orrville faith

  • By Tami Lange Mosser
  • February 13, 2014
  • 430
                        
In its 150-year existence, Orrville has always relied on its faith community. So as the city marks its sesquicentennial, it seems only fitting that one event is given over to the music that has sounded from Orrville churches throughout the decades. The Community of Faith Musical Celebration on Sunday, Feb. 23, will feature choirs and ensembles from 10 of Orrville’s churches and will be hosted by Trinity United Methodist Church. It also allows the city to honor another of its institutions, as Trinity’s 50-year-old Schantz organ will be featured prominently throughout the event. According to Rachel Hostetler, Trinity’s communications and office manager, the idea for the celebration came up during a Chamber of Commerce-hosted luncheon where a monthly sesquicentennial event calendar was being put together. There was no event for February, so Hostetler, Trinity member Jenni Reusser and choir director Esther Leggett set about planning for something that honored the city’s many congregations. Invitations were sent. “We’ve had a great response,” Reusser said. “We’re very pleased with the response. It’s coming together in a very blessed way. I don’t think we cold have written a script that would have been any better.” The event will begin with an organ prelude at 1:45 p.m., followed by a 1:55 p.m. performance by the Augsburg Lutheran church bell choir. In all, there will be performances by four choirs, a trio, a quartet, a duet, a praise band and liturgical dancer. Jeff Herr, a member of Christ United Church of Christ and a Schantz Organ Co. employee, will also perform. Between performances, Leggett will lead the audience in congregational singing and is choosing hymns from each decade and from a variety of denominations. Christ UCC chancel choir director John Weyrauch noted his church recently celebrated its 125th anniversary. In its early days, he said, members often were German-Swiss immigrants and services were conducted in their native tongue. Augsburg Lutheran dates its beginnings to 1873, according to Lyle Baker. Not all of the churches have stayed in the original buildings, but they all remained faithful to Orrville. Reusser noted that of Orrville’s newest churches, the Iglesia Apostolica de la Fe de Cristo Jesus Church, also will provide music for the service. That congregation currently conducts worship services in the chapel at Trinity and “we’re pleased to have them there,” Reusser said. Each ensemble will have an eight-minute window for performance. In addition to Trinity, Augsburg, Christ UCC, Iglesia, East Chippewa Church of the Brethren, First Baptist, First Presbyterian, Orrville Baptist, Orrville Christian & Missionary Alliance and Orrville Mennonite also will bring music to the event. It’s no surprise that so many different denominations have signed on, as Orrville’s faith community has typically been a cooperative group. “I’ve never had a sense at all that there’s any animosity,” Weyrauch said. “I’ve never picked up on that at all.” The Orrville Ministerial Association continues to be active and congregations often come together for event like the annual CROP Walk. Reusser is confident they’ll come together for music and celebration as well. “The only thing I’m worried about is that we won’t have enough room,” she said. That’s not usually what you’re worried about. I think we’ll fill the sanctuary.”


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