Trinity Lutheran Church

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Men’s Band Worship on Sunday, November 6^th, at 9 am.

Potato Pancake Meal, Sunday, November 6^th, 10 am till 11:30 am. Potato Pancakes, Kielbasa Sausage, Apple Sauce, Dessert, Beverage.  Free-will offering taken to support Trinity Youth Ministries.

Workers needed for the Potato Pancake Meal  See the sign-up on the table in the Narthex.

Crew is on November 2^nd for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

New Member Class, November 13^th, 6:30 pm.  If you are someone you know is interested in joining Trinity, please join this class or call PB if you cannot make it.

Deer Hunter’s Worship, Wednesday, November 16^th, 6:30 pm All are welcome!  Wear your blaze orange and camo!

Community Thanksgiving Worship, Sunday, November 20^th, at 6:30 pm at Trinity.  Please bring a non-perishable food item for Stepping Stones.  All monetary gifts will be given to WestCAP. 

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  Recently, our puppy Baxter started to play with a racquetball.  Our old dog Henry loved to play with them, but Kapono never got into playing with a ball.  But Baxter loves it.  It is so cute to see him batting it with his paw, following it around, carrying it in his mouth, and learning which parts of the floor aren’t quite level and so he can push the ball out and watch it roll.  It is pretty entertaining to watch.  But, there are times when the ball rolls under a table or a shelf and suddenly Baxter can’t get it.  He sticks his whole arm under there trying to get the ball and will even try to crawl under.  Sometimes, he can get it.  But other times he can’t.  What is a dog to do?

  Like a super hero swooping out of the sky to save the day comes Mom or Dad.  We get on our hands and knees and get the ball out for Baxter.  We reach under to get this thing that he wants and he is so happy when he gets it back.  And why do we do this?  We do this because we love him.  We do this because we want him to be happy.  Even if it means getting up from our comfortable space on the couch or the chair.  Even if it is an inconvenience of the highest order.  We do it because we love him.

   For you, on your own, salvation is out of reach.  It is like that ball stuck under that shelf.  You try and try to get it but it is elusive.  It is just out of reach.  No matter how much you do, you will not and cannot attain that salvation.  And so here comes Jesus, getting that ball of salvation for you, sacrificing his life to give you eternal life.  And why?  Because Jesus loves you.  Because you are loved.

   You cannot attain salvation on your own.  As it says in Ephesians 2, “For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the free gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast.”  You are saved not by what you do, for you cannot do enough, but by what Jesus Christ has done for you.  You could not reach the ball of salvation, but Christ has sacrificed so that it can be given to you.

  And so, like Baxter getting that ball we have retrieved for him, rejoice!  Be glad!  You are free from sin and death.  You are saved and redeemed.  You have been given grace and love in Jesus Christ.  Remember this gift you have been given and who has given it to you.  It has come from Jesus, because Jesus loves you.  For that we can say, “Thanks be to God!”  Amen

Website: www.trinityboyceville.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/TrinityBoycevilleWI Facebook: www.facebook.com/trinityboyceville

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Confirmation Stole Making and Rehearsal  October 26, 7 pm.

Confirmation Sunday, October 30^th, 9 am.  We hope that you will come to support our 15 youth who are affirming their faith.  Wear red in honor of Reformation Sunday!

Men’s Band Worship on Sunday, November 6^th, at 9 am.

Potato Pancake Meal, Sunday, November 6^th, 10 am till 11:30 am. Potato Pancakes, Kielbasa Sausage, Apple Sauce, Dessert, Beverage.  Free-will offering taken to support Trinity Youth Ministries.

Workers needed for the Potato Pancake Meal  See the sign-up on the table in the Narthex.

Crew is on November 2^nd for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

New Member Class, November 13^th, 6:30 pm.  If you are someone you know is interested in joining Trinity, please join this class or call PB if you cannot make it.

Deer Hunter’s Worship, Wednesday, November 16^th, 6:30 pm All are welcome!  Wear your blaze orange and camo!

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  I have to admit, I was pretty impressed, friends of Trinity Lutheran, last Sunday.  Last Sunday was our Cross Generational Worship service, a service in which we try to have our various generations interact with each other.  This year, I did something a little different.  I made you sit at tables based on something that was on top of your bulletin, forcing some families and couples to sit at tables apart from each other.  I know that some of you, who knew you would have to participate with each other, already weren’t the biggest fans.  I believe a few phrases I heard was, “I hate this service” and “I think I’m going to go home.”  Then, adding in how I was seating you, made many of you nervous and even upset. 

