Oklahoma Today Winter 1979-1980 Volume 30 No. 1
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WtHTEI? 11978 Ya30-1 QUAKERLY-$5 00 I'ER YEAR - WILL RQQERCI MEMORlAL BUILDING- SECOND LLASS POSTAGE PAID AT OKLAHOMA CllY PHOTOGRAPHY BY HOLIDNS FRED MARVEL MEAN HOLY DAYS FOR MOST OKLAHOMANS he Holiday Season will es. The architecture ranges from ordi- find Oklahomans going in nary to grand, from tra.ditiona1 to con- record numbers to thousands temporary. All are special and occupy T of houses of worship all a meaningful place in the lives of across the state. Church those who gather within their walls steeples rise above all to celebrate the age-old sacraments but the tiniest hamlets, and the re- of their faith. ligious heritage they represent is an Many of the state's churches are integral part of the history, tradition recognized as being architecturally and everyday lives of the people of extraordinary. A few have brought this state. national and international fame to The first churches in Oklahoma their designers. Some congregations were built by missionaries in the have brought recognition to their 1820s. These simple log buildings churches by serving their fellowman have long since been destroyed, but in unique ways. And some of Okla- they began a movement that was to homa's churches are among the state's bring houses of worship of every size most cherished historical treasures. and description to the faithful of the The oldest church in Oklahoma is state. Oklahomans continued to build the Wheelock Mission Church, lo- churches. The log buildings were re- cated three miles northeast of Miller- placed by ones of wood and masonry. ton in McCurtain County. The Rev. Many of these early structures still Alfred Wright and his wife, Harriet stand and are in use today. Bruce Wright, accompanied the Choc- Over half of Oklahoma's church taws from Mississippi in 1832 over members are Southern Baptist, but the "Trail of Tears" to establish a most other denominations are also mission. The orginal log church was represented among the state's church- built soon after their arrival. It was BY JUDITHWmL Celebrating its 50th anniversary is the Boston Avenue Methodist Church, Tulsa. The sanctuary JUDITH WALL IS A NORMAN FREE-LANCE WRITER. is shown at right. FOUR OKLAHOMA TODAY later replaced by a stone building, in 1887 at a cost of less than $1,000 and the parishioners held their first and is still in service. The lumber Christmas there in 1846. The stone for the structure was hauled by wagon church served the Wheelock Mission from Dodge City, Kan. The 80-mile and the Wheelock Female Seminary, journey took four days since there which was established by Harriet were no bridges over the rivers and Wright, until the building was gutted the dirt roads were scarcely more than by fire during the Civil War. cow trails. The church was built with Wheelock Church was rebuilt in volunteer labor from the town's citi- 1887 and has been used by the Pres- zens, including those of other faiths. byterians of Millerton for most of The Rev. R. M. Overstreet, the the ensuing years. A small group of church's first pastor, wrote of this worshipers still come every Sunday cooperative effort, "All lent a willing morning, something most of them and helping hand and so the walls have done since their childhood and went up. It drew us together in a their parents did before them. fellow feeling, and had its influence Missionaries like Harriet and Al- for gdever afterwards." fred Wright continued to bring their Many of Oklahoma's churches were religion with them to Indian country built with unskilled, volunteer labor and helped pave the way for future provided by those who would later settlement. The blue-clad troopers of worship within the walls they were the United States Army also brought helping to erect. A modern example Christianity with them as they came of this cooperative spirit is St. Pat- to establish the forts that once dotted rick's Roman Catholic Church locat- the territory and were instrumental ed at 2121 N. Portland in Oklahoma in bringing peace to the area. City. This church is vastly different, The Old Post Chapel at Fort Sill however, from the small clapboard is not only the oldest military chapel structure in Beaver. St. Patrick's, in the state, it is also the oldest which is a particular favorite of Fred church building in Oklahoma in con- Shellabarger, professor of architecture tinuous use since its founding. The at the University of Oklahoma, dem- soldiers of the Fourth U.S. Cavalry onstrates. the intense interest in inno- and the Eleventh U.S. Infantry built vative religious architecture in Okla- the Georgian style chapel with stone homa. Shellabarger feels St. Patrick's from nearby Quarry Hill. The little