Memorial Sunday in Woodstock-An Echo of Decoration Day

[patrickmurfin]

The other day Scott Wells over at Boy in the Bands asked “Does anyone still mark Memorial Day as Decoration Day, with cleaning and visiting graves, and taking lunch on the grounds?”

My attempt to reply was foiled by a technical snafu.  This is what I tried to say.

The annual Sunday service before Memorial Day at the Congregational Unitarian Church in Woodstock, Illinois has for several years echoed a 19th Century Decoration Day tradition.  The local Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)-including many members of what was then known as the First Congregational Church which was founded by Civil War veterans in 1866-annually sponsored a unique Decoration Day event.  Local residents gathered armloads of flowers from their gardens and marched-often by the hundreds-to the Chicago and Northwestern station to load a special train to the city with blooms.  The flowers were then used to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers and veterans.

After the GAR and its auxiliary raised money for an impressive Civil War Monument in the center of Woodstock Square in the 1890’s, the Decoration Day observances focused there with formal wreaths presented by the organizations and bouquets by the people.

When our congregation began holding annual services more than a decade ago, we symbolically revived the Decoration Day observances.  At the beginning of worship, the congregation leaves the church to process silently to the Square, a short two blocks away, behind an American flag.  Gathering around the Monument Rev. Dan Larsen leads a prayer and a moment of silence.  Some years a poem or other reflection is read.  Sometimes Taps is played or some other appropriate music is performed.  Then participants lay flowers on the Monument and return in silence to the church for the rest of the worship service.

By the way, the flag that leads the parade was donated to the church long ago in memory of Thomas Lounsbury, an 18 year old church member who died on the USS Arizona on December 7, 1949 and was the first Woodstock casualty of World War II.  This year participants in the parade and service included veterans of World War II, the Vietnam War, and the First Gulf War; the grand daughter of Civil War veteran and the relatives of many other veterans, and one aging draft resistor.

Here are pictures of this year’s event.




Leaving the Church




Jeff Levin leads the parade carying the Lousbury memorial flag.




Entering Woodstock Square.




Gathering at the Civil War Monument.




The Rev. Dan Larsen leads the prayers.




Tom and Joan Skiba lay their flowers.  Joan was an Army trauma nurse in Vietnam and annually adds poignant testimony to the following worship service.