Copyright ©2016 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
At the beginning of the month I met two friends in Phoenix, AZ for a long week-end to photograph Sedona and a little bit of South Rim Grand Canyon. I was the first to arrive but, my friends weren’t due in for 3+ hours. So, with a lot of time on my hands I picked up the rental car then headed toward downtown and some lunch.
I got lucky and found a Subway and Starbucks right next door to each other so headed there. After lunch I thought I’d go deeper into downtown and see if I spotted anything interesting.
Well, I didn’t get all the way into town when these doors caught my eye.
I made a right turn then circled around the block looking for a place to park. I found parking in the church parking lot.
A woman who worked at the church came out and I asked for permission to photograph the doors, and she said, “sure!”. Then let me know it was also a school which was in session so don’t go in the classrooms. No worries there! I assured her. I wasn’t interested in that or the kids just the doors. 🙂
The inner courtyard is lovely.
and there’s a large grassy area. That’s a classroom wing.
looking at the Bell Tower from the courtyard,
It was about this time that a man came walking thorough the courtyard with his lunch and asked what I was doing, so as I was I telling him all about Thursday Doors, and my quest for doors another woman came out of the office so, he introduced me and told her what I was doing. I gave them both my “calling card”, and invited them to look me up on the blog and see what I photograph and look at other Thursday Door posts. The woman asked me if I wanted to see the inside of the Chapel? She didn’t need to ask me twice!
The Pulpit, Organ pipes, and Stained Glass Window,
What the Reverend sees, well mostly 🙂
the inside of the front doors,
In the hall near the door is a stone plaque from the original church building.
FOR THE HISTORY BUFFS:
“After the 1870 Los Angeles Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, a lone circuit rider headed east across the hot and barren Mohave Desert, then into the Sonoran Desert … his destination, the few isolated settlements that dotted the vast Arizona Territory.
One hundred and forty three years later we look back with gratitude for the courage, vision, and faith of that lonely rider, Alexander Groves, and the small but hardy group of men and women who welcomed him to their humble community on the banks of the Salt River in the middle of the desert. That fledgling group began gathering regularly for worship under the spiritual leadership of Rev. Groves, and was the inception of what we now know as Central United Methodist Church.” ~www.centralumc.com/history
In the beginning they gathered for worship on the banks of the Salt River under a grove of Mesquite trees. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?
They moved to the County Courtroom in the Hancock Monihon Building where the first public school classes were being held. Later when the Adobe School house was built the congregation met there.
Construction on Central United Methodist Church’s first permanent home, a 28 X 32 foot adobe structure was completed in 1872.
By 1904 they had grown so much that they moved into its second permanent structure; a brick building. In 1909 the first pipe organ was installed.
They continued to grow so erected a more spacious white columned building in 1926. In 1946 the congregation purchased 4 1/2 acres on the outskirts of Phoenix at Central and Palms Lanes for $44,900. The present Mission Style structure was dedicated in 1950. ~http://www.centralumc.com/history/
I walked across the street to make an image of the whole front of the Church,
There’s an electric train that runs up and down Central so there are wires all the way across the view. I used artistic license and cloned them out.
Here are some other doors, and a window gleaned from my walk around the church,
They were so nice to let me inside to see their beautiful chapel, and allow me to wander around the grounds.
Before I knew it it was time to return to the airport to pick up my friends.
O/T: Today is Thanksgiving here in the United States, and I like to wish all my blogging friends in the States a very Happy Thanksgiving!
To all of you in other places around the globe I wish you a wonderful day, and wish everyone a wonderful week-end.
I’m very thankful for you all. You lift me up, and inspire me daily. Thank you!
Nikon Df| Nikkor 17-35mm| Turkey image made in 2011 in Amador County
This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors. If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.
At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links to view all the posts, and add your own if you’re a door enthusiast too.
More to come…
Circadianreflections Blog 
Oh my….what a delight seeing your photos! You have such a gift and I am so very honored to have met you ~ signed the woman who gave you the tour ❤
OH MY GOSH! Dawn Marie!!! Thank you so much for the visit! I’m so glad you like the images. I could have spent another hour in the chapel photographing every stained glass window, and angle.
