This unique, one-of-a-kind architectural masterpiece was designed by David McKee and Maurice Jennings A.I.A., associates of the famous architect Fay Jones of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The inspiration for the "Capella" goes back to a visit I made to Eureka Springs, Arkansas in September. There I saw "Thorncrown," a chapel designed by the renowned achitecht, Fay Jones. Thorncrown is simply a rectangular building constructed of native stone and wood with numerous windows along the sides and a skylight at the apex of the roof that flood the interior with soft light. It embodies what Fay Jones intended..... to get a little "spiritual quality" into a building.

I wondered why we didn't have such a place in Brookings where I lived. Lorraine, my wife, and I had often talked of the need for some quiet place where troubled minds could find the answers to questions brought about by the stress and the pressure of every day living.

Added impetus for building the Capella, if that was needed, was the following letter from a young woman that found a small chapel on a college campus that met her needs.

"It was in this chapel that I began the habit of a daily quiet time. It was here that I was transformed from an insecure empty, bitter and at times a dishonest teenager into a young woman who now knows her identity. Although I still struggle with selfishness and a need for human approval I have found peace and hope. Thank you for a place like this."

"Capella-by-the-Sea is in Azalea Park, Brookings, Oregon. It is dedicated in memory of my late wife, Lorraine."

....Elmo Williams

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