Bucyrus bicentennial: City's rich faith history focus of Religious Days presentations

When members of the Bucyrus Bicentennial Commission started planning activities for the city's yearlong celebration, they agreed they wanted to find a way to celebrate the city's rich religious heritage.

"Honestly, we had high hopes to be able to come into the churches, let the churches do their own thing and then maybe have one big lunch to celebrate, or maybe have the churches have a lunch," commissioner member Rhonda Rowland said — but that was before the COVID-19 pandemic. "Unfortunately, we had to scale back a little bit."

The observance was set for Dec. 5 — but that has evolved, too, said Kelli Patterson, the city's administrative assistant and bicentennial commission chair.

"Like everything with the bicentennial, it starts out with one idea and then it rolls into even better," she said.

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The observance, now Religious Days, is taking place throughout the first three weeks of December — though Sunday, Dec. 5, remains the primary date. Bicentennial commission representatives will visit churches to talk about the past, present and future of the city's faith community.

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"I'm actually over the moon excited about this," Rowland said, explaining the need to expand the schedule "tells me there is some interest in what we have to say."

The commission has developed a script for the presentations that outlines "where we have been in Bucyrus with regard to rich religious heritage, where we are today in our bicentennial year celebration; and where are we going?" she said.

Rowland said throughout the planning process, Patterson has asked: "What is our legacy? What are we leaving behind? Where's that community unity?"

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"So we had to take that one step forward to give a charge to everyone in our community, because it's all up to us about continuing this rich religious heritage," she said.

The commission has partnered with two organizations that focus on bringing religion to students from primary through high school, YoungLife and LifeWise Academy, she said.

"It’s part of the need and desire for this in our community, to spread that word," Rowland said. "Some of those children, they don’t have a church to go to. And they’re thirsting for the word of God."

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Rowland stressed the commissions' two partner organizations aren't the only way to go — some churches have great established youth groups and religious education programs. But some don't.

"Sadly, not every church has a strong youth group," Rowland said. "And again, there are so many children out there that are not connected to a church. What better way to instill something in them at an early age?"

Talks tailored to each congregation

Rowland and Patterson said the commission has been working with individual churches to respect their preference for how and when the message is delivered — and who hears it.

"It's kind of all over the place," Rowland said. Sometimes, they speak to the entire congregation; other times, just a small group. Presentations run eight-10 minutes.

"We're really trying to customize it for what their needs are and what they feel their congregation would want, being respectful for their weekly agendas that they have," Rowland said.

"Especially because this is Advent," Patterson added.

"Our purpose is to touch as many churches as we possible can during the month of December," Rowland said.

They also understand if churches choose not to participate.

"There are no hard feelings; if it doesn't fit what they want to bring to their congregation, we completely understand — but we want to give them that opportunity," Rowland said.

Church leaders who would like to learn more about scheduling a presentation should contact Rowland, 419-561-0993.

First, a look to Bucyrus' past

Presentations start with a brief history of city founders Samuel and Mary Norton. Twenty-two years after they settled in Bucyrus in 1819, there were five churches in Bucyrus. Rowland said she drove through town looking for churches and counted 19 — but the outreach needs to extend beyond the city's boundaries, she said.

"Then we talk about the bicentennial, and how we celebrated all year long, and we didn’t want to miss a beat with religion," she said. "Then we talk about YoungLife. It’s an international organization that started in 1941. It actually started with a group of women in the church who prayed for someone that could impact high school kids in the community."

Questions about the future

The goal is to leave each congregation with a charge, Rowland said: What are we going to do, as a community, to continue this religious heritage?

"How are we going to reach the young children, the young adults?" she said. "So many are not gracing the doors of brick and mortar buildings of churches on Sunday mornings, so we how can we reach them at their level?"

It's up to each congregation to answer that question.

"There are so many wonderful establishments out there, that we didn’t want to say, ‘It’s just this building ‘ or ‘it’s just this religion’ or ‘just this denomination,’" Patterson said. "Everybody’s is wonderful."

"We all serve the same God, that's been the message," Rowland said. "We're not trying to come in and change doctrine or anything; we're just basically stating the facts of where we've been; keeping taking those steps that result in God's name being made known here and now, and in doing so, paving a path for the future believers. Who will, God willing, look back on the next 200 years, on our fruit, and find us faithful."

ggoble@gannett.com

419-559-7263

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: During bicentennial, Bucyrus celebrates its rich religious heritage