Handmade wind turbine is focal point of Earth-minded church service

Elkhorn - Like most churches, the back rows filled up first, and then the chairs closer to the altar were taken as late arrivals walked in.

Loren Johnson had moved his farm machinery and equipment, plus pallets of 50-pound bags of seed, to make room for the congregation inside one of the barns on his fifth-generation farm.

The 40 or so parishioners and pastor were there for him. They also came Sunday morning for his new wind turbine, to bless the blades he made from two-by-fours. And they came for a blessing of seeds, soil and wind in honor of Earth Day later this week....