MONROE - The congregation of St. John's United Church of Christ, 1724 14th St., extends an invitation to all to attend their annual German Christmas Communion Service (Deutscher Weihnachtsgottesdienst) at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2.
One of the few of its kind in the upper Midwest, the service is conducted entirely in German, following a nine-lessons-and-carols format, and includes familiar carols and music of German origin led by the Monroe Swiss Singers mixed choir and the Bells of Praise, St. John's handbell choir. A complete English translation of the entire service is provided.
Founded in 1862 by Swiss and German immigrants, services at St. John's were conducted in German until the 1920s, and Christmas Day communion services were continued in German until 1955. The service was reinstated in 1972 by the Rev. Wolfgang Koehler, a German native who served the congregation from 1969 through 1981. Following Rev. Koehler's retirement, a number of German-speaking pastors led the service, primarily Rev. Erwin Pegel, also a native of Germany, who served Zwingli UCC in Monticello until his retirement. In 2009, the service moved to a lessons and carols format, with native speakers from the Monroe Swiss Singers reading the scriptures.
Refreshments, including Swiss brätzeli cookies, will follow the service in the church's Fellowship Hall.
More information is available by calling (608) 325-2165 or by visiting www.MonroeSwissSingers.org/germanservice.html.
One of the few of its kind in the upper Midwest, the service is conducted entirely in German, following a nine-lessons-and-carols format, and includes familiar carols and music of German origin led by the Monroe Swiss Singers mixed choir and the Bells of Praise, St. John's handbell choir. A complete English translation of the entire service is provided.
Founded in 1862 by Swiss and German immigrants, services at St. John's were conducted in German until the 1920s, and Christmas Day communion services were continued in German until 1955. The service was reinstated in 1972 by the Rev. Wolfgang Koehler, a German native who served the congregation from 1969 through 1981. Following Rev. Koehler's retirement, a number of German-speaking pastors led the service, primarily Rev. Erwin Pegel, also a native of Germany, who served Zwingli UCC in Monticello until his retirement. In 2009, the service moved to a lessons and carols format, with native speakers from the Monroe Swiss Singers reading the scriptures.
Refreshments, including Swiss brätzeli cookies, will follow the service in the church's Fellowship Hall.
More information is available by calling (608) 325-2165 or by visiting www.MonroeSwissSingers.org/germanservice.html.
