Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pastor Fetter- The Interview- Part 2

In Part 2 of the interview, Pastor Fetter reflects upon his evolution as a church leader, from his role as Pastor/Secretary/Fireman (yes,firefighter) at his first church to his role in opening a mission church and the leap of faith that was required. And what sort of advice would he give to the 1970 version of David Fetter?

Monday, April 26, 2010

Painted Churches Trip 2010

Videos at the end of the synopsis. The first video is primarily of the churches themselves. The second video focuses on the fun and fellowship. Enjoy!

Synopsis by videographer, Kim Thonhoff:

Dolly made arrangements for the bus and coordinated the basic tour- She also coordinated the lunch stop and the Shiner Brewery. Pastor Lynnae was the tour guide and had researched all the churches, brewery, etc. and shared the information about each stop before leaving the bus. Dolly and Lynnae presented with their "Czech" foundations and added a few "Slavacia" tips now & then.We had a guided tour of the brewery by the brewery staff. After the tour, there was a tasting area- You had the opportunity to taste four different kinds of beer.


We stopped in LaGrange (Weikel's Bakery) for a morning kolache & coffee stop before. Lunch was in Schulenburg at the Oakridge Smokehouse -an "all you could eat" buffet with homecooking delights. We toured these churches:Shiner-St. Cyril and Methodius, Praha-St. Mary's Church of the Assumption, High Hill (Schulenburg)- Nativity of Mary the Blessed Virgin, Dubina-St Cyril and Methodius, and Ammansville (Schulenburg)-St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. (Not necessarily in this order) The churches visited were amazing. The Shiner Brewery was the last stop.

Overall, it was a day full of Christian fellowship. We learned a lot and reflected a lot as we went inside those beutiful, amazing churches. Also, the wildflowers were breathtaking so the bus ride was just so enjoyable. We left at 8:30 am and returned around 6:00 pm tired and refreshed. The trip was a delight. If people want to take a tour of the painted churches- They can contact the Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce and make arrangements. Or, they can pay Dolly and Pastor Lynnae as personal tour guides- Both would be equally enjoyable.

Part 1: The Churches


Part 2: The Camaraderie

Jesus Loves You, and So Do I...

Many times I have heard these words, "Jesus loves you, and so do I..." But how well do I know the man who frequently utters these words? Not nearly as well as I thought! Take a few minutes and see if you learn anything new as well.

In celebration of 40 years of service, appropriately enough on the exact day of the 30th anniversary of Abiding Love, I sat down with Pastor Fetter for an interview. Part 1 of his reflections on forty years...

Monday, April 19, 2010

Thirty Years of Love

Wow. Thirty Years of Love. A plethora of memories. To borrow from an old bumper sticker- I wasn't born a Charter Member...but I got here as fast as I could. Watching my youngest brother, born in 1981, being baptized in the bowling alley (and hearing the crashing of the pins in the background). Acolyting in the original building. Confirmation classes in the nursery. Being submerged into frigid water in the dunking booth on a cold All Hallow's Eve Carnival as a teenager. Countless youth group activities as a high schooler (and now a sponsor). Playing softball against other churches. Easter egg hunts. Serving as a member of the church council. Warm, lazy summer evenings under the oak trees during Vacation Bible School. My first Communion. My daughter's first Communion. Mentors of my youth becoming good friends in my adulthood. What a wonderful place. Here is a motley collection of felicitations given on Abiding Love's big 3-0 !