built on a rock
- By Pastor Mark Eliason, First Lutheran Church and Palisade Lutheran ChurchDecember 03, 2025At the front of almost every Lutheran church, for the four Sundays before Christmas you will see a wreath with five candles on it. Four around the outside of the wreath and a larger one in the middle of the wreath. The four candles represent the themes of Advent which are hope, peace, joy and love, and one candle is lit each Sunday representing the theme of the day. But why do we do this, and…
- By Pastor Walt Moser, First Baptist Church, LuverneNovember 25, 2025A key theme running through the tapestry of scripture is that of a watchful God, intimately concerned with human affairs. From the Psalms to the Prophets, and into the New Testament, the Bible repeatedly assures believers that the Lord sees, knows, and considers every aspect of their lives, both public and private. Psalm 33:13-15 opens this perspective, describing the Lord looking down from…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneNovember 19, 2025Thankfulness often doesn’t come naturally. I remember growing up and having to call my great-aunt to thank her for a birthday card with spending money that she sent. My five-year-old self dreaded that call, hoping to leave a message. My mom was diligent about teaching us to express gratitude, though, believing that these habits cultivate a thankful heart. I think she knew, too, that we learn not…
- By Pastor Jeremy Wiersema, Reformed Church of SteenNovember 12, 2025Think about your day today. What was it like? Was it a good day or a difficult day? Was it a busy day? It seems like busy days are common for all of us. Sometimes I am so busy that I don’t have time to appreciate the fact that each day is a blessing that comes from God. I don’t think that is good. Psalm 118:24 speaks wisdom about how we are to approach each day. “This is the day the Lord has…
- By Pastor Ed Borchardt, Zion Lutheran Church, HardwickNovember 05, 2025Do you recall the television commercial, “Is it Chinet?” The word “china” was a play on words to emphasize their strength and durability compared to a regular paper plate. The Chinet commercial claimed, “It takes five of these (ordinary) paper plates to stack up to the molded strength of one Chinet paper plate china.” I don’t remember the first time using a heavy-duty paper plate. I do remember…
- By Pastor Bob Junak, Rock River Community Church, LuverneOctober 22, 2025Let’s talk about candy corn. That tiny tri-colored triangle of sugar, wax, and mystery. Is it corn? Is it candy? Is it a candle that got lost in the Halloween aisle? No one really knows. But every October, it shows up like that one relative who insists on bringing their “famous” casserole to Thanksgiving. You didn’t ask for it, but there it is. Candy corn tends to divide opinions. Some people…
- By Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, St. John Lutheran Church, LuverneOctober 08, 2025Imagine taking your great-grandmother's famous cake recipe, you know which one: the one she was known for, the one everyone demands you bring to every family gathering. But as you read through it, you notice ingredients that seem problematic. Your sister-in-law is vegan now, so the butter has to go. Uncle Joe's doctor has him on a gluten-free diet. And cousin Sally swore off sugar two years ago…
- By Pastor Sarah Zender, Grace Lutheran Church, LuverneOctober 01, 2025I made a mistake. When I was preaching this past Sunday, I said that when we as Christians grow in faith, it will change the way we view the political sphere and change the way we treat each other amidst politics. That statement is true, but my mistake was to forget that in these divisive times, people may have stopped listening halfway through and only heard this: “When we grow in faith, it…
- By Pastor Praveen Muthsuamy, Hills United Reformed ChurchSeptember 24, 2025In my last column we considered Hebrews 12:1-2, we zoomed in on Hebrews 12:1a, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.” Under this cloud of witnesses, we consider the example of Noah. Noah faced a lot of opposition from the world from running his race well. The world mocked him, laughed at him, and insulted him, but Noah by the grace of God ran his race faithfully…
- By Pastor Dr. Steven Voris, First Presbyterian Church, LuverneSeptember 17, 2025A certain hunter in the community, not this community, but one far away, believed that he should have the right to hunt anywhere he wanted. He railed against people posting their property with “No Hunting” signs. He led public protests and published “op-ed” articles in the newspaper. He organized petitions to remove “No Hunting” signs from private property since they were an eyesore and a public…
- By Pastor Mark Eliason, Palisade Lutheran Church, Rock CountySeptember 10, 2025Grief is a powerful thing. It can, and often does, take control of our lives in ways we never thought possible. Much of the time we feel alone and as though no one understands how we are feeling and that no one can ever understand or help us through our grief. This past year I have been feeling this way. Since the beginning of 2025 up to today, I have lost 11 friends and loved ones to death;…
- By Pastor Walt Moser, First Baptist Church, LuverneSeptember 03, 2025In a world that often dismisses sin as outdated or irrelevant, the Bible consistently reminds us that sin is no small matter to God. His holiness demands justice, and his perfect righteousness cannot overlook rebellion, pride, or disobedience. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals that God’s judgment against sin is real, certain and unavoidable. “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneAugust 27, 2025When you hear the word “work,” do you tend to associate it with words like tiring, burdensome, or frustrating? Personal experiences and cultural factors often influence our perception of work. For instance, the 1981 Loverboy ballad “Everybody’s Working for the Weekend” reflects the desire to merely endure the daily grind only to enjoy time in between work weeks. However, if we look to the Bible…
- By Pastor Jeremy Wiersema, Reformed Church of SteenAugust 20, 2025Grandma, don’t worry so much! Mom, it will be fine, don’t worry. Growing up, I said those two sentences with significant frequency. That’s because I grew up in a family of worriers. I am incredibly thankful for the love I experienced from my grandparents and parents. Sometimes Mom’s and Grandma’s love came in the form of worry. Now I am grown up, and there are days I really need to take my own…
- By Pastor Ed Borchardt, Zion Lutheran Church, HardwickAugust 13, 2025I was recently asked, “Why is church membership important?” I thought that was a very good question. I understand some churches no longer have a membership. I’m not sure of the reasons. I can also understand such a question when the sad truth is that less than 30 percent of membership in a church is active. Active means to participate in a regular worship service (two to three times per month)…
- By Pastor Josh Hayden, Living Rock Church, LuverneAugust 06, 2025I love coffee. Not just in the winter, but all year having the warm caffeine flowing through my body is truly a joy. The caffeine that courses through me is much appreciated with having three adventurous kids so I can stay awake (and alive?). Could I have an addiction to it? Possibly. However, I will leave that issue on the table for now. Whether you like coffee, energy drinks, or whatever else…
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