Church of the Ascension, Esterbrook Community Church, Esterbrook Wyoming

This church was built in 1942 as the Episcopal Church of the Ascension, serving the mountain community of Esterbrook, Wyoming.  In 2005 the Church was leased to an independent protestant congregation, which uses the church as the Esterbrook Community  Church. The church remains the property of the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming.

Painted Bricks: MIssionary Houses, Lehaina Maui Hawaii

Painted Bricks: Missionary Houses, Lehaina Maui Hawaii: These are obviously beyond the scope of this forum, but still, this provides some interesting examples of houses for Europeans ...

Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, Lahaina Maui Hawaii

This impressive church is the Maria Lanakila Catholic Church in Lahaina Maui Hawaii.  The Church was established in 1846 with the present church having been built in 1873. Renovations were done in 1918, including the cleaning of the impressive paintings that are located within the church, gifts of Maui residents who might possibly be King Kalakaua or his sister, Queen Liliuokalani.

One of the very unusual features of this church is the chicken weather vane that is affixed atop the cross on the steeple.  I have no idea what the story behind this is.

 

 The name of the church means Mary Victorious in Hawaiian.

St. James the Less Catholic Church, Ulupalakua, Maui Hawaii

This is St. James the Less Catholic Church in Ulupalakua, Maui, Hawaii.  It's a mission church served by Our Lady Queen of Angels, which is actually fairly close to it on the same highway.  Being used to the large distances of most rural areas of the West, to find two churches of the same faith so close together is surprising, but even in such locations as Denver Colorado that still occurs, so perhaps this should not be surprising.  This church is actually older that Our Lady Queen of Angels and the original church built in this location was constructed at least as early as 1875, with missionary activity having dated back to the 1850s.  The current structure was built in 1950 and renovated in 2002.

Lahuiokalani Kaanapali Congregational Church, Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii

This is the Lahuiokalani Kaanapali Congregational Church in Kaanapali, Maui. Located just off the beach, the church dates back to 1840, indicating early missionary activity. 

Hawai'i?

I've already heard the complaint.  Hawai'i? That's not part of the West.  I thought that this blog was about churches of the West.

Well, point well taken. We don't normally think of Hawai'i as part of the American West.  But perhaps in this context, we should.  Or at least I don't think these posts are too far afield.  Here's why.

Part of the acknowledged history of the American West is the missionary history of the West.  This occurred everywhere in North America, to be sure, but the individual Protestant and Catholic missionary activity, undertaken by the churches on their own, is a particularly strong part of western movement in North America.  And by the second half of the 1800s, it had a particular style to it, in which individual faiths endeavored to establish missions in geographic regions.

That's really what occurred, and highly successfully, in Hawai'i  The pattern of missionary activity strongly fits into the same pattern of that of the American West.  For that matter, US colonization and annexation of Haawai'i, while unique in many ways, also strongly resembles what occurred in the American West.  So, exotic Pacific locality aside, these posts are not really out of place.

Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Kula, Maui, Hawaii

This is Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Keokea, Maui Hawaii.  This church was opened in 1940 after a need for a new Catholic Church in the area was discerned in connection with a nearby sanatorium.  As it was centrally located, and had sufficient grounds, it became the mission church for two churches in the nearby region, those being St. James the Less and the unique Portuguese styled Holy Ghost Mission.

Holy Innocents Episcopal Church, Lehaini Maui Hawaii

This is Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Lehaini, Maui, Hawaii.  It's very near the beach in Lehaini.  Other than these details, I don't know anything else about this church.

Shingon Buddhist Church, Lehaini Maui Hawaii

This is clearly outside the focus of this blog, but it is included due to the oddity of it being labeled a "church".  This is actually a Buddhist temple, in the common vernacular, which dates back to early Japanese migration to the Hawaiian islands.  The building, which is in the historic district of Lehaini, was built in a church like style, probably reflecting the extensive presence of Christian missionaries on the island prior to the date of its construction, and it is actually called a "church" rather than a temple.

St. Augustine By The Sea Catholic Church, Honolulu Hawaii

This is St. Augustine By The Sea Catholic Church just off of Wakiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii.  The church dates its history back to 1845, but it's obviously been rebuilt several times, with the modern church's origin going back to 1910, with additions since then.  The current structure appears very modern, and I don't know of the date of its construction.

National Guard News - Clinical pastoral education program helps chaplains assist Minnesota Soldiers

National Guard News - Clinical pastoral education program helps chaplains assist Minnesota Soldiers

USDA Blog » A Treasure to be Remembered: USDA Support Turns a Historic Church into a Museum

USDA Blog » A Treasure to be Remembered: USDA Support Turns a Historic Church into a Museum

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Casper Wyoming

This Church was put in place in the early 1950s due to the expansion of the City of Casper, and has an unusual history.

The church itself was built during World War Two, and served as the Casper Air Base chapel, at what is now the Natrona County International Airport. When the population of Casper expanded in the 1940s, making a second Catholic church necessary, the real property where this church was located was purchased from Harry Yesness, with 10 acres of ground being acquired. The church itself was moved from the airport to this location in 1953.

Upon being moved, the church was substantially reconstructed and remodeled. Additionally, remodeling occurred in the past decade, given the church it's current appearance. The substantial grounds upon which the church is located originally included a small rectory, an office building, and a very small school. However, the school was never used as such. More recently (last year) St. Anthony's Tri Parish School was built on these grounds, and the city's only Catholic school is, therefore, located on the Our Lady of Fatima grounds.

Interior, Christmas Eve Mass, December 24, 2023.

