A history of the Project: LCP01

It just crossed my mind not too long ago, that I've been spending my time telling everyone about my projects, pointing them to to the various Picasa links and pictures with out really going into the details about what makes each year stand out from the rest.

Oddly enough, as I've taken these projects on the road, often times to just one site a year during the early part of it, that I've in a way, developed my own history of sorts. Because in the end, it is the people who have taken the time to look at my work, to let me know how they feel about it, that has really shaped the direction this is going, and in the end, where I want to take it to.

So off and on for the next week or so, I'm going take a look at each of the past projects. Telling a little bit of the back story behind them and why they stand out to me.

Lego Church Project for 2000/2001 was start of the public displays. But in away it was also almost one of the last projects I ever built.

At that time, now going on close to a decade ago, I was reaching a point where I was wondering if it was time for me to stop doing projects. I mean after all, I was a grown man working with Lego bricks. But it was clear that God had something else in mind because in the end I was given that rare chance to take it to Mt. Zion Catholic Pastoral Center for a weekend display.

I recall driving home one night after I had taken it over to the church, and spending some time in prayer, I had the strong sense that this was not something that I could easily give up. For so many Christmases it had been part of my parent's house. It was something that even at that time, I looked forward to doing. This sense of excitement as to wanting to find out what I was going to do next. Thanks to that first display, I'm sitting here at the computer sharing with you some of my thoughts about how much fun I have taking this project on the road.

So a few notes from the build itself. You will notice in some of the pictures that it appears that I have room for sky lights. This was because at the start of the project I didn't have a proper way of putting lights in. It was not until the roof was finished, that I was in fact, able to find away to put a set of Christmas tree lights inside. The first time I had ever tried to blend Lego and Non Lego stuff. The reason why I was able to begin with, was that this was also the first year I built trusses to support the dome roof.

Anytime you try and so something new, it takes a few years for the development to come far enough that it becomes common place. But those first few years of using the lights and using the trusses were mostly experiments. Should also be noted that the first set of lights I used, lasted till the 04/05 project.

One of the other questions I use to get asked, was who were the kids in the pictures? They were the children of one of the families in the Mt. Zion community who were over to see my work. It was because of that family, that got the ball rolling on doing my displays.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. I know I have. Till Then.

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