Ashley Jo Barber, 33, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, died Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at her home due to health complications.
A memorial service was Thursday, Nov. 18, at the American Reformed Church in Luverne. Burial followed at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Ashley Jo Barber was born on Aug. 18, 1988, at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar to Richard and Holly Jo (Johnson) Barber. She was baptized Sept. 9, 1988, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Willmar and confirmed her faith on May 18, 2003, at Palisades Lutheran Church in Garretson, South Dakota. She spent her early childhood years in Willmar, Hanley Falls and Welch. In 1999 the family moved to Luverne, where Ashley Jo continued her schooling. She loved community theater and participated in Green Earth Players productions. Throughout high school, she worked at the Magnolia Steak House and Verne Drive In. She graduated from Luverne High School in 2006 and continued her education at Minnesota West in Pipestone for medical coding/transcriptionist, graduating in 2008.
She worked for the Luverne Hospital and then the Sanford Women’s Plaza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After a number of years, she switched careers to an administrative assistant where she was employed at Labor/People Ready and most recently the Department of Social Services with the state of South Dakota as a senior secretary.
Ashley Jo had a deep spirituality and was a positive, selfless person who helped people in the best way she could. She loved tattoos and enjoyed collecting antique books and jewelry. She was a lover of light and knew how to live life colorfully. She had a passion for all things burlesque and performed as a kitten in the Va-Va-Voom show at the VeauxDevil Caberet-Burlesque and Performance Art Center in Sioux Falls. She competed with the Sioux Falls Roller Dollz in the roller derby community, was an amateur photographer and earned her Reiki Level 1 & 2 Certification.
Ashley Jo is survived by her fiancé, Sean Strack of Sioux Falls; her parents, Richard and Holly Jo Barber of Luverne; a brother, Nicholas Barber and his wife, Briana, of Beaver Creek; niece Emberly Barber; and other family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Vergil and Ella Barber and Russell and Clarice Johnson; and an aunt, Peggy Ellingson. 
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com.
(1124 F)

