Get ready for the St. Mark annual Chicken BBQ. Photo by Carolyn Krause
BY DEB AND TIM SMITH
As St. Mark Lutheran Church in Mendon celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2026, the congregation is also marking another milestone this year – the 100th anniversary of its annual Chicken BBQ, a long-standing tradition that has brought the community together for generations.
The church will host its 100th Chicken BBQ on Saturday, April 25, at the Mendon Fire Hall, 101 Mendon Ionia Road, with serving beginning at 4:00 p.m. and continuing until sold out. Meals will be available for both take-out and sit-down dining. Weather permitting, yard games will also be set up outside the fire hall for community members to enjoy.
The meal will consist of one half chicken, macaroni salad, Cole slaw, roll & butter, and apple or cherry pie. If dining in – decaf coffee and water will be available. The suggested donation for this superb BBQ dinner is $18.00.
St. Mark Lutheran Church, located at 18 Victor-Mendon Road in Mendon, traces its beginnings back to September 15, 1901, when the first Lutheran worship service in the town was held in the rear kitchen shed of the historic Mendon Grange Hall. (For those who would benefit from a buildings update, the old Grange Hall is the 4th building from the corner mini-mart, on the north side of Rush Mendon Rd. in the hamlet of Mendon)
Just a few years later, on April 12, 1904, the congregation broke ground for its first church building. Faithful members excavated the basement by hand using teams of horses, hauling fieldstones to the site and completing the foundation walls in just fourteen days. The cornerstone was laid on May 28, 1904, and the newly built church was dedicated on September 25 of that same year.
Community meals have been part of the life of the congregation for nearly as long. On November 4, 1926, the Ladies Aid Society of St. Mark sponsored the first chicken dinner at the Mendon Grange Hall, beginning a tradition that quickly became an annual event eagerly awaited by many in the community. In the 1960s, the dinner evolved into the Chicken BBQ that continues to this day.
In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the church’s chicken dinner tradition, the congregation decided to give this year’s event a special purpose.
“In the past, the BBQ has been a fundraiser to support the work of St. Mark,” said Rev. Brad Urlaub, pastor of the church. “But this year, because it marks the 100th anniversary of the BBQ and our 125th anniversary as a congregation, we wanted to do something different. God has blessed us so we can be a blessing, so we want this to be a way to give thanks and bless the community we have been a part of for so many years.”
Instead of using the proceeds for the church itself, funds raised from this year’s BBQ will be used to help support the FISH Food Closet, which serves families in Honeoye Falls, Mendon, and West Bloomfield.
“We see this as an opportunity to turn the celebration outward,” Rev. Urlaub said. “God has blessed St. Mark for 125 years, and we want to share that blessing with others, especially those in need in our local community.”
Members say the Chicken BBQ has long been one of the church’s most anticipated events, drawing not only congregation members but also many local residents who return year after year. Church leaders say the event reflects the mission that guides St. Mark.
“Our mission is to be disciples of Jesus by connecting our community to Christ,” Rev. Urlaub said. “Events like the Chicken BBQ are one way we live that out, by welcoming people, serving our neighbors, and giving thanks for the many years God has given us together.”
More information about St. Mark Lutheran Church, worship times, and upcoming anniversary events can be found at www.stmarkmendon.org.
