By BETTY CARLISLE Special to The Gazette

LITCHFIELD TWP. — The first services of the Litchfield United Church of Christ Congregational were celebrated during the summer of 1833 and in a log cabin under the leadership of the Rev. John McCrea, who likely tied his horse to a hitching post.

On June 15, the 175th anniversary celebration service of the church will be conducted by the Rev. Beulah Knieriem, whose black Jeep with the license plate PRCHER will be parked outside of the stately church building that graces the traffic circle at the heart of Litchfield Township.

“It’s been 175 years of blossoming in God’s love,” said congregation member and church custodian Deborah Spangler. “The fellowship here at church is wonderful, and our pastor’s sermons always say the right thing at the right time.”

Fellowship and ministry

“Our church’s success is due to the Christian love and fellowship which makes it strong,” agreed Will Smith, the church council president. “Our fellowship here is very important. We are a church family, and we are involved in many community outreach programs.”

“The church began to serve meals at the fair from a tent at the Medina County Fairgrounds in the 1930s,” Smith said. “It became an important fundraiser for us, but it has also become a community outreach. We like to say that we serve hamburgers with love.”

The church eventually constructed its own freestanding facility by the southern entrance of the fairgrounds to provide respite as meals are prepared and enjoyed from sunrise to sunset throughout fair week.

“The ministry of our church has a thread of cancer running through it,” Smith said. “It brought Pastor Beulah to us because she dedicated the rest of her life to serving God after her own cancer diagnosis, and we have several church members fighting cancer. We support the Relay for Life event, and our members raised $11,000 for last year’s event.”

Additional community outreach services supported by the 110-member congregation include providing food baskets for the needy, hosting ice-cream socials and soup sales, visitation of housebound community members and recycling paper. The church is the meeting place for Boy Scout Troup 504 and the Ladies Benevolent Society as well as for various community groups.

The public is invited to attend the anniversary celebration planned for June 15 at the church, located at 3928 Avon Lake Road. All are welcome to stay for the fellowship luncheon following the 10 a.m. Sunday service.

“Dr. David Cleaver-Bartholomew, the Eastern Ohio Association Minister of the United Church of Christ, and his associate, the Rev. Richard Plant, will attend the 175th anniversary service,” Smith said. “Former interim pastor Irwin Koch will give the sermon and the oldest living member of the church, Kenny Bradley, will speak about the history of the church.”

“Special music will be provided by flutist Tom Kruggel and by pianist Larry Taylor,” said Eloise Squires, a member of the congregation since 1958. “The choir will also perform.”

“During the luncheon, students of the 1997 Sunday School class will share the contents they placed into a time capsule,” said Sunday school teacher Melanie Schank. “The current Sunday school class has compiled a scrapbook, which will be added to the time capsule.”

Contact Carlisle at religion@ohio.net.