Trinity Lutheran Church

June 1st, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fellowship Servers needed for the summer!  Please sign-up in the Narthex or call the office if you are willing to serve! WE HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP SERVERS FOR THIS SUNDAY OR NEXT SUNDAY!

Summer Office Hours begin this week, so the office is now closed on Friday’s. 

Help us pack up the Savers U-Haul on Thursday, June 4^th, at 9 am!

Women of Trinity Spring/Summer Gathering this Saturday, June 6^th, 9 am.  Teresa Pejsa is the guest speaker.  All women are invited!

TACO’S FOR KIDS! Starting on July 7th, every Tuesday until August 18th, we are going to be doing Taco’s for Kids! We will be making 25 beef & cheese tacos and 25 beans and rice tacos every Tuesday for the youth of our community, along with some apple slices and cheese sticks, to hand out, as a way to provide some sustenance during summer when many of our youth don’t often have a reliable source of food. These are simple taco’s that provide a delicious snack to help our vulnerable youth. So what can you do? You can sign-up to come help put the taco’s together at 11 am on those Tuesday’s. If you want, you can even provide the Taco meat at home and bring it here for us to use it in the taco’s. Then, come help us hand it out from Noon to 2 pm over on Main Street by the library. Questions? See Pastor Brad or Heidi Kothrade and more importantly sign up in the Narthex!

Women of Trinity will be highlighting baby care kits for the months of May and June. If you are going to garage sales this summer these are some of the items we need: size 6-24 months – sleepers or gowns, cotton t-shirts, light jackets, sweaters or hooded sweatshirts, receiving blankets, dark colored hand towels and baby socks. We can also use Onsies, we cut them off to make t-shirts. You can pick up a list of what is needed in the Narthex. Thank you for helping us help others!

We are looking for donations for the Mission Trip. We are looking for travel size toiletry items, hand sanitiz ers, plastic cutlery, chalk, and food bags. Please bring them to the church by June 10th.

Vacation Bible School July 13^th-17^th, 9 am till Noon, for all youth 4 years old through 6^th grade. Completely free!  Run by Luther Park Bible Camp.  See the attached registration form. Fill out and return to church so we know how many youth to expect.  Looking for snacks and snack helpers. See sign-up in the Narthex. 

Looking for mowers!  See the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to mow the church lawn this spring and summer!

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  I was thinking about community the other day.  I thought about it in a big sense as we stood there on Memorial Day at the cemetery, celebrating the honored dead who gave their lives for our country, coming together as the young and the old, all together to give thanks for their sacrifice for our country.  And when we think of community, we often think of it in that larger sense, like in that kind of gathering, or when we gather in our larger church community for a funeral or a celebration like our Raise the Roof fundraiser. 

  But I also started to think about the little communities that often form in the midst of us, the ones that are just as important.  This hit me as I came to give some grief to our card club group this past Thursday or as I watched our quilting group lead middle schoolers as part of their service learning day on Tuesday.  Those are smaller communities.  They care for each other, check in on each other, bond with each other.

  I think of the small community that will form when our kids go to Luther Park Bible Camp next week.  This will be an important new community for them.  They will leave their electronic devices at home and form their own communities in their cabins. They will get a chance to break out from the way they are perceived in school, learn different things about themselves and each other even when they are with people from their school, and they will get a chance to meet others and be inspired by different leaders like their counselors.  They will be challenged by being away from home, away from devices that like to tell them who they should be and what they should be.  They will get to instead explore what God has to say, try some new things, and get some seeds of faith planted that may not show fruit till later in life.  They will form their own community that will be unique and special in their time together.  The same thing will happen the next week with our high school students on their Mission Trip as well.

  I think of the sense of community that happens when we serve together.  It is one of the reasons we don’t have dishwashers here at Trinity.  There is a bond that forms when you wash dishes with someone, a way you can get to know someone as you start talking when making or serving a meal.  We want to act as community this summer in providing taco’s for needy kids starting in July.  In summer, so many of our youth don’t have food security.  School is the place where they can count on getting meals.  This is a way for us to provide a little something to them, once a week in the summer.  But it also a way for us to not only provide something for our most vulnerable but to foster community amongst us.  Are you willing to come join a community ready to help others?  Sign-up to serve, put a smile on a child’s face, and maybe meet someone new as you make a taco.

  Because in the end, that is one of the cool things about a lot of the things we do at church.  Whether it is the Women’s Gathering on Saturday, serving VBS snacks in July, the Taco’s for Kids, or even as I watched a group of adults taking care of Saver’s items on Saturday, small communities were forming.  Communities of mutual support, connected by shared faith and purpose.  I’m about to enter into another community with Bible Study where we spend 30 minutes talking about life and being there for each other and the other 30 minutes talking about the Bible (mostly).  You are welcome to join us at anytime because we all need community.

  For community is a gift from God, wherever and however it is.  May the Lord bless you in whatever community you find yourself in and I hope you might feel the pull of the Spirit to be part of one of the many here at Trinity.  May God bless you today and always! 

