Church weddings may be elaborate or quaint, but one thing is for sure, most church weddings come up to be solemn. In San Diego, solemn and memorable church weddings can be a reality. With the many beautiful churches in the area, such monumental event can definitely take place as lovingly envisioned by the couple.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral is one of the popular choices for church wedding venues in San Diego. The elegant and historic architecture, stained glass windows, and neighboring Balboa Park makes for a great venue to exchange ‘I Dos.’ More wedding venue descriptions can be found in their official homepage.

“The Cathedral can comfortably hold up to 400 guests, and the Lady Chapel (50 people) can be used for more intimate celebrations. Our historic Great Organ is available to create a majestic sound for your wedding procession in either venue. Weddings at St. Paul’s may be scheduled for most days of the year, except for major holy days (e.g. Christmas, Easter), and during the season of Lent.  Under certain circumstances a wedding may take place in the context of the principal service on Sunday morning.”

Check out the rest of the details here.

Catholic Church Wedding

St. Michael’s Catholic Church is also one popular venue for a Catholic Church wedding in San Diego. This church is located along Homedale St., in Poway. Their requirements for holding a wedding in their church is posted in their official website.

“The Diocese of San Diego requires a 9-month preparation time, in which couples attend marriage preparation classes. As with anything that is official and legal, there is paperwork to fill out and present. At an initial interview, all of this will be explained to you. There is a cost to having a church wedding but it need not be equal to the national debt. If you are having a wedding with a bridal party and want to have a reception at a local hotel or restaurant, you must reserve the church before making any commitments to anyone.”

Check out the rest of the requirements here.

Chapel Weddings

The St. Francis Chapel over at Balboa Park is yet another popular church wedding destination in San Diego. This Spanish Colonial designed church is located in Balboa Park. According to its official website, this church can be used by any couple regardless of the religion or faith they belong to.

“The interior decoration was chosen by Goodhue and Carlton M. Winslow and features stark mission simplicity with its tile floor, ceiling of heavy beams, and bench seating. By contrast, the Chapel also boasts an elaborately decorated altar which includes gold leaf and meticulously crafted figures of the Virgin and Child in the center, flanked on the left by Saint Francis Xavier and on the right by San Diego de Alcalá. This dignified sanctuary is non-denominational and hosts services of all faiths, making it one of San Diego’s favorite choices for wedding and commitment ceremonies.”

Read more here.

Church weddings are definitely a dream come true in San Diego.

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San Diego is home to several Catholic Churches that boast of great history and architecture. San Diego is in fact synonymous to Mission San Diego, which is California’s first mission.

The Mission Basilica of San Diego de Alcala is located along San Diego Mission Road. Apart from the Church itself, it houses a museum and a visitor center. They shared their church’s history in their official website.

“San Diego de Alcalá, the first of the twenty-one great California Missions, marks the birthplace of Christianity in the west coast of the United States. It is California’s first Mission Church. This remarkable and significant historical shrine provides an understanding and appreciation of the beginning of Catholicism in this corner of the world, so remote from the Mother Country of Spain and yet so similar. Today the Mission, which was founded in 1769, serves as an active parish church and cultural center for people of all faiths who are welcome to visit and relive the grandeur and excitement of more than two centuries of California history and tradition.”

Read the history from here.

Church of the Immaculate Conception

Another historic church in San Diego is the Church of the Immaculate Conception located along San Diego Avenue. In their official website they published pertinent details about when the church was built among other important information.

“In 1849, the first parish church was established in Old Town with the name of Immaculate Conception and was dedicated in 1858. It still stands and is known as the Old Adobe Chapel on Conde Street. The cornerstone to the present Immaculate Conception Church was laid in 1868 under the direction of Father Antonio Ubach. With the population swing toward the south, it was not until July 6, 1919, that the church was dedicated by Archbishop John J. Cantwell of Los Angeles.”

Check out the rest of the details here.

Our Lady of the Rosary Church

A, old, quaint Catholic church that is also very prominent in the San Diego area is the Our Lady of the Rosary Church. The church is along State Street, and its description and history was mentioned in an article published at the Catholic World Report’s homepage.

“The centerpiece of San Diego’s Little Italy, Our Lady of the Rosary Church, was founded in 1921 and served Italian tuna fishermen. It houses many beautiful frescoes, stained glass windows depicting the 15 original mysteries of the Rosary, statues, and paintings. Italian artist Fausto Tasca painted much of the interior art for the church, including a large crucifixion mural above the altar and the Last Judgment in the rear of the church. As it was painted during the era of Mussolini, fascist sympathizers are among the damned in Tasca’s Last Judgment.”

Take a look at the rest of the write-up here.

