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 Lord's Acre Festival
What is a Lord's Acre Festival?
Fundraiser
The Lord’s Acre program was developed in the southeastern United States as a means of raising funds in small congregations. A portion or “acre” of a church member’s land was set aside to raise crops to be sold to benefit the church. Those without land could set aside a portion of their needlework, craft items, or any other saleable talent they possessed. The Lord’s Acre Festival is a sale of those donations. Wolfsville’s Lord’s Acre Festival works just that way. What comes in is a surprise to everyone. The festival is held once each year on the second Saturday in September. All items go on sale at 4:00 p.m. The festival ends after the 8:00 p.m. auction, which is usually about 9:30 p.m. Admission is free and so is parking. The event is held rain or shine.
Good Food
Many people attend the festival year after year, to enjoy the homemade food that has been consistently delicious for so many years. Festival goers enjoy the homemade soups (beef vegetable, ham bean, turkey noodle), sandwiches (country ham, turkey salad, hot beef, hot dog, chili dog, kraut dog), baked goods (cookies, pies, cakes, pastry, fudge, candy, more), hand-dipped ice cream, soft drinks, coffee, and water. Tables are available for eating a snack or an evening meal. Food may also be ordered to go.
Crafts
A wide variety of homemade fancy needlework and craft items are on sale, including Christmas ornaments, quilts, and more.
Produce
The produce area usually includes fresh produce, such as peaches, plums, potatoes, cucumbers, apples, pears, red beets, grapes, tomatoes, sweet corn, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, onions, green beans, lima beans, peppers, cabbage, squash, pumpkins and gourds. Also, canned peaches, pickles, homemade jellies and jams are available.
Flea Tables
The flea tables include a wide variety of household items in good condition at bargain prices.
Youth Activities
The youth sell grab bags, snow cones, funnel cakes, adopt-a-(stuffed) pet, used books and puzzles, and a silent auction.
Garden Corner
The garden corner sells a variety of potted plants.
Entertainment
People bring their lawn chairs to stay all evening and enjoy the Christian music.
Auction
An auction of numerous unsold items begins at 8:00 p.m. The auction concludes the festival.
Lord's Acre Beginnings
First Festival
On October 8, 1960, during the pastorate of Rev. John W. Schildt, Salem Church held its first Lord’s Acre Festival in Wolfsville. Church records tell us the profits from the first festival totaled $742.34. This report reflects the generousity of the small Salem congregation at that time. It appears that nearly everything was donated, thus keeping the festival’s expenses to a minimum. The entertainment, “The Little German Band,” was paid $40.00; advertising in the Frederick News-Post cost $6.25 and The Valley Register (the weekly Middletown Valley newspaper) cost $1.44. Other expenses included $42.63 for supplies. At that time, little did the congregation know that this festival would grow into the major event it is today.
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In The Old Wolfsville School
When the Frederick County Board of Education constructed the new Wolfsville Elementary School and no longer had a need for the old school, Salem Church purchased the old school property. The school property was located adjacent to the original Salem Church building. Church officials very wisely purchased the property in 1959, which would allow for future expansion of church buildings and ministries. The church used the old school building for almost 10 years for various youth activities, and also the Lord’s Acre Festival. So, during the 1960’s, the festival was held in the old Wolfsville School. All of the activities were indoors on the lower level of the school building, which was decorated with harvest-time decorations by the Youth Fellowship. Within this confined area, there were produce and needlework sales, a food stand, a grab bag sale, and an area for the entertainment and the auction. Rows of chairs were provided for watching the entertainment, the auction, or for visiting with friends. At that time, the festivals were held in early October and portable heaters were needed for warmth. The crowds grew larger each year during the late 1960’s. It was very crowded and noisy inside that old school house.
The Festival Moves to the Ruritan Park
During those early years, the condition of the old school house was deteriorating, especially the floor on the lower level. So, in 1970, the Church decided to move the festival to the Wolfsville Ruritan Park on Brandenburg Hollow Road in Wolfsville. At the park, the festival had room to grow, and that it did.
Festivals at the Park
At the park, the festival grew. During the 1970’s, the crowds increased, the profits doubled and then tripled. The Youth Fellowship always set the mood with harvest-time decorations. Corn shocks line the pavilion’s edge, pumpkins, gourds, and streamers added color to the event. A flea market table was added in 1975. During the 1980’s, the festival continued to be successful. In 1984, the 25th Lord’s Acre Festival, a beautiful and unique quilt containing scenes of Wolfsville past and present, made by the women of the church, was sold at auction for the surprising price of $5,000.00. In 1996, hand dipped ice cream was added to the menu, giving pie eaters the option to have it a la mode. In the late 1990’s, snow cones were added and a dunk tank was enjoyed in 2000 and 2001. Also in 2001, a garden corner was added to sell plants, and in 2002 the youth added funnel cakes to the festival.
Ingredient for Success
Salem is fortunate to have an abundance of fabulous bakers. Every year, these fine individuals turn out a tremendous number of pies, cakes, cookies and the like. And many have been baking for a long time and have learned to add the ingredients without looking at the recipe. This is somewhat like the Lord’s Acre Festival. This event has been very successful over the years, but its success is dependent upon some very important ingredients.
Good Weather
God certainly has blessed our festivals with good weather over the years. The weather is often so pleasant that many festival goers bring their lawn chairs and stay all evening. Only one year did folks have to stay under the pavilion due to rain.
Good Crowd
The Wolfsville community and beyond have been faithful supporters of this event over the years.
