Nick Koch works to turn defense into offense during his first round match at the South Winn Invitational on Saturday in Calmar. Koch went on to finish second at 126 points, which capped off a week where he went 4-1 with three bonus-point wins. His only loss came to the #3 ranked wrestler in Class 2A in the SW Invite finals. (Zakary Kriener photo)

NFV has 3 podium finishers at SW Invite

by Zakary Kriener

zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

The TigerHawk wrestling team took part in the South Winneshiek Invitational on Saturday in Calmar – one of the toughest in the area with the No. 1 and No. 2- ranked teams in Class 2A competing.

North Fayette Valley, which had only half of it’s lineup in varsity competition, finished eighth with 75 points.

Members of Bethel Presbyterian Church visited Rustic Chic recently to try out their battery-powered candles and lanterns. The are (l-r) Darwin Schrage, Corey Moser, Linda Johansen, Mark Bostrom, Kris Moser, Sue Updegraff, Ann Bruso, Jim Updegraff, Lissa Best, Karen Schmitz, Pastor Don Best, and Lee Johansen.

Christmas Eve service in the barn with animals

By Jack Swanson

jswanson@fayettecountynewspapers.com

Bethel Presbyterian Church in West Union wanted a unique Christmas Eve service. As a result, they are going to be having their holiday service, open to all denominations, inside a barn, with a nativity scene complete with live animals.

The animals won’t be inside the barn because it’s not going to be at any old barn, it’s going to be held at the Rustic Chic barn/event center north of West Union on Highway 150.

“We at Bethel Presbyterian Church are pretty excited about holding our Christmas Eve worship service (Friday, Dec. 24) in a barn at 5:30 p.m.  Audrey Gibb's renovated barn, Rustic Chic Events Center to be exact,” reported Worship Ministry Team member and church organist Linda Johansen.