Dinkey Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ashfield celebrated its 175th Anniversary with a church service at the church and a dinner at the East Penn Community Center on Sunday.

“I think this is absolutely incredible that we’re able to celebrate this,” Dinkey’s pastor of 17-1/2 years, Rev. Anthony Pagotto said. “We are extremely blessed just to see how God has blessed us over the years and be celebrating that and the fact God is still blessing us and will continue to do so.”

Approximately 200 people gathered in the center to celebrate the milestone. There were displays of photographs and memorabilia from the church’s history, a basket auction, door prizes, appetizers and dinner.

Dinkey has had a long history in the area, and Pagotto wants to continue to see the church reach out and help their neighbors and friends.

“I want that to be a focus on the congregation,” Pagotto said. “We are here to be a blessing to the people around us. God has blessed us, and we can share that blessing and share forward with that. So I think the biggest one I want to highlight is just our food distribution that we have here. We have monthly distribution and just seeing how it has grown over the years and the involvement of people within the congregation are coming out and supporting that.”

A food distribution takes place the third Thursday of the month from 3:30 to 5 pm for East Penn residents in need.

“I am so grateful and thankful for the opportunity to serve here as pastor,” Pagotto said. “It’s a wonderful congregation, absolutely wonderful people and just to be a part of this history and that I am humbled by that. Just to see what God is doing when we be a part of it all.”