Signs of the times

As I await for another church social to attend next week, I come across two that I have been to in the past that will no longer be held.


Signs of the times, I guess.


Hegre Lutheran Church, located between Kenyon and West Concord on Hwy. 56 in southern Minnesota, will no longer be having it's Salad Luncheon, held in June. After talking with a friend of mine, whose husband is the interim pastor there, it has been decided by higher-ups that the church will combine with another local church and forever cancel that fundraiser.


The other one is the Swissfest, held at Zwingli United Church of Christ in Berne, found between Pine Island and West Concord, for 59 years. They have decided it was too big for it's 125 members to handle - and too expensive. They will instead hold weekly events at the church.


The two-day festival featured dancing, yodeling, Swiss food and Swiss craft demonstrations. It attracted thousands of guests in its heyday, but now, with the dwindling number of Swiss farmers in the area it has caused financial stress on the little church.


Apparently the little church still needs financial support to stay open as it is struggling to survive. Now they will be building a wood-fire pizza oven and changing over the stage and garage to serve the food. This will allow them to feature weekly Tuesday pizza and entertainment, starting in August and hopefully, regularly next year.


Can you image a small church like this handling 22 tour buses at their annual fundraiser? That's what Zwingli did - and for almost six decades. That is quite an accomplishment.


Remember, the purpose of this blog is to bring to the forefront the wonderful tastes, offering and  heritages of churches around the state of Minnesota. Isn't it sad that slowly, one by one, church socials like these are falling by the wayside. Despite the fact that Zwingli apparently made $5,000 on it's wonderful Swissfest last year, putting money upfront for entertainment - rain or shine - cuts into anyone's budget. Too much risk, too little help and money.


Next week I will be attending Red Oak Grove Lutheran Church's Strawberry Festival, held Tuesday, June 12 from 4-6, one of many such 'red fruit' socials on the horizon. Attend your favorite one and add another to your list! Keep them going - it's all our heritages we celebrate at these church functions!


Also up is Moland Lutheran Church's Strawberry Festival, Sunday 24, located southwest of Kenyon from 11 to 5. Yum Yum!!!


United Church of Christ Strawberry Festival, Cottage Grove, Sunday, June 17 10-4


And, another that I learned about - Memorial Lutheran Church of Afton, 129th annual Strawberry Festival, Saturday, June 18, from 4 to 7 at the church. It is located on Hwy. 18  west of downtown Afton at 15730 South Afton Blvd, for those GPS punchers.


The festival started out as a potluck in 1883 and grew to be a community affair and reunion for many who attend, and ha always featured strawberries because they were among the primary crops in the area.


Trinity Lutheran Church Rhubarb Festival, Tuesday, June 14, 205 South Broadway, Crookston, featuring turkey salad, rhubarb salad, rhubarb desserts.


CHUM - Churches United in Ministry of Duluth - Rhubarb Fest Sat. June 23 at 102 W. Second Street Duluth.


St. Isidore's Catholic Church in Sturgeon Lake is holding a Polish dinner from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 10.


St. Martin's Lutheran Church, Winona, 22nd annual Strawberry Festival, June 10 in Sinclair Park, at 328 East Broadway. There will be chicken or rib dinners.