Uncategorized Archive - Trinity Lutheran Church

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Trinity Tidings- May 11

Posted on: May 12th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

May 11, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Parsonage Committee Update Sunday, May 18^th, 10 am Join us immediately after worship to hear an update from the parsonage committee.

SAVERS FUN DRIVE-Bring your household items and clothes to Trinity in May. Every Saturday in May, from 9 am till Noon. We are collecting items as a fundraiser for the Women of Trinity. All items should be clean and in good condition. Place clothes and shoes in white kitchen trash bags and all other items in boxes. Thank you for supporting the Women of Trinity!

Lagers with the Lord Monday, May 19^th, 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Graduate Recognition Sunday, May 18^th, 9 am.

Boyceville Baccalaureate Sunday, May 18^th, 6 pm at the Boyceville Gymnatorium.

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

Vacation Bible School, July 14-18, 9 am till 2 pm for all 4 year olds through 6^th grade youth. Led by Luther Park Bible Camp. No Cost. Games, Crafts, Music, Food, and more! Friends welcome! We appreciate your registering in advance! See the attached form.

Summer Fellowship Servers needed! Sign-up in the Narthex or call the church office if you are willing to serve fellowship on any Sunday June through August.

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

“My sheep hear my voice.” John 10:27a

I think a lot about voice. After all, I kind of make my living with my voice and many of the things I do happen because of my voice. And I have many voices. I have my regular, every day voice. I have my preaching voice, which I can change based on what I’m preaching and how I’m preaching in the moment. I have my teaching voice. I have my announcing voice, and there are different voices for that. There is football announcing voice, prom announcing voice, general announcement voice. I have “yelling at confirmation kids/yelling at the dogs” voice. There is pastoral care voice. There is my singing voice (probably the worst voice). There are a myriad of funny voices that I do (at least I find them funny). There is a voice for every occasion it seems.

At the same time, I have learned to listen to a myriad of voices. In the band, I can pick out everyone’s voices for our harmonies and where we are. I know all of Amy’s voices (especially the “I’m really annoyed at you Brad” voice, which is most common, because I’m really annoying). I know the voices of many of you, not only your speaking voices but also singing voices as I hear you from the pews. I can still, in the back of my mind, hear the voices of my parents (especially my Dad). And I’m always trying to hear the voice of the Lord.

I love this verse from John that is listed above. My sheep hear my voice. The thing is, I think that the Lord often uses different voices to reach us, kind of how we have different voices for different occasions. Sometimes that voice is loud and clear and easy to understand and get. Sometimes it is harsh and bold. Sometimes it is soothing and calm. Sometimes it is funny and playful. Sometimes it is thought provoking and needling. Sometimes it is quiet. But I firmly believe that the Lord is speaking to us, all the time, letting that voice ring out in ways that we often miss or don’t totally understand. We just have to be willing to listen or have our hearts open to listen.

And this where I continue to grow. Not only in the listening (as Amy would say, I suck at listening), but in being open to the new ways the voice of the Lord might be speaking to me. As I have gotten older (and possibly more mature? That’s debatable), I’ve started to hear the voice of the Lord in unexpected ways and surprising places. But that is the fun of the Lord. God will not be boxed in by us and the Holy Spirit moves where it will. We just have to be willing to hear it.

So today, my friends, open your heart and your ears to the voice of the Lord. We are sheep, after all, and the shepherd is speaking. The voice of the Lord is out there and is talking to you and might be talking to you in ways you do not expect. May you hear that voice and hear that promise that you are loved, forgiven, saved, and redeemed. May you hear that voice that comforts and challenges, guides and pushes, corrects and makes alive. For that voice is out there and that voice is for you.

May God bless you today and always!

Trinity Tidings- May 4

Posted on: May 5th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

May 4, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lagers with the Lord Monday, May 19^th, 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Graduate Recognition Sunday, May 18^th, 9 am.

Boyceville Baccalaureate Sunday, May 18^th, 6 pm at the Boyceville Gymnatorium.

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

“We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul . . .” Hebrews 6:19a

Today is May 4^th, otherwise known as Star Wars Day. Why is it called Star Wars Day? May the 4^th be with you, a take off of the famous phrase, “may the force be with you.” Of course, as Lutherans, we want to all respond with, “And also with you.” For me, this is an important holiday and it has given me great joy over the years to see this day become a bigger deal. I will have a wicked cool new Star Wars shirt on for the Men’s Band concert, I’ll be watching some Star Wars content at home, and I will revel in the joy of something I truly love.

