making a space for all


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MAKING A SPACE FOR ALL

Dear Fellow Saint Georgians, We are blessed today to be living in a space created for us by our predecessors, who were people of generosity and foresight. Now it is our turn to step into their shoes and prepare that space for future generations. This capital campaign is about more than upgrading our worn-out mechanical systems; it is about creating a space for the next 50 years of worship, music and life at Saint George’s. The proposed changes and upgrades that we hope to make in the Nave will improve accessibility, provide flexibility, and enhance the overall worship experience. The campaign includes support for similar improvements in the San Jose worship space. Like our predecessors, we will have to dig deep to accomplish all this. Our hope is that, like those who built what we now use, we can see a beautiful future for this place and will sacrifice to make it become reality. We hope you feel the excitement amongst the congregation, and will prayerfully consider: “Lord, What would you do through me?” We invite you to join us in truly Making a Space for All.

Elena Keydel, Michael Woods and David Grahn Campaign Tri-chairs

OUR History On a summer Sunday afternoon in 1909 the first church services of what was to become Saint George’s Church were held on the porch of a house where Ballston Mall now stands. In those days, Arlington was a series of small towns – Rosslyn, Clarendon and Ballston – and in 1909 there were enough people in those villages seeking a worship option closer than traveling to The Falls Church. Two years later, the ground was broken for the chapel that still stands today and houses

La Inglésia San José. Many of the original parishioners were English immigrants who worked as household staff in the embassies downtown and chose to name their new parish after England’s patron saint. Building the chapel was a personal undertaking for these early members. Various groups raised money for certain elements, while some even built the altar by hand. Arlington continued to grow, and so did Saint George’s. By 1931 the Sunday School had 400 children and had outgrown the small wooden parish hall that had been erected next to the chapel. The parish hall was razed to make way for a larger one, made of stone, which we still use continued

OUR History continued

today. With the country in the middle of the Depression, parishioners once again chipped in not only with what little funds they could spare, but by volunteering their services as well. An architect drew the plans for expenses only, and a builder in the parish helped plan, estimate and purchase the materials. World War II changed the suburbs of Washington forever as people flocked to the region to work for the federal government. Saint George’s grew exponentially during the decade to follow. Plans began for our current sanctuary in 1948 and ground was broken in 1952. The plan was a very modern one. The church would be rectangular, rather than in the cruciform plan, and the altar was one of the first in the United States built away from the wall so the celebrant could face the congregation. Again, groups in the church raised money to help pay for certain elements. Women sold handmade dolls and held bake sales to pay for the reredos – the decorative screen behind the altar – and the Rose Window. The tile on the floor came from surplus used in the U.S. Capitol that a parishioner acquired at a special price. The first service was held on Christmas Eve, 1952. As people filed in, the pews were still being nailed down. Over the years other furnishings and changes have been made, such as the addition of the organ chamber, the addition of air conditioning, a new ceiling to improve acoustics, and a sound system, but the changes have been small and the nave has remained essentially the same.

historic photo

“always a turnover, always in ferment like yeast. New people, new ideas give one no chance to get stale or in a rut. St. George’s seems to have room for all points of view.” -- Rev. Hedley Williams, rector 1945-1973

Our Present Situation Saint George’s Church has been welcoming people at all stages of their spiritual journeys for over 100 years. While much about our community has changed during that time, our physical building has remained almost unchanged since its dedication in May, 1953. Our goal is to the raise the needed funds to allow for building improvements that would better support our liturgical lives and our ministries to the larger community. Updates would include: Replacing the Flooring and Updating the Heating and Cooling Systems in the Nave

Bringing the Altar Forward, and Removing the Raised Steps to the Altar Rail

The tile in our main worship space was installed in the early 1950s. Not only has it begun to wear down and pose a hazard in some areas, but replacing the flooring would allow for the installation of updated heating and cooling systems. This would increase comfort throughout the year and allow the removal of noisy heaters located in the back of the Nave and the air conditioners behind the altar.

When our current Nave was completed in 1952 it was designed to offer a worship style that was innovative for its time. Currently our altar, the physical representation of God in our midst, is greatly removed from the congregation, as is our choir. Shifting the Saint George’s altar space forward would expand space for our choir and the organ and bring the altar closer to the congregation. Removing the steps would allow for all parishioners to take Communion together, regardless of mobility.

OUR present situation

continued

Updating Seating in the Nave Our pews were installed just in time for Christmas Eve of 1952 and are showing the wear and tear of over 60 years of active use. The current seating design limits the variety of worship services and community events we can host, while dictating the flow of our worship, often in ways that are distracting and not inclusive. New flexible seating would allow us to continue to have a traditional worship style arrangement of the Nave, but it would also allow us change the layout of the seating for certain events, including musical concerts and special services.

Increasing Flexibility and Comfort at La Iglésia San José Updating the heating, cooling, and lighting in the Chapel, as well as replacing the seating will allow for increased use of this historic space. Since San José uses the space as both their worship space as well as their parish hall, replacing the pews with chairs will make this transition easier. We are seeking the support of all members of our unique community for a project to create space that is flexible and mirrors the welcoming spirit of our faith and fellow parishioners. Throughout the campaign we have asked everyone to pray this prayer: Lord, what would you do through me? We hope that all of the members of our unique community will answer that prayer by supporting a project that will update and improve our worship space and mirror the welcoming spirit of our faith and our fellow parishioners.

Join us in MAKING A SPACE FOR ALL.

Conceptual renderings of the proposed renovations

Poem for St. George’s Those friends who gathered on the porch long years ago Drew close into a circle, joined in their hopes, Their need to worship, and their mutual love, To form a pool of comfort, strength, and peace. Into this pool the Holy Spirit fell like a stone. One circle rippled into two, then three, then more. An ever-larger family took shape, The first group’s energy shimmering at its core. Such circles, growing still, don’t close us in But push us outward, to the edge, to life: Our safety, trust, and joy are by God’s grace Upheld, yet do not feed upon exclusion. Thus, to draw close is to spread love afar: Thus, to belong is to include the world.

-- Cynthia Clark (1922-2010), St. George’s parishioner