April Monthly Newsletter
Prayer Vigil
“The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” James 5:16b. As Christians, we have the great blessing of talking to our gracious God and asking for and receiving blessings from Him.
On Saturday, May 11th, Trinity will be open from 7 am to 6 pm for those who wish to participate in an eleven-hour prayer vigil that will be in the chapel. You can have the opportunity to offer up not only your needs and thanksgivings to the Throne of Grace, but also the needs and thanksgivings of others.
If you want to participate, you can sign up on the sheet that is in the hallway. There are eleven hour-long time slots. If you wish to team up with others for a particular slot, you are welcome to do so.
Especially for those who have never done this sort of thing before, brief notes will be available to guide you during your hour. Resources such as prayer books, devotional books, and hymnals will be provided for your use. Also, you will have available to you written prayer requests that people will be able to submit prior to the 11th so that you can pray for those needs.
The vigil will begin at 7 am on the 11th with a brief service led by me.
In Christ,
Pastor Klein
A Day To Be Remembered!
What has been the most IMPORTANT event in your life---a day to be remembered and treasured??? Most of us don’t even remember this day; the day we became a member of God’s Kingdom, THE DAY OF OUR BAPTISM!!
In an effort to help Trinity members reflect and “remember,” Trinity is honoring the baptismal birthdays of our members. On the last Sunday of each month, members, young and old, who were baptized during that month can sit together, enjoy a treat and, perhaps, share stories during the fellowship hour.
We do have the dates of baptism for most of our members; but, if we missed yours, please let us know so we don’t miss it again. Any questions and/or dates, please contact the church office: 645-4438.
Arise and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Acts 2:16
Baptism doth also now save us. I Peter 3:21
April Baptisms Anniversaries
Barbara Anderson Mike Aurich
Paul Childers Brent Klein
David Knudtson Deana Kraft
Jason Kukacka Myleen Maurer
Sheila Roehrick Tony Schmidtke
Craig Schuster Joshua Wagner
FROM THE TREASURER
February Home Fund Budget Status Report
Home Fund Balance on February 1, 2024 $23,918.77
February Home Fund Contributions $15,556.86
Designated Giving* $14,315.00
Loose Plate Giving** $83.86
Rental Property Fund $1,158.00
February Home Fund Expenses $21,662.37
Home Fund Balance on February 29, 2024 $17,813.26
* Includes giving by people who use offering envelopes and e-giving
**Includes giving by people without offering envelopes
Trinity Fund Report
In February of 2024, the Trinity Fund received $2600.00 for pew Bibles given in honor or memory of loved ones, for a net cost to date of $726.00.
CHURCH COUNCIL MINUTES
Trinity Lutheran Church
March 7, 2024
Call to Order 820pm
Opening Prayer 820pm
Review of Minutes – reviewed / motion made / seconded / passed.
Financial Statement
A couple of months into the year, home fund dropped some in Jan/Feb, March was good so far.
Motion made / second / approved. Have 29 (or more) memorial donations to offset pew Bible costs. Names will be placed within the bibles and placed into pews in the near future.
Old Business
Carpeting done. Face boarding is almost done. Painting is almost done as well.
Nominating committee – following positions need filling:
Board of Elders
Congregational secretary
Board of education
Treasurer (term is up, Barb Anderson willing to renew for second term)
New Business
Email from church member – possibility of converting library into library room only verses meeting room too. How often would this be used? Get additional information regarding how the group is thinking of setting up the library. John Greenfield to contact person.
Group in Northfield – Northfield concerned voters. Looking for a new meeting place. We will contact our Alliance defending Freedom service for direction. Pastor Klein to contact them.
Reports
Pastor Klein
Mostly will be covered in Elders minutes.
Pastor Boehme
Big thank you for prayers, cards, concerns.
Will be preaching at various services – including:
March 29th - Good Friday 2pm & 730pm (volunteers still required to assist with 730pm service)
April 9,10,11 – speaking at a theological conference in Twin Cities
April 16 – speaking at LWML zone rally, Blue Earth MN (evening)
May 5,6,7 – speaking at a theological conference by Springfield, IL
May 15-18 – Fort Wayne, IN (celebrating 50th annual anniversary of Pastor ordination).
