Denver Bierman of the popular Denver and the Mile High Orchestra will perform this Sunday night in Van Wert. He’ll perform at 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Friends Church, 605 N. Franklin St. No tickets are required. A freewill offering will be received. Photo submitted
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ROCKFORD — St. Paul’s Country Church, 1522 Oregon Rd., Rockford, will be hosting their annual “Autumnfest” on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
The evening begins with delicious homemade food at 4:30 p.m. The homemade menu includes BBQ sandwiches and creamed chicken sandwiches. They will also be serving chicken noodle soup and cheesy potato soup, broccoli salad and taco salad and for dessert, homemade pie.
Once again, Eric and Cole Robbins of Robbins Auctioneers will call the auction beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eric and Cole follow in their dad/grandpa’s footsteps (the late Tom Robbins) and love to liven up the entire evening making it fun for everyone. Items to be auctioned include Ohio State specialty decorations and shirts, homemade bread and noodles, freeze-dried candy, homemade fudge, baklava and hard tack, Christmas decorations, garden produce, gooseberry pies. Fall decorations and so much more.
The proceeds from the evening will be used for the C.A.L.L Ministries Parkway and Celina Backpack Program, ARC Activity Program at Mercer County Developmental Disabilities in Celina, the HOME Family Resource Center, and other mission projects for the Women’s Fellowship. Everyone is invited to this event.
POSTED: 09/13/26 at 8:31 pm. FILED UNDER: Church
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ROCKFORD — The membership of St. Paul’s Country Church of Rockford are hosting American Christian musician, pianist, vocalist, and worship leader Tab Beechler to their sanctuary at 10 a.m. Sunday, September 27. Tab has traveled all over the United States with his ministry.
The community and followers of Tab’s ministry are invited to this free concert and a free lunch following. A free will offering will be taken for Tab’s ministry. The church is located at 1538 Oregon Rd, Rockford, and is handicapped accessible.
POSTED: 09/13/26 at 8:30 pm. FILED UNDER: Church
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor
There’s nothing quite like the sound of church bells, especially in a small town. After a three year hiatus, bells at one church in Van Wert will soon sound again.
The bells have been restored to their former glory and this week, crews have been reinstalling bells in the tower of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church on N. Washington St.
According to St. Mark’s Office Administrator Meisa Coplin, the project took three years and ran into an unanticipated delay when the original contractor hired for the job went out of business. Smith’s Bell and Clock Service of Camby, Indiana, was the same company that hired to handle the historic clock at the corner of Main St. and Washington St. The chuch then hired The Verdin Company, based in Cincinnati, to take over the project, which was an extensive one.
Work included any repairs that were necessary to the bells, the installation of new clappers, and a thorough cleaning.
“They look like brand new bells,” Coplin said while noting all 10 bells have been reinstalled.
The wooden cradle that held the bells in the tower was completely taken out, according to Coplin, and it was replaced with a new one made of steel.
Along with the bells and the cradle, work was done on the tower itself, including tuckpointing, cleaning or as Coplin put it, a whole “re-do.”
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VENEDOCIA — The 109th Gymanfa Ganu Welsh Festival of Song will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, September 6, in the sanctuary of Salem Presbyterian Church in Venedocia. The community is invited to an evening of music and congregational singing featuring 13 traditional Welsh hymns.
The program will include distinctive melodies and harmonies of the Welsh hymn tradition. Local guest artists will include Gregory M. Pysh, conductor; Jake Wilder, tenor; Connie O’Neill, organist, and Alyse (Evans) Latham, flute. Together, the guest musicians and congregation will fill the historic church sanctuary with music during an evening centered on worship, tradition and community.
For more than a century, the Gymanfa Ganu has brought generations of families, friends, musicians and visitors together in Venedocia. Congregational singing remains at the heart of the celebration, with everyone in attendance encouraged to participate regardless of musical experience.
The event is free and open to the public.
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ROCKFORD — The membership of St. Paul’s Country Church of Rockford recently celebrated America 250 with a Christian dedication ceremony for an America 250 Liberty Tree which they planted on their church ground.
Consistory president Susan Cully Etzcorn, in her dedication address thanked God, and said the tree honors the nation’s 250th birthday by blending faith and patriotism.
“We have a Heritage in the United States of America and in our state of Ohio and these roots run deep through our ancestors,” she said.
She then shared this scripture: Isaiah 61:3 (NIV) – says “…They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”
The scripture was perfect for dedicating the church’s nine foot tall white oak sapling that will grow for generations. White oak trees typically live between 300-500 years. They grow slowly, about 12 inches per year. In Ohio, it is a hearty tree.