Joan Harriet DeJongh, 88, Luverne, died Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, at the Sanford Luverne Hospital.
The family will have a private service and burial, with a public visitation from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, at American Reformed Church in Luverne.
Joan DeRoo was born on July 28, 1933, to Henry and Caroline “Carrie” (Vande Griend) DeRoo in Hospers, Iowa. She was baptized at the Christian Reformed Church in Hull, Iowa. She spent her early childhood years in Hull. In 1942 her family moved to Hills, and in 1948 they moved to the neighboring community of Beaver Creek. She graduated from school in Hills.
On Dec. 18, 1952, she married Preston DeJongh at the Hills Christian Reformed Church. The couple made their home on a farm near Steen from 1952-1969 and then on a farm near Hardwick from 1969-1975. They moved to Jasper in 1975, where they resided for 10 years. During this time Joan worked at Fey Industries in Edgerton. In 1986 the couple moved to Pierre, South Dakota, where they managed a goose hunting ranch for a year. Following that adventure, they moved to Denver, Colorado, where they managed apartments from 1986 until 2005. The couple retired in 2005.  After Preston’s death, Joan moved to the Luverne area in 2007.
Joan was a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne. She enjoyed reading, embroidery and gardening. She especially loved spending time with her family.
Joan is survived by her children, Wannetta (Ron) Lloyd of Clear Lake, Lee (Cindy) De Jongh of Hudson, Colorado, Jolene (Don) Walhof of Pipestone, Charla (Gerald) Sandbulte of Hardwick, Nadine (Gene) Schoep of Edgerton,  Barb (Tim) Gunnink of Aurora, Colorado, and Pete (Sharon) De Jongh of Belgrade, Montana; 18 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Carmen Van Zee of Sunburg, Sharon Melin of Sunburg, and Connie (Herman) TeBrake of Brooten; one brother, Allan DeRoo of Worthington; and sisters-in-law, Wilma DeRoo of Brandon, South Dakota, and Dorothy DeRoo of Brooten.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Preston; her parents; three brothers, Wilmer DeRoo, Henry Lloyd DeRoo, and Marvin (Betty) DeRoo; and in-laws Don Melin, Don Van Zee, Wilbert (Bud) and Geneva Van Hill.
Arrangements are provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com.
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Last year about 65,000 pheasant stamps were sold in Minnesota.
This is a stamp hunters must purchase that supports pheasant habitat work in the state. It is also a valuable way to accurately count the number of hunters that chase pheasants every year.
I have been of the opinion that this count is important because it gauges hunting activity and helps managers understand hunter number trends.
Of the 65,000 people who hunt pheasants in the state, most of them are what I call fair weather hunters. They will hunt for the first few weeks of the season but pack the shotgun away as soon as the snow is deeper than a few inches. Many of those same people will take to deer hunting, and a large number of them will give up the gun for an ice fishing rod as soon as the ice is thick enough to travel on safely.
All of that works just fine for those who choose to stay with the late season rooster chase. There are people who hunt pheasants, and then there are pheasant hunters. The latter group takes their rooster chasing to a much higher level, and for most of them their success rates are much higher than the average chicken chaser.
My duck-hunting friends call pheasants “ditch chickens.” So after work I go chicken chasin’.
I have had folks drive to southwest Minnesota from all over the United States to hunt pheasants in my county.
Two weeks ago, a couple from upstate New York spent five days in my town, and I made some great new friends that I think will make the annual trip back for many years to come. Many hunters from the metro area come my way as well, and those who pay a little attention to my secrets to success have very good luck.
A few things I see people do can dramatically reduce their chances of success. I will add a few tips here, and you can make of them what you will, but they do work.
The first tip is to get ready at home or at least one mile from where you want to start. I load my dogs in the truck and put their remote location collars on before I leave the house or the hotel. The gun is stowed where I can easily reach it when I open the door. The shells are already in my vest, and the water bottles for the dogs have been prefilled. If I am with somebody else, the “who’s going where” instructions were completed with a map over coffee earlier that morning.
Consider the alternative. You pull into a public lands parking lot, and the dogs all start to whine. Many will bark with excitement. Loud commands to sit or stay ring across the pheasant prairie as the hunter tries to hold the dog still enough to put their collar on. Digging around in the back of the truck to gather up the gun and gear adds to the sounds of circus life. Pheasants can feel ground vibration through their feet, and a few extra times the truck door is slammed or the shell container falls to the ground is as good as a tornado siren to a pheasant. I hardly ever park in a designed parking lot. Since opening day this is where all the danger has come from for the past five weeks. Approach from a different direction with NO SOUNDS.
The pheasant field is no place to discuss sports or wives or any other subject matter. If you’re going to talk when you hunt, it would not matter if you used a bull horn. Sound is sound and volume makes little difference. Keep quiet.
This is such a classic. A rooster jumps up and everyone hollers “rooster, rooster, rooster!” This is a long-standing tradition of hunters who don’t really want to shoot many pheasants. Game farms that have lots of birds that have nowhere else to go use this technique all the time. It identifies the bird so everyone can take a shot at it.
If you hunt with me, there is no hollering of rooster, rooster, rooster. The instructions given far ahead of time are, “If it has a red head, shoot it. If it does not have a red head, don’t shoot it. If you can’t tell for sure if it has a red head, then don’t shoot it.” Hollering “rooster” just alerts every other pheasant in the field you are hunting that it is time to make a timely get-away. They might fly out 100 yards ahead of you or just beat feet into the next mile. Either way, your boisterous notification to the birds will result in no birds in your vest at the end of the day.
This column could go on and on, and for some hunters these tips might seem a little stringent. My dogs train and work hard, and their only hunting reward is a bird in their mouth. I feel like I owe it to them to help them get their reward. Hunting is my favorite thing.  Hunting and coming home with two birds in my vest is just a bit better.
 

Luverne High School athletes were selected to the 2021 all-conference Big South Conference sporting teams, with several earning honorable mention status.
Receiving all-conference honors were:
•Volleyball: all-conference, senior Elise Ferrell; honorable mention, senior Trista Baustian.
•Cross Country all-conference: senior Tenley Nelson, sophomore Jenna DeBates, sophomore Kayla Bloemendaal, junior Camden Janiszeski, and freshman Owen Janiszeski; honorable mention, senior Griffen Jarchow and junior Grace Ingebretson.
Tennis: all-conference, seniors Kristin Rud, Olivia Wieneke and Mia Wenzel.
Football: all-conference, junior Gannon Ahrendt, senior Conner Overgaard, senior Braydon Ripka and senior Ashton Sandbulte; honorable mention, seniors Nathaniel Cole-Kraty and Casey Sehr.