  BUT you stuck it out.  You stayed.  You gave it a shot.  And then some of you who said the phrases above said, “I really enjoyed it” and “That was a lot of fun.”  The Cross Generational Worship service is meant to stretch us, to challenge us, to get us out of our comfort zones a bit, not only in a bid to get to know each other better but to also to connect on a faith level.  To risk a little bit.  Risk putting ourselves out there.  Risk looking at the world in a different way.  Risk letting something new happen, something that challenges us. 

  I want to thank you Trinity for being willing to risk.  My prayer is that you might continue to risk.  Maybe putting your name on that sign up sheet for that event that you are hesitant about.  Maybe showing up for something that might seem difficult.  Maybe going out into the community to risk connecting with others different than yourself.  For in risking, we are putting our faith in Jesus Christ to care for us and be with us.  In risking, we are letting the Holy Spirit work in, through, and amongst us.  I hope that you will continue to be a risk taker and place your trust and faith in Jesus Christ.

  It reminded me of a poem that I got in college.  I am not sure who the author is, but I share it with you now:

                                                “Risks”

    To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

          To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

          To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.

          To love is to risk not being loved in return.    

          To live is to risk dying.

          To hope is to risk despair.

          To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing.

They may avoid suffering and sorrow but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.

Chained by their certitudes they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedoms.

Only a person who risks is free.

Website: www.trinityboyceville.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/TrinityBoycevilleWI

Facebook: www.facebook.com/trinityboyceville

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Cross Generational Worship service is on Sunday, October 16^th, at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall.

Mission Trip registration deadline is October 16^th.   We will be meeting after church on the 16^th as well. 

Crew is on October 19^th for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

Confirmation Sunday, October 30^th, 9 am.

Men’s Band Worship on Sunday, November 6^th, at 9 am.

Potato Pancake Meal, Sunday, November 6^th, 10 am till 11:30 am. Potato Pancakes, Kielbasa Sausage, Apple Sauce, Dessert, Beverage.  Free-will offering taken to support Trinity Youth Ministries.

Workers needed for the Potato Pancake Meal  See the sign-up on the table in the Narthex.

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  Late Thursday night, I was despondent.  Despondent.  My Chicago Bears football team was going to lose to the Washington Commanders, a terrible football team, which made my team even more terrible.  Also, that same night, my Minnesota Wild got run off the ice in the opening night game against the New York Rangers.  I was not in a good place and ended up staying up way to late, brooding and complaining and being depressed.  Even worse, I knew in my brain that this was all happening over a game/games.  Just a sport.  In the end, nothing significant in the grand scheme of life.  I had been through a lot worse than a couple of losses by my favorite teams.  Why was I feeling like this?  This seems pretty stupid.

   But in thinking that way means that I wasn’t taking what I was feeling seriously.  We can be tempted to dismiss how people are feeling because of the circumstances those feelings came into being.  But in doing so, we end up dismissing who they are and what they are feeling.  Have you ever wondered why someone was so upset that a relationship ended?  Did you think, “They should just get over it.  Plenty of fish in the sea.”  But we don’t really know what things mean to others.  Instead of putting our own values and judgements into what they are feeling and experiencing, we should be people with compassion and empathy towards them because they are actually hurting.  What may be minor to us is everything to someone else.  Being there for people isn’t judging why they are feeling the way they are feeling, it is about just being there, being present for them, in that moment.

  I think back to the night the Cubs won the World Series in 2016.  Amy went to bed right before extra innings with the score tied.  Because she didn’t hear me cheering, she woke up in the middle of the night and thought the Cubs had lost, and then preceded to think about what she could do to help me feel better.  She even said sorry when I woke her up the next morning, only for me to tell her that we had won.  Amy cares not about baseball.  But she does care about me, and so thinking I would be upset, even over a game, made her want to make me feel better and to be there for me.  That is how we should be for each other.  To not judge why they feel what they feel, but to be a place of comfort and refuge for them. 

   After all, we are called as followers of Jesus Christ to be there for each other.  To help each other in the hardships of life, no matter what they are.  To be there in the midst of suffering, no matter how or why it had come about.  To not judge lest we be judged.  May the Lord be with you as you are there for others, and may the Lord bring people into your life to be there for you. 

Website: www.trinityboyceville.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/TrinityBoycevilleWI

Facebook: www.facebook.com/trinityboyceville

October 9, 2022

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Crew is on October 16^th for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Fall Family Fest, October 9^th, 2:30 pm till 5:00 pm  Inflatables, Gaga, Games, Activities, Food and more. For all ages.  No cost!  Join us for some fun!

