Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
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The theme for the last full day of the ELCA youth gathering was "Hope changes everything." In a world where it is so easy to become discouraged, this is a message that we all need to hear. I understand that we all have different personalities, beliefs, values and even ethics. A study of ethics can guide us to understand one another better. In fact, we all fall into different categories based on what kind of ethics we have. For example, I fall into the situational ethics. Even so, I find myself...
In 1903, a family from Arne Township needed to baptize their baby in their home, as there weren't any churches in the area at that time. Rev. J. A. Pederson from the St. Petri and Bethany parishes in Harvey conducted the service. While in the area, Rev. Pederson noticed that some Christian work was needed in this rural area, so he made arrangements to preach at the Arne Schoolhouse. Rev. Pederson conducted the first worship service on record on September 13, 1902 with a good attendance. Julius...
I'm deviating from what I thought I was going to write about this week. My plan was to follow the theme of the ELCA youth gathering I attended in Houston, Texas by writing about grace. However as I reflected on grace, I kept coming back to forgiveness. In essence, you have to lead by grace in order to forgive: to forgive you need grace. There is one thing I want to make very clear about forgiveness. Practicing forgiveness does not mean you should be a doormat. Bullying and domestic violence are not Biblical; Jesus does not condone violence and...
I’ve heard the old saying that “life is not a bed of roses” for as long as I can remember. I understand what it’s trying to convey, but I’ve also thought that it would not really be all that great to lie down on a bed of sharp thorns. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say our journey will have its ups and downs and unfortunately, most of us will experience our share of hard times. Whether it’s a financial worry, a medical situation, family problems, a concern for the world, or just being discouraged fr...
I am sure that many of you can remember when life was not so demanding and filled with anxiety or at least it seemed that way. I was raised in the city so when I had a chance to go to my grandparent’s house out in the country it was like going on vacation. They lived on a quiet overgrown road that came to a dead-end at the Kentucky River and their farm was so remote that when an occasional car would pass by we would stop and stare at it like it was entertainment. I will never forget helping i...
Children are a wonderful blessing! How exciting it is to hold a little baby and imagine the person they will become along with all the great things they will experience and accomplish. These feelings of expectation and happiness are amazing and hopefully will continue as we watch them grow throughout our lifetime, however, as children develop beyond their formative years and into their teens, our excitement often turns to confusion and discouragement. No one is perfect or has all the answers,...
God's Call Changes Everything "God doesn't do stereotypes when it's about call." These are the words Rev. Tuhina Rasche boldly proclaimed at our opening night mass gathering of 30,000 youth and adult leaders for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELCA) in Houston, Texas. God's calling changes everything! Let me boldly proclaim to all of you, these kids will change everything! That gives me hope-- hope for a world that will one day be less concerned about economic success and more...
As I methodically type my thoughts out to share with you, I am a thousand, if not more, feet in the air with an endless sea of white cumulus clouds below. I hold my breath whenever the plane jolts, shakes, or dips a bit from turbulence. Almost 29 years ago to the day, I was on a bus headed to Dallas, Texas with the youth group from my church to attend the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) youth gathering. It was my first, and I thought last, large youth gathering that I would...
We know that people pray for all types of things and many times I wonder if God takes every request seriously or if he considers some of them unreasonable. For example, I’m sure that at sporting events both sides are praying for victory over the opposing team but I’ve always thought these types of prayers generally fall into the category of the non-spiritual variety. The Bible actually mentions unsuitable attitudes behind our prayers and uses the word, “amiss” which means, flawed, incorre...
A total of 25 children, ages 5 through 12, attended New Rockford's Evangelical Free Church Vacation Bible School June 18-22. This year's theme, "Camp Turned Around" was lead by volunteers from the church and the Child Evangelism Fellowship. The children enjoyed games, crafts and songs, and did daily lessons and bible verses. They also studied about missionaries serving abroad. On the evening of Friday, June 22, parents were invited to a s'mores night. Everyone had a great time making their own...
I’m sure that many of you remember the man who portrayed the friendly neighbor in the popular children’s program known all over the world as Mister Rogers. Who can forget the childlike song that asked the question, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” With the macho crowd, he was labeled a sissy and downright creepy but to children, he was always a nice, polite and comforting role model. There have been many false accusations about him through the years like the rumors about him having to wear long slee...
Rust out or wear out? The journey of life is amazing. As children we can’t wait to grow up. And teenagers can’t wait to finish school and become more independent. In our twenties, we try to discern what career will be best. In our thirties, we struggle to balance family, home and work. In our forties, some face the empty nest and find new activities with our free time. In our fifties, we make a final effort to prepare for retirement. After retirement there is the adjustment to personal freedom, and often health challenges. Every age is ful...
