Trinity Lutheran Church

 “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Psalm 86:12

   It is easy to forget.  I’m always setting alarms and reminders on my phone so I don’t forget stuff.  It might be things I have to pick up at the store, a meeting, a deadline, when something needs to be done.  This is especially true in these times when my calendar isn’t very full it is easy to forget to stuff that I normally never would have.  It is also easy to forget what is truly important in life when we get swallowed up with petty stuff that takes on a bigger meaning then it needs to. And it is easy to forget who God truly is for us.

   That is why I appreciate the following verse from Psalm 89.  It is a reminder of who God is.  God is gracious.  God is merciful.  God is abounding in steadfast love.  God is faithful.  So often we forget these important truths.  We look at God and think of only judgment, of disappointment in our actions, of falling short of our calling as people of God.  It reminded me of a coach I had in high school who never said anything good about anything.  Everyone was always falling short of their expectations, even when we won or played well . It got hard to be motivated to put it all out there for that coach and it was easy to forget why we were playing in the first place.  But we had an assistant coach that always walked around to us and told us when we did well, gave us encouragement, and motivated us to keep going. 

   Verses like this help us to do that.  They remind us of who God truly is and they give us hope.  Even more so, when we look to Jesus, the Son of God, we see that reminder of God’s love, faithfulness, and mercy towards us.  For God sends Jesus to save us and to remind us of God’s true nature.  We may sin but when we turn to the Lord, we have forgiveness and mercy.  We have a God who is faithful to the promises God has made to us, and we have a God whose steadfast love surrounds and fills us.

   But this verse also gives us one more reminder.  And that is this: we should be striving to be like this in our own lives.  To be people of mercy and compassion.  To be slow to anger.  To be abounding in steadfast love. So often we are quick to anger, quick to attack, quick to punish, quick to judge and condemn.  We are called to a different way.  A better way.  A way that lifts up the other instead of tearing them down.  A way of grace and compassion, even towards those we disagree with.  I know that in my own life I often fail in this ideal but I keep trying because I have a Lord who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  Out of thankfulness for the grace and mercy I have been shown, I try to show that same grace and mercy to others.  My prayer is that you will too.  That you will remember that you have a God who is gracious, merciful, loving, and faithful and that you take what you have been given by your loving God and extend it to others. 

   May you never forget how God truly is and see that through the work of Jesus Christ for you.  And may you extend the grace, mercy, love, and faithfulness you have received to others.  Amen. 

Something really weird happened to me on Friday.  I was what I call “The Club,” Sioux Creek Golf Course in Chetek, which isn’t weird for me at all, especially on my day off.  It wasn’t that I was actually playing fairly well.  It wasn’t that it was super early in the morning. As I was completing my 16^th hole of the day, I thought to myself, “I bet I could easily play another 9.”  Here is the weird thing: I was walking.  That’s right.  I thought about playing another 9 holes, for a total of 27, all of them walking.  A year ago after walking nine I would need oxygen and a long break before even thinking about doing it again.  If it was hot?  Cart all the way.  On July 4^th I voluntarily walked despite it being a thousand degrees and we would have gotten in a full 18 if it hadn’t been super busy and we had to be back at a certain time.

   A year ago I thought it would be impossible for me to walk 18 holes, let alone confidently think about doing 27.  As I churned that thought around in my brain and just how far I had come in a year and how something that seemed so impossible could now be a reality I thought of this well known verse from Philippians chapter 4: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

   We often believe that we can’t do a lot of things.  We might have dreams but they seem so impossible.  We find ourselves in the storms of life and it feels impossible that we will survive, let alone be successful.  We often measure what success is with unreasonable expectation and so we don’t try because it seems too hard.  I have thought all of these thoughts myself.  Felt I wasn’t good enough, that I couldn’t do it, that the storm will just continue to rage and I’ll never find the strength or the peace enough to get through it.

  But we are not alone.  Christ strengthens us.  Christ is with us.  Christ has freed us so that we can try even the impossible.  We can reach for the stars.  We can make through stuff that seems impossible.  Think about our present circumstances.  We are four months into a pandemic that seems like it may never abate yet we are surviving.  It isn’t always pretty and doesn’t always go according to plan, but we are getting through.  There is still laughter, love, and joy. 

   Because Jesus is with us, we can do the impossible.  And even if we try and fail, our Savior lifts us up, dusts us off, and reminds us that we are loved and cared for.  Don’t sell yourself short.  Don’t think you can’t do it.  You can.  You are not alone.  Who knows what might happen if you take a risk, take a leap, trust in the Lord and in yourself?  You might find yourself deciding to walk 27 holes.  For the strength, love, and forgiveness we have in Jesus Christ we can say, “Thanks be to God!” 

