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INWOOD—Bethel United Methodist Church in Inwood may soon close its doors for good, but the eternal flame is still burning.
Members voted to discontinue services at the 125-year-old church during a congregational meeting on July 15.
“It’s very sad,” said Evelyn Brown, who has been attending Bethel United for 65 years.
For Brown, the building holds a special place in her heart, as both of her parents were members and her grandfather served as pastor during the 1930s.
“I finally just burst down and cried,” said Jan Hamann, who’s husband, the late Kenneth Hamann, served as pastor for five years.
“It’s such a shame, it’s such a beautiful little church,” said Karen Johnson, whose extended family has been attending the Inwood church most likely since its inception in 1884.
The three long-time members are not the only ones who have been disgruntled by the closure.
“Some local people who don’t even belong feel bad, but they realize it has to be done,” Brown said.
The church’s congregation, which has been comprised primarily of older community members for some time, has been facing a steady decline as members have passed on.
Coupled with a not-so-great administration a few years back, the building has reached a point of disrepair, with water leaks, ruined floors and outdated fixtures.
When current pastor Steve Swenson arrived in 2006, Hamann said Bethel United only had 10 members.
To keep the church open, congregation members held benefits, bake sales, waffle breakfasts and banquets to even pay for Swenson’s salary.
“It just reached a point where attendance was not enough to carry on or finance anything,” Hamann said. “Something had to be done.”
Which is why, although Hamann, Brown and Johnson may be saddened by the decision, they agree that the church needs to be closed.
“We don’t even have enough members to pay a minister’s salary,” Johnson said.
Hamann said only four people attended Bethel United’s final Sunday service on July 19. She, Brown and Johnson have all begun attending Doon United Methodist Church, where they will be formally welcomed into the congregation during a ceremony in August.
Besides attending the Doon church, they said members also have the option of transferring to Seeds of Faith, the United Methodist affiliated church in Lester.
To honor members and former pastors and community members who have remained dedicated to Bethel United, or simply want to say goodbye, Swenson will hold a special celebration and service at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, at the church, located at 311 S. Oak St. in Inwood.
“Everyone is invited,” Brown said.
The Iowa United Methodist Conference Board of Ordained Ministry will take ownership of the church and surrounding property on Aug. 1. The board has no plans for the church yet, and Johnson said it probably will not make any decision until at least September, due to the final celebration.
Brown said that Bethel United is not the only United Methodist church the board has to worry about.
At the board’s annual conference June 4-7, it voted to close five other Methodist churches in the state — Pleasant Prairie United Methodist Church in Chariton, Morrow Memorial Heights United Methodist Church in Marshall County, Capitol Heights United Methodist Church in Des Moines, Jefferson Center United Methodist Church in Stuart and South Bethel United Methodist Church in Manly.
Although the decision was expected, members still are sad to see the church, especially the intricate stained-glass windows, go.
“The town has said it’s the prettiest church in our area because of its age and its stained glass windows,” Brown said. “It would be a great historical place, but to raise money to keep it open would be too much.”
Following the Sunday celebration on Aug. 16, with the exception of the numerous memorials donated to the church by families in the congregation, all if its belongings will be turned over to the Iowa United Methodist Church, and the eternal flame will burn no more.This article appeared in the July 25, 2009 edition of The N'West Iowa REVIEW.
REGIONAL—The newfound joy of having a baby can be quite overwhelming for some parents.
With constant decisions having to be made, how do you know if you’re making the right one?
One major decision that will need to be made as soon as the baby is born is whether to use formula or breast feed.
Cheryl Tracy, a registered nurse and international board certified lactation consultant at Orange City Area Health System, recommends the latter.
“I encourage all expectant moms to breast feed. It’s definitely a baby’s best start, and it’s a parenting style that is a special one,” Tracy said. “There is a bond between mom and baby that can’t be replicated by any other process.”
Tracy would know, she speaks from experience.
After having four children, each of whom she breast fed, Tracy said she has formed a special bond with each that would not have happened otherwise.
“It was that part of being a mom that I so thoroughly enjoyed that I decided to become a lactation consultant — to help other moms enjoy it the way I did, to educate them on the benefits of breast feeding and to be there to help them with the bumps in the road that come along during the process,” Tracy said.
