Pocatello church to celebrate 100th anniversary this weekend
Published at | Updated at
POCATELLO – The pastor of a long-running church is inviting the public to celebrate an entire century of services over the weekend.
On Sunday, Grace Lutheran Church in Pocatello will officially turn a hundred years old. To mark its centennial, the church plans to hold a celebratory event on Saturday and a special service on Sunday, to which the public is invited.
Pastor James Von Bush, the new pastor of the church, expressed how grateful he is to those who attend, and everyone who worships God.
“In this moment, at our 100-year anniversary, we’re just so very grateful for all those who have been living by faith in God in the past and how we hope to be able to be part of that story going forward,” Von Bush said.
Von Bush has actually been a pastor of this church before, from 2013 to 2020 as the associate pastor, before leaving to serve at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Rupert. Von Bush returned to Grace Lutheran in February as the senior pastor, just in time for the anniversary lead-up.
“The 100th Anniversary is a very exciting time to be coming back,” Von Bush said.
To celebrate, Grace Lutheran will hold an Oktoberfest event on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., both out in front of the church and in the Grace Lutheran High School gym. If the weather demands it, Von Bush said the church will move all of the festivities into the gym.
In addition to different flavors of beer, the church will be serving bratwursts, hot dogs and soft pretzels. The church will also have games of cornhole, polka music to dance to and gift baskets to place bids on, as well as a variety of games for children to play.
The church will also have its apple press out, allowing attendees to try their hand at pressing apples, “getting the fresh-squeezed juice out.”
“It’s a highlight for us to host this opportunity where people gather together. I think we all know that when people and friends and neighbors gather together and spend some time with one another, there’s just a very rich time of visiting with one another, but then also there’s just an atmosphere of … mutual edification,” Von Bush said.
The funds raised from sales and bids go toward the church’s Pastor Discretionary Fund, which, Von Bush told EastIdahoNews.com, helps people when they become aware of “needs in our community (that are) outside of our general budget … as long as those funds last.”
Normally, the church holds three Sunday services: a formal, informal, and casual service. But this Sunday, the church will instead hold one big service at 10 a.m., “inviting people from all of our services to join together at that one time.”
This service will also feature a guest preacher, the Reverend Dr. Paul Linnemann.
“He is previously our Northwest District president for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. He’s retired, but now he is going to be present with us on this Sunday, and he has been involved with our ministries here in Pocatello for a couple of decades,” Von Bush said.
Following the service, there will be a brunch featuring breakfast casserole, fruit and beverages.
For the 100-year-old church, Von Bush said this anniversary is significant.
“There’s been just over 20 pastors and innumerable, I mean just beyond count, people that have devoted themselves and their resources to serving Christ in these ways in this community. So to be able to look back and see God’s grace and favor for 100 years is overwhelming,” Von Bush said.