The Luverne girls’ hockey team improved its record to 3-1 Saturday afternoon, Nov. 20, at the Blue Mound Ice Arena where the Cardinals edged Minnesota River 7-3.
Reghan Bork started the scoring 2:25 into the game when she beat Minnesota River’s Amilia Messer with an assist from Kamryn Van Batavia.
Play went back and forth until Minnesota River Sophia Doherty found the back of the net to even the score at 1-1 midway through the period.
Luverne would put up 17 total shots on Messer in the first period, but at the end of 17 minutes the score remained 1-1.
The Cardinals came out buzzing with three goals to open up the second period.
Bork tallied her second of the game with assists coming from Van Batavia and Payton Behr. Ten seconds later Ella Apel got on the scoresheet with assists going to her linemates Greta McClure and Billi Connell.
The scoring kept coming just a minute later when Van Batavia got her first of the game with assists coming from Behr and Bork to take a 4-1 lead.
Minnesota River’s Anna Pavlo would get the Bulldogs within two points with a goal, but that didn’t last long when Bork took matters into her own hands and netted her third score of the game on an unassisted power-play goal.
The second period ended 5-2 in favor of the Cardinals.
The Cardinals struck again with two goals at the 2:39 and 16:10 respectively in the third period.
Apel tallied her second of the game with an assist from Van Batavia. Then it was Van Batavia, with the assist going to Anika Boll, to take a commanding five-goal lead.
Minnesota River scored with just nine seconds left in the game, leaving the final score at Luverne 7, Minnesota River 3.
The Cardinals had 42 shots on goal compared with the Bulldogs’ 25.
Luverne hosts Fairmont Tuesday, Nov. 23, at the Blue Mound Ice Arena.

The Luverne girls’ hockey team hit the ice running over the past week beating Worthington 10-0, Windom 12-1, and St. Peter 1-3. Their only loss was to New Ulm 3-5.
The Cards will face Fairmont at home Tuesday, Nov. 23, and Marshall on the road next week on Nov. 30.
 
LHS 10, Worthington 0
The Luverne Cardinals got off to a quick start on Thursday night, Nov. 11, at Blue Mound Ice Arena in front of a full arena of fans who witnessed a 10-0 win over the visiting Trojans.
Kamryn Van Batavia got things started 26 seconds into the game when she skated in to the slot and beat Worthington’s Lillyana Newmans top shelf.
Midway through the first period it was Van Batavia again, skating to the slot from a pass from Payton Behr blasting a wrister above Newman’s glove to take a 2-0 lead.
The first period scoring didn’t stop there. Nearly a minute later Luverne senior Billi Connell netted her first goal of the season with assists going to Ella Apel and Greta McClure.
It didn’t take long for this line to get on the scoreboard again when Apel got a beautiful pass out of the corner from Mallory Nelson.
Worthington couldn’t muster many opportunities, but with under a minute remaining, a blocked slapshot led to a Worthington breakaway and senior goalie Cheyenne Schutz made a sliding save to keep the Cardinals ahead 4-0 heading into the first intermission.
The second period started much like the first. Right off the faceoff, Van Batavia took it the distance to get her third goal of the game with the assist going to Behr again.
Luverne’s offense kept getting shots on net and pestering Newman for the next nine minutes until Macie Edstrom found Payton Behr streaking down the boards and outskated Worthington defenders to make it a commanding 6-0 lead.
Behr and the Cardinals were not done yet in the second. When a turnover ended up on Van Batavia’s stick, she slid it over to Behr to beat Newman as the horn went off at BMIA to make it a seven-goal advantage after two periods.
The Cardinals were dominating when a five-minute major penalty was called on Worthington midway through the third period.
Luverne sent its Power Play unit out, and moments later longtime teammates Reghan Bork and Van Batavia worked their magic.
Bork slid a beautiful back door pass to Van Batavia who had a wide-open net to make the score 8-0. The power play wasn’t done yet when Van Batavia to Bork and back to Van Batavia shot a tik-tac-toe goal past Newman.
With a minute left in the game, Bork got a loose puck and took it all alone to the other end and buried it for the 10th and final goal.
The Cardinals looked impressive in their debut. Shots on goal ended with Luverne outshooting the Trojans by a tally of 52-7.
 
