Covenant News

Oil Painting of Christ in Gethsemane Seeks New Home

IRONWOOD, MI (June 15, 2002) - An oil painting of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane that adorned the sanctuary of Bethany Covenant Church for more than half a century is available for purchase, with the new owner interested in seeing it once again grace the walls of another Evangelical Covenant Church.

Bethany Covenant Church was constructed in 1890 and served the congregation until the congregation disbanded around 1999. The size of the congregation had decreased to the point that a decision was made to close the ministry and sell the building, according to the building's new owner, Jerry Taplin. He is in the process of converting the structure into a private residence.

"This painting of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane is a wonderful oil-on-canvas work, which we believe to have been painted in the early 1940's by Robert Verme of Minneapolis," Taplin said. "It is a copy of Warner Sallman's interpretation of German painter Heinrich Hoffman's same painting, which Hoffman created in 1880. Hoffman's original is in the Riverside Church in New York City."

The Bethany painting is framed in solid oak and measures 12 feet high by 11 and one-half feet wide. "We just believe that it should be in another on-going Covenant church somewhere," Taplin said. "It is such a beautiful piece of artwork."

Other items also were sold with the building, including 20 solid-oak pews, bookracks, sacrament holders and visitor card and pencil holders on the backs. The pews have carved wood ends and range in length between 10 and 13 feet. A few Covenant hymnals - red, green and brown - are also available.

For more information on the painting or other items, contact Taplin by email at jtaplin@mich.com.

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