FAIRBURY, Neb. - 1923 to 2023. That’s how long the Grace Lutheran Church has been a part of the Fairbury community. This weekend, the church celebrates turning 100.

Glen Emery is an avid hunter, and an Iowa native, but most members of his congregation know him by the title of pastor. For the last two and a half years, he’s spent his time conducting services at the church.

“The congregation has grown significantly... not just in numbers, but also in the church building space that we have,” Emery said. “We continue to be a strong, viable congregation not just in the Christian community, but also in the Fairbury community.”

Hitting the century mark is an accomplishment for any church, business, event, or organization. Emery tells NCN one of the keys for the church to hit 100, was its strong ties to the community.

“Obviously our congregation is here because we’re a group of like-minded people who worship the same lord and worship the same way, but we also recognize we’re an important asset into the community,” Emery said. “We want to not only help our own people, but also be of service to our community.”

Weekend celebrations include a free concert at 6:00 p.m. in the Burkley Fine Arts Center, as well as 8:30 and 11:00 AM masses on Sunday, featuring guest preacher Rev. Mark Bangert, and a 2:30 celebration.

While Emery may only be part of a few years of the 100 the church has seen, he was quick to say the people of the church, are his his biggest takeaway.

“The people are wonderful,” Emery said. “They’re rooted people, they’re salt of the earth people… They’re just a wonderful group of people to be with.”

With 100 years down, the church now looks ahead to the future. According to Emery, with a wide range of ages making up the congregation, that future, shines bright.

“A lot of congregations, by now fault of their own, are becoming much older,” Emery said. “We are blessed that we have a mix of older generation, with a younger generation coming. I think that speaks deep into our longevity into the future.”