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

Cross Generational Worship service is on Sunday, October 16^th, at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall.

Mission Trip registration deadline is October 16^th.   We will be meeting after church on the 16^th as well. 

Confirmation Sunday, October 30^th, 9 am.

Men’s Band Worship on Sunday, November 6^th, at 9 am.

Potato Pancake Meal, Sunday, November 6^th, 10 am till 11:30 am. Potato Pancakes, Kielbasa Sausage, Apple Sauce, Dessert, Beverage.  Free-will offering taken to support Trinity Youth Ministries.

Workers needed for the Potato Pancake Meal  See the sign-up on the table in the Narthex.

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  On Friday, as I was presiding over a funeral, we ended the service with the song “How Great Thou Art.”  This beloved hymn is most associated with funerals and is a staple of funeral services like hearing Psalm 23 being read.  Sometimes when you have something as ubiquitous as this hymn, it can become kind of rote.  Almost cliché.  But as we sang the hymn, giving glory to God for God’s greatness and for the love of the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ we were remembering and giving over to God, I had this thought: there is a reason this hymn is sung during these times.  Sometimes that things that are traditional, even cliché, work and work well.  They have become traditions for a reason. 

   The music moves you and soars, especially when you have a congregation singing it at full throat, even in the midst of sorrow and grief.  It brings hope and comfort in the midst of pain.  The words inspire and comfort, talking about all that God has done, from creation, to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, and then salvation and going to heaven because of what Christ has done for us.  It just works.

  Sometimes we look down or dismiss the things that have become tradition for us or seem like a cliché.  I know I do (so many wedding sermons on 1 Corinthians 13.  So many).  Yet, we never tire singing “Silent Night” on Christmas Eve or “Amazing Grace” at any time.  I think about it with the Men’s Band.  We end every concert with “This Little Light of Mine” and the guys always joke about cutting it and not doing it.  Heck, there are times we skip it in practice.  Yet, every time we play, the energy that comes when we sing that song and invite you to sing with us works.  It just works. 

   As we finished up “How Great Thou Art,” I gave thanks for the amazing hymn and the wonderful man that we said goodbye to.  I gave thanks for those things that I sometimes take for granted or dismiss because we have done them/heard them/said them a hundred thousand times.  If there are things in our life that seem cliché, or rote, or so familiar that you overlook them, take a closer look.  Remember why they work and why they inspire.  And remember again that they are all gifts from our loving Savior, whose Holy Spirit works in and through and amongst us in all things.  Have a great week!

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Crew is on October 5^th for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Oktoberfest Craft & Vendor Show, Saturday, October 8^th, from 9 am to 2 pm at Tiffany Creek Elementary.  Lots of great vendors, food served, all benefit the Woman of Trinity and their ministry and mission. 

Fall Family Fest, October 9^th, 2:30 pm till 5:00 pm  Inflatables, Gaga, Games, Activities, Food and more. For all ages.  No cost!  Join us for some fun!

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

Cross Generational Worship service is on Sunday, October 16^th, at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall.

Mission Trip registration deadline is October 16^th.   We will be meeting after church on the 16^th as well. 

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

 I woke up late this morning.  Now, I don’t mean I woke up 5 minutes late.  I mean I woke up an hour late.  I thought I had an alarm set for 4:30 am and instead I woke up at 5:30 am.  When I realized what time it was, I shot up out of bed and got ready at the speed of light, rushing around the house getting stuff together so I could get here to the office.  My heart was racing and I was freaking out a little bit.  Would I be able to get everything done in time?  How could I have been so stupid to as not double checked my alarm?  Even worse, did I hear the alarm and turn it off in my sleep?  Even an hour later as I write this, I think my heartbeat is still going a little quicker than normal.  I hate being late more than almost anything in the world and even thinking about being late puts me into a tizzy. 

   But here is the thing: I didn’t have anything to worry about.  Other than not having this musing written yet, everything was well in hand.  The baptism stuff is set up.  Sermon has been written for awhile and just needs to be practiced.   The lights have been turned on, the sound system is going, and the doors are unlocked.  Children’s Sermon is prepared.  What was I worried about?  Why was I freaking out when I could have slept in till now (which is about 7 am as write this) and still be fully prepared for everything today?

