The Collapse

Shoring Up The Sanctuary

Temporary beams for added support

For over 40 years, The Santa Anita Church provided a place of worship, a beautiful site for thousands of weddings, and a welcoming chapel for generations of Barnhart students. Then in March of 2001, a serious split began to form in one of the large beams that supports the roof. The sanctuary was immediately closed, and large timbers were installed to shore up the building against the threat of imminent collapse.

Stripping off the old Roof

Removal of the roof tiles

When the insurance company refused to pay for the repairs, The Santa Anita Church faced a major decision: to wait until litigation forced the insurer to honor the policy, knowing that it would take three to five years; or to raise the money to restore the sanctuary without waiting for the outcome of the lawsuit.

Crane used to Shore up the Beams

Shoring up the Sanctuary

Construction of the church in 1959 cost $300,000. Prices have risen significantly since then. Even more important are the changes in building codes. It was not just a matter of replacing some beams; the entire structure must be brought up to current standards. The repairs were estimated to cost over $1,000,000.

Relax into Forgiveness
In the last three series, we have learned how to step into the NOW in order to release Judgement so we can focus on silencing our Ego. Now that we have quieted our inner naysayer, we are free to release past pains by learning to forgive. Join us over the next five weeks as we look at forgiveness from a variety of different sources. September 8 – ForgivenessWhen we have moments of crisis they generate a defining line in our lives. If we are unable to forgive others, or ourselves, for the events that led to these moments, we scribe a deep fissure that runs through all future events, good or bad. Until we can forgive these points in our life, they will continue to haunt us for an eternity. Forgiveness is the key to releasing the pain associated with these memories. Until we can truly forgive, the events of our past will continue to hinder our growth towards a fulfilling life. September 15 – They Know Not…How much should we forgive those who have wronged us? Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother seventy time seven. And what should we forgive? While hanging from the cross, Jesus forgave those who persecuted and crucified him. Today we look at a radical story of forgiveness from Eva Kor, a Holocaust survivor, who forgave the atrocities perpetrated against her and her family in 1940’s Auschwitz. September 22 – It’s for YOU!Rev. Gina recalls the five steps laid out by Colin Tipping in his book Radical Forgiveness and shares a personal story of her own radical forgiveness. All in an effort to reveal that the things we experience in life – the good as well as the bad – are brought before us to teach. We sometimes take the easy road so the lessons catch up to us the hard way and sometimes the lesson can only be learned through grief and struggle. While we may not enjoy the experience, when it comes down to it, it is all part of our growth in this life and forgiveness is part of that growth. September 29 – Let It BeUsing the Chinese painting entitled The Three Vinegar Tasters as a jumping off point, Rev. Gina continues the theme from last week that everything happens for a reason. Founder of Taoism, Lao Tzu, appears to have a look of enjoyment when sampling the vinegar – a perfect parallel to the idea of forgiving the past and acknowledging that it was the good and the bad that brought you to where you are today.
[more...]