Epilog:

I recently ran across this photograph of what is now Our Lady of Fatima at the Wyoming Veterans Museum at the Natrona County International Airport.   This photograph depicts the church as it appeared at the time it was an Army Air Corps Base Chapel.

This is an item, also as the Wyoming Veterans Museum, for base services. 

'He Saved Hundreds': Army Chaplain To Get Medal Of Honor : The Two-Way : NPR

'He Saved Hundreds': Army Chaplain To Get Medal Of Honor : The Two-Way : NPR

St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Worland Wyoming

This church was a bit of a surprise as I wasn't aware there was a Greek Orthodox Church in Worland.  I don't know anything else about it.  The structure is interesting as it's sort of a modified Prairie Gothic structure.

Today In Wyoming's History: Sidebar: The Irish in Wyoming

Today In Wyoming's History: Sidebar: The Irish in Wyoming: Just recently we posted our "green" edition of this blog with our St. Patrick's Day entry .  Given that, this is a good time ...

St. Philip's Catholic Church & ELCA Peace Lutheran Fellowship, Basin Wyoming

A few photographs below I had a photo of a combined Presbyterian and Methodist congregation in Thermopolis Wyoming, and here we have an example of a Church that serves, or at least at one time served, both Lutheran and Catholic congregations.  This is St. Philip's Catholic Church in Basin.  Dual congregations like this are unusual, but not completely unprecedented. St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Casper, for example, at one time also served the Greek Orthodox community there prior the Greek Orthodox Church in Casper being built.  This one is a bit more unusual as it served Catholic and Protestant congregations.  Apparently right now no Catholic masses are being offered here, however, and the Catholic community is being served by the nearby church in Greybull. 

Sometimes churches are extraordinarily hard to photograph because of external features, and this one fits that category.  The very large pine trees in the front make photographing this church a difficult task and this photograph is not the best.

United Methodist Church, Basin Wyoming

This is the United Methodist Church in Basin, Wyoming.  This style of church is a bit unusual for a Methodist Church, although at least the Methodist Church in Wheatland Wyoming has a similar Federalist style.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Basin Wyoming

This is St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Basin Wyoming.  This small town Episcopal Church fits into the Gothic style, in our view.  I don't know anything else about it, other than that its coloration is unusual for a wooden church.

First Baptist Church, Worland Wyoming

This is the First Baptist Church in Worland Wyoming.  I"m not entirely certain how to categorize the architecture of this church, which has a certain New England style to it.

United Methodist Church, Worland Wyoming

The United Methodist Church in Worland Wyoming.  This Church fits into the Gothic Architecture category, but like a lot of churches in this region of Wyoming, it has some Romanesque features as well.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Greybull Wyoming

This Catholic Church in Greybull Wyoming features Gothic and Romanesque features. The bell tower in particular is an interesting Romanesque addition to the existing church.

St. Francis Catholic Church, Thermopolis Wyoming

This is St. Francis Catholic Church, in Thermopolis Wyoming.  This attractive Romanesque style Church has a very classic European style to it.  I'm not aware of when it was built.

Community Federated Church, Thermopolis Wyoming

This is the Community Federated Church of Thermopolis, Wyoming, which serves a combined Methodist and Presbyterian congregation, the first church serving a combined congregation that I've run across, although something similar exists in regards to an upcoming post for Basin Wyoming.

The Church is a classic modern Gothic style church, but otherwise I know nothing about it.

Faith Temple, Rapid City South Dakota

This Rapid City protestant church is built in the Federal Revival style of architecture more common to courthouses.  Otherwise, I know nothing else about it.

First Presbyterian Church, Rapid City, South Dakota

Sometimes a modern architectural feature can really mess up the photographing of an older one, and this church provides such an example.

 This is The First Presbyterian Church in Rapid City, South Dakota. The classic Gothic style church is in the downtown region of Rapid City, and unfortunately the area is dominated by some sort of odd communications tower, which makes photographing the entire building difficult.

I don't know the age of this particular church.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Rapid City South Dakota

This striking small Episcopal Church, built in the Gothic style, is located in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota. The church was built in 1888.

St. Paul's Catholic Church, Sundance Wyoming

This is a less than ideal photograph, but I was parked in a hospital parking lot at the time I took it and had limited time to do so.  This church is St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sundance, Wyoming.  It certainly is in a picturesque setting, even if the picture is not so picturesque.

Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Sundance Wyoming

This is the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Sundance, Wyoming.  This Prairie Gothic style church is obviously an older structure, but I don't know the details of it.

Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, former location of (Holy Trinity Episcopal Church), Gillette Wyoming

When I took this photograph, it was the location of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Gillette, Wyoming. As noted at the time, I had no idea how old the structure of the church was. An addition, not visible here, to the back side looked to be a rectory.

Since I took this photo, the Church structure sold to the Antiochian Orthodox parish in Gillette, and this Church is now Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church.  I don't know where the Episcopal parish formerly located here is now located.  The pastor of this church informs me that it has been redone inside, in keeping with Orthodox traditions, and he was graciously allow me to photograph the interior in the future.

The former location of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, Gillette Wyoming

I'm updating, and reposting, this entry, as I was traveling through Gillette recently and found that this location was for sale, and therefore pretty clearly no longer the location of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church.  Emailing the pastor, I was provided with the new location.  I'll keep this entry up, as this was a church, but it is no longer the location of this church.

The old text noted:

This unusual church is Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Gillette, Wyoming. It's very obviously in a converted storefront, but I have included it as the church went to the extent of construction a dome, as we might expect to see on an Orthodox Church.

This Antiochian Orthodox Church is the only Antiochian Orthodox Church in Wyoming, and one of only four Orthodox churches in the state.