ROSSVILLE — The Vermilion County Museum Society, in conjunction with Vermilion County’s 200th celebration will host a gospel sing from 1:30-4 p.m. Sunday, June 14 at the historic Mann’s Chapel.
According to a release, guests will be celebrating 200 years of Vermilion County’s Christian Heritage.
The chapel will be open throughout the day for tours and light refreshments will be served. A large tent is being erected adjacent to the chapel. From 2-3:30 p.m. a special musical program will be presented. Scheduled to perform are Kimberly Jo Montgomery, from Danville, followed by an audience gospel sing-along under the direction of Chrissy Rigsby, local musical performer, and finishing with Marvin Lee, well-known area gospel performer. For more comfortable seating guests are encouraged to bring along a lawn chair.
Representatives from area churches are invited to attend, to recognize their church and the year it was established in the county. Photographs and memorabilia about the chapel will be on display. If couples were married in the chapel, and they would like to share their wedding photograph to be put on display with their name and marriage date, they can be sent to the Museum at vermilioncounty@att.net or texted to 447-276-7119.
For information contact the Vermilion County Museum at 217-442-2922, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mann’s Chapel, the oldest surviving church structure in Vermilion County, was dedicated in September of 1857. Samuel Elliott, a Methodist circuit preacher, conducted the first services.
The English style church was built for $3,000 with funds pledged by the congregation. Samuel and Elizabeth Gilbert donated land in 1855. The chapel was named for Abraham Mann, a native of England, who donated the bricks he had fired to use for his new house for the Chapel’s construction.
By 1926 the congregation had dwindled to such small numbers that it became financially impossible to support and maintain the building. In 1956 the Mann’s Chapel Restoration Committee was formed in Rossville to restore the Chapel. Through the efforts of this committee, the Chapel was beautifully restored.
In 1968 the Chapel was donated to the Vermilion County Museum Society. The Chapel is available for weddings, special church services, or other appropriate ceremonies by calling the Museum at 217-442-2922.