May 24^th, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Memorial Day Prayer Service, Monday, May 25^th, 11:45 am at Tiffany Cemetery in Boyceville

Looking for mowers!  See the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to mow the church lawn this spring and summer!

Fellowship Servers needed for the summer!  Please sign-up in the Narthex or call the office if you are willing to serve!

The next Savers FUNdrive collection will be during the whole month of May, so start cleaning out the closets and SAVE IT, BAG IT, AND THEN BRING IT to Trinity Lutheran Church any Saturday in May! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Peggy Schutz – 715-556-2247. *No large items and no black bags this year*. Please pull around to the back of the church. 

Women of Trinity will be highlighting baby care kits for the months of May and June. If you are going to garage sales this summer these are some of the items we need: size 6-24 months – sleepers or gowns, cotton t-shirts, light jackets, sweaters or hooded sweatshirts, receiving blankets, dark colored hand towels and baby socks. We can also use Onsies, we cut them off to make t-shirts. You can pick up a list of what is needed in the Narthex. Thank you for helping us help others!

We are looking for donations for the Mission Trip. We are looking for travel size toiletry items, hand sanitiz ers, plastic cutlery, chalk, and food bags. Please bring them to the church by June 10th.

Vacation Bible School July 13^th-17^th, 9 am till Noon, for all youth 4 years old through 6^th grade. Completely free!  Run by Luther Park Bible Camp.  See the attached registration form. Fill out and return to church so we know how many youth to expect.  Looking for snacks and snack helpers. See sign-up in the Narthex. 

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day in which we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, and also the day in which celebrate the beginning of the Christian church.  After all, it is the Holy Spirit that calls us together into this thing called the church, a collection of human beings that gather together to worship and serve our Lord Jesus Christ.  As you have heard me say about a thousand times, the church is not just a building, it is a people joined together, and the church is bigger than just Trinity, it encapsulates all of us who share this faith in Jesus Christ scattered throughout the world.  But that can be too big for our brains at time and I know when we often talk about church, we talk about our local context and even our local physical structures, and that is fine, even if it does limit us.

  But you know what really limits us?  How we sometimes view this thing called church. We so often expect the church to be perfect and the people inside of it to be perfect.  We think the church is to be some sort of perfect place, filled with perfect people, who always make the right decision and act the right way.  We say things like, “Oh, they go to church.  They are going to do this and act like this and be like this.” But that can’t be further from the truth.  The church is not a place for saints.  It is a place for sinners who need redeeming.  For we all fall short of the glory of God.  The church is a collection of people in need of redemption, who are trying to do their best and they sometimes fail.  It is an institution in some regard doing their best who sometimes fails.  It can be messy because it is filled with humans beings.  And we need to remember that.

  For when we do, when we remember that this thing called the church is filled with messy human beings who are connected not because they are perfect but because they are messy, who need the grace of God, we can see the beauty of the church.  We see the beauty of imperfect people who are made new by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, of imperfect people coming together to worship in thankfulness and praise to the one who has given them new life; of imperfect people joining together to make a difference in the life of others.  That is the church.  That is us.

  As we gather today to celebrate the birthday of the church, let us remember that the Spirit is moving in and through us.  We are not perfect.  But we are not meant to me.  What we are meant to be is a place and a people where Jesus is proclaimed, people can use their gifts for the sake of the neighbor, people can be there for each other, and we can be reminded that God calls all sorts of messy people hear the good news of Jesus Christ for them.  May God bless you today and always!

TRINITY TIDINGS

May 17^th, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The next Savers FUNdrive collection will be during the whole month of May, so start cleaning out the closets and SAVE IT, BAG IT, AND THEN BRING IT to Trinity Lutheran Church any Saturday in May! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Peggy Schutz – 715-556-2247. *No large items and no black bags this year*. Please pull around to the back of the church. 

Baccalaureate Service on Sunday, May 17^th, 6 pm at the Boyceville Gymatorium

Memorial Day Prayer Service, Monday, May 25^th, 11:45 am at Tiffany Cemetery in Boyceville

Looking for mowers!  See the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to mow the church lawn this spring and summer!

Vacation Bible School July 13^th-17^th, 9 am till Noon, for all youth 4 years old through 6^th grade. Completely free!  Run by Luther Park Bible Camp.  See the attached registration form. Fill out and return to church so we know how many youth to expect.  Looking for snacks and snack helpers. See sign-up in the Narthex. 

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

   On Monday of this week we gathered at Buckshot’s for “Lagers with the Lord” and our “Ask PB Anything” session.  It was a great time with some great questions and I thank everyone that came and asked some wonderful and insightful questions.  But one that has stuck with me was this: “What song would be your walk up song before a sermon?”  Now, that was a very difficult question in the moment, and in the moment, I gave three possibilities.  I gave these three songs:

1.     “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC

2.     “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince (was specifically thinking of the beginning)

3.     “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins, specifically thinking of deep into the song when the drums come in. 