One of the reasons why I love the Star Wars Universe so much (and it is a universe, spanning movies, tv shows, books, comics, toys, games, and more), is that Star Wars, in its essence, is a story about hope. It is about people fighting against evil, often at extraordinary odds, and holding onto hope in the midst of crazy odds. They have hope, whether it be in the Force, in each other, or even in the premise of good winning out over evil in the end. No one in the universe is perfect, not even the heroes. They make stupid decisions and yet they cling to hope above all things and keep going.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are people of hope. Our hope comes from our Savior Jesus Christ, who has defeated sin and death for us on the cross and risen from the grave to bring us to eternal life. This hope is our anchor as it says in Hebrews and this hope sustains us in the midst of a world that is so often full of suffering, hate, and evil. This hope in keeps us going, reminds us of the goodness of God, and helps us trust that despite the darkness of the world, the light of God in Jesus Christ wins the ultimate victory. This hope helps us to trust others, to have faith in even when it we have no reason too, and to remember that we have a God and Savior who walks with us. Hope is the most powerful thing of all and we have it because we have Jesus, the Savior of the world, who promises to be with us always. To be with you always. For the salvation we receive in Christ Jesus is a story of hope, just as Star Wars is also a story of hope.

We need hope every single day. It is why I love Jesus, and why I love Star Wars. Now, Star Wars does not give me eternal life. Only Jesus does that and this Jesus soothes my soul, calms my fears, forgives my sin, and brings me to eternal life. But Star Wars brings me joy, beyond the awesome lightsaber fights and space battles and the rest. It reminds me of hope, of the joy of friendship, and the power of hope, an anchor to our soul. May you feel that hope today, a hope that comes from a Savior who loves you, saves you, and brings you to eternal life. And may the Force, and the Lord, be with you always!

Trinity Tidings- Apr 28

Posted on: April 29th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

April 28, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FREE FOOD, FREE STUFF, FOR ALL Saturday, May 3, 8 am till 10 am. Free breakfast and personal care item distribution for those in need. All are welcome. We are looking for help with this event. See the sign-up in the Narthex or contact the office if you would like to help.

Men’s Band Worship, Sunday, May 4^th, 9 am.

Smelt Feed, Sunday, May 4^th, 10 am till 11:30 am. Smelt, Meatballs, Tater Tots, Cole Slaw, Garlic Bread, Chips, Baked Beans, Dessert. Free-will offering taken to benefit Trinity Missions. Served by the Trinity Men. Help needed! Sign-up in the Narthex or just come! Help is very much appreciated!

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

Lagers with the Lord Monday, May 19^th, 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Last week was our last week of Sunday School. Thank you to everyone who helped with Sunday School this year!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

Look, I have to stand in front of people all the time and do all sorts of things, and sometimes I get a little nervous. I think a little nervousness is good no matter what. Performing with the Men’s Band on Saturday in front of the entire Synod, with all my colleagues silently judging me? Somewhat nervous, but not as nervous as the times I have had to speak in front of them (I did have to pray in front of them and that was nothing). I get nervous before big crowds of Easter and Christmas or huge funerals, just wanting to do well and feeling the pressure of saying the right words that people need, but that nervous level maybe gets to about a 75 out of a 100. High, but not crippling. But on Saturday night, I was at a nervous level of 500 out of 100. Why? I was about to do something I had never done before: I was going to DJ prom.

Now look. Let’s be real. I knew I was being asked for two reasons. The first: I was cheap. The kids knew I would do it for free (they did give me a little something). I come every year and announce and never ask for a thing. And they know I’m a sucker who has a hard time saying no to them. So that was the first reason.

And the second? This one was even expressly said to me and I agreed. They knew that if they asked me to play something, I would play it. For prom the kids make a play list and submit it for approval from the school and then that approved play list is given to me. So if I played something and they didn’t want it, they knew I would pass it by. If they wanted something to be played at a certain time, I would play it, unlike their DJ’s in the past who would often fight them on stuff. What do I care? I want the kids to have fun so I’ll play stuff when they want. So I was under no illusion that I was asked because of my great skills at picking songs at football or basketball games. Heck, they give me so much grief for what I play in the van on the mission trips.

