God Led

How appropriate it is that Owen Smith is the first person to be interviewed for Hayes Barton Baptist Church's "Heritage, Hope, Home" blog which will be part of Hayes Barton Baptist Church’s celebration of 85 years of ministries, missions, and members.  The blog will offer 85 stories from church members over 85 days, one each day from September 1, 2011, to November 24, 2011.

As many of you know, Owen served as Hayes Barton Baptist Church’s architect for many years.  Owen’s  first Hayes Barton Baptist Church project was design of the Chapel/Education Building for which, he recalls, “we were able to match the brick, trim and other details to the original building.”   He followed that project with redesign of the original sanctuary which included, Owen says, “redesigning the baptistery, adding interior trim, air conditioning, new lighting, chandeliers, a sound reinforcement system, and carpeting.”

Then the fire of 1962 destroyed the original 20,000 square foot church, and Owen’s firm was selected to design the new sanctuary and education building.  One of the challenges was fitting the building, with its required 1000 seats, in the space bounded by a house on White Oak Road and the Five Points corner.  In order to achieve the 1000 seats, according to Owen, the church actually was built closer to the corner than the minimum requirement of 30 feet after receiving approval from the City of Raleigh Board of Adjustment. 

The discussion about the design of the church came down to a choice between a modern design with doors opening to the side facing Whitaker Mill Road and a classic design with doors facing up Glenwood Avenue.   Needless to say, the classic design won the day, and the anchor of Five Points that is Hayes Barton Baptist Church was set yet again, just as it had been in 1926 by the church’s charter members. 

Owen knows all the details and can explain each one.   He knows how the air flows through the sanctuary and can point out where the air grilles are placed throughout the space.  He knows why the Bibles and hymnals are on shelves under the pews rather than in brackets behind the seats.  He can tell you about the acoustics of the church and how the panels on the front of the balcony deaden the sound so that echoing is eliminated. He can even explain why we have the unusual sidewalk outside along Whitaker Mill Road.

He can share all the details, and he can share the stories behind them.   Perhaps his best story is about the elevator and how it came to be installed several years after the original building was completed.  Oftentimes, major renovations of structures have to occur in order for elevators to be added.  When faced with the request for an elevator, though, Owen explains “that the Lord revealed a place for it.”  In his thoughts written for the 75^th anniversary of Hayes Barton Baptist Church, Owen shares:  “I restudied my plans and found only one suitable location with a minimum of construction conflicts, and so that is where it is now located.  So I give credit to the Lord.” As he shared in a recent interview, he was “truly God led” about the elevator.

When talking with Owen about all of his design projects at Hayes Barton Baptist Church as well as his many years of service, for example, as Associate and Superintendent of the Young People’s Department for 22 years, one comes to realize that Owen is a “truly God led” man.  How wonderful it is that such a man designed the church that is Hayes Barton Baptist Church.  A God-led man and a God-led church.