design incorporates "contemporary outpost of Christianity was the first engineering techniques and materials building visible to weary travelers in such a way to allow for a great coming to the fort by stage from other deal of homemade effort." He admires settlemefits in the territory. the design's "no sham'' approach to The 104th Christmas will be cele- religious architecture. brated this year in the historic chap- St. Patrick's could be called a el, which has been used every Sunday church within a church. The inside since it was built by a variety of structure has walls of glass which religious groups. It is presently used dramatically reveal the outside struc- by Lutheran, Episcopalian and other ture. Fifty-two angels molded in huge liturgical denominations who worship concrete slabs dominate the church together in a common service. The and comprise the outside walls. A chapel has been used by Roman Cath- 3(rfoot courtyard separates the two olic, Jewish and other Protestant con- structures. gregations over the years. The building of St. Patrick's was The unique beauty of the Ho-CheeNee Trail of Another of Oklahoma's historic done almost entirely by lay partici- Tears Memorial Prayer Chapel at TsalaGi churches is found in the Panhandle pation with 100 of the church's 500 reflects the richness of Chemkee design. The three vertical poles symhlize the Trinity in the community of Beaver. The First Pres- members coming daily on a rotating small, non-denominationalchapel near byterian Church of Beaver was built basis over a period of two years to Tahlequah. SIX OKLAHOMA TODAY erect the church. Designed by Mur- The 200-foot, futuristically designed ray, Jones and Murray of Tulsa, the tower is the home of the Abundant church was selected as the best ex- Life Prayer Group, which receives ample of Catholic Church Architec- more than a half-million calls for ture for 1962, the year of its comple- prayer a year from all over the world. tion, and has won other national The Prayer Tower also houses the awards for its design. The members ORU visitors' center and serves as a -. of St. Patrick's consider their church focal point for the 500-acre campus to be an example of worship by archi- in south Tulsa which is visited by ' tecture. more tourists than any other location Another of Oklahoma City's unique in the state. churches is St. John's Baptist Church Tulsa is a city with many note- located at 57th and Kelly. The church worthy houses of worship. The Holy was founded in 1919 and now has the Family Cathedral located at 8th and largest black congregation in the state. Boulder in downtown Tulsa was built Members will celebrate their first in 1913 and is presently undergoing Christmas in their recently com- restoration. The church's priests hold pleted building, which was designed mass in the Vietnamese language by Fritzler, Knoblock and Wadley of every Sunday afternoon for 200 of Oklahoma City and provides space Tulsa's Vietnamese refugees. The for a 225-voice choir. St. John's was First Church of Christ Scientist at I active in the early Civil Rights Move- 10th and Boulder in Tulsa is an out- I ment in the state and each year holds standing example of the neoclassical a memorial service for Martin Luther architecture that enjoyed a revival King Jr. during the first part of the Twentieth I Oklahoma City is the site of one Century. of the largest churches in the country. Tulsa's Temple Israel was estab- Crossroads Cathedral, which serves lished in 1915, and the present con- an Assembly of God congregation, is temporary structure was built in 1955. located at 8901 Shields. The recently Designed by Percival Goodman, the completed building will accommodate building incorporates the words of the 6,000 worshipers and provides space Ten Commandments onto the massive for a 1,000-voice choir and a 100-piece twin pillars that dominate the front orchestra. The church makes use of of the synagogue. The 525 families of a motorized preaching ramp which Temple Israel will celebrate the eight projects the minister into the congre- days of Hanukkah Dec. 15 through gation. It has one of the largest water- 22, as will the other 11 Jewish con- fall-style stage curtains in the world gregations throughout Oklahoma. for one of its four stage areas. Cross- Architecturally speaking, the Bos- roads Cathedral was founded in 1969 ton Avenue Methodist Church of with a membership of 130 and now Tulsa is the single most important has the largest church attendance in church building in the state, accord- Oklahoma City. The congregation is ing to Am Henderson, professor of planning a costumed religious drama architecture at the University of Okla- to celebrate its first Christmas in the homa and co-author of the book, new building.