  Someone commented that they were surprised I didn’t choose something from Star Wars, but frankly that is more of a walk-in to church song (we are going to get to that in a minute), but now that I have had a chance to think about this question over a few days, I would like to add some more possibilities.  Again, this is the kind of stuff that can consume my brain when I try to sleep. Number 1 rule: I chose no blatantly Christian music type songs.  No hymns.  That is no fun.  Here you go. 

1.     “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys.  How this one did not come immediately to mind I’m frankly ashamed of.  This would be my walk up song if I was a professional baseball player.  I play this song to hype myself up all the time. 

2.     “Jump” by Van Halen.  This was the run out music for the 1984 Chicago Cubs and still gets me hyped every time.  So I would love it right before I preached.

3.     “Walk this Way” RunDMC featuring Aerosmith.  You get the best of both worlds here with the beat and get the great Aerosmith guitars. 

4.     “Shout” by the Isley Brothers.  Another just great hype up song. Just a tremendous way to get going.  Plus has a Gospel flare. 

 Now, let’s talk about walk in to church songs.  So, imagine worship is about to start and the doors are going to open and I’m going to walk in.  Here is my top 5.

1.     “Main Title” Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope, John Williams.   I mean, come on, there is only one choice here.  Just one.  I’m no Sith Lord, so there was not going to be the “Imperial March” chosen. 

2.     “Sweet Child O’Mine” by Guns N’ Roses.  One of my favorite guitar riffs of all time.  Plus, it is a long intro, so plenty of time to get down the aisle.  A classic of the hair metal era (one of my favorites), just a really great song. 

3.     “Circle of Life” Carmen Twille, from the Lion King.  Cliché?  Yes.  But that opening cry just really works as the doors open.  Very spiritual sounding, dramatic, fulfills a Disney requirement here as well. 

4.     “Partyman” by Prince from the Batman soundtrack.  Has a great opening line from the movie, “Gentlemen, let’s broaden our minds.”  Plus, isn’t Jesus a partyman?  There is nothing like hearing your sins are forgiven to start a party. 

5.     “Duel of the Fates” from Episode I, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. John Williams.  Just a banger.  An absolute banger.  Love that choir.  Totally would get us hyped up for the start of worship. Plus it would make me think of one of the greatest lightsaber duels in all of Star Wars, which is always a plus. 

Honorable mention: “We’re All in This Together” from High School Musical.  A fun upbeat song that reminds us that we are all together, even though we are different, which is a great message for the church in general.

So there it is.  What would be your choices (again, no obvious actual church songs)?  Drop me your suggestions! I hope you have a great week and remember this: God loves you every day and is strengthening you in faith, hope, and love!  

May 10^th, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Happy Mother’s Day!

Lagers with the Lord, Monday, May 11^th , 6 pm at Buckshot’s  It will be an “Ask the Pastor Anything” session. There will be pieces of paper you can write questions down and PB will answer them!  All are welcome!

The next Savers FUNdrive collection will be during the whole month of May, so start cleaning out the closets and SAVE IT, BAG IT, AND THEN BRING IT to Trinity Lutheran Church any Saturday in May! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Peggy Schutz – 715-556-2247. *No large items and no black bags this year*. Please pull around to the back of the church. 

Graduate Recognition Service is on Sunday, May 17^th, 9 am

Baccalaureate Service on Sunday, May 17^th, 6 pm at the Boyceville Gymatorium

Memorial Day Prayer Service, Monday, May 25^th, 11:45 am at Tiffany Cemetery in Boyceville

Looking for mowers!  See the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to mow the church lawn this spring and summer!

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  The other day I was emptying our dishwasher and putting dishes away in our kitchen when I glass slipped through my fingers and as I watched that glass head towards the floor I thought to myself, “Well, that’s going to break.”  You just get that sinking feeling in your stomach in that split second as it descends to the floor and think to yourself, “I’m are going to have shards I’m going to have to pick up and, because of our ever present dogs, I’m going to have to make sure our dogs aren’t going to step onto the shards and cut themselves, resulting in a trip the vet. Plus, Amy might kill me for breaking this glass.”  All this is going on in my head as that glass hurtles towards the floor when it SMACKS onto the floor.  And then: nothing,  It doesn’t shatter.  No breakage.  Not even a crack. Totally fine.  And total relief by me.  Thank you Jesus.  That glass was more resilient than I thought.

  It made me think about ourselves.  Sometimes we think are more fragile than we are, that we can’t handle the things that life throws at us, that we are just going to break and all apart.  I know I can feel this way.  I sometimes look at my schedule and the things I have going on and think, “Well, I’m going to crumble like cookie by the end of this week.”  And then five other things happen and yet somehow I make it through.  We have more strength and resilience than we think because we don’t go through all these things on our own.  We have a Savior who walks with us, a Messiah who bears our burdens and lifts us up, even when we don’t realize it.  We also just might be tougher than we think. 