  I have no idea.  Sometimes we freak out about things that we don’t need to freak out about.  I have seen brides freak out about the smallest things before a wedding.  I have seen kids lose it because they couldn’t buy a foam Prince Phillip sword at Disney World.  I have seen grown man freak out and call that a game was over when their team didn’t convert a third down in the second quarter while said team was currently leading in the game (that one was me.).  Of course, the thing that we think is minor to freak out over is really big to someone else.  My guess is that I freak out over being late because my parents drilled into us that being late was incredibly rude and also a desire to make sure everything is ready and perfect for the job I have to do.  I think it is a desire to be prepared in case something crazy happens.  It probably is about trying to be in control of an uncontrollable life. 

   And maybe that is the thing.  We freak out over things because we are trying to control our lives when so we can’t control everything.  Life is crazy, unpredictable, and surprising.  It takes twists and turns, has ups and downs, and almost nothing ever goes exactly according to the plans we have.  Sometimes we don’t set an alarm.  Sometimes it rains when the forecast says it is supposed to be clear and sunny.  Sometimes your favorite football team runs a fourth and goal play from the one yard line from a shotgun formation (sorry.  That still stings.  Stupid Bears).  Life is uncontrollable and we can’t control it, no matter how hard we try. 

  And that’s ok.  Because God is in control.  This God who has created us, sent his Son Jesus to die for us, and the Holy Spirit to create faith in our hearts, is in control.  And this God has promised to save us.  To be there for us.  To walk with us, even in the shadow of death.  To give us refuge even in the biggest storms of life.  God is in control and God has got us.  God has got you.  Even when you aren’t sure God has you, God does.  Even when we are freaking out, God is there.  Always.

  I don’t think I will ever stop freaking out over being late.  It is just who I am.  But maybe, just maybe, by the grace of God I won’t freak out too much.  My prayer is that in those moments of panic and freaking out, that I will remember that God has me, that everything will be ok and everything will work out.  And I have the same prayer for you.  Remember that your Lord is with you every day, no matter what, and that you are loved, saved, and redeemed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ.  Even when you are running late! 

  May God bless you this day and always!

Website: www.trinityboyceville.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/TrinityBoycevilleWI

Facebook: www.facebook.com/trinityboyceville

TRINITY TIDINGS

September 25, 2022

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

2023 Mission Trip Informational Meeting on September 25^th at 10:15 am.  Trip is open to all current High School youth.  Come get information and help choose where we will be going in the summer of 2023.  If you can’t make it, please contact PB

We are packing Lutheran World Relief Kits on Wednesday, September 28^th at 9 am.  All are welcome to help!  Lots of hands make light work!

Oktoberfest Craft & Vendor Show, Saturday, October 8^th, from 9 am to 2 pm at Tiffany Creek Elementary.  Lots of great vendors, food served, all benefit the Woman of Trinity and their ministry and mission. 

Bibles will be given out to Pre-K and 3^rd graders on Sunday, October 2^nd, at 9 am.

Fall Family Fest, October 9^th, 2:30 pm till 5:00 pm  Inflatables, Gaga, Games, Activities, Food and more. For all ages.  No cost!  Join us for some fun!

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

Crew is on October 5^th for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Cross Generational Worship service is on Sunday, October 16^th, at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall.

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

 “He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

The week of September 12^th was a tough week for yours truly. Now, it wasn’t tough because anything bad happened to me, per se.  Rather, it was like I was the Hulk, just breaking things.  It started on a walk with Amy, Kapono, and Baxter on Tuesday when Baxter stopped suddenly and I ended up stepping on his back right foot.  He squealed very loudly and then wouldn’t put his foot down at all, even after a few minutes.  We realized something bad had happened and we called our vet and some others but none could get us in, so I took off for Eau Claire and the Emergency Animal Hospital.  A few hours later we got the diagnosis: two broken toes.  We were given strict instructions to try to keep him from moving around as much as possible, no more walks, no more rough play, for at least a month, maybe more.  Plus, for his sake, some pain meds!  It meant buying a pen to set up in the living room so he could be with us but be separated from Kapono and have limited movement so that he could heal.  Poor guy.

  Then, on Thursday, I was golfing with two friends.  One of them is a pastor in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and this was our first chance to see each other in two years.  We met halfway and had a wonderful day of conversation, golf, and fun.  EXCEPT one thing.  I broke a window in the clubhouse with a very, very, very offline drive.  Drove the ball right through the screen and the window.  The worker came out, threw my ball toward where it was supposed to be, and went back inside.  Here I was again, breaking stuff.  Hulk smash!

  So not only did I break two things, I had also a broken spirit.  The guilt in both instances were palatable and still with me.  Both were accidents.  Both were unintentional.  Both made me miserable.  Seeing Baxter in pain just ate me up as I sat in the waiting room to see what had happened.  Feeling terrible about breaking that window, even though the people at the course were really great, made me miserable.  I had broken things and in turn was broken a bit myself. 

