The celebration of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church sesquicentennial year actually began Sunday, Nov. 30, when the church’s Advent Year got underway.

Now that 2009 is here, the sesquicentennial celebration can begin in earnest.

Mark all calendars: There’s only 157 days until the grand sesquicentennial parade at Johnsburg to celebrate 150 years of existence for St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

Not since 1984, when the church observed 125 years of existence, has Johnsburg had a parade down its main street.

A whole year of events have been scheduled to observe the church’s sesquicentennial.

The first important one takes place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, when the congregation hosts “Stories and Remembrances of Our 150 Years Past.”

Special guest will be well-known storyteller Michael Cotter and his wife and storyteller, Bev Jackson.

According to Paul Lammers, the storytelling festival is being held “in celebration of 150 years of faith and family.”

The purpose is to invite church members and other friends to share stories of the church’s past.

What a past St. John the Baptist Catholic Church has in Mower County history.

Even the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church faithful don’t dispute that St. Augustine Catholic Church in Austin came before their own.

There is enough history to go around.

The first settlers arrived in Johnsburg in 1855.

According to the Mower County Historical Society, the settlers came from another Johnsburg in McHenry County, Ill.

More settlers came from Wisconsin after the initial influx from Illinois.

When a church was created, members came from across the border in Iowa, too.

Since the Mower County Johnsburg is located only a half mile from the Iowa border, many came from Mitchell County, Iowa.

The first worship services were held by Father George Keller in the home of settler John Fagans. Keller was a missionary priest, who served a Catholic church at Faribault and came to Johnsburg once a month for services there.

A 16-by-20-foot log church was built under the direction of Keller in 1859. It had oak timbers and hand-split shingles, according to historians.

It was constructed on a farm owned by John and Gertrude Heimer.

A second church was built in 1868 after the congregation quickly outgrew their log cabin beginnings. It was more than double — 30-by-64-foot — the original structure.

The present brick building was constructed in 1891. A two-story brick school house was constructed in 1905.

Seventy-five years later, the school was remodeled into a church hall.

Each September, the parish hosts a ham and turkey dinner that draws huge crowds.

But the annual mid-July Johnsburg Jamboree on the church grounds attracts even more people to enjoy a polka mass, dancing to old-time music, church dinner, games, children’s activities and fellowship.

Paralleling much of the church history is that of the Freund Store.

The store, still preserved as it was in bygone days, was a mecca for early Germany settlers.

It was a social hall, post office, dance hall, bar and general store.

Life on the prairie revolved around the church and its neighboring general store.

Schedule

The sesquicentennial celebration resumes Saturday, June 20 with a Belgian waffle breakfast for parishioners and guests.

There will also be a cemetery walk plus antiques and other displays in the historic Freund Store, plus a compute.

On Sunday, June 21 there will be 10:30 a.m. Mass at the cemetery grotto with a parish picnic and campout to follow.

An ecumenical service with Little Cedar Lutheran Church of Adams takes place at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 28.

Little Cedar is also celebrating its own sesquicentennial this year.

Then, the sesquicentennial celebration for St. John the Baptist Catholic Church reaches a peak Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12.

The July 11 schedule will include a cemetery walk, tour of the church and school, antiques and displays in the Freund Store, antique machinery and cars on display on the church grounds and an all-school reunion.

Also July 11, Bishop Bernard J. Harrington of the Winona Diocese will celebrate Mass at 7 p.m.

On Sunday, July 12, the grand sesquicentennial parade begins at noon followed by the 2009 Johnsburg Jamboree with polka music, children’s games and refreshments.

The all-school reunion continues July 12 with more pictures of the students to be taken.

The July 11 and 12 events have “can’t miss” written all over them.

Dave and Jurine Smith will host a Harvest Mass Saturday, Aug. 15 at their farm.

It will be co-hosted by the cluster of Catholic parishes of Sacred Heart, Adams; St. Peter, Rose Creek; and Queen of Peace, Lyle.

The Feast of Christ the King will be observed with a Mass of Thanksgiving Sunday, Nov. 22 to close out the sesquicentennial year at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

For more information about any of the sesquicentennial events, call Lammers at (507) 582-7777 or Mark Schaefer at (507) 582-3267.