The long running traditional fish fry held annually on the last Sunday of September had perfect weather conditions. The location is Mt Hulda Congregation’s stone church setting atop a high hill that overlooks the Indian Creek Valley and is one of the older parishes in the area.
The Fish Fry is such a long running event that no one seems to recall anymore when it actually began. In the earlier days the congregation purchased fish from a fish farm at Stover and then a local church member, Glen Smith, allowed the men of the church to seine and catch fish from his well stocked ponds. As the dinner’s popularity grew the church finally began ordering the fish commercially.
The meal consists of fried fish, homemade French fries, cornbread, home baked white bread, Cole slaw, home grown tomatoes, green beans, German potato salad and lots and lots of cakes and pies, all made from scratch.
In the early days the fish was deep-fried in large black cast iron kettles on the back lawn. Presently the workers utilize gas operated fryers located in a screened kitchen area behind a large screened shelter house. The dinners had always been served in the church basement but growing attendance forced them to add the outdoor dining area which is generally a favorite with the attendees, although food is still served in the air-conditioned basement for those desiring a more controlled atmosphere.
The native, Ozark stone church was built in 1952 to replace an older frame building from the 1800s. The present day parsonage is a ranch style, built in 1975 to replace a two-story frame home that had been erected about 1900.
In December, 2004, a young minister, Allen Braun, accepted the call to become Pastor and brought his young wife Laura and baby daughter to take up the pastorate. The young family fell in love with the residents and the area and have stayed to raise a large family and become vital members in the community socially as well as his duties.
Pastor Braun certainly doesn’t let any grass grow beneath his feet as he also serves as Pastorial assistant to Trinity in Cole Camp, is a vacancy pastor for Iglesia Lutherana Amigos de cristo in Sedalia. He serves as Chaplain to the local Lakeview Heights Fire Department, serves as a Chaplain to the Missouri State Fire Department on the Fairgrounds, the first to ever fill the role, and is an Auxiliary Chaplain at Whiteman Air Base, but Mt Hulda remains home.
The Mt Hulda Church is small, but plays a large role in the area, and is always ready to reach out to help others. This year they donated part of their proceeds to the newly formed Lutheran High School in Cole Camp and also to the Lakeview Heights Fire Department. According to verbal accounts the organizers feel like attendance was down somewhat this year but still well attended. If you’ve never enjoyed this event, put it on your calendar for next year because it is truly five-star dining with great ambiance.