   But too often we give up before we even get started.  Too often we see the road ahead and just lay down.  We think of ourselves as that glass that was hurtling toward the floor.  Of course we will break.  Yet, trust in yourself.  Trust in your Savior Jesus Christ who walks with you, loves you, saves you, and strengthens you.  You are stronger than you think.  With Jesus besides us, we can get through anything.  You might hit the floor and just might not break like you think.  For the Lord is there for you today, tomorrow, and every single day.  For remember this promise, “I am with you always till the end of the age.” May you remember every day that your Savior Jesus Christ is with you and because of that, you always have hope.  For when you feel weak, Jesus is there to make you strong.

  May God bless you today and always! 

April 29^th, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Men’s Band Concert Sunday, May 3^rd, 9 am

Smelt Feed, Sunday, May 3^rd, 10 am till 11:30 am Smelt, Meatballs, Garlic Bread, Tater Tots, Cole Slaw, Chips, Dessert, Beverage.  Served by the Trinity Men to benefit the Trinity Parsonage Project.  MEN WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SERVE THIS MEAL!  COME AT 9 AM TO HELP!

The next Savers FUNdrive collection will be during the whole month of May, so start cleaning out the closets and SAVE IT, BAG IT, AND THEN BRING IT to Trinity Lutheran Church any Saturday in May! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Peggy Schutz – 715-556-2247. *No large items and no black bags this year*

Lagers with the Lord, Monday, May 11^th , 6 pm at Buckshot’s  It will be an “Ask the Pastor Anything” session. There will be pieces of paper you can write questions down and PB will answer them!  All are welcome!

Graduate Recognition Service is on Sunday, May 17^th, 9 am

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  Consistency is something we strive for in life.  Well, at least I try to.  I know to keep myself healthy I have to consistently work out, so at least five days a week I need to do some sort of work out.  In my preaching, I hope to be consistently average.  I know that not every sermon is going to be a home run, but I hope to not strike out too often (you can be the judge). And I’m really working on being a consistently average golfer.  I just want to consistently hit in the ball well, even if it doesn’t go where I want it to go every time, if I make good contact on a consistent basis, I feel confident that I will work the rest out.  One thing I’ve gotten better at in the last year is hitting consistently better putts.  They don’t always go in, but I’m close to the hole consistently and the other day they were dropping, which was nice! 

  Our Simply Giving program is about giving you, and the church, consistency in your financial giving to Trinity.  It allows you to never worry about your giving because it comes out directly from your bank account and isn’t contingent upon whether you are here physically for church or not.  This is great as we come upon summer when many people are gone on vacation or there cabins.  Or, if you are a parent or grandparent that spends many weekends with your children in gyms or at baseball or softball diamonds watching their athletic contests.  Simply Giving helps you to support the ministry of this congregation on a consistent basis even when you can’t consistently be here.  Even better, it gives us a consistent source of revenue that we can count on that helps smooth out the ups and downs of our finances.

  And now, we have an even better reason to join Simply Giving or modify it if you are currently using it, and that is the new parsonage that we are currently building.  You can giving regularly to the parsonage fund through Simply Giving and make a consistent contribution to this endeavor. You don’t have to wait for our next fundraising event or a reminder.  You can help on a consistent basis through Simply Giving.

  Simply Giving is incredibly easy.  Fill out the form that is attached to this email and send it into the church. You can cancel or modify it at any time.  I use Simply Giving for my giving at Trinity and always have because it is the best, most efficient, and consistent way I know how to give to our ministry.  I hope you will join me in being a consistent giver and supporter of our ministry.  If you have any question, don’t hesitate to call the church office at 715-643-3821.  Thank you for your contributions to Trinity and may God bless you today and always!  

April 19^th, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Crew is Wednesday, April 22^nd  3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3^rd-6^th graders.  Last one till September!

Calling volunteers of all ages to help collect items for our Savers FUNdrive!! The Dunn County Humane Society has invited our church to assist in packing soft goods for the first of two Savers FUNdrives in 2026, following their Rummage & Bake sale on Saturday, April 25th at 4:00 p.m. at the Dunn County Fair Grounds in the Fanetti Center. Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to sign up on the sheet in the narthex and can also help load the U-Haul on delivery day, on Wednesday, April 29th, 9:00a.m. at the church.

The next Savers FUNdrive collection will be during the whole month of May, so start cleaning out the closets and SAVE IT, BAG IT, AND THEN BRING IT to Trinity Lutheran Church any Saturday in May! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Peggy Schutz – 715-556-2247. *No large items and no black bags this year*

Men’s Band Concert Sunday, May 3^rd, 9 am

Smelt Feed, Sunday, May 3^rd, 10 am till 11:30 am Smelt, Meatballs, Garlic Bread, Tater Tots, Cole Slaw, Chips, Dessert, Beverage.  Served by the Trinity Men to benefit the Trinity Parsonage Project. 