But here is the thing my friends. I used to do this all the time. I played the tunes at tons of parties in college and seminary, hooking up two five disc changers and rocking it out for multiple hours. And look, to be honest, I was pretty good. I knew how to build the party, when to make it jump, how to bring it down, and then blow the roof off. But that was in the MID 1990’S. The last time I truly did it was probably Halloween 1997, senior year of Seminary. The last time I put together a playlist that was meant to be used for anything close to a prom was for Amy and I’s wedding, which we did the music ourselves, but I wasn’t behind the controls for that.

But it is 2025. Half the playlist I didn’t even KNOW. Sure I listened to it twice, but it is not like a lot of the music is stuff I listen to daily. I try to get a little current, but I’m a 48 year old, soon to be 49 year old man. I’m not hip. I’m not with it. Just saying those words shows that. And I’ve never done a prom, which is a whole different animal. I was nervous as all get out. I did NOT want to ruin this for the kids and I was trusting that if I made wrong choices, the kids would tell me, and we would move on.

At this point you are now wondering how it went. And, to be honest, it went really well. Really well. One of the great feelings in life is when you pick a song and the whole room goes nuts. And that happened. Multiple times. Even better, every time my song guru, the one I trusted to tell me when I needed to play something or when I might need to skip something, came over to tell me they wanted something next, I had that exact thing cued up next (thanks Zoey, you rule). It was a heck of a lot of fun and I think the kids had a lot of fun too. And that was the greatest joy. Watching them have a good time.

In the end, that is what it is always about. It is what I love about announcing and playing music at games. It is why I say yes to these things. Watching the kids, or the crowd, have a great time just brings me a lot of joy. It is why I started playing music at parties back in college for my friends. Getting them hyped, helping them have fun, was just as much fun for me as being out on the dance floor with them (don’t worry, I stayed behind my table where I belonged). I may never get the opportunity to do this again, and I might have been freaking out about it before it began, but I’m glad I took a risk and said yes. I hope the kids had fun, it seemed they did. And if nothing else, I got to pretend I was in my early 20’s again, playing tunes and making a room bounce. And that was pretty fun.

May God bless you today and always.

Trinity Tidings- Apr 13

Posted on: April 14th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

April 13, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Maundy Thursday worship Thursday, April 17, 6:30 pm

Good Friday worship Friday, April 18^th, Noon & 6:30 pm

Easter Sunday Worship, Sunday, April 20^th, 6:30 am and 9:00 am

Easter Breakfast, Sunday, April 20^th, 7:30 am. Biscuits and Gravy, Scrambled Eggs, Fruit, Beverage. Free-will offering to support our youth going to camp. Served by Confirmation Youth.

NO WORSHIP THIS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16^TH

Brass Cleaning on Wednesday, April 16^th, 9 am.

Lagers with the Lord April 21^st at 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Crew is on Wednesday, April 23th, at 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3rd-6th grade youth. LAST ONE TILL SEPTEMBER!

We are collecting items for our FREE FOOD, FREE STUFF, FOR ALL. This event will be on May 3rd and will be open to our community to help those in need. We are collecting the following items: soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, dish soap, laundry detergent, underwear (men’s & women’s), socks. Please bring those items to the church and place them in the bins in the Narthex.

Men’s Band Worship, Sunday, May 4^th, 9 am.

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

This week is Holy Week, as we journey with Jesus to the cross, his death, and then his resurrection on Easter Sunday. I hope you will join us on this journey through our worship services on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, whether that be in person or online.

In preparation for that, I share with you one of my favorite stories. Here is “The Ragman,” by Walter Wangerin Jr.

I saw a strange sight. I stumbled upon a story most strange, like nothing in my life, my street sense, my sly tongue had ever prepared me for. Hush, child. hush now, and I will tell it to you.

Even before the dawn one Friday morning I noticed a young man, handsome and strong, walking the alleys of our City. He was pulling an old cart filled with clothes both bright and new, and he was calling in a clear tenor voice: ‘Rags!’ Ah, the air was foul and the first light filthy to be crossed by such sweet music.

‘Rags! New rags for old! I take your tired rags! Rags!’

‘Now this is a wonder,’ I thought to myself, for the man stood six-feet-four, and his arms were like tree limbs, hard and muscular, and his eyes flashed intelligence. Could he find no better job than this, to be a ragman in the inner city?

I followed him. My curiosity drove me. And I wasn’t disappointed.