Luverne 3, New Ulm 7
In a battle of two Top 20 teams in Minnesota Girls Class A hockey, the Luverne Cardinals got a slow start and ended up losing to the rival New Ulm Thursday, Nov. 18, in Luverne.
The first period started with a lot of back-and-forth play until halfway through the period New Ulm’s Jada Rahe would get a rebound goal in a scrum in front of Luverne goalie Cheyenne Schutz to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. That’s how the period would end with shots on goal 10-5 in favor of the Eagles.
The second period saw a lot of action. New Ulm jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Afton Hulke got one past Schutz. Twenty-nine seconds later New Ulm would take a three-goal lead when Julia Helget found a pass from Maddi O’ Connor out of the corner and slid it in the net.
It was then Luverne’s turn when Kamryn Van Batavia got the Cardinals on the board 20 seconds later to cut the deficit to two with assists from Payton Behr and Mallory Von Tersch.
Luverne was blown for a penalty with 6:30 remaining in the second period that resulted in a New Ulm penalty shot by Mya Hornick who beat Schutz with a wrister top shelf.
Play would go back and forth until New Ulm’s Julia Helget capitalized on a shorthanded goal to make it 5-1 Eagles.
Mallory Nelson got the lead down to 2-5 with a hard wrister from the point past New Ulm’s Ava Brennan. Assists went to Behr and Van Batavia on the goal. The second period ended with New Ulm holding a 24-15 shots on goal advantage.
The final period started with Greta McClure netting her first goal of the season on a beautiful rebound shot just 1:23 seconds into the third to bring the Cardinals within two.
New Ulm answered back with Malorie Anderson scoring just a minute later to put the Eagles back in the lead by three.
The Cardinal girls kept the pressure on for the next 12 minutes until Coach Sandbulte pulled the goalie to get the sixth skater out there with a little over two minutes left.
The Cardinals’ attempt to narrow the gap resulted in New Ulm getting an empty net goal with 1:17 left in the game. and that’s how it would end up on the scoreboard with the Cardinals losing 3-7.
Shots on goal ended in the Eagles’ favor 37-22.
 
Luverne 12, Windom 1
After a tough loss to New Ulm Nov. 16, the lady Cardinals went on the road Nov. 18 to Windom to take on the Eagles for a 12-1 win.
The Cardinals erupted for eight first-period goals starting with Greta McClure just 1:31 seconds into the game with assists from Ella Apel and Billi Connell.
Twenty-three seconds later Payton Behr put one past Windom’s Kaylie Baerg  with assists from Kamryn Van Batavia and Reghan Bork.
It was Behr again just two minutes later again for her second goal of the game with a feed from Bork.
Luverne would get three more goals in the next four minutes from Van Batavia, McClure and Bork to take a commanding 6-0 lead.
Windom got one back when Presley Docktor beat Cheyenne Schutz midway through the first.
McClure got her third of the game and the first hat trick of her varsity career with 2:08 left in the period. Behr would bury the eighth of the game and also her third of the game to give the Cardinals an 8-1 lead at the end of the first period. Shots on goal were 17-3 in favor of the Cardinals.
The second started just like the first ended with Behr hammering her fourth of the game past Baerg just 33 seconds into the period with assists to Mallory Nelson and Bork.
That’s all the goals there were in the second period in Windom.
The Cardinals put another on the scoreboard to start the third with Hannah Woodley notching her first varsity goal with an assist to Ella Apel.
Luverne got two more third-period goals from Bork and Van Batavia to send the Cardinals back to Luverne with an impressive 12-1 win.
Total shots on goal for the game were 37-20 Cardinals.

