By Pastor Pam Seebach Harmony, Mabel, and Newburg United Methodist Churches As children, many of our parents used the threat of “Santa Claus is watching!” when they were trying to keep our behavior in line.  Santa Claus saw the “good” little girls and boys and prepared presents for them, while the “bad” little girls and boys received lumps of coal.  Unfortunately, some of … [Read more...]

By Pastor Kevin Barnhart Spring Grove Evangelical Free I remember hearing that expression growing up.  But when I was young it didn’t make any sense to me.  However, as I have had more life experience the adage seems true.   Why does it rain so much or so little?  Even a committed atheist will pray for rain or for it to stop raining, which is an interesting phenomenon isn’t … [Read more...]

By Pastor Stuart Weist First Baptist Church of Preston Summer is upon us and if you’re like me, it’s your favorite time of year.  The weather is warm enough to head out into the fields, lakes, trails, and gardens.  Everywhere you look things are green and new life is bursting forth.  Summer is an amazing time, that is before it gets too hot. As amazing as summer is, it also … [Read more...]

By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist A young person recently asked me, “Why do we sing hymns in church?” This is a brave question. Considering how precious hymns are to people. I had to take a huge pause when I was asked this question because I didn’t have a ready answer.  Think about this, why do we sing hymns in church? Strange songs that have strange words … [Read more...]

By Pastor Bridget Sheely Racine/Wykoff/Sumner Center UMC Peace and Grace to you in the name of our risen savior Jesus Christ!  We have just celebrated Pentecost in our Christian calendar year, and what a God-inspired event this day  is in the life of Christ followers everywhere. God brought down the Holy Spirit to fill the disciples with the power of His grace and the image … [Read more...]

By Pastor Kris Hertsgaard Kincaid Christ Lutheran Church, Preston “You are the salt of the earth!” This familiar phrase is from a sermon Jesus gives in Matthew. He tells the crowd – you are the salt of the earth.  Put simply, when your life is the right amount of salty, your actions enrich and benefit other people. When Jesus was giving this sermon, a crowd was gathered. … [Read more...]

By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish -  St. Paul, Saetersdal and  St. Matthew’s, Granger A few Sundays ago, April 21, was “Good Shepherd Sunday,” the day in the Easter Season focused on images of Christ as our shepherd. There’s a story about a seminary professor who told his classes that in the Holy Land a shepherd went in front, and the sheep, knowing his … [Read more...]

By Pastor Paul Hauschild Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches “When God measures a person, He puts the tape around the heart instead of the head,” someone once said. Very true! In Scripture we read something similar. “…they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b).  I believe unity is a desire the Lord puts in our … [Read more...]

By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Churches: Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora)  In the spring before grass and plants begin to grow and before the trees leaf out, I love to walk in the woods.  I feel renewed walking in remote areas during that time when winter ends and before spring unfolds.  I walk on a carpet of brown leaves and … [Read more...]