Chris Canary read scripture, and reminded the members to share the Heritage of the tree with family and friends and remind them of 250 years of the United States of America and God.
Sheila Baltzell-Linn organized the event for the Consistory, registered the Liberty Tree with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and placed a plaque beneath the tree.
VW independent staff/submitted information
First United Methodist Church Preschool, serving children ages 3 to 5, is will host its annual open house and registration for the 2026-2027 school year on Monday, August 3, with two convenient sessions: 10-11:30 a.m. or 5-6:30 p.m. at 113 W. Central Ave. in Van Wert. It’s an opportunity to tour the facilities, meet the staff and learn about the curriculum, which follows Ohio Department of Education guidelines. Information packets and 2026-2027 registration will be available. Financial aid is available, ensuring that a quality early education is accessible.
First UM Preschool is known for its commitment to high-quality education in a nurturing Christian environment. The preschool’s key features include being established and state-licensed for over 50 years, offering a Christian atmosphere, maintaining low student-to-teacher ratios, and employing experienced, licensed teachers. They also provide flexible class options: a two-day per week class for three-year-olds and pre-kindergarten options for three or four days per week.
For more information, visit vanwertfirst.net and click on “Preschool,” or contact: Marilyn Agler, Preschool Administrator at 419.238.0631, extension 308 or via email at marilyn.agler@vanwertfirst.net.
VW independent staff
VENEDOCIA — Salem Presbytarian Church’s annual ice cream social has been set for 4:30-7 p.m. Friday, June 19, at the Venedocia Lions Club building on Ohio 116. There will be Venedocia Lions sausage, dinner items, pies and of course, ice cream. Everyone is welcome to attend.
POSTED: 06/08/26 at 10:23 am. FILED UNDER: Church
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First United Methodist Church and Trinity Friends Church in Van Wert are partnering this summer to host GriefShare, a special weekly seminar and support group designed to help people rebuild their lives after losing a loved one.
The 7-week session will run on from 6-8 p.m. each Wednesday night from June 10-July 22.
The group will meet at First United Methodist Church in the Scheidt Room, located at 113 W. Central Ave., Van Wert. The facility is fully handicap accessible.
At GriefShare, participants will watch a weekly video featuring counsel and insights from respected grief experts and relatable personal stories, followed by a time of sharing and support. Session topics include what is “normal” in grief, how to handle difficult and overwhelming emotions, and what to do with regrets, questions, and worries
Participant workbooks are available for $20 each to help guide individuals through the 7-week journey. Scholarships are available. GriefShare is a network of thousands of grief support groups meeting worldwide. The program is designed to offer help and hope as individuals navigate the intense pain of losing a spouse, child, family member, or friend.
For more information, to register, or to inquire about the program, please contact Jamie Ramos at First United Methodist Church (419.238.0631 ext. 105), Megan Tschantz at Trinity Friends Church, or visit vanwertfirst.net/events. General information about the program can also be found at griefshare.org.
VW independent staff/submitted information
A musical program featuring concert organist, Matthew Wachtman and nearly 30 other outstanding musicians will present a program honoring America 250. It will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 14, First United Methodist Church on W. Central Ave. in Van Wert.
The program, which will be free and open to the public, will feature organist Matthew Wachtman from Defiance. He is currently Director of Music and Worship at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Archbold and is on the faculty of the Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Performing Arts as Lecturer in Organ. Wachtman earned his Master of Music in Organ Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he also served as graduate assistant of the organ department. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Keyboard Performance (organ) at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music. Wachtman is an active organ recitalist throughout the midwest and is a published author and composer in the Bach Journal and MorningStar Music.
The program will feature solo organ pieces on the recently renovated Noehren Pipe Organ at First UM Church. Wachtman will be joined on the first half by tenor Jake Wilder, pianist Annette Hoverman, and a brass quintet with members of the Lima Symphony Orchestra.
The second half will feature musicians from throughout the region in a Celebration of America 250. Wachtman will be joined by a 16-voice choir, seven-piece wind ensemble, percussion, and piano 4-hands. The second half will feature some of the most beloved American patriotic music ever written.
Sponsors are the Paul & Annette Hoverman Music Fund of The Van Wert County Foundation, Gary Taylor in honor of his father, Don Taylor, an anonymous donor, and in cooperation with Visit Van Wert and First United Methodist Church of Van Wert.