   But the thing is, we are all broken people, even when we aren’t breaking stuff.  We are broken due to sin, broken as we deal with pain and suffering, broken by grief and sorrow, anxiety and worry, broken often both physically and mentally.  But we are not destroyed.  We may be broken, but we are made whole by the love and grace of Jesus Christ.  We are put back together by the love of a God who gives everything to us so that we might live.  We are healed by the Lord who carries our burdens, takes our sin, and walks with us every day.  Our brokenness does not separate us from God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.  Rather, our Lord looks upon us with compassion because we are broken. Because we need a Savior.

  Baxter is doing really well.  He had a follow up appointment this past week and things look really good and if you watched him walk or run, you wouldn’t even know that he had some broken toes.  The people at the golf course were so gracious and nice to me when I apologized about the window.  They understood.  Broken things can be mended, healed, put back whole.  We are mended, healed, and put back whole by the love and grace of God in Jesus Christ.  You may be broken today my friends.  I may be broken.  But in the midst of our brokenness comes a Savior to heal us, to make us whole, to remind us that though we are broken, we are loved, we are saved, and we are not alone.  For that we can say, “Thanks be to God!” 

   “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Here is Baxter in his living room pen. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Sunday School begins TODAY, September 11^th, at 9:45 am.  You can register your child in advance with the form located in the Narthex.

Outdoor Worship Service and Blessing of the Animals on September 18^th at 9 am. Join us in the Parking Lot for an outdoor worship.  Feel free to sit in your vehicle or bring a chair to sit and bring your animals for a blessing.

Turn in your Time & Talent Sheets!  One is attached to this email.  Please turn it in to the office.

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

Crew begins on September 21^st for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Mission Trip Presentation on September 25^th at 9 am.

2023 Mission Trip Informational Meeting on September 25^th at 10:15 am.  Trip is open to all current High School youth.  Come get information and help choose where we will be going in the summer of 2023. 

Oktoberfest Craft & Vendor Show, Saturday, October 8^th, from 9 am to 2 pm at Tiffany Creek Elementary.  Lots of great vendors, food served, all benefit the Woman of Trinity and their ministry and mission. 

School Bags  Pick up a school bag from a pew in the sanctuary and fill out the list that is included in the bag, then return to the church.  You can also donate loose school supplies as well and place in the bin in the Narthex.

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

 As I walked out of my house this morning at about 5:20 am, I did something I don’t do that often, especially on a Sunday morning.  I looked up.  I took a moment with completely clear skies to look at the stars.  Normally, as I exit the house, I do so with a to do list in my head, things I want to get to done and have to do when I get to church.  But despite having such a list this morning, I stood there for a few moments to appreciate the stars, to marvel at the beauty of those lights in the sky, especially since it was a clear moon as well.  I’m not sure what prompted it.  Maybe it was the fact that I had taught the creation story to my 7^th grade confirmation story early in the week. Maybe it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  I don’t know.  But I stopped, and I looked, and I wondered and awed and appreciated. 

  I had the same feeling of appreciation after I got to church as I started to work through my to do list (of which this musings was one) as I set up for the baptism this morning.  We have a lot of baptisms at Trinity and we have a bunch more coming up, but as I moved the font and put the baptismal blanket in place, I thought about how cool it is that we get to do so many baptisms at Trinity.  We have double digit baptisms every year and it could be easy to take them for granted as just something that always happens.  But it is a great gift to have a baptism, to hear those baptismal promises given to a new child of God, to celebrate with a family this joyous occasion of God’s love and hope. 

  I guess what I’m getting at this morning is that it can be easy to be overwhelmed by the tasks of life.  I know that sometimes I get so focused on all the things that need to be done that I can forget to appreciate the things that are in front of me.  I forget to take a moment and to look around, to see the beauty and majesty and awesomeness of life and of God’s gifts to me in life. I hope that you will take a moment today, or tomorrow, or the next day, and appreciate what is around you.  To give thanks for the little things of life.  To remember the love of God in Jesus Christ that is for you.  That you might wonder at the stars or marvel at the joy of a newborn baby or appreciate the hug of a loved one or the snuggle of a pet.  For God is good and God loves you so much that God sent his only Son to die and rise so that you would be saved. 

  May the Lord bless you today and always!

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Office closed on September 5^th for Labor Day.

Sunday School begins on Sunday, September 11^th, at 9:45 am.  You can register your child in advance with the form located in the Narthex.