Lagers with the Lord, Monday, May 11^th , 6 pm at Buckshot’s

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

“For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” Acts 2:39

  We have a lot of dog toys.  Why?  Because we spoil our dogs. But there is a phenomenon that happens with our dogs and the toys, specifically with Baxter.  When Daphne starts to play with a specific toy, Baxter will then take that toy away from her.  Even if he has his favorite toy near him, or twenty other toys around him, he will go and try to take that toy away.  And then at some point, Daphne will try to take the toy back.  Then they will fight over it.  Daphne will get it, and then Baxter will take it, and the cycle will continue.  It is like Baxter can’t share the toys, even though there are plenty of toys to go around.

  Sometimes we act like Baxter and the dog toys when it comes to God’s grace in Jesus Christ.  We put barriers up to it, thinking that it only belongs to us, or to those we think “deserve” it.  We put walls up, hoops to jump through, or pass judgement on who is worthy and who isn’t.  But judgement belongs to God, and as it says here in Acts, in which Peter is speaking on Pentecost, reminds us that the promise is for all of us.  My favorite part of this verse is that phrase, “and for all who are far away.”  It is a reminder that the promise of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ is dependent on who God calls.  Not on who we call or who we determine.  And some of us might be far away. Not because of distance, but because of sin.  Because of so many things. 

  But the church is a place not for saints but for sinners to hear again the promise of eternal life of Jesus.  To hear that call to return, to hear that promise again and again that our sins are forgiven, that we are loved, and that we are saved by grace through faith.  That promise is for all of us, every single one, no matter what.  And it is God who decides, not us.  We don’t rip that promise away, not ever. 

  Baxter might not be the best at sharing the dog toys, but God is the one who sends out the promise of eternal life through his Son Jesus Christ.  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  Judgement belongs to God and not to us.  May we share the promise and hope of Jesus Christ to all, no matter what, and leave the rest in God’s hands, where it belongs.  And may we trust in that promise that gives life to us and be joyful that the promise is there for all. 

  May God bless you today and always!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lagers with the Lord, Monday, April 13^th , 6 pm at Buckshot’s

The Crew is Wednesday, April 22^nd  3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3^rd-6^th graders.  Last one till September!

Calling volunteers of all ages to help collect items for our Savers FUNdrive!! The Dunn County Humane Society has invited our church to assist in packing soft goods for the first of two Savers FUNdrives in 2026, following their Rummage & Bake sale on Saturday, April 25th at 4:00 p.m. at the Dunn County Fair Grounds in the Fanetti Center. Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to sign up on the sheet in the narthex and can also help load the U-Haul on delivery day, on Wednesday, April 29th, 9:00a.m. at the church.

The next Savers FUNdrive collection will be during the whole month of May, so start cleaning out the closets and SAVE IT, BAG IT, AND THEN BRING IT to Trinity Lutheran Church any Saturday in May! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Peggy Schutz – 715-556-2247. *No large items and no black bags this year*

Men’s Band Concert Sunday, May 3^rd, 9 am

Smelt Feed, Sunday, May 3^rd, 10 am till 11:30 am Smelt, Meatballs, Garlic Bread, Tater Tots, Cole Slaw, Chips, Dessert, Beverage.  Served by the Trinity Men to benefit the Trinity Parsonage Project. 

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  On Saturday, a man over 80 years old teamed up with a group of little girls to pick out what a 49-year-old man would have painted on his face after a room full of people of all ages had collected money to make sure that would happen.  Now, that is one heck of a sentence.  But it is true, and that is what happened at the Raise the Roof Fundraiser yesterday.  Bob Bird, the over 80 year old man, wanted to know what it would take to get me to paint my face as he was working the kid area of the fundraiser and was watching the face painting.  I believe he initially thought it would be like 50 bucks.  Me being me, I thought we could take it bigger and went to the organizers and asked what if we made it a little bigger (and after getting approval from my wife), our organizers got the little girls to go around collecting money to get my face painted if they raised $250.  They got $278.  Bob got to choose, but being the man he is, he used the input from the girls to choose what was going to go on my face.  They then watched together in glee (both Bob and the girls) as said face was painted.  Let’s say the reaction of everyone in the room was spectacular and my wife banned me from the parsonage until I cleaned it off and could barely stand next to me later (picture to come below). 

  But it was emblematic of the day.  People of all ages coming together for shared purpose and mission.  And that purpose and mission was raising money for our new church parsonage.  It was a great day and all of the credit goes to our incredible planning team that did such an amazing job.  They really put together an amazing event and all the credit belongs to them.  We also had an amazing group of volunteers of all ages helping out which made things run so smoothly.  My friend Mara attended was just amazed at everything that was going on.  And, of course, the amazing generosity of everyone present, from those that donated items to those who bought tickets or wrote down bids for Silent Auction items.  The generosity of spirit in the room, the conversations that were being had, it was really amazing.  It was the church in action, people coming together.

