Garrettsville – Parishioners at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Garrettsville have plenty to celebrate as they gear up for two big anniversaries.
The parish turns 75 this year, an event that coincides with the 60th anniversary of the church’s Chicken Dinner Festival. It seems St. Ambrose has been feeding souls – and people – almost since its establishment as a mission in 1944.
The 75th anniversary is being celebrated June 8 with Mass followed by a catered dinner and dance for adult members of the parish. A family picnic is planned for Sept. 29. Youngstown Diocese Bishop George Murry will officiate Mass that morning at the parish.
The Chicken Dinner Festival held the last weekend of June, is a regional favorite, drawing families, former parishioners, and out-of-town visitors. Parishioners cook chicken over large charcoal pits on the church grounds at the corner of Windham and Freedom streets in the heart of Garrettsville. The festival serves between 600-800 pies and 2,000 dinners throughout the busy weekend. With its game tent, raffles, kids’ activities and other events, parishioners of all ages step up to volunteer.
The festival this year is June 29 and 30. Polka bands and a polka Mass are planned for Saturday; Sunday features bluegrass bands. An antique tractor show will be held throughout the grounds all weekend.
A Rich History
By the end of the Civil War, Garrettsville’s population grew with the arrival of a few Catholic families from New York. They traveled 18 miles to attend Mass in Warren. In the mid-1880s, a mission was established with a priest from Warren whose territory covered Garrettsville, Aurora, Solon, Bainbridge, Nelson, Cortland and Newton Falls. Father Ambrose Weber made his way through the sprawling region with a handcar that he used on the Erie Railroad Line. Mass in Garrettsville was held in a house near the railroad tracks.
The mission continued until 1901. For the next 40 years, Garrettsville Catholics headed to Warren, Mantua, Ravenna and Parkman to attend church.
Garrettsville’s Catholic population jumped almost overnight with the start of World War II and construction of the nearby Ravenna Arsenal that brought in more than 14,000 workers. The influx of Catholics, coupled with wartime gas rationing, prompted the diocese (then Cleveland) to establish a mission in Garrettsville.
The first Mass was held in March 1942 in the basement of the Garrettsville Opera House. When it outgrew those quarters, the church rented a house at the corner of Maple and Center streets. Two of the parish’s earliest members, Ruth Coz, 91, and Helen Danku, 90, recall the days when latecomers to Mass had to grab a seat in the kitchen. From time to time, a pot of potatoes was cooking on the stove for Sunday dinner; those seated nearby had to stir the pot to keep them from burning.
The diocese bought the current church property in 1946, along with the adjoining 1880s home that now serves as the parish offices and rectory for the church pastor, Father Steve Zeigler. Masses initially were held in the rectory with parishioners seated throughout the house. The current church was constructed next to the rectory. Members celebrated their first Mass there on Christmas Day, 1954.
Looking Toward the Future
Today, St. Ambrose has about 200 active families, making it one of the smallest parishes in the Youngstown Diocese, although its impact reaches far beyond the church walls. With more than 30 ministries, parishioners are generous with their money, time and talent.
The Parish School Religion Program has about 135 students with 16 catechists and three youth ministers. They meet weekly in space provided by the James A. Garfield School District at the elementary school.
Last Christmas, parishioners donated 160 wrapped gifts to the needy, many going to the Garrettsville Area Chamber of Commerce People Tree program. Weekly Bingo games, the twice-yearly Altar & Rosary Society rummage sales, Christmas concerts, the annual Breakfast with Santa, Halloween parties, Easter Egg Hunts, and of course, the Chicken Dinner Festival, draw not only parishioners but hundreds of others throughout the Garrettsville community.
The parish also has been blessed with the talents of its members. Internationally acclaimed local wood sculptor Joe Leonard’s carvings enhance the altar and lectern in the sanctuary. Behind the altar hang two large, stained glass crosses designed by Ron Stoner. Sections of the glass are replaced throughout the year to align with the church calendar and holy days. An intricately carved wooden replica of The Last Supper displayed above the back entrance of the church was made by Richard Cermak.
While still-to-be-announced changes are planned for the diocese in the next year, St. Ambrose’s rich history and vibrant parish community have given it a solid foundation for whatever the future holds, says Fr. Zeigler.
Deep ties to the community, committed parishioners, and a passion for the Catholic faith have kept St. Ambrose a vital part of the Garrettsville area for 75 years. No wonder it has a lot to celebrate!
