Living Your Best Life!

Best Life Ministries is celebrating our 2nd year at our headquarters ... The Church in the Grove, by hosting
our first-ever ANNUAL FUNDRAISER on Saturday, July 12th at 6:00 p.m.
We are thanking God for the blessing of this wonderful old building we call home.

JUNE 2014

The Church for $1.00

By: Executive Dir.,

Kathy A. Weckwerth

I will never forget the evening that Dean and I were driving home from having supper in Benson. We'd received two phone calls from our farmer/neighbors recommending that we seek out an old church for sale to use as our ministry headquarters. But where could we possibly find one, we wondered.

Dean and I determined to pray about this idea, and 12 hours later, God answered our prayer ... a 1900's church, Frank Lake Covenant, was for sale, 20 miles from our home, and was on Craigslist for $1.00.

I ran to my car, picked up my sister-in-law and drove like crazy to see the church.

The sweet aroma of history overwhelmed me as I opened the door. Before me, I saw nothing but answered prayer. There was a lovely entry way, a huge sanctuary with tin ceiling and lovely stained glass, and a huge side-room for office and Bible studies. The original piano from 1900's was included in the sale!

From that moment on, things happened! Dean and I welcomed new friends and began a preparation of moving and restoring an old church. We felt direction from God to purchase the church, move it to our grove (where nothing ever grew and was exactly the size of the old church), and host Bible studies, community church events, and utilize as headquarters for the ministry.

Tonight, I sit typing this newsletter while my husband, Dean, is next door at the church painting. It has been a whirlwind of life and restoration. Not just at the church, but in our own hearts.

God united our ministry and blessed Benson, Murdock, Kerkhoven, and surrounding areas because we saved a little building that was potentially up for a tear down.

But God is in the business of restoring!

On Saturday, July 12th, we will celebrate with a hymn sing/pie social. Our goal is to raise monies for our ministry so that it's not so stressful wondering month after month how monies will be provided.

God is always faithful!

But we want to be faithful in seeking avenues for provision and find supporters who believe in what God is doing in us and through us.

We thank God continually for all He's doing.

Praise be to the God of yesterday, today, and forever!

For more from Executive Director, Kathy Weckwerth, you can read her blog at http://bestlifeministries.com/best-life-lifelines/

or follow Kathy at www.kathyweckwerth.com

Life Before BEST LIFE

Frank Lake Covenant Church was built in 1900 by Swedish Immigrants. The original church burned down in 1897 and it cost the church members $2,000.00 to build this building. A cemetery is situated behind where the building sat.

The Goodbye Service!

Over 150 people were in attendance at the service, along with local newspapers, PBS, and HGTV (Massive Moves tv show). People came from all over to get one last chance to worship in the church in its original location. The only surviving pastor came from California to celebrate, along with many friends and relatives.

The Verse God Gave Us Before We Found the Church

"The Lord will guide you always.

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age old foundations

you will be called repairer of broken walls, restorer of streets with dwellings."

Isaiah 89:9-12

(graphics by Aimee Libby)

When Moving Day Arrived ...

We hopped in the BEST LIFE van and headed to the site to meet the moving crew, our friends and family, and news crew.

Jason Davis from

On the Road with Jason Davis
(KSTP channel 5) met us there to follow us, as did PBS' POSTCARDS crew and HGTV.

Moving Crew & Dean & Kathy by Frank Lake

On the Road!

Dennis & Marie Johnson, along with Hillside Cemetery Association, sold us the church for $1.00

Watching the Church Arrive at our Grove!

Funny thing is, when I worked for a church in Maple Grove, many years ago, I always tried to convince the staff and elder board to rename the church, "The Church in the Grove." Who knew but God alone, that 15 years later, I'd work in my own church called "The Church in the Grove!"

The Church in the Grove in ACTION!

Bible studies, hymn sings, pie socials, Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve services, weddings, and times of prayer have replaced the emptiness that the little church experienced for 30 years, as it sat empty.

Celebrating the Church & Our Ministry!

Saturday, July 12, 2014~ We will be celebrating with grilled hotdogs & ice cold lemonade, horse drawn wagon rides, old collector cars, silent auction, hymn sing and pie social!

Please contact us if you want to bring a pie or donate something fabulous for our Silent Auction.

Can't attend? Mail in your tax deductible donation to

BEST LIFE MINISTRIES, PO BOX 73, Benson, MN 56215

Donate to Best Life!

What's Happening At the Grove?

Sat. June 21-6:30 p.m. Praise & Prayer Night

Sat. July 12th-6:30 p.m. Hymn Sing & Pie Social

Sat. Aug 2-6:30 Movie Night With Popcorn

Sat. Aug 23-8:30-Noon Women's Leadership Mtg

You can find out more about Best Life Ministries by visiting our website at www.bestlifeministries.com

Remember, it's never too late to make changes. Start today. Start living your best life!

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