  I felt the same thing on Easter Sunday as people of all ages were helping during the Easter services, whether it was playing music, carrying in items during the processional, or just being together as our sanctuary was overflowing (literally).  People of all ages coming together for common worship, giving thanks and praise to the resurrected Lord, using their gifts and talents together in praise of God who has saved and redeemed us.  And on Saturday, people of all ages coming together for common purpose, using their gifts and talents in praise of God for common purpose, to serve the Lord.  It is the best of us and what makes us church.

  Saturday we raised around $23,000 for our new parsonage.  That is absolutely amazing.  But the most amazing thing of all wasn’t the dollar amount raised.  The most amazing thing of all was that we came together to do a thing as the church.  All of us.  Our community came together, all parts of us.  That is a blessing that we should be grateful and thankful for and not ever take for granted.  Just being together, in that room, being the body of Christ together, is a gift.  Even if it some of it included laughing at a soon to be 50-year-old man with Minnie Mouse painted on his face because of an idea from an over 80-year-old man assisted by elementary aged girls.  God works in amazing ways. 

  May God bless you today and always!

PICTURES OF THE DAY

 PB getting his face painted as Bob looks on

 The final product.  Bob with PB

March 29^th, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Maundy Thursday Worship, April 2^nd, 6:30 pm

Good Friday Worship, April 3^rd, Noon & 6:30 pm

Easter Sunday Worship, April 5^th, 6:30 am and 9:00 am

Easter Breakfast, April 5^th, 7:30 am Biscuits and Gravy, Scrambled Eggs, Fruit, Beverage.  Served by Confirmation Youth.  Free-will offering taken to benefit youth going to Luther Park this summer.

No Wednesday worship this week.

Cleaning the Brass, Wednesday, April 1^st, 9 am

The Crew is Wednesday, April 8^th, ^th  3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3^rd-6^th graders. 

Raise the Roof Fundraiser Saturday, April 11^th, 11 am till 4pm, Boyceville Fire Hall.  This fundraiser for our new parsonage will feature a silent auction, raffles, games, “flip-flop” chicken, and more.  If you would like to donate items, you can drop them off at the church.  Contact the church office for more information. 

Youth Service Sunday, April 12^th, 9 am

Lagers with the Lord, Monday, April 13^th , 6 pm at Buckshot’s

Have you made your Foundation gift yet?  Help start our Parsonage project with a strong foundation with an initial gift.  Letters have been mailed out and you should receive one in the mail.  You can give through check, online, or using Venmo.  Put “Foundation” or “Parsonage” on your gift and help us to start to build our parsonage project to a great start.

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  Have you ever been watching a movie at home and fallen asleep?  I’m sure we have all done it and I bet a few of you have done it in the movie theater itself.  You wake up and realize that you have missed some important plot detail and have no idea what is going on or why someone is doing something in the movie.  You might catch up and figure it out or have to ask a loved one what is going on, you might never figure out what is going on.  But you are missing a good part of the story.  You get the end but not the whole story, thus cheapening the end of the movie.

  I mention this because we often jump from this Sunday, Palm Sunday, right to Easter, skipping over Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.  It is why on this Sunday we will hear a bit of Jesus’ death on the cross because if we don’t get all of the story, it cheapens the story of the resurrection.  But to truly appreciate the resurrection, we have to have the whole story.  We have to hear the whole story of Holy Week, of Jesus gathering with this disciples for the institution of the Lord’s Supper, to his betrayal, arrest, trial, death, and then his resurrection.  Only having part of the story diminishes it, lessens its powers and significance.  That is why I hope you will join us for worship on Thursday night at 6:30 pm (online or in person) or Friday at Noon or 6:30 pm (both online or in person).  If not, my Facebook devotions from Thursday through Sunday bring about as much of the story as I can so that you can get a full picture of the story.  Or, if you want, start reading from Matthew 26:1 on, with Matthew 28:1-11 being the story of Jesus resurrection on Easter Sunday.  For having the full story is important and helps us to appreciate all that Jesus Christ has done for us.

  As many of you know, over Spring Break Amy and I headed to Disney World and it was a great time as always.  I got to golf (and even played by myself, which was wonderful).  We got to experience the joys of the Flower and Garden Festival at EPCOT (my favorite foods were the Miso Glazed Ribs, the Onion Tart with Bacon, Shrimp & Grits, and the Nigerian Beef Pie), enjoyed seeing the Dapper Dan’s singing on Main Street, USA; got to talk with Mandalorian (we are friends now), and had the coldest roller coaster ride of my life on Expedition Everest (which made sense for a ride set in the Himalayan Mountains). But of course, you know I was going to have at least one pet peeve, and this time it happened because of a massive rainstorm.  It rains in Florida on the regular, and many people, including us, use poncho’s to combat said rain.  I always carry at least two with me at all times.  But here is the thing: when you get on a bus from the rain TAKE YOUR PONCHO OFF.  Sitting on the bus in your wet poncho is rude and discourteous. It means the person getting on the bus after you gets to sit in your leftover wetness.  Take your wet poncho off, hold it in your hand or put it in a bag (Amy and I carry plastic bags with us for the purpose of putting our wet poncho’s in).  Also, if you are standing and wearing your wet poncho, when the bus jostles, I now get to get wet from your wet poncho on to my dry clothes because I have taken off my poncho. Ugh.  Seriously. 

