Thursday, September 9, 2010

Turn back time… wouldn’t we all like to if we could?

Well it happens on the outskirts of Versailles on the third Sunday of September each year. Located south of Versailles and north of Webster, off of State Route 185, on St. Peter’s Road The tiny congregation of the St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church closed their doors in 1905, over one hundred and five years ago. This German immigrant congregation founded in 1850 in the home of these hearty settlers in what was then referred to as “Dutch Roost” faded away into other English congregations and closed the doors on a bit of America’s early history.

The congregation was gone, yet an annual Homecoming Service was held each year after the closing for those original families to gather and remember. Today most are gone, yet a new generation gathers and you too are invited!
The church looks much like it did when it closed. From the handmade pulpit, to the original oil chandelier, to a fabulous old pump organ those German pioneers would surely recognize their old log church.

The church and cemetery are maintained by a Board of Trustees comprised of several of the original families who still reside in the area.

Please join us and turn the clock back on September 19th at the Annual Homecoming. The church and cemetery will be open for self guided tours at 1:30 with a Hymn Sing at 2:30. The Rev. Alan Knoke of St. John Lutheran in Greenville will be the leader. The youth of Trinity will offer an Old Fashioned Church Yard Lunch beginning at 1:30 p.m.

For the history buff, original histories of St. Peter’s have been re-printed and will be available for purchase at a nominal price.

Come for a peek into history, or a bite to eat, or help us sing those old hymns, but please come and help us keep this uniquely special tradition alive!

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