The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Worship

Related Photos

Discussion

October 16, 2009

Rich Brown: Church to offer polka-infused worship service

OK, so Joplin is not the polka capital of the world. But if you happened to drive by Peace Lutheran Church at 2002 Wisconsin Ave. and notice its sign this week, you may have had second thoughts.

The Joplin congregation will mark “Polka Sunday” tomorrow with members to hold a polka worship service at 10:30 a.m., followed by an Oktoberfest lunch.

The service will include traditional church hymns sung to polka tunes and food with a definite German influence. The menu will be somewhat patterned after the Oktoberfest festival held each year in Munich, in which traditional hearty amounts of German food are available throughout the 16-day event.

The Peace Lutheran menu will include brats, German potato salad, red cabbage, sauerkraut, rye bread, applesauce and Black Forest cake. The cost is $6. A child’s lunch featuring a hot dog, applesauce, chips and chocolate cake will also be available for $3. If you wish to make arrangements in advance or obtain more details, call the church at 624-9723.

Polka worship services are nothing new. They go back to the early 1970s when polka masses began turning up everywhere, particularly in northern Minnesota. The first polka mass was created by the Rev. George Balasko in 1972. He was a polka musician whose intent was to alter the lyrics of polka pieces to become more conducive to a spiritual setting. It was the idea of creating an entirely new piece of polka-style music to sing with the usual sacred text.

Julia Stone, Peace Lutheran music director, has taken on such a task.

“This is a big undertaking,” said Lana Nelson, who has been a member of the Joplin church for 22 years. “Julia has made music her ministry and she does such a wonderful job.”

In addition to Stone leading the congregation in singing polka-influenced hymns, Pastor Bill Pape will give the sermon, which, Nelson said, is not expected to have any polka influence.

Nelson and her husband, Gary, were introduced to polka services when they visited a church in southern Texas.

“That was about 1994 and we had our first polka service at Peace Lutheran in 2000,” she said. “It took us a few years to warm up to the idea.”

Music, as a whole, has played a vital role since Martin Luther started to organize a new church in 1526.

“Luther revolutionized music in the church at that time,” Nelson said. “Up until that time everything was pretty much in Latin. Lutherans have a rich heritage for an appreciation of music. We love music and try to incorporate it into our worship services.”

Even polka, with its toe-tapping effects and commonly used as dance music, has found a welcome niche in church services.

“In years past, we had people come who said they appreciated the fresh, contemporary approach,” Nelson said. “I know some churches that are having what they call cowboy services, so why not polka? This lets people know that the style of our worship is not so important as the content of our worship.”

Address correspondence to Rich Brown, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802.

Text Only
Worship
  • Cowboy church offers non-traditional Bible camp

    Vacation Bible school gets under way in full force at Joplin area churches next month, but one congregation offers an alternative. How about Horsemanship and Bible camp?

    May 28, 2012

  • David Yount: Christians still await return of Jesus

    Unlike ourselves, the earliest Christians lived in imminent expectation of the consummation of history, when Jesus would return to usher in the kingdom of God. They thought heaven was right around the corner. This expectation explains their fervor.

    May 28, 2012

  • 022512_craig-tally-new-NEW.jpg Craig Tally: Today’s idols not as visible, still strong

    The early nation of Israel existed in a time when people of differing tribes worshiped multiple gods. They fashioned idols to portray these gods, their features and their powers.

    May 21, 2012 1 Photo

  • r050112campnoah.jpg Four camps scheduled in Joplin to help children deal with tornado experience

    Nearly one year later, emotional scars remain from the disastrous Joplin tornado, and children are no exception.

    May 21, 2012 1 Photo

  • r050912faithbook.jpg Doctors in danger: Joplin author recalls growing up on the mission field

    The year was 1937. Mao Tse-tung and his soldiers were marching north as part of the Communist takeover of China, and nothing would stand in their way -- the least of whom would be 7-year-old Garland Bare, his missionary parents or the three other Bare children.

    May 14, 2012 1 Photo

  • Terry Mattingly: Tension builds between women, Vatican

    Truth is, tensions have been building for decades between the LCWR leadership and Vatican leaders. Thus, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith missive stressed that its call for reform was built on a lengthy study of materials created by “a particular conference of major superiors and therefore does not intend to offer judgment on the faith and life of Women Religious in the member congregations.”

    May 14, 2012

  • Church briefs (May 12 on)

    May 14, 2012

  • 022512_craig-tally-new-NEW.jpg Craig Tally: Parenting ideal for understanding idolatry

    It is generally believed that idolatry is wrong because of its connection to polytheism. However, the matter of having more than one god is the subject of the First Commandment, which clearly states that we are to have no other gods.

    May 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • 050212-FAITH-concrete2.jpg Nazarenes build three homes for tornado-stricken families

    The latest effort, spearheaded by the Joplin District Church of the Nazarene in Carthage, which has jurisdiction over 77 congregations in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas, has come in the form of three new Joplin homes.

    May 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • David Yount: Bible’s length daunts many

    The Bible can be a source of strength for young and old alike. But the challenge every reader of the Bible encounters at the outset is that it is formidable in length -- my copy runs to 1,862 pages of tiny type -- and, to all appearances, lacks a coherent plot.

    April 30, 2012