By Mary Knapke

DAYTON DEANERY - In the early 1850s people still traveled between Cincinnati and Toledo by water along the Miami and Erie Canal. Some of these passengers may have been the traveling missionary priests who stopped in Tippecanoe, a town along the canal that was home to a small number of Catholic families.

Today that town is known as Tipp City, and what was once a small number of Catholic families has become a vibrant faith community of 2,359 with a long and rich history. On Sept. 21 at 10:30 a.m., St. John the Baptist Church will celebrate its 150-year history with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk. Current pastor Father Marc Sherlock will concelebrate along with Father Eugene Vonderhaar, who previously served as parish administrator, and several retired priests. A luncheon will follow.

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St. John the Baptist Church in Tipp City

Father Sherlock has been pastor of St. John since 2004. He noted the parish's "strong sense of community" as one of its key strengths.

"Young and old seem to work together," he said. "When a parishioner or community member is in need, the people of the parish seem to respond in an almost overwhelming way."

Father Sherlock praised the parish staff and highlighted the bereavement committee and shawl ministry as two of the many special groups serving the needs of the parish community. Members of the bereavement committee are "very compassionate and helpful to families planning a funeral and grieving the loss of a loved one," he said. Members of the shawl ministry knit shawls for sick and homebound parishioners, providing "a real physical reminder that the parish cares for them."

After his first year as pastor, Father Sherlock lowered the age necessary for parishioners to serve as choir members, extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, lectors and ushers. "Slowly but steadily we are seeing more of our young people take active roles in the liturgy on a regular basis," he said.

The first church building for the St. John the Baptist community was dedicated in October 1858, and services were held once a month. A new church, built in 1911, served the community until 1998, when the present location was dedicated. Painted glass windows depicting the life of the parish's patron, St. John the Baptist, were taken from the previous church building and incorporated in the new construction. A classroom and banquet hall were dedicated three years ago.

Throughout its history, approximately 46 traveling and assigned priests have served the parish. In addition, two seminary students recently completed their internship year at St. John.

Bob Miller, a third-generation St. John's parishioner whose parents and grandparents were also members, became acquainted with 24 of the priests who served the parish over the years, beginning with his baptism in 1922. As a child, Miller served as an altar boy, and he recalls the sound of church bells ringing throughout the town on Sunday mornings, including those at St. John. "The bells would ring half an hour before Mass, then again five minutes before," Miller said. "In good weather everyone would congregate outside the church to talk, then go inside when the five minute bell rang."

The parish is hoping the bells from the original church will soon ring again, said Miller, and is in the process of raising the funds to build a bell tower to house them. The bells will be electronically controlled and be rung for Masses, weddings, funerals and special parish celebrations, he said.

In reflecting on the parish's long history, Miller said, "We've had good priests and faithful people that have kept our church strong and active. We've come a long way."

Father Sherlock added, "It is a privilege for me to be pastor of a parish celebrating 150 years of celebrating the sacraments, teaching the good news and serving the community with our time, talent and treasure.