2011 Historic Bethlehem Partnership Reception

The Historic Bethlehem Partnership held their annual reception at St John's Windish Evangelical Lutheran Church on November 9. Jay and I bought a family membership this summer, so we thought it might be nice to attend. The church is located in south Bethlehem, and I've driven by it many times on my way into work.

Although the reception was celebrating the Historic Bethlehem Partnership, it was also open to non-members for a small fee. At least 200 people were at the event, filling the reception room to capacity. The activities of the evening started with a review of the current year for the Historic Bethlehem Partnership, as well as a preview of their upcoming events.

As we listened to a speaker discussing the history of the Windish people (from Slovenia, formerly part of Yugoslavia), we munched on hors d'oeuvres that included a slice of pickle, hardboiled egg, prosciutto wrapped around bread and a bowl of cabbage and noodles.

After everyone had eaten, we walked over to the church and heard a talk about the history of the church, which was founded in 1910, followed by some singing in Windish. The most interesting things about the church were the high altar (no longer used partly because it's too hard to climb up there) and the fact that the church contains art of both St John and John the Baptist. No one knows which John the church is named after.

We finished the evening by going back into the hall and having dessert. There were several dessert samples on each plate, but not all of the plates were exactly the same. Jay and I discovered that when he told me he had some delicious apple strudel. He pointed it out on my plate, so I took a bite. Mine was cabbage strudel! I don't think I'd try that again. I did like the poppyseed roll, known to the Windish as potica. I also ate a piece of gibanica, which is a layer cake containing poppy seeds, walnuts, apples, raisins and cottage cheese.

I'm not Windish, but my mother's family was from Slovakia. The desserts I had at the reception were very similar to pastries my mother bakes. The most interesting thing about them is that they aren't super sweet. It's a reminder how sugary American treats are.

I had a wonderful time celebrating the history of Bethlehem. I hope to attend more functions within my city in the coming year. Bethlehem may not be as big as Philadelphia, but it's a city that's rich in history and diversity. I'd like to discover more about it.