The Sanctuary

My first site visit involved me visiting a historic and well-know church from well before it came to prominence during the civil rights area: Ebenezer Baptist Church. The site is actually apart of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, allowing one to infer that M.L.K. and his family had a strong affiliation with the church and the surrounding area.

This first thing that I noticed while observing the site was that there are actually two churches at the location, with one being the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the other being the new Ebenezer Baptist Church, which is still in use today. It was a somewhat overcast day, however, it didn’t draw away from the aura of the site. Before going inside of the new church to attend the 11:30 service, I explored the monuments, statues, descriptions, and courtyards surrounding the building. There were many tall, green, and luscious trees around the courtyard. There was also a garden to add comfort to the courtyard. Both of the builds were made of brick on the outside, giving both of the buildings a neighborly feel.

The “Two Ebenezers”

Wanting to avoid the rain, I decided it was time to step inside. As soon as I stepped foot inside, I noticed security posted near the right entrance to the sanctuary. He searched my bag then allowed me to go inside. The choir sang as the preacher prepared to implore the crowd to send in their tithes and offerings to the ushers.  The people were more than eager to chip in. After the collection, the preacher blessed the funds and not many people moved during this time. The members of the church were dressed in a variety of different colors, and they smelled mostly of old cologne, perfume, and powder. There were persons of many different ages inside and the racial makeup was mostly composed of blacks native to the area, yet there were a few non-black worshipers also. Something unusual that I noticed was that some of the attendants/ushers of the church were handicapped.

The sanctuary looked similar to many large churches around the Atlanta area, yet this sanctuary was built similar to an auditorium with variable amounts of lighting and many speakers. There were also a few cameramen on the outskirts of the sanctuary because the services are also live-streamed for those who cannot attend. From the ceiling hung a large crucifix easily seen by everyone inside. All doors within the church were also covered by large crosses. The most noticeable color in the sanctuary was white. However, much of the  furnishings within it were made of wood, including the pews, alters, and benches. The carpet and the seat cushions were of some greenish material. The backs of the pews were filled with copies of the bible, hymnals, and offering envelopes.

After the service, I observed the members of the church once more. Some would rush out of the door to avoid traffic while others were in a rush to eat or go watch the Falcons game. Some of the more tenured members of the church lingered long after the service to mingle and chat with their constituents. Members of the clergy also spoke to members of the congregation to be sure that they were able to connect effectively with the different persons.

On my way out of the church, I decided to take a look around the lobby/entrance area. I noticed many different displays, including and extra “giving center” for those who love to give money to the church. I saw two displays called the “Walk of Fame” encasing the shoes of six prominent figures within the church, past and present. I also noticed the “Wall of Pastors”. The most prominent portrait on the wall was, you guessed it, Martin Luther King, Jr. I also noticed that the pastors of the church have relatively long tenures, with the first two pastors having served over 30 years each. Some of the community involvement offered were trips to Chattanooga, Tennessee and an AIDS Walk and Run downtown. There were also tables for voting registration and CDs/DVDs of the services being offered to the public. The last opportunity to obtain memorabilia was found within the gift shop located directly outside of the entrance to the church.