The Finnish Apostolic Church was heated with a wood stove. I imagine that someone who lived near to the church went over and started a fire in the stove well before church started. I am not certain about this church but many churches held limited services during the winter months...having a proper church service once a month if the weather permitted.
Far Side
The last time I went to church in Scotland (Christmas some years ago) the whole stone building was only “heated” by a one bar electric heater. It was really freezing. The snow on the floor tramped in on our feet never melted. This stove looks a whole lot more efficient. The same church was pretty freezing at Easter… nobody switched on the heater.
ReplyDeleteThat church is so beautiful. I'm sure it was still chilly in there as they probably needed several wood stoves to heat that whole place. How thoughtful to have a pew turned backwards for the little ones. I always learn something from you.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing history of this church. My have fed babies on that back pew too.
ReplyDeleteLovely old Church. Is it still used?
ReplyDeleteyes it is in a historical Park and can be used for weddings and other special occasions
DeleteWhat an interesting little church! I've never seen a backward facing pew, but it makes sense, especially for the wee ones in the midst of a cold winter.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful church! My mom told me that daddy & her first apartment was heated by a big potbelly stove in the middle of the kitchen. She said they'd put the washtub near it when they took a bath. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteThat's neat. I should go over to the old school house near us and take photos of it inside. Those that care for it are ex students and are in their late 70's now. I went inside once and was just amazed at it.
ReplyDeleteYes I remember starting the stove before the service. the church didn't get warm until the service was over. Some serices were held in the homes during the winter.
ReplyDeleteI love these photos. So perfect for a restful Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with only wood heat. My old country heat had a wood furnace.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy learning about this old church of yours.
That is dedication!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful wooden pews.
I remember there were people in charge of turning the heat up for choir practices, and Sunday mornings.
Very considerate having the pew dedicated to mothers with small children. I'm sure they appreciated the warmth.
ReplyDeleteThose wooden pews are made from such lovely wood. The little rural church we attended for years was about this size, and had similar pews. The men assigned as ushers for the month also went early to get the heat going a couple of hours before church. Unfortunately an arsonist burned that pretty little church about a dozen years ago. The new one that was built is nice but missing some of the charm.
ReplyDeleteThat is so neat that they still have the pews. Their simple design is neat to see but hard to sit on anyway. It would take a good hour to get that room heated and I bet the preacher was cold being the longest distance from the fire. What a jewel that the building is in such great condition.
ReplyDeleteWhat an endearing little church. I can imagine families sitting there, worshipping together - and no doubt the cold would have helped keep them alert! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely, comfortable and beautiful setting to worship in, in any weather.
ReplyDeleteI really love the simplicity of the church. In my opinion, some of the churches of today could learn from the older ones. We also have a pew turned backward in the very back of our church, and I'm not sure why because there is a "cry room" too. That's a small room in the back of the sanctuary with a speaker and one way glass. That way Mom's can go in and still hear the service while feeding their baby in privacy.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and love,
Betsy
Beautiful church!
ReplyDeleteInteresting history!
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of the backward pew. Very nice thing to do.
ReplyDeleteA lady in the senior building I used to work at in the 90s told us how all the kids in her family would grab their clothes and run downstairs to dress in front of the woodstove in the winter. One time she was too close, bent over to put her undies on, and smacked her bare butt against the hot stove. She said she had a red scar on her left buttock.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteVery Interesting! Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteSo interesting
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely little church. It reminds me of the one my family attended when I was growing up. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI’ve never seen a backward pew before and if I had, I probably wouldn’t have know why it was backward. The small old Minnesota churches are so beautiful in their simplicity and this one is so beautifully restored and kept.
ReplyDelete