Penn Manor townlively.com
NOVEMBER 27, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXI • NO 31
I “ will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” Psalm 7:17
St. Paul’s UMC will hold holiday craft show
Spooknacht, a Lancaster County tradition lost to time
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
The event’s planning committee invites members of the public to shop unique items at the craft show.
In 2023, the craft show at St. Paul’s UMC included a food truck for guests to purchase refreshments throughout the day. This year, volunteers from the church’s congregation will sell homemade breakfast and lunch items. “We received a lot of positive feedback about how many different items were available to purchase. None of the vendors sold the same thing,” said event organizer Julie Ehrgood. “I handpicked each and every one to be a variety, and I kept it small so they could all get a good amount of business.” Proceeds from the craft show
will benefit the church’s many community outreach programs and ministries. Throughout the year, the church supports local food banks, nonprofit organizations, schools and fire departments. St. Paul’s UMC also opens its building to allow Boy Scout troops, addiction recovery support groups and community service groups to hold meetings and events in the fellowship hall. In 2023, Julie proposed hosting a craft show at St. Paul’s UMC to raise money for the church’s community service projects and ministries. Julie and her husband, Francis, reside in Washington Boro, and they became members
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n December 2023, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (UMC), 100 W. Main St., Mountville, held its inaugural craft show. The holiday event featured a variety of vendors and a silent auction, and it served as a fundraiser for the church’s community outreach initiatives in the Hempfield and Penn Manor areas. The craft show was a resounding success, and after popular demand, it will return to St. Paul’s UMC from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. The craft show will follow a similar format to last year; the event will feature multiple vendors and artisan crafters, as well as a silent auction that guests may bid on until 1:30 p.m. Vendors will operate stands in the fellowship hall of the church, and this year’s event will be attended by local businesses such as Tastefully Simple, Life Expressions, Thingamajigs & Whatnot, Southern Fields Home, Paparazzi, Linda’s Design Originals and Kathy’s Kreations, among many others. Items available to purchase will include home décor, handmade jewelry, crocheted accessories, woodworking items, spices, baked goods and kitchenware. The silent auction will feature items donated by participating vendors and various businesses in the community, including tickets to local experiences.
of the church three years ago. Shortly after Julie joined the church, she felt called to lead a ministry to support other members of the congregation. Julie began organizing auctions and galas to raise funds for nonprofits throughout Lancaster County, and she now leads the Caring Hands committee at the church. Caring Hands supports members of the church who are experiencing severe illnesses by delivering meals and cards, cleaning individuals’ homes and visiting patients while they undergo hospital treatment. For more information, visit www.saintpaulsumc.church.
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Lancaster County has a long history of unique traditions and community-centered events. From annual celebrations such as Maize and Snitz Fest in Lampeter and East Petersburg’s Blues Festival to county-wide programs like the Miss Lancaster County pageant, every town contributes to the area’s distinct culture. Many annual traditions have withstood the test of time and continue to be held today, but some events, such as Spooknacht, have been lost to time. In 2024, few people have ever heard of Spooknacht. But prior to the 1970s, the annual event was highly anticipated by community members, and it involved every school in the county. According to archived photographs and clippings from old newspapers, Spooknacht took place every year around Halloween, and the event was organized by the former L ancaster Jaycees. One photograph from LancasterHistory’s archive, believed to have been taken during an event circa 1950, shows members of the Jaycees serving food See Spooknacht pg 4
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