By Thea Jarvis

The journey from imposing Gothic edifice to simple, unprepossessing chapel has certainly not been without pain for Atlanta's Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The late summer fire that gutted the oldest building in the city left in its wake not only a near-replica of wartime Europe's bombed-out cathedrals, but a string of hearts nearly broken with concern that the venerable church would be no more.

Assuredly, the resurrection of I.C. has begun. While parishioners continue to celebrate 9:15 a.m. Sunday Mass in the spacious sanctuary of their generous neighbor, Central Presbyterian Church, the shrine sacristy has been reborn as a warm and inviting day-chapel.

Relatively unscathed by the fire, the sacristy now provides sacred space for 7:45 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. liturgies during the week.

"There is no real physical distance between the celebrant and those attending," parishioner Brenda Griffin said of the chapel experience. "If you've gone from a cathedral setting to this, it's intimate -- and it's interesting what happens to you" in this new environment.

The chapel's rustic wooden altar was gleaned from the church basement and given new life by parishioners Henry and Dell Miller.

"We dried it out, the Millers sanded it, varnished it -- it looks like new!" said Father Alvin Matthews, OFM, the Shrine's associate pastor.

Father Alvin explained that the altar had originally come from the chapel of a Franciscan vacation cabin located in the countryside beyond Fayetteville.

"The … altar was given by Father Pat Adams in honor of his uncle, Father Raphael Adams, the first Franciscan from Georgia," he related. "Father Pat is pastor in Cordele now."

The industrious Father Alvin also salvaged an ancient metal crucifix from discards found in the shrine basement. The cross looks curiously at home in the new chapel.

"It's over 100 years old and goes back to the time of the early church," he explained. "It originally hung in the rectory. I scrubbed it up, kissed it and sprayed it."

Thirty-two metal folding chairs were rounded-up by Father Alvin and pressed into service after a through cleaning and painting. The lovely stained glass windows of the sacristy sustained minor water and smoke damage and were easily restored to respectability. Parishioners Jerrell and Christine Hornsby washed down the walls to cover the lingering reminders of the now-infamous fire.

The result is a place of workshop that gives comfort and community to the 20 or so worshippers who daily seek its shelter.

The birth of the unpretentious chapel is a sign that parish life at the shrine is ongoing despite temporary adversity. The St. Francis Table continues its weekend outreach to the poor thanks to the hospitality of Trinity United Methodist Church. The program serves Saturday luncheon to the needy from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Holy Name breakfasts have been cancelled for the present, but Wednesday evening Bible study has resumed in the rectory parlor. The religious education staff is looking forward to an October reunion in the form of a field trip that will bring young parish members together despite the lack of a traditional Sunday school setting.

In the next two weeks, passersby will have the opportunity to view the initial stages of the shrine's rebuilding. The roof will be lifted by oversized cranes to get at the damaged innards of the beloved church.

Those who care about the future of the Shrine are encouraged by her signs of life. Day by day, step by step, progress is being made.