The competition topic this month at the Photo Venture Camera Club is ‘Spirit and Place’.  Having spotted an old Methodist Church in Gary that is beyond disrepair, three of us decided to go see if we could find spirit in the place.

The construction of this church was underwritten by US Steel back in the mid-twenties and at one time had thousands in the congregation.  At its highest point it is nine stories tall.

But the congregation is gone.

Not much is left.

Nature is taking over.

Is there still spirit here?  I was reminded of the Apostle’s Creed, especially the line that says “He descended into Hell and on the third day he rose from the dead”.  With this in mind, the title for the next image

is “…and He left his cross behind.”  Yes the Spirit is here.