Buildings & Grounds

"I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the
Lord." ( Psalm 122:1)

Corinth Church is a complete, integrated, and functional building
for Christian worship, Christian education, and Christian recreation.
The building has been designed to retain the solemn dignity of old
European cathedrals, but at the same time furnish the comforts and
functioning of modern day living. From the time one catches a
glimpse of the tall aluminum spire gleaming through the trees, until
he walks through the Gothic limestone entrance into the narthex,
one experiences no doubt as to the ecclesiastical character of the
building.

Exterior

The exterior of the building is of gray Georgia granite with Indiana
limestone trim. The roof is of weathered brown clay tile and the
gutters and downspouts are lead coated copper. The spire is of
extruded and structural aluminum rising 164 ft. 6 in. from the terrace
floor at the entrance. The belfry below the spire is built up of carved
and moulded limestone tracery, giving a lacy and ethereal feeling to
the church tower. The main entrance is of limestone having carvings
similar to those found on French Gothic churches.

Interior

Corinth's sanctuary, completed in 1959, is magnificent, stately, and
calm. It casts a serious solemnity over the entire area. The interior
rises 56 feet from the black slate floor to the peak. Dark stained
oak rails, pulpit, and pews grace the interior. The altar is made of
Italian White Carrara Blanco marble.

The choir and organ rails, the chancel and pulpit, organ grilles and
the reredos are all of the same quarter sawn oak with same feeling
of carved tracery and mouldings bring an interesting play of light
and shade to the dark woodwork.

The Pipe Organ was designed and built by M.P. Moller, Inc. of
Hagerstown, Maryland and is a gift of Mrs. Eli T. Watson. It is divided
into two large organ chambers, on each side of the Sanctuary.
Tonally, the organ is capable of producing very soft beautiful effects,
barely audible at the rear of the nave -- through a gradual, smooth
build-up of volume of the various tone families, to the full organ,
which includes all of the sets of pipes being used together. The
organ was built in 1959 and expanded in 1991 to four manuals and
2652 pipes.

Corinth's stained glass windows were created by J. Wippell and Co.,
Ltd., of Exeter, England, and purchased through the studios of
George L. Payne of Patterson, New Jersey. The chancel window
features Christ's victory over death as he emerges from the tomb.
Christ is surrounded by the shields of the twelve apostles. The base
of the window portrays the Last Supper. The narthex window
includes scenes of Jesus' nativity and boyhood. Symbols of the
Christian faith adorn the chancel and narthex windows, as well as
those in the nave and transepts.

The church staff offices are located in the west wing of the
educational building (on the way to the fellowship hall).

In addition to the sanctuary, Corinth Church provides an ample
educational plant together with recreational facilities for its
membership. Connected to the main sanctuary building by a cloister
the educational building is also built of granite with clay roof. Here
the design has departed from the cathedral Gothic to a purely
functional design by presenting a harmonious whole by the use of
similar materials.

Three nursery rooms provide for crib babies, one-year olds, two-
year and three-year olds. Two kindergarten rooms contain built-in
cabinets and furniture designed to the scale of four and five year
olds. Primary ages are provided with three classrooms and an
assembly room. The intermediate and juniors, likewise, have
assembly rooms and classrooms, each equipped with a beautifully
designed worship center. The library is located in the same area,
and is equipped with comfortable chairs and tables, and stocked
with books interesting to children of all ages.

The Fellowship Hall is equipped with a stage, dressing rooms,
kitchen fitted with all modern equipment for ease in preparing and
serving meals.

Additional Features

Church volunteers constructed a new playground in 1996 with
equipment purchased from from Mountain Forge, a division of
Rubbermaid. Designed for ages 2-10, the steel and molded
polyethylene equipment meets safety standard of platform height
and ground surface resiliency.

All buildings are handicapped accessible.

Three gardens enhance the beauty of the grounds. Abernethy
Garden, donated originally by Julius Whitener Abernethy, Sr., was
restored in 1996, and is located in the courtyard behind the Sunday
School rooms. Warlick Memorial Garden, dedicated in 1990, is a
beautiful azalea garden in memory of Donnell Coulter Warlick, and
is located behind the sanctuary. Memorial Garden, was dedicated in
1988 to provide space for the interment of cremains in a peaceful
setting on the church property with perpetual maintenance provided
by the Memorial Garden Fund.

Certainly a description of Corinth Church would be incomplete
without mention of the beautiful site upon which the edifice has been
erected. Situated in the suburban area of Hickory, ten (10) serene
acres of wooded land rise slightly above the surrounding terrain
assuring quiet, peaceful and serene atmosphere where God's
goodness to Corinth Church, may be contemplated in due
reverence.

Find out more about Corinth Reformed Church:

What We Believe
Essentials and Non-Essentials: In Search of Unity

About the United Church of Christ (UCC)
The motto of the United Church of Christ, "That They All May Be
One," reflects its distinctiveness as a united and uniting church.

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