Outdoor Worship Service and Blessing of the Animals on September 18^th at 9 am. Join us in the Parking Lot for an outdoor worship.  Feel free to sit in your vehicle or bring a chair to sit and bring your animals for a blessing.

Turn in your Time & Talent Sheets!  One is attached to this email.  Please turn it in to the office.

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

Crew begins on September 21^st for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Mission Trip Presentation on September 25^th at 9 am.

2023 Mission Trip Informational Meeting on September 25^th at 10:15 am.  Trip is open to all current High School youth.  Come get information and help choose where we will be going in the summer of 2023. 

Oktoberfest Craft & Vendor Show, Saturday, October 8^th, from 9 am to 2 pm at Tiffany Creek Elementary.  Lots of great vendors, food served, all benefit the Woman of Trinity and their ministry and mission. 

School Bags  Pick up a school bag from a pew in the sanctuary and fill out the list that is included in the bag, then return to the church.  You can also donate loose school supplies as well and place in the bin in the Narthex.

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

 A little story for you.  Have a great Labor Day!

Table for Two by Kristen Burgess

He sits by himself at a table for two.

The uniformed waiter returns to his side and asks, “Would you like to go ahead and order, sir?” The man has, after all, been waiting since seven o’clock–almost two hours.

“No, thank you,” the man smiles. “I’ll wait for her a while longer. How about some more coffee?”

“Certainly, sir.”

The man sits, his clear blue eyes gazing straight through the flowered centerpiece. He fingers his napkin, allowing the sounds of light chatter, tinkling silverware, and mellow music to fill his mind. He is dressed in a sport coat and tie. His dark brown hair is neatly combed, but one stray lock insists on dropping to his forehead. The scent of his cologne adds to his clean-cut image. He is dressed up enough to make a companion feel important, respected, loved. Yet he is not so formal as to make one uncomfortable. It seems that he has taken every precaution to make others feel at ease with him.

Still, he sits alone.

The waiter returns to fill the man’s coffee cup. “Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?”

“No, thank you.”

The waiter remains standing at the table. Something tugs at his curiosity.

“I don’t mean to pry, but…” His voice trails off. This line of conversation could jeopardize his tip.

“Go ahead,” the man encourages. He is strong, yet sensitive, inviting conversation.

“Why do you bother waiting for her?” the waiter finally blurts out. This man has been at the restaurant many other evenings, always patiently alone.

Says the man quietly, “Because she needs me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Oh Yes. I’m very positive of that.”

“Well, sir, no offense, but assuming that she needs you, she sure isn’t acting much like it. She’s stood you up three times just this week alone.”

The man winces, and looks down at the table. “Yes, I know.”

“Then why do you still come here and wait?”

“Cassie said that she would be here.”

“She’s said that before,” the waiter protests. “I wouldn’t put up with it. Why do you?”

Now the man looks up, smiles at the waiter, and says simply, “Because I love her.”

The waiter walks away, wondering how one could love a girl who stands him up three times in one week alone. The man must be crazy, he decides. Either that or he must really love that girl. Across the room, he turns to look at the man again. The man slowly pours cream into his coffee. He twirls his spoon between his fingers a few times before stirring sweetener into his cup. After staring for a moment into the liquid, the man brings the cup to his mouth and sips, silently watching those around him. He doesn’t look crazy, the waiter admits. Maybe the girl has qualities that I don’t know about. Or maybe the man’s love is stronger than most. That’s probably it. This guy must be so much in love with her he can’t even see straight. The waiter shakes himself out of his musings to take an order from a party of five.

The man watches the waiter, and wonders if he’s ever been stood up. The man has. Many, many times. But he still can’t get used to it. Each time, it hurts. He’s looked forward to this evening all day. He has many things, exciting things, to tell Cassie. He loves her so much and so deeply. But, more importantly, he wants to hear Cassie’s voice. He wants her to tell him all about her day, her triumphs, her defeats….anything, really. He has tried so many times to show Cassie how much he loves her. He’d just like to know that she cares for him, too. He sips sporadically at the coffee, and loses himself in thought, knowing that Cassie is late, but still hoping that she will arrive.

The clock says nine-thirty when the waiter returns to the man’s table. “Is there anything I can get for you?”

The still empty chair stabs at the man. “No, I think that will be all for the night. May I have the check please?”

“Yes, sir.”

When the waiter leaves, the man picks up the check. He pulls out his wallet and sighs. He has enough to have given Cassie a feast. He takes out enough money to pay for his five cups of coffee and the tip. Why do you do this, Cassie?” His mind cries as he gets up from the table.

