On May 16, Bethel Lutheran Church held a dedication and groundbreaking ceremony as they planned to expand both their building and parking lot at their Fergus Falls campus.

Hillcrest Lutheran Academy has entered into an agreement with LB Homes to purchase their administrative building, the former Eisenhower Elementary School at 805 E. Channing Ave. The former school will become a school once again as the future location of the Hillcrest Lutheran Academy lower s…

On Easter Sunday, Roger Sodsod, gave his first sermon as Life Church’s new senior pastor. With a multitude of interests, Sodsod is certain to have a variety of stories to share as he leads Life Church.

A prayer offered before the Fergus Falls City Council meeting Monday evening by Hindu statesman Rajan Zed drew approximately 25 people to City Hall with signs and prayers.

Year built: 1872

There is a popular English proverb that tells us “from little acorns do mighty oaks grow.”

House of Faith: Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church Battle Lake

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who delivered the first Hindu prayer to open the United States Senate, is slated to deliver the invocation at the Fergus Falls City Council meeting March 15. Zed has traveled across the country, opening meetings with Hindu mantras and prayers at a city, state and n…

Established: Bethel Fergus Falls was founded in 1912, renting space from First Presbyterian Church, which was destroyed by the cyclone of 1919.

Established: Oct. 4, 1987.

In late 2019, Church of Peace United Methodist Church launched Peace Pantry, a program that provided care packages consisting of new items to community members who were in need. Since its beginnings, the program has changed considerably, transitioning from a ministry that invited participant…

Many older Catholics throughout Otter Tail County recall the days of Latin Masses. This changed for Catholic churches from 1962 to 1964, coinciding with the Second Vatican Council when there was a switch from Latin to English in the United States. 

On Feb. 1, Messiah Lutheran Church of Underwood will welcome a new pastor, Nate Nash, to their congregation. The avid outdoorsman, husband, and father of five (with another girl due to arrive in April) is from the Midwest but is relocating to the area from his wife’s native state of Pennsylvania. 

Year built: 1889.

Year built: The church gathered in the home from 2013-14, and moved to its current location since 2014 at the Fergus Falls Area Family YMCA.

Year built: The church met in the Fergus Falls Area Family YMCA from 2001-13. In 2012, the church purchased its current building (located at 207 W. Lincoln Ave.) and, after renovating it, started meeting there in 2013.

Year built: The church met in the Fergus Falls Area Family YMCA from 2001-13. In 2012, the church purchased its current building (located at 207 W. Lincoln Ave.) and, after renovating it, started meeting there in 2013.

Year built: Sverdrup Lutheran Church was established on March 6, 1876 by seven men of Lutheran heritage. The first Church was built in 1908 north of Underwood in the present cemetery location. Since then, the church has moved two times, first in 1917 to Main Street in Underwood, and then in …

Outdoor gatherings were one way for groups of people to get together during the coronavirus pandemic, but the recent drop in temperatures and accumulating snow has put an end to many of those outdoor activities. Many local churches, some of which were holding outdoor services during the summ…

Father William “Bill” Gamber, a priest in Fergus Falls, shared with the community his passion for history and ministry. Though he passed away on Saturday, at the age of 91, he will be remembered by the many who knew him as a friendly, genuine and caring member of the Fergus Falls community.

Trinity Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls will be hosting an event in October called “Back the Blue Drive Thru BBQ” to show support for local law enforcement. The church is raising funds to buy a gift for each uniformed officer in the Fergus Falls Police Department and, with cold weather upon …

First Lutheran Church of Fergus Falls has reason to celebrate with the completion of their church organ this year. Their organ was first built in 1922 with renovations and updates done in 1951, 1972 and 2012, but their most recents have seen both of the organ’s pipe rooms filled completely, …

Pastor Craig Palach has served the congregation of Faith Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls for 25 years and even picked up extra duties in January as Faith Lutheran and Immanuel Lutheran became a dual parish. Palach’s final day as a fulltime minister was June 30.

Bethel Lutheran Church is poised to offer their sports camp over four days in August at sites in Battle Lake and Fergus Falls.

Due to COVID-19, the Lake Region Run was postponed this year. Normally held at the beginning of June, the Lake Region Run raises money for the Lake Region Healthcare Cancer Care & Research Center in Fergus Falls. Still wanting to give back to the community and bring her congregation toge…

For the past few months, churches in the area have had to find different ways of delivering the message of their faith due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some have opted to go online or through the radio. But CrossRoads Church, a baptist ministry located at 629 E. Channing Ave., in Fergus Fall…

Bethel Lutheran Church president Gary Ohren was one of many who watched firefighters battle billowing flames on a gusty Saturday evening in the rolling countryside of St. Olaf Township.

Gov. Tim Walz announced on Saturday that places of worship in Minnesota may start reopening to congregates starting on Wednesday, May 27. This decision follows a motion filed last week by the Upper Midwest Law Center on behalf of multiple Minnesota churches seeking to suspend enforcement of …

On Thursday, former members of the Western Presbyterian Church outside of Fergus Falls said goodbye to their church building as fire consumed the facility. A controlled burn conducted by the Wendell Fire Department for training was ignited just after 3 p.m. As the bales of hay used to start …

The COVID-19 pandemic and Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order has moved many church services online and, though there was some hope that things might return to normal in time for Easter, Holy Week is unfortunately no different.