... As I reflect on my responsibilities to my newborn daughter as her Christian father and my responsibilities to the children and adults of my congregation as their pastor, I think back to a sermon I preached two years ago on the first day of Sunday school. The sermon was titled: “So, whose job is it?” The gist of the sermon was that when it comes to the rearing of children in the Christian faith, we often see this as the job of everyone except ourselves.  ...

You don’t have to be in Iowa for long to recognize that in this state, we love our corn. Although 99 percent of the corn fields in Iowa produce field corn, sweet corn and popcorn are also available locally. 
At the Kossuth County Farmers Market we are fortunate to have a local popcorn grower amongst our vendors. 
 
Get the full Farmers Market report in the Aug. 12 Advance and every week.

... As the car came upon me, the driver just in the nick of time returned to the correct lane. And, then, the driver gave me a dirty look and a gesture that was uncalled for. I had done nothing but be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  As I drove by I was confused about what had just happened.

... Television runs college football. It has since the 1980s when the College Football Association was formed as a way for schools to get more games on television and not be limited by the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s limitations on televising games. The schools wanted more games on TV because they wanted the money and exposure. A struggling startup sports network called ESPN was new on the scene and looking for content.

“Do we want to give the wealthiest people in America another tax cut, “ asked Joe Biden, “or do you want to give every high school graduate the ability to earn a community college degree?”  The president’s question was not rhetorical. He was speaking at an event to promote his American Families Plan, which includes spending that would enable Americans to attend free two-year community college. 
 
Read the full opinion in the Aug. 5 Advance print edition.

... In our coming and going, walking through The Neuter tunnel, we noticed a rough stone stairway up the side of the stone mountain near the west entrance and followed it to see where it led. To our surprise, it led to a large park on top of the mountain with paths going different directions, so we did some exploring. We couldn’t help but notice how quiet it was up there – in the heart of the busy city.  ...

This week's letters to the editor are on these topics:
We must fight for freedom of choice
To the Editor:

Any thought that COVID-19 was in our past can be put to rest. It isn’t. 
 
Read the full editorial in the Aug. 5 Advance print edition.

Belmond has a paw up on Algona’s dog park. The Belmond Independent last week featured a photo of the park there, which now includes some umbrellas, the type you might find pool-side, to provide shade for dogs and, I assume, their owners. 
As if community development leaders don’t have enough competition when it comes to providing amenities for current and would-be residents, you can now add pet entertainment facilities. 

Marsha’s diary: “We went to see the statue of the Virgin Mary on the Dom platz [square] and went inside the cathedral with its twin towers and large dome that was damaged during WWII. It was built in 1614 and has a capacity for 10,500 people. We also went down into the crypt under the cathedral. We saw pictures of the great damage here during WWII.
 
Read the full column in the July 29 Advance print edition.

As a health professional trying to prevent illness and deaths, I urge persons ages 12 and older to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine. I try to read and research COVID information regularly.
We are blessed in our USA to have relative ease in obtaining this free at pharmacies and county health departments. If you have concerns, please talk to your health provider? I may share a bit...

Don’t you love small-world stories? I’ve written before about my fascination with them. There is just something magical about unexpected connections between strangers on this planet. Connections which inevitably invoke a delighted, “What a small world,” response from everyone involved.
One of my favorite such connections happened when I emailed Bing’s obituary to the Miami of Ohio alumni magazine for them to include in their list of deceased members of the Miami Class of 1960. 

Recently I read the book The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel. It’s a book about the effort that was made to save the precious art works of Europe during World War II. 

Here at the Camp Algona POW Museum, lifelong residents of Algona and the surrounding area who visit often share their surprise that there were thousands of German prisoners of war held in Iowa during World War II, deep in the heart of America. Visitors generally come into the museum with little knowledge of the United States’ POW camp system and learn a great deal while they are here.

“But for myself I say this: I am also a doctor and preacher; yes, as learned and experienced as all the people who have such assumptions and contentment. Yet I must become a child who is being taught the catechism. Every morning — and whenever I have time — I read and say, word for word, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Psalms and such. I must still read and study them daily. Yet I cannot master the catechism as I wish.