First UMC congregation at 1959 church services in its new sanctuary.

First United Methodist Church in Rapid City will celebrate 50 years of church services in its “new” church in downtown Rapid City this month, which was built following a fire that destroyed the original church.

The congregation will note the anniversary at its Nov. 22 church services.  Recognize anyone in the photo above?

Sen. Gordon Howie, R-Rapid City, is looking for 1,000 praying South Dakotans to help elect a “God-fearing” governor, state legislators and city and council officials in 2010 through his Pray South Dakota group. But Howie isn’t asking for votes as much as for prayers.

“I’m asking 1,000 people for a commitmen to pray with me in November, December and January,” Howie said in a news release. “Pray South Dakota is a group of South Dakotans who believe that real leadership begins with a strong moral foundation. We are asking people all across the state to join in this commitment to pray.”

Howie bases his prayer request on Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.” and 2nd Chronicles, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Howie is asking people to email him at sdpray@ghowie.com and tell him they’ll join him. Their daily prayer assignment is three-fold: “Ask God to give us a governor who serves Him; Ask God to speak to men and women who will run for office throughout the state; and ask God to send revival to his people and cause them to support God-fearing candidates for every elective office in our state.”

The  Governor’s race is already a fairly crowded field, with four Republican candidates and one Democrat, but Howie didn’t say if he’s praying for more candidates or for the election of any specific one.  “I am excited to see what God will do as we begin to pray together!”

The artistic talent within the First United Methodist Church congregation of Rapid City is amazing, according to church secretary Susan Mount Hughes. She invites the public to stop by the church parlor to see for themselves. A display of  parishioners’ artwork is on display now, including a series of self-portraits by Soren Sturlaugson, who’s statement of faith says, in part : “Towards the end of a one-year journey through South America, I re-discovered God’s love thanks to the Archer’s ministry in Mendoza, Argentina. Their love and guidance helped me to look past my plans and give God the driver’s wheel of my life. … A month of surrender, prayer and meditation inspired these self-portraits … that continue to inspire me (and I pray others, too) to continue to surrender, meditate and pray daily.”  Below is a picture of Soren with his art.

Soren Sturlaugson with several self-portaits on display at First UMC.

Art Jansen’s Celtic Cross and Carved Wooden Chain, along with Ida Liffengren Jansen’s painting “Life References.” are shown below. Art  notes that Christ was a carpenter and woodworker, too.  “As a carpenter, he needed faith in his ability and his recognition of finished product before he laid a tool to the wood. To me, faith is not knowing, but believing.  I look at a piece of wood and imagine what it could become.” Perhaps like  God looks at him. Art says that while some of his masterpieces turn out to be “decorative firewood”  with faith, he continues to whittle.

Art Jansen with his carved wooden Celtic Cross at First UMC.

Ida LiffengrenJansen with "Life References." The objects shown in the painting were especially important to her, she said.

The former parking lot at Canyon Lake UMC will soon become a new Family Life Center.

The mud and mess of a major construction project surrounds Canyon Lake United Methodist Church this fall, as the congregation waits while contractors build its new Family Life Center. The parking lot directly in front of the church is now a construction sight and parking is at a premium. The congregation recently voted to increase the  $1.5 million price tag for the new worship center, when construction bids came in about 10 percent higher than expected.  

The church, which has a new pastor in the Rev. Eric Grinager, is no doubt anxiously awaiting it new facility. Good things come to those who wait, but right now it’s construction season at CLUMC. 

About 150 of the state’s Episcopalians gathered in Chamberlain recently for their annual convention, just a month before they’ll all be at Calvary Cathedral in Sioux Falls to install a new bishop, the Rev. John Tarrant, on Oct. 30. Tarrant takes over the reins — and the reign — from outgoing Bishop Creighton Robertson.  Tarrant has his work cut out for him,  including repairing relationships with some Native American Episcopalians who were unhappy with Robertson when  the diocese shuttered 9 Episcopal churches on the Pine Ridge Reservation late last year.  The challenges are daunting and a little scary, but perhaps a man who becomes a bishop on All Hallow’s Eve is up to the task?  What do you you Episcopalians think?

Here are some local Episcopalian faces at the convention:

The Rev. Bunker Hill, rector at All Angels in Spearfish, preached the Saturday sermon.

Deacon Virginia Bird, left, of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Rapid City displays one of the mosquito nets the diocese will send to Africa as a missions project.

