Every morning at 9 a.m. Skip Erickson goes to ReNew UMC to pray for those who come in the door and for those who may never walk in. “My goal is to help people be aware of and experience what the church can be. I pray that they will take a chance and let the Holy Spirit in their life,” said Erickson.

Erickson, 90, farmed most of his life in Coulee, North Dakota.  He spent eight years in the mission field serving the Aymara people of Bolivia. “My heart has always been in farming,” said Erickson. When it was time to retire from farming he moved to Kenmare where he connected with Pastor Joddy Meidinger and ReNew United Methodist Church.

ReNew Church began worshipping in July of 2014. A former store in Kenmare, North Dakota, was purchased in the summer of 2015. The biggest challenge for ReNew has been the acquisition and remodeling of the 1907 building. Worship was held in the building as it was being remodeled.  Erickson became involved with ReNew during the remodeling. “I was too old to do a lot of the actual remodeling. But I was a great gopher,” he said.

Skip felt that ReNew Church was a great fit for him. “In Kenmare, I met Pastor Joddy and he shared his vision of the church he was starting. I felt it fit my vision for what a church needed to be.”

The church that Erickson attended most of his life in Coulee has closed. “As I look around at churches I see of lot of white and grey hair. The future generations were not coming to church. There seems to be a loss of interest in the gifts that the Holy Spirt brings.”

“We are a casual church with a contemporary attitude,” said Pastor Joddy Meidinger, ReNew UMC, a new church start in Kenmare. “We welcome you in your jeans and comfy clothes.”

Variety in the worship services and the involvement of the young people inspire Skip’s spirituality, even though he is in his nineties. “We have a lot of activities that Pastor Joddy asks people to help with and when you look at who is signing up to help it is all people who are 25-30 years of age. As an older person, I have a different role. I am an encourager.”

It is a calling. “I am answering the Lord.” That is how Erickson sees it. So, he plans to continue to show up every morning and pray. There is a pray list but mostly for the people to allow the Holy Spirit to breakthrough in their lives.