Dear Trinity Members,

 The question that I get the most is, “When are we going to return to church?” Well, now I have an answer to that question for all of you. 

At the June 14^th Church Council meeting, the Church Council approved a plan to return to in-person worship.  Here is the upcoming worship schedule for Sunday’s:

• July 5: Facebook worship with drive-thru communion from 10:00 am – 11:30 am.
• July 12-August 9: Parking Lot worship.
• August 16: Facebook worship .
• August 23: In-person worship.
• Wednesday worship will be Facebook only until August 26^th.

 The August 23 in-person worship service will only occur if the Dunn County Health Department guidelines for indoor gatherings have reached 50 people.  When we gather for in-person worship, the following procedures will be in place to ensure the safety and health of our members, worship leaders, and volunteers.

• Masks are to be worn by all.  You will be provided a mask if you do not have one.
• Maintain social distance of six feet at all times.
• Places where you can sit will be clearly marked.  People living in the same household may sit together in one pew.  Otherwise, two people may sit together on each end of the pew. 
• Bulletins will be placed at the places where you can sit and we ask that you take them with you.
• Doors will be propped open (other than the bathroom doors) so that you will not need to touch them.
• Offering plates will be placed by the doors to the sanctuary for you to place your offering.
• There will be no passing of the peace or communal singing.  Songs will be led by a song leader. 
• Communion will be different or may not occur.
• Doors will open 15 minutes prior to worship. 
• There will be no coffee fellowship before or after worship.
• We ask that you exit immediately following the service.
• Capacity is limited but we will do our best to make sure everyone can worship, even if we have to extend social distanced seating into the fellowship hall. 
• Hand sanitizer will be available and placed in multiple locations for your use.
• All hymnals, pencils, and directories have been removed from the sanctuary so that we will not have to sanitize them after worship. 
• If you are sick, have a fever, or are high-risk, we ask that you stay home.
• All services will continue to be live streamed on Facebook.

  If this schedule needs to change, we will make announcements through the Trinity Facebook page, the Trinity website, and through email.  At this time, all other Trinity activities remain postponed or cancelled, including the Pie & Ice Cream Social.  We hope, if conditions allow, to resume many of our activities in September. 

   We appreciate your patience as we work towards coming together again in person.  We give thanks for the ways in which you have been the church throughout these difficult times.  You have shared the Gospel, encouraged each other, been generous in your giving, and kept each other in prayer.  You have taken to heart that being the church is more than being inside a building; it is about the mutual love and encouragement of each other as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

   Thank you for your love and commitment to Trinity and its ministry and may the Lord bless you and fill you with love and faith every day.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Brad and the Trinity Lutheran Church Council

The other night Amy and I decided to watch an old Disney movie celebrating its 60^th anniversary, a movie that I hadn’t seen named “Pollyanna.”  Now, I didn’t really care about watching the movie, if I’m being honest, but since I had forced her to watch one of my favorites in “The Princess Bride” I figured I could watch one of hers.  And as the movie played across our TV screen, I found it nice and sweet and uplifting.  I enjoyed the message of living and hope that came from Pollyanna’s interactions with the people in the town.  And then, BOOM.  It took a dark turn.

  SPOILER WARNING IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT AND IF YOU HAVEN’T IT HAS BEEN 60 YEARS SO THAT IS YOUR FAULT.  😊 All the sudden, Pollyanna falls from a tree and is paralyzed.  I was flummoxed.  I was beside myself.  This feel good movie had turned dark and turned dark fast.  Quickly.  I was upset.  I felt the movie had betrayed me. I was in disbelief.  I think Amy enjoyed my reaction.

   But as I thought about it later, what was this very Disney, very happy movie with a lightening quick dark turn, reminded me of life.  Life doesn’t always go like a happy movie.  Sometimes life takes a hard and difficult turn.  I thought about what it felt like when I was told my Dad had cancer and the times in my ministry when I’ve sat with people after like turn a hard turn.  There is disbelief.  There is sadness.  There is anger.  And there is pain, suffering, and hurt.

   Yet, life isn’t exclusively one or the other.  There are times of hurt when things are good and times of joy when things are bad.  In the midst of it all is hope.  In “Pollyanna,” the town that received hope from Pollyanna rally around her and help to restore her hope after her accident. For us, our hope is restored through our Savior Jesus Christ.  Jesus is with us, in the good and the bad, and through it all we have hope knowing that we are not alone.  No matter what happens, our loving shepherd is there for you and for all of us.

