About St. Nicholas · Osgood, Ohio
St. Nicholas Parish is a historic Roman Catholic parish in the small village of Osgood, Darke County, Ohio — part of Ohio's heavily Catholic 'Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches' region near Minster and Fort Loramie. Founded in 1906 by local Catholic families who petitioned Archbishop Henry Moeller for a parish of their own, the parish built its brick Gothic Revival church, completed in 1908, which today still stands on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Nicholas is now clustered with St. Louis (North Star), St. Remy (Russia), St. Denis (Versailles), Holy Family (Frenchtown), St. Mary (Greenville), and Immaculate Conception (Bradford) in the Northwest-V (NWV) Family of Parishes within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, sharing priests, faith formation, and outreach under Pastor Fr. Ned Brown.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- St. Nicholas (of Myra)
- Rector
- Rev. Ned Brown
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Sidney Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Nicholas is a small, historic Catholic parish where generations of Darke County farm families have worshipped together since 1906, and the parish still prizes that personal, family-scale community. Parishioners gather for weekend and weekday Mass in a beautiful 1908 Gothic Revival brick church on the National Register of Historic Places, share Thursday evening Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction, support one another through the St. Barbara Sodality and a parish Prayer Chain, and reach beyond the village through ministries like Catholic Outreach Ministry (COM) and casserole-making for St. Vincent de Paul. As part of the Northwest-V Family of Parishes, St. Nicholas members enjoy the warmth of a village parish backed by the wider sacramental, youth, and religious-education resources of seven neighboring parishes.
Mass times at St. Nicholas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
- Sunday 7:30 AM – 8:15 AM (July–December)
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (January–June)
- Thursday 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM with Benediction at 8:45 PM at St. Nicholas Church
- Eucharistic Exposition days periodically (e.g. Wednesday after 8:00 AM Mass until 4:45 PM)
Parish History
St. Nicholas was formally established in 1906 after Catholic families of Osgood petitioned Archbishop Henry Moeller for a parish of their own. Foundations had been laid in 1904, and Mass was first celebrated in a local school and then in a barn dubbed the 'Stable of Bethlehem.' A temporary church was completed in September 1906, and construction of the permanent brick Gothic Revival church began soon after. It was dedicated on September 6, 1908, at a cost of $22,000. By 1914 the parish had grown to 85 families, and the parishioners built the adjoining brick rectory that same year.
- 1904 — early groundwork for an Osgood parish begins
- June 1906 — Catholic families petition Archbishop Henry Moeller
- September 1906 — first temporary church completed; land on east side of village purchased
- September 6, 1908 — brick Gothic Revival church dedicated ($22,000)
- 1914 — brick rectory built; parish grows from 35 to 85 families
- July 26, 1979 — church and rectory added to the National Register of Historic Places
Architecture & Historic Designation
The church was designed in the Gothic Revival style by architect Edward Schlochtmeyer and built of brick in 1907–1908. A stained-glass window depicting Saint Nicholas is a focal interior feature. The two-story, three-bay-wide brick rectory built in 1914 is supported by a basement foundation, topped by an asphalt hip roof, with a western porch facing the church and a southern dormer. In 1977 an architectural survey ranked St. Nicholas in good condition, and in 1979 the church and rectory were listed together on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio Multiple Property Submission.
- Architect: Edward Schlochtmeyer
- Style: Gothic Revival (brick)
- Built: 1907; dedicated September 6, 1908
- Cost at construction: $22,000
- Rectory: brick, two-story, built 1914
- NRHP #: 79002841 (added July 26, 1979)
Parish Staff & Pastoral Council
St. Nicholas is shepherded as part of the Northwest-V Family of Parishes, with Pastor Fr. Ned Brown overseeing the cluster and Parochial Vicars Fr. James Reutter, Fr. Matt Feist, Fr. Stephen P. Jones, and Fr. Andrew Reckers assisting, supported by Deacons Mike Meyer and Tom Graber III. The St. Nicholas Parish Council includes elected members representing the parish, with terms beginning in January 2024, 2025, and 2026.
