PAGE 18 - INTER-COUNTY LEADER - NORTHERN CURRENTS, SECTION B - SEPTEMBER 12, 2012
CHURCH NEWS/OBITUARIES Alzen family will perform at Fristad’s fall dinner
Eternal
perspectives Sally Bair
Fruit This year I put up a fancy climbing device for my pole beans. The metal pole supports two circular rings, one near the ground and the other 6 feet high, joined by intertwining strings that guide the pole bean vines. In past years, the deer hadn’t touched my outside-the-fence plants, so I rationalized that it would be safe to erect the climbing device outside the fence, too. The fenced gardens had no room for pole beans. At first, my pole beans grew beautifully on their new home, holding a ton of leaves, blossoms and beans. What a harvest! Then, one morning during my routine walk through the gardens, I witnessed a strange denuding. Hundreds of leafless, beanless stems stood straight up along the strings, like vertical pick-up sticks. At least the top crop remained, apparently too high for the deer to reach. The whole affair looked like a 1970s ethnic hairdo. I groaned and then laughed at the sight. What a picture of my life as a fruit-bearing Christian! “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22) We’re all vulnerable to the vagaries of life that steal our spiritual fruit. God plants and waters us within the protective nursery of his Word and Spirit. However, we sometimes stray outside his nursery. Our fruit of love, for instance, is snatched easily by anger and hatred following someone’s evil act. We allow our fruit of joy to be stolen and exchanged for sadness. God’s peace, his special fruit, is gobbled in a moment until only the visible stems of anxiety stand. An unkind word easily steals our fruit of kindness or goodness. Someone’s broken promise snatches our own sense of faithfulness. The harsh words of a friend or co-worker quickly turn our own gentle words into an unpleasant comeback or even retaliation. Patience, a virtuous fruit, takes time to grow. Its fragility must be fenced in daily to avoid being eaten by unexpected, unwanted circumstances. Finally, there’s the fruit of self-control. We conveniently forget to ask God to fill us with it for the day, making it easy for marauding deer—misused time, unfulfilling pleasures and poor attitudes—to snatch our self-control in one gulp. Jesus has the answer to these fruit snatchers. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Lord, help us abide so closely to you that the fruit of your Spirit dwelling within us cannot be snatched by surrounding marauders. In Jesus’ name, amen.
In Loving Memory Of
KATHY C. HICKS Sept. 6, 2006
It’s been 6 years. In life we loved you dearly. In death we do the same. It broke out hearts to lose you. You did not go alone, for part of us went with you, The day God called you home. You left us beautiful memories. Your love is still our guide and though we cannot see you, you are always at our side. Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same. But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.
Miss You Love, Jon & family
Sadly Missed By Wife, Family And Friends
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Remembering Arvin G. Anderson Who Died Sept. 13, 2007, 9 p.m.
The Alzen family is a bluegrass band made up of dad Brad, mom Denise, Isaac, 21, Lucas, 19, AnaLise, 16, Tessa, 14, Jacob, 10, and Jonas 8. They will be performing at Fristad Lutheran Church in Centuria on Sunday, Sept. 23. - Photo submitted CENTURIA - One of the more popular bluegrass gospel bands in the Midwest will be performing at Fristad Lutheran Church as part of the church’s annual fall dinner. The Alzen Family Band will perform as part of the church’s regular Sunday morning worship service at 9:30 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 23. The concert will be followed by the annual fall dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Alzen family, from Roberts, was the winner of the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association’s 2006 Family Area Talent Contest. The family attributes its band beginnings to the Heritage Square at the Minnesota State Fair, where several years ago, they saw a family bluegrass band onstage. At the time, the family’s oldest daughter, AnaLise, was beginning her Suzuki violin lessons, and had never heard bluegrass music. She loved the music and wanted to learn to fiddle. This led to a chain reaction where, one by one, each Alzen family member began to learn a bluegrass instrument. Now, the family enjoys a busy performance schedule. The music highlights the singing and high-energy playing of the Alzen children, and consists of a wide variety of family-oriented bluegrass, gospel bluegrass and oldtime music and hymns with four-part vocal harmonies, along with silly songs for children. To add a visual dimension, Denise also uses sign language to give added expression to some songs. The Alzen family also likes to share personal stories and testimonies with their audiences. The Alzen family plays at bluegrass and gospel festivals, county fairs, churches, community events and private gatherings. - with submitted information
