After I'd done Sunday's blog, I went to church which was held in a barn with a pot luck lunch and our AGM meeting afterwards. It was unseasonably cold and the icy wind blew through the gaps in the wood siding. It's a good thing I took gloves and layered plenty of clothes.
It was interesting being in an old, wooden barn again. Plenty of memories swept over me, some good ones and many which were not so good. Not wanting them to overwhelm this opportunity to make some new memories, I allowed myself to be distracted by studying the building.
Hand hewn, massive timbers were supported by a network of smaller braces and cross pieces. Every single one had been carefully trimmed and fitted into just as carefully cut slots. Adze, hammer, chisel, hand saw and hand drill would have been all that was used. Power tools had yet to evolve.
Ropes, pullies and brute strength would have maneuvered them into place. Prefab sections put into place by a crane are also a thing of the future. No nails were used in assembling the framework. Those were reserved to nail the floorboards and wood siding in place. Gravity holds it all together.
The major beams were made from a single tree and spanned the thirty foot width of the barn. Some of the floorboards were at least twenty inches wide, two inches thick and just as long as the beams. I suppose when it was built there was a lumber mill nearby that had cut the floor boards. The marks of the huge blade were still visible.
The labour, the meticulous fitting of each piece, bespoke of amazing craftsmanship. I wonder if any of the men who built it would have known that one day, it would serve as a church.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." Eph 1:3
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The Robes
"Coming up behind Jesus, she (the woman who had bled for 12 years) touched the fringe of His robe." Luke 9:44 And she was heal...
I love old barns! The texture of barn boards; the cracks that let sunshine in, bringing motes of dust out of invisibility; the sweet smell of hay; the age of timbers; the "ghosts" of animal-presence; the hard work of former farmers. I loved any chance to play in a barn as a child, and as an adult they make me think of a farm cathedral. They are a treasure of our heritage architectural landscape that is unfortunately disappearing.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to think that the barn could also represent the church community, how all pieces are necessary for it to stay standing.
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