Tom Jones of Cashmere moves chairs into position in the new sanctuary of the Christ Center Church in Cashmere Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021. After 15 years of planning and fund raising, the church will open its doors at the new building Sunday, Oct. 24. Jones said he has been going to the church for about 35 years.
Christ Center Church pastor Steve Haney tosses cardboard into a pile as he and parishioners open new tables outside the front door of the new church in Cashmere Wednesday.
Christ Center Church pastor Steve Haney tosses cardboard into a pile as he and parishioners open new tables outside the front door of the new church in Cashmere Wednesday.
A few weeks ago The Wenatchee World received an email from Pastor Steve Haney with Christ Center Church in Cashmere telling us that his church was opening its new building on Sunday, Oct. 24, inviting us to do a story.
I have been watching the building slowly being built with the idea of a photograph but could never pull out anything interesting. When Pastor Haney let us know it was getting close to being finished, I sent him a reply asking when people would be inside finishing up.
I was looking for something happening in the sanctuary that could show the size of the building. They had been meeting in the back of Cashmere antique store for many years and when I had visited some five years ago, I saw how cramped the space was.
As the day we arranged to show up drew near, I started to remember the times when I would try to time my visit when people were doing something only to show up when everything was already done. For ethical reasons, that kills my chances at documenting people. My photographs have to be honest and real — I can’t recreate anything that has already happened or stage a photo.
To add pressure, we had left a spot open in our Thursday newspaper for the photographs and story.
Thankfully, the timing was perfect and I arrived the same time as parishioners as they got ready to move chairs into place in the sanctuary. I spent about an hour with them as they worked.
Tom Jones of Cashmere moves chairs into position in the new sanctuary of the Christ Center Church in Cashmere Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021. After 15 years of planning and fund raising, the church will open its doors at the new building Sunday, Oct. 24. Jones said he has been going to the church for about 35 years.
The bonus to my visit was photographing Pastor Haney as he hopped onto the stage and looked out over the chairs for the first time — a scene he will see for probably many years.
I was born in Wenatchee, went to Eastmont High School, graduated from the University of Washington with a communications degree in journalism. I have a wife and three children.
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone
