Religion: St. Lawrence Church celebrating 175th anniversary with year of events

NEW HAMBURG, Mo. — Parishioners of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in New Hamburg are celebrating the church’s 175th anniversary every month through August 2022.

“We’re doing these monthly celebrations to have fun and for fellowship, but also to continue traditions our ancestors created,” said Mary B. Glastetter, chairperson of the anniversary committee.

St. Lawrence began sometime between August 1847 and August 1848 as a small log church that is still in limited use today. In 1857, a larger stone church was started, completed in 1859 and burned down during the Civil War. The church was rebuilt and has been standing since 1871.

“Pallbearers,” from left, Evan Reischmann, Gerard Essner and Zach Essner, place stones on the grave of “Jim Razor” (a shaving device) on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in front of the St. Lawrence Parish Center in New Hamburg.Leonna Heuring/SD

“Pallbearers,” from left, Evan Reischmann, Gerard Essner and Zach Essner, place stones on the grave of “Jim Razor” (a shaving device) on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, in front of the St. Lawrence Parish Center in New Hamburg.Leonna Heuring/SD

Because no one is certain when the original church was actually built, St. Lawrence parish is celebrating the entire year with activities every month until Aug. 7, 2022.

On Sunday, the church held a mock burial of Jim Razor, the namesake of the Diamond Jim Razor shaving tool. The shaving tool was placed in a small casket, and a procession and funeral — complete with pallbearers and mourners dressed in period clothing — were held with a burial in front of the church’s parish center where a headstone now stands.

The ceremony kicked off the church’s beard-growing contest. The tradition was also done in 1997 when the church celebrated its 150th anniversary.

Church member Doug Kern was also sworn in as St. Lawrence sheriff by Judge James Pinkston. Kern served as a sheriff’s deputy during the 150th anniversary. Sunday’s ceremony concluded with a reception and breakfast in the parish center.

The church has purchased yard signs for each family of the parish, and it’s selling anniversary merchandise, such as commemorative ornaments, T-shirts, buttons, old-style ties and hats throughout the year.

October events include a parish candlelight living rosary at the church’s grotto at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3 and an outdoor Mass at 4 p.m. Oct. 30 at the grotto and a blessing of the cemetery.

Monthly activities include: veterans tree in the church vestibule on Nov. 1 and fall dinner on Nov. 7 (parishioners will dress in period clothing and the log church will be open); Veterans tree will be converted to an ancestors’ tree on Dec. 1 and the annual church tour will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 17 with an outdoor living nativity on the parish grounds behind Shibley Hall; pro-life Mass on Jan. 23; parish appreciation meal with activities, games and a beard-judging contest on Feb. 19; spring dinner on March 6; Holy Week, April 10-17; Memorial Day Mass in the old church at 8 a.m. May 30; Corpus Christi Sunday at 8 a.m. Mass June 19; annual St. Lawrence Picnic (the former school building will have memorabilia in each room) on July 15-16; and closing of the 175th celebration (activities still being planned with the day ending with fireworks) on Aug. 7.