   Life is not like a movie. But sometimes movies open a window into life.  Life is full of joy.  Life is full of sorrow.  It seems to see-saw from one to another in an instant.  But in the midst of it all is our Savior.  Who weeps with us.  Who celebrates with us.  Who loves us.  And who always gives us hope.  Hold onto that hope every day and share that hope with others. 

May 17, 2020

 Dear Trinity Members,

  First off, we want to say thank you for your support of Trinity over these past two months.  We thank you for joining us for worship online, drive-thru communion, viewing and sharing videos on Facebook and YouTube, and for your generous financial support.  We are so grateful for your faith, support, and prayers and we are keeping each and every one of you in prayer as well.

  Second, you may have questions regarding when we might worship inside the sanctuary again after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ended the Stay-At-Home order.  At this time, Trinity activities will continue to remain cancelled and we will not be holding any in person worship services inside the building.  We are following guidelines set out by the Dunn County Department of Health and following strategies put forth by the ELCA, the Wisconsin Council of Churches, and the CDC. All of these strategies first and foremost are about keeping everyone as safe as possible, especially the most vulnerable amongst us.  We will continue to  worship online on Sunday mornings at 9 am and Wednesday night at 7 pm and we will have parking lot worship services on June 7 & June 21^st. We will continue to monitor everything closely and are taking steps so that when we can come together in the church building, we do so safely and appropriately.

   Until that time comes, continue to keep each other in prayer and hold each other in love, as you are held in love and prayer by all of us.  We are church together, no matter the circumstances, and Jesus Christ is walking with us giving us the hope and strength we need.  May God bless all of you and stay safe and well.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Brad and the Trinity Lutheran Church Council

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;  though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.. ‘Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.’  The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Psalm 46:1-2, 10-11

   I want to take you back to when Pastor Brad was a kid and he was sitting in the pew at First Lutheran Church in Plano, IL.  We went to church three out of every four Sundays and we always sat in the same pew and in the same order.  Towards the inside, by the center aisle, was my older sister Amy, followed by my Mom, then my twin sister Megan, then me, and my Dad was always on the end towards the outside.  But here is the thing about my Dad.  He would sit with his arm on the back of the pew, right behind me.  There were two reasons for this.  The first was that it was comfortable and I often sit like that today when I sit in a pew.  But the second, and more important reason, was so that he could quickly grab me to keep me in line.  After all, I would be sitting in my spot, squirming around and never sitting still, playing with the hymnal, the bulletin, and pencil, whatever.  Since his arm was right there, he could squeeze me to settle me down or pinch me if I wasn’t following along in the service.  But mostly it was to keep me still and quiet during worship.

   I think of that every time I hear this reading of Psalm 46.  Be still and know that I am God it says.  Be still.  That has always been hard for me, to be still, and over the years that arm sitting on the back of that pew was a comfort.  I knew my Dad was there and had my back.  He was someone I could go to talk about anything, from sports to school to girls.  He was there sometimes to rescue me when I really got my Mom mad or to put in my place when I made a big mistake.  With my Dad around, I always felt safe and secure and that everything would be ok.  Maybe you have felt that same kind of thing with your Mom or Dad or a grandparent.  That person who helped you feel safe, secure, and loved. 

   So it was a shock when, on this day 27 years ago, he died.  Our next time in church when we filed into our normal pew, there was no arm there.  The seat was empty.  I felt lost.  The one person who made feel safe and secure, the one who I looked up to and tried the emulate, the one I could talk to about anything and everything, was gone.  It was something that shook me to my core. 

   And then I felt an arm that had always been there, but I hadn’t noticed.  It was the arm of my heavenly Father, my God, who had me nice and tight.  God was my refuge and strength and my very present help in trouble.  My Savior Jesus Christ would be there to guide me, that though my foundation had been moved and had been shaken, I had nothing to fear, for God was in the midst.  God was present and always had been.  I could be still and not only remember my Father but feel my heavenly Father, my God, and my Savior Jesus Christ who forgave me of my sin and gave me new life. 

   God is our refuge and strength and very present help in trouble.  NO matter what might be shaking to your core today, your Savior, your God, lovingly has an arm around you, giving you comfort and strength.  No matter how restless you might be, or anxious, or full of worry, your loving God is there to remind you to be still.  You can be still because God has got it.  God is ready to listen to all that is going on in your life.  Your Savior Jesus Christ is there to give you love and grace and to guide you and to be a stronghold you can count on.  Take a moment and close your eyes.  Imagine God’s arm sitting right behind on the top of the pew, holding you close.  Remember: you are loved, and you have a refuge and strength for the Lord is with you.  For that we can say, “Thanks be to God!”  Amen

