Category: The Church
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Mr. Petersburg Goes to St. Paul
On Friday, January 2, John Petersburg will begin his second term at the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he will serve as the legislator from our district. Since 1997, John has served here at Trinity as our congregational administrator. In that role, he has had oversight of our day-to-day operations, our financial record-keeping, supervising our…
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When A Community Comes Together
This article is reprinted from the Owatonna People’s Press, November 8, 2014. A week ago Sunday night, I received a phone call that police and fire units had arrived at Trinity Lutheran Church and were beginning the process of putting out a small fire that had ignited in the attic above our education wing. While the fire…
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Trinity Bylaw Change
Ok, so making alterations in a congregation’s bylaws might not be the most exciting thing to think about. But in order for us to focus on God’s mission of bringing grace and hope to those in need, sometimes we’ve got to focus on the stuff below the surface that makes the rest of it possible.…
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God’s Work, Our Hands
“Just as our neighbor is in need and lacks that in which we abound, so we were in need before God and lacked his mercy. Hence, as our heavenly Father has in Christ freely come to our aid, we also ought freely to help our neighbor through our body and its works, and each one should become…
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What if Life was like the Fair?
I now can finally give the correct answer: “Yes, I’ve been to the Steele County Free Fair!” That’s been one of the first three questions that I’ve been asked since we arrived in Owatonna: “Have you been to the fair? Are you planning on going?” I have to admit, that as someone recently stepping in to this community,…
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Healthy Laughter
When I was in the midst of the call process to come to Trinity, I remember talking to Lori as I was on my way home from one of my meetings with the Call Committee, and I said “they laugh together…a lot.” I don’t want to imply that the Call Committee didn’t take their responsibility…
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A New Place for my Coffee Cup
Somewhere around 31 years ago, I graduated from high school. When I graduated, I received a gift from a good friend, Dave Langholz. Dave, at the time, was a youth minister at Colonial Church of Edina. He also worked part time as the advisor for both the high school yearbook and newspaper. I was on…
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God is Doing New Things
Pastor’s article for LifeTimes, Lord of Life’s monthly newsletter; July, 2014 I hung up the phone after I’d been notified that Trinity Lutheran Church in Owatonna had voted that morning to call me as their new senior pastor. I told Lori the news, and we both looked at each other, not exactly sure what…