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First United Methodist Church Adds Lighting to the Facade

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#1 John T Roberts

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Posted 24 December 2024 - 02:37 PM

This Christmas Season, the First United Methodist Church has added lighting to its historic facade.  Now, there are lights behind the stained glass windows in the towers and lighting in the open areas of the bell towers.

 

54224098485_61c1eb610b_k.jpgFirst United Methodist 12-23-24 by jtrobert, on Flickr



#2 Stadtplan

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Posted 30 December 2024 - 08:48 AM

Although this looks festive, I'm not sure I'm 100% onboard with adding colored lights to historic facades.  It's not that it is undeserving of it I just tend to be more of a purist for historic facades not receiving colored lighting.  Architect Thom Mayne described why he chose against adding colored lighting to The Perot Museum of Nature and Science, he said he didn't want to make it feel like Las Vegas.  I also worry that if this church has color changing LED installed, where does it stop?  Are we going to get purple lights every time TCU plays a home game to celebrate a football squad?



#3 John T Roberts

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Posted 30 December 2024 - 08:51 AM

Good point.  However, I'm pretty sure that the lights will be all white after the holidays.  Regarding the purple lights, the First Christian Church has some lights on their southern facade that have been purple every time I have seen them turned on. 



#4 roverone

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Posted 30 December 2024 - 09:02 AM

I think that we just live in a different time, and the expectations are different. There are plenty of cathedrals in Europe that are not only lit but also put on scheduled projection-mapped "shows".

 

In a way, right from the start, this kind of architecture is intended to make a dramatic statement: the ornate and detailed, flamboyant in some cases (not this building -- although there are all of the different kinds of stone inlays). And stained glass windows can make a similar statement.

 

For sure, at my age, I have to twist my thinking a little, but it is kind of just a modern extension of making a statement, and perhaps something similar would have been done long ago if they only had the technology.

 

I'm not saying that I like it, but also I'm aging out of being the target. And I do have firsthand experience that people do seem to like colored lighting on architecture.



#5 Stadtplan

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Posted 30 December 2024 - 09:16 AM

Good point.  However, I'm pretty sure that the lights will be all white after the holidays.  Regarding the purple lights, the First Christian Church has some lights on their southern facade that have been purple every time I have seen them turned on. 

 

Wasn't TCU birthed out of that congregation?  Also, the ecumenical calendar would incorporate purple (for some congregations) during Lent, Holy Week and Advent.

 

Edit: they use violet or blue...TCU's PMS color is Purple PMS 268

https://disciples.or...the-lectionary/



#6 John T Roberts

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Posted 30 December 2024 - 01:48 PM

Somewhere, I think I have posted a photograph of the First Christian Church with the purple lights turned on. 

 

You are correct about TCU coming out of that particular church congregation. 







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