For years Immanuel Lutheran Church of New Wells has held an Independence Day celebration leading up the Fourth of July holiday, but recently the church invited the community to "tie the appreciation of the veterans to the appreciation of our country's independence."

Len Fiedler started the Armed Forces Appreciation Event, and the church has continued the practice.

The first year's service affected members in different ways with memories and new meetings. Immanuel Lutheran Church's cemetery is made up of several dozen veterans' graves dating back to the Civil War. Teenagers from the congregation prepared between 20 and 30 tombstone rubbings that were displayed during the service reception. Widows and family members of those identified in the gravestone rubbings took the rubbing home to frame.

"This year we found more [gravestones]," said Lance Hoffman, 15, who helped collect the rubbings. "I liked doing it because it's a nice way to honor the people in our congregation who served in the armed forces."

The appreciation event opened other connections between the service members themselves.

"There were a couple guys, both Seabees in Okinawa, that got to meet each other," Fiedler said.

Fiedler was approached by one of the veterans, Ruben Haertling, who told him he'd been waiting a long time for such an event.

Haertling is a member of Immanuel Lutheran and a veteran who served with the 74th Armored Field Artillery Battalion on border patrol in Germany near the Czech and Polish borders from 1952 to 1954. He said he appreciated the recognition for the service members in the church.

"They didn't have any [recognition] like that since '47," Haertling said.

As they will Sunday, veterans displayed memorabilia from their time in service, such as uniforms, photos and souvenirs, at previous events. One veteran displayed a cake replicating the same recipe of the cake on board the USS Missouri when Japan surrendered to the United States on Sept. 2, 1945. As told to Len Fiedler, the veteran had carried a photograph of the historic cake with the recipe written on the back of it in his wallet for more than 60 years.

Fiedler connects this event and the church teachings in several ways: gratitude, the church's provision of chaplains and following Jesus Christ's model of sacrifice.

"We as a church are grateful to live in a country providing freedom of worship and veterans who protect us," Fiedler said. He also said the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod supports men and women in the military, as many chaplains are recruited from the church's seminaries.

"Just as Jesus gave up his life for sinners, vets give their lives for others -- it's really a Christian model," Fiedler said.

The Armed Forces Appreciation Event will recognize veterans, those currently serving in the military and their families. Veterans will be given a special gift, will display mementos, take group photographs and share refreshments with attendees. Chaplain Eric Erkkinen, associate director of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Ministry to the Armed Forces, will be the guest speaker.

One veteran has died since last year's service and Sunday's service. Fiedler said he recognizes the urgency in thanking older veterans and that they represent America's citizens who have given of themselves in service to the rest of the nation.

"The vets very quietly and humbly appreciate the honoring of their service. Can you say 'thank you' too much to someone who has given their life?" he said.