County of church: Franklin County
Location of church: 3rd St. & Academy St., Labadie
Phone: (636) 742-4559
Pastor: Christi Tennyson
Stone Boundary Marker Text:
THESE LOTS DONATED
by the
LADIES AID SOCIETY
of the
PILGRIM EVANGELICAL
CHURCH
A.D. 1920
"Earlier this summer, members of Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Labadie cleaned out an old cabinet in the fellowship hall so that the floor could be repainted and, in the process, discovered a bunch of old, forgotten books, which they set in the back pew of church for people to take home.
"Adele Quale, who began attending Pilgrim UCC some 30 years ago, picked up an old hymnal and began flipping through it. That’s when she heard Emmett Becker, one of the church’s oldest members, comment, “That’s the first hymnal we ever used.”
"Quale felt like she was holding gold.
"Today that original hymnal stands alongside other historical items on display in Pilgrim UCC’s fellowship hall, where members will gather in a few weeks to celebrate the congregation’s 100th anniversary Sunday, Sept. 17. See sidebar for details.
"There is a 3-foot long strip of velvet that holds Ethel Schultz’ 72 Sunday school perfect attendance pins, an old Sunday school offering bank, old kneelers, communion cups and much more.
"Quale keeps adding items to the display, like an old nail keg that would be been just like the ones Pilgrim’s charter members placed boards across to create benches for their earliest Sunday services, which were held outdoors on the lawn of Mr. and Mrs. Florenz Drewel.
"Founded in 1917, Church Built in 1926
"Those first outdoor services, held in early 1917, were led by Pastor J.N. Schuch, of St. Peter’s Church in Washington. Gasoline torches provided the light and a table served as a pulpit.
"Eventually services were moved to the Labadie Hall.
"The minister (accompanied sometimes by the choir from St. Peter’s) arrived in Labadie on the 4 p.m. train and returned to Washington on the 9:30 p.m. train.
"By October 1917, there were 39 people who had shown a desire to establish a new church in Labadie, so the next month, a constitution was adopted.
"When the charter was closed in January 1918, the newly formed Pilgrim Evagelical [sic] Church of Labadie had 71 members.
"Officers included Louis Hausman, president; F.G. Fredricks, vice president; Florenz Drewel, secretary; H.H. Duebbert, treasurer; and Adolph H. Ehlers.
"A church school was soon organized, and confirmation classes for adults and children was part of the initial program.
"There was no church building as of yet. Services were still held in Labadie Hall.
"A building fund was started in January 1919 using a $100 government bond. A year later, three lots on Academy Hill were purchased for $400; an additional three lots to the north were purchased for another $400.
"The money to purchase all six lots was donated by the Dorcas Society (Women’s Fellowship).
"Church members held numerous fundraisers to increase the building fund. There were bazaars, chicken dinners and ice cream socials. By May 1926, enough funds had been raised and construction began.
"The new church was dedicated Dec. 12, 1926. It is the same church where Pilgrim members gather today for services.