By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Churches: Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston  (and Lenora)  Traditional, Christian hymns have much to offer our world today.  In about 1855 Joseph M. Scriven composed the words to a great Christian hymn.  From time to time, I believe we all feel lonely, discouraged and sad.  For our devotions today, I’d like … [Read more...]

By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Churches: Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora) A few nights ago I was out in the yard transplanting some flowers that I had rescued from a construction site.  I like digging in the soil.  I like planting in the cool, rich, moist dirt.  As I planted the wild lilies, I got to thinking about the beauty … [Read more...]

Rev. Peter J. Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church We hear at the beginning of St. Luke 5 about a great catch of fish, and about our Lord Jesus calling His first disciples. We see here the power of the Word of God. At the Word of Jesus, St. Peter let down his nets. Jesus spoke with the authority of God, and Peter was filled with fear – not of fish or water threatening … [Read more...]

By Rev. Deanna Woodward Maple Leaf Parish - United Methodist Churches of Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston and Spring Valley Several years ago I toured a garden where massive pumpkins were grown – the type people grow to compete for a prize.  Remember that old rhyme “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater.  Had a wife and couldn’t keep her.  He put her in a pumpkin shell.  And … [Read more...]

By Pastor Nissa Peterson Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches A whole lot of being a human revolves around water. We need water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and washing. We use water for swimming, gardening, farming and more. This past year living in an agricultural area, we have especially had a lot of stress around water. Last year, it was drought and not … [Read more...]

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...]