Soon the ragman saw a woman sitting on her back porch. She was sobbing into a handkerchief, signing, and shedding a thousand tears. Her knees and elbows made a sad X. Her shoulders shook. Her heart was breaking.

The Ragman stopped his cart. Quietly, he walked to the woman, stepping round tin cans, dead toys, and Pampers.

‘Give me your rag,’ he said gently. ‘and I’ll give you another.’

He slipped the handkerchief from her eyes. She looked up, and he laid across her palm a linen cloth so clean and new that it shined. She blinked from the gift to the giver.

Then, as he began to pull his cart again, the Ragman did a strange thing: he put her stained handkerchief to his own face; and then he began to weep, to sob as grievously as she had done, his shoulders shaking. Yet she was left without a tear.

‘This is a wonder,’ I breathed to myself, and I followed the sobbing Ragman like a child who cannot turn away from mystery.

‘Rags! Rags! New Rags for old!”

In a little while, when the sky showed grey behind the rooftops and I could see the shredded curtains hanging out black windows, the Ragman came upon a girl whose head was wrapped in a bandage, whose eyes were empty. Blood soaked her bandage. A single line of blood ran down her cheek.

Now the tall Ragman looked upon this child with pity, and he drew a lovely yellow bonnet from his cart.

‘Give me your rag,’ he said, tracing his own line on her cheek, ‘and I’ll give you mine.’

The child could only gaze at him while he loosened the bandage, removed it, and tied it to his own head. The bonnet he set on hers. And I gasped at what I saw: for with the bandage went the wound! Against his brow it ran a darker, more substantial blood — his own!

‘Rags! Rags! I take old rags!’ cried the sobbing, bleeding, strong, intelligent Ragman.

The sun hurt both the sky, now, and my eyes; the Ragman seemed more and more to hurry.

‘Are you going to work?’ he asked a man who leaned against a telephone pole. The man shook his head. The Ragman pressed him: ‘Do you have a job?”

‘Are you crazy?’ sneered the other. He pulled away from the pole, revealing the right sleeve of his jacket — flat, the cuff stuffed into the pocket. He had no arm.

‘So,’ said the Ragman. ‘Give me your jacket, and I’ll give you mine.’

So much quiet authority in his voice!

The one-armed man took off his jacket. So did the Ragman — and I trembled at what I saw: for the Ragman’s arm stayed in its sleeve, and when the other put it on, he had two good arms, thick as tree limbs; but the Ragman had only one.

‘Go to work,’ he said.

After that he found a drunk, lying unconscious beneath an army blanket, an old man, hunched, wizened, and sick. He took that blanket and wrapped it round himself, but for the drunk he left new clothes.

And now I had to run to keep up with the Ragman. Though he was weeping uncontrollably, and bleeding freely at the forehead, pulling his cart with one arm, stumbling for drunkenness, falling again and again, exhausted, old, old, and sick, yet he went with terrible speed. On spider’s legs he skittered through the alleys of the City, this mile and the next, until he came to its limits, and then he rushed beyond.

I wept to see the change in this man. I hurt to see his sorrow. And yet I need to see where he was going in such haste, perhaps to know what drove him so.

The little old Ragman — he came to a landfill. He came to the garbage pits. And I waited to help him in what he did but I hung back, hiding. He climbed a hill. With tormented labor he cleared a little space on that hill. Then he signed. He lay down. He pillowed his head on a handkerchief and a jacket. He covered his bones with an army blanket. And he died.

Oh how I cried to witness that death! I slumped in a junked car and wailed and mourned as one who has no hope — because I had come to love the Ragman. Every other face had faded in the wonder of this man, and I cherished him; but he died. I sobbed myself to sleep.

I did not know — how could I know? — that I slept through Friday night and Saturday and its night too.

But then, on Sunday morning, I was wakened by a violence.

Light — pure, hard, demanding light — slammed against my sour face, and I blinked, and I looked, and I saw the first wonder of all. There was the Ragman, folding the blanket most carefully, a scar on his forehead, but alive! And, besides that, healthy! There was no sign of sorrow or age, and all the rags that he had gathered shined for cleanliness.

Well, then I lowered my head and, trembling for all that I had seen, I myself walked up to the Ragman. I told him my name with shame, for I was a sorry figure next to him. Then I took off all my clothes in that place, and I said to him with dear yearning in my voice: ‘Dress me.”

