Dear List, I have been asked to send this letter I sent to as many descendants of Simon Gross who came over to America on the ship "Europa" in 1741 to Philadelphia with his brother Theobald and settled for some time in Lancaster Co. PA. There may be others of you that I didn't reach by my mailing so I am posting this letter to the list. Hope that as many of you that are able will be able to attend. I will be going and several cousins I've contacted are as well. Susan Gall Dear Gross/Groce/Grose cousins, I believe I have at one time or another corrsponded with all of you over the past 5 years or so - some more recently than others. I wanted to let you all know of a special event upcoming in case you had not seen the message about it on genforum from Jed Kensinger. As some of you may know our ancestor Simon Gross lived in Lancaster Co. PA for almost 25 years before coming south to Surry Co. NC. In 1752 he and four other warranties founded a Lutheran church in Warwick Twp. called White Oak Church (Weisseichenland). This church is still in existance today (not the same building of course) and is now known as St. Paul's Lutheran Church at Penryn, Lancaster Co., PA. Actually part of the church split off and became Jerusalem United Church of Christ as well - both consider 1752 their founding date. This year 2002 is this church's 250th anniversary and they are having several celebratory events. Several months ago I was contacted by Jed Kensinger of the church at Penryn who had found my name on genforum (very clever of him to look there to find descendants of Simon!) when he was looking for information about the 5 founding members and looked up those who were asking questions about Simon Gross...he said it looked like I was the family historian...which was flattering, although I don't feel that I am since much of my information comes from our cousin James Donald Groce "Jim" who has researched the family for over 30 years - we all owe a debt of gratitude to him. Anyway, he recently called me as well as wrote to the genforum list about the coming events and I wanted to let you all know as well in case you had not seen the notice from Jed. The event that he feels will be the best one for descendants to try to attend is their homecoming weekend this August 17th & 18th. There will be a special service in which Simon is honored and his descendants recognized along with the other 4 founding members, on Sunday, the 18th at 10:00 am. On Saturday August 17 there will be an old-fashioned public picnic in the Penryn Church Grove from 5-9 pm. There are additional events throughout the year in May, Sept. & Oct. which you can find in his message on the Gross genforum list written Feb. 5, 2002. I am going to try to attend the event in August. Jed also told me on the phone that he has obtained a map which is available at the PA archives in Harrisburg which shows where Simon's land was in Rapho Twp. Lancaster Co. and he knows where this land is located and will take us to it on Saturday during the day and we can also take the tour of the Trinity Lutheran church founded in 1730, where Simon and his family attended before the White Oak church was founded and where many of his children were baptized. It is now an historic site. Also for those of you who may want to come and make a longer trip out of it, Gettysburg is very close by as well as other interesting historical places - Amish farm and the Moravian area of Bethlehem, Lititz, etc. Jed has also kindly offered to help folks find lodging in the area. His phone number is 717-627-3929 and the church's number is 717-665-6093. I am also willing to talk to anyone who may want to drive up from NC on Friday the 16th and return on Monday the 19th - my phone is 336-748-0827 and I live in Winston-Salem, NC. If anyone knows of other descendants of Simon that I have missed please contact them and let them know as well. I think it would be wonderful to have as many descendants as we can there for the celebration. I am excited also to get to see where he lived and where his family had their religious life. It will also be a wonderful chance for some of us who have corresponded over the years to get to meet each other as well. Sortof a Groce reunion of sorts!! I know that two of you, while Americans, live in Germany and are nevertheless dedicated family researchers...wish somehow you both could come. I'd love to hear from you all as well and what you think about this possibility of attending this event. I plan also to bring as much family information on Simon and his descendants as I have - it would also be a great time to share family photos, stories, records, genealogy and anything else on the family anyone wishes to share. I look forward to hearing from you and also in seeing you in August!! Your cousin, Susan Gall