Received a packet of photographs – if anyone would like to stop by and view….. construction of the additions to Trinity Church
Lisa
Past Activities:
All Church Bunco Night = 31 people and lots of fun!
Joyful Jar Soup Assembly = 9 youth and 4 adults
Valentines Dinner Helping = 10 youth
Serving Fellowship Hour Treats & Super Bowl Submarine Sandwich/Joyful Jar Soup Sale = 11 youth
Youth Night followed by Ash Wednesday Worship = 4 youth
All Church Bingo and Potluck Lunch = 28 people attended
Upcoming Activities:
· March 10; 10:00-10:30 – Mission Trip People Serving Fellowship Hour
· March 10; 10:30-11:30 – Youth Teach Children’s Sunday School
· March 13; 6:30-7:45 – Youth Night and Lent Worship
· March 24; 3:00-5:00 – All Church Bowling
· March 29: 3-4pm or 5:30-7:00pm – Lent Meditation Walk
· March 30; Easter Breakfast Setup
· March 31; Easter Breakfast
· April 5; 5:30pm – Women’s Mystery Dinner in the Fellowship Hall at Church
· April 10; 6:30-7:30pm – Youth Night – Shopping for First Responders
· April 14: 5:30-7:00 – First Responders Thank You Service Project
Working with a few people to host a Good Friday Lent Meditation Walk upstairs on Friday, March 29.
Preparing for the 3rd Annual Women’s Mystery Dinner Party (80’s Prom Theme) to be held April 5, 2024
Working with Youth Mission Trip Teams (Idaho and Costa Rica) and will soon begin plans for Rochester Servant Event
Scheduling Worship Tech Volunteers to record live worship services. The new schedule is complete through September 2024.
Serving as the “Member at Large” for the Minnesota South District DCE Board. We are helping with the District’s “Go First” Conference, to be held on Saturday, April 20. This is like “Best Practices”.
Elders
Old Business:
Prayer Vigil scheduled for May 11th. Discussion around a draft of an article we can include in both the weekly and the monthly. And a better explanation to the congregation of the process. Go with in / out box. Pick one out, once completed, place in outbox. Once completed, then can start over again (hopefully with next group). announcement kick-off right after Easter – first part of April. Place in weekly, announce at service. Create a card template to be used for prayer petition. Then eventually the sign-up sheet for people to pick / chose times to pray for the petitions.
New Business
Motion made / second / passed to transfer out – Roger and Sheryl Trebelhorn to Shepherd of the Lakes, Forsythe, MO.
Motion made / second / passed for Pastor Klein vacation May 16-22.
Dana Criswell, church secretary, requested desktop computer replacement. Brought to the technology committee to begin reviewing options.
Discussion of sound system with various hearing aids used by members. What technology / sound adjustments can be made. Send this request to the technology committee for review.
Josh Wagner
MN South District - Synod Initiatives (hand out)
Go First (hand out)
Life Together
Soul Care
Outreach
Collaboration
Upcoming conference: Josh would like to coordinate a group to attend.
Go First! Ministry Conference, April 19-20, 2024, King of Kings, Roseville, MN.
Over 40 sessions, led mostly by laity people.
Kurt to write something in the weekly announcement.
Announcements at the end of the service from various people.
Discussion with others during fellowship hour.
Education
Sunday school service project on Palm Sunday – plant seed kit / personal cards for shut-ins
Finalizing Sunday School teachers for remainder of the year.
Small amount of discussion on VBS
Camp Omega funds are available.
Playground committee – Meeting March 20th, continue with work / funding (city grant was not accepted for funding).
Board member going out and possibilities of new members coming in.
Tech committee
Network update.
Nothing new for the network.
Wireless Mics (for Pastors)
M1 (used mostly by Pastor Boehme) old / intermittent.
Prices were around $600…. Table purchasing for future time.
Sound System – contacted Sam and reviewed various options.