He dressed me. My Lord, he put new rags on me, and I am a wonder beside him. The Ragman, the Ragman, the Christ!

Trinity Tidings- Apr 6

Posted on: April 7th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

April 6, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lent worship this Wednesday at 6:30 pm! Holden Evening Prayer service. Come join us! Last one for this year!

Lent Meal from 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm. This week the meal is Taco Bar served by the Women of Trinity. Come join us!

Crew is on Wednesday, April 9th, at 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3rd-6th grade youth

Maundy Thursday worship Thursday, April 17, 6:30 pm

Good Friday worship Friday, April 18^th, Noon & 6:30 pm

Easter Sunday Worship, Sunday, April 20^th, 6:30 am and 9:00 am

Easter Breakfast, Sunday, April 20^th, 7:30 am. Biscuits and Gravy, Scrambled Eggs, Fruit, Beverage. Free-will offering to support our youth going to camp. Served by Confirmation Youth.

Lagers with the Lord April 21^st at 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

My favorite disciple is Peter, and you might think it is because my last name is Peterson, and though that was the initial reason (because when you are five years old and you learn about the disciples for the first time, that is what happens), Peter has remained my favorite because he is just so . . . messy. I mean, think about it. Peter is always getting things spectacularly right and then incredibly wrong. He will say Jesus is the Messiah, the first one to confess such a thing, and then ten seconds later Jesus is calling him Satan because Peter gets it so wrong about what being the Messiah means. Jesus is calling him the rock on which he will build the church and yet this same rock is the one who denies Jesus three times. Peter is so, well, human. Like us, he has profound faith but makes profound mistakes.

But what if, when we talked about Peter, we never talked about those mistakes? What if, when I read the story of Jesus’ passion on Good Friday, I skipped over the part of Peter denying Jesus? What if we only talked about Peter’s triumphs? It makes Peter less of a compelling character. Even worse, it makes him less of a connection point for us, who so often have moments of great faith and great doubt and mistakes. We need the whole story, not just half of it.

As a lover of history, I appreciate the whole story, not just half of it. And sometimes the whole story is messier than we wish it would be. Our denomination, Lutheran, is named for Martin Luther. And when I tell the story of Martin Luther, I tell the good. There is so much good. Martin Luther changed the world. But I also tell the bad, on how his writings against the Jews later in life not only led to violence at that time but laid groundwork that the Nazi’s used to justify the Holocaust. Why? Because telling the whole story is important and I believe telling the bad doesn’t erase the good. At the same time, it is our mistakes that help us grow and learn as people. Finally, we believe in a God of forgiveness. After all, Jesus forgave Peter after his denial, and Peter would go on to lead the disciples (and make a few more mistakes too).

It is dangerous in life to only tell half the story, to erase the past, because in erasing the past, we are doomed to not learn from our past mistakes. One of the reasons I talk about my own failings in my sermons is because I hope others can learn from them. But also, because as a kid I thought that my pastors and religious leaders were perfect human beings and that I could never ever be like them and that God must love them because they were perfect. To find out that they weren’t, and yet God still loved them and called them to serve the Lord, opened the door for me to realize that maybe, just maybe, God might be able to use me, despite my obvious shortcomings and failings.

We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Whether that be individuals, communities, institutions, churches, governments, and the world at large. We all need forgiveness, grace, mercy, and second chances. We can choose to learn from our past, from our history, or to ignore it and erase it. Ignoring and erasing it is a fatal mistake that dooms us to ignorance, arrogance, and lack of vision. I give thanks that we have the full story of Peter to learn from. I give thanks for the leaders in my life that were willing to share their whole story with me to give me an example to learn from and grow from. I’m thankful for a merciful God who sends his one and only Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins, who offers all who call on his name forgiveness and eternal life and a chance to learn and grow from our mistakes. For a God who never gives up on us, who guides us, and reminds us that we are never alone, even when we screw up. As the great Jedi Master Yoda said to Luke Skywalker in the Last Jedi, “The greatest teacher, failure is.”

May God bless you today and always.

Trinity Tidings- Mar 23

Posted on: March 24th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

March 23, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lent worship this Wednesday at 6:30 pm! Holden Evening Prayer service. Come join us!

Lent Meal from 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm. This week the meal is Spaghetti & Garic Bread served by the Trinity Men. Come join us!

