Big Creek Methodist Church sits on a lonely corner in Monroe County, the church spire a local landmark for those who travel Big Creek Road and beyond. It still has the horse shed where horse and buggies were parked during services. It still has 14 simple pews and glass-paned windows. What it doesn’t have anymore is a congregation.

Services are no longer held at the little church, founded in 1874. In 2003, the church closed its doors due to a dwindling congregation. It was unconsecrated and donated along with some maintenance funds to the Monroe County Historical Society.

Though the church had been maintained, the historical society has since painted it, tuckpointed the chimney and glazed the windows.

And there is a garden.

Judi Ruedy, who lives in the area, kept driving by the now-empty church and thought what it really needed was a gardener. And because Ruedy was a master gardener in search of a community project, she volunteered to plant and maintain a garden at the former Big Creek United Methodist Church.

It is bittersweet for Laurie Hesselberg. She grew up attending the church, moved away for decades and came back in retirement. The church has likely never looked better, but she no longer can attend services there.

“This is the church I was baptized in,” she said, as she walked through the church museum.

“It was so small,” she said, “and the elderly congregation couldn’t support it.”

Still, she loves to take visitors on a tour of the church and grounds, pointing out grave markers and the horse-chewed beams in the shed, which was built with square nails and has lasted through the decades.

“I learned how to wait tables in that horse shed,” Hesselberg said, working at the old-fashioned ice cream socials in her youth.

Those ice cream socials have been revived, complete with ice cream, homemade pie, barbecue and visits with old friends. It is the biggest fundraiser they do, Hesselberg said, and they hope to raise about $1,000 on Sunday, Aug. 24.

Part of the attraction of the old church is now the garden. With help and flower donations from some of the other volunteers, Ruedy has built the main garden around the sign for the church, filling it with lilies and coneflowers, Walker’s Low nepeta, purple sedum, gloriosa daisies and Stella d’oro lilies.

“It’s the fourth year and everything is taking off,” Ruedy said.

There also are flower beds near the horse shed and the edge of the property, backed by fields of corn that provide a green backdrop.

Because the garden is now flourishing, it will be a featured part of the social with gardening items and plants being sold at the social.

“It’s such a pretty little spot,” said Janice Knutson, another volunteer.

The church will be open during the social for those interested in the history of the church and members. Items on display include a marker from a Civil War veteran’s grave.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Fifth annual ice cream social fundraiser

WHERE: Former Big Creek Methodist Church, between Sparta and Bangor, 1.5 miles north of Hwy. 16 at the corner of Highway BC and Garden Avenue

WHEN: 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24

AT THE SOCIAL: Barbecues, pickles, chips, beverages, pie, cake and homemade ice cream will be served for a donation of $5. Pie and ice cream may be purchased separately.

HISTORY: The former Big Creek Methodist Church was founded in 1874. It is a small country church, able to hold only about 100 people. Many of the descendants of the congregation still live in the area and work to maintain the property.

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