Church tour part of Jackson bicentennial fete

As with farmers tilling fields and riverboats steaming their way down the Mississippi River, 19th Century Southeast Missouri was characterized by the ringing of church bells to welcome parishioners to Sunday morning services.

Some of that nostalgia and history and early-days religious feeling will revive as Jackson continues observing its bicentennial with a noon to 6 p.m. June 29 walking tour of six churches in the Uptown Jackson District.

Hosted by the Jackson Ministerial Alliance, the event will take participants to the First Baptist Church at 212 S. High St., which opened 10 years after the town was named in honor of future President Andrew Jackson in 1814, and to New McKendree United Methodist Church, founded in 1840 across the street at 225 S. High.

All in the vicinity of Cape Girardeau County Courthouse, the other stops are Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 208 S. Hope St., 1850; the First Presbyterian Church, 206 E. Washington St., 1864; Emanuel United Church of Christ, 304 E. Adams St., 1867; and St. Paul Lutheran Church, 223 W. Adams, 1893.

First Baptist and New McKendree also will have displays about Old Bethel Baptist Church, opened in 1806, and Old McKendree Methodist Church, founded in 1819.

Ministerial alliance president Sam Roethemeyer, retired pastor of Emanuel, said the tour will go "almost in a circle" on the north central side of town.

Roethemeyer last fall attended a bicentennial organizational meeting during which Mayor Barbara Lohr was soliciting help for the 200th anniversary celebration, which has observances each month this year.

"I said, 'We want to be part of it,'" Roethemeyer said of the Jackson Ministerial Alliance.

"It will show the heritage and religious life of church people here," he said of the community.

Lohr said churches "have always been a focal point in this community, especially the uptown churches.

"Things just revolved around them. I bet people will enjoy the fellowship as well as the history as they go on this tour," she said

Josh Hensley, minister of worship and media at the First Baptist Church, said the area's oldest church will open at 1 p.m. June 29, with photos and artifacts on display and some church members in period attire.

"We will also have tours until 6 p.m. of our newly renovated sanctuary and foyer," Hensley said. "It will be a very interactive museum-like setup."

New McKendree pastoral assistant Penny DuPerier said members will conduct tours and serve refreshments, and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church secretary Kelly Mansfield reported the planning of tours, refreshments and literature.

The Rev. Grant Dillard, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, said an open house will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. with pianist Shane Steck playing hymns from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Emanuel UCC spokeswoman Susan Loenneke said an ice cream social will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. under the trees on the church lawn, with homemade vanilla ice cream and toppings, cookies, tea, lemonade and water.

Refreshments and guided tours are also planned at St. Paul Lutheran Church, a spokeswoman said.