June 18-24 (Missouri/Kansas)

Getting Churched

 

Neither Monte nor I are particularly “religious” but do consider ourselves Christians living our life based on the tenets of our faith. 

We had the opportunity this past week to visit and tour three different churches.  We did so out of a sense of curiosity and, in my case, out of my continuing fascination with history and a desire to learn about other cultures and beliefs.

Our first stop was the Visitor Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Independence where we were greeted the moment we stepped through the revolving doors. 

The center is situated on the Greater Temple Lot dedicated and purchased by Joseph Smith in 1831.

Joseph Smith was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint Movement.   In his short life (he was only 38 when he died) he had attracted tens of thousands of followers.

Smith experienced a series of visions that eventually led to the printing of the Book of Mormon. 

The Visitor Center presents Mormon claims and doctrines in a modern audio-visual and interactive format.

 

 

 

Second on our church tours was the Community of Christ Temple located only a few yards from the Mormon Visitor Center. 

 

The Temple is a house of worship and education center dedicated to the pursuit of peace.   

According to the International Journal of Mormon Studies, "The Community of Christ (CofC), formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) until 2001, with 250,000 members, is the largest divergent church within the Latter Day Saint tradition.  Although claiming a common founder with the LDS church, Joseph Smith, Jr., this church, founded in 1860 and incorporated in the American state of Illinois in 1872, has developed over the last 150 years its own religious iconography and symbolism which differs from that of LDS churches and temples.“

Our tour guide explained that the temple was built in response to a revelation by Wallace B. Smith, church prophet-president, in 1984.   The temple is open to everyone who are encouraged to attend the Daily Prayer for Peach at 1: pm on behalf of a selected nation of the world.

 

 

The cross is made of over 300 pieces of 100 types of wood from the 50 different countries where the church is present. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A meditation chapel with paintings of the Sacraments being performed around the world opens onto a Japanese

style mediation garden.

The temple evokes the spiral shell of the Nautilus with a stainless steel spire that rises 300 feet.  This symbol was chosen because it denotes, “growth from a single point to infinity, dynamism, harmony, unity and the worldwide presence of the church.”

Art displays comprise a collection of modern and traditional religious art from around the world.

Entry to the sanctuary is through an etched glass archway depicting the Sacred Grove where Joseph Smith had his revelations.

 

This leads to the ascending worshiper’s path of textured stone. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main sanctuary houses a pipe organ.

 

 

Our final church visit was to the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. 

 

 

When researching things to do along our planned route I had been fascinated when seeing pictures of this church because of its unique architecture and, for me, its focal point the beautiful stained glass window in the sanctuary called The Resurrection Window.

According to the literature I received when touring the church, “The Church of the Resurrection began twenty-seven years ago with a dream of being a church where thoughtful people who were not actively involved in church might become followers of Jesus Christ, grow in their faith, find meaningful relationships, and be sent out each week, inspired to serve God by serving others.”

The three layers of the Resurrection Sanctuary building represent the Holy Trinity.

First layer-a 35-foot limestone wall representing God the Father.

 

 

Second layer-the stained glass window representing the Resurrected Christ.

Third layer-consists of seven stainless steel sails, the tallest sail reaching a height of 104 feet.  These represent the Holy Spirit who is described in the book of Revelation as the seven-fold Spirit.

The narthex or lobby has several entrances.

 

At each of the three entrances to the sanctuary from the narthex there is a stone water fountain that is meant to be touched-the water representing baptism and Jesus’ words promising living water for our souls.

The main entrance to the sanctuary is through two 16-foot doors, each weighing 1,200 pounds. 

The Resurrection Window, measuring 35 feet tall by 100 feet wide, tells the biblical story from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22.

 

 

We were so impressed with the entire “feel” of the church that we decided to return on Sunday for the traditional service at 11am. 

The many greetings we received made us feel welcomed. 

6-18

Harry S. Truman National Historic Site

Independence, MO

 

 

A visit to the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site begins at the visitor center located a few blocks from the Truman home.

 

After stamping my National Parks passport book, we “purchased” our tickets to tour the home.  Tour tickets cost $7.00.   The America the Beautiful pass was accepted saving us $14. 

We watched a short film in the theater and then spent some time looking at the exhibits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ranger-led tours are limited to 8 persons per tour and are timed.  We had quite a bit of time before our scheduled tour so we took a walk around the town where we discovered many things associated with Truman like the Historic Truman Courthouse and a business called, Wild About Harry.

 

When it was time to drive the few blocks to the Truman Home we were lucky to find a parking spot across the street in front of another Historic Site, The Noland Home.

The Noland House was home to Harry Truman’s cousins.  Truman often visited them on weekends.  On one such visit in 1910, Truman returned a borrowed cake plate from across the street at the home of Bess Wallace.

This deed began a courtship between Harry and Bess that lasted 9 years.  The house on North Delaware St. was the home of the Truman’s from the time of their marriage in 1919 to Harry’s death in 1972.

Our tour guide announced the rules for touring the house that included, no photography allowed, no touching of any exhibits and staying on the carpet runner throughout the tour.

 

 

The Ranger amused us with many tales about the Truman family including the fact that Truman shared the house with Bess’s grandmother and his mother-in-law whom he did not get along with.

When Truman and his family had moved to Independence in the 1890s when Harry was six year old.  He later wrote, “We were Baptists, but the Presbyterian preacher was so nice my folks let me go to Sunday School with him.  Lucky thing they did, too, because that’s where I first met Bess.  I was six, and she was five.  She had long golden hair, and I thought she was the prettiest girls I’d ever seen.”

The home served as the “Summer White House” during Truman’s presidency and was often used by the family when away from Washington and on holidays. 

The Truman’s only child Mary Margaret was born in 1924 and was so close to her parents that they were referred to as “The Three Musketeers.” 

Mary Margaret inherited the home upon her mother’s death in 1982. 

Entering the house is like stepping into a time capsule.  Everything from the furniture to the table setting to the kitchen appliances have been preserved at the time of Bess’s death.

After touring the main house we crossed the street where we did a self-guided tour of the Noland Home that house part of the museum collection.