San Diego is indeed home to historic Catholic Churches.

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Churches have always been one of the first organizations to ever respond during disaster relief operations.  No matter the religion, churches work hand in hand with disaster relief mission organizations in helping out flood relief operations, rescue work, and even in the restoration phase.

In fact, during flooding, churches have become one of the default temporary shelters for affected families. NBC San Diego has published an earlier news report on how a Baptist Church in Louisiana became a home to flooding victims.

“As waters rose amid torrential rains earlier this month, National Guard rescue crews dropped people off at South Walker Baptist Church because it sits on a ridge of relatively high ground in Livingston Parish near Baton Rouge. Even as flooding has receded in recent days, the church — like many other places across hard-hit south Louisiana — has continued providing sustenance for the body and soul. It sheltered 96 people in the days after the storm.”

Read the continuation of the report here.

Even flooded churches continue to help

In Houston, even flooded churches help flooding victims. NBC News filed a news report on this in their official website. Apart from relief efforts, the church provided for haircuts and other service needs of those affected in the community.

“Although his church was flooded with nearly 2-feet of water, his team has been been distributing items and resources from the M.O. Campbell Center, a multi-purpose facility in north Houston that has been designated as a shelter. People have not only been able to get necessities such as food and clothing, but also grooming care such as hair cuts. They have also been receiving items and donations through their outreach initiative ‘The Fulfillment Project.’”

Check out the rest of the report here.

Church and flood recovery operations

Also in Houston, a Baptist church meanwhile helped out in all the phases of disaster response operations, including the recovery period. Church volunteers went to flood-damaged homes and offered their help to the families as they cleaned and tried to restore their houses.

The official website of the People of the United Methodist featured this effort in one of their web posts.

“More than two weeks after the record rains that accompanied Hurricane Harvey in its tropical storm phase, United Methodists in Houston are still busy with basic relief work, including handing out cleaning supplies, mucking out houses and providing day care for children whose public schools aren’t yet ready to reopen. Texas Conference Bishop Scott Jones did a live Facebook video on Sept. 12, saying how proud he was of the United Methodist response. He also encouraged relief workers to pace themselves.”

Read the whole feature write-up here.

Churches have always played a huge role in disaster relief operations. Apart from providing relief assistance and temporary shelter, their members also become instant volunteers to help out those in need.

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Churches, particularly those that are built in low-lying areas are also vulnerable to flooding. Apart from service cancellations, churches also face structural and property damages because of rising floodwaters and inundation.

Weather.com for instance shared pictures of churches that have been underwater due to storm and flooding. The photos are taken from churches across religions from around the world.

“Nothing reflects the culture and history of a town or country quite like the architecture of churches. But while many of these beautiful structures become cherished landmarks, many are abandoned and purposely drowned to make way for dams and reservoirs. Around the world, the towers and spires of abandoned churches—some dating back to the Middle Ages—can be seen peeking above the surface of intentionally flooded sites. In many cases, these crumbling, weather-beaten ruins are all that remain of the community they once served.”

Check out the photos here.

For instance, during the 2017 onslaught of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, churches in the area have closed down and cancelled services to avoid storm related accidents and at the same time to comply with government orders and precautions.

“It takes a lot to cancel church in the shiny Bible Belt stronghold of Houston, Texas, home to more megachurches than any city in America. Specifically, 9 trillion gallons of rain in a weekend. Hurricane Harvey shut down Sunday services from downtown to the sprawling suburbs, where churches replaced typical worship gatherings with sermon videos posted on Facebook or simply messages to stay safe.”

Read the whole report here.

Georgia-based WTVM.com meanwhile shared a news report on how churches in their area dealt with the flooding that took place in their community. In the report they mentioned that following the damage, the church held their succeeding services at a church next door in view of the generosity of that church.

“A local pastor not only suffered storm damage at her house, she also saw last week’s storms do damage to their place of worship. Pastor Angie Wright, of the Beloved Community Church, was in her home Thursday night when Mother Nature struck not once, but twice. Since then, Wright has been picking up the pieces both at home and at the church. The one thing she did not have to worry about though was finding a place to hold Sunday worship. When Pastor Brandon Harris heard that Beloved Community Church’s roof was literally lying in the streets, he didn’t waste any time offering up his own facility, Avondale United Methodist.”

Take a look at the rest of the story here.

Churches can indeed suffer from storm damage and flooding. And while some places of worship become default shelter homes for those who have been affected by weather disturbances, religious structures built in low lying areas also tend to suffer major storm damage.

• Churches and Flood Disaster Relief
• Storm Damaged Churches
• Churches as Temporary Homes During Massive Flooding and Disasters
• http://www.churches-together.net

Churches have withstood the test of time, and that includes weather disturbances like storms. Repairs though are usually imminent and would need to be addressed soonest to prevent escalating damages and expenses.

