Faith & Fellowship

Coming home is a major victory for Rev. Mike and Kay Franklin

by Doris Weber Mike Franklin, pastor of the local New Life Assembly of God Church, received a warm “Welcome Home” greeting from the people of his church on Sunday, October 13. Pastor Mike entered the church during opening exercises as Carli Petersen was making the announcement that he was home...

Pictured around the organ are, from left: Rev. Al Negstad, Rev. Tom von Fischer and Rev. Tricia Mattson, current pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

Son of St. Paul’s stops for a visit

Rev. Thomas von Fischer and Rev. Al Negstad, retired pastors living in Minneapolis, stopped at St. Paul Lutheran Church for a visit Monday morning. Rev. von Fischer grew up in Springfield. He is the son of Rev. Max and Pauline von Fischer. He graduated from Springfield High School in 1961 and...

Church of St. Joseph closes ~ a sad sign of the times

For 116 years, Catholics in the farming community of Clements on the Minnesota prairie have come to one church to share life’s milestones. They have been baptized, confirmed and married in the Church of St. Joseph. Their grandparents, parents and siblings lie in the nearby church cemetery, but...

St. Johns, St. Paul and Zion Lutheran Churches combined forces again this year for Vacation Bible School.

St. Johns hosted this year’s VBS June 23-27. The theme was Miraculous Mission: Jesus Saves the World. Children from the community enjoyed Bible Stories, Crafts, Music and Games each night. The photo was taken during the closing program June 27. */

Church Services

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Pastor Rick Frederickson WED., NOV. 20 6:30 a.m. Men’s Bible Study at The Maples 6:00 p.m. Confirmation 7:30 p.m. Choir THURS., NOV. 21 9:30 a.m. Bible Study at Cottonwood Ridge SUN., NOV. 24 9:15 a.m. Sunday School 9:15 a.m. Fellowship Hour 10:30 a.m. Worship Service TUES...

Participants in 2017 Catholic Heart Workcamp

Youth group gives up summer fun for mission work

A group of young people from the Vine and Branches Area Faith Community (St. Raphael of Springfield, St. Joseph of Lamberton and the Oratory of St. Thomas of Sanborn) and adult leaders recently participated in Catholic HEART Workcamp in Montana. These young people gave a week of their summer...

Erin Hauth glad to be home and working as Faith Formation Director at St. Raphael Church

Erin Hauth is the new Faith Formation Director at St. Raphael Catholic Church. The daughter of Roger and Diane Hauth of rural Springfield, Erin attended St. Raphael Catholic School through sixth-grade and is a 2011 graduate of Springfield High School. After graduating from the University of...

Father Phil Schotzko to celebrate 40th anniversary of ordination

*/ Father Phil Schotzko will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on Wednesday, June 7, with a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Bishop John M. LeVoir at 5:30 p.m. at St. Raphael Catholic Church. A reception with music will follow from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the...

Mitch and Julie Linneman and son Jacob visited in Springfield last week.

Former Springfield woman and husband are missionaries working with the poor

A former Springfield woman, Julie Lindley Linneman, and her husband, Mitch, are missionaries who will be working in relief and development projects, — teaching aquaponics to use in some of the poorest regions of the world. The Linnemans live in the small, rural community of Genoa, Illinios, one...