Daylight Saving Time to begin Sunday

Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday, March 12. Set your clocks Saturday night so you won’t be late for church!

Historic St. Patrick’s Church, 950 Main St., is celebrating its 150th anniversary on Friday, at 5:30 p.m., March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day) with Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades officiating. A soup supper will follow at Lagro United Methodist Church, 1100 Main St. Free will donations will graciously be accepted.

Following is a brief history of St. Patrick’s Church from their brochure. The town of Lagro, as well as St. Patrick’s Church, owes its beginnings to the building of the Wabash and Erie Canal. Many Irish Catholics came to this vicinity in the summer of 1834 to work on the canal. After it was completed, a considerable number of them settled in the community, using their earnings to buy land and make homes for themselves.

As early as 1800 this area was visited by a party of Jesuit priests from Montreal. Later the Lagro area was visited by a similar party from Detroit while they were traveling down the Wabash River on their way to the post of Vincennes, which was built in 1702. During this period many missionary priests labored in the wilds of what is now the state of Indiana.

In 1837 the Wabash and Erie Canal was opened for general traffic and the little village of Lagro became the chief emporium for wheat, corn, and other crops. The place with its rich surrounding country and luxuriant forests became the home of several well-known Catholic families.

In 1838 they erected a neat little frame church, 30 x 40 feet.

In 1858 an addition of 30 x 40 feet was added. These original buildings served as the parish hall after the new church was erected. Older folks in Lagro like to recall the St. Patrick’s Day plays and parish suppers in the old hall.

Regretfully, the old building was razed in the early 1960s.

The present church goes back to 1870. The cornerstone was laid by Bishop Luers on June 15, 1870. It was dedicated on St. Patrick’s Day in 1873. The cost of the church: $20,000. The parish consisted of about 300 families.

The bell that hangs in the belfry today has an interesting history. It was brought to Lagro in 1837 by a Frenchman named Pasque. He drove an oxen team to Buffalo, New York, to buy the bell. He was gone for so long on the trip that folks in Lagro almost gave up looking for his return. There was much rejoicing when the Frenchman finally returned with the bell.

St. Patrick’s Church is really an historical monument to the early religious history of Indiana and offers much in the way of beauty and style.

The church has fine stained-glass windows, rising two stories. An especially striking window is that of St. Patrick, in the back of the main altar. The old type statues, the iron grating communion rail, the seats finished in antique oak, the handcarved spiral stairway leading to the choir loft, the handsome design of the confessional – all are a delight to one interested in the history of Indiana.

The pipe organ in the balcony also has an interesting history. It dates back to an era circa

1840, known as the Henry Erben Era. Erben was a wellknown builder with an excellent reputation for fine instruments. In January 1997, Bishop D’Arcy designated the church as an oratory, meaning that St. Patrick was no longer an active parish. However, every first Sunday of the month, April through December, Holy Mass is offered at 11 a.m. All are welcome to attend.

March 12, 1999, the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lagro Community Church welcomes you to church.

Sunday School is every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and worship service is at 10 a.m. Dan Snyder is the speaker for March 12.

Dora Christian Church, 2325 S. Salamonie Dam Road, welcomes you to worship service Sunday at 8:15 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. Sunday School is at 9:30 a.m. Preacher Mark Wisniewski’s sermon for March 12 is “Change and Become Like Children,” based on Matthew 18:1-3. March 12 is also Quarterly Offering and Board Meeting after church. Prayer and Bible study resumes on Wednesday nights starting March 8 at 6:30 p.m., with “Man’s Journey Into Timelessness.” Character Building will meet at Dora Church on Monday, March 13, at 7 p.m. Join the church members for Tuesday Supper at Harvey Hinklemeyers, Wabash, at 6 p.m. March 14

Lagro United Methodist Church invites you to its Sunday morning services at 9 a.m., and Sunday school for all ages at 10 a.m. Youth group activities for stu- dents in the 4th through 12th grades are also offered. Those activities and times vary each month depending on the service project.

A Grief Support group meets at the Church of Christ at Wabash, 1904 N. Wabash St, Wabash, every Monday at 3:30 p.m. You are welcome to join them. If you have questions, contact Donna Wendt, 260-782-2160.

Tyler Haupert was last week’s Norse Honor Student of the week. Tyler was nominated for finding Ms. Stouffer’s laptop charger. Great job! Congratulations to the Northfield Jr. High Robotics Team who were Muncie Southside Robotics Invitational champions on February

25!

Thanks to the generosity of Northfield Seniors, a check for $723 was presented to 85 Hope Free Medical Clinic on February 24. The funds were raised during the Charity Intramural Basketball game. There are people in our community who are in need of our prayers at this time. Their names remain on our lips and their concerns linger in our hearts. Let us not forget to personally be a presence in their lives, to offer hope and help. Their names need not be mentioned; God knows them by name.

Lagro Happy Birthday: March 11 – Earl Newton; March 13 – William Swan; March 14 –Tom Burnsworth and William Sevan; March 15 – Robert Karst.