The website, A Journey Through NYC Religions shared the experiences of some churches in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Harvey hit Texas in 2017 causing damage of about USD 125B.

“Although there was indeed a flood along the river that cut off knowledge about the fate of some of these communities, the river rose only 31-34 feet. This still posed a threat to some of the churches and many of the people. However, we discovered that most of the damage was due to wind. Some poor churches were severely damaged, but mostly they still stood repairable. However, those congregations with smaller finances will have a more difficult recovery hard, though still doable in most cases.”

Read the whole write-up here.

Storm Damage

Storm damage apparently does not end in destroyed church structures. The website Christianity Today published a report on the repercussions of Hurricane Maria to the churches in Puerto Rico. There they explained the impact of the storm to the church activities following the aftermath of its onslaught.

Hurricane Maria is a Category 5 Hurricane that hit Puerto Rico in 2017 and claimed the lives of at least 112 individuals.

“The evangelical church in Puerto Rico won’t be the same after Hurricane Maria. Even congregations that have resumed their regular gatherings after repairing buildings and regaining power are still missing a major part of church life: some of their members. An estimated 400,000 of the island’s more than 3 million residents have left the US territory for the mainland since the record-setting September storm. Like every other aspect of Puerto Rican life, church attendance has taken a hit.”

Check out the rest of the report here.

Seeking for Restoration Assistance

Some Texas Churches meanwhile asked the government to aid in their restoration work. In a news report filed by media agency Reuters, they shared that these churches in fact filed a case to ask the US Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide relief and assistance in restoring their storm-damaged churches.

“The federal disaster relief agency was sued in September by three Texas churches severely damaged in Hurricane Harvey, over what they called its policy of refusing to provide disaster relief to houses of worship because of their religious status. Trump had said in a tweet that Texas churches should be able to receive money from FEMA for helping victims of Hurricane Harvey. It was not clear whether the three churches provided aid to victims.”

The continuation of this article can be found here.

Storm damage can indeed destroy even the most time-tested structures. It is important that water and storm damage restoration work be commenced as soon as possible to minimize further damage.

• Old Catholic Churches in San Diego
• Molds in Water Damaged Churches
• When Churches Close Down Due to Flood Damage
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Churches may be a safe haven for worship, and could even provide temporary shelter during disasters, but it is not exempted from the repercussions of water damage. Molds, is a usual manifestation of an ongoing water damage in a home or public structure which may affect the health and wellness of people occupying the particular space.

Media publication Bottomline, Inc has included presence of molds as one of the health risks church goers face as they worship in their respective churches.

“This hazard isn’t limited to houses of worship, of course. But many churches, synagogues and mosques are located in old buildings, and old buildings frequently are contaminated by mold…and even newer buildings aren’t immune. Plumbing leaks, poor insulation, large carpets that are shampooed frequently—all of these factors may turn churches and synagogues into “petri dishes” for mold. Some molds can trigger allergic reactions or asthma attacks in sensitive people…others are known to produce potent toxins and/or irritants, Dr. Schaffner noted.”

The continuation of this write-up can be found here.

Molds in the Church Building

The website Arcata Eye meanwhile published a report on the one of the church meeting houses of The Church of Latter Day Saints that allegedly suffered a major mold problem. In their article they detailed the restoration that had to be done in order to remediate molds in the in the church structure.

“Large piles of disused property were heaped outside, including furniture, books, computers, TVs, photocopiers, trophies, kitchenware and most everything else a once-bustling church might contain. Inside, Spanish-speaking workers were systematically rolling up wet carpets and carrying them out the back door. The LDS church has maintained that mold damage was so extensive that renovating the building for safe use could cost more than demolishing it. Some preservationists considered this a ruse and mocked the claim, calling it “demon mold” and suggesting that use of water and bleach would clear up the problem.”

Check out the photos from the original article here.

Molds in Public Structures

The American Industrial Hygiene Association has listed in its official website, what building managers should do in case they suspect mold presence in their building. They underscored the importance of seeking professional mold restoration services in clearing out mold in the building.

“How should a building be evaluated for mold growth? The first step is to perform an inspection to check building materials and spaces for visible mold growth, signs of moisture damage indicating a history of water leaks, elevated humidity levels, and/or condensation. Any occupant complaints should be noted, as well as any musty or moldy odors. Components of the building’s ventilation system should be inspected, with particular emphasis on the filters, cooling coils (if present), the fan chamber and any internal insulation. If mold growth or moisture problems are found, the air pressure differentials between the area of growth and surrounding areas should be determined.”

Read the rest of the tips here.

