In the Sunday morning church service at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church, Pastor Matt Griggs led in the prayer for a no rain, very little wind and high temps in the 70s with sunshine day tomorrow Sept. 23, 2019. The congregation responded with a very loud, “Amen.”
God granted the prayer and after six consecutive days of rain the weatherman also complied with the exact forecast as per the prayer.
590 people attended the social event of the year on Monday Sept. 23 at Central Freeborn known as soup and pie supper. People from all walks of life attended. You name the area town in Southern Minnesota, Northern Iowa and it was represented. (Even cars with a Texas license plate were seen in the parking lot.)
They came by car, van, pickup, motorcycle, all with one thing in common: an empty tummy. They all left with one thing in common: a full tummy.
As you arrived you were greeted and directed to a parking spot by Gene Wangen, Barry Moszer and Bob Hanson. Wayne Indrelie greeted you at the “special entrance door,” took any non-perishable food items for the local food shelves and directed you to purchasing a ticket to satisfy your empty tummy.
Ticket in hand, giving you your choice of soups plus dessert with or without ice cream later, you could be seated in either the dining room or the big tent on the patio. If you had to or wanted to, you could listen to music by the older, talented, Ken Bertelson or the younger, many talented, teenager Sam Christensen as they tickled the ivory keys in the church proper. Many a conversation was continued in the church proper while waiting for the raffle prizes drawing.
Whether it was attending, bringing food, advertising the event, whatever, every member of the church helped in some way. A special thanks to chair Mary Ann Atchison and her assistants Gary Goette, Cathy Legried, Ole Olson and Kacey Pagel for helping in leading the volunteers. They surrounded themselves with good workers and the results showed it.
Short shorts:
A: Thanks to Gale Nelson for the clever table decorations
B: Next year’s event will most likely be Monday Sept. 21.
C: Brothers Spencer and Sam Christensen built the, to scale, model with legos of the former Central Freeborn Lutheran Church that burned Saturday, Nov. 2, 1996. (It can be seen in the Narthex at Central.)
D: Sue Mickelson and Youth for Christ were equal recipients of the event.
E: An eligible donor of a kidney transplant has been found for Sue. The great done is hubby John Mickelson!
F: God, the U.S. Flag, and the United States of America are the three requirements for any rural America event to be a success. Yes, this was a successful example of rural America in action.
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.