T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Members of the Iowa River Church of the Brethren — Jerry Brothers, Betty Nicholson, Jean Drury, Newell Drury, Jerry Waterman, Kathy Waterman, Teddi Brothers, Jan Zal, Barb Plaehn and Janell Day — pose for a photo outside of the church on Tuesday morning as they prepare for the annual Lord’s Acre sale to be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

With roots dating all the way back to 1856, the Iowa River Church of the Brethren, located on Wallace Avenue between Marshalltown and Green Mountain, is one of the area’s oldest and most historic churches, and it’s still going strong to this day with a weekly attendance of about 50 under the leadership of Pastor Paul Daniel.

And since 1932, a team of church volunteers has come together each fall to prepare and host the annual Lord’s Acre sale, with the 2025 edition set for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a holiday craft bazaar, bake sale and a ham ball or loose meat sandwich free will donation lunch from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The proceeds benefit both the church and various Marshalltown area charities.

Teddi Brothers, who has been married into the church for 62 years, can recall “Noodle Day” back when the sale featured a chicken and noodles dinner and the work that was put into preparing them from scratch.

“That was quite a process because you had to put the flour in and all that kind of stuff, then you had to cut them, then you had to roll them in flour, then you had to get them on a rack. We put them on a clothes rack to dry, and then they had all the tables and you lay all those, when it was dry enough, to get completely dry before you can bag them,” she said.

Betty Nicholson said she and other members would catch chickens straight off the farms from members who were willing to donate theirs, dress them and deliver them to the cooks at the church. Those who attend the sale can find a wide variety of home baked goods and unique crafts made from metal, tin cans and clothes hangers — and Christmas trees made out of tomato cages — as well as knitted items.

“One thing I enjoy is seeing the ones that grew up here, the kids that come back and come out to the sale because they know what’s going on, and that’s always fun to see,” Brothers said.

And Jerry Waterman, a longtime member, is proud that Iowa River Church of the Brethren has always been about the word of God, keeping it pure and simple through schisms and breakups as the church is now nondenominational. Recently, they welcomed seven new members.

“We’re a Bible believin’ church,” member Jerry Brothers said.

Jerry Brothers, Teddi’s brother-in-law, also has fond memories of past sales where livestock and crops would be donated and auctioned off by Francis Hoy — good days, but a lot of work, with some cakes pulling in over $100.

The church is located at 2013 Wallace Ave.