Zion Lutheran Church of Amor

We went to the Easter Sunrise service where I was able for the first time to hear Phil preach. I have been able to read his many sermons but this was the first time I was able to hear him preach. It was a great service where the youth took part. It started with the front of the church bare of anything but a crown of thorns on the alter table. As the pianist played a haunting tune of “Were you there?” someone came and took the crown and as the song progressed and changed to Crown Him with Many Crowns the youth and pastors redressed the alter and pulpit along with the beautiful Easter flowers it was very moving.  I have always celebrated Easter morning with “He is Risen” followed by “He is Risen indeed!” But on that first Easter morning the people were still mourning Jesus’ death until they realized He was risen as He said.  It was very moving.

What an awesome experience to hear Phil preach!  It was a wonderful sermon and I learned some things I never realized before. Only at one point did I lose focus and think back to the little boy, now a man standing before me, teaching me, a few tears escaped before I refocused to listen. (When I read the sermon later, I had only missed a small portion.) It was incredible. After service there was a breakfast in the fellowship hall and then two more services where the Pastor preached and choir sang.

On Monday afternoon Phil and I went back to the church so I could get pictures and we were able to explore the church a little more. He even convinced me to climb up into the bell tower. I was hesitant when we first walked into the church but on the way out he asked again and we climbed up the two ladders to see the view from the bell tower and I was glad I did. It was fun to see the view from up there and to overcome my fear of heights for a unique experience with Phil in the church where he is currently working.

Zion Lutheran Church of Amor

Phil at the pulpit

Panoramic view from the balcony

Back of the sanctuary and balcony

Fellowship hall (old sanctuary)

Beautiful quilt hanging in the fellowship hall

Part of the kitchen

Library



Church register from the 1880s



Decoration on the fellowship hall tables



Fellowship hall looking back toward narthex
Phil's office is on the right







Phil outside his office (above) and inside his office (below)

Ladder up to the bell tower

The bell that calls the community to worship

Looking North...

South...

West..

East



I like the back of the sign too!



Original site of the church
The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Gotalund Congregation

Fergus Falls

In Fergus Falls we stopped by the pond where Rachel has been watching the egrets nesting in the tree in the middle of the pond. She wanted to get some more pictures and to show me the birds, so we stopped. I thought we would be out in the country, but this pond was right in the city at a park. We got out and took some pictures and enjoyed watching the birds.

Rachel has her new camera bag Phil bought her for her birthday.

Canadian Geese were all around the pond as well.

To see more recent pictures of these birds checkout Rachel's blog:

http://rachelsopenawindow.blogspot.com/

 

We went into Fergus Falls and stopped at a game/bookstore. Rachel looked at the games while Phil went downstairs to check out the books. After looking at the games with Rachel I wandered downstairs to see what kind of books they had. It was filled and overflowing with books of all kinds. Rachel bought some games and I bought some books.

Ferus Falls

Biffley's

The books are downstairs



Phil loves looking through the books



Then we went across the street to a nice gift shop and looked all through the store, they had books, and a lot of very unique gift items. It was fun walking through and seeing all that they had. Next we went another neat little store called the Market. Phil and Rachel bought me this:

I played this game as a kid and we had bought some for Ben and Phil when they were small.

We found everything put an airplane!

 

We played auto bingo on the way to Phelps Mills where we were attacked by so many swarms of some kind of flies/bugs that we had to run to get away from them. The Mill was closed so we headed back to the car and they were all over the car and we had to try and rush in before they got inside.  We laughed as we tried to shoo them out the windows.

The park by Phelps Mill

Enjoying the view just before we were attacked by bugs

That night we had homemade pizza and played the games Rachel bought. Next time you visit, ask them to play Wooly Bully and Such a Thing! We had a great day!

It was yummy!!!!

Rachel's Birthday and Battle Lake

For Rachel’s birthday Phil made sweet rolls for breakfast and later we drove around the area so they could show me around. We went into Ottertail and saw an auction being held.



Auction in Ottertail





What else would you see in Ottertail but an Otter!

Thumper Pond Resort has a hotel, indoor water park, restaurant and golf course. They had never been there so we stopped for lunch, but they were having a boat auction inside and it was very loud so we left and headed to Battle Lake.



Rachel noticed that the road to the golf course had this speed limit sign!



We stopped by the chief who fought in one of the battles for Battle Lake and walked across to the lake.



Chief Wenonga





History of Battle Lake




Phil and Rachel by the lake




The Shoreline



Right near the chief is the Shoreline where Phil has breakfast often with the other area pastors. He doesn't even have to place his order because they know what he wants. We went on into the quaint town of Battle Lake and saw the schools where Rachel works and stopped at Stella’s for lunch. We had a wonderful meal of soup and sandwiches where they introduced me to Walleye appetizers, they were good!



Stella's was a great place for a birthday lunch.







Battle Lake water tower across from Stella's

Train Trip

The travel continues. I went to visit Phil and Rachel in Minnesota. Rachel suggested riding the train seeing as the airlines raise prices at holiday time and driving would take me two days with an overnight hotel stay. What a great idea! Bob and I had taken a train trip to Chicago last year and enjoyed it.

Early one morning I arrived at the train station for my adventure to begin. There is just a small “bus stop” shelter where I catch the train and about a dozen people were already in line and maybe a dozen more after me waiting in the cold for the train to arrive.  I chatted with the couple behind me and they ended up sitting in front of me. The trip to Chicago went well and I was by myself most of the way. I knitted, listened to my IPod and ate a few snacks I had brought along. Bob had given me his IPhone so I was able to email the kids to keep them updated and Bob even called me while I was traveling.

Once in Chicago I found my way to where I had to catch the next train. We had to wait a bit as the train coming in was delayed. But I met a woman who was getting off the same stop I was and we ended up sitting across the aisle from each other. The couple that sat in front of me on the first train was also on this train as they were headed to Minneapolis. We did not get to sit in the same car as they were getting off at a different spot (My car was the only one that would be opened when we arrived at my stop) but I did see them while on the train. 

An announcement was made that they were coming around to take dinner reservations. I noticed not many people were signing up, but I did as it was my first and maybe only opportunity to get to eat in the dining car of a train.  They called the 5:30pm seating and I headed to the dining car walking through a couple of cars and the sightseeing car. I was seated with a young woman and a quiet gentleman joined us as well. We had a good dinner and nice conversation before we headed to our own seats. Later the woman across the aisle from me was getting uncomfortable so we went to the sightseeing car and sat at a table to chat before going back and trying to catch a little sleep.

We made up most of the delayed time and Rachel was waiting for me at 3:00 am. Phil had to work the next day so she had let him sleep. We arrived at their home at 4am and went to bed! It was a long trip but very enjoyable.

 


Sunrise in Detroit

My train

Lake Michigan

This is for Phil--another cloud making machine

It was nice to see the spring flowers and green grass

A passing freight train

I didn't capture any pictures of animals, but it was nice to see
the wildlife and nature preserves.

I liked the name of this freight car

"The Bob"

On the second train waiting to leave Chicago

Leaving downtown Chicago

More of Chicago

The highways of Milwaukee