Here’s a closer look at how breast feeding compares to formula:
Q: What are the benefits to breast feeding?
A: There are a lot of them, but a big thing that comes to mind are the health benefits for babies. Research says that babies who are breast fed tend to have less ear infections, less GI (gastrointestinal) infections and their immune system is boosted from breast feeding.
Q: Does breast milk contain anything formula does not?
A: Breast milk as 200-plus ingredients that formula cannot match. The white blood cells, which are the living cells in breast milk, help with immune responses.
Q: If a baby was strictly fed on formula as opposed to breast milk, would they see different effects?
A: I definitely think so. You cannot manufacture those immune properties and living cells that come in breast milk, so they would definitely be missing out on that aspect. The neat thing about breast milk is that it is specifically geared toward that baby the mom is feeding. Breast milk of a prematurely delivered baby is different than breast milk for a baby born at full term. It changes as the baby grows, and formula pretty much stays the same and doesn’t change with the needs of the baby.
Q: As the baby gets older, does breast milk provide more nutrients to aid in the growth process?
A: As the weaning process ensues as the baby gets close to a year or older, the nutrients are concentrated. So, as a baby is breast fed less frequently, it will still get those benefits.
Q: How long should a baby be breast fed?
A: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a baby is breast fed for the first year of life, but the World Health Organization recommends breast feeding a baby until their second year of life.
Q: Does breast milk taste differently than formula?
A: I’m sure babies would tell you that it does. A baby will prefer their mom’s milk and often don’t tolerate formula as well.
Q: Are there any benefits for mothers who are breast feeding? A: A mom tends to lose weight she gains during the pregnancy more quickly if she breast feeds, because it uses calories to make breast milk. There is also research out there that says moms who breast feed face a reduced risk of breast cancer and other reproductive organ cancers. Research also shows that moms who breast feed face a reduced risk of osteoporosis.
Q: Are there any specific diets a mother who is breast feeding should follow? A: There are no specific things to include or avoid. I always tell moms to eat what they want in moderation, just like all of us need to do.
Q: What about smoking or drinking alcohol while breast feeding? A: The benefits of breast milk still outweigh the exposure to nicotine, but I always counsel moms not to expose their baby to secondhand smoke and to not smoke around babies. You can time the breast feeding, where the baby is breast fed and then the mom has a cigarette, and by the time the next feeding occurs, you’re at your lowest level of nicotine. But, I always encourage moms that anytime is a great time to quit smoking, whether that’s during their pregnancy or while they are breast feeding. As for alcohol, it is present in breast milk as well as in the blood stream. Alcohol is metabolized out of breast milk as it is out of the blood stream. It is recommended for every drink a mom consumes, she wait two hours to breast feed.
This article appeared in the July 25, 2009 edition of The N'West Iowa REVIEW.
DUNNELL, MN-The Hudsons have plans to go out with a bang.
The bluegrass trio, comprised of Brian Hudson, Hudson Mueller and most recently, Leah Zeger, have been recording, performing and promoting their own flavor of acoustic material for the past eight years.
But, soon it will all be over.
“This is our last tour,” said Hudson.
Although the band will continue to do a few shows through November, Mueller has plans to move to New York, which will certainly leave the Austin, TX based group in limbo.
Which is why the three have plans to enjoy what could possibly be their final tour together.
“I just really want to have a good time on this tour,” Mueller said. “We’ve kind of done this tour a couple of times already, so we have a lot of friends along the way, and we’re looking forward to seeing the folks that we know out there, and I’m also looking forward to spending time with Brian and Leah. We really haven’t had any gigs over the last couple of months, and I’m about to move, so we want to get one last hurrah in before it all goes down.”
One of the last stops on The Hudsons’ tour is to Cornstalk in Dunnell, MN — a music, art and peace festival the Texas group has performed at once before.
“It’s kind of a dope festival,” Hudson said.
While Mueller said the group, which only consisted of him and Hudson at the time, had no idea what they were getting into by performing at the festival, they were pleasantly surprised.
“The first time we went up there, we really had no idea what we were getting into,” he said. “We were off in the middle of nowhere, driving through corn fields, and suddenly out popped a little oasis of hippies and joy.”