I’ve met interesting people over the past years of pastoring. I learn about many things in life by the experiences and stories of others.
Everyone has a story. Everyone has one life to live. At some point we all have wrestled with the question, “Why am I here?” or “What am I going to do with my life?”
For some the calling becomes clear early in life; for others, they struggle for a lifetime.
While I may not fully answer the question specifically for you, let me suggest your question changes slightly, but importantly.
Instead of asking, “What am I going to do with my life?” ask, “God, what do you want me to do with my life?”
This second question leads me to consider there may be direction that I have been missing because I’ve been trying to figure it out on my own.
God doesn’t usually come to you specifically and tell you the job and/or career you are supposed to have, but he does set a few underlying principles that give meaning and purpose to whatever job or career you find yourself in.
First, in whatever you do, glorify God! “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17
A primary question before any task or any job acceptance or career direction is to ask, “Can I do this job/career to the glory of God? Will this job allow me opportunities to express and share my faith or will it be a situation that shuts down or stands in the way of my faith?” Let life be about glorifying your Savior and giving thanks to God the Father for all the talents and abilities he has given to you.
Second, in whatever you do, serve others. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10
I remember one of my leadership mentors, John Maxwell, via his books, say, “Add value to others and they will add value to you.” His point was to always approach life and leadership with a servant heart and mindset. Do not let life revolve around you and be lived with an expectation that everyone else was born to serve you. Remember Jesus himself did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. Whatever abilities, whatever job you have, use it to serve others, be a blessing to others, add value to others.
So what does that all mean today?  You may not be in your dream job or career, or most days you may “hate” going to work. But what if you repent of engaging in life trying to get all YOU can out of it and rather engage in life and live to give to others what God has given to you!
Go about your tasks today with the mindset of adding value to people today and ask God to show you how and where to do that. Thrive at work, because every day is a day to give thanks for all God has given to you and use what he has given to serve others.
Today is going to be a great day. Life is going to be a great life!
Lord, thank you for giving your all for me so that my life might be spent giving glory to you and serving others with the same love you have given to me. Amen.
(This column is based on a book by Randy Frazee titled, “Believe.")

St. Catherine Catholic Church
203 E. Brown St., Luverne
St. Catherine Ph. 283-8502; www.stscl.org
Monsignor Gerald Kosse, Pastor
Sundays 8:30 a.m. Mass. Public Mass will be celebrated at FULL capacity in the church. Masses: 9 a.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Friday at the nursing homes – check the bulletin. All Sunday masses will be live streamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pg/stccluverne/videos/. Visit www.stscl.org for more information.
 
Luverne Christian Reformed Church
605 N. Estey St., Luverne
Office Ph. 283-8482; Prayer Line Ph. 449-5982
www.luvernecrc.com — office@luvernecrc.com
Sundays 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 6:30 p.m. Evening worship service. We are streaming Sunday services live on YouTube at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Send him a friend request if you’re not connected. You may also visit our website for delayed broadcasts. Also our services are on local cable TV at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. In all circumstances, may we joyfully declare: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8.
 
First Baptist Church
103 N. Jackson St., P.O. Box 975, Luverne
Ph. 283-4091; email: fbcluv@iw.net — www.fbcluverne.org
Walt Moser, Pastor
Sundays, 10:30 a.m. In-person worship service. Service is also on Facebook Live at 10:30 a.m.
 
Grace Lutheran Church
500 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4431; www.graceluverne.org — graceluverne@iw.net
Ann Zastrow, Pastor
Dave Christenson, Interim Pastor
Thursday, Nov. 25: Office closed — Happy Thanksgiving! Sunday, Nov. 28: 9 a.m. Worship service with Holy Baptism. 10 a.m. Fellowship Coffee. 10 a.m. No Sunday School. 5 p.m. Worship service. 6:30 p.m. Worship practice. Tuesday, Nov. 30: 7 a.m. Dorcas Circle meets at The Bean. 8:30 a.m. Grace Notes assembly. 9 a.m. Staff meeting. Wednesday, Dec. 1: 7 a.m. Men’s Bible study. 1 p.m. Priscilla/Elizabeth Circle meeting. 3:15 p.m. Faithweavers and Sunday School Christmas program practice. 5 p.m. Youth supper. 5:30 p.m. Bells rehearsal. 6:15 p.m. 6th-7th grade Confirmation. 7:15 p.m. 8th grade Confirmation. 8:15 p.m. 9th grade Confirmation. Thursday, Dec. 2: 8:30 a.m. Missions in Action. Online, TV and Radio Worship options are available. Online: Sundays 9 a.m. on the church website www.graceluverne.org, click Worship tab or go directly to our Facebook page at Grace Lutheran ELCA, Luverne. TV: Vast Channel 3 will air our worship service Mondays at 4:30 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m. Radio: KQAD-AM Radio will air our worship service on Sundays at 8:15 a.m.
 
