Building a Church

This block, part of a desolate stretch of shuttered businesses in West Detroit, was once occupied by the Bible Community Mission. While the mission has long been abandoned, an apparent devotee has decided to keep spreading the word, tagging the nearby storefronts with religious messages. A vacant bar across the street now has a hand-painted sign declaring “wine is a mocker”. Around the corner, a derelict training center serves as a new billboard for Jesus, although the interior – filled with car parts and trash – may be a little beyond redemption.

On a much smaller scale, these blocks are reminiscent of both the Heidelberg Project and Holy Land; only this place is deep below the radar, its author anonymous. The writing – all biblical quotes – is distinguished by starkness more than a creative vision. Yet the force of the personality behind the words comes through loud and clear. If these walls are a church in progress, it will be interesting to see it evolve.