By Staff
POKAGON - Nearing the century mark, the 92nd Old Rugged Cross (ORC) Anniversary Celebration is set for Sunday, Sept. 18 at 2 p.m., at The Old Rugged Cross Historic Site in Pokagon with The Promissory Notes Mountain Dulcimer Group entertaining.
The Promissory Notes group performs on mountain dulcimers and other folk instruments such as guitar, banjo and autoharp. They have performed together for about six years.
Group members come from Edwardsburg and Elkhart, Goshen, and Osceola, Ind. They focus on folk and gospel selections, but recently performed Civil War era songs at a Civil War reenactment at Bonneville Mill, in Bristol, Ind. ORC Celebration selections may include, "I Feel Like Traveling On", "Precious Memories", and "Will the Circle be Unbroken."
Pastor Jeff Reese, of Hope United Methodist Church of Edwardsburg, will present a sermon about what the cross means to us today.
The Celebration will be in The Old Rugged Cross Memorial Garden. If the weather is not visitor friendly, the service will be held in the Pokagon United Methodist Church, across Kansas Street from the Garden. There is no admission charge. Attendees are urged to bring their own lawn chairs and to dress for the weather.
The Historic Site is one block south of Pokagon Highway, just east of Highway M-51, halfway between Niles and Dowagiac.
The one-acre site includes The Original Old Rugged Cross Church and The Old Rugged Cross Memorial Garden. The church is where the hymn, "The Old Rugged Cross," was sung publicly in its entirety for the first time after its composer, Rev. George Bennard, completed it in 1913.
The Original Old Rugged Cross Church is a Registered Michigan Historic Site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The facility is being restored as closely as possible to its 1913 appearance and materials, to serve as a museum and community center for special, scheduled events. Tours of the church will be available as part of the Anniversary Celebration.
The half-acre Old Rugged Cross Memorial Garden is available for group tours, weddings and other special, scheduled activities, as well as for unscheduled meditation. 
Information about the Anniversary Celebration and the Old Rugged Cross Historic Site is available by writing to the Old Rugged Cross Foundation at P.O. Box 41, Niles, MI 49120 or by sending an e-mail inquiry to orcf@aol.com. The Foundations telephone number is 269-683-4540.
The Internet address is www.the-oldruggedcross.org.