By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish of the UMC Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston, and Spring Valley: Faith Churches (and Lenora) All around us there are signs of new life, recreation and God’s amazing presence. Recently I was reading a story in the “Minnesota Volunteer Magazine. “The story was about Monarch butterflies and the intricate process of life that … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – In God’s World Everything Grows
By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist Do you agree with that statement? I discovered a beautiful new book published by the Minnesota Historical Society which intrigued me and gave me the idea to base my children’s summer teaching series on this theme. “Rings of Heartwood: Poems on Growing” by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrated by Claudia McGehee, explores, … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing”
By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish of the UMC Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston, and Spring Valley: Faith Churches (and Lenora) Did you know that during his lifetime, Rev. Charles Wesley wrote over 6,500 Christian hymns? He along with his brother Rev. John Wesley were major figures in the Methodist movement. Wesley’s hymns expressed some of the core beliefs … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Time Flies When You’re Having Fun! Actually, Time Just Flies!
By Pastor Marke Geselle Valley Christian Center “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 I guess so!!! I went to my high school class reunion on Saturday and there were a bunch of old people there! A get together to celebrate (if that’s the right term) 45 years. 45 … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Flashback Where are the Altar Paintings?
By Cheryl Boyum Eaton Peterson Station Museum Board member As a young child growing up in the Peterson area in the early 1950s, my family attended the Peterson Evangelical Lutheran Church. Occasionally, we attended a function or service at the other Lutheran Church in town, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. What was the reason for two Lutheran Churches in this small town? The … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Grounded in Creation
By Pastor Kris Hertsgaard Kincaid Christ Lutheran Church, Preston God continuously creates and there is much to enjoy in our natural world. During the summer I love the depths of green growing throughout the driftless region. I love the changing flow of the rivers as water rains down and fills them or dry weeks lessen their flow. I love the wildflowers blooming, the … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Created Equal
By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” You’ll undoubtedly recognize this from the Declaration of … [Read more...]
Old “er” Age Shouldn’t Stop You
By Pastor Paul Hauschild Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches Noah built the ark at the age of 600, demonstrating obedience and faith for an aging man! Abraham was called by God at 75 years old to become the father of a great nation, while Sarah, his wife, was 65. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt at 80 years old, after a long life of preparation. Anna, a … [Read more...]
Experiencing God Through Community and Nature
By Pastor Nissa Peterson Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches One of the great joys of being a pastor during the summer is participating in trips with our young people. I want to share a particularly meaningful story from a trip a few years ago. On the second to last night of our mission trip to the Duluth, Minn., area, our group joined for supper with two other … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – God is Our Salvation
Rev. Peter J. Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Even we Christians often fall into the trap of believing that suffering is a sign that God is punishing us. We do not understand that God reveals Himself, reveals His love in suffering, that He uses suffering to purge us, to purify us, to draw us to Himself. We Christians do not seek suffering, but we do interpret … [Read more...]