Isanti County Historical Society

_You are cordially invited celebrate the ending of the Christmas Holiday season in the same way as the German immigrants to Minnesota did almost 130 years ago. Two programs will be presented on Epiphany Sunday, January 8, 2012, at the Historic St. John’s Lutheran Church of Bradford, located at 900 County Rd 5 NW, just 2 1/2 miles west of Isanti.

The program at 2:00 pm is entitled: Lessons and Carols in the German Style (Lesungen und Weinachtslieder – im Deutschen stil) – a traditional German Language service based on the nine lessons & carols format – but using the German language (with English sub-titles), and with traditional German Christmas carols, in a format recreating the ambiance as it would have been back in 1882, when the Historic Church was built.

The program at 4:00 pm is entitled: A Most Beautiful Candlelight Service – again a nine lessons & carols program and presented in modern English – with the Christmas carols you know and love – favorites from years gone by. Revel in the enchantment created as the setting sun slowly disappears in the windows, only to be supplanted by the shimmering lights in the interior – created by kerosene wall lamps, hanging gas chandelier lamps, and the flickering light from real candles on the real Christmas tree.

Each program will be concluded with the giving of a traditional Christmas program goodie bag to each attendee (just like the one you got after the church program when you were young), and a gala reception featuring traditional German treats: Christstollen (German Christmas cake), several kinds of Lebkuchen (gingerbread style German cookies), Spekulatius (German spice cookies), and hot apple cider and coffee.

Historic St. John’s is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been restored to it’s original condition by the Friends of Historic St. John’s, which sponsors and programs these unique events. A suggested $5.00 per adult contribution will offset presentation costs, and further assist in continuing the on–going renovation/restoration efforts. Come and share in a delightful event.

by Kathy McCully

The weekend of October 22 started with the most scrumptious pancakes ever made by Kay Rodrigue and her assistants. Here is our recipe for a great way to start a Saturday morning: Two or three large pancakes topped with butter, strawberry or blueberry toppings, whipped cream and maple syrup, three sausage links, orange juice and hot coffee! Boy, were they good … there were many smiles among the 130+ people served, and it was a great chance for many of us to catch up and visit. Of course, the fire was the “hot” (sorry) topic of the morning, plus questions about future plans.

What better way to end a weekend than with an afternoon of music by four of the best bands and musicians around. There is not a bad seat in the house at the Hardy Performing Arts Center, and even though our competition for the afternoon was the Vikings/Packer game, everyone that attended had a great time. Thanks to My Cousin Dallas, New’s Getting Old, Galactic Cowboy Orchestra and Michael Monroe for donating their musican talents and time to raise funds for ICHS. A sweet thank you to the chefs and cooks who donated preserves to sell—all are fantastic and so good. Thanks to all volunteers who helped plan and execute this event. Again it was nice to touch base and take the time to visit with everyone.

Lauren Pelon is a fiscal year 2011 recipient of an Arts Tour Minnesota grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Pelon has performed throughout the U.S. and in China, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, Kazakhstan, Australia, and New Zealand.  She is noted for her versatile use of a diverse array of instruments, but Pelon has also won recognition for her lovely soprano voice, and for her compelling compositions and arrangements of music from many countries and cultures.  Lauren has performed with symphony orchestras, The Philadelphia String Quartet, on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” and at the Russian Institute for the History of the Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia.  She was the recipient of the 2001 “Artist of the Year” award from the Southeast Minnesota Arts Council, and 2010 Artist Initiative Award from the Minnesota State Arts Board.  William Kearns, American Music Research Center, Boulder, Colorado, called Pelon’s concerts "captivating and awesome."  An audience member recently remarked, “Her concerns for the sense of community and her understanding of ‘home’ just shine through the beauty of her music.”
 
Holthaus has three books of poems, three chapbooks, and three collections of essays, all of them rooted in the earth and the idea of community or home.  Holthaus’ poems have been published in the U.S., Egypt, and Iraq (in Arabic).  He received a 1990 National Endowment for the Arts Individual Fellowship for Poetry, and his prose was cited in “Notable Essays” in 1994 and 1998. Holthaus recently worked with the Experiment in Rural Cooperation to write From the Farm to the Table, What All Americans Need To Know about Agriculture, a book on farming in the upper Midwest.  He has worked for Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society, with the Island Institute on issues of sustainability in Sitka, Alaska, and with the Pepperfield Project in Decorah, Iowa.
 
Gary Snyder said of Holthaus’ book, Unexpected Manna, “In the drum and dance of the present he opens it both ways to the real: secular dryness and the shaman’s sacrament.  But no promises.  The clear cold of reality.  And the early morning challenge of getting to work on it.”

