Thursday, February 1, 2007

Following in Washington's Footsteps

My wife had a meeting tonight of the subcommittee she chairs at our church (Christ Church, in Old Town Alexandria), and since she could have the baby at any moment I agreed to drive her to and from the gathering (with her suitcase in the back of the car, just in case). While she was in the meeting, I wandered around the churchyard, trying to get some good night shots of the exterior of the building. I was very disappointed in most, since I'm still trying to master night shots, but I was pretty happy with these -- the entrance to the sanctuary, and the exterior of the building at the altar end of the building.

I really love attending this church: for the liturgy, the congregation and clergy, and the history. George Washington (a vestryman) and Robert E. Lee both attended here, and the Washington pew is still one of the highlights for visitors to the church; in fact, it's rather amusing watching newcomers on Sunday mornings scramble to have the honor of sitting in his box. Sitting in the churchyard, I was trying to block out the traffic and imagine what it would have been like to be a parishioner here two centuries ago.....

2 comments:

Sandie said...

Those are nice shots. Sunday our church is turning 150 yrs old. The building isn't that old though, the congregation has moved a few times over the years as families moved out of the downtown areas. Our Cathedral is almost 200 years old. It is special to sit in a place that has been used for worship for so long. I was looking at your church website and it looks like an active alive parish with a long history. That is a unique and special combination!

karen said...

That is really wonderful, Matt! To sit where Washington sat? Wow.