  Lastly, as Lent has concluded here at Trinity, I want to thank all of our organizations that hosted Lent meals and all the people that put in the time to cook them, serve them, and clean up after them.  Big thanks to our Lent worship leaders (Ginny, Lee, Bob, Scott, Beth, Teana, Marik, Karen, Isabelle, Brooke) for putting on wonderful services.  Thank you for making it a wonderful season of Lent here at Trinity!

  May God bless you this week and always!

March 8^th, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lent Worship with Holden Evening Prayer this Wednesday 6:30 pm.  .  Meal prior at 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm.  Meal is Spaghetti & Garlic Bread served by the Trinity Men. Our Lent Theme this year is “Your Favorite Bible Verse.”

The Crew is Wednesday, March 11^th, ^th  3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3^rd-6^th graders. 

Support our Youth going to Luther Park this summer by ordering a Butter Braid!  Deadline is March 29^th.  Use this link to order by picking any youth or see any Confirmation youth or the order form on the table in the Narthex. 

https://store.myfundraisingplace.com/96847e08-b3b0-4a14-842e-e40506620f84

Order your Easter Lillies today!  Order Deadline is Wednesday, March 18^th.  Form is attached.  Cost is $16 per plant. 

Lagers with the Lord, Monday, March 23^rd, 6 pm at Buckshot’s

As part of our Lent theme, PB is looking for your favorite scriptures to be part of our Facebook devotions!  Email him your favorite scripture readings to pastorbradtrinity@gmail.com 

Have you made your Foundation gift yet?  Help start our Parsonage project with a strong foundation with an initial gift.  Letters have been mailed out and you should receive one in the mail.  You can give through check, online, or using Venmo.  Put “Foundation” or “Parsonage” on your gift and help us to start to build our parsonage project to a great start.

Raise the Roof Fundraiser Saturday, April 11^th, 11 am till 4pm, Boyceville Fire Hall.  This fundraiser for our new parsonage will feature a silent auction, raffles, games, “flip-flop” chicken, and more.  If you would like to donate items, you can drop them off at the church.  Contact the church office for more information. 

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  I appreciate reminders.  After all, being a fellow with ADHD, I’m prone to forget things from time to time due to the nature of being easily distracted, so my wife will remind me often of things that I need to do or get.  I’ll write stuff down on post it notes that I’ll stick on my wallet or alarms I’ll set on my phone or alerts I’ll put on my electronic calendar that will pop up to remind me of things.  I’ll have Andrea send me emails or put notes on my desk to remind me to do stuff so they don’t slip past me.

  But sometimes God likes to send me reminders to.  In my life, as a general rule, I have tended to be a positive person.  A person that looks on the good side of life, who sees the glass half full instead of half empty.  But there are times when I can easily slip into despair, when the injustice of the world, when the violence and tragedy of the world can make that disposition crack.  With another needless war commencing overseas, with continued injustice at home, along with a countless string of people in the hospital, and just an overall malaise going on, I was feeling like I was slipping a little bit into that feeling of despair again.  And that was with some warmer weather coming and the prospect of golf around the corner and a vacation for me on the horizon.

  Then the Lord stepped in.  And as always, the Lord did it in whimsical and interesting ways.  A moth flying around my head in the middle of sermon.  Children running heedlessly at church and being kids.  Laughing with Amy on a Friday while we enjoy time with the dogs.  A well-placed song that popped up, that song being, “What a Wonderful World,” which has always been kind of a theme song for me.  Small things that reminded me of the gift and joy of life.

   Life is hard.  It is.  It can be cruel and tragic.  There are little things that can just make you want to scream (like having a car back into you when you stop to get your wife a latte at the coffee shop in the morning, which also happened to me this week).  But life is also full of so many gifts.  We sometimes don’t think of those gifts and the opportunity we get to experience and be a part of those gifts.  We forget and we need to be reminded.  God is pretty good at putting reminders in front of us if we are willing to see them.  And sometimes those reminders are in the small things, like someone smiling at you or a great song or a beautiful sunrise or a well-timed conversation with a friend or a moment of peace during a busy day or the snuggle of a pet.  Find the joy in each day and in that joy you will find the Lord reminding you that you are not alone, that you are loved, and that life is a gift.  Because we all need reminders, each and every one of us.  And our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is there to not only remind us that life is a gift, but that he is there to carry our burdens and bring us to eternal life. 

  May God bless you today and always!

March 1^st, 2026

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lent Worship with Holden Evening Prayer this Wednesday 6:30 pm.  Our verse is John3:16.  Meal prior at 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm.  Meal is Homemade Soup and Garlic Bread served by Mission Trip Youth. Our Lent Theme this year is “Your Favorite Bible Verse.”

