Funerals     The church was used for funerals until September 23, 1953, when Mrs. Elizabeth (Williams) Parry was buried beside her husband Owen. Owen Parry came to the farming community as a single man in 1890.         The funeral and burial of Sergeant Robert 0. Parry was the largest funeral on record at the Postville Welsh Church. Sergeant Parry answered his country's call on September 20, 1917 and went to France where he took part in the great battles of the summer and fall of 1918. He was killed in action on October 15, 1918 in the second battle of the Argone Forest. His body arrived home in the Postville neighborhood on Saturday, September 24, 1919; eleven months after he was killed in action. It was at this time the Parry Post No. 283 of the American Legion of Platte Center, Nebraska, after whom it was named, took charge and directed the funeral services. Funeral services were conducted from the home and church by Rev. Griffith of the Postville Welsh Church. Fifty ex-servicemen from over the country carried the casket, on foot, from his home to the church. Autos reaching over a mile followed from the home to the cemetery, a distance of three quarters of a mile. One news article said more than 240 automobiles were in the funeral procession and was attended by nearly 2,000 people from through out the country.           Services     Services were held continuously from 1902 through 1922.       Over the year, the Postville Welsh Church at several ministers that served the Church     Rev. Kean Rev. J. Clarks     Rev. J.H. Griffith Rev. W.W. Hughes     Rev. H.O. Morris Rev. J.M. Griffiths     Rev. W.G. White Rev. R.W. Evans             1915-1924     Reverend W.W. Hughes held some services in 1915, 1916 and 1917. Reverend R.W. Evans was listed in 1918; then Reverend Hughes served again in 1919 and 1920. The Church was very active at this time with Sunday night services being held. Many young people attended these services. The Ladies Aid was very active as well.         From 1914 to 1948 members of the church belonged to the Presbyterian Synod. It was from 1914 to 1922 that the church was at its most active time. The church was host to many visiting ministers from the Synod. Some came from as far as Denver, Colorado and Mondane, Wisconsin. A Ladies Aid was formed during this period of time and was active with social events such as watermelon and ice cream feeds. The funds from their many activities were used for the upkeep of the church. The Ladies Aid remains today, but only as a social gathering.         In 1919 the Reverend W.W. Hughes who was pastor of the church, represented the church at the Synod in Denver at which time he invited the members to hold their Quarterly Synod meeting at the Postville Church in June of 1920. This meeting was held with many visiting ministers in attendance from Nebraska and out of state. It has been told by elders of the church that tents were erected to accommodate those in attendance. One tent was erected just north of the church in which the food was prepared and served. As there is no water well on the church grounds, this required all the water to be carried that was used as well as the food. Other tents were for living quarters. The meeting lasted for three days.         Reverend Hughes left Postville in 1920 to accept a call to a Church in Elgin, Nebraska. Reverend J.M. Griffith served the Church for the balance of 1920 and until October 31, 1922. Regular services were not held after that, but Reverend Henry Weber conducted services on Sunday evenings from May to August in 1925.           1925-1940     Reverend Hughes held services July 12, 1925 at which time he baptized several children. He visited again January 30, 1933 and held baptismal services once again.         Reverend W.G. White of Schuyler gave several sermons in 1928 and 1935 conducting communion and baptismal services. Services were held at the Church by Reverend Jones of Clarks, Nebraska and Reverend W.G. Griffith of Mondove, Wisconsin in 1934.         Reverend Thorpe of Platte Center conducted Sunday Evening Services once a month in 1940. Sunday school was very active from the early times through the 1960's.           1944-1970     Because regular services were not held, the Presbyterian Synod decided to sell the Church building. A meeting was held and since the Church Property was never deeded to the Presbyterian Synod, the members decided to withdraw from the Presbyterian Synod. No dues have been sent since 1948. The church is now known as the Postville Welsh Church.         *back to the top of the page*