Pastor Amy Starr Redwine, a pastor in Richmond, Virginia, tells a story about a class she took while a student at the seminary. The class was called: Confession and Forgiveness from a Pastoral Perspective. Pastor Redwine wrote that the class was incredibly popular, and the 45 slots filled up as soon as registration opened. On the first … More Drawn into Community
I remember as a kid, on warm summer nights, my Dad would ask me if I wanted to go out and play catch. I know…cue the “Field of Dreams” soundtrack music here. As we’d throw the baseball back and forth, my Dad would constantly tell me, “keep your eye on the ball!” (Anyone else ever hear that … More Keep Your Eye on the Ball
The older I get; the faster time seems to move. Does it work that way for you? I mean really…today is Ash Wednesday, it’s already the beginning of Lent. Didn’t we just celebrate Christmas a couple of weeks ago? It sure feels that way. It makes sense when you think about it. When I was 10 years old, a year? It … More When Time Slows Down
Have you ever traveled somewhere new…somewhere different… maybe somewhere outside of your comfort zone? In 2015, I traveled to Wittenburg, Germany with a group of Lutheran pastors to experience the sites of Martin Luther and the reformation. Being there was amazing. The history…the architecture…the culture…I loved it. But at the same time, I felt, a lot, … More Crossing Borders
I was baptized at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis on June 6, 1965. Don’t bother doing the math. There is nothing particularly remarkable about that day…it was just a day like any other. June 6, 1965 was the 21st anniversary of the D-Day invasion in World War 2. On that day, the top 3 songs on … More Remember
Deer Island is a fishing village off the coast of New Brunswick, Canada. Small fishing boats head in and out of the harbor, into the North Atlantic every day. The island is so small, that it doesn’t have a lighthouse. And in the days before GPS systems fishing boats would regularly wander into dangerous waters, hitting the rocks, … More A Light Brighter Than Any
At our special congregational meeting on Sunday, Trinity voted to call Pastor Chris Meester to become a part of our pastoral team. It was a wonderful meeting, full of energy and excitement for the future. The unanimous vote to call Pastor Chris was 146-0. Pastor Chris is a graduate of Wartburg College, Waverly, IA and … More Pastor Chris Meester to Join Trinity’s Staff
For the shepherds outside of Bethlehem, the night of that first Christmas was just like any other night. All the sheep had been gathered in and there was nothing left to do except to keep watch, talk with one another, and stay stay close to the campfire, keeping warm. That night, however, their quiet routine was … More Hear, See and Go
Laura Jensen has accepted the children’s ministry position that opened after Sheri Berg retired last spring. Laura grew up in Owatonna and graduated from Owatonna High School in 2002. Laura and her husband, Cory, have 2 amazing children, Corrina (age 15) and Porter (age 11), along with 2 dogs and a cat. Laura loves to … More Welcome Laura Jensen to Trinity’s Children’s Ministry Position!
Dear friends, I pray for your joy and excitement as we enter the season of Advent together. We look forward to the gift of Jesus, and the love and hope that he brings. I am writing to invite you to a special congregational meeting to be held at 12pm on Sunday, December 11. Our call committee has been working … More Congregational Meeting to Call New Pastor this Sunday!
Test Driving Theology 