- Pastor: Fr. Ned Brown
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. James Reutter, Fr. Matt Feist, Fr. Stephen P. Jones, Fr. Andrew Reckers
- Deacons: Mike Meyer, Tom Graber III
- Parish Council members (elected): Charlie Borchers (2024), Amy Dirksen (2026), Lynn Franck (2026), Jordan Bender, Julie Winner (2024), Aimee Grieshop (2024), Mary Bohman (2025), Adam Miller (2025), Kevin Schlarman (2025)
Sacraments
The parish celebrates Baptism (offered every other month with a required Baptism & Beyond class), Marriage (couples must contact the office at least six months before the proposed date), Anointing of the Sick (via the Sacramental Emergency line), and Confirmation Preparation through the NWV Family of Parishes. Homebound visits and Communion can be arranged by calling the Parish Office.
- Baptism — every other month; class required (e.g. October 7, 7:00 PM at St. Louis Church basement); 419-582-2531 to register
- Marriage — six months' notice required
- Anointing of the Sick — Sacramental Emergency 937-709-4147
- Confirmation Preparation — annual, NWV FOP
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — via CCD program
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
Religious education (CCD) for kindergarten through 12th grade is run as a Northwest-V Family of Parishes program, with St. Nicholas families joining St. Denis, Holy Family, Immaculate Conception, St. Louis, St. Mary, and St. Remy families. The FOP also offers weekly Junior High and High School youth events, Confirmation Preparation, and a Young Adult Ministry. Catechists are required to complete Safe Parish / VIRTUS Child Protection training and a background check.
- Family of Parishes CCD program (K–12)
- Confirmation Preparation (annual)
- Junior High youth ministry (weekly events)
- High School youth ministry (weekly events)
- Young Adult Ministry
- Catechist volunteer opportunities
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Beyond the liturgy, St. Nicholas parishioners serve through the St. Barbara Sodality (which organizes Coffee & Donuts after Sunday Mass), Catholic Outreach Ministry (COM) serving the local poor, a parish Prayer Chain, and by making casseroles for the St. Vincent de Paul Hotel. The community also runs St. Maria's Produce Stand at the corner of State Route 705 and US Route 127 each Saturday in summer, and parishioners participate in the Vocations Chalice program.
- St. Barbara Sodality (Coffee & Donuts fellowship)
- Catholic Outreach Ministry (COM) — [email protected]
- Prayer Chain — Marianne Brunswick, 419-582-3535
- St. Vincent de Paul casserole ministry
- St. Maria's Produce Stand (Saturdays, summer, 9:00 AM–Noon)
- Vocations Chalice Registration
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
St. Nicholas Cemetery
St. Nicholas Cemetery lies east of the village of Osgood on State Route 705 and is maintained as part of parish life. Cemetery plot inquiries and arrangements are handled through parish contact Mitchell Bohman.
- Location: east of Osgood on State Route 705
- Cemetery contact: Mitchell Bohman — 937-623-6474
Facilities & Contact
The parish office at 128 Church St., Osgood, OH 45351 is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Noon), shared with St. Louis in North Star. The church basement is available for rental for events and fellowship — contact Denise Hemmelgarn at 567-644-6197 for reservations.
- Parish Office: 128 Church St., P.O. Box 9, Osgood, OH 45351
- Office hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Parish Office phone: 419-582-2531
- Sacramental Emergency: 937-709-4147
- Email: [email protected]
- Basement rental: Denise Hemmelgarn, 567-644-6197
Northwest-V Family of Parishes
St. Nicholas is one of seven parishes in the Northwest-V Family of Parishes (NWV FOP) of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Sidney Deanery. The cluster allows the small parishes of Darke County and Versailles to share clergy, faith formation, youth ministry, and outreach while preserving each village parish's identity. Other parishes in the cluster include St. Denis (Versailles), Holy Family (Frenchtown), Immaculate Conception (Bradford), St. Mary (Greenville), St. Louis (North Star), and St. Remy (Russia).
- St. Denis — 14 E. Wood Street, Versailles, OH
- Holy Family — 11255 OH-185, Versailles, OH
- Immaculate Conception — 200 Clay Street, Bradford, OH
- St. Louis — 15 E. Star Road, North Star, OH
- St. Mary — 233 W. 3rd Street, Greenville, OH
- St. Nicholas — 128 Church Street, Osgood, OH
- St. Remy — 108 E. Main Street, Russia, OH