Blue Lotus

In Woodstock, Ill. earlier this month, not far from the town square, I noticed something I'd never noticed before, though I don't visit town that often.

Note the Buddha on the grounds of a building that has "First Congregational Church 1906" carved in stone next to the entrance, though it's a little hard to see the lettering in the picture. Turns out that the building is now the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple — as of very recently, since the its dedication festivities as a temple were only last month, according to the temple web site. Except for the colorful (prayer?) flags, it still looks like a handsome early 20th-century brick church.

Just more evidence that North America is large, and contains multitudes.