Lagers with the Lord, March 24^th at 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Crew is on Wednesday, March 26th, at 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3rd-6th grade youth

Butter Braid sales have begun! Purchase Butter Braids to help our youth attend Luther Park Bible Camp this summer! See any confirmation youth or the form on the table in the Narthex or use this link: https://store.myfundraisingplace.com/2136d1a2-8b11-4008-a855-701d9dca29c0

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

Order your Easter Lilies! Order deadline is March 30^th. See form that is with this email.

New Member Class Sunday, March 30^th, 6pm.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

On Saturday, I decided to take our dog Baxter for a walk (I had already taken Daphne for a walk. They can’t be walked together by one person, as you will soon see, especially as Daphne is still learning to take walks). Baxter is really weird. He gets really excited to go, and then gets outside, and he refuses to walk. So I picked him up, walked a little bit, put him down. He doesn’t move. I start to push him a bit with my foot and he might go a few steps, then not move. He is a stubborn little dog. So I picked him up again, took about ten steps. Set him down again. Nothing. Now I’m frustrated. So I decided that maybe this wasn’t going to happen, so I turned us around to head back to the house. And the little jerk starts walking. He walks! And as I come to the corner, instead of crossing the street to go home, I go left and he actually followed me and kept going. We took the route I was going to take, just in reverse, and he only stopped twice, just for a moment, and it only took a nudge to keep him going. He finally got stubborn again and stopped moving right in front of the house! I think he wanted me to carry him in like he was a little prince or something.

I wonder if God sometimes feels like I did on that walk with Baxter. God is leading us, telling us through God’s Word how we are to be in the world. Yet, we just won’t move. We refuse to go where God is leading us, refuse to be the people God is calling us to be. God is prodding us, wondering if we will love our neighbors as ourselves, wondering if we will even follow God and believe and trust in the grace and mercy given us through Jesus Christ. We are stubborn people. We don’t listen very well, even with prodding.

Yet, at the same time, God doesn’t give up on us. And all it can take is a change in perspective, or seeing something in a different way, that can get us to walking the path that God wants us to walk. Sadly, sometimes that is tragedy or difficulty. Sometimes it is hearing of God’s promises in Jesus Christ, hearing again the salvation and hope that comes in Jesus that starts us walking. Sometimes it is the encouragement of others, our fellow disciples of Jesus Christ, that get us moving. But no matter how stubborn we are, God will continue to reach out to us, continue to prod us, continue to be there with us.

May you, as you walk in this life, talk the path that God is calling you to take. May you hear and trust in the promises of Jesus Christ and know that you are loved, forgiven, and saved. And may you not be afraid to go where God is leading you and to be the hands and feet of God in the world. For that we can say, “Thanks be to God!”

Trinity Tidings- Mar 15

Posted on: March 17th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

March 15, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lent worship this Wednesday at 6:30 pm! Holden Evening Prayer service. Come join us!

Lent Meal from 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm. This week the meal is Homemade Soup and Garlic Bread served by the Mission Trip Youth. Free-will offering taken to support them going to St. Louis this summer for their Mission Trip.

Crew is on Wednesday, March 26th, at 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3rd-6th grade youth

Lagers with the Lord March 24^th at 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

Order your Easter Lilies! Order deadline is March 30^th. See form that is with this email.

Confirmation Lock-In, Thursday, March 20^th, 6pm till March 21^st, 7 am. Sign-up in the Narthex. I need parent drivers for the Scavenger Hunt from 6:30 pm till 7:30 pm.

Youth in Christ from United Lutheran Church in Prairie Farm will be at Trinity on Sunday, March 23^rd at 9 am to lead worship.

New Member Class Sunday, March 30^th, 6pm.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

I must admit, I have some weird quirks, especially when it comes to food. I enjoy trying new things and take great pride in being adventurous with certain things. It is why I like going to the Minnesota State Fair or the Food and Wine Festival at Disney World, as it gives me a chance to try weird things, like lamb testicles, alligator, or ghost pepper mac and cheese (first two were very good. The last almost burned my tongue off).

Yet, I’m also the same guy that doesn’t like to eat mix my foods and, sometimes, the foods I really like I don’t like to mess with. As many of you know, I love bacon. It is one of God’s greatest gifts to us. But I don’t like to mess with it. I like a candied bacon. But you put chocolate on my bacon? No thank you. Love chocolate. Love bacon. Not together. And one of the most disappointing things I’ve ever had was chicken fried bacon. Love fried chicken. Obviously love bacon. But didn’t like it together.