Alyce Mae (Thor) Smestad Alyce Mae Smestad, 85, a resident of Grantsburg, passed away on Sept. 1, 2012, at Burnett Medical Continuing Care Center in Grantsburg. Alyce Mae was born in Frederic on May 25, 1927, to Emily (Nelson) and David Thor, who had a farm in the Grettum area, where Alyce was raised. She was the sixth of seven children. Alyce Mae graduated from Grantsburg High School in 1944. After graduation, she was employed by First Bank of Grantsburg, where she worked for the next six years. She fell in love with and married Meaddy C. Smestad on Dec. 9, 1950. The Rev. James Falk married them at her sister Ethel Olson’s farm. To this union four children were born, Gary, Arlen, Julie and Wayne. They were married 52 years when Meaddy passed away in 2003. Alyce Mae was a truly devoted mother and farmwife, helping with whatever was needed in the barn or field. They farmed until 1988 when Meaddy turned the reins over to Gary and Donna. After Gary’s passing, Donna and Corey, then on to Arlen and Karen. Alyce was always ready to lend a helping hand to put up corn for freezing, as long as you did it her way. She was always there to help with cleaning, cooking or baking. Alyce was a very loving grandma, making sure there were always treats and toys for the little ones to play with when they visited. Alyce Mae was a lifelong member of Bethany Lutheran Church. She was involved with ladies circle and quilting and church dinners. Alyce’s hobby was recycling, that came in the form of garage sales because you never know when someone might want or need this or that and if it was free it was simply to good to be thrown away. She was very happy when she could come up with something you needed or could use, free of charge of course. She was involved with planning many of her 1944 class reunions, and earlier snowmobling, square dancing and playing cards with friends. She tried horseback riding but that didn’t turn out to be to her liking. Family gatherings at the Thor Farm and Fourth of July reunions at JoAnn’s were always loved and cherished visiting time. She always brought the potato salad she was famous for. She will truly be missed. Alyce Mae is survived by her children, Arlen (Karen) Smestad of Grantsburg, Julie (David) Carlstrom of Bancroft and Wayne (Leah) Smestad of Amery; grandchildren, Corey (Janelle) Smestad of Grantsburg, Darcy (Todd) Carlson of Hudson, Dawn (Shane) Keaveny of Richfield, Minn., Angie (Justin) Stanke of New London and Perry (Jessica) Carlstrom of Nekoosa; step-grandchildren, Billie Jean Kozak and Adam Smestad of Grantsburg and Jack and Meaddy Smestad of Amery; great-grandchildren, Hanah, Logan and Landon Smestad, Haley and Alyssa Carlson, Alex and Brennen Keaveny, Liam Stanke and Brooke Carlstrom; step-great-grandchildren, Peyton Kozak, Hailey and Mason Bundidge; sisters, Mildred (the late Morris) Lindgren of Minneapolis, Minn., and Carol (Merlin) Johnson of Grantsburg; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Meaddy; son, Gary; brothers, Lester and Lloyd (Hazel); sisters, Ethel (Roland) Olson and Mabel. A memorial service will be held Monday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m., at Bethany Lutheran Church in Grantsburg, with Pastor Jay Ticknor officiating. Music will be provided by Dawn Keaveny and Linda Dahl. Alyce will be laid to rest at St. Olaf Cemetery in a private family service. The Edling Funeral Home, Grantsburg, was entrusted with arrangements.
Baptism at Siren United Methodist
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Ivan Jacob Peloquin was recently baptized by senior pastor the Rev. Gil White at the Siren United Methodist Church. Present at the baptism were parents David Peloquin Jr. and Maryann Hayes; godfather and uncle Harley Mangen, godmother and aunt Rose Peloquin; great-grandmother, Marliss Mustonen; grandparents, Joanne and Dave Peloquin; aunts Amye Mangen and Kate Peloquin; uncle Andrew Peloquin; cousins Brady, Bailey and Breck, Estell Rudolph and honorary aunt Cheryl Franklyn. – Photo submitted