And, while the band has played at Cornstalk before, both Mueller and Hudson agreed it will be a different experience this time around, what with the addition of Zeger.
“She’s just at the top of her game, and one of the best musicians I’ve ever played with, besides Hudson, of course,” said Hudson. “It ought to change things in a significant way.”
Although Mueller and Hudson pushed their merchandise pretty heavily last time, they agreed to be a little more subdued this time around.
“We do need to get rid of all of those boxes of CDs, though,” Mueller said.This article appeared in the July 25, 2009 edition of DISCOVER! Magazine.
ARNOLDS PARK-Jamie Statema knew he had something special from the very beginning.
While he initially struggled between his musical aspirations and youth ministry, Statema found his calling at a concert over a decade ago when a Canadian band called The Nylons visited St. Paul, MN, where the Rock Valley native was residing.
It was the first time he had seen an a capella group perform with a pop production flair, and Statema was hooked to the sound, deciding he wanted to incorporate some of the same elements into Christian music.
In 1993, he formed Go Fish, originally a mainstream band that has transformed its sound over the years to become one of the most sought after family-oriented Christian groups in the nation.
The switch wasn’t immediately met with praise, though.
Originally signed to Nashville-based InPop Records and comprised of different band mates, Go Fish went through a reconfiguration when two members moved on to other ambitions and Jason Folmann and Andy Selness joined Statema in 1998.
Four years later, the trio began to take notice of the large amount of families with young children coming to their concerts.
“We thought it’d be fun to do a CD for kids, so we approached our record label with our idea and they thought it was the dumbest idea to do after we had built up our careers,” Statema said.
Go Fish was convinced it wouldn’t need to change its music, per say, just gear an album toward the younger generation.
“The label didn’t want any part of it, and said we’d be out of our record deal if we did it, so we decided to get out and did ‘Splash’ six years ago,” Statema said. “It went bonkers immediately, and it was very evident it was music kids and parents could enjoy together, so we pretty much quit doing everything else and now focus solely on families with young kids. It’s been amazing.”
While many of the band’s songs are fun and goofy, Statema finds songwriting inspiration from his three-year-old son combined with God’s word.
“Our mission to follow Christ and be fishers of men has always been the same, so not only do we have fun, but we teach kids about the gospel and the Bible to get inspiration for our songs,” Statema said. “Studying the Bible and seeing first-hand on a daily basis what a great book God has given us is a great inspiration in itself. I think a lot of people that maybe doubt it or don’t understand it have probably never studied it. The more I study it, I am just amazed from beginning to end how seamlessly it’s rolled together.”
Families in Northwest Iowa can gather to hear Go Fish open the Okoboji Lakes Bible and Missionary Conference at 7:15 p.m. Friday, July 31.
Statema guarantees everyone in attendance will have a great time.
“We’re going to put on a great show. Whether you know our music or you’re 5 or 55, we are entertainers and you are going to have a great time,” he said. “I love doing our concerts and seeing kids and grandparents enjoying it together. It’s a rare thing to find these days."This article appeared in the July 25, 2009 edition of DISCOVER! Magazine.
SUTHERLAND-Are you looking for a way to cut costs at the grocery store?
Iowa State University Extension may have a solution.
Through the Eight Gardens in Eight Days program, horticulturist Cindy Haynes hopes to educate Iowans on the potential to save money by growing produce at home.
Established nearly 20 years ago, the annual program is presenting home demonstration gardens developed by the Extension in eight communities, including Sutherland, throughout July and August. The other gardens are in Rock Rapids, Fruitland, Kanawha, Gilbert, Nashua, Chariton and Lewis.
Each year, Haynes chooses to incorporate different flowers and plants contingent on what the gardening trends are.
This year’s theme, mainly chosen because of the national economic crisis, deals with growing vegetables that can stretch your dollar. By incorporating the option of canning and preserving produce, Haynes chose products like winter squash, tomatoes, potatoes and onions for planting in the statewide gardens.
“They’re all easy to grow, and they keep a long time,” she said. “Tomatoes might need to be canned or frozen, but potatoes and onions can just be stored in a cool basement.”