The other day I sat down to do some work, to start writing the daily devotions are put on video and I found that I had nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.  As I thought about working on bulletins for future services, I again found myself with no motivation.  I thought about reorganizing something in my office.  Didn’t care.  Thought about cleaning out a room in the church.  Didn’t really want to do it.  I opened up my calendar and saw all the stuff that was supposed to happen.  Baseball and softball games I was supposed to umpire.  Men’s Band concerts that have been postponed.  Smelt Feed cancelled.  I started thinking of all the stuff that WASN’T happening and I must admit I got a little frustrated.  Angry even.  Tired of having to remember my mask when I go to the post office or gas station.  Tired of having an empty church building day after day.  Tired of not knowing how long this will last.  Tired of missing so many people.  I started to wonder if anything I was doing was really important, meant anything, and was worth it.  Frankly, the only thing I really wanted to do was eat as much food as possible, but I knew I couldn’t do that without throwing away months of hard work. It was a pretty low moment. 

   In that moment I turned to my left to something that I have posted right next to my desk.  Something that means a lot to me.  Something my late father carried in his wallet.  This is what it says:

This is the beginning of a new day.  I have been given this day to use as I will.  I will use it for good, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.  When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it.  I want it to be gain, and not loss; good, and not evil; success, and not failure; in order that I shall rejoice in the price that I paid for it.

  Reading that snapped me back into focus.  Look, it is ok to be frustrated, to be sad, to grieve all that we have lost in these times.  It is ok to be angry.  But we also have a choice every day.  Reading this reminded me again of so many people who are choosing to do good in the midst of this pandemic, who are risking their lives every day to keep people safe, healthy, and society functioning.  I was reminded that we, in the words of Lou Mongello, can “choose the good.”  We can give into our anger, frustration, and grief or we can attempt to rise above it.  What will we trade a day of our life for? 

   I swore after my Dad died that I would try to live life with the above at the center of my existence.  Sadly, there are times when I have failed to live up to it.  But at the same time I have also felt the grace and forgiveness of my Savior Jesus Christ who puts me back on track.  Who reminds me that we all take up the cross to follow him and that means sacrifice for the sake of our neighbors and for the greater good.  Who reminds me that every day I am made new through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that my salvation is not dependent on my works but on what Christ has already done, which has freed me to try, to the best of my ability, to “choose the good.”  To use each day for good, gain, and success the best that I can.  To see the light shine even in the midst of darkness. To rejoice in the gift of life.

   It might seem really hard right now to rejoice in anything.  You might be filled with anger, frustration, and sadness.  Give it to the Lord.  Lay it at the foot of the cross.  And then remember that you have been given today.  Focus on today.  Choose the good. Most of all, remember that Jesus Christ has chosen to love you, save you, and be with you always.  For that we can say, “Thanks be to God!” 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:16-17

One of the new things Amy and I have gotten in recent months that I absolutely love is our air fryer. I absolutely love the air fryer. From chicken wings to pork chops, fries to steak, cheese curds to broccoli, the air fryer gets it done. Stuff comes out awesome and one weekend we used it for basically every single meal. It is simple, easy to use, and easy to clean. And sometimes, simple is the best.

The verses listed above are so simple and wide known that they can be taken for granted. Yet, they simply state the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God loves us so much that God sent Jesus to us to save us and bring us to eternal life. That’s it. Nothing more than that. Simple. Clear. Life-changing.

The simple things can be life changing. My weight loss didn’t come from a complicated diet or innovative weight loss program. It has come (and hopefully will continue to come) by doing simple things. Working out every day. Smaller food amounts at meals. Eating green stuff. Cutting out pop. Simple.

We can take the simple things for granted. It seems too easy. Too simple. But it isn’t. The simple things can be powerful. I bet many of you have been missing the simple things of life lately as some of the things we took for granted, like school, going to the store, seeing friends and family, are no longer so simple.

Jesus was sent by a loving God to save you. To forgive you. To bring you eternal life. We give praise and thanks to our God for the salvation that Jesus has won for us through his death and resurrection. It may be simple, but it is powerful. And it is needed.

I know that I need it every single day. This simple Gospel message has changed my life. Maybe it has changed your life. God loves you so much that God sent Jesus to save you. Simple. And life changing.

Sometimes in life the simple things are the best. Hold onto this most precious of simple messages, that you are loved by God and saved by God’s only Son, our Messiah Jesus Christ. Share that simple message with your family and neighbors and the whole world. Give thanks for it. Celebrate it with Alleluia’s! Live life with joy and hope because Jesus is risen and we have eternal life. For that we can say, “Thanks be to God!” 

