University Ward Forever

Before I leap into all the activity of December, I have to give one special day its own post. 

Long live the University Ward!

Troy and I had been married for one year when we moved from our apartment into our first (and so far,  only) home. We immediately began attending the University Ward - a very special building, built in the 1920's and filled with very interesting and unique architectural details.

Here are some fantastic photos taken by our good friend Martin:

 

We have absolutely loved being members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and attending this very special building. Of course the building is not the reason we have loved being members of this ward for the past 21 years. It's really the people. Right away we began putting down roots and have developed the strongest and most loving relationships and friendships of our lives. Most of our family members live somewhat far away from us and so we have made our neighborhood our family, and have turned to them time and time again. There's a lot of change in our neighborhood - we live so close to a university that student families are constantly moving in and out, sometimes staying for 5 years and some for only 5 months. Even after 20 years in the neighborhood it still can hurt our feelings  little bit when people move away from us. The good side of that is the fact the planet is filled with people who once lived in our neighborhood and we know them and love them. 

Well, our dear building is very old. It's a long long story, but the main point is that our building is too expensive to keep. It is being sold. And our church group now feels a little like the wandering peoples of Moses. We have been sharing a building with another ward for almost 2 years now, and next that building is going to get a remodel, so we are being moved again. It's been sad. I mean, we have to count our blessings and remember how many people don't have any place at all to worship, or have to travel for hours to get to one. I know we are very very lucky. Still, it stings to move away from that building. It's truly a special place. 

At the beginning of December, after it had been decided for sure that we weren't going to be able to move back in to the building at all (for a while we thought the move was just temporary), we were given a chance to have one last meeting there. It was so wonderful to be there and yet so bittersweet - what a great chance to go be in that beautiful space with so many people we love - hoards of former ward members came for this special meeting - and it was super sad as well. 

Troy was asked to come early to the meeting and take some photos of current and former bishoprics. We love these people so very much and they have all served the people of our neighborhood so willingly and lovingly. They continue to do so. Just....in a different place.

I'm realizing that I'm having trouble truly expressing what this day was like, what a beautiful chance it was to go to a building that felt so much like home. I don't think I can adequately do it.

It took place on an extremely busy weekend - the night before was our ward party at a different building, and following this extra special meeting we met with the Catholic Parish next door for our annual Christmas service, lunch following at the University Ward.  A lot of work for a lot of people. And yet, having the chance to be in that space together one last time as a ward family was really a treasure.