Because Haynes always likes to incorporate something fun into the gardens, she planted white pumpkins, or “ghostly pumpkins,” this year.
“They take up a lot of space, and they are nice looking plants,” she said. “We planted a big one and a little one. That way, the pumpkin patch isn’t all orange. It’s a nice comparison of the different varieties of cultivators you might select.”
The final trend that the Extension settled on was incorporating unusual flowers and ornamental grasses.
“We always like to show the newer, unusual zinnias and marigolds that come out,” Haynes said. “We like to demonstrate how they perform in Iowa. Sometimes we see some real winners and sometimes we see some real dogs.”
On the field days, Haynes sees how each plant is handling the Iowa weather. The Sutherland field day, which is the last of the eight, will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm in O’Brien County, located six miles southwest of Sutherland, at 6320 500th St.
After speeches from Del Brokshus, owner of Del’s Garden Center in Spencer, and Haynes, the garden, which features five varieties of pumpkins, six varieties of squash, a wide selection of flowers, giant corn, wild grass, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, beets, beans and sweet potatoes, will be open for tours.
Research farm superintendent Ryan Rusk said complimentary root beer floats and grilled sweet corn also will be served.
“The field days are always a good interactive learning period,” Rusk said. “It’s just a good chance to relate with other gardeners and have an enjoyable evening out.”AT A GLANCE:
What: Eight Gardens in Eight Days tour stop
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12
Where: Iowa State University Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm in O’Brien County, 6320 500th St., Sutherland
For more info: Contact ISU horticulturist Cindy Haynes at (515) 294-4006 or chaynes@iastate.eduThis article appeared in the July 25, 2009 edition of The South O'Brien Sun.
SUTHERLAND-Chris White has held many jobs over the years.
From a police officer to an insurance adjuster to retail management.
But, it’s his current gig he likes the most.
The 42-year-old White took over as nursing home administrator at Sutherland Care Center on June 15.
It was perfect timing for the Sutherland resident, as he had just completed his online master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in health care management 10 days prior.
“I was going to Salt Lake City when I was called and offered the job,” White said. “I was like, ‘Well, I’ll be back on the 13th,’ which was a Saturday, and he asked if I could start that Monday. ‘I said sure.’ The timing couldn’t have gotten any better, really.”
His interested in being involved with the geriatric population was piqued when he began volunteering at a Golden Living nursing facility in Rapid City, SD.
“I just enjoyed working with the people and decided to go back to school to get my license,” he said.
Since doing so, White has been nothing but pleased.
“This is the right fit for me. I really enjoy the residents and the business aspect of it,” he said. “And, when I need a break, I can go out and play some bingo or play cards with the guys. It’s really nice.”
As the nursing home administrator, White takes responsibility for the residents receiving high-quality care, works with department heads to make sure certain needs are being met, addresses any concerns that arise from residents or residents’ families and keeps on top of state and federal regulations to insure the facility stays in compliance.
“Overall, I’m just in charge of the entire facility and make sure we’re providing everything we need to,” White said.
Since taking over duties from Jaime Dodd, the previous nursing home administrator, White has faced nothing but high expectations at Sutherland Care Center.
“It has a good history of taking care of people and having a good staff, and I really found that to be true,” he said. “They’re very dedicated to their jobs and to the residents. Hopefully, we can maintain that. That would be a great goal.”
Other goals White has for the facility include expanding services to residents in Larrabee, Peterson and Paullina and possibly opening up the therapy department to the general public.
“I just somehow want to give back to the community, because the community of Sutherland is really involved, and that’s a great thing,” White said. “It really supports the care center with a lot of volunteers.”
AT A GLANCE:
Name: Chris White
Position: Nursing home administrator at Sutherland Care Center
Start date: June 15
Age: 42
Residence: Sutherland
Education: Earned bachelor of business administration degree with a concentration in health care management from American InterContinental University, an online program based in Atlanta in 2005; earned health-care administration license in 2006; earned master of business administration degree with a concentration in health-care management from Stevens Henager College, an online program based in Salt Lake City in 2009
Family: Son, Benjamin, 13
Hobbies: Playing softball, reading, doing computer work, cookingThis article appeared in the July 25, 2009 edition of The South O'Brien Sun.
