“Who says, you can’t go home?” – Jon Bon Jovi
At our congregational meeting on Sunday, the members of Trinity chose to call Deacon Kris Oppegard as the new member of our pastoral team. The vote to issue the call was 191 in favor, and 1 opposed.
Deacon Kris is a very familiar face to many at here. She and her family have a long history at Trinity and in Owatonna. For the past 6 years, Deacon Kris has served as a Deacon at Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester as a part of their family ministry team and overseeing their junior and senior high youth ministries.
Prior to that, Kris worked for 11 years here at Trinity, directing a vital and dynamic ministry with senior high youth. Prior to that, she served congregations both in Faribault and Hutchinson.
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” – 1st Corinthians 12:12-13
Kris is going to be a great fit with our staff team. She has a great sense of humor and a wonderful level of energy.
Kris graduated from Luther Seminary with a master’s degree in religious education in 2008, and received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1993. Originally from Menomonie, Wisconsin, she, her husband Eric (who teaches at McKinley Elementary) and their two kids, Elise and Isaac, have made their home in Owatonna since 2000.
Kris brings a passion and energy for walking with people as they develop their faith in Jesus Christ. Kris writes that “In my baptism, I was given the ability to live out God’s purpose in my life with the help of the Holy Spirit. God blessed me with a strong foundation to live His calling in my life as a Deacon…”
In her new role, Kris will have oversight of all of Trinity’s faith formation ministries, including children, youth and family ministry, adult education and Trinity Nursery School.
Trinity’s call committee and council believe strongly that God is bringing Kris back to Trinity as the “right person at the right time.” Her gifts and skills strongly complement the needs within our community. Personally, I am really excited to have Kris on our team. We have walked in the same circles and known each other for probably 25 years, and I’ve always been impressed by her commitment to ministry and excellence.
Thanks be to God for this call! It is exciting to see how God’s Spirit will continue to to work at Trinity.
We are anticipating a start date for Deacon Kris the weekend of October 21st. As details become finalized, we will let the congregation know.
Please join me in welcoming Deacon Kris and her family, back to Trinity.
God’s blessings!
Pastor Todd
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