Welcome to Inside the Red Doors – Stories from the St. John’s Archives!

As we approach St. John’s 150th anniversary in 2026, we are digging deep into the church archives to connect with the stories that shaped us. John Hendricks, our Photographer and Archivist, has worked faithfully for 15 years to maintain and share important pieces of our history. Leaning on his extensive knowledge and storytelling ability, we are excited to share these artifacts and anecdotes as a way to honor the past and imagine what the next 150 years could bring.

A Lansdale Thanksgiving Night Tradition – St John’s Sunday School Plays!

by John Hendricks, St. John’s Archivist

13 years before St. John’s founding, in 1963, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, although an autumn day set aside for thanksgiving was observed since the 17th century in many places to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Holding a big family feast serving turkey on that day was also a tradition. ‘The Reporter’ of Nov. 14, 1872, said, “Thanksgiving Day is coming around again with its family gatherings, roast turkey and general hymns of praise to our bountiful Creator, who has blessed our land with fruitfulness and peace.” The first known Thanksgiving worship service at St. John’s was in 1882. And soon, the hottest ticket in Lansdale on Thanksgiving evening for 22 years would be from productions by the St. John’s Sunday School!

On Nov. 11, 1909, ‘The Reporter’ announced, “On Thanksgiving night, a musical extravaganza entitled ‘The Life of a Leaf’, followed by a spicy comedy, will be given in Music Hall by St. John’s Reformed Sunday School”. Music Hall was an auditorium built in 1888 at N. Broad & 2nd Streets, seating an audience of 600! The St. John’s Sunday School Thanksgiving night play soon became an annual Lansdale tradition. ‘The Reporter’ in 1914 noted the play would be “’Esleralda’, a comedy-drama of unusual merit and a cast of Lansdale’s talented amateurs should ensure enjoyable evenings” (now Thursday and Friday evenings to accommodate the large crowds). Admission was 25 cents, reserved seats 35 cents, limit 8 tickets per sale.

Changes took place over the years. In 1917, the play took the form of “a ten-reel moving feature entitled ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’”. There was no play in 1919. In 1920, “an old-fashioned talent play” was put on by the St. John’s Ushers Association, but the Sunday School plays returned in 1921. The 1923 farcical comedy ‘Sick-A-Bed’ was sold out. ‘The Reporter’ in 1926 noted the plays “years ago became an institution in Lansdale”. The final play at the Music Hall, 1929’s “Where’s Peter?”, was reviewed as one of the best. After having no play in 1930, one last play, ‘The Little Clodhopper’, was held in 1931, but this time in the York Avenue School.

What caused the end of the plays? Changing times? The impact of the Depression of 1929? The opulent Lansdale Theatre opened to compete with the Music Hall? We don’t know, but for a time a century ago, St. John’s offered the hottest ticket in town!