Jo Ann Edstrom, of St. Andrew's Episcopal in Rapid City, served as pianist at the convention worship service.

The musical group Hill City Slickers helped raise $2,300 for the Hill City Gathering Place, an ecumenical community center that provides meeting space for a variety of groups, both religious and secular, in the small Black Hills town of Hill City.

More than 90 people turned out for the fundraising supper and concert at High Country Ranch, blessing the Gathering Place with financial support that included three new monthly donors.

“We were able to show the current supporters and other interested persons more about what is going on at the center currently, as well as a vision for the future,” said Jack Jewett, co-coordinator.

Part of what’s “going on” at the historic railroad house-turned-community center is the “God Provides” film learning experience that begins Sunday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. The film series is six short , but theater-quality, epic films that provide a dramatic journey through biblical stories. The films, along with a printed companion guide, are a weekly guide, courtesy of Crown Ministries, in how to trust God to provide what we need, instead of looking to the world to meet our needs. Jewett invites people to come once, view a film and decide if the experience is for them.

Below, a photo of the High Country fundraising event.

Like a lot of mainline Protestant churches, St. James Episcopal Church in Belle Fourche has struggled with declining membership rolls in recent decades. St. James is finding an answer to its questions on how to remain a vibrant and vital congregation in the Mutual Ministry program of the Episcopal Church, which identifies church leaders from the laity sitting in the pews instead of importing new clergy from outside the local church. Getting young people in the church to take ownership of it early is essential to its survival, and the annual Youth Service at St. James on Sept. 27 is one piece of that puzzle.  The youth of the parish conducted the entire service.

Kemper Gusso of St. James offers communion during the annual Youth Service Sept. 27.

Eli and Gretchen Satzinger passed the collection plates at the annual Youth SErvice at St. James Epsicopal Church in Belle Fourche.

West River students who competed in the first-ever Bible Bee held Sept.12 in Pierre didn’t fare as well as they’d hoped in what proved to be an extremely challenging competition. The Bible Bee is designed to promote biblical literacy and spiritual growth in children and youth through scripture memorization, and the material was tough testing.

All three of the South Dakota qualifiers to the national competition in Washington D.C. on Nov. 4-6 live East River: Ricky Seaman, Miller, and Kari and Kayla Erickson, Fulton.

But West River competitors, especially the Burkhalter family from Prairie City, came close with numerous second and third place finishes.

In the 7-10 age category, Kailyn Groves of Faith took second and Hope Beckloff, Rapid City, and Daniel Burkhalter, Prairie City, shared third place finishes.  In the 11-14 age category, Valerie Burkhalter of Prairie City placed second. In the 15-18 age category, Nathan Burkhalter, (Daniel and Valerie’s brother) took third place.

They promise to be back next year, better and more Bible literate than ever! 

Below are photos taken at the Sept. 12 competiton.

The Burkhalter Family from Prairie City, including Nathan, Daniel and Valerie, competed at the inaugural Bible Bee in Pierre on Sept. 12.

Miracle Holder, of Spearfish, and Jeremy Betz, of Rapid City, competed in the 15-18 age category

Hope Beckloff of Rapid City took home 3rd place in the Mini Bible Bee.

Frank Chickering and Stan Holsclaw are churchmen and chowhounds at Whitewood Presbyterian Church's Pew Art event.

Fine art, sculpture, musical talent and other creative arts are the main draw to the Pew Art event at the Whitewood Presbyterian Church on Sept. 19, but I suspect the unusual church fundraiser, which turns church pews into an art gallery, is also a big hit because of the food. There was plenty of homemade food items, including Betty Hale’s heavenly breads, and the burgers and brats of concessionaires Frank Chickering and Stan Holsclaw, hence the name, Frank-n-Stan Concessions.

Jackie Griffin, a longtime Hill City resident whose later-in-life call to the ministry proves that you can, indeed, teach an old dog new tricks.  After graduating from a Lutheran seminary, Griffin spent 15 months in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she became fluent in Kiswahili, one of the national languages there. She also picked up a little French.

Griffin will speak about her missions work  with “The Human Person, the Heart of Peace” on Sunday, Sept. 13, at The Gathering Place in Hill City from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.. It’s fascinating stuff, and as if the photographs and information isn’t enough, she promises a little Congolese food and music, as well. 

Look for my  religion page column in the Sept. 12 edition of the Journal for more on Griffin’s work . Meanwhile, here are some photographs of her in the DRC.