Naomi Dunavan
Naomi Dunavan is a Herald columnist and writes her 'In the Spirit' column for Saturday's Faith and Religion section.Contact
Articles
IN THE SPIRIT: Grand Forks Youth for Christ names new leader 
Sean Patterson stepped into the emcee’s shoes when his church, Grace Baptist in Grand Forks, served as a viewing site for the “Stepping Up” simulcast. Thousands of men across the country watched it the day before the Super Bowl.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Every game a blessing, every fan an energizer
The cross tattooed on Troy Huff’s upper right arm is big and bold and beautiful just like the picture of Jesus tattooed on Shane Benton’s upper left arm.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Their circle is unbroken
Last Sunday, after morning Mass and lunch, 10 women returned to the peaceful sanctuary of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in East Grand Forks. They wore identical cross pendants and placed their chairs upfront in a semi-circle. Natalie Mack Wavra no longer joins them, but because of her, this circle of faith, family and friendship will forever be unbroken. In quietness, the prayers began.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: New book on faith, motherhood makes impact
It was a decade long labor of love that sometimes required burning the midnight oil. And now, Barbara Lea Goetz’s book is impacting people. A grandmother from Harvey, N.D., purchased 18 copies to give to all the mothers in her family including her great granddaughters. Others are buying them five and nine copies at a time. Released the end of September, “Adventures in Faith & Motherhood” is in its second printing.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Send your voice around the world via virtual choir on Christmas Eve
In 1999, Pastor Tim Lucas started a Bible class in a 150-year-old church in Morristown, N.J. Twelve people attended and I’m told Pastor Tim brewed bad coffee. In 2007, this group of Christians launched as an official church body and 1,000 worshippers attended Easter services.
RELATED CONTENTAreavoices: God blesses those who bless others
At Thanksgiving time we thank God for all things – faith, family, friends, bountiful gardens and crops, a warm home, good health, a job. The list is endless. I wonder, though, how many of us thank God not only for how He blesses us, but for how He uses us to bless others? The people of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Grand Forks, are both blessing others and thanking God for the opportunity to do so.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Comedian will bring humor, faith to Riverside Christian School’s fundraiser Tuesday
Most lads don’t grow up to become comedians so this is where Bob Stromberg differs. Comedy has been his life since 1975 when he and his wife, Judy, returned from mission work in Africa. He decided to give comedy a try — for three years. “It sounded like a good number. If we could survive, it might actually work,” Bob said.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: We shall gather at the farmyard, the beautiful, beautiful farmyard
Beginning with a potluck supper at 5:30 p.m. sharp on Sunday, Mark and DeeAnn will host a huge old fashioned country gospel music festival on the farm which is about 30 minutes out of Grand Forks. Directions in a minute!
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT BLOG: He'll be home for Christmas
Christmas is coming and so is Seth Custer, home from Greenville, S.C., where he is a music professor at Bob Jones University. And of course, the East Grand Forks native is bringing his saxophones with him.
RELATED CONTENTFlickertail Holler to play Dec. 17 in Grand Forks
Starlit Lorentzen was fascinated by the fiddle her mother had hanging on a living room wall. “When I was 5, I would knock it off to play with it — to pluck it,” Starlit said. “There was a desk there. I’d get on a chair and climb on the desk and whack at it until I got it off. I never did break it. I kept telling my mom I wanted to play it, but she thought I was too young. They figured it was just a phase.”
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IN THE SPIRIT: Learning lessons written on wall of Mayo Clinic
Sometimes having to wait is annoying, but it recently paid off in a big way for me. I had time to reflect on someone’s words of wisdom which left me clothed in peace and reassurance. Both of which I needed.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Seeing the fruit makes Eunita yearn to do more
Never will she leave — permanently. Never will she forsake — her people — her mother country. It is for them that Eunita Odongo is temporarily away, learning in the United States what she can do — with her heart and hands — to improve the lives of people in her beloved Kenya.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Trip to Norway provides heritage enlightenment
In a picturesque country setting within a triangle formed by the towns of East Grand Forks, Alvarado and Oslo, sits a 132-year-old house of worship known as Kongsvinger Lutheran Church.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: My sister, my friend, my mentor
The memory is as clear to me as if it’s happening as we speak. The door opens and in walks someone who brightens my day like a beacon in the night. She has come from her upstairs classroom to wrap an arm around me and assure me that all is well. She is my one and only sister!
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: From the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee
For a homebody, I’ve been gone a lot lately. This year’s travels began the end of March with a trip to West Virginia when I was invited by John Reitmeier to be there when he met his biological brother for the first time.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Golden opportunities lead to golden celebration
We’re speaking here of Holy Family Catholic School whose name became Holy Family-St. Mary’s Catholic School in 2005 when St. Mary’s School in downtown Grand Forks closed its doors and its students were welcomed into Holy Family School.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Found: Long lost words of wisdom
For starters, I asked my grandchildren, Elyn and Ethan, if they knew the meaning of the word “multitude?” Two little heads shook from side to side. Ethan just completed first grade and Elyn third. I guess those words are yet to come for them.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: A ‘bonus family’ for John Reitmeier
Crookston man finds his biological family at age 60
Anyone who knows John Reitmeier knows he’s never lost for words. Otherwise known as the Cool Site Pick of the Day guy for 1310 KNOX radio, Reitmeier has quick and witty comebacks for everything, stemming from many years in radio.
But on the evening of April 13, John was somewhat subdued as we neared a white house with a full-width front porch situated on a flower laden street in Charles Town. When John spoke it was softly. As our car pulled into the driveway, a man and his wife came down from the porch to welcome John. Over the past few months they had spoken on the phone several times and now, John, 60, and Michael Terry, 63, were meeting for the first time.
IN THE SPIRIT: Church body vows to wipe our malaria
For what’s believed to be the first time in the history of an individual church denomination, a vow has been made to wipe out a devastating disease within a certain time period. The church body: United Methodist. The disease: malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The time period: three years. Christened, “Imagine No Malaria,” this mission project has been wholeheartedly embraced by Thief River Falls United Methodist Church, which just last weekend exceeded $10,000 on its way to its total pledge of $20,000.
RELATED CONTENTIN THE SPIRIT: Redemption story with charming, awkward, tearful parts
Sometimes we go looking for a story and sometimes the story finds us. Such is the case with Andy and Jon Erwin, Birmingham, Ala., brothers who grew up playing with cameras in the studio where their dad was a television and radio broadcaster.
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