MONROE - Vivian Bartelt, who will turn 101 Dec. 22, is the oldest member of St. Peter's United Methodist Church. As she relaxed in a chair at Harbor House in Monroe, her eyes brightened and she smiled as she recalled her years at the church and what they meant to her.
"It's the only church I ever belonged to," she said.
As a child, she attended Bible school once a week during the summer.
"We went in the forenoon or afternoon in the summertime," she said. "We made grass houses when we learned about people in Africa."
They also learned Bible verses and songs at Bible school, she added. She also remembers the Christmas Eve programs.
"We had Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus, and we had three wise men and shepherds," she said. "We would have to learn our (speaking) parts, and we'd get dressed up. Those times were the most fun we had."
One exciting time she remembered occurred when she was a little older. She wasn't sure of the year, but remembered a small plane landing in a pasture near the church, and people from the church getting the chance to ride in the plane.
She and her family farmed on the first farm north of the church, she said. She sang at the church with her three sisters, Violet, Eunice and Helen.
"We sang everything," she said. "We sang hymns and popular music."
They sang at weddings, funerals, anniversary parties and at Fourth of July events.
"One song we sang was 'Silver Thorns among the Gold,'" she said. "We sang that for a 50th anniversary."
Bartelt attended Green County Normal in Monroe, became a teacher and taught at a country school for four years before she married her husband, Herald, who died in 1995. "Going to church was a must for us when we were growing up," she said. "We never outgrew it."
"It's the only church I ever belonged to," she said.
As a child, she attended Bible school once a week during the summer.
"We went in the forenoon or afternoon in the summertime," she said. "We made grass houses when we learned about people in Africa."
They also learned Bible verses and songs at Bible school, she added. She also remembers the Christmas Eve programs.
"We had Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus, and we had three wise men and shepherds," she said. "We would have to learn our (speaking) parts, and we'd get dressed up. Those times were the most fun we had."
One exciting time she remembered occurred when she was a little older. She wasn't sure of the year, but remembered a small plane landing in a pasture near the church, and people from the church getting the chance to ride in the plane.
She and her family farmed on the first farm north of the church, she said. She sang at the church with her three sisters, Violet, Eunice and Helen.
"We sang everything," she said. "We sang hymns and popular music."
They sang at weddings, funerals, anniversary parties and at Fourth of July events.
"One song we sang was 'Silver Thorns among the Gold,'" she said. "We sang that for a 50th anniversary."
Bartelt attended Green County Normal in Monroe, became a teacher and taught at a country school for four years before she married her husband, Herald, who died in 1995. "Going to church was a must for us when we were growing up," she said. "We never outgrew it."