Donated Items
Many church members and friends work long and hard on items to be sold.
Good Music
The crowd is entertained with gospel music. Music with a Christian message is an important ingredient.
Good Help
It is very gratifying to see so many people working together in a wonderful spirit of cooperation. Without the help of so many of Salem’s members and friends, this event could not continue year after year as it has so beautifully.
Good Purpose
This is the most important ingredient for success. Our purpose must always be to present the Lord’s Acre Festival in such a way as to glorify God. We pray we do.
Years at a Glance
Entertainment:
1960 - Little German Band
1961 - Little German Band
1962 - Little German Band
1963 - Little German Band
1964 - Little German Band
1965 - Little German Band
1966 - Little German Band
1967 - Little German Band
1968 - Covalt Family
1969 - Little German Band
1970 - Harmony Band
1971 - Little German Band
1972 - Little German Band
1973 - Harmony Band
1974 - Harmony Band
1975 - Middletown Band
1976 - Middletown Band
1977 - Spruce Run Band
1978 - Shorb Brothers
1979 - Shorb Brothers
1980 - Shorb Brothers
1981 - Catoctin Gospel Quartet
1982 - The Ecumen
1983 - The Ecumen
1984 - The Ecumen
1985 - Sweet Deliverance
1986 - The Beacons
1987 - The Ecumen
1988 - The Ecumen
1989 - The Ecumen
1990 - Gospel Travelers
1991 - Melodies of Praise
1992 - Wingert Family
1993 - Gospel Travelers
1994 - Morning Star Singers
1995 - Wingert Family
1996 - Gospel Travelers
1997 - Gospel Travelers
1998 - Gospel Travelers
1999 - The Brothers
2000 - Wingert Family
2001 - The Brothers
2002 - The Brothers
2003 - The Wilsons
2004 - The Wilsons (Southern Gospel) and Jason Bearinger (Contemporary Praise)
2005 - Randy Simpson (Southern Gospel) and Jason Bearinger (Contemporary Praise)
2006 - Harmony Road (Bluegrass Gospel) and Jason Bearinger (Contemporary Praise)
2007 - Harmony Road (Bluegrass Gospel) and Aflame (Contemporary Praise)
2008 - Harmony Road (Bluegrass Gospel) and Aflame (Contemporary Praise) and Joann Leatherman & Marlene Young (Traditional Praise)
Profits:
1960 - $742.34
1961 - 604.43
1962 - 732.91
1963 - 742.26
1964 - 798.31
1965 - 929.11
1966 - 1,204.99
1967 - 1,271.40
1968 - 1,389.52
1969 - 1,649.59
1970 - 1,993.87
1971 - 1,764.91
1972 - 2,404.15
1973 - 2,288.35
1974 - 3,000.44
1975 - 3,258.86
1976 - 3,500.00
1977 - 3,483.40
1978 - 3,504.51
1979 - 4,129.21
1980 - 4,546.50
1981 - 4,415.66
1982 - 3,706.74
1983 - 4,425.99
1984 - 10,129.67
1985 - 4,895.00
1986 - 4,576.85
1987 - 5,181.36
1988 - 6,012.26
1989 - 7,282.12
1990 - 6,032.45
1991 - 5,377.47
1992 - 5,556.84
1993 - 6,459.31
1994 - 8,190.05
1995 - 8,576.32
1996 - 9,022.31
1997 - 8,534.50
1998 - 7,947.44
1999 - 9,711.01
2000 - 8,885.47
2001 - 10,102.70
2002 - 8,344.57
2003 - 9,700.71
2004 - 11,070.42
2005 - 17,463.92
2006 - 18,284.88
2007 - 13,634.91
2008 - 19,926.24
Use of Profits:
1967 - Constructed two-story educational building with six classrooms, secretary’s office, restrooms, kitchen, and assembly area.
1968 - New parking lot.
1969 - Demolished old Wolfsville School and cleared site.
1971 - Constructed storage building.
1974 - Constructed parsonage with pastor’s study, living room, dining room, kitchen, five bedrooms, two full baths, and basement.
1980 - Installed sound systemin sanctuary.
1984 - Purchased new Yamaha piano for sanctuary.
1985 - Installed cassette deck to record worship services.
1986 - Renovated kitchen. Purchased new appliances. Constructed new curb and sidewalk.
1988 - Refinished hardwood floors and replaced carpet in sanctuary.
1991 - Installed ceiling fans in sanctuary.
1992 - Purchased new Allen organ for sanctuary.
1993 - Enlarged and repaved parking lot.
1998 - Parking lot enlarged again. Purchased air conditioners for assembly area.
2000 - Installed air conditioning in sanctuary.
2002 - Constructed elevator, handicap restroom, storage rooms, water fountain, new flooring in kitchen, assembly area, and hallway.
2003 - Restored church steeple, and upgraded electrical in the educational building.
2004 - Painted exterior of church and educational building.
2005 - Purchased new storage building and installed a Constant Voltage Transformer on the elevator.
2006 - Base Map for Site Plan for future educational building addition. Purchased new tables and new kitchen stove for educational building. Purchased equipment for new contemporary worship service.
2007 - Sanctuary interior was painted with new colors (shades of beige), and the parking lot was enlarged, adding 26 more parking spaces.
2008 - Repaired sanctuary floor understructure; repaired and waterproofed classroom walls; removed three trees from the parsonage front yard; replaced carpet in three rooms in educational building; and renovated the parsonage.
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