Along the Oregon Coast there is a little church tucked up along the sand dunes away from the highway. It sits back a little way from the beach yet the beach is ever present in the sanctuary. This is a church built by & for sea-faring folk. Those whose lives and often deaths were influenced by the ocean just beyond the dunes. A bench for contemplation sits at the top of the dunes. I like that bench and took my turn at photographing it but it was the warmth of the church that attracted me.
The door to the sanctuary was ajar so I coaxed my friend to peak inside. Being braver then me, she did & immediately called back "You have got to see this." As I walked into the sanctuary, I became breathless with excitement. The glow of the windows we had seen from the outside filled the church. We meandered throughout the little church taking pictures of details colored by the golden light from the windows.
But my favorite image remains this first one, taken as I entered the sanctuary, my breath still as I looked at the glory of it all. The pews lined up, light falling on them and dark shadows defining their shape. The geometric shapes of the golden windows shining brightly from the darkened walls leading your eye to the light on the red & white flowers on the side alter in the distance. Brought to me the quiet stillness I love so much in churches when it's just me and my reverence.
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