Sound of the Trumpet concert
On Oct. 18 the Pondera Valley Lutheran Church will host a Sound of the Trumpet concert with Joel Finnesgard at 6:30 p.m. The concert will include a blend of traditional hymns and contemporary praise and worship music. The instrumental music leans towards easy listening, uplifting and inspirational.
Finnesgard was born in northwestern North Dakota in 1965. He was involved in the family farm and graduated from Divide County High School in 1983. He studied music two winters at Eastern Montana College in Billings.
After college he left Montana and farmed with his father and brother in North Dakota for three years prior to moving to California in 1987. He moved to help with a home mission church (Victoria Community Church) in Rancho Cucamonga as a volunteer.
In 1989 Joel married June (daughter of missionaries Lu and Addie Mathison). He worked in commercial construction until August 1999.
Since then Sound Of The Trumpet has been a full time ministry, that has included recording six albums (“Sound Of The Trumpet,” “Silver Christmas,” “Trumpet Of Praise,” “Sound Of Freedom,” “Trumpet Of Hymns,” and most recently “Trumpet Of Worship”) and over 700 performances throughout the United States and Canada.
He is currently studying trumpet under a retired MGM studio trumpet player, Uan Rasey, originally from Glasgow.
Joel’s wife June resigned from her work as a CPA in October 2001 and now works fulltime in this ministry. Joel and June together with their children, Joy (3) and Josiah (1), enjoy sharing this ministry throughout the country.
Bulldogs stymie Cowboy attack
By Adam Jerome, I-O Reporter
On Saturday, the Choteau Bulldogs came to Conrad for a Homecoming matchup that doubled as Senior Day. The game turned out to be more of a Choteau celebration than a Conrad one as the Bulldogs rolled over the Conrad Cowboys 38-8.
Head Coach Joe Moerkerke commented on the tough loss, “We can’t continue to worry about games in the past, all we can do is concentrate on Cascade this week and try to get a couple of wins to close out the season and gain a little momentum.”
In a game where the weather was below freezing, the running game of both teams proved to be the reason for the outcome. The Cowboys managed minus 10 yards rushing on 20 carries.
Conrad obviously missed senior tailback Brandon Philipps as he suffered a slight tear in his PCL ligament in his knee last week.
For the Bulldogs, Adam DeBruycker ran for five TDs and 156 yards to lead the way to victory.
The Bulldogs led 6-0 after the first quarter and then really poured it on in the second and third quarters as they built their lead to 38-0 heading into the final period.
The Cowboys ended the Bulldogs shutout bid with seven seconds left in the game as Josiah Moerkerke found Bryce Watterud for a nice 35 yard catch and run for the touchdown.
The game was a tough emotional loss as it was the last time the seniors would suit up in front of the home crowd.
The loss dropped the Cowboys 1-5 on the season and 0-4 in conference officially ending their hopes of a playoff berth.
For the game, the Cowboy offense totaled 146 yards.
J. Moerkerke passed for 156 yards and a TD. He also led the team in rushing with 11 yards on 13 carries as the Choteau defense stymied the Conrad rushing attack all game.
Nate Gage paced the receivers with seven catches for 67 yards. Watterud had 41 yards receiving on two catches and the game’s only touchdown. Ben Moerkerke had three catches for 39 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Conrad gave up 380 yards, but did force two turnovers.
Joe Ries had an interception and a forced fumble and Watterud had a fumble recovery.
Paul O’Brien led the team in tackles with 17, followed by Lucas Schultz with 16. Rhett Orcutt, Watterud, Chase Cork, and Boyd Matheson tied for third in tackles with 11 apiece.
On Thursday, the Cowboys travel to Cascade to take on the Badgers in the last conference game of the year.
The Cowboys and Badgers will be playing for bragging rights as both teams try and avoid ending up in the cellar of District 1B.
SHOESTRING Cowboy sophomore running back Joe Ries is brought down after a short gain on Saturday on a shoestring tackle by a Choteau defender. I-O Photo by Buck Traxler
Head Coach Joe Moerkerke commented on the tough loss, “We can’t continue to worry about games in the past, all we can do is concentrate on Cascade this week and try to get a couple of wins to close out the season and gain a little momentum.”
In a game where the weather was below freezing, the running game of both teams proved to be the reason for the outcome. The Cowboys managed minus 10 yards rushing on 20 carries.
Conrad obviously missed senior tailback Brandon Philipps as he suffered a slight tear in his PCL ligament in his knee last week.
For the Bulldogs, Adam DeBruycker ran for five TDs and 156 yards to lead the way to victory.
The Bulldogs led 6-0 after the first quarter and then really poured it on in the second and third quarters as they built their lead to 38-0 heading into the final period.
The Cowboys ended the Bulldogs shutout bid with seven seconds left in the game as Josiah Moerkerke found Bryce Watterud for a nice 35 yard catch and run for the touchdown.
The game was a tough emotional loss as it was the last time the seniors would suit up in front of the home crowd.
The loss dropped the Cowboys 1-5 on the season and 0-4 in conference officially ending their hopes of a playoff berth.
For the game, the Cowboy offense totaled 146 yards.
J. Moerkerke passed for 156 yards and a TD. He also led the team in rushing with 11 yards on 13 carries as the Choteau defense stymied the Conrad rushing attack all game.
