The World Restored
at Zion

     When the steeple at Zion Lutheran Church was built in 1915 a day’s labor was $1.20 and a man with a team of horses for a day was worth $4.00. The steeple of Zion Lutheran Church constructed back then took much time and effort to assemble and mount some 50 feet above the ground. Unfortunately, the cross and globe mounted on that steeple had weathered by 2004. The globe sitting atop the steeple with cross crowning that world, was in need of repair.

Eddy Denk, Jr., hangs precariously in a basket 50 feet up as he removes the globe base of the central steeple cross at Zion Lutheran Church of Silverhill.

     The globe was removed from its precarious perch on April 19, 2004. The bell tower/steeple repairs were accomplished by chief surgeon Eddy Denk, Jr., more than 50 feet above the ground. The central steeple cross mounted upon a 24 inch globe, signifying the "Cross of Christ's Triumph over the World," rests upon the point of the steeple, the top of the cross rising a total of 54 feet above the ground.

     Since Zion Lutheran Church was constructed in 1915-16 and since wood ages dramatically in our climate, the original steeple cross had been retired perhaps 15 years ago and replaced, but its heart-wood pine globe was only caulked and returned to service, and caulked again only eight years ago. The globe was now showing substantial weathering.

     Using a "cherry-picker" to lift Eddy to the fifty-foot steeple summit, Eric Denk and Dallas Ford maneuvered the lift cage to within inches of the globe assisted by Zion Lutheran Church members Charles Canning and Peter Midgarden who managed the coordination and implementation of this project. Eddy dismantled the globe in a few short moments, affixed plastic sheeting to the base of the cross, and applied mankind's miracle helper, duct tape, to the task, creating a watertight seal until the globe could be replicated and returned to its perch.

     Peter Midgarden began immediately fabricating a new world. It has taken more than God’s 6 days, but it was finally readied to be placed again on Zion’s bell tower steeple.

Restoring the "World" on June 21, 2004 - Click each picture to Enlarge.

Zion Church member, Peter Midgarden, removes restored globe from his pick-up truck for installation atop Zion's bell tower steeple.

Eric Denk, Dallas Ford, Eddie Denk, and Peter Midgarden prepare the derrick cage to return the world globe to the base on the Zion Lutheran Church steeple cross. A Baldwin County Historic Registry Plaque (r) oversees the restoration.

Peter Midgarden works with Eddie Denk to remove the steeple cross in preparation for replacing the world globe more than 50 feet above the ground.

     Denk's Metal Erectors left a wall and roof construction project a little early on Monday afternoon June 21, 2004 and returned to assist the congregation in restoring the historic steeple. Once again, Eric and Dallas maneuvered the derrick lift cage with Peter and Eddie up the 50 plus feet to the steeple summit.

June 21, 2004 - Click each picture to Enlarge.

Eric Denk scrubs Zion's cross moments after it has been lowered from the steeple summit in preparation for painting.

Eric Denk passes the Zion Lutheran Church steeple cross to Zion member Charles Canning who applies paint judiciously before the cross is returned to its steeple summit position.

Eddie and Peter complete the mounting of the cross atop the globe. Mary Mingus, Erick Denk, and Dallas Ford look upward from below.

     The steeple cross was removed, lowered to the ground, cleaned by Eric Denk, and painted by Charles Canning, and then lifted by rope to the base of the steeple. The new world globe was lowered into place atop the steeple and caulked and sealed in position by Eddie Denk and Peter Midgarden. The freshly painted steeple cross was then returned to its mounting atop the world, again signifying the "Cross of Christ's Triumph over the World." A project taking days in 1915 was completed in less than an hour once materials were readied in 2004.

June 21, 2004 - Click picture to Enlarge.

Zion Lutheran Church member Peter Midgarden and Eddie Denk admire their steeple globe and cross restoration work as Eric Denk lowers the derrick cage guided by Dallas Ford. Mary Mingus looks on from a position behind Eric.