By Pastor Kevin Barnhart Spring Grove Evangelical Free What’s in a conjunction? Do you remember School House Rock? I know this dates me, but Conjunction – Junction what’s your function? Maybe some of you can hear that little jingle in your head. Oh the power of a catchy jingle, isn’t it incredible. So, when Jesus came why wasn’t it grace or truth? Many today are not … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions: Seeing is Not Believing
By Pastor Stuart Weist First Baptist Church of Preston Many in our world today don’t believe in God because they say they cannot see him. They claim that if God would simply show himself or come down before them then they would believe. However, for those that follow Christ we already know the error in this line of thinking. Christ has come (Jn 1:14), did reveal himself as … [Read more...]
Giving Up Chocolate for Lent
By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist For those in the mainline churches it is the season of Lent. A time of reflection and preparation for embracing and embodying the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Some will do this by fasting from something. Usually something pleasurable and notable. Which is a great way to center one’s focus on spirituality. … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions: Are You the Adventurous Type?
By Pastor Bridget Sheely Racine/Wykoff/Sumner Center UMC Are you ready for an adventure? If you were asked today to drop everything, trust in the Lord and believe that He will guide you down a new path and take you on a journey that will change your life would you be willing to take that first step? As Jesus walked along the beach one ordinary day, he met some fishermen … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions: What a Game!
By Pastor Mark Geselle Valley Christian Center, Spring Valley Well the big game is over and what a game it was! I don’t know if your team won or not, but I was hoping for a different outcome. In talking with some friends its funny how you can start the game and not really care who wins, but as the game progresses you get drawn to one side or the other. That reminds me … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions: Lent Offers a Time to Reflect
By Pastor Kris Hertsgaard Kincaid Christ Lutheran Church, Preston “These days of dust. These days of despair. We can hear reality speak to us in a clear, ringing voice. So we approach. Carefully. Barely ready to hear the heard truths we long to be told about beautiful, terrible death.” -Kate Bowler, “Have a Beautiful Terrible Lent” This Wednesday, February 14, is the … [Read more...]
Is There a Place in Heaven for Our Pets?
By Pastor Paul Hauschild Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches I experienced the death of two dear pets of mine, both this past December. It was very sad for me. I love animals and I believe God put that sensitivity in me. I bet many of you can relate. A few years ago, the death of my little 16-year-old dog was a slow one at the end. I could tell she was waiting … [Read more...]
Blessed Memories
By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Churches: Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora) When I was growing up, I loved visiting the family farm in the small Iowa village of Ticonic located about 35 miles from Sioux City. On this farm lived my two favorite uncles who were indeed “characters” in their own way. Their house and the neighboring … [Read more...]
God With Us in Life’s Chaos
By Pastor Nissa Peterson Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches The Christmas season just barely ended – the church season of Christmas ends January 5, and many churches are already in full swing planning for Lent, which is just around the corner this year. It feels like we’ve hardly had a moment to breathe between these two busy seasons! Often happens in life, … [Read more...]
Clothed with Christ
By Rev. Peter J. Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church In Genesis 17, God established circumcision as a sign for the people of God, for the Old Testament Church. Every male was to be circumcised. Circumcision brought individuals into the people of God, brought them under the covenant that God had made with Abraham and with his descendants. Any male who was not … [Read more...]
“Do All the Good You Can”
By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Churches: Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora) The above quote is from The Reverend John Wesley (1703-1791). In light of all that is before us in our world today, it is a timely reminder for us to focus on doing good. In a world full of things contrary to God’s ways, it is important for people … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions: It’s Time
By Pastor Kevin Barnhart Spring Grove Evangelical Free Has one minute ever felt like an eternity to you? The feeling of every single foot fall on that last minute or mile of your marathon, the last minute of your workday, the last push before the baby is born. Or perhaps you like I have felt the weighty measure of minutes while sitting vigil next to a loved one taking … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions: Giving Grace
By Pastor Stuart Weist First Baptist Church of Preston The Christmas season is upon us, and we know what that means. It’s that time of year to purchase gifts for family and friends, attend holiday concerts, put up lights, and hang ornaments on the tree. Hopefully all these holiday activities fill your home and heart with joy. Hopefully the lights remind you as a believer … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion: It’s A Miracle!
By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist You know how sometimes familiar Bible stories take on new meaning? That just happened to me with the story of the feeding of the 5,000-plus. A quick re-telling from John chapter 6. Jesus has gathered a crowd of people around him. They follow him wherever he goes, apparently. One day Jesus notices that the crowd is “hungry.” … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions: Respecting an Establishment of Religion
By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger This week we recall again the story of the Mayflower Pilgrims’ coming to a new land. And a primary reason they came was religious freedom. They’d rejected the “trappings” of the Church of England and sought to live and worship in a simpler, “purer” faith. Many early settlers … [Read more...]