Members of Zion United Methodist Church, 157 West Jefferson Avenue, in Hampshire, are honoring their 170th anniversary with special events throughout the year.
Rev. Diana Otterbacher has served as the church’s pastor since July, 2011.
“It’s so exciting to hear about the history of our church,” Otterbacher said. “I am so privileged to be here during this time of celebration.”
Dr. Thomas Getzelman, veterinarian and owner of Hampshire Animal Hospital, 126 Park Street, and Hampshire resident Deanne Tamms are the celebration coordinators.
“Zion United Methodist Church has always been a focal point of my family,” Tamms said. “My grandparents and parents were active in the church.”
In honor of its German roots, the church is holding its annual German Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Proceeds will benefit the organization known as Feed My Starving Children.
A modified version of the play “Church Basement Ladies” will be presented by church members Tamms, Leola Widmayer, Marie Maynard, Maile Edmonson and Eleanor Leitner immediately following the 10:15 a.m. service on Sunday, Feb. 22. The public is welcome to attend both the service and the skit.
“Since our church did not have a basement until the 1950s,” Otterbacher said, “as many as 30 women took turns meeting in each other’s homes every month. They were originally called Evangelical Helping Hands and then the Women’s Society of Christian Service. There were rules on how much food each woman could bring so that nobody would outdo the other.”
At 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 14, the church will hold an outdoor worship service on the grounds of the original church site adjacent to Aurand Cemetery along Kelley Road.
“We want to acquaint people with where our church began,” Tamms said.
Following morning worship service on Sunday, July 19, the church will hold an old-fashioned picnic in the church yard with lawn games, food and fellowship.
A hymn sing and ice cream social are planned at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23.
Homecoming Sunday on Sept. 13 will feature a special service of celebration and a chicken dinner.
Bishop Sally Dyck will lead a worship service at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18. The date is exactly 130 years after Bishop Dubbs officially dedicated the church building in 1885.
Getzelman said Zion United Methodist Church will ask other houses of worship in Hampshire, Burlington and Harmony to join with them that day in ringing their bells 170 times in honor of the anniversary.
“We will have an open house in November to say thank you to Hampshire for helping with our celebration,” Tamms said. “Hampshire is our extended family.”
Zion United Methodist Church is actually older than Hampshire.
Originally known as Henpeck, the village was moved three miles southwest along the newly built Chicago Pacific Railroad and incorporated as the Village of Hampshire in 1876.
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Zion United Methodist Church was originally called the German Evangelical Church.
“It was founded in 1845 in an area known as Pigeon Woods near Ketchum and Big Timber roads,” Getzelman said. “It was started by German-speaking farmers from Ohio. Until 1890, everything at the church was conducted in German. I took German while I attended college, but it was still hard to read the church’s flowery German script.”
The first pastor was Rev. Blank. Church member John Aurand was appointed as the “class leader” to conduct services when the pastor was away.
In 1853, Aurand donated land so a parsonage could be built. Aurand Cemetery was established, and a church was built adjacent to it in 1858.
The current church facility, built along Jefferson Avenue in 1885, was needed to accommodate the increasing number of church members.
The church has experienced a number of changes over the years.
In 1912, Hampshire’s German-speaking Evangelical congregation merged with the English-speaking United Evangelicals. The church became known as Zion Evangelical Church.
Lighting struck and destroyed the steeple during the 1920s. It was decided not to replace it. Indoor plumbing was installed in the 1930s. A basement was added during the 1950s, and a wheelchair ramp and elevator were installed in 1993.
In 1968, the international Evangelical United Brethren denomination merged with the American Methodist Church to form the United Methodist Church. Hampshire’s Methodist congregation became known as First United Methodist Church.
Tamms said that the interior of the church is always cheerful because of the sunshine coming through the stained glass windows.
“We get a lot of compliments from musicians who perform inside the church,” Tamms said. “They say the acoustics are very good.”
For more information on the celebration, contact the church at 847-683-2045; zionunitedmethodistchurchofhampshire.com.
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter