The Lutheran Church of the Messiah will host its 37th annual bratwurst dinner to celebrate Germanfest Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. Meals may be purchased at the door.

B.B. Lingle, congregational president, and Ruth Osburn, who plays a leading role in spearheading the dinner and also serves as church organist, said the tradition predates their affiliation with the church. They added that it is common for Lutheran churches across the United States to host a Germanfest, also known as “Oktoberfest,” to honor their German heritage.

This year’s dinner will consist of traditional Usinger bratwursts on a bun accompanied by German potato salad and calico beans. The dinner will be available at a cost of $15 per plate. A hot dog plate is also available for $5. Drinks and desserts are available for a nominal charge.

The brats are special ordered from the family owned business Usinger’s Famous Sausage in Milwaukee.

“German immigrants started the (Usinger) company (in 1880), and they’ve been making it the same way ever since. You can’t find this sausage around here,” Lingle said.

“A brat is like a very mild, mild sausage,” Osburn said.

Although most of the dinners are “to-go,” dining in is encouraged.

“You can go over to the (condiments) table and put as much sauerkraut, onions and spicy mustard as you want on it,” Osburn said.

“We do all homemade desserts here, $2 each for any piece of dessert. We’ll have carrot cake, German chocolate cake, apple pie,” Lingle said.

Osburn added, “Apple strudel cream cheesecake and pies, too.”

“The German potato salad, we’re going to cook ourselves that day, and the beans that come with it, that’s a German recipe for beans, we’ll cook that day as well,” Lingle said.

German potato salad is a hot salad made with red potatoes and bacon.

A little fun accompanies the dinner each year.

“We get to do the traditional ‘Chicken Dance’ with the kids,” said Osburn. Adults and children alike enjoy participating in the dance, he added.

“We play the ‘Chicken Dance’ at least once every year,” Lingle said. He added, with a grin, “but chicken dancing is optional.”

The church usually serves around 100 plates at the annual dinner. It is a fundraiser for the church.

“A lot of the funds will go to repair our sign,” Lingle said. The sign announcing the church, its services and upcoming events is in need of refurbishing.

Osburn explained the Lutheran denomination derives from Martin Luther, and the church was formed when members broke away from the Catholic church in the 1500s. Lutherans appeared in Vicksburg as early as 1839. The first organized Lutheran worship service, conducted by the Rev. Kenneth Hoffman, occurred on Feb. 5, 1950, in the Lutheran Hospital Nurse’s Home at 1704 Cherry St., where Vicksburg Convalescent Home is currently located.

Pastor J. Richard Sawyer from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Brandon, Miss., conducts services at the Vicksburg church every Sunday at 3 p.m. in its location at 301 Cain Ridge Rd.

“We’re a small congregation, but we’re pretty much all here every Sunday,” Lingle said.

Osburn added “wherever two or three are gathered, God is always there.”