FPCB Chapel Remembrances
Your memories of the First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue’s first sanctuary, “The Chapel”, are an important way of honoring our past as we move into the future. Where we have come from, impacts where we are going. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and reflections of the important moments in your life that have occurred in “The Chapel”. These reflections will be posted on our website and in the new building as a way of never forgetting God’s faithfulness that abides with us then, now, and always. Let us celebrate together as we record our memories!
March 7th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I have lots of memories of the original sanctuary: Dressed in crazy clothes in the early 80’s performing Godspell music with the high school deputation team that travelled to Haines, Alaska. Preaching part of the sermon in the spring of 1983 during Youth Sunday. Watching my old youth group from Bakersfield, CA perform their musical on a choir tour. Listening to sermons from David Dilworth, David Gallotte and John Shepherd. Marrying my husband, Dwight, and loving the long walk down that aisle! What a beautiful place with beautiful memories! I will miss the Chapel building!
March 7th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
My husband and I had been engaged for about 6 months, and had already reserved a church, reception site, caterer, etc. for a wedding that was to happen about a year later. One day we were in the car, and he said “Lets get married now.” and I said “NOW?” and he said “Yeah! Lets do it!” so we called the church and asked if we could pull that off (we were living out of the state at the time, and only back in Bellevue for a few more days!). They said that yes, we could arrange that. We met in the chapel, where my parents were married. I got ready in one of the Sunday school rooms, where I put on my $20 dress from Target, and held on to my calla lilies that my grandma picked up from the grocery store on the way to the church. My mom was my maid-of-honor, and my husband’s dad was his best man. It was all about love. We had our big fancy wedding a year later, and it was nice…but not as special and meaningful as our little thrown together wedding at the chapel.
March 7th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I have had the opportunity to work with the Children and Family Ministries on the Sunday morning programs for FPCB kids. I have spent many a Sunday in the Chapel buiding helping out with the sound board, photographing the drama teams and watching Kyle inspire and teach our children about the Lord and his Word through the JUMP program. Although it will be sad to say goodbye to the Chapel Building, it is wonderful to know that elements of the building will be worked into the new Education facility. The new building is an exciting endeavor - we are all blessed to be a part of these changes as our FPCB community continues to grow and thrive.
March 8th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
We joined our wonderful church Nov.1962. Our children were baptised in the church July of 1963. Bill remembers the Sundays up in the “attic” of the church tapeing the service and ushering for many years. Carol taught VBS for several years and also taught Sunday School. The memories of people and their commitment to God, the church and each other come flooding back to us. Starting with Rev. Burgess we have loved them all. We are grateful we were able to attend our church over the years.
March 8th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I was involved in the beginning stages of the Chapel building remodel, after we moved into the new Sancuary in 1995. The “old sanctuary” was then divided into two spaces (Chapel and Chapel Lounge). Don Bowman came up with the great design, with the hallway leading from the chapel to the old Narthex, so that both spaces (Chapel and Chapel Lounge) could be used at once. It was quite a feat to figure out the layout. Making all the floor space usable was a challenge, considering the large beams that angled down to the floor on one side. Don’s design was perfect.
Bob Brett then gave his time to supervise and do the construction, not a small amount of work. I remember that he had lots of help, but I remember that Randy Klesath was an especially frequent worker. When I commented on his faithfulness, Randy said that he was just good at following orders! There were many others who gave their time so that we could stay in budget - so many with great servant hearts.
Linda Enkema
March 8th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
We enjoyed a great time with our family and friends when Dick Leon helped us celebrate our 50 th wedding anniversary inthe chapel in 1997. We have photos to prove it.
March 9th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
So many special memories! My first husband, Bill Stipp and I joined the church and the choir in 1962. A few years later we were on the committee that chose the pipe organ. It was such a thrill the first time I hear Helen Burgess, wife of our pastor Frank Burgess, play the Lord’s Prayer on that organ.
The day Dr. David Dilworth was called to Bellevue Pres., Bob McGrath lead the congregation in singing the Lord’s Prayer while we waited for the votes to be counted. It has been said that congregations can’t sign the Lord’s Prayer but they haven’t heard this congregation!
When Bill died a few years later, once again, the congregation sang the Lord’s Prayer accompanied by the choir. And when Larry Turnbull and I were married, Bob McGrath sang the Lord’s Prayer.
So it is with sadness that I say “goodbye” to this beautiful Chapel. I pray that those who come after us will have as many wonderful memories of the new building as we have of the old.
March 9th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I have a lifetime of great memories from the original sanctuary. My mom was a charter member of the church and our family started attending at Green’s Chapel when I was a toddler, so I was there for the first worship service in the new sanctuary, though I don’t remember it. But I do recall many other happy times, like Christmas Eve 1962 when I impatiently kept checking my new watch to see when Rev. Burgess would finish so we could go home and open gifts. Or the hot August day in 1965 when my big sister got married. Or how I always got excited seeing the rhodies in bloom outside the stained glass windows each May, a sure sign school would end soon. Years later, Luanne and I enjoyed watching our own school-age kids as they climbed the sanctuary steps to sing in the kids’ choir or perform in a play. In 1999, my son Sean and I played our guitars and led the 6th-grade class in singing during its graduation ceremony. And for 13 years Luanne and I taught Sunday school in that same building, nurturing a memorable mix of little angels and rascals!