The caterpillar and the butterfly. Perhaps you know this saying; “The caterpillar thinks it’s the end of the world, but the butterfly knows it’s only the beginning.” I really like this saying because I can picture in my mind the fat caterpillar climbing up the stick and making a cocoon around itself. The caterpillar is convinced this is the end and is mourning how good life has been with the constant eating and the enjoyment the sunshine. The caterpillar is anxious to understand what will happen once the cocoon is completed, and worries...
A total of 39 children grades K-6 attended the St. John's Catholic Church Young Disciples Camp. The children spent the week as "archaeologists" on a fun-filled adventure in the Egyptian Desert. Young Disciple Leaders, Quinn, Emily, Faith and Peter. These four college-aged students from North Dakota and beyond led the camp to teach the children about the "Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary" through music and adventures. These Young Disciple Leaders completed a 10-week training course in the Catholic...
We never retire in faith. Jesus engaged in the world around him, and did not shy away from the society of his day. Jesus indicated that all who follow him will become like him. But what does it mean to “be like Jesus” in today’s complex world? Human life is a mixture of good and bad, successes and dilemmas. Faith seems to come easy in good times. But during tough times we need to “take heart” and face up to the trials of this life. God looks for faithfulness, so in our life of faith we do what we can to obey and honor God with whatever comes ou...
Memorial means to “remember” and every year on the last Monday in May, we honor those who sacrificed their lives in the line of active military service. On Memorial Day we stop and pay our respect to the ones who were willing to stand in the gap between freedom and tyranny. The First Amendment was not only signed into existence with ink but with the blood of over 1.1 million Americans that have died in U.S. wars, along with many more that have suffered from physical and mental difficulties. Over...
Whom do you listen to? In times of desperation people have said to me, “I have prayed to God, and asked for God’s help, but I don’t understand why God has not answered me.” It might be good to remember that Satan is the enemy of our souls. It is Satan’s voice that whispers messages to discourage and condemn us. It is Satan’s voice that tells us we are not good enough, and that God could never forgive or love us. And it is Satan’s voice that accuses us of lacking of faith. Satan is having a heyday in our lives whenever we feel that God is far aw...
As I reflect on Romans 8:12-17, the assigned second reading for Trinity Sunday, I find myself drawn to the first half of verse 15. Paul writes, “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,” (Romans 8:15a). We are well aware of the fear of the unknown. I have known people who stayed in abusive relationships or dead-end jobs because of their fear of the unknown. I’m sure we all have, maybe we have experienced this ourselves. People can be enslaved in a hurtful life because fear is their master. Paul spoke of this as livin...
Reflecting on the assigned texts for this Sunday, The Day of Pentecost, it occurs to me that this is the day Jesus’ disciples had been waiting for their whole lives. They might not have known that this was the day they had been waiting for . . . until it happened. “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (Acts 2:4). At Pentecost, with the power of the Holy Spirit, people who were scattered all over the world are gathered together. People from nations all over the w...
In the spring of 1971, I sat down to write my last will and testament— no, not that last will and testament. This was a silly little exercise that many graduating seniors did, in which they explained what they were leaving to their high school alma mater and the underclassmen left behind. These “wills” were mimeographed and stapled together and distributed through the school that last week of classes. It’s been so long that I don’t remember everything I left to everyone, but I do remember a few things. I left my long, consecutive string of tard...
To be honest, I probably spend too much time watching and reading the news. I feel the need to keep up with the latest developments so that I can at least be aware about current events. However, many times I find myself being absorbed in an ocean of information that is not only meaningless but is also negatively affecting my mental and emotional state of being. I’m reminded that I have no power or influence to change the decisions that are being made including the declining direction of the w...
As I was praying about, meditating and reflecting upon, asking questions about Sunday’s assigned second reading (1 John 5:1-6), a particular part of the text caught my attention. It was 1 John 5:6a: “This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood.” While these words may seem strange at first, they do have some relevance to our modern time. The early Christians were engaged in a theological battle with the gnostics. The gnostics thought that the material world was evil and t...
Success is a popular subject and an exciting attitude that fuels the imagination and drives our motivation. The fervent desire to succeed seems to be embedded within our DNA and I see nothing wrong with an honest inspiration to accomplish certain goals. Even the Bible talks about “pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” and refers to winning and being victorious as a spiritual blessing in accordance with God’s perfect will. Yes, success can be satis...
He is for you “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…. What, then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:28 & 31 This is probably one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It is so assuring to know that God will work all things out in our life for good. In addition, we know that God is not against us, but rather he is for us. All too often, when life happens, we tend to think that God is “pulling the rug right o...
Breakthrough When Our Walls Fall by Rev. Randy Hahne Bethel Assembly of God “Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days’” (Joshua 6:1-3). In context, Joshua was called by God to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land, and along the way there were cities to be conquered—Jericho was one of those cit...
