MICHIGAN CITY – Seven Michigan City churches, including three Catholic parishes, were part of a recent tour that allowed guests an opportunity to learn about the architecture and history of each church community.
St. Mary the Immaculate Conception, St. Stanislaus Kostka and Queen of All Saints joined St. John United Church of Christ, First Presbyterian Church, St. Paul Lutheran Church and Trinity Episcopal Church in taking part in the Michigan City Sacred Architecture Tour held on Nov. 26.
The idea for the tour emerged when Queen of All Saints pastor Father David Kime and sacramental assistant Father Jordan Fetcko happened to run into two pastors from Michigan City churches. During a conversation that followed, the idea of visiting each other’s churches came up. That idea eventually developed into the sacred architecture tour.
Lucia Bim-Merle, QAS pastoral associate, said she reached out to 10 Michigan City churches with seven who expressed an interest in participating. “Initially, I would have been happy to have a handful of people attend. Once word got out, we quickly filled one bus and then a second. Others drove their personal cars because we ran out of room in the buses,” said Bim-Merle.
In all, 110 people joined the tour. “It just took off. The response was very positive from the hosts and visitors alike,” said Bim-Merle. “It turned out to be a fun, interesting, beautiful event. We were able to enter into other places of worship and appreciate the beauty they have and the history of their churches.”
The hope is to make the tour an annual event and grow it so that other churches participate.
In addition to hearing each church’s unique stories, Bim-Merle said the tour created a sense of unity. “It was a blessing of unity amongst the different churches that participated. It gave us a common thread throughout the different communities. I felt it created a sense of ecumenical community to begin forming. It helped foster a Christian voice in our society and in our area.”
Father Kime acknowledged walking into QAS, a mid-century modern architecture style, isn’t what people envision what a church should look like. “It’s not what people think when they walk into a church. Most people think of Gothic or Romanesque,” he said. “Many people do not appreciate mid-century modern architecture. I’m not an architect, but I love mid-century modern architecture.
Mid-century modern architecture was popular in the 1050s and 1960s.
Father Kime shared how the mid-century modern had a “fascinating explosion of ideas. They were combining, for the first time in centuries, new materials that had not been present before. Steel was used more due to the surplus following the war. Plastics and new colors crept into the new architectural style.
Father Kime pointed out the church’s sconces. He explained the back is made of steel with a plastic covering and glass. The large trusses allow for a lot more space while creating the appearance of a cloister around the edges of the building.
“It’s a great building. I love it. It has a simple elegance and beauty to it. It has to be admired for what it is. Don’t expect to walk into a mid-century modern architecture church and say, ‘It’s not gothic. I don’t like it.’ It’s not Gothic. It’s not trying to be Gothic,” explained Father Kime.
Once the group entered St. Mary the Immaculate Conception, the Gothic Revival, or Gothic Tudor style, was apparent. Visitors wandered around, as they did in all the churches visited, and gazed upon the details of the church. Several visitors took photos.
Pat Harris, parish historian, pointed out several details about the parish, a place she’s called home all her life.
The 18 priceless stained glass window collection, made by F.X. Zettler Stained Glass Windows from Germany, caught everyone’s attention once they entered.
A beautiful copy of the “Immaculate Conception” can be seen behind the altar. The altar itself was a gift to the parish from Mrs. Catherine Barker Spaulding in memory of her mother, wife of railcar industrialist, John Barker. The altar is made of Indiana Bedford limestone weighing in at 23 tons.
"We are very proud that St. Mary’s church was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places on Sept. 30, 2014,” said Harris.
Perched on Michigan City’s highest point, St. Stanislaus Kostka Church bell towers rise above the city’s skyline and can be seen for miles. According to Camille Higdon, parish accountant, the parish was formed in 1891 as a home for the city’s large Polish immigration. Construction on the building began in 1916 with the foundation hand dug by parishioners. The original building was constructed with steeples but were removed in 1967, leaving only the bell towers.
Higdon described the structure as Italian Romanesque architecture. With an old-world European feel, the interior forms a cross that faces east. Pillars and arches add to the Romanesque feel.
Light filters in through 87 European stained-glass windows, including two magnificent rose windows. Higdon noted the bottom level of windows depict the mysteries of the rosary. Others include patron saints of Poland.
“We have a lot of history here. A lot of interesting things,” said Higdon, referring to the parish’s extensive relics collection. Tucked in a room an eye shot of the sanctuary houses over 100 relics, including a tiny piece of the true cross of Christ. “It’s very interesting and unique that we have the number of relics that we do,” he said.
The citywide church tour was a wish come true for Jeffrey Ortmann. “It’s been on my bucket list to open these churches up and conduct architectural tours in the summer months because the churches are one of the greatest assets we have here in Michigan City.”
Ortmann is affiliated with Trinity Episcopal Church, which lays claim to the oldest continuous community of Christian worship in northern Indiana, dating back to 1834. The current church building was built in 1889 and designed in the 19th-century Renaissance Revival style.
A tight schedule allowed each speaker to skim the surface of the rich history of each church. “The history of Michigan City is extraordinary. Our churches are our best-kept secrets in town, if not Indiana, if not the Midwest,” said Ortmann.
Caption: Visitors tour, and photograph, St. Mary the Immaculate Conception during the Michigan City Sacred Architecture Tour on Nov. 26. (Bob Wellinski photo)