“Good-bye,” the waiter says, as the man walks towards the door.

“Good night. Thank you for your service.”

You’re welcome, sir,” says the waiter softly, for he sees the hurt in the man’s eyes that his smile doesn’t even begin to hide.

The man passes a laughing young couple on his way out and his eyes glisten as he thinks of the good time he and Cassie could have had. He stops at the front and makes reservations for tomorrow. Maybe Cassie will be able to make it, he thinks. Oh, I do hope so.

“Seven o’clock tomorrow for party of two?” the hostess confirms.

“That’s right,” the man replies.

“Do you think she’ll come?” asks the hostess. She doesn’t mean to be rude, but she has watched the man many times alone at his table for two.

“Someday, yes. And I will be waiting for her.”

The man buttons his overcoat and walks out of the restaurant, alone. His shoulders are hunched, but through the windows the hostess can only guess whether they are hunched against the wind or against the man’s hurt.

As the man turns toward home, Cassie turns in bed. She is tired after an evening out with friends. As she reaches toward her night stand to set the alarm, she sees the note that she scribbled to herself last night.

“7:00,” it says. “Spend some time in prayer.”

Darn, she thinks. She forgot again. She feels a twinge of guilt, but quickly pushes it aside. She needed that time with her friends. And now she needs her sleep. She can pray tomorrow night.

Jesus will forgive her. And she’s sure he doesn’t mind.

Website: www.trinityboyceville.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/TrinityBoycevilleWI

Facebook: www.facebook.com/trinityboyceville

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Women of Trinity Fall Gathering, Thursday, September 1^st, 6 pm.  It is a potluck so bring a dish to pass.  All women are invited!

Confirmation Parent Meeting, Wednesday, August 31^st, 7 pm.

Sunday School begins on Sunday, September 11^th, at 9:45 am.  You can register your child in advance with the form located in the Narthex.

Outdoor Worship Service and Blessing of the Animals on September 18^th at 9 am. Join us in the Parking Lot for an outdoor worship.  Feel free to sit in your vehicle or bring a chair to sit and bring your animals for a blessing.

Crew Snack Sign-Up.  Please sign-up in the Narthex to provide snacks for the Crew.  Please prepare to serve 60 kids and you can bring anything you want.

Crew begins on September 21^st for all 3^rd-6^th graders  Crew is 3:30 pm till 5:00 pm and this year we will be taking a Journey Through the Bible.

Mission Trip Presentation on September 25^th at 9 am.

2023 Mission Trip Informational Meeting on September 25^th at 10:15 am.  Trip is open to all current High School youth.  Come get information and help choose where we will be going in the summer of 2023. 

Office closed on September 5^th for Labor Day.

School Bags  Pick up a school bag from a pew in the sanctuary and fill out the list that is included in the bag, then return to the church.  You can also donate loose school supplies as well and place in the bin in the Narthex.

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!” Psalm 90:17

   On Monday, September 5th, we will have the last hurrah of summer with Labor Day. Labor Day is a federal holiday that celebrates the labor movement in the United States and lifts up workers and their achievements. It is a day of rest and fun for many of us and we often don’t think of all the hard work and sacrifices made by the workers of this country over its history to get us to this point. Work is a gift from God and our work is part of who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. Not just the work that we do in our jobs, but our work on behalf of our community, our families, and most especially for the sake of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    We are the hands and feet of God, after all, laboring in the world to not only provide for our families, but to care for the neighbor and lift up the kingdom of God. Each of us has been given gifts and talents that we use in all areas of life and we ask, as it says in the Psalm above, that the Lord would be upon and us prosper for us the work of our hands, wherever that work may be.

   On this month of Labor Day, as we enjoy the last moments of summer and take a moment to give thanks for work and what it means in our life, I want you to take a moment to think about how you can work for the Lord and for the ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church. Included in this Trinity Tidings is a Time and Talent sheet that I hope you will fill out and turn back in. It gives just a few of the ways you can work for the Lord to continue to make Trinity a strong and vibrant ministry. I encourage you to think outside of the box as well.

   Parents don’t always have to teach Sunday School or help with Crew. We could use the wisdom and faith of all ages to help guide our youth. Are you willing to get up once every other month to read scripture? Can you help with something that is often goes unseen, like shoveling snow, taking the garbage to the dump, or filling up communion cups? Men don’t always have to be ushers, by the way, and women don’t always have to serve on Altar Guild. Maybe you can help take items to the food pantry once a month or be willing to serve on a committee that talks about important issues of ministry. Where are you willing to serve? Where can the Lord prosper the work of your hands?

