Germanna Foundation

Preserving the historic heritage of the original settlers of the Fort Germanna Colonies in Virginia

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You are here: Home / Conservation / Dedicatory Prayer for Siegen Forest
Dedicatory Prayer for Siegen Forest

Dedicatory Prayer for Siegen Forest

September 11, 2013 By Germanna Foundation Leave a Comment

As a member of the Germanna Foundation, I hope that you hold in honor the stewardship we have been entrusted in caring for Siegen Forest, the 179-acre remnant of the original settlement, now covered in hardwoods which provides a valuable riparian buffer to the Rapidan River.

As I testified before the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors in support of protecting the Chief Justice John Marshall birthplace in Germantown, conservation of historic lands helps us touch the hearts of people learning to embrace their heritage.

“We have to be creative in helping the rising generation learn from the past and help them on their own journey of exploration. We don’t preserve our forest to raise trees. We preserve our forest to raise men and women of character.”

I hope that you will find inspiration in the Dedicatory Prayer of Siegen Forest I have included below, which was delivered at the Germanna Foundation’s first picnic in 1957.

Adapt this prayer to your own family’s use and remember those in previous generations who prayed for us.

Marc Wheat
President, Germanna Foundation

Dedicatory Prayer for Siegen Forest

Almighty God our Father:

German Prayer Book from the 1500s-1700s
German Prayer Book from the 1500s-1700s

Thou who through countless ages hast been the refuge and mighty fortress of those who trust in Thee; Thou who dost guide the course of history by Thy mighty hand, so that in spite of the errors and blindness of sinful men, “all things work together for good to them that love the Lord”; Thou who, above all else, didst grant the great gift of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us, that we through Him might have eternal life in Thee:

We thank Thee on this day of commemoration of the distant past for all the blessings, that Thou hast bestowed upon us; we thank Thee especially for the courage and faith of these our ancestors who settled in this place, whom Thou didst guide across the waters to a distant land, to whom Thou gavest hope and sustenance and final prosperity in their new home, and who have left their heritage to us their descendants in this good and blessed land of America.

As we dedicate this tract of land on which they first dwelt, we pray that Thou wilt bless us, their descendants, and the organization that perpetuates their memory; we pray that Thou wilt especially bless our benefactor, who hails from our remote fatherland of Siegen and who enabled us to possess this original home of our ancestors in Virginia; and we pray that our organization may grow and thrive in future years, accomplishing good in our land and furthering Thy kingdom.

Grant above all that we, the descendants of this group of pioneers, may exemplify in our own lives the virtues of honesty, thrift, independence, and sturdy faith in Thee, our Heavenly Father, which enabled them to overcome difficulties and plant a home in the wilderness; that we may perpetuate these virtues in ourselves and our descendants; that we may be loyal to Thee in all that we do or say; that Thou mayest be first in our hearts and lives; that we may never forget that Thou art our Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer; and that this spirit of faith and love and loyalty to Thee may pervade our whole national life, so that we may preserve our souls and escape the manifest punishment which comes to peoples and nations that forget Thee.

Yea, more, we pray that men everywhere may come to Know Thee, to love Thee and to do Thy will, so that they may dwell together in peace and amity; that the spirit of the gospel may leaven the lump of humanity; that the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdoms of God and His Christ; and that Thy kingdom may come quickly.

These blessings we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Dr. Benjamin C. Holtzclaw
Rhodes Scholar, Professor of Philosophy and Dean of the Graduate School, University of Richmond
Sunday, July 21, 1957

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Germanna Foundation’s Mission and Stewardship

The Germanna Foundation tells America’s story of liberty through the frontier experience of her settlers and descendants using archaeological, historical, and genealogical research and interpretation. We are stewards over these important properties and initiatives:

  • Fort Germanna Visitor Center campus which includes a Museum, Genealogy Library, the Hitt Archaeology Center, and the Germanna Memorial Garden
  • Siegen Forest – 170-acre Hiking and Nature Trails along the Rapidan river
  • 1714/1717 Fort Germanna Archaeology Site
  • Virginia Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood’s home “Enchanted Castle” Archaeology Site
  • 1757 Georgian-style Salubria Manor
  • 1800 Peter Hitt Farm
  • Publishing “The Germanna Record” genealogy/ history books
  • Maintaining a genealogy database with over 130,000 records of descendants of the Germanna colonists

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Germanna Foundation

The Germanna Foundation
MAILING: P.O. Box 279
LOCATION: 2062 Germanna Highway
Locust Grove, VA 22508-0279
Phone: 540-423-1700
Fax: 540-423-1747
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Fort Germanna Visitor Center, Museum & Library

2062 Germanna Highway (Route 3)
Locust Grove, VA 22508
(Next to the Germanna Community College campus)

Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Saturdays, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Closed on Sundays

Out of town visitors are urged to call us at 540-423-1700 to confirm or to make special arrangements for groups.

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Hike Siegen Forest!

Behind the Fort Germanna Visitor Center is our 170-acre Siegen Forest nature and hiking trails along the Rapidan river. Trails are OPEN 7 days a week, during daylight hours. When visiting the trails, please practice “Leave no Trace” ethos. If you enjoy the trails, consider donating to the Germanna Foundation to help support their upkeep.

 

About

The Germanna Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the Colonial Virginia frontier via the historic 1714 Fort Germanna and its German colonists and their descendants.

It conducts archaeological exploration and conservation, genealogical research and publishing, and historic preservation and interpretation.

The Foundation owns and maintains several historic sites and properties, such as Salubria Manor, that were part of or closely connected to the Germanna colonies, the town of Germanna, and the other early colonial Virginia settlements and towns in the Piedmont area of Virginia.

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