Lots to do in NU

THUMBS UP: It is nice to get back to the situation where there’s usually a lot of interesting things to do in New Ulm on a weekend. Last year at this time you could hardly get into a local baseball game. This weekend, no one can complain about having nothing to do.

State Street Theater Co. is putting on “Little Shop of Horrors,” a musical horror-comedy about an overgrown plant. Crazy Days is going on downtown, picking up after last year, when most businesses were shut down. And the Antique Automobile Club of America is holding its 2021 Grand Nationals at the Brown County Fairgrounds. Head out there today to check out some really fine antique and collectible cars, and let’s thank them for coming to New Ulm.

People really are hungry for things to do after the pandemic shutdown last year. We should all be enjoying the resurgence of activities.

Loss of a parish

THUMBS DOWN: Just a couple weeks after learning that the United Church of Christ in New Ulm will be closing at the end of the year, we learned this week that another area church, St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Lafayette, is also closing. It’s last celebration service will be on Aug. 8.

It is hard to lose an institution like that, especially in smaller rural communities where the church is often the center of all manner of activities. But times change. Congregations get older, church attendance habits change, and the supply of priests gets stretched farther.

We are sure St. Gregory parishioners have many fond memories of their church. We are sure they will find a warm welcome in other churches in the vicinity.