Test Driving Theology

If you were at worship this morning, you heard the announcement that Deacon Kris made about today being the tenth anniversary of my call as senior pastor at Trinity. (Thanks for the surprise, all!)

I remember that day, ten years ago, very well. I remember being curious, and a bit nervous, as I walked into the building and stepped in to a new role, to work with new people. 

I remember the warm welcome I received that day from John Petersberg, who served as the congregation’s administrator at the time, and from Tanyia Greseth, who worked in the office, and from the entire staff. It was a whirlwind of laughter, conversation and new names.

I remember the beginning of a series of meetings (so many meetings!) as we started talking about everything from worship, to educational programs, to strategic planning. 

I remember a steady stream of people “dropping by” the office to meet the new guy. It was so much fun to make those early connections.

I remember coming home at the end of that day and saying to Lori, “I think this is going to be pretty great!”

It has been.

When you experience a significant milestone, like a tenth anniversary, it gives cause to think back, and to reflect a little bit. I’ve been doing that over the past couple of days. As I have thought back over what God has been up to over this decade, I continue to be amazed. The Holy Spirit has been in continuous motion, applying gentle pressure to keep the congregation moving forward in mission, service and love.

These ten years together have been busy. 

• Our outreach ministry into the community has grown and expanded in so many different ways.
• The congregation has really embraced the community, welcoming so many different partner and non-profit groups to use our building. There is something going on at Trinity all of the time!
• We have grown our staff, and have pulled together a team of excellent, committed and faithful people. They make it fun to come to work every day.
• In that time, we have grown together as a church. Our membership has expanded by just over 11% since 2014.
• Trinity’s generosity has grown and our budget has expanded, as the congregation has worked to serve the needs of the community.
• Our debt level has decreased over these ten years from around $6 million dollars to just over $1.5 million today.
• The congregation gave a gift of $100,000 to support the building expansion of Community Pathways.
• We celebrated the centennial of the congregation together.
• We have celebrated so many milestones in the lives of our people. Weddings, funerals, baptisms, birthdays and other events.
• We developed a grief ministry that reaches out deep into the community.
• We have continued to pass on the faith to our young people.
• We have worked to develop leaders for the sake of the congregation and the community.
• We have launched a new relationship with the Kimpangua Lutheran Congregation in Singida, Tanzania. 

And we continue to move forward. We are blessed to sit at the center of the development of the Oak Hill Community Connections, to better care for those on the margins. And in just a couple of weeks, you will start to see earth being moved for the development of our new outdoor worship area in the southwest part of the property, opening up new possibilities for worship outside.

Different congregations have different kinds of expectations of a pastor’s family. Back in 2014, before I accepted the call to Trinity, I remember asking Pastor Peter Strommen about how the congregation would receive my family. He smiled at me and said, “The people here will cherish your family.” 

And the people of Trinity have loved and cared for Lori, Nathan and Samuel. And for that I will always be grateful.

The Holy Spirit has been at work at Trinity. The congregation is in a perpetual state of “becoming,” as God’s hopes and dreams for our community becomes reality. And because of that, I still love coming to work every day. I often say that I have the greatest job in the world; I get to stand in front of people I love and tell them Good News. It doesn’t get any better than that. Thank you for continuing to trust me with this role.

Time is a funny thing. Looking back, in some ways it feels like I just got here. In other ways, it feels like I’ve been here forever. But I am so grateful to God (and to all of you!) for the wonderful ten years we have shared. And I am looking forward to days to come. 

Thanks be to God!

Pastor Todd