REGIONAL—Quidditch, muggles and the never-ending magical quest to defeat You-Know-Who.
Confused?
You shouldn’t be.
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the sixth installment in the Harry Potter film franchise, which is based on the series of eight books about a young wizard penned by British author J.K. Rowling, sold $53.38 million in movie tickets in the United States and Canada on its opening day Wednesday, according to Warner Bros.
N’West Iowa was no exception to the mania.
Children, teenagers and parents flocked to Sheldon, Orange City and Sioux Center for a chance to purchase tickets for the midnight showing of the film.
John Ihle, manager of Holland Plaza in Orange City and Main Street 3 in Sheldon, said tickets for the 12:05 a.m. showing of “Half-Blood Prince” were sold out by 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Orange City.
Muggles, or nonmagical people in Harry Potter lingo, stood in lines prior to the Sheldon showing waiting for the theatre to open at 11:30 p.m., tickets still were available at the start of the premier. They did sell out soon after.
“It’s such a good series, and there’s really a lot to it,” Ihle said, of the large turnout.
The Sheldon and Orange City movie theatres were not the only “Half-Blood Prince” premieres Potterites flocked to. The 12:01 a.m. showing of the film also sold out at Cinema 5 in Sioux Center.
The film originally was scheduled to be released on Nov. 21, but Warner Bros. decided to hold off the sixth installment until summer, hoping for a larger box office turnout.
Ihle said the company hit box office gold with its decision.
“Everybody thought when they had delayed it from November to now that it would hurt them, but it didn’t,” he said. “People just love Harry Potter.”
That may be an understatement.
Sheldon residents Joelle Brown, 17, Kristine Arnold, 18, Jackie Klein, 16, and Becky Oldenkamp, 21, proved their love for the series on multiple occasions throughout the week.
Prior to the midnight showing in Sheldon, Arnold hosted a Harry Potter-themed party at her house.
Friends of the four dressed up as characters ranging from Molly Weasley, Bill Weasley and Cho Chang to professor Sybill Trelawney, Hermoine Granger, Nymphadora Tonks, Luna Lovegood and, of course, Harry Potter.
At about 10:20 p.m., the group headed to Main Street 3 for a Harry Potter prerelease party sponsored by KIWA Radio and waited for the theatre doors to open so they could get the best seats.
Not showing the slightest bit of sleep depravity from the two-and-a-half hour movie, which released at about 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, Brown, Arnold, Oldenkamp and Klein were dressed in their Potter garb and ready to host Harry Potter Fest at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Sheldon Public Library.
More than 30 area children attended the event, which featured scenes from the fictional Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and the Great Hall, located within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Prior to the festival, children’s librarian Karla Robinet, dressed as Hogwarts’ professor Minerva McGonagall, placed the sorting hat on each participant, which deemed who should be placed in each of the four houses — Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
After receiving their designated house badge, Klein, dressed as Nymphadora Tonks, drew marker lightning bolt scars, similar to the one Harry Potter dons, on each of the children’s foreheads. Oldenkamp, dressed as Hogwarts’ gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid, stood at Gringotts Wizarding Bank and handed out galleons, knuts and sickles, for each participant to buy Harry Potter-themed candy and toys at each station in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
The group also engaged in Potter-riffic Jeopardy, a Quidditch relay race and Scene It? Harry Potter Edition, a DVD-based board game.
Robinet said the library also had a celebration when “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” was released in 2007 and plans to do more when the final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows,” is released in two movies in 2010 and 2011.
“There’s no question,” she said.
MOVIE REACTIONS:
How did the movie “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” compare to the book?
“I’m fine with the movies, but I’m always slightly disappointed because I love the books so much. They missed some things, but it was OK.”
Joelle Brown, 17, Sheldon
“It was the best one so far.”
Kristine Arnold, 18, Sheldon
“It was the best of the six, but it really played up the romance.”
Jackie Klein, 16, Sheldon
HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
The fictional Harry Potter will celebrate his birthday on July 31. As the wizard was born in 1980, he will celebrate his 29th birthday later this month.This article appeared in the July 18, 2009 edition of The N'West Iowa REVIEW.
