The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Church celebrates 175th anniversary
Ice cream social set for 5 p.m. July 1 at St. James church
By Sue G. Collins, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: June 26, 2008
When the keepsake cornerstone from the historic church at 11005 W. Michigan Ave. was removed, members of the congregation found a bill from the original builders: "$1200.00, and not a penny more."
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St. James United Church of Christ is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, and the public is invited to a ice cream social Tuesday to kick off the celebrations.
The charming little white church, now about twice the size of the original chapel, sits among the verdant fields five miles west of Saline.
The church was built by German families who also organized a school in 1887, now dubbed Heritage Hall, with relics from the congregation's past displayed.
Earl Roehm, chairman of the 125th anniversary committee at St. James, is happy to point out the old photos of families who founded the church, the new stained-glass windows installed in memory of loved ones and newspaper clippings telling the stories of past activities.
"The founding families instilled a strong sense of paying for everything without debt," he said.
Recently, a $150,000 sanctuary clean-up was necessary and the congregation pitched in.
The July ice cream socials are epic. Last year, more than 1,000 pulled up chairs to the table to indulge in home-cooked chicken and beef barbecue sandwiches, pretzel buns with ham, German and American potato salad, homemade cakes and, of course, ice cream.
This year, the social begins at 5 p.m. July 1 at the church.
Other events include a Heritage Day pig roast Aug. 23.
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