Prayers on the Prairie: Members look back after church closes doors

Janelle Atyeo
Apr 14, 2018
Apr 14, 2018 Updated Feb 4, 2026

Church sunset — The sun sets on Belleview Lutheran Church near Howard, S.D. The church held its final service in 2016, but members are finding ways to ensure the story behind the little Norwegian church lives on.
Submitted photo

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Members of a small country church near Howard, South Dakota, were sorry to see the church’s final service come on a June Sunday two years ago, but something that happened during the Lord’s Prayer made it feel like the generations of church members were watching over them.

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Church with sun — The afternoon sun shines above Belleview Lutheran Church. The church remains, but all of its furnishings were donated or sold in 2016.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Belleview Lutheran hill — Belleview Church was closed in 2016 after a member vote, and the interior was gutted with many of the furnishings donated to another church that had burned down.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Church bell — The tower before the bell was removed in 2016.
Submitted photo

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Belleview sunset — The sky lights up behind Belleview Lutheran Church near Howard, S.D., in this photo from Brenda Donahue.
Submitted photo

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Belleview church and cemetery — Former members plan to put up a memorial in the cemetery at Belleview Lutheran Church near Howard, S.D.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Church altar — The 1917 altar from Belleview Lutheran was donated to the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre.
Submitted photo

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Janelle is editor of the Tri-State Neighbor, covering South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa and northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at jatyeo@tristateneighbor.com or follow on Twitter @JLNeighbor.