Most of all, I’ll remember eight years of wonderfully profound and impactful sermons delivered in the original sanctuary by Dick Leon. What a gift the Chapel has been.
March 10th, 2008 at 2:08 am
When Ron and I set our wedding date, we went to the phone book to find a Presbyterian church near his first job, which was in downtown Bellevue. Frank Burgess was so warm and gracious to us, and even though we had never attended FPCB, he arranged for us to be married there on August 8, 1964. We were accepted into membership in the old sanctuary in 1976, and our children, Matt and Greg, were baptised there. Greg died in 1988, and Matt died in 1993 (they both had cystic fibrosis), and their services were held in the old sanctuary. We have many special memories of life’s milestones that have been honored in the Chapel, and we will miss that special space. But the church we love is built not of wood and glass but of the people that we have shared our lives and faith with through the last 30-some years. We are grateful for each one of you!
March 10th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
It was a Friday morning in May, 1995 when Jim and Debbie Berkley drove Evelyne and me to the chapel building. We were going there to meet our Associate Pastor Nominating Committee and to tour the church campus. By the time our interview weekend was over, Evelyne and I were overwhelmed with FPCB’s faith, joy, and sense of mission. As we waited three long weeks to know whether I would be called as Adult Ministries Pastor, we held onto Psalm 37:4–”Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desire of your heart.”
I did get the call, and over the succeeding years, I would spend many hours in the chapel building to do weddings and funerals; New Members, Gifts Discovery, and Leadership for Life; men’s breakfasts, and women’s retreats; adult classes and Senior Adult Fellowship; community building workshops with Mount Calvary; Session meetings and Deacons Training; Alpha dinners, Youth Confirmation, and Women’s Bible Studies; Small Group training, and Eastside Academy chapels. Evelyne found encouragement through Penny Meisel’s Mom’s Group. Our three daughters grew in their faith through Sunday School and LOG retreats. I grew in friendship with my colleagues on staff. In a real way, the chapel building gave space to experience the life of Christ.
Of course, the bonds we shared in Christ transcended any building, and extended to places like Guatemala, Russia, Cambodia, Switzerland, Germany, Washington D.C. Still, I’m so grateful for how God shaped my life in that space, and my heart is filled with love for the people who shared in ministry there.
March 21st, 2008 at 5:57 pm
In 1988, when our daughter, Katie Jenkins, came home from Malibu Young Life camp, she said she’d turned her life over to Christ and that we must find a church. We had been feeling like it was time, too, so we asked around and found that First Pres. and Dick Leon was the ONLY place to go! And how right they were. We found the Lord there! We never had to look elsewhere! Tom and I joined in 1989, (Katie didn’t join until later), were ushers and worked on the Communion Committee, setting up the elements on Saturdays in a small classroom downstairs, sitting on the small chairs. Later, when we wanted to re-affirm our marriage vows for our 20th anniversary, the old sanctuary was where we chose, with Dr. Walter Ray officiating. Though we have now moved away from Bellevue, we still attend when we’re in the area and do plan to be there on March 29 to say “good bye, good and faithful friend.”
March 28th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I have two favorite memories of the chapel– one poignant and one celebratory. I was asked to give two eulogies, one for Randy Klesath and the other for 18 year old Tyler Stantus. Both of these memorial services were in the chapel building and the priveledge still means a lot to me.
The other is, over a period of 4 summers, our daughter Laura painted most of the murals that decorate many of the classrooms. My personal favorites our the 7 days of creation and the Noah’s ark story. I will miss being able to stop by an be cheered up by the murals
Bob Crist
April 24th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Our first memories of the sanctuary/now chapel of FPCBellevue precede our move to Bellevue. In November 1966 while Charles was the pastor of the Rollingbay Presbyterian Church on Bainbridge Island he performed the wedding of a young man from Bainbridge and a young woman from Bellevue. We thought at the time what a beautiful building this was - never dreaming that it and the congregation would come to mean so much to us.
Our first Christmas living in Bellevue was 1969. We sat in the front row at the Christmas Eve service and Stuart, six years old, turned and looked back, saying, “Look at all the Christians.”
By 1971 Marjorie was singing in the choir. As the choir processed in for the Thanksgiving service, our three-year old Graham said, “Hi Mommy.” The worship pattern was being set.
One snowy Sunday later in the ’70s there were not enough choir members to form a choir so on the spur of the moment Bob McGrath and Dixon Irvin sang a duet: “The King of Love My Shepherd Is.” It was electrifying and a memory never to be forgotten.
On a Christmas Eve later in the ’70s our services had a considerable space between them. Since we live not far from the church, we had the joy of our precious Steve Eels coming to our home for a while and as he would say “doodling” on the piano. How special he was.
Our sons both experienced summer deputation. One of Stuart’s trips was to Alaska in 1981. One of Graham’s trips was to Mexico in 1985. The 1985 group planned to show slides in the chapel - but the room was not dark enough. The solution: Graham and his friend Gary Hobbs, also on the deputation team, climbed on the roof and tried to cover the skylights with a tarp. Charles watched with helpless horror but Graham and Gary would not be deterred.
We hope that our new building will have in it a small space that will truly allow a worship experience because there is a definite place for a small space as well as the large sanctuary.