Blood Mobile this Tuesday from 12 pm till 6:00 pm in honor of Kasen Iverson.  Go to www.redcross.org to sign-up to donate.

The United Lutheran Church of Prairie Farm Youth in Christ will be here on Sunday, March 8^th to lead us in worship.

THE YOUTH SERVICE HAS MOVED FROM MARCH 8^TH TO APRIL 12^TH

Support our Youth going to Luther Park this summer by ordering a Butter Braid!  Deadline is March 29^th.  Use this link to order by picking any youth or see any Confirmation youth or the order form on the table in the Narthex. 

https://store.myfundraisingplace.com/96847e08-b3b0-4a14-842e-e40506620f84

Order your Easter Lillies today!  Order Deadline is Wednesday, March 18^th.  Form is available on main page or in Narthex.  Cost is $16 per plant. 

The Crew is Wednesday, March 11^th, ^th  3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3^rd-6^th graders. 

As part of our Lent theme, PB is looking for your favorite scriptures to be part of our Facebook devotions!  Email him your favorite scripture readings to pastorbradtrinity@gmail.com 

Have you made your Foundation gift yet?  Help start our Parsonage project with a strong foundation with an initial gift.  Letters have been mailed out and you should receive one in the mail.  You can give through check, online, or using Venmo.  Put “Foundation” or “Parsonage” on your gift and help us to start to build our parsonage project to a great start.

Raise the Roof Fundraiser Saturday, April 11^th, 11 am till 4pm, Boyceville Fire Hall.  This fundraiser for our new parsonage will feature a silent auction, raffles, games, “flip-flop” chicken, and more.  If you would like to donate items, you can drop them off at the church.  Contact the church office for more information. 

You can use Venmo to make your gift to Trinity!  You can find us using: @TrinityLutheranBoyceville. If it asks you for a phone number, use 1349

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

 I sat down earlier this week and did something I do every year at the end of February and the beginning of March that I have done for over 20 years now: I took some tests.  Specifically, I took my baseball and softball umpiring tests.  I need to take these tests to keep my licenses to umpire these two fine sports at the high school level and I take them seriously.  I want to do well and I have to admit, they kind of suck.  What I mean by that is that most of the time when I read the question, I can envision the play out on the field and the call really isn’t that difficult.  I could make the call, know the rule, without really looking at the rule book that much unless it is a new rule.  BUT, these tests are meant to trick you.  They are meant to mess you up.  And so the answer, which would be pretty obvious in a real world situation, might not be correct on paper because a word could be different in the question or one thing could be slightly off that could cause you to get the question wrong. 

  It is maddening.  They love to hide answers in footnotes and in exceptions and those kind of things.  I want to do well and I have to do well to maintain my levels.  I’m a Master level official for softball and a L5 for baseball, the only reason I’m not Master level is I get dinged for not doing enough varsity games at times (I don’t have a regular partner and I take more JV games to stay closer to home and because I do both sports it can be hard to get all the required games, especially with rainouts, etc).  Also, I don’t care about my levels overall.  I do it for the fun of it mostly and to be involved in the sports. 

  This year I felt really confident when I got done with the baseball one and it was reflected in my score with only missing two questions total, and one of those was because I got a bit cocky and just didn’t read the question closely enough.  Knew the rule, assumed the answer, and didn’t take the moment to review the rule fully and got tripped up by the one-word thing.  But softball was a doozy.  There were a lot of questions that could have had, at least to me, 50-50 interpretations on paper (not really on the field), and I was not confident I was going to be above 90% on the test, which is always my goal. 

  And so, imagine my shock when I submitted my test and I again only missed two!  Even worse, one of them I missed I had changed my answer last minute from the correct one (always, always go with your first instinct!)  The other one I missed was one in which I misinterpreted the rule and after reviewing it I saw my mistake (we are sinners after all).  I was pretty pleased with myself in the end.

  The lesson I think is that we can surprise ourselves.  We often sell ourselves short, thinking we can’t do this and that.  And it stops us from trying new things, putting ourselves out there.  We just assume failure or that we will fall short.  God knows (and boy, does God KNOW) that I do that all the time.  But you have gifts and talents given to by the Lord and the Lord is with you.  Trust in yourself and trust that the Lord is with you.  You can do more than you know and that you think you can because Jesus Christ is with you.  You just have to take that step and do it.  Because when you do, you just might surprise yourself.  

  So take a risk, take a chance, put yourself out there.  Use your gifts in a way you haven’t before.  Do that thing you have always talked about but haven’t.  Say yes to that thing you often said no too.  Maybe take the extra step you have always stepped back from.  Trust that the Lord is with you and has given you the gifts you need.  For in the end, no matter what, you will still be loved and cared for and if nothing else, you will learn from the attempt. 

  Now, I got to go start looking for new umpiring pants.  Why?  Because starting in 2027, I can’t wear the color of pants I have for all of my pants for softball because they are banning them.  Why?  Who knows. I don’t make the rules. But I have to follow them.  May God bless you today and always!