More about Detroit

Going back to Sunday, we got up early at our motel in Taylor, MI, just south of Detroit, so we could go to church at the First Congregational Church, which is an historic church that has gone through profound changes. For most of its history, it was a well-to-do white congregation with as many as 1200 members. Today it is a small, mostly African-American congregation. It is mentioned in a Detroit tourist brochure because it houses an Underground Railroad Living Museum. This is a re-enactment of the part the church played in the Underground Railroad in its early history. Members of the church volunteer to play various roles, and the tourists who attend all play the role of escaped slaves. We were not able to experience this because it is closed on Sunday, but we learned in the service that they were expecting 90 people to attend that week.

As we drove up to Detroit, we went through blocks and blocks of abandoned buildings and neighborhoods. Some areas were like war zones. Huge abandoned buildings, falling apart. Only isolated signs of life in the midst of decay. But then, we crossed a bridge, and it was all different. Downtown Detroit looks to be thriving. The General Motors Building on the waterfront is hugely impressive.  One skyscraper boasted a huge lion - I guess for the Detroit Lions, the pro-football team. But then later, as we drove north along Woodward Avenue, we again went through blocks and blocks of abandoned buildings. It was a sobering experience. Here are some examples:

Abandoned apartment building in Midtown, Detroit

Abandoned storefronts in Corktown

Michigan Central Station - the world's largest abandoned train station

Ironically, we also went by a huge building project - a new arena for the Detroit Red Wings, the pro hockey team. So I guess sports rule. But meanwhile, a lot of people are hurting.

Is this the headquarters of the Detroit Lions?

New hockey arena in progress

First Congregational Church was an oasis of light in the midst of all this. More on that later!