🚋🚋🚋🚋2016 November 12, Saturday, Pathway to Prayer Trolley Tour

I ran back to the van for my jacket and camera, and at 11 A.M., I jumped aboard the open-air trolley for a tour of Pathways to Prayer by Lee Freeman.
A tour of downtown Florence's houses of Worship.
I sat in the section with no windows so I could take pictures.
We stopped at St Mark's MB church, built around 1859, the second-oldest black church in Florence.
Looked like they were having a yard sale in the parking lot.

St Mark's MB Church 

St Joseph Catholic Church

Bethel CP Church

We travel down the road to Bethel CP Church, built around 1897, also a black church.
Our next stop was St Joseph Catholic Church, built around 1878; their priest was Benedict Manges.
This church overlooks the vast Florence Cemetery. My neighbor's kids went to school at St Joseph's.
Our next stop was at the First Baptist Church on Wood Avenue, next door to the Florence Library. This church purchased the old Florence Library and uses it for classrooms. Their parking lot fills up during events at Wilson Park and during First Fridays downtown.

 First Baptist Church

Also on Wood Avenue, we visited Wood Avenue Chruch of Christ, once called Popular Street Christian Church, built around 1886. It is located across the road from the Florence Library and faces it.

Wood Avenue Church of Christ 

We rode past many old historic homes on Wood Avenue.

Our next stop was 201 East Hawthorne St at the Temple B'Nai Israel, built in 1906 by Reformed Jewish families.

Temple B'Nai Israel 

Our next stop was Calvary Fellowship of the Church of the Shoals, located at 424 E Tombigbee St it is a non-denominational Church.

Calvary Fellowship of the Church of the Shoals

The First Presbyterian Church is located on Mobile Street, across from the US Post Office, Ledgens, and the Shoals Theater. It was built around 1818, and it is the oldest church in Florence. Its pastor was Rev Gideon Blackburn.

First presbyterian church 

We rode past Regions Bank, which was modeled after the Forks of Cypress.

The Regions Bank Greek Revival building features a two-story colonnade with 24 columns. 

Across the street was the First Methodist Church, built around 1822; it is the second-oldest church. Founded by John Coz and John Kerr.

First Methodist Church

Trinity Episcopal Church is the third-oldest church, built around 1824 by Rev William Spencer Wall.
In front of their church was a sign that read: We are P.A.W.S. RESCUE ADOPT FOSTER
Our mission: Creating a more humane and caring environment for animals in Northwest Alabama. Partnering with local animal control & law enforcement for community assistance to help homeless, unwanted, and abused pets.

Trinity Episcopal Church

Tennessee Valley Community Church and Center was our last stop.

.