Nate Gage paced the receivers with seven catches for 67 yards. Watterud had 41 yards receiving on two catches and the game’s only touchdown. Ben Moerkerke had three catches for 39 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Conrad gave up 380 yards, but did force two turnovers.
Joe Ries had an interception and a forced fumble and Watterud had a fumble recovery.
Paul O’Brien led the team in tackles with 17, followed by Lucas Schultz with 16. Rhett Orcutt, Watterud, Chase Cork, and Boyd Matheson tied for third in tackles with 11 apiece.
On Thursday, the Cowboys travel to Cascade to take on the Badgers in the last conference game of the year.
The Cowboys and Badgers will be playing for bragging rights as both teams try and avoid ending up in the cellar of District 1B.
In a word; Awesome!
By Buck Traxler, I-O Editor
Conrad tossed a party over the weekend and the whole world came to help celebrate. OK, that’s a slight stretch, it just seemed like it.
Nevertheless, the celebration of the town clock and the 100 year birthday of the city made for an amazingly fun weekend.
The “Big Party” began with a clock dedication held under the clock at the corner of 4th Ave. and Main Street on Friday.
The town clock was first put up in 1927 and came down in 1958 and rested at the Peputin farm until 2007 when it came back to Conrad where a core of volunteers worked, and raised funds for two years to get in order in time for the 100th anniversary of Conrad.
Following the dedication a stage coach driven by Gerald Bruner and Thales Mullennax was held up by band of ice cream bandits.
The Pondera Players put on a skit for over 1,000 people crowded around for the dedication. Players included Kit Finlayson, Dr. Dick Kinyon, MaryJane Kinyon, Pete McKeone, Cynthia Ries and Brad Berthelson.
Following the skit, a sea of humanity descended upon Meadowlark School for a pulled pork dinner put on by the Shooting Sports Club. Later in the evening the Pondera History Association hosted a dance of 100 years of music at Norley Hall. If that wasn’t in your plans, maybe bingo at the Horizon Lodge was.
And we were just getting started. The Centennial Committee in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and the Harvest Fest event had a full slate of activity planned on Saturday for Conrad’s birthday.
The Centennial Committee was chaired by Marla Bruner and included George and Cheryl Tornga, Bob Moritz, Bev Widhalm, Catherine Kellogg, Alice Garman, Betty Olson, Jeanette VanLuchene, Terry Utterback, Byron Grubb, Everett Snortland, Jodie Weisgram and Barbie Killion.
The day started with the Parade of Ages that was just incredible. Floats that were entered showed a lot of imagination and work. Stockman Bank, Brown-Fichtner and the Garden Club floats were just majestic. The Shriners bag-pipe players and CHS band were both grand additions. The towns of Dupuyer and Valier both had floats honoring Conrad on its 100th birthday which were really neat.
Two blocks of Main St. and a portion of 4th Ave. were blocked off to traffic for vendors and crafts people to set up and for a car show that had 48 entries.
There were impressive special historical displays at the Conrad library, the Transportation Museum and Stockman Bank, the latter a photographic display of the “characters” of Conrad that was a real trip down memory lane.
TICKLING THE IVORIES Bernice Paisley, 93 years young and wearing an original Flapper dress played music before the 100 Years of Music dance at Norley Hall on Friday that was sponsored by the Historical Association. I-O Photo by Buck Traxler
Nevertheless, the celebration of the town clock and the 100 year birthday of the city made for an amazingly fun weekend.
The “Big Party” began with a clock dedication held under the clock at the corner of 4th Ave. and Main Street on Friday.
The town clock was first put up in 1927 and came down in 1958 and rested at the Peputin farm until 2007 when it came back to Conrad where a core of volunteers worked, and raised funds for two years to get in order in time for the 100th anniversary of Conrad.
Following the dedication a stage coach driven by Gerald Bruner and Thales Mullennax was held up by band of ice cream bandits.
The Pondera Players put on a skit for over 1,000 people crowded around for the dedication. Players included Kit Finlayson, Dr. Dick Kinyon, MaryJane Kinyon, Pete McKeone, Cynthia Ries and Brad Berthelson.
Following the skit, a sea of humanity descended upon Meadowlark School for a pulled pork dinner put on by the Shooting Sports Club. Later in the evening the Pondera History Association hosted a dance of 100 years of music at Norley Hall. If that wasn’t in your plans, maybe bingo at the Horizon Lodge was.
And we were just getting started. The Centennial Committee in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and the Harvest Fest event had a full slate of activity planned on Saturday for Conrad’s birthday.
The Centennial Committee was chaired by Marla Bruner and included George and Cheryl Tornga, Bob Moritz, Bev Widhalm, Catherine Kellogg, Alice Garman, Betty Olson, Jeanette VanLuchene, Terry Utterback, Byron Grubb, Everett Snortland, Jodie Weisgram and Barbie Killion.
The day started with the Parade of Ages that was just incredible. Floats that were entered showed a lot of imagination and work. Stockman Bank, Brown-Fichtner and the Garden Club floats were just majestic. The Shriners bag-pipe players and CHS band were both grand additions. The towns of Dupuyer and Valier both had floats honoring Conrad on its 100th birthday which were really neat.
Two blocks of Main St. and a portion of 4th Ave. were blocked off to traffic for vendors and crafts people to set up and for a car show that had 48 entries.
There were impressive special historical displays at the Conrad library, the Transportation Museum and Stockman Bank, the latter a photographic display of the “characters” of Conrad that was a real trip down memory lane.