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A Look at the Sligo Church Sanctuary

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This weekend a Flickr user called Maryland Route 5 posted a stunning photograph of the interior of the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church. In his description, he said he had never been inside an Adventist church before, but he was greatly impressed by the Christmas service he attended, and by the “enriching spiritual experience” he found there.

His post said:

Sanctuary at Sligo Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Until today, I had never visited a Seventh-day Adventist church, but I decided at the spur of the moment to visit Sligo Church in Takoma Park, which used to be the headquarters for the SDA Church in the US. They had a lengthy Christmas service that was beautifully orchestrated and performed, and I must say that the congregational singing and warmth and genuine friendliness of the congregation left an indelible impression on me. I had cut my right thumb right before the 11AM service and asked an usher in the foyer if she had a band-aid, and she literally ran to get one for me, and put the band-aid on my thumb herself! Certainly the sign of a servant…….I think Jesus would’ve been pleased. All in all, a wonderfully enriching spiritual experience!

 

If this piques your curiosity, you can watch the service and listen to the music here.

Watch live streaming video from sligochurch at livestream.com

 

The current Sligo Church building was finished in 1944. I was talking to my grandmother this week, as our family gathers for Christmas. She remembers transferring from Forest Lake Academy in Florida to Takoma Academy in 1944, which then met in the basement of Columbia Hall, across from the church. She remembers scaffolding and workmen all around as the church was being completed – and the big controversy over the modern look, complete with theater-style seating. She said: “We had the most fabulous speakers. Missionaries came from all over the world. Church was interesting in those days. We used to sit up in the balcony and if you didn’t pay attention you would miss the point Elder Loveless was making.”

[Image: Original building, from the Sligo Church website.]

In 1985 an addition was built to Sligo Church, and in 2001, a significant renovation was undertaken, improving acoustics, allowing in more natural light, installing a new stage and organ and removing asbestos.

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