occurred to me too.
@Ciel: run down trailers are an odd place for worship.
@Beth: I've seen old country churches converted into homes, but not the other way around.
@Lois: they probably do.
@Mari: there's a strong population here in Ontario, but I didn't think it was here in the eastern part of the province.
I'm sure it gets the job done, but it is not appealing to me.
ReplyDeleteSome little independent sects I've seen are even more modest and less church-y than this one.
ReplyDeleteThere are quite a few here that don't look like churches at all.
ReplyDeleteNo flowers? Just so boring of a buliding.
ReplyDeleteWell, they try to keep things simple. Many of their churches here are fairly plain except for when they bought some other denomination's old church.
ReplyDeleteYes it can be surprising sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWould there perhaps be a law against putting a cross up?
ReplyDeleteIt looks just like an ordinary house!
ReplyDelete@Jack: I find myself wondering what it's like inside.
ReplyDelete@Kay: there's a Quaker church I've never photographed that has the same effect.
@Randy: that is true.
@Whisk: it was unusual.
@Linda: I can see that.
@Marleen: it can be.
@Eve: maybe a church rule?
@LDP: it does.