Step Back In Time For A Traditional Christmas
Christmas at Prairie Grove Chapel feels like stepping into the kind of scene most people only see on a greeting card. On Tuesday, December 23, the tiny white church along Old Trail Road will once again glow with candlelight as the community gathers for two Christmas services, at 5 p.m. (doors open at 4:30) and 7 p.m. The services are free and open to all, continuing a local tradition that has quietly grown into one of Waynedale’s most nostalgic holiday experiences. In keeping with prior years, there are no tickets required, and all are simply invited to arrive a bit early, find a seat, and settle into the stillness of the chapel before worship begins.
Inside, the chapel’s simplicity sets the tone. Built for a small rural congregation, the sanctuary still holds two neat rows of wooden pews leading to a modest pulpit and a Christmas tree that casts a soft, warm light into the room. Candles in the tall Gothic windows add a gentle glow that deepens as dusk settles outside. This year’s services will again feature live music and congregational carols, allowing worshipers to lend their voices to familiar hymns in a setting that feels both intimate and timeless. After each service, guests are encouraged to stay for cookies, coffee, and hot cider, while visiting with friends and neighbors before stepping back out into the winter night.
Prairie Grove Chapel’s appeal is more than atmosphere. The building carries a story that stretches back more than a century and a half. Constructed in the late 1850s by the United Brethren in Christ, it reflects the simple rural churches that once dotted the Midwest. By the 1870s local residents were gathering here regularly to worship and tend to the grounds. In its early years, the chapel welcomed circuit-riding ministers who traveled from one small congregation to another, helping bind together the scattered farm communities that would eventually grow into modern Waynedale and southwest Fort Wayne.
That history has faced real tests. In 2008, a fire in the rear of the building caused significant damage to the sanctuary, leaving parts of the interior exposed and destroying at least one original pew. Rather than accepting the loss, volunteers and supporters stepped forward to repair and restore the structure as faithfully as possible. Their efforts preserved the chapel’s historic character and ensured that it could continue to serve as a gathering place for worship and remembrance.
Since Christmas services resumed after the restoration, this quiet celebration has become a cherished seasonal marker for many families. The ringing of bells, the soft light in the windows, and the rows of worshipers filling the pews have all become part of a shared story that now spans multiple generations. All are welcome to attend on December 23 to experience a simple service of Scripture, prayer, and song, offered in a space that looks much as it did for earlier worshipers.
Families, neighbors, and visitors from across the city are welcome to come as they are, share in the music and message, then linger over refreshments and conversation.
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