After 150 years, still aging Grace-fully

Helen Ueleke first entered Grace United Methodist Church in 1937 as the 15-year-old daughter of the church's new minister.

She's been there ever since. Like several other couples she knows, Ueleke met her husband at Grace. They were married in the church in 1941.

"The church has been the center of my life all these years," said 83-year-old Ueleke.

So it may be only fitting that Ueleke is helping head the church's 150th anniversary celebration, which will culminate Oct. 16.

Over the past year, Grace has held pre-anniversary celebrations each month with past ministers returning to preach, special fellowship activities and worship programs.

The church dates back to 1855, when it was established by German immigrants as the German Mission of Methodist Episcopal Church of Cape Girardeau. Not too long after, the name was changed to Ebeneezer Methodist Episcopal Church. During the 1920s, it became Grace United Methodist Church.

"I don't know what discussion went on before it became Grace, but I think it's living up to its name," said Scott Moon, pastor of the church.

It wasn't until the 1920s that the services shifted from German to English.

"True to its character, it still maintains its German heritage, and built within that is a desire to work within the community," said Moon. "They've also maintained, I think, the agrarian values of the first German settlers. There's that feel of raising children in the Christian setting."

As part of the sesquicentennial, a 76-page book documenting the church's history is being printed. The book will be finished by Oct. 16. Church members will also dig up a time capsule that was buried in 1959, when the current church building at the corner of Broadway and Caruthers Avenue was constructed.

Instructions were left in the church minutes to unearth the capsule on the 150th anniversary.

Ueleke is just one of several longtime members of Grace who can remember when the capsule was originally buried.

As a teenager, Ueleke said the church was the main source of recreation. She played volleyball and croquet on the church lawn during the summer and played ping-pong inside during the winter. Her father, William Wolfe, was minister there until 1942.

She has fond memories of Sunday school teachers from Grace.

"They really helped me in my Christian walk," she said.

Following a special service Oct. 16 at which Bishop Robert Schnase will preach in German, there will be a lunch at the Arena Building with a dramatization of the church history.

Moon said this anniversary represents a new beginning of sorts for Grace.

"One of the challenges for Grace and other established churches in Cape Girardeau is reaching out to new people," said Moon. "The 150th anniversary celebration is springboard to what are we're going to do for the next 150 years."