Audience responses to recent presentations of “The Story of Music, Stories from Home” have been very appreciative: 
• “Exceptionally moving throughout – I was transported.  The linkage of music and word came alive.” 
• “It was an inspired and inspiring program.  Such tasteful, serious handling of ‘our life story.’”
• “What a team!”

Award winning poet and essayist Gary Holthaus and internationally acclaimed musician Lauren Pelon team up to offer a unique new program called “The Story of Music, Stories from Home” Isanti County Historical Society, Cambridge on June 16, 2011 at 7:00 pm.  Cost is $10 per person. Tickets are available at www.ichs.ws or at the Isanti County Historical Society.

Pelon plays a variety of ancient and modern instruments ranging from lute, lyre, and concertina, to recorders, gems horn, electric wind controller and pedal board.  Holthaus reads from his poems and essays.  Both the music and the readings offer unique perceptions of the natural world, and celebrate our sense of place, community, and home.

Kathleen McCully, Executive Director, Isanti County Historical Society, said, “We are so pleased and privileged to have Lauren and Gary present this program in our community.  They will both challenge and inspire us.”

The Honey Dewdrops show is set for Friday, April 15. Tickets are $15 for one or two for $25.

"Their talent is such that it’s quite possible that a new band recording in the year 2020 might cite The Honey Dewdrops as a prime influence."
» Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine

Hear the Honey Dewdrops on Friday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. when they journey from Charlottesville, Va. to Cambridge, Minn. Tickets are $15 each or two for $25.

Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish make their home in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The couple has been playing music in some capacity for over 15 years, but honed in on their natural duet abilities 7 years ago when they met for the first time in college. It was their love of folk music that brought them together and has since taken them out on the road to tour fulltime as the award-winning duet they are today.

Writing and singing in the veins of folk, old country music, and bluegrass, the Dewdrops entwine harmony singing with tight instrumentation and craft songs that are simple and fine-tuned. Theirs are new songs from the southern mountains that ring with originality.

After their appearance and first place win on a 2008 talent show broadcast of NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion”, the Dewdrops began their careers as songwriters and have since released two critically acclaimed albums, “If the Sun Will Shine” (2009) and “These Old Roots” (2010) both of which have charted at the #1 and #2 positions on the Folk DJ-L Charts for 2010.

There will be rabbits for petting & photos all day during the One-Stop Gift Shop on Sunday, April 10,. Emilie will give speaches at 2, 3, & 4 PM about the care of rabbits.

According to Emilie's father, Tony Paulus, the president of the Borderline rabbit
club, "Our family is very active with rabbits in 4-H and also at MSRBA and ARBA shows and have been doing it for 12 years now."

Bring the kids!

The Taste of Home cooking school will be here before we know it, and we are busy finalizing details.

Ticket prices are as follows: $16 General Admission (575 seats?); $40 VIP (Rows D/E/F on each Side & Rows B/C/D/E/F Center=105 seats); $55 Front Row (Rows B on each side & Row A Center=20 seats).
 
Tickets will go on sale to everyone January 24.

Lessons & Carols Services at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Bradford
 
The Isanti County Historical Society is proud to once again host two Christmas programs on Sunday, January 9, 2011 at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Bradford.
 
St. John’s Lutheran Church of Bradford is one of ten National Register historic sites in Isanti County, and provides the ideal backdrop for transporting everyone back into time on this special Sunday afternoon. The church is a small wooden structure which seats at best 60 people. It is heated by a wood stove and lit by restored Coleman chandeliers which hang from the ceiling. The restored pump organ melodies are accompanied by button accordion refrains while the hymns and sung in both German and English.
 
Each of these services is unique. The first service begins at 2:00 p.m. and is a German/English service with a traditional 1880’s German Christmas feel—presented Isanti County style. The second service begins at 4:00 p.m. and is oriented toward the entire family. Readings are presented by the children, and this service is an excellent example of an old-time Christmas service. Both services conclude by singing Silent Night in the glow of candlelight. Hot-spiced apple cider, coffee, Christstollen and German cookies are served. EVERYONE—young and old—will get their very own Christmas goodie bag filled with treats to take home after each program.
 
Historic St. John’s (German) Lutheran Church of Bradford is located at 900 Co. Rd. 5 NW, Isanti, just 2 ½ miles west of US Hwy 65 on Co. Rd. 5 NW. A suggested $5.00 per adult donation will assist with the expenses of the day, as well as the on-going restoration of this historic building.
 
If you have any questions about these two services, want to volunteer, learn more about the Historical Society, become a member, or make a donation, call 763-689-4229, email ichsdirector@izoom.net, visit www.ichs.ws. ICHS Heritage Center hours are M, T & TH from 9 am to 4:30 pm.