By Pastor Kevin Barnhart Spring Grove Evangelical Free Words usually pour from my heart; thoughts, feelings, insights, and ideas often come naturally. But Sunday as the palm branches waved, as children shouted Hosanna, my heart began to sink. Holy week is here. This is the week we all have been preparing for, we have been longing for and yet as Jesus sets His face towards … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Batter My Heart, O God!
By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger As we come to Holy Week, I share a poem by one of the great English poets, John Donne, who is commemorated in the Lutheran and Anglican churches on March 31, the day of his death in 1631. Born in London, January 22, 1572, Donne grew up Roman Catholic, but converted to the Church … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Old radio once told the news of WWII
By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora) United Methodist Churches My mother was a young woman during the era of World War II. Pictured here is her old AM radio that she listened to during the 1940s. On this radio she heard the news of the events of that war torn era. I believe she listened to the news of … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Inch by inch, seed by seed
By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist Do you ever sing words to a song and realize you are singing them “wrong”? Sometimes it is embarrassing, sometimes serendipitous. I learned that the song I sing to my seeds when I am planting a garden aren’t the words as written by David Mallett. However, in this case it is serendipitous because the way I sing this song … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Reflecting the Light
By Pastor Paul Hauschild Chatfield Lutheran Church Chatfield, MN “The next day (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and declared: ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29) The Gospel of John makes it very clear that Jesus, God’s Son, is the life and light of all people (John 1:4). John the Baptist told everyone he was not the … [Read more...]
The Bible is the Word of God
In support of the commentary published on March, 7 by Steve Eickhoff, I would add some comments. Whether or not men and women consider the Holy Bible to be the Word of God, the fact remains that it is the Word of God. The Bible will not change though men’s opinions may. The apostle Peter called it “the living and abiding Word of God” ( I Peter 1:23 NASB). He also said “that … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Time for spring cleaning!
By Pastor Bridget Sheely Racine/Sumner Center UMC, Stewartville UMC Children’s Ministry Coordinator Pull back the curtains, lift the blinds, and open those windows for it is time to let the fresh air of spring back into your space! The quiet solitude days of winter are moving on out and the breath of God is blowing across this land bringing new life to His creation again. … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Encouraging and building one another up!
By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora) United Methodist Churches In my own personal devotions I have been taking much comfort and joy from the writings of Paul in his Letter to the Philippians. I believe Paul’s writings in the Bible are timely for the days in which we live. Many people express to me how … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Lamenting with God
By Pastor Nissa Peterson Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches February is always a tough month. We get through the anticipated cold and ice of January and we are emotionally ready for spring. Enter February. Although it’s short in days, February is often cold, dreary, and drags on for approximately a million years. This year we don’t even have Lenten Wednesdays at … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Deep water
By Pastor Pam Seebach Harmony, Mabel, and Newburg United Methodist Churches In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 5 begins with a story about Jesus trying to teach the people while standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret (which is also known as the Sea of Galilee). The people crowd closer and closer until Jesus finally hops in a boat and asks the owner to put out a little way … [Read more...]
