photographs of abandoned places #37

Crawford Road Christian Church

Christian Church is another name for Disciples of Christ, an American denomination of Restorationist Protestantism, which began on the western frontier at the very beginning of the 19th century. The Stone-Campbell Movement wanted a non-denominational unity, since then they have become a mainline Protestant denomination. The earliest presence near Cleveland was led by the one time Baptist, and later Mormon Sidney Rigdon. The Stoners were Presbyterians from Kentucky, and the Campbellites were Baptists from southwestern Pennsylvania.

In Cleveland, they had at least three churches of historical and architectural interest. Franklin Circle Church [click] began in Ohio City, a rival town absorbed by Cleveland. For a short time before the War for the Union, James Garfield was a minister there. After the war a Gothic style building was built, and it still functions for the denomination. A beautiful church [click] opened in 1906 on Euclid Avenue, it was sold in 1955 when the congregation moved. The third one was this one built in 1907.

From the outside, the main stained glass windows, the central of which is Jesus knocking on a door (Apoc. iii. 20). I have not been inside the building, but have seen a foto. The Euclid Avenue church had windows by J.R.Lamb Studios, the Crawford church has similar style. The then mayor of Cleveland, Tom Johnson was a member of this Hough neighbourhood church, but for a short time. Johnson was born in Kentucky, and died in 1911.

The Holy Spirit caged, this group of windows is protected from the outside by wire.

Some damage here, similar windows glass replaced by plywood. Once the sandstone trim had been painted.

 

Cedar Avenue Church + AD 1883 + Crawford Road Church + AD 1907 +

Some conjecture, since i lack the information, did these two churches merge?, or was Crawford the new location?

 

The other face of the yearstone reads, Disciples of Christ. At some time in the past they were gone. New signs were attached for reserved parking for overseer, and pastor. There is no parking lot, but a driveway. Now, looking at the building, there is a church in the front, and a residence in the back. On the 'internets' it is listed as 2 bedroom apartment. My limited foray on the 'internets' suggest that a pentecostal style ministry was active here between 2015-18, called 4 Real Church.