Bethany Lutheran Church
720 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4571 or 605-215-9834
pastorapalmquist67@yahoo.com
Andrew Palmquist, Pastor
Sundays, 10:15 a.m. Worship service; worship online as well (at els.org). Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Zoom Bible study. See our Facebook page, Bethany Lutheran Church (Luverne) for other classes and events.
 
American Reformed Church
304 N. Fairview Dr., Luverne
Ph. 283-8600; email: office@arcluverne.org
Friday, Nov. 26: 6:30 a.m. Community men’s Bible study. Sunday, Nov. 28: 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 10:50 a.m. Sunday School. 12 p.m. Commons reserved. Tuesday, Nov. 30: 12 p.m. Staff meeting. Wednesday, Dec. 1: 5:30 p.m. Midweek Meal. 6:30 p.m. Pioneer Clubs and youth groups. 8:15 p.m. Cantata rehearsal. Thursday, Dec. 2: 5:30 p.m. Tumbling Tikes. Services are also broadcast on Vast Channel 3 on Mondays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. DVD’s available upon request. To stay up to date on announcements, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @arcluverne.
 
Rock River Community Church (formerly First Assembly of God)
1075 110th Ave., 2 miles west of Luverne on County Rd. 4
Ph. 612-800-1255; email info@rockrivercommunity.church
Bob Junak, Pastor; Annette Junak, Assistant Pastor
Sundays, 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10 a.m. Worship service. Children’s church for ages 3-6th grade and nursery for ages 0-3 provided during our services. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Worship service. All services are in-person and all are welcome.
 
United Methodist Church
109 N. Freeman Ave., Luverne
Ph. 283-4529
Dorrie Hall, Pastor
Wednesday, Nov. 24: 8 p.m. AA meeting. Saturday, Nov. 27: 8 p.m. AA meeting. Sunday, Nov. 28: 9:30 a.m. Adult Sunday school. 9:45 a.m. Coffee hour. 10:30 a.m. Worship Service. 4:30 p.m. Genesis/Revelation Bible study. Wednesday, Dec. 1: 6:15 p.m. FUEL. 6:30 p.m. Confirmation. 8 p.m. AA Meeting. Bison orders are due. Live streamed on Facebook and radio.
 
First Presbyterian Church
302 Central Lane, Luverne
Ph. 283-4787; email: Firstpc@iw.net— www.fpcluverne.com
Jason Cunningham, Pastor
Sunday, Nov. 28: 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 10:30 a.m. Sunday school. Monday, Nov. 29: 9 a.m. Quilting. Wednesday, Dec. 1: 5:30 p.m. Bell choir. 6:30 p.m. Choir. Committee meetings. In-person Worship service and live on Facebook. Our Facebook page can be found under First Presbyterian Church of Luverne. We are also on the local Luverne cable station at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and 10 a.m. on Thursdays.
 
St. John Lutheran Church
803 N. Cedar St., Luverne
Ph. 283-2316; email: stjohn@iw.net
www.stjohnlutheranluverne.org
Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, Pastor
Saturday, Nov. 27: 5:30 p.m. Worship. Sunday, Nov. 28: 9 a.m. Worship service. 10:15 a.m. Adult Bible study. Services will be available on the Vast Channel 3 Sunday and online at the city website, cityofluverne.org.
 
Living Rock Church
500 E. Main St., Luverne
Ph. 449-0057; www.livingrockswmn.org
Billy Skaggs, Pastor
 
New Life Celebration Church
101 W. Maple, Luverne
Ph. (605) 368-1924; email: newlifecelebration@gmail.com
Food mission every third Thursday.
 
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
305 E. 2nd St., P.O. Box 36, Hardwick
Ph. (507) 669-2855; zionoffice@alliancecom.net
Jesse Baker, Pastor
Sunday, Nov. 28: 9 a.m. Worship service. 10:15 a.m. Sunday school. 10:30 a.m. Bible study. 4 p.m. Congregational Christmas party. Wednesday, Dec. 1: 6 p.m. Confirmation. 7 p.m. Advent service. Worship service on Luverne cable at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday and Friday.
 
