News
Church at Corunna Historical Village hosts 500th wedding
Email this story | Print this story
Saturday, June 14, 2008 11:18 PM EDT
CORUNNA - As Nicholas Carpenter and Lynn Donalson exchanged vows, signifying a new chapter in their own 20-plus year history, they also became a part of Corunna's history.
The couple has shared many years together. They met when Carpenter attended Owosso Elementary and Donalson was at Durand Elementary. They decided to marry in the Christ Evangelical German Lutheran Church in the Corunna Historical Village because they wanted to wed in the town where they spent their lives together.
Saturday's Carpenter-Donalson ceremony marked the 500th wedding performed in the church since 1992. It also occurred on the 120th anniversary of the small church.
In 1888, the church had a congregation of 26. When it moved from its original location 5 miles away into the historical village in 1991, the congregation had more than 100 members.
Church caretaker Norma Green was with the church at the first wedding in November, 1992. Lila Han was the caretaker in that first year, but since she passed away Green has vacuumed the floors and wiped down the pews since. As she sat in a pew she's cleaned for nearly 16 years, Green remembered what the church looked like more than a decade ago.
“There were no pews when we first got here,” Green said. “Lila and I had to wait to get them so the first wedding could be performed.”
Green said she wouldn't forget the first ceremony.
“It was in November and we had no heat,” she said. “(Lila and I) had to light six kerosene burners all morning. By the time the ceremony began, it was 70 degrees inside.”
Green smiled as she reminisced, fanning herself to keep cool Saturday in the 80-plus degree heat.
She also reflected on some of the other 499 weddings.
“One bride's father owned mules,” Green said. “So after the wedding, the couple rode off on the mules.”
The “new” pews are from 1872 and were purchased from the Assembly of God in Owosso. Robert Hayes donated the pump organ, which is from circa 1890. Even the hymnal displays have been with the church since it was built, Green said.
Only a few additions have occurred over the years - the front doors were installed in 2006 and a baby grand piano was donated in 2006.
The church holds 100 people, but there is no longer a congregation or Sunday services. Weddings are the primary use of the church today. In addition to the 500 weddings, nine renewal of vows, four baptisms and two memorial services have been performed there.
Samanth wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:36 PM: