SIDNEY — One of the features of Sidney, Ohio’s Civil War Living History Weekend will be “battlefield” religious services. The Rev. George Gnade, pastor of Sidney’s First Baptist Church, will hold a period Baptist service in a tent at Tawawa Park on Sunday morning. While the time of the service has not yet been determined, it will include scripture readings and music from the Civil War era.
“I’m really looking forward to the weekend and the opportunity to step back in time,” Gnade said.
At 7:15 a.m., the Rev. Frank Amberger, pastor of the Church of the Holy Angels, well celebrate a Latin Low Mass on the “battlefield” for both soldiers and civilians. The park will open early so that visitors who may want to attend can do so.
“The Latin Mass really has not changed significantly in the years since the Civil War,” Amberger said. “In that sense, the Mass will not be re-enacted, but will be a Roman Catholic liturgical celebration and in keeping with the period, it will be a Low Mass with no music.”
“Although religious services are apparently not a part of many reenactments, I thought it was important to include them as part of our program,” Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst and a member of the event’s steering committee stated. “A strong faith was certainly important to our community at the time, and remains important today. Too often religion is not included in public events, and I think that is a shame. I am delighted that both Pastor Gnade and Father Amberger have agreed to participate in our inaugural event.”
During the Civil War, both the Union and Confederate forces had chaplains attached to their units. Both sides recognized the need for spiritual guidance among the troops. For many of the troops, it was the first time they had been away from their homes and families, and certainly the first time most of them experienced the slaughter of the battlefield. Their faith provided the greatest sustainer of morale – faith sustained them during their many trials on and off the battlefield.
Although no Civil War battles were fought anywhere near Sidney, a considerable number of local men served in the Union Army during the Civil War. In fact, the 1860 Census records that Shelby County had a population of 17,493. Of that number 8,960 were male, and a staggering 14 percent of them served in the Army during the war. Of those, 25.58 percent (326) died in the service of their country.
A final schedule of events will be published prior to the Civil War Living History Weekend. The event is slated to be held in Tawawa Park Sept. 17-18. In addition to the church services, there will be skirmishing between Confederate and Union troops, major battles fought both days, a number of educational presentations, and a band concert Saturday evening. The event is being co-sponsored by the Shelby County Historical Society and the city of Sidney.
