Now that nicer weather seems to be here for the season, it’s time to get around the community and see how everything fared over the winter months. While you are doing that, take a moment to notice all of the houses of worship sprinkled throughout town.
This is a great time of the year to go church-spotting.
So let's go seek and find. To test you powers of observation, here are a dozen things to find, and then identify the site.
Most of these are pretty obvious. See how you do with it.
1
Which church has three really large, crosses on its property?
2
Which church has an exterior front wall with water cascading down it during the warm weather months?
3
Which church has a huge labyrinth on its grounds?
4
Which church has two towers of unequal height?
5
Figuring a center point at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Spring Street, how many Catholic congregations are within a half-mile circle of downtown Elgin?
6
Figuring a center point at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Spring Street, how many houses of worship are within a half-mile circle of downtown Elgin?
7
Which three churches hold down an entire block in downtown Elgin?
8
What church has its national headquarters in Elgin?
9
Where is the block, as in “What are the intersections that define it?”, with four churches on it?
10
What cemeteries have chapels?
11
What church has a major nursing home next to it?
12
What congregation has two worship centers in Elgin?
That should hold you for awhile. The answers to these will be posted here next week. Have fun with it!
Michael J. Murschel
Mike has authored some 2,300 columns and features on religion and culture, faith, belief, spirituality, and symbolism. His private practice, “Defining Churches” (www.definingchurches.org), provides consultancy in church image and communications, strategic theology, and liturgical design for congregations across 35 religious traditions. Please contact him with your comments, ideas for columns, and faith-centered announcements at
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