Same thing with popcorn, my favorite snack. There are so many varieties of popcorn out there. A thousand. But for me? I just want butter and salt. You can keep the rest. Waffles and pancakes? Two great sides dishes to have with bacon for breakfast. You can do all sorts of things with them. Add chocolate, fruit, all sorts of things. Sorry. Not for me. Maple syrup and butter only please. As God intended.

What can I say? I like things the way I like them. I love orange flavored things but not real oranges. Same for strawberries. I like green grapes but not purple grapes. I hate watermelon but like cantaloupe. Love raw carrots but not cooked carrots. Love cooked broccoli but not raw broccoli. I love apple sauce, but only if it is runny and has no cinnamon in it, like I had it from my elementary school in 1984.

I’m weird. But its ok. You have to be true yourself. In the end, just be who you got to be, whether it is with food and anything else. Like what you like. Even if it is peas. May God bless you today and always!

Trinity Tidings- Mar 9

Posted on: March 10th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

March 9, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lent worship this Wednesday at 6:30 pm! Holden Evening Prayer service. Come join us!

Lent Meal from 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm. This week the meal is the Baked Potato Bar served by the Confirmation Youth. Free-will offering taken to support them going to Luther Park Bible Camp.

Crew is on Wednesday, March 12th, at 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3rd-6th grade youth

Lagers with the Lord March 24^th at 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

Order your Easter Lilies! Order deadline is March 30^th. See form that is with this email.

Confirmation Lock-In, Thursday, March 20^th, 6pm till March 21^st, 7 am. Sign-up in the Narthex. I need parent drivers for the Scavenger Hunt from 6:30 pm till 7:30 pm.

Youth in Christ from United Lutheran Church in Prairie Farm will be at Trinity on Sunday, March 23^rd at 9 am to lead worship.

New Member Class Sunday, March 30^th, 6pm.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

In my life, there are many things I have inherited from my Dad. My loud voice. My love of the Cubs and the Bears. Enjoying the movie “The Blues Brothers.” Having Psalm 23 as my favorite Bible verse. The tradition of never, ever, ever, ever leaving a game early. An insane work ethic and perfectionism. A commitment that a person should give back to their community. And there is nothing better than a nap.

As many of you know, I love a good nap. I try to take a little lunch nap every day, with the dogs on my lap (I often have to set an alarm so I don’t sleep to long). But on the weekend, there is no need to worry about going back to work or having to be somewhere, so I am free to nap to my hearts content. Frankly, I plan our free Saturday’s so I can nap as long as possible. I front load my Saturday to get all the stuff I want to get done so that when lunch is over, napping can happen. Amy will head up upstairs to read and take the dogs with her (she is such a saint), because nothing can ruin a good nap like either a phone call or the dogs barking at people walking by. Amy heads upstairs and I get ready for bliss.

Time for a quick aside: I can’t nap in my bed. I’m sorry, but napping needs to happen outside of your bed. It is meant for a recliner, a couch, a love seat. But not for the bed. The bed is for deep sleep, multiple hours of sleep. The only time I’m going into the bed during daylight hours is coming off of a lock-in. Otherwise, my naps stay out of the bed. Now, you may disagree, and you have the right to do so, but you are wrong.

This Saturday, I got myself comfortable in the lazy boy, put on some golf on TV, and got ready to nap. By the way, golf and baseball are the two best sports to watch when you want to nap. Otherwise, I put on either Star Wars movies I know very well or I put on music. And in due course, I was ready to be taken away into nap land. A good nap is between twenty and forty minutes. But this one was over an hour and it was a little too good. I woke up like a drunken man who had been on a three day bender. Wasn’t’ sure where I was. My body felt sore. I fell back asleep at least three more times for ten minute stretches. Sure, it was a good nap, but I almost felt more tired than refreshed. But that is sometimes the risk with a nap with no limits.

That is true with all things in life. Limits. One or two chocolate chip cookies are good. Seven in one sitting is bad. But taking some time to rest, to take a nap, to take a break from the world and get refreshed I will always cherish. Much of life is always go, go, go, especially for me. I will always appreciate my naps till the end of time. Frankly, many days I will later in the day do a workout, pairing my time of rest with a chance to be extra active. My hope is that for you that you have something in your life that you use to take a break from the hectic pace of life, whether it be a nap or not. Just as I start my day taking a moment to center myself with scripture and prayer, I use the nap to renew my energy and take a rest from craziness that usually accompanies my days. I hope you take a moment every day to remember what is most important in life, take a breath, and remember that life is more than the tasks and work you are doing. To get a chance to be renewed and refreshed.

