Together at the new church

This morning Urban Sketchers Tacoma and Urban Sketchers Seattle chapters met together at the Vietnamese Martyr's Church in Tukwila. I've been wanting to show others this location for some months now. I have done many sketches of this location throughout its construction, from September 2023 right up to the consecration in November 2024.

Back then I found some history of the parish, which is part of the Catholic Seattle Archdiocese. In 2018 it was reported the Vietnamese Martyrs Parish in the Central District was to be rezoned & demolished. This particular church community was formed around 1976 with about 50 Vietnamese refugee families and in 2010 officially became Vietnamese Martyrs Parish. It grew to about 1600 families. In 2014, many of the parishioners moved to a temporary location in Tukwila by the Green River, with plans to build a new church & classrooms. I remember watching the new long, narrow, one story building being built about 5 years ago. That building is where they worshiped for 10 years. This cathedral-like church has now realized their dream.

This morning was cloudy, breezy, and with an occasional bit of drizzle. But we all persevered and made good sketches.

Given that's I've drawn the church a dozen times already, today I gave my attention to a small detail.

 

I only did the one sketch as I enjoyed talking with the sketchers I hadn't met before. There were a few new people and Lee visiting from Australia. The pastor came to look at our throw down, took some photos, and said he'd put a note about it in Sunday's bulletin.