    Because without your labor, the church is just a lifeless building doing nothing to proclaim the Gospel, serve our neighbor, and bring glory to God. Without your labor, without you answering God’s call to serve in ways both seen and unseen, we are nothing but a country club who eats cheese and crackers and drinks coffee and slowly dies. But with your labor, with your service, we are a dynamic vessel that changes lives and brings glory to God. I will pray for you and with you as you discern how you can serve the Lord. And I pray that God will prosper the work of your hands in every aspect of your life and strengthening you in faith, hope, and love.

  Your fellow worker,

     PB

Website: www.trinityboyceville.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/TrinityBoycevilleWI

Facebook: www.facebook.com/trinityboyceville

ANNOUNCEMENTS .

Lunch & Pie Social, August 21^st, 10 am till 4 pm.  Lots of great food and homemade pie!  Benefits the Women of Trinity.

Workers & items needed for the Lunch & Pie Social  Please see the sign-ups on the table in the Narthex

Float Riders needed for the church float at Picklefest! All kids get a free bag of candy!  Meet at the church at Noon on Sunday, August 21^st. 

Campfire Worship, Wednesday, August 17^th, 6:30 pm.  Bring a chair to sit on. 

Pick up your church directories!  They are on the Cake Table in the Narthex

Trinity Men’s Band will be at First Lutheran Church in Cumberland at 6pm on August 24th and at the Downsville Rec Park on August 28th at 11 am.

School Bags  Pick up a school bag from a pew in the sanctuary and fill out the list that is included in the bag, then return to the church.  You can also donate loose school supplies as well and place in the bin in the Narthex.

Confirmation Parent Meeting, Wednesday, August 31^st, 7 pm.

Don’t forget that you can support Trinity through the Vanco app OR using the donate form on our website.  Download the free app, search for Trinity Lutheran Boyceville, and go from there!

MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD

  On Friday, late morning, I was pretty wiped.  It had been a good week but a long one and draining.  Between saying goodbye to Katie on Sunday, to having some appointments during the week, running up to camp to preach on Tuesday night, to playing in a golf outing all day Wednesday then sprinting to get back to lead worship to running a golf outing on Thursday and all the work that took to coming in Friday morning to get a sermon written, some office stuff done, and to polish off the wedding I was doing on Saturday, I needed a recharge and a rest. There had been too much running, too much stuff.  

  You might find this hard to believe, but I’m not the best at recharging and resting.  Sure, I enjoy a short afternoon nap when I can get it, but it tends to be buttressed by running around like a crazy man.  I often find that I need rest long after I should have taken one.  But Friday was a perfect scenario.  Amy made an awesome lunch, it was raining outside, and Star Wars happened to be on the TV.  Perfect time to take a rest.  The puppy needed some Dad time and after a little playing, we settled into the Lazy Boy chair in the living room with the familiar sounds of Star Wars on the TV and we took a nap of naps.  We slept so hard it took me awhile to get fully awake and functional.  It was a nap I needed, to rest and recharge before heading to the wedding rehearsal I was doing.

   We all need rest.  We need time to stop.  Now, rest doesn’t always mean a drool inducing two hour nap.  Sometimes it can just be slowing down, enjoying your surroundings or the people you are with.  Sometimes it is taking a moment for prayer or to read scripture. It might be a conversation with a friend or an outing that gets you out of town for a bit. It is about letting your body, soul, and mind reset and recharge.  As I have gotten older, I have seen the need for this more and more as I can’t just power through a crazy schedule without consequences to my physical and mental health.  And with Katie gone, I am being extra mindful of making sure that I stay healthy for the sake of our ministry here at Trinity.

  Soon school is going to start, schedules are going to get crazy, and the joys of summer and vacation will be in the rearview mirror.  But that doesn’t mean that you can’t take a timeout from time to time.  A chance to rest, to relax, to recharge in a way that works for you.  I have no doubt that there will be times this fall when I’ll grab Baxter, turn on some Star Wars, and rest.  Remember that you are human and not a machine.  Get some rest, recharge the body, the mind, and the spirit, and remember that from the very beginning God knew our need for rest.  After all, that is why God rested on the Sabbath and gave it to us as a gift, as a reminder that we need to recharge so that we can be fully who God has created us to be.  For that we can say, “Thanks be to God!”  Amen

Website: www.trinityboyceville.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/TrinityBoycevilleWI Facebook: www.facebook.com/trinityboyceville