June 2, 2024
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lagers with the Lord June 3, 6 pm at Buckshot’s!
Women’s Spring Gathering is June 6th at 5pm. All women are welcome and encouraged to come! Entertainment provided by the Boyceville High School Choir
The Women of Trinity will be highlighting baby care kits for 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 on the table by the kitchen where the display is set up. Thank you for helping us help others! WE ARE LOOKING FOR 300 BARS OF SOAP! Fill the baby tub up on the Narthex with soap.
Pastor Brad is going on sabbatical June 8th-July 9th. Please note that during this time he will be completely absent from the congregation and its ministry. He will not be returning calls, texts, or emails. You can find more information on his sabbatical in the Good News.
Sabbatical Contact List (June 8-July 9)
For all general needs or questions: Parish Manager Andrea McVeigh, 715-643-3821, during church office hours, Monday through Thursday, 9 am till 1 pm.
Need to get into the building or to have the building opened/closed? Trudie Chernak, Church Custodian, 715-643-2148 or Ted Litzkow, 715-702-1415
General questions or issues that may arise: Lenny Lange, Church Council President, 715-928-1172
Pastoral Emergencies: Pastor Judy Kincaid, 906-399-1387
Fellowship Servers Needed! Please sign-up in the Narthex or contact the office. Cheese, crackers, and coffee are provided. You don’t need to provide anything more than that if you desire. You may use anything not marked in the pantry.
Vacation Bible School is July 29-August 1st. 9 am till Noon for all 4 year olds through 6th graders. Our theme this year is “Superheroes for God!” Games, Crafts, Songs, and fun for all. It is free this year. There are registration forms in the Good News and on the table in the Narthex. We need helpers to provide snacks, be extra hands for our kids, and to serve snacks in the kitchen. Sign-up in the Narthex or contact the office if you are willing to help.
MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
When I was in 8th grade, every student had to meet with the junior high guidance counselor before going into high school. When I went to meet with her, she said the following phrase to me: “Brad, I hope that sometime in your life, you might take some time to stop and smell the roses.” Well, these many years later, I’m about to take some time to stop and smell the roses, as I go on a 34-day sabbatical. I actually never thought I would take a sabbatical. Never in a million years, despite it being recommended. Even as I have seen many of my friends take one or even two of them already in their ministry.
Why? I love my job. And it isn’t even that. I love work. I love to work. I love to be busy. I love to run from one thing to another thing to another thing. Amy loves to tease me that I come home from work to work some more. Andrea can tell you that I sent all sorts of emails at all sorts of odd hours. It is just who I am. Even on vacation, I’m often working. Filing away ideas for sermons, Bible studies, devotions. Thinking about schedules, events, replying to emails. What many people would consider to be unhealthy behavior. What can I say? I love to work. I got it from my parents who got it from their parents. It is part of who I am.
But I also know that there is a danger. This amazing job and calling that I have can also be so consuming that it can swallow everything else in life. It can drain a person physically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically. After 22 years, it is time to be still for a bit. To unplug. To smell the roses. To do so before my body or my mind makes me do it. Having some of the health issues I did in 2023 brought that need into focus. I’m thankful for the support of Church Council and this congregation that is allowing me to take this opportunity to be still. To stop and smell the roses, even if it is only for 34 days. It doesn’t seem that long when I type it out but I guarantee you that to me it seems like a century.
The question I have gotten asked a lot of is this: what are you going to do? To be honest, my hope is not that much. I’m going to celebrate my niece’s graduation in Illinois. Amy and I are taking small trips to Missouri (I can’t wait to eat some Kansas City BBQ) and to Door County and Milwaukee. I’m going to play a lot of golf and visit some friend’s churches for worship to be renewed spiritually. But mostly, I hope to be still. To enjoy, well, doing nothing for a bit. To not think about the schedule or the next thing or worry about what the offering was or who I need to check in on or if I have a good idea for next week’s Facebook devotion or what the heck I’m going to preach on this upcoming Sunday. To just be.
I think it is going to be great. Or it might be awful. Either way, I do know this: Jesus Christ is going to be there, as he always is, walking besides me as he walks besides you. I have no doubt I will miss seeing all of you in church but I look forward to seeing you out in the community on walks with the dog or at Cenex getting gas. Say hi when you see me. But I’ll see you again inside Trinity on July 10th. Until that day, remember this: Jesus loves you and is with you always. And that it is ok sometimes to just be still.
May God be with you today and always.