By Jolene Farley
Hills United Reformed Church intern Doug Barnes and his family say they have felt very welcome since their arrival in Hills Friday.
Barnes replaced the Rev. Keith Davis for the summer months after Davis accepted the pastor's position in a congregation in Lynwood, Ill.
Barnes attends the Mid-American Seminary, Dyer, Ind. and will return to classes once he leaves Hills.
"The folks have been absolutely fabulous," Barnes said. "These folks in Hills are just wonderful."
When Barnes and his wife, Grace, and their four children Michal, 6, Samuel, 4, Luke, 2, and Jacob, 6 months, arrived at the parsonage the refrigerator was fully stocked with food and the beds were freshly made.
"They just went above and beyond," he said.
Rev. Barnes said everything was so perfect he walked outside to ask a neighbor if he had walked into the wrong house.
Within 24 hours, the Barnes' home was full of visitors welcoming them to Hills. The children were excited they were invited to a farm to see cows, according to Barnes.
"They've been very warm," he said.
Doug's parents from Pittsburgh, Pa., arrived to help the family settle in to the parsonage.
Grace's parents, Rev. and Mrs. Ralph Ontier, live in Orange City, Iowa, where Ralph is a pastorate.
A committee of church elders is searching for a permanent replacement for Pastor Davis.
"This gives them a little bit of extra breathing space for that," he said.