There’s just something about heavy wooden doors on a church or red doors on any building to draw me in. These doors are attached to the Christ Episcopal Church in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
This imposing limestone building is larger than life and even more beautiful in person. The Gothic Revival design does sort of resemble a fortress but I like to think that’s to keep the devil out.
The congregation was founded in 1867 and the original brick church built two years later. The town sits at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha rivers so it has seen some pretty bad floods and the original church suffered for it.
That first building was demolished in 1919. The congregation held services in a hotel down the street until this new house of worship was available for its first service on Christmas Day 1923.
As far as the red doors are concerned, there is some symbolism to be considered. Many churches use red doors to symbolize the blood of Christ while some people believe that a red door protects occupants from evil.
I once read that church doors were painted red in England during the Middle Ages to signify safety as no one would commit a crime or do harm on Holy Ground. I’m not sure that’s true today but it’s a nice idea.
Whatever the reason or the symbolism, they sure do make for a pretty picture and something special to see on your journeys.
These are the front doors of Newark’s Wright Memorial United Methodist Church. I was there on a Saturday morning so they were locked but I lingered a moment to consider the ship or boat imagery above the door.
This church is impressive but resembles a fortress with its small windows, stone walls and heavy wood doors. I think the ship drew me in because it’s so delicate in comparison.
You’ve likely seen dragonflies but did you know they symbolize transformation and self realization? They are said to help us on the path of discovery and enlightenment.
In this world, there are about 5,000 species of dragonflies. In Ohio, we have documented 165. On Sunday, I saw several although I cannot name them for you. I can tell you that I very much enjoyed standing on the trail watching these mysterious creatures dance in the sunlight.
It’s a comforting idea that these colorful insects with their oddly shaped bodies and translucent wings represent more than we can see and that we are among angels.