Espenschied Chapel is not a church nor affiliated with any churches. But the simple elegance of its design inspires a spiritual energy, making it an ideal place for people to gather together.
Mascoutah Cemetery Chapel, Inc. is the official name of the 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit group that was formed to save the chapel from demolition in 1999.
Since its restoration, it serves as a cultural center in the community. We have a concert series and are working toward hosting more programs and cultural events and workshops! We feature artists who play original and traditional music.
The chapel was built at the bequest of a generous local family in 1928. Though it was very well built, after a short time it fell out of use, as funeral homes and local churches were preferred for services.
So the chapel sat unused and neglected for decades, until a decision was made that it was not needed anymore and that it would be too costly to invest in repairs to save the building.
Some concerned citizens rallied community support just in time to spare it from the wrecking ball. A not-for-profit group was formed and raised all the necessary funds –thanks to the generosity of the community– and with sheer determination, pitched in and did the work to restore the chapel to its original glory. A kitchen was added downstairs, new furnace and central air conditioning, new restroom facilities and some other improvements as well.
The intimacy of the small venue (100-115) will spoil you!
If you are interested in sponsoring or underwriting a concert, please contact us.
With that same can-do attitude that saved the chapel, we aspire to become a looked-to cultural center and concert venue.
March 14 & 15 John Dennis Concerts
Two shows:
Saturday, March 14, 2020, 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 15, 2020, 5 p.m.
John Dennis is a Nashville, TN based singer-songwriter signed to Rainfeather Records. He has developed his own unique brand of Americana music that, at once, harkens back to some of folk music’s greatest lyricists, namely: Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and James Taylor, while also carving out a musical place that is uniquely his own.
He has continued to establish himself as a songwriter with thought-provoking lyrics that take a profound look at life’s obstacles and the beauty that stems from tragedy. His new album Mortal Flames is a personal record that touches on universal themes; through each song, Dennis searches for meaning in his childhood, the disillusionment of adolescence, the joys and sorrows of first love, learning to accept the past, healing, and eventually death—the inevitable constant that keeps the cycle going. The album has been spotlighted by a variety of outlets, including print features in ProSound News, Adelante Magazine, and The Freeburg Tribune. Glide Magazine compared Dennis’s “simple yet powerful folk songs” to the likes of Jason Isbell and Conor Oberst, while Americana Highways commented, “John Dennis has created a truly captivating, innovative sound as he tells a story from beginning to end on Mortal Flames.”
Advance tickets $15, available here or locally at Bee Hollow Market, 217 East Main, Mascoutah.
Your tickets will be waiting for you at the door - just introduce yourself. Seats are not numbered, so it is first in, first seated. There are really no bad seats. Doors will open 30 minutes before show time
Saturday concert starts at 7 p.m.
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Sunday concert starts at 5 p.m.
Donate
We are still in fundraising mode!
Thank you to all the generous donors who have helped make this project possible.
Construction is complete! Several things have come up that have added to the estimated cost. And, we did not meet our fundraising goal yet.
And we do have a list of needed further improvements, which include plaster repair, a new roof, improving gutters, stage lighting, tables and chairs, microwave oven, landscaping, a vacuum cleaner ...
Please consider make a donation.
We are a 501(c)(3), so gifts are tax-deductible.
Weddings & Christenings
Wedding photos by Larissa Photography
Concerts (past)
Arlo Guthrie
Tom Rush
Melanie
Girlyman
Mark Dvorak
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion
Dennis Stroughmatt
Mouths of Babes
Laney Jones
Judy Collins
Roochie Toochie String Band
Gaslight Squares
Chris Vallillo
Jason Wilber
John Flynn
Ronny Cox
Judy Collins
Curtis & Loretta
Just to mention a few...
Artisan Guild of Southern Illinois
Memorial Services & Funerals
Espenschied Chapel is next to the Mascoutah Cemetery and is available to be used for funerals and memorial services.
To honor the original purpose of the chapel, we do not charge a rental fee for funerals and memorial services, though donations are gratefully accepted.
And the new addition is ideal for a luncheon after the services. This makes it more convenient for guests to stay and partake of a meal together after the services.
Workshops
We present workshops from time to time. When Geoff Muldaur was here, he did a concert and also a guitar playing workshop.
Roof/Patio/Donate
Construction of the new addition is complete!
Espenschied Chapel is accessible! The new, accessible entrance to an addition includes new restrooms, a green room and an area for catered luncheons. The proposed improvements will make the chapel an ideal place for funeral and memorial services, as was the original purpose of the chapel.
Our fundraising fell short of our goal.
Part of the goal was to be for a new roof for the original chapel.
And we need to finish up the outdoor area by the new back door, and have plans to have a patio area back there. And also make a path from the old front entrance to the new, gently sloped sidewalk, and have a little sitting area in between with some benches.
Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Mascoutah Cemetery Chapel, Inc.
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Judy Collins concert
December 2
Judy Collins
Thank you to all who helped make this concert happen! The donors, the ticket purchasers, the chapel workers and, of course, JUDY COLLINS and her team.
It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
If you were here and would like to share a comment please, we'd love to hear it.
If you would like to receive email from us about upcoming events or news about projects at the chapel, please let us know. If you had signed up for our email list and are not receiving emails from us, please contact us. We have been getting a lot of rejected mail and are trying to update our mailing list.
