Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam

Here at PDP, the New Salem Missionary Baptist Church at 1164 N. Lake Avenue was a major contender for the August theme day of "bright colors." I did not use the saturation tool, no, no. This is the can't-miss color you'll see when you drive by, though the Google photo shows the church hasn't always been dressed in such a festive color.

New Salem Missionary Baptist doesn't have a website, but on an online site it does rate 5 stars out of 6.

Something about rating churches seems odd to me. But it's the 21st century so I'm going with it.

29 comments:

Pascal Jim said...

Its the ole' hang a cross on your home and remove it from the property tax roll, praise Jesusss....

Shell Sherree said...

My goodness.

GreensboroDailyPhoto said...

The folks at Mellow Yellow Monday need to see this one!!! BRIGHT!

I'd never heard of rating churches. Learn something new on CDP sites every day!

Katie said...

That is one seriously bright building. I sure wouldn't want to live across the street and have to see that while washing dishes. Is a commercial in the works yet? "Four out of five preachers recommend the bright yellow church for their flock who chew gum."

Petrea Burchard said...

Jim, I don't think this is zoned as residential as it might once have been. You bring up an interesting point, though I'm not sure about it. It's right on Lake Avenue and many of the homes there have been converted to other uses--there's a nursery school, a dentist's office and a psychic, if I remember correctly. Then again, there are apartments, too.

Shell, your comment hits the nail on the head.

Hi Greensboro! Not exactly mellow, is it?

Funny, Katie. It would have to be Juicy Fruit, because the wrapper matches.

Anonymous said...

Love the title! And God asked for a second sunbeam at the Buddhist church on Mountain.

Latino Heritage said...

Yes, Petrea, Mrs. Garfield is not too far from the Sunbeam church. I love the fact that they have giant painted cutouts that change with the seasons. They place Mrs. Santa or a leprechaun on Lake at the appropriate season.

Although the area might have been residential at one time, it's been pretty mixed use for a long time. The Pasadena Mexican American History Association used to be housed about 3-4 doors away. About 4 years ago there was a fire at the house and the organization moved.

Virginia said...

Oh that's hilarious P. I love the title too. I'll give it a 5 out of 5 for the Tacky Factor!
V

Petrea Burchard said...

The Buddhists are a tad more subtle in their color choice.

"Mrs. Garfield"--Roberta, is that the nursery school? I like the paint job on that place, too. My photos of it haven't been what I want yet, but I'm working on it.

To each his own, Virginia. There's a house a block from mine that takes this shade a bit more toward gold. They put a purple bench on the porch, added a bougainvillea and it's gorgeous.

Bellis said...

I thought Mrs Garfield was the psychic on Lake? Could she foresee this sunbeam yellow? It sticks out like a sore thumb on Lake, and I'm surprised it's been permitted, as I thought Pasadena had rules about color choices.

Pascal Jim said...

This section of Lake Avenue has a history of in your face merchandising.
South of Big Lots, the now nursery school, was once a display for a bathing suit company. The concrete stage in front had a bevy of beauties in suits modeling for the public. Traffic was intense, folks going round the block, and aroung the block...mostly men....

Speedway said...

Some years back, a friend and I bought an old houseboat which we refurbished. The first thing we did was repaint it. As my friend said, "It's like putting make-up on an old lady: you can cover a lot of sins with a good coat of paint, at least, from a distance."

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Bellis. We've established Mrs. Garfield is the psychic. Does Pasadena have paint color regulations? I'll have to think my fluorescent green trim.

I love that story, PJ. Were those beauties real? They must have been. No one would slow down for a mannequin.

Speedway, I agree--to a point. Sometimes an old lady in too much makeup is trying too hard.

Trish said...

Lordy, lordy.

I agree with PJ's concept---Westboro Baptists have done something similar with the family "We're a 'church', can't touch us". uhm, yeah.

and yes, Lake has been interesting for a long time.

I suspect they can get around the color issue by stating their parishioners won't tie up Lake traffic driving around the block time and again when they miss the driveway?

I love that the guy is walking on by and that the palm trees are fighting for attention with the cross.

MG said...

Yellow for caution?

John Sandel said...

Lookit that man exiting the frame. Could he be more perfectly placed? He's like a little bit a' blue sky, caught while complementing the—er—ecclesiastic paint job.

tom said...

time for some sunglasses

Pascal Jim said...

An "overly made up older women", Marge, Colorado Street Promenader was notable in her approach, she strolled the street looking into a hand mirror, muttering to herself.

Frequently walking toward her, another sight was a former CalTech engineer who had invented a wire device used in early aircraft, and still in use today. He was six feet and dressed as always in a T-Shirt and tu tu combination...Then, the "twirler", a younger fellow who would stand on selected street corners and twril...Whirling Dervish style.

Today's S/N stated how the streets before it was sanitazed were very dangerous. not so....

Mister Earl said...

A church from a house? Reminds me of a girl I knew in Del Mar. There was a restaurant there on PCH, the Shorebird or something like that, that used to be a house. But in between it had been a church. My friend used to say, "I was baptized in that restaurant!"

Unknown said...

That is a bright church....perhaps allowing more people to find it? Sometimes folks need brightness.

The psychic's house is a trip! I enjoy seeing it, but have never been in....and I've never seen anyone there, either.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

I love little store front churches and the like. Call me a sore thumb but if the bright colors didn't attract heat I'd have my little ranch house gussied up to look like a series of brightly colored dice (maybe dominos)

Steve Scauzillo said...

What are they rating? The color?

Susan Campisi said...

I'm wondering how I ever missed it.

Anonymous said...

Doesn't the church's color - the shade of egg yolks - make it something of a Darwinian oxymoron, as in which came first, the chicken or the egg or we all just appeared, as if by magic?

Shanna said...

The cross is on top of the chimney?
Holy Bonfire.

p.s. Bonfires were an early celebration of Easter.

- Prof.Shanna, the Historian

Petrea Burchard said...

I've been gone all day and unable to attend to the blog. But you all didn't need me to keep things going!

Your comments are all enjoyable and enlightening today, as usual! Three favorites:

"My goodness." - Shell Sherree
"Sometimes folks need brightness." - Lori Webster
"Holy Bonfire." - Shanna

Amy said...

Maybe if they try to drown you in the baptism pool they get lower ratings? ;)

I think that color would startle me if I drove past.

Petrea Burchard said...

Amy, we'll go right by it when I take you to Bulgarini.

Kim said...

Love your title!!! That blue sky never had a better complement, too, at least not so bright and cheerful a complement. What a find. I'm thinking the paint store was down to its last two 10 gal buckets of this color and put it on sale and the thrifty building manager took advantage of it. :-).
-Kim