Long-time Germanfest kitchen staff, Lynn, left, and Elsie.
AUTUMN MARKS THE SEASON of church dinners and festivals in Minnesota. In fellowship halls and church basements, you will find some of the best homecooked food. Food of the land. Potatoes peeled and mashed. Squash scooped of seeds and baked. Bone-in-ham savory and heavenly.
An abundance of food fills plates, satisfying the belly and the soul. Menus vary from congregation to congregation with ethnicity, location and tradition determining food offerings. At St. John’s United Church of Christ, Wheeling Township, parishioners serve an authentic German meal at the annual late September Germanfest. Several years had passed since I attended this dinner, one of my favorites among Faribault area churches.
Diners park their vehicles around the cemetery next to the church.
Baby Lucy and her grandpa listen to the Ray Sands Combo.
Here in this rural setting, with old-time bands pumping out polkas and waltzes just outside the dining hall, hundreds gather for food and fellowship.
And bingo,
a quilt show,
petting zoo,
market, polka service and more.
Randy and I whiled away the last September Sunday afternoon here, crammed first into the fellowship hall eating sauerbraten and brats, German potato salad (and yes, mashed potatoes and gravy for those who prefer that potato choice) and an assortment of German sides with Black Forest cake, apple kuchen and bread pudding for dessertāas if we needed three desserts. But it’s impossible to pass on such sugary goodness.
This event, as are all church dinners and festivals, is about more than food. It’s about family and friends and good conversation and laughter and delighting in the bounty of the earth. It’s about hard workālaboring in the kitchen, selling tickets, grilling brats, tending quilts and animals, and an entire long list of volunteer duties. It’s about a sense of community, a coming together, a communion of sorts with the land, with this place, with these people. In the season of autumn.
TELL ME: Do you attend church dinners and festivals? If so, feel free to recommend one here.
Check back for several more posts from St. John’s Germanfest including some endearing photos of a budding musician and of a family photo shoot.
Ā© Copyright 2017 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
This is one of my favorite church festivals too. They do a very nice job with everything especially the food and the music. It is a great place to meet and hang out with friends too!
I agree on every part of your comment. We enjoyed our time with you and Susan and your friends, Steve and DeeAnn.
I wish we would have known about this one!
I’ve posted about Germanfest before, but not in awhile. This dinner is always held at the same time every September. If you have a smartphone, I’d add it to your 2018 calendar now.
What FUN and the eats look delicious and those quilts are AMAZING labors of love/art š Made my day today – thanks! Happy Day – Enjoy
This congregation invests a lot of time and energy into putting on a spectacular Germanfest. They also host many other events to draw folks to their church. They are the kindest, friendliest people who always make me feel welcome.
AUDREY!!!
Please publish these posts BEFORE the dinner. š
I almost died a thousand deaths drooling over food I would never get to eat. It is cruel, cruel, I say.
š š
Oh, I know, I thought of this, Greg, that I should publish in advance. The problem is that I could devote a whole week worth of posts to all the wonderful events I’ve been to and that are happening. And that takes away a lot of precious writing time. Not an excuse, but…
Go to your smartphone right now and look up the Sunday closest to this date in September 2018 and that will be the next Germanfest. Add it to your calendar. Does that help?
It helps but my heart is still broken. š
I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to break your heart.
I dont….but I want to, just never make time to do it. Living in a big(er) city pulls us away from the smaller country church dinners. I know they are all around the area, I just need to open my eyes and get to one of these. The food always looks so good. I love, love, love the photo of the quilts hanging over the pews!
You would love these church dinners, Jackie. I bet there are some nearer Rochester.
Wow this really looks like a fun event and those quilts… wow!
Wow is a great summary description of this festival.
What a wonderful article giving a BIG SALUTE to the fine people who work to bring about these annual church festivals and to those of us who love to attend. LOVE seeing the skills passed on to the younger children!!!!
Thank you, Marcia. I, too, appreciate that the next generation is pitching in to work at these dinners. Check back on Friday for more photos showcasing this Germanfest.