Christmas Country Church Tour 2012

Last year, I blogged about the Christmas Country Church Tour featuring historic rural churches in northern Cape Girardeau County, southern Perry County, and one church in Bollinger County.

With 22 participating churches this year, it's nearly impossible to visit every place during the hours of the tour. Among those churches that I was able to visit on Friday, here's how I would rate them:

• Friendliest tour stop: First Baptist Church, Oak Ridge. This is an easy choice.

• Best food: Caney Fork Baptist Church. Most churches had cookies and candies, but this congregation was serving a meal with chili, nachos, and more.

• Best nativity: Caney Fork Baptist Church. Who doesn't like to pet a camel?

• Most authentic 1800s experience: Apple Creek Presbyterian Church, Pocahontas. No electricity? No problem!

• Best Christmas tree: Peace Lutheran Church, Friedenberg. It must have been an ordeal to move their massive cedar tree into the sanctuary.

• Most interesting architecture: Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedheim. This 1857 stone church features a unique castle-like steeple.

I tried to visit several churches that I didn't see last year, although I still haven't made it to every tour stop. Below are photos of those churches that I reached for the first time this year.

Caney Fork Baptist Church

A tour bus? This is getting serious:

Live nativity featuring Cosmo the Camel:

New Salem United Methodist Church - Daisy

Stained glass windows:

Front entrance at sunset:

Trinity Lutheran Church - Friedheim

Exterior of this castle-like stone church:

Interior view:

St. Maurus Catholic Church - Biehle

Exterior view:

Altar:

Peace Lutheran Church - Friedenberg

Front entrance of this 1885 church:

Large cedar Christmas tree:

Zion Lutheran Church - Longtown

Altar:

Curved balcony and pressed-tin ceilings:

Grace Lutheran Church - Uniontown

Interior of this church, dedicated in 1876:

Ceiling:

Zion Lutheran Church - Pocahontas

Exterior of this 1914 brick church:

Interior: