God In Chicago

I drive down Garfield Blvd. into a part of the city which has come to acquire a reputation for being dark and dangerous. On this morning the streets are peaceful, and bright with sunlight. A viaduct stands over the street a few blocks in the distance, underneath a few CTA ‘L’ trains parked on the tracks above.This is a space that looks like it holds many stories and many histories.A short flight of stairs opens into the auditorium. The red carpet on the center aisle divides the two sections of padded dark wood benches and hardwood floors.Sets of frosted stained glass windows - shaped like a baseball home plate - line the walls. Dark wood chairs, podiums, and tables form the front stage. A glance at the front of the brochure I received when I entered stated: Founded 1887 - Present Edifice Erected - 1923I thought about the people who constructed this building, and who formed the first community that assembled in this space on a regular basis. This city was a very different place 94 years ago. I wondered what th