Ben Clare United Methodist Church
26762 Ben Clare Ave., Valley Springs, S.D.
igtwlb@WOW.net
Bill Bates, Pastor
 
First Lutheran Church
300 Maple St., Valley Springs, S.D.
Ph. (605) 757-6662
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, Nov. 28: 9 a.m. Worship service. 10 a.m. Sunday school. Masks are strongly recommended, but not required, even if fully vaccinated. Worship will be streamed live on Facebook Video worship via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdQwVxFcU4
 
Palisade Lutheran Church
211 121st St., Garretson, S.D.
Ph. (507) 597-6257 — firstpalisade@alliancecom.net
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, Nov. 28: 9:30 a.m. Sunday school. 10:30 a.m. Worship service. Wednesday, Dec. 1: 9 a.m. Quilting—Every Wednesday. Masks are strongly recommended, but not required, even if fully vaccinated. Worship will be streamed live on Facebook. Video worship via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdQwVxFcU4
 
First Presbyterian Church
201 S. 3rd St., P.O Box 73, Beaver Creek
Ph. 507-935-5025
email: lori.firstpres@gmail.com
Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. Second Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. Session meeting.
 
Magnolia United Methodist Church
501 E. Luverne St., Magnolia
Ph. 605-215-3429
email: magnoliamnumc@gmail.com
Nancy Manning, Pastor
Sunday, 9 a.m., in-person with livestream available on the church’s Facebook site.
 
Steen Reformed Church
112 W. Church Ave., Steen
Ph. 855-2336
Jeremy Wiersema, Pastor
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Worship service in-person with livestream available on Facebook and YouTube. Radio worship on KQAD Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
112 N. Main St., Hills
Ph. 962-3270
Nita Parker, Pastor
Sunday, Nov. 28: 9 a.m. Worship at Tuff Home. 9:30 a.m. Sunday school. 10 a.m. Worship service with Holy Communion. 7-8:30 p.m. Youth group meets. Worship will be streamed live to Facebook at Bethlehem of Hills. You can find more info on our website blchills.org. Tuesday, Nov. 30: 2 p.m. Tuff Home Bible study. 3 p.m. Tuff Village Bible study. Wednesday, Dec. 1: 7:15 p.m. Wednesday night worship.
 
Hills United Reformed Church
410 S. Central Ave., Hills
Office Ph. 962-3254
hillsurc@alliancecom.net
Alan Camarigg, Pastor

As Minnesota’s agricultural industry continues to recover from severe drought conditions across the state, Gov. Tim Walz signed Executive Order 21-33, extending an emergency and waiving trucking regulations to support livestock producers in the transport of commodities.
The extreme and prolonged drought in Minnesota has led to significant stress on rangeland, pastures and other crops.
Without reliable access to good quality hay or forage, famers and livestock producers have had to adjust feeding operations to include other commodities, such as corn silage, distiller grain and beet pulp.
Farmers also report that the hay and forage reserved for winter use has already been consumed, and replenishing supplies is critical to maintaining healthy livestock. The continued movement of these commodities is vital to the economic security and viability of many farming and livestock operations in Minnesota.
“When I traveled across the state this summer I heard directly from our farmers and saw firsthand the impacts of a drought that caused early harvests, wildfires, dry fields, and pastures,” Walz said.
“The seasons may be changing, but the effects of this drought aren’t over, and our farmers still need our help. I am committed to working in partnership with Minnesota’s agricultural industry to provide relief for the farmers who have continued feeding our state and nation through this historic drought.”
Since July, Walz has issued executive orders relaxing certain hours and service restrictions for drivers and vehicles transporting critical supplies such as livestock, hay, forage, water supplies and supplemental feed commodities.
Last month Gov. Walz issued Executive Order 21-32, which extended this relief until Nov. 3, 2021. 
Although conditions have improved enough that there is no longer a need to exempt transportation of livestock and water supplies from hours-of-service requirements, farmers and livestock producers still need to travel across the state to find available feed.
Over the past few months, Gov. Walz has met with agricultural leaders from across the state to hear how the drought has impacted them.
In September he announced a $10 million drought relief package to support Minnesota farmers and livestock producers impacted by severe drought conditions during the 2021 growing season.
The governor’s proposal includes $5 million in rapid response grants to provide drought relief for livestock producers and specialty crop producers.
It also includes $5 million for the Rural Finance Authority’s Disaster Recovery Loan Program.