little brown church in the vale

While on a trip out west, we decided to stop by to see this site. My husband remembers his Mother singing the song when he was a young boy and we thought "why not." It was soooo quaint and charming. We walked in and took it all in. I sat in one of the pews and imagined how many others had been there before. It is definitely worth taking the time to visit.

This is such a sweet and interesting little spot. I have heard the song about the place my whole life, but never had a chance to go and see the church. You must go and see it. Also, there is a great new documentary about the LBC and it's history and current day stories. Evidently, they have held around 74,000 weddings over the years. Great place to visit and get married. www.littlebrownchurchthemovie.com

We were traveling through Iowa on a trip out West and saw the sign for the "Little Brown Church". I grew up hearing my dad sing this song. It was wonderful to actually be able to stop and tour the church. The church is open all day for tourists to visit. It is a small, beautiful gem of a church!! Reminded me so much of the little country church in Kentucky that I grew up attending! There is a beautiful, shaded picnic area right across the street and we had already planned to stop at a rest area for lunch so we decided to picnic there instead. We were the only ones around and the peace and serenity of the place was just incredible! I definitely recommend a stop here!!!

Have been here several times over the past 30 years. My wife was raised about 15 miles west of the church in Greene, Iowa. I was raised in the northeast, and had grown up hearin gather hymn , Little Brown Church in the Vale. Well, this s it . Good chance if you stop, there may be a wedding going on, there ar many each week. A lot of history and very quaint setting , deffinately stop for an hour or so, very peaceful atmosphere.

We drove by, took a double take and swung around to go back. Who hasn't known the hymn about the church in the wildwood, or the Statler Brothers sing the song about this church. We had to stop in. There is the full size church, a smaller version and what they call the smallest little brown church. The interior is so sweet, there were flowers in the window. It was so peaceful. The cutest part was the two hole outhouse! Now that's folksy.

This church is really rich in history and it has the old organs and stuff and learn how the women used to sit with their long dresses and how the went into the floor. And the building is original.

Old folks like us remember the hymn about the Little Brown Church. Well, here it is - off the beaten path. It's very well maintained and usually open so you can come in and take a look. It's available for weddings and next door to a nice country museum of old time schooling and such. Worth a stop on your way through.

If you'd like to see and experience a small, rural church in Iowa, go to the Little Brown Church. It has a famous song written about it which I learned to sing when I was a small girl. The church is quaint and old with what looks to be original flooring and benches in it. There are worship services held at it each Sunday morning and it's most famous for the wedding ceremonies held there throughout each week and weekends (scheduled for 1/2 hour at a time - my son was married there 4 years ago and we booked it for 2 hours so we'd have time for pictures afterwards). My son's wedding ceremony was wonderful and personal and I thought very moving, considering the pastor didn't know my son or his wife. But Pastor James Mann was very nice and accommodating and did a wonderful job with the ceremony. After the ceremony my son and his wife signed the legal papers right away in the back of the church and every married couple then gets to pull on the big rope in the back of the church to ring the church's bell and signaling their just-completed wedding vows. My son was married the first Saturday in October and the woods around the church were beautiful at that time of year. When wedding ceremonies aren't being held, visitors can walk right into the church and look around as the church is not locked during the day (the pastor and his wife live in a house right across the road from the church). This is a wonderful little country church and lives up to it's reputation. Google this church and you'll learn the history of it.

Few churchs have attained the fame of the Little Brown Church in rural Iowa. People flock to this established old church to be wed and to baptize their children but there is more to this building of faith than the administration of rites. Nestled in the woods surrounded by rolling farm land has kept this special site as it looked when it was first built so many years ago. The Little White Church only 10 miles to the east in Williamstown, IA has lost its battle to survive and is now a family residence. Both churchs served the local parishioners passionately and today only one now survives. The Little Brown Church still serves as God intended it to, The Little White Church build only a few years after the former has now faded. While this is indeed sad at least Little Brown continues to thrive. America was built on faith. America will fall as faith is replaced with egocentric greed. Come to the church that represents all that is good in America.

My son was married at the Little Brown Church in July. This was my first visit to the Church and I was pleasantly surprised. The service was very touching and personal. It was a lovely experience.

This is a beautiful country church with its own congregation and worship services. It is open for viewing by visitors every day all day except during ceremonies. The church had a song written about it before it was even built - The Church in the Wildwood. I am always touched by the church's simple pure beauty. It holds a special place in my heart.Through the years, the church has opened its doors to many people outside their congregation and has been the setting for many weddings, vow renewals, and baptisms. All couples married in the Little Brown Church are invited to return each August to renew their vows in a special ceremony.

My husband and I were married here on July 23, 2012. The service was exactly what I was hoping it would be! I have a daughter from a previous marriage, and we were looking for a ceremony that wasn't just about the "bride and groom". The church was very open to personalizing our ceremony to include our little girl. She stood right at the alter with us, and participated in a sand ceremony with us. Pastor James was absolutely wonderful! My mom told me it was one of the best wedding ceremonies she has ever attended. The message was simple, short, and sweet. I can not say enough good things about our wedding day at The Little Brown Church!

A very historical church with a old photos on the wall. A quaint/peaceful setting - please keep in mind when visiting that this is still an active church not a museum. We were wed here 12 years ago. If you're looking for a very professional but fun place for a wedding, this is it.

This is where the old hymn was written and the original church is still used by a local congergation. In addtion it is a great place to get married. I was one of 8 weddings there one day 35 years ago. Each was done with reverence and respect. In August each year they have a special reunion when many couples return to the site of the crime. Open for a short stop if you are in that area. Still has the feel that inspired the old hymn.

For song lovers--The Little Brown Church in the Vale actually exists. You have to drive a bit off the highway as it is at the far end of town but it is certainly picturesque. Its still the same little brown church. A nice place for a wedding.