North Star vision

In the mid-1990s, members of Our Redeemer Lutheran didn't know how long their church doors would remain open. With about 20 active members, the Puposky, Minn., congregation struggled to call a pastor. There weren't enough teens for a youth group. Members felt alone and isolated.

Times have changed. Last summer members gutted the church, updated its wiring and refurbished the altar. The church also serves as a community center, where neighbors gather for an annual harvest festival and a day of games in February. Our Redeemer now is focused on mission, not on just surviving.

"We've learned you don't sit there and give up," says Darlene Pearson, a parishioner since 1949. "We're doing outreach. We're looking for larger community involvement and praying about it."