Day 119- September 9

By Al

Today we went to church at St. Paul Chapel.  This is right next to Ground Zero.  It was a very good service, although unusual.  The church has displays around the edge relating to 9/11.  The seating for the church attenders is organized in two sections of chairs facing each other.  During the service, tourists continued to walk around looking at the displays.  Some joined in with the service and some did not.  The first thing that happened was for the song leader to rehearse the participants in the songs for worship.  Then is was a regular service, except that we did a little march to music around the altar to before communion.  The sermon was excellent.  I think it was the best I have heard since we have been in New York. 

St. Paul Chapel with One World Trade Center in the left background.

Inside the Chapel.

We then walked up to Grand Central Station to take some pictures. We have been through Grand Central many times, but haven't really taken many pictures.  Its real name is Grand Central Terminal.  Grand Central Station is the post office next door. But, most people still call it Grand Central Station.

Main room in Grand Central.

Another view of main room.

Detail above a window.

The famous clock.  Its four faces are made of opal.  It is valued between 10 and 20 million dollars.

The other end of the main room.  The area at the top of the stairs and on both sides of the balcony is an Apple store.

Sally's Day

I love Sunday in New York.  If I could figure out how to return to St. Paul, but still be here every Sunday, it would be great.  The city is much more relaxed- people walking their dogs and having brunch with their children.

St. Paul's Chapel was built  in 1766, and is the oldest Manhatten church.  It survived the fires during the Revolution, which destroyed most of the buildings on Manhatten. George Washington worshipped there after his first inauguration in 1789, and continued to worship there during the two years that New York was the nation's capital. The cemetery next to the church has gravestones going back to the 18th Century.

The service was in the middle of the church, with two rows of chairs facing each other for the people attending the service.  At times, it seemed that we were in the middle of a museum with the tourists walking around us.  The priest told me that they typically leave the church open during services, and consider it to be part of their outrach ministry.

Grand Central Terminal has a wonderful food court in the basement.  I recommend looking for a seat at the west end, where there are fewer food stands, and, thus fewer people. 

Here is the fancy sign above the East Restroom in the basement food court:

 

 

When I was in college back in the late 60's in Minnesota, one of my classmates told me that his sister had gone to New York.  While she was in a bathroom stall, someone reached over the door, and stole her purse off the purse hook.  I felt rather frightened of what could happen to me in New York.  When I saw this purse hook in the Grand Central restroom, I thought of that story.  The hook is in the middle of the door and designed to make it very difficult to reach over the door and take the purse. Quite reassuring to me:

 

Sally