New Crosses for our Roof!

In August 2003, lightning hit the north end of our sanctuary roof, just below the cross. The coping stone suffered the worst damage, but the cross was broken apart by the force of the blast.

A decade or so earlier, the cross on the south end (above Newton Street) fell down, so after the lightning, we became a church with no crosses.

Originally made from terra cotta, the old crosses were ornate and would be very difficult to reproduce.  Here's one of the pieces from the lighnting-damaged cross:



We hired Robert Alger, a stone carver who has worked on the National Cathedral, to carve two new crosses out of Indiana Limestone.  He completed the carving in April 2005. Here's what one looked like lying on the floor of our sanctuary:




On April 24, 2005, our senior priest, the Rev. Frank Dunn, blessed the new crosses at the end of our 10:30 worship service.



Installation of the Cross Above Newton Street

June 17, 2005:  Robert Alger, high above Newton Street on a lift, removes the remainder of the original cross:




Robert takes the new cross up on the lift:


Robert's assistant perches on the peak:


Here comes the cross:









Installation of the Cross on the North End

May 12, 2005:  Robert Alger hauls scaffolding, tools, and coping stones and cross to the roof and begins setting up the scaffolding. The scaffolding is set on the roof of the parish house; the windows you see are the ones that are covered over behind the altar.


May 13, 2005:  Robert has removed the old cross and is working on removing the metal rod that held it in place and the base of the old cross (left photo) and on the coping stone damaged by lightning (right photo)


May 16, 2005: Robert prepares to install the cross by drilling the needed holes and then placing the cross: