Shofner's Chapel observes bicentennial

More than 300 friends and family gathered around Shofner's Chapel this weekend to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the church.

The first Sunday in June has traditionally been a homecoming day for members of the Shofner and Jenkins families, as well as others who have worshiped at the chapel and their families.

"We usually get 100, 150," said Ann Shofner, the driving force behind the bicentennial event. "We had more than 300!"

When the Shofner family first came to Bedford County, it was from North Carolina. On Saturday and Sunday, they were coming to Bedford County from North Carolina again -- and South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Alabama...

"People were seeing each other who hadn't seen each other in years and years," she said.

Saturday's events included opening ceremonies at the chapel, with Allen Shoffner speaking on the history of the congregation and Mary Ann Scott addressing genealogy, especially the family tree of her ancestor, William Jenkins, who served as pastor for decades.

At the opening ceremony, Ann read from an ancestor's journal which detailed the very first Shofner reunion, held in 1900. Her brother Chris Shofner, sang the same song to open the 2008 that was sung in 1900 -- "America."

A choir from the Mt. Zion Haley Missionary Baptist Church sang "When the Saints Come Marching In." Mt. Zion was established around 1870 by former slaves who had worshipped at Shofner's Lutheran Church after the war, until their own church was built.

Saturday was spent at Fred Shofner's farm, an afternoon of carriage rides and conversation, where the visitors enjoyed box lunches -- complete with Moon Pies -- and home-made ice cream that had been churned by horsepower. They sat on the porches and tried to figure out who was related to whom, and they drifted down the Duck River in canoes and kayaks.

A bluegrass band entertained that night at Martin Shofner's farm, but the rain canceled the bonfire.

The rain may have dampened the grass and dirt roads around Shofner's Chapel this weekend, but it didn't dampen spirits. About 30 of the visitors made it to the top of hill on Martin's property for an early service at 8 a.m. Sunday. The site was behind where the current building now stands.

"We believe this is where the original church was," said Martin. "It's the first time in 140 years there's been a service on the original site."

Seats were set up where the Shofners thought the pews must have been, and the pulpit as well.

"We were on top of that hill and you could hear the thunder, but still see the sun peeking through the clouds," said Ann. "Getting up that second big hill was the big adventure of the day. People came in their own cars and half the cars couldn't make it."

Some, she said, made it by horse and carriage or by golf cart. The service was performed by John Ashley and accompanied by a dulcimer player.

"We held hands in a circle, had communion. It was beautiful," said Ann. "It was memorable and fun and everything we hoped it would be."