Churches should be free from molds, so as to make sure that the whole congregation will not suffer from illnesses due to mold exposure.

• Church Wedding Venues in San Diego
• Restoring Flooded Churches
• Storm Damaged Churches
• http://www.churches-together.net

Churches may be used as temporary shelters during flooding events and disasters, but they are not exempted from flood damage. For instance, those located in low-lying areas, can also be subjected to inundation and flooding, and property damage.

In the United Kingdom, their government has extended assistance to rebuild the flood-damaged structures of churches there. In a 2014 article posted in their official website, they enumerated the churches that received restoration funding through the Church Conservation Trust.

“The Churches Conservation Trust, a national charity that protects 344 churches of particular historic importance that are at risk has estimated the amount needed to repair the damage at a total of £100,000. The funding will be going direct to the Trust and with work already began on necessary repairs for the many churches from restoring damaged pews and fixing windows to repairing roofs and pump out flood water.”

Take a look at the rest of the article here.

Closed for Flood Damage Repair

The Church of the Latter Day Saints meanwhile shared their experience in rebuilding their storm-damaged temple in Texas, which was affected by Hurricane Harvey.

“The First Presidency has announced a short-term closure of the Houston Texas Temple. The temple has not been in use since Hurricane Harvey dropped a record rainfall of 52 inches in Houston in late August. (See related story.) The ensuing rains breached the temple beginning August 26 and flooded the temple annex building, the temple basement, and the main floor, with water rising to more than a foot. The second floor was not flooded or damaged.”

Check out the rest of the original write-up here.

Restored Damage

The website Ecclesiastical has featured a church that has been restored and rebuilt following a massive flooding incident in 2015. The winter storm that hit the community, has caused a huge damage to the church and its surrounding structures.

“The winter storms of 2015 caused devastation across the north of the country, including over 30 churches. One such church was St Michael’s, Mytholmroyd, a Grade II listed church that was flooded during the storms. Our experts worked with the church to protect and restore it to its former glory. The age and structure of the church made the initial stages of drying and decontamination particularly complex, so our experts worked closely with the church during this phase. The whole restoration took almost two years and included restoring the church, church hall and outbuilding, as well as the church organ, which was damaged by the floodwater.”

Check out the whole write-up here.

Churches are not exempted from storm and flood damage. Immediate restoration is critical to ensure the preservation of the whole structure.

• Old Catholic Churches in San Diego
• Churches as Temporary Homes During Massive Flooding and Disasters
• Molds in Water Damaged Churches
• http://www.churches-together.net

They are built to last, and they are huge enough to accommodate a lot of people. Churches have become a default emergency shelter for disaster victims in the communities that they are in. In the past major disasters like flooding, and storms, churches have become a safe place for families to spend the night until they can safely go back their own homes.

The Pacific Standard for instance published an article centering on how churches have become a big help during disasters like hurricane.

“In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, churches and temples across Louisiana provided shelter for evacuees for months, according to the report, along with complicated technical services, dialysis treatments, and relief workers. The CRCC found that some 506,000 volunteers from faith-based organizations showed up from across the United States to rebuild or repair destroyed homes. Faith-based organizations are effective for one fundamental reason: They are familiar with, and care about, their communities, in some cases more than federal or out-of-state relief organizations.”

Read the whole article here.

Churches and Flood Disaster Relief

The Church of the Latter Day Saints meanwhile documented the response their churches around the world have made during times of disasters like flood damage. In their article they recalled various disasters around the world and how they assisted during the disaster response phase.

“In northern and southern California, USA, when massive wildfires destroyed thousands of homes, Church buildings were used as temporary community centers, and leaders worked with local governments to assist in providing shelter and food. Member families also offered relief to neighbors by delivering meals and offering shelter.”

The rest of the original article can be found here.

Temporary Shelter and More

The website Christianity Today meanwhile recounted how churches have helped the community affected by Hurricane Harvey. Harvey is a Category 4 Storm that hit Houston in 2017 and cost about US$125 Billion in damage.

“Houston Christians did more than pray from the dry refuge of their homes or evacuation spots. Clergymen were featured in a couple viral news reports from Sunday: a preacher who checked submerged cars for trapped drivers, and a priest who tried to paddle his way to Mass at Houston’s Catholic Charismatic Center. Several churches located on higher ground served as temporary shelters or meeting points for evacuees. Members with clear routes shuttled friends or dropped off supplies.”

Take a look at the whole write-up here.

Churches have become default temporary shelters during floodings and other major disasters. It has helped a lot of communities, and continue to be of help.

• Churches and Flood Disaster Relief
• Restoring Flooded Churches
• When Churches Close Down Due to Flood Damage
• http://www.churches-together.net