I am the one who is honored! Truly!
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas! xx
The woodwork in that church is stunning! It looks like a great find!
Thank you Amy! I was lucky to have found it.
Love those doors, and what a beautiful church!
Thank you so much Donna!
a very linear building! Great shots Deb and it looks so warm there!
Thank you so much Hannah! The weather was perfect! During the Summer…I imagine it’s awful but right now it’s perfect! 🙂 Wanna be a Snowbird? This is the place to be one!
Great post and beautiful church inside and out. I love that you are continuing with this theme. How long have you been doing Thursday Doors?
Thank you so much Denise!
I started participating with Thursday Door the first Thursday of 2016. It’s been my Project 52 this year.
I’ll still participate going forward but perhaps not weekly. I’m going to do a different theme for my P52 in 2017.
Wow, nice finds and good comps, Deborah! But did you ever find the vortexes in Sedona?
Thank you so much Gordon!
I didn’t. I don’t think I made it to the exact spot of any of the vortex spots in Sedona.
I guess that’s your justification to go back there. I think there was a spot near the Bell Rock; there were free maps that suggest vortex spots.
That’s another reason to go back! 🙂
So nice Deborah!
Thank you Lynn!
A lovely post! I also enjoy talking about Thursday Doors to pretty much anyone who’ll listen. It’s quite a good conversation starter!
When I saw the pic of the turkey, I initially thought maybe you’d coincidentally stumbled upon it somewhere around the chapel lol
Thank you so much for the comment!
Thursday Doors is a great conversation starter isn’t it. 🙂
That would have been neat seeing a Turkey on the church grounds. It would have saved me the trouble of digging through my archives to find that image I made in the early Spring 2011. 🙂
I like the first doors better from the outside, Deborah, but I’m glad you showed us both sides. The chapel is stunning. You really have me looking forward to my annual visit to Arizona in January to visit my parents! 🙂 Hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful.
janet
Thank you Janet! Our Thanksgiving was lovely! Hope you have a wonderful week-end!
You, too.
Those doors really are somethin, and I can’t get over the beauty of the wood inside. Those floors are so gorgeous! Love this one. Really nice they let you in to photograph, I’m glad we all got to enjoy it. 🙂
Oh Joey, I’m so sorry I missed this comment when I got behind. 😦 That floor looked perfect and so beautiful. I’m so glad you liked this one. Thanks for the lovely comment!
Lovely doors!
I don’t know how I missed your comment Vicky I’m so sorry! Thank you so much for the comment!
Wow! Such beauty in your photos, Deborah!! ❤️🎨👍
Thank you so much Jill! xx Hope your Holiday Week-end is wonderful!
I love those mismatched doors side by side, and that weathered one (of course!). It’s so lovely when strangers “get” what you’re doing, or at least play along and enjoy your enjoyment.
Thank you so much Marian!
You said, “It’s so lovely when strangers “get” what you’re doing, or at least play along and enjoy your enjoyment.”
You stated that so perfectly! I love it, and it is indeed! 🙂
I’m so happy to hear you’re having a lovely Thanksgiving Week-end! xx
Happy thanksgiving, Deborah! How nice of them to let you wander the grounds an take shots. Love the all wood chapel! And a stained glass (or painted?) door. Wow, you keep meeting friends this Fall! Now gotto go quickly and prep to go to my daughter to celebrate Thanksgiving – won’t be back till late tonight. Have a happy one!
Thank you so much Jesh!
Letting me wander around the grounds, and viewing and photographing them and the chapel was a gift! I’m very thankful for that!
I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving Day with your family and are home safely now.
Thank you Deborah! Had a great time, but ate too much!!:) My younger daughter had baked a surprise birthday cake for Jacob – our third desert.
Ah, an a Happy Belated Birthday to Jacob!
Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. 🙂
Thank you so much Judy! Hope your Holiday Week-end is wonderful!
Wow you found some real beauties on this tour Deborah. It’s so nice when people offer us a behind-the-scenes look at a place isn’t it?
