Rumplich to Visit Warda December 21

Rumor has it that old Wendish/German tradition of a visit by Rumplich will be alive and well in Warda on Thursday, Dec. 21.

The monthly game day at the Holy Cross Fellowship Hall in Warda from noon-2 p.m. is back in full swing and Decembers Game Day will include a visit by Rumplich himself.

Everyone is invited and there will be a chance for photos as well, if you’ve been a good boy or girl all year.

But who is this Rumplich? Traditions abound this time of year and while some are still in practice, others have fallen by the wayside. One Wendish/German tradition was exciting but frightening, it was the visit from Rumplich. Local teenagers and some adults would wear home made masks or storebought Claus masks and disguise themselves in costumes like wide red striped suits, old women’s clothing or robes. The leader would carry a big stick and a sack and the Rumplichs would go from house to house around the community singing Christmas songs and making loud noises to scare young children. The Rumplichs would disguise their voices and question children about whether they had behaved all year. The children were sometimes asked to recite a Bible verse. Good children were rewarded with nuts or candy, but if the lead Rumplich decided the child needed punishing, he would threaten to beat the child with the stick or put them in the sack.

A visit by Rumplich is something that one still remembers as an adult, as one local shared their childhood memory. “On a cold winter night in December the dogs would start barking and our dad would go outside with his flash light to check. He would come back and tell us the Rumplichs were here. Most of the times each one would have a switch (from a peach tree) and they would hit the house outside with their switch to scare us. It worked! They would come into the house with sacks and some pecans, or whatever else they had to give to us. The lead Rumplich would ask if we were good, sometimes they asked us to say our prayers, and we did! We were so scared and they were so ugly and scary looking.”

I remember sitting in church one Christmas next to Ted Tonn and asked him if he was visited by Rumplich as a kid. His eyes got real big and he said, “Oh, Rumplich would put you in his sack if you didn’t behave.”

Another person who recalls being visited by Rumplich as a child said, “We were even scared to go to bed after they left for fear they would come back in again. We were good from then on.”

Faith at Christmas

Faith Lutheran High School will present a Christmas Concert, “Faith at Christmas,” on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. at FLHS. The program will include a collection of choir pieces, handbell pieces, hymns, scripture readings and more. Refreshments will be served following the program. This event will also be live streamed on their Facebook page.

Holy Cross Game Day The next monthly Game Day hosted by Holy Cross in Warda will be held on Thursday, Dec. 21 from noon-2 in the Fellowship Hall. Lunch will be served and games of dominoes, cards, scrabble etc. are available. Everyone is invited to attend; if you have questions you can contact Lisa at (979) 218-6000.

Baptism

Elleri Indira Singh was baptized at Holy Cross Lutheran in Warda on Sunday Nov. 26. Elleri is the daughter of Sanjay and Tasha Singh and was born on May 30, 2023. Her sponsors were Lexi Ahrens, Lauren Huenefeld, and John and Tina Huenefeld.

Holy Cross Services

Services at Holy Cross Lutheran are Sunday at 9 a.m. Bible Class and Sunday school follows the morning service.

Advent Services will be held on Wednesdays Dec. 6, 13 and 20. At 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Sermon links/streaming videos and additional information is on the website at: www.holycrosswarda.com.

Faith Lutheran High School Everyone is invited to join weekly Chapel Worship Services Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Stay informed of all the activities of FLHS by joining their Facebook page or visit www.flhstx.org.

Prayer Requests

Nelda Winkler, Larry Moerbe, Georgie Boyce, Wesley Cervenka, Bernice Zoch.

Anniversary Wishes

Anniversary wishes are extended to Harvey and Linda Hobratschk-Dec. 2, Barry and Virginia Weishuhn-5.

Birthday Wishes

Birthday wishes are extended to the following celebrants: Justin Whited, Jr.-Dec. 2, Sandra Lehmann-3, Mary Ann Pietsch-4, Bea Rost, LaVerne Tonn, Callie Wagner-5.

Have News?

If you have news items to share with readers of the Warda news including visits from your friends and family, contact Lisa Gay at (979) 2186000 or Wardanews78960@gmail.com.