Steeple Returning to Calvary Baptist Church and
Washington , D.C. , Skyline
after 92-Year Absence

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http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0205/206669.html

The new steeple can be seen reaching through the skyline of Washington,
the arrow points to the top of the new steeple.

Read the prayers of the church written by members of Calvary during the service on February 13, 2005. When the work on our clock tower is completed, all our prayers will be encased in a time capsule and placed high in the steeple.

"My prayer is that this church will be a light in the community, and in the world, a bridge builder, a home for all, a community for all."
"I pray that Calvary continues to be the kind, warm place it has always been."
"I pray that the wind doesn't blow over the new spire, like it did in 1913. I pray that the spire stands for many many years."
"Lord, thank you for the blessings upon my life for the wonderful years of service in washington and especially for family, friends, and for Calvary Baptist Church that has provided a community for this neighborhood to connect with"
"May God bless this beautiful old church and keep it alive as the years go by, that it may be a beacon of love and comfort thoughout this city. Bless all those who come within it's doors."

Washington , D.C. , February 12, 2005 . After a 92-year wait, Calvary Baptist Church in downtown Washington, has once again changed the skyline of the city. The replica steeple replaces one lost in a 1913 tornado and will make Calvary once again one of Washington 's tallest structures.

Using a 180 ft. tall construction crane, engineers hoisted the replica steeple, onto the restored clock tower of Calvary for permanent installation. The installation is part of a 30-month $10 million historic renovation, preservation and new construction project taking place at the church's 8th & H Sts., N.W. property, located in the growing Penn Quarter neighborhood. Engineers will install the tower's clock faces and finials in a separate installation to be scheduled later this winter.

The 60-ft tall structure is an exact replica of a steeple ripped from the church's roof in a 1913 tornado. That steeple has been missing from Calvary 's roof and Washington 's skyline ever since. Architects used a digital enlargement of a rare 1865 photograph of the church by Civil War photographer Matthew Brady to recreate the original design.

The church celebrated the steeple installation with a special worship service on Sunday, February 13 at 10:45 a.m. The service featured the Washington Sängerbund, a German-language choir founded in 1851. One of the choir's early members was Adolf Cluss, the architect of Calvary 's 1866 sanctuary and its 1867 replacement.