Baker Downer Presbyterian Church

05/13/2026

Happy Mother’s Day at Baker-Downer Church. Carnations in memory of Sandy’s mother were placed on the altar, then given to women and mothers at the service.

Today, Wednesday, May 13 starts our Field Night at the softball fields where we have invited our Baker neighbors to our Cookout and Cleanup Wednesdays. At our first gathering, we will be looking at what upkeep or projects are needed for this softball season. We will start at 5:30.

Posing with carnations left to right in front row are Eleanor, Sandy, and new friend Darcy. In the back row we have Kathy, Mary, Carolyn, and Heidi.

05/03/2026

A beautiful first Sunday in May for completing our May baskets and delivering over 20 to our neighbors in Baker. We were greeted warmly as we shared our summer plans including ball field clean-up and cookouts. Our baskets were full of candy, small gifts, and several gift certificates to area stores. This was our Spring event to meet our neighbors and invite them to connect with us.

04/29/2026

Two pictures of our little church on the prairie that were taken late summer or fall years ago. It is bright white surrounded by a sea of green and I loved the view.

04/27/2026

04/27/2026

A little Blue Grass chorus from the band with both mandolin and banjo this week. Thank you band.

04/27/2026

Another lively day at Baker-Downer Church. We worshipped with the Blue Grass Band. Then we started preparing our May Baskets so we can make visits and drop them off next Sunday, May 3rd at our Baker neighbors’ homes. After service we will have a lunch gathering before going out to visit.

04/16/2026

Mission Update from Baker-Downer Church: much has been happening from time of the Giving Tree at Christmas to the Lunch and Bake Sale on Palm Sunday. Here’s a few updates in words and pictures to highlight our focus on Mission response in our area. Besides the clothes and toys we collected at Christmas, we gathered early Spring weather clothing, MN style, to deliver to shelters (Churches United and New Life Center).

We also collected items in February for the R**e and Abuse Crisis Center. Besides a cash gift from our weekly Coins for Charity Collection, we filled purses with small items, especially those needed for hygiene. These can be distributed to women who quickly sought shelter and were unable to pack the necessities.

March is our month of Mondays to serve at the Barnesville, MN Food Pantry. It’s MN Food Share month so many community groups contribute food and monetary donations in March so the amounts can be matched financially. That led us to help in several ways: making Birthday Bags with cake mixes and all so the Pantry has a supply for special celebrations; collecting food items; having a Soup & Potato Bar Lunch and Bake Sale on Palm Sunday along with music by the BlueGrass Band; and making fancy Easter Baskets for the Pantry to distribute to families, especially those with young children.

It is difficult for this writer to say exactly how many purses, bags, baskets and all were distributed but the free will and bake sale amounts collected added up to $1076, a healthy portion to go to several Food Pantries in our western MN area. Some pictures of our early 2026 Mission Contributions (especially our Palm Sunday event) have already been shared but here are more . . .

04/05/2026

Alleluia! Christ is Risen. Easter Service today was led by Rusty Bender, Director of Church Life, with elders Glen and Kathy assisting. Beautiful music was provided by Wanda Wavra on piano and Lauren Bontje on violin. Deacons Mary and Sandy provided us with a light breakfast. Special thanks to everyone who assisted and who joined us in celebration.

We celebrated communion together at the altar.