A pastor making house calls

First Lutheran Church senior Pastor Heidi Heimgartner definitely makes house calls.
On Saturday, May 19, she married Pamela Grochowski and Leslie Shawback at Westfield Lutheran Church, located six miles northeast of Blooming Prairie.
On Sunday, May 20, Heimgartner baptized John William Dahl, son of Rachel (Knutson) and John Dahl, born March 10, 2018 in Minneapolis. His sponsors were: Christopher and Crystal Knutson, James Dahl and Rachel Vohs. The baptism was at Westfield.
The Westfield church has not been open for regular services for many years. With the help of organizer Dale Underwood, the church raised money to refurbish the church. It is now used at least three times a year for spring, fall and Christmas services. Special services, including weddings, are also sometimes scheduled at Westfield.
Greeting about 75 visitors on a cool Sunday afternoon, Heimgartner said Westfield was as festive as the Royal Wedding the day before in London, England.
Underwood greeted parishioners and thanked Heimgartner for her role in leading the church service. He also thanked organize Shelly Long.
"You people are incredible," Heimgartner said in commending them for attending this special Pentecost Sunday service.
She spoke about wind and a whisper. "Wind can blow into a community and can knock you off your feet," she said.
This church has not had a pastor in 61 years, the pastor noted. "Our world needs both the wind and a whisper, she said. "We need the power of the Holy Spirit," she emphasized.
"God's presence will never leave us," she sermonized.
Heimgartner prayed for local farmers and asked them to stand. Referring to Psalm 104, she said gardeners and farmers are looking at their crops and saying, "Grow! Grow!"
Following the service, visitors were invited to an ice cream and pie social in the church basement.