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Brad

When we think of someone who is grieving, we think of someone who has been impacted by death, by the loss of a loved one or friend.  Grief causes all sorts of emotions: anger, depression, sadness, doubt, and more.  I know I have felt all of those things in my life when I have dealt with the loss of a loved one.  I even once punched a wall; I was so angry after a death.  I’ve said some pretty terrible things at loved ones, friends, and even God.  And there were times when I was in a deep malaise, in a funk where I did not feel like myself and full of frustration if it would ever end.

   We are grieving, my friends.  As you read this you may not have had a loved one die from COVID-19 at this time.  But we are suffering loss.  Our youth have lost being at school, of seeing friends and teachers and the comfort that comes from the routine of school.  Many are grieving that lost time and also all those experiences that we so often took for granted: concerts and plays, sports and dances, and all the rituals of school life.  

  We are grieving the loss of normalcy, of having to work from home and limit our contact.  We are grieving from seeing those we love, from family and friends. We grieve that we can’t go to the gas station or grocery store without worry or showering ourselves with hand sanitizer.  We grieve the loss of having a meal at our favorite restaurant, going to the movies, or sitting in our favorite coffee shop.  We grieve the upheaval of society and our daily lives.  We grieve the loss of control and we yearn; we ache for when we can “get back to normal.” 

   All this loss might make us angry and looking for someone or something to blame.  It might make us depressed, anxious, and fearful.  We might be getting frustrated and impatient.  We might be getting angry.  And then we see some of the phrases that are being used at this time, phrases like “Stay Safe.  Stay Strong.” Or “We are all in this together.”  We hear those phrases and then we beat ourselves up for not staying strong, for feeling like we aren’t in this together, for being angry and depressed and worried all the time.  We are grieving. 

   There is no shame in grieving.  You know who else grieved?  Jesus.  Jesus saw his friend Lazarus dead, saw the grief the poured out of his sisters, his friends, and he wept.  He wept.  Jesus saw the anger of the people who called for his death on a cross and grieved them, asked God to forgive them.  Jesus grieved.  And then Jesus brought life from death.  Lazarus was raised.  Jesus was raised so that we would have new life.  So that we would see, even in the midst of grief, hope.  Life. 

   We will not always be strong in these times.  We will grieve.  We will mourn.  But we will also endure.  We will survive.  And we will rise.  We will rise anew because Jesus has risen and because our Savior grieves with us. Weeps with us.  Comforts us.  Carries our burdens for us.  If there is one thing I have learned from all the grief I’ve had in my life it is this: Jesus is with me.  When I was angry, I felt Jesus calming me down.  When I acted horribly to those I love, Jesus brought forgiveness and helped heal those relationships.  When I wept, Jesus wept with me.  And Jesus will do the same for you.  We are grieving.  But we will arise, anew.  We will.  And Jesus will be there for us.  Always. 

Thus says the Lord: The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall take your tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit. For there shall be a day when sentinels will call in the hill country of Ephraim: “Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God. ”Jeremiah 31:2

To be honest, when you are a pastor and you are preaching on Easter, you really don’t pay much attention to the other readings outside of the Easter Gospel. Well, at least I don’t.  Maybe better pastors than I do.  The above reading was part of our Easter worship yesterday and other than copying and pasting it into the bulletin I didn’t even give it a single glance or read even a single word of it until I read it during the worship service.  And as I read it, it really struck me as appropriate for our times.

   This reading in Jeremiah is written for those who are in exile in Babylon and they are words for us who face our own exile right now.  We are exiled from our schools, jobs, churches, social gatherings, and much more.  We are coping with a reality that seems like it may extend much longer than we ever thought even a month.  We might even be going a little stir crazy and getting a little cranky.  We might be frustrated and starting to wonder if this will ever end.

   Then we hear these words of hope and promise.  We are loved with an everlasting love.  We shall be built again, we shall again sing for joy, we shall plant and harvest.  In other words, we will be restored.

   To the exiles in Babylon, these words of God from the prophet Jeremiah gave them hope that they had not been forgotten and that they would be restored again.  For us, these words remind us that we also are not forgotten and that we will also be restored.  We will again gather with friends and family in the joys of praising God at church and the joy of being together in places where we don’t have to wear masks or stand six-feet apart.  We will be built up through the activities that we so often took for granted and now would love to have again, to go to the grocery store without fear or attend a movie or sporting event or eat in the dining room of a restaurant. 

   We may be in exile right now but we will not lose hope because we have a faithful and loving God who is giving us strength and patience and reminding us that we are not alone in this.  We will be restored because our loving and gracious Savior redeems us, restores us, and strengthens us.  Hang in there, my friends, and remember that God is faithful to you and will be with you.