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   Churches for centuries have been not only a place of worship, but a center of community for all. Behind every great church is a great leader; someone who has given their life to teaching, leading and bettering their community. This year, four Grand Marshals have been chosen, the four heads of churches in Longville: Pastor Bob Leko from the Longville Bible Chapel, Pastor Trish Jorgenson from Salem Lutheran Church, Pastor Duane Brown from the Longville Community Church and Father Joe Fink from St. Edwards Catholic Church. These four are being recognized for their selflessness and contributions.

   Pastor Bob Leko of the Longville Bible Chapel has been preaching in Longville for 2 and a half years. Raised in the area, he graduated from Grand Rapids high school, and found himself in Williston, North Dakota. While he was there, he founded and preached at a church while also working at a local oil field. Like many other areas in the economy, Covid-19 had massive negative effects on the oil industry, and Pastor Leko was let go. After going on vacation to a resort on Sand Lake near Deer River, he sat down with a friend that informed him of an opportunity to preach in Longville, and the rest is history. 

Pastor Bob Leko

   Pastor Leko spoke again and again about how honored he was to be chosen as a Grand Marshall, and how thankful he was for the local community. He is dedicated to helping the community that has been so welcoming to him. “Church isn’t just about worshipping on Sundays, but being active and spreading God’s love every day.” “I have a great community of people at our church, and being chosen to represent them is a huge honor.”

   Pastor Trish Jorgenson, pastor of Salem Lutheran Church, moved to the area around nine years ago. After being raised in Dubuque, Iowa and preaching in Upsala, MN for about a decade, her parents retired and moved to Longville. While visiting, she loved the quaint town nestled in the woods. Her father would often tease her, saying that there was a church in Longville looking for a pastor. Pastor Trish was hesitant, but felt a pull for change. After much deliberation, she went to interview, and was called to share the Word at Salem. 

Pastor Trish Jorgenson

   When asked if there was anything she was working on, her eyes lit up. Salem was able to raise enough money to build a solar field, with construction starting in July. “God says in the Bible to protect the environment, and renewable energy is a great way to do that.”

   Salem has also been busy with community meals, and the approaching start of Vacation Bible School. 

   Pastor Trish also spoke about how exited she was for not only her, but every pastor to be chosen for Grand Marshall this year.

   Pastor Duane Brown began his ministry in Longville in 1997. While living and preaching in Hesperia, Michigan, he saw an ad in the paper that a church in a small town was looking for a pastor. Dwane was only expecting to stay for a year or two, but fell in love with the area and stayed.

Pastor 

Duane Brown

   For the last 26 years, Pastor Brown has dedicated his time to spreading the word of God, taking great pride and joy in his writing. “I was taught to spend an hour working for every minute of my sermon, which turns into 10-20 hours a week.” This August, he is planning to retire in the Walker area. “I’m going from a big fish in a small pond to a minnow in Leech Lake.” Pastor Duane plans to enjoy the beautiful scenery, explore the bike trails, work on another book and grow his relationship with God. 

   Father Joe Fink of St. Edward’s Catholic Church has been in the priesthood for 41 years and counting. Growing up in northern Minneapolis, Father Joe was a baker in college before becoming a priest. After spending many of his years in Shakopee, he was planning to retire. Before he was able to, he was asked to cover for a priest in St. Paul. When the local bishop heard about this, he called Father Joe and told him to cover for a priest in Longville. He was under the impression that he was staying for a couple of months, but is now working on three years in the area. Up until the last month, Father has been living in the Twin Cities and coming on the weekends, but recently he has been in Longville full time. 

Father Joe Fink

   Father Joe loves the small town feel and the local neighborhood. “It’s a great retirement job. I get to do what I love without the background administration work.” Not only is Father Joe known for his work in the church, but also his famous caramels that he plans to give out in the parade.

   All of these religious and communal leaders have shown themselves dedicated to spreading the Word and bringing people from all walks of life together. Join us in thanking and recognizing their work at Longville’s Fourth of July parade, starting at 11 a.m.

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