May God bless you today and always!

Trinity Tidings- Mar 2

Posted on: March 3rd, 2025 by Brad Peterson

March 2, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lent begins on Wednesday, March 5^th with Ash Wednesday! We will have two services on Ash Wednesday, at Noon and 6:30 pm. Baked Potato Meal served at 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm by Confirmation youth.

Blood Drive in honor of Kasen Iverson this Tuesday, March 4^th, Noon to 6 pm. To donate, go to www.redcross.org

Crew is on Wednesday, March 12th, at 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3rd-6th grade youth

CREW SNACKS NEEDED FOR MARCH 26TH! We are in need of Crew snacks for about 45 youth. You can bring anything you want. You do not need to serve the snacks. Please see PB if you have any questions.

Lagers with the Lord March 24^th at 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

This Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a time of renewal, of reconnecting with our faith, a time in which we gather as the church together to eat a lot of good food during our Wednesday meals, experience a different worship experience with our Holden Evening Prayer services (which begin on March 12^th), and where we walk with Jesus towards the cross, in which he will give his life for our sins.

Speaking of the cross, from that cross Jesus spoke some last words, and that is going to be our Lenten theme this year. And these last words are going to tell us a lot about Jesus and what Jesus’ work on the cross means for us. We start on Ash Wednesday, a day in which we remember our mortality, with our two worship services at Noon and 6:30 pm (all other Lent Wednesday’s only have one service at 6:30 pm and this is only one that isn’t Holden Evening Prayer). Not only will we remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return, we will hear words of forgiveness, words Jesus spoke from the cross.

On March 12^th, after filling ourselves with delicious Taco’s served by the Women of Trinity, we gather for our first Holden Evening Prayer service and we will hear words of salvation spoken by Jesus from the Cross. On March 19^th after a Homemade Soup meal served by the Mission Trip Youth, we will be reminded of the relationship we are in with our Savior as Jesus speaks of his mother from the cross. On March 26^th, after the Men of Trinity serve spaghetti, we hear of the effects of our sin upon Jesus on the cross as he cries out in distress and abandonment from the cross, feeling all that he is enduring for us. On April 2^nd, we hear of Jesus’ triumph over sin and death as the Church Council serves their annual meal of Brats & Hot Dogs. And on our last Lenten Service on April 9^th, as the Women of Trinity service us Soup and Salad, we use Jesus’ last words to contemplate the reunion we will have in heaven not only with Jesus but with all who have gone before us as we look towards Easter.

Whether you join us for the delicious meals, the awesome Holden Evening Prayer lead by our incredible worship leaders of youth, men, and women; or come to hear how Jesus’ last words impact our faith and our daily life, Lent is a time to get closer to God and to each other. I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday nights at 5:30pm for meals, 6:30 pm for worship, and throughout this Holy season. May God bless you today and always!

Trinity Tidings- Feb 23

Posted on: February 24th, 2025 by Brad Peterson

February 23, 2025

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Crew, Wednesday, February 26^th, 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3^rd -6^th graders. It will be a snow day, so bring your snow gear as we will be doing activities outside!

Lent begins on Wednesday, March 5^th with Ash Wednesday! We will have two services on Ash Wednesday, at Noon and 6:30 pm. Baked Potato Meal served at 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm by Confirmation youth.

Lagers with the Lord March 24^th at 6 pm at Buckshot’s.

Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!

We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

I’m going to be honest. I was looking for something fun and kind of funny to write about this week. Maybe something about how I was sick and how whiny I can be when I get sick. Maybe something about the dogs or how offended I got when one of my seventh graders thought I was over 50 years old (the gall).

But I got to be honest. In a little bit, I’m going to preach on the following text, and sometimes Jesus’ words just really hit you. And there is nothing funny about what Jesus is saying (though there is a part where Jesus sounds like a 7^th grade boy, all snarky and sarcastic). And so, as you read these words of Jesus below, from Luke 6, ask yourself this question: how does this make you feel?

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

So, how do you feel? Think about it. For my thoughts, check out my sermon from today, either on our Facebook page or the Trinity Boyceville YouTube channel.

May God bless you this week and always.