WHILE I SAT IN THE RECLINER hand-stitching loosened seams in a cuff of Randy’s flannel shirt and listening to “Face the Nation,” my husband was outdoors firing up the snowblower.
We are in the middle of a major winter storm in much of Minnesota. Snow began falling here Saturday evening and continues with some nine-plus inches of accumulation thus far in Faribault. Winds are whipping the new-fallen snow into a blizzard with no travel advised, roads closed, and more cancellations than I could possibly list. That includes cancellation of church services.
Across town, while I was stitching, then dicing celery and onions for the Chicken Wild Rice Hotdish I’ll make for supper, my friend Marian was tucked inside her home watching Little Prairie United Methodist Church services online. Broadcast not from the rural Dundas church, but from Pastor Penny Bonsell’s living room in nearby Northfield.
“She (the pastor) was in her slippers with a cup of coffee and her puppy needing to be removed from front and center!” Marian shared with me. “A close neighbor trudged through the snow to play the piano and she and her husband have beautiful voices. The puppy didn’t sing!”
Marian invited me to watch the service. I did. After I finished the breakfast dishes, ate the brunch Randy made, washed dishes again, and video chatted with my second daughter and one-year-old grandson four hours away in southeastern Wisconsin. Only light snow is falling in Madison.
Snow is still piling up here, falling thick and heavy. But the Rev. Bonsell gave thanks for the new white snow, which “reminds us to be clean and make a new start in life.” I appreciated her positive perspective, which can be difficult to consider when you’re out shoveling and blowing away snow in fierce winds as Randy did for 1½ hours this morning.
But as I watched the Little Prairie UMC Church service, I felt such peace. Pastor Bonsell has a calming voice, graceful and poetic. As she led the service from her cozy living room, fire blazing in the fireplace, slippers on her feet, sipping coffee, rocking in a rocking chair, I felt the comfort of words offered in song, prayer and in her message, “Restores My Soul” (based on Psalm 23). Said the pastor, “You are never, ever alone.” She also talked about light and darkness, referencing Ephesians 5:8-14 and choosing to live in the light, to choose good.
I didn’t intend to watch a church service when I was shaping the idea of this blog post around our winter storm. I attended worship at my church last evening given this morning’s service was canceled. But then my friend Marian’s words about the puppy and the pastor in slippers drew me to the Little Prairie UMC YouTube video.
Once online, I immediately felt at home in the pastor’s living room. I noticed a pillow with the directive to “Be Kind” positioned on a child-sized rocking chair. The fire blazed. The puppy roamed. Pianist Peter Webb sat poised at the piano.
And the Rev. Bonsell, in her welcome on this “snowstormy day” (her words), advised everyone to be careful when shoveling the heavy snow. Then, before beginning the worship service, she asked for more people to make pies and salads for a March 27 Fish Dinner. She announced the Holy Week schedule and a 90th birthday party open house for twins Doris and Doug, showed a video of a youth group bowling outing, and more.
And during a sharing of the peace, typically hand-shaking, the pastor and her husband, Tom, kissed. That sealed it. The snow may be falling at a rapid rate as I write. The wind may be creating chaos in the world outside. But in a small southern Minnesota living room, a pastor brought peace and love in the middle of a blizzard that won’t end until 7 a.m. Monday.
© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
We only got a few inches of snow this round. I am ready for winter to gracefully let spring begin. I’m looking forward to warmer temps and less snow next weekend. Stay safe and warm my friend. Thanks for sharing Pastor Bonsell’s cozy images and words.
Good to hear you didn’t get much snow. Randy just headed outside for round two of snow removal.
Y’all have had the winter! My sister in Ohio was without power for over 48 hours due to the windstorms that wreaked havoc. They are due to get wintry weather in the next couple of days — I hope this is the last big blast for you guys.
Being without power for that long would be challenging. We’re finally dug out. Now the winds will blow all night, so we will see what morning brings.
wow, another blizzard for you, and for northern michigan as well! I’m supposed to drive up on Wednesday to visit my stepmother and not sure how bad it will be there, but may move it to next week if it is heavy where she lives. here in Ann Arbor and the lower part of the state, we have heavy winds and 70 degrees, which is not normal weather for this time of year so I’m sure we’ll have a bit more winter as well. I’m glad that you’re both warm and safe and I love how your story moved from a missive of the weather and all of the hard work and cancellations and inconveniences that come with that, into a story of comfort, safety, community, kindness, and love. isn’t that wonderful?
Yes, sometimes as a writer, we head an entirely different direction than anticipated. And often the result is something like this piece. Lovely. I’m thankful my friend Marian shared about the pastor in slippers and the puppy. I knew this had to be shared.
What a winter we have all had! Storm after storm!
We’ve had many nuisance snows of several inches mostly. The other big storm was right after the new year. And now this one. Twenty-five inches of snow fell in the small town of Kellogg to the east of here along the Mississippi River. I can’t fathom that depth of snow. Randy did his third snow removal this morning, clearing the once again plowed in ends of the drive and sidewalk. He also cleared the end of a neighbor’s drive.
What a sweet story about a sermon from a living room. We watched our church service online Sunday morning, from the comfort of our living room. 😉
I think a lot of Minnesotans were doing exactly that during Sunday’s winter storm. At least I hope they were.