I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving 🙂
Thank you so much Norm. I was just telling Jesh it was a gift to be allowed to photograph and view the grounds, and the chapel.
Bon week-end!
Beautiful, Deborah. Nice treat on turkey day.
The circular stained window was simply stunning. I must have received a text or become side tracked . . . 🙂 Here’s the finished thought to add.
The stained glass windows in the chapel are beautiful. Thank you so much for this lovely comment Robin!
Hope your Holiday week-end is wonderful!
It was an amazing holiday where my Mom really felt like she was the “Belle of the ball,” Deborah. xo
It never ceases to impress me when I’m invited in to see a building when ‘caught’ poking around outside taking photos. Like you, I jump on the offer quickly before they can change their mind.
I like your idea of carrying a card. I really should get some printed – thanks for the nudge!
Doors, palm trees, and a bell tower .. all great elements 🙂
I’m on my second box of “calling cards”! I never really thought I’d end up passing out all of the first box, but I have and then some! I like having them b/c it saves time trying to spell my name, the blogs name, or my email address to people I meet along the journey. 🙂
This church if standing in the courtyard looking across that lovely, lush green lawn felt a little like a resort with the bell tower, palm trees, and lush grass. 🙂 It’s a beautiful campus.
In the photos, the grass looked flawless. They don’t appear to have water issues 🙂
They don’t do they. 🙂
What an amazing collection of angles, scenes and doors all from one location, Deborah! I am so glad you had someone introduce you to the office personnel and got an invitation to see the sanctuary! Ooh, bell tower and the circular
The thing which impresses me most is the gorgeous wooden floors and the way they glow from polishing or cleaning.
The grassy area helped me to picture picnics, children and families as well as “gym classes” and “recess” with students! 🙂
Hope you and yours have a great Thanksgiving! 🙂
The floor where the Reverend speaks to the congregation, and choir sings ( I think) is gorgeous! It has a high gloss finish which helps it shine and glow I’m sure. It was a gift being able to see the Sanctuary as well as the grounds.
Hope your Holiday week-end is wonderful Robin!
Thank you for helping clarify what I was visualizing in the floors, Deborah. The “high gloss finish” is what captivated my attention. I am also happy to hear this is where the Reverend speaks and the choir sings their hymns. It may take me awhile to “make my rounds” but it is always a pleasure to read your detailed comments. 🙂
🙂 Thank you!
What a wonderful tour, Deborah. When you talked about the people originally worshiping near the banks of a river, I was reminded of my early Sunday School days. We were taught about how our church (Methodist as well) started small and grew and how they worshiped anywhere they could. You don’t need a church, but if you’re going to have one, you can’t get much nicer than this one. I’m glad they let you inside. Whenever I see door photos, or when I take door photos, I’m always wondering what it looks like inside. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much for the lovely comment Dan!
I think we ( people) will always find places to worship. Having a roof over your head to do it in is good; especially in winter! 🙂
I really like the Mission Style architecture it fits the southwest so much I think.
It was a gift being allowed to see the Sanctuary, and the grounds.
If I hadn’t stopped for those doors I wouldn’t have learned this bit of history about the church and its people. It made my week-end all the more rich, and memorable.
I love the fact that they used to meet on the banks of the Salt River. It really sounds wonderful. That church is beautiful, and those doors are such a find! Gorgeous doors!
Thank you so much Antonia! It was a lovely unexpected find.
Hope you have a wonderful week-end!
Thanks, you too 😀
What a lovely post. I have an image of Thursday Doors becoming so popular a crime scene photographer somewhere will turn up at a grim scene and be taking pictures of the doors rather than the crime.
ROFL!! Thank you for giving me the first laugh of my day Phil!
That’s too funny!
Oh Phil!! You’re hilarious! CSI – Thursday Doors Edition 😉
He is so funny!
Awesome pictures and the post. The whole place seems to be sacred.
Shiva
Thank you so much Shiva!
Magnificent. Sometimes a kind invitation results in wonders. 🙂
It does indeed! Thank you so much for the comment and visit!