Video camera for chapel - $549
AVKANS NDI PTZ Camera, 20X HDMI PTZ Camera with IP Live Streaming for Church Worship Live Events, PoE Support, 1080P 60fps
Use this camera as a test camera for chapel. If it functions well, then future upgrade for sanctuary cameras.
Live Stream: Better sound quality
Meet with Sam Mastin to further investigate what is causing the interference.
Advise on options to recommend improving the streaming quality.
Office Computer
Church secretary desktop – about 7 years old. Begin shopping around for replacement.
Live streaming notebook – about 3 years old? Replace with more powerful computer to perform live streaming with higher optics – HDMI, 1080P 60fps cameras.
Fellowship
Easter baskets for kids during Easter service
Meeting next week to review suggestions from the suggestion box.
Trustees
Email to city regarding the city for the upcoming street project. Will be losing 9 parking places.
Stewardship
Offering envelopes ordered for 2025 (before going to their full price
Missions
No members present.
Adjourn 915pm
Luther’s Evening Prayer
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Whose Is It Anyway?
If you have every bought or sold a house, you are acquainted with the concept of a “title search.” Before you can sell your house, and before anyone else will feel comfortable putting down the money to buy it, you have to prove that you really own it. So a title company looks through the public records to ensure that you bought it from the person who really owned it, who bought it from the person who really owned it before that, all the way back to the earliest records of your state, including when your state was only a territory or colony of England.
Peak into a preschool classroom during playtime and you’ll see a simplified version of this. A child starts playing with a ball, but another child says, “That’s mine: I had it first.”
You can’t understand the Seventh Commandment without understanding this concept of ownership or title. As the Small Catechism puts it:
You shall not steal. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.
Your neighbor’s possessions are his: you don’t have a right to take them. And likewise, your possessions are yours. Ownership and property rights are foundational to any functioning society.
But there is something deeper to know about ownership, and that is the question of who has the title and ownership to you? Paul says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19–20).
If you yourself are owned by God, then of course everything that you own, you really only possess by God’s leave: all of it, at bottom, belongs to Him since you belong to Him. For you were bought with the blood of Christ.
This notion is the foundation of all Christian stewardship. It all belongs to God. It should all be used for things that bring honor to His name, blessings to our neighbors and the extension of His kingdom.
lcms.org/stewardship
TRINITY NEWS
BOOK CLUB
The Book Club will be reading the following books and meeting to discuss each book on the first Monday of each month. Everyone is welcome. We begin at 10:00 am.
“The Floating Girls” by Lo Patrick - April 1, 2024
“The Sunday Philosophy Club” by Alexander McCall Smith - May 6
“The Berry Pickers” by Amanda Peters - June 3, 2024
LWML FARIBAULT ZONE RALLY
The Spring Women in Mission Gathering of the Faribault Zone Lutheran Women’s Missionary League will meet Saturday, April 20, here at Trinity. Registration and brunch are at 8:30 - 9:15 am and the program is from 9:30 - 11:30 am. Registration fee is $10.00 and includes the brunch. The theme is: “Peace...Not as the World Gives” (John 14:27). The speaker is Ruthie Wagner, Lutheran Bible Translators - St. Louis, MO. Ruthie is a third-generation missionary and grew up in Bangladesh. At Bible School, she felt called to love people by giving them the Bible in languages they know best. Ruthie and her husband, Josh, have worked with Bible Translation and Scripture Engagement in Sierra Leone. Now she is working remotely and travels from Minnesota to a Bible Translation project in Tanzania, facilitating training and mentoring for the Kerewe translation team. Spring gathering attendees are encouraged to donate an “ingathering gift” to the Food Shelf. Items to donate can be Diapers sizes 5, 6, or 7; Baby Wipes; Personal Hygiene Products: Shampoo, Toothpaste, Household Items (Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Dish Soap, Laundry Soap, Cleaning Products). All women interested are welcome to attend.
MONDAY LUNCH AND BINGO
Please come to the Fellowship Hall on Monday, April 22nd, at 11:30 a.m. for a delicious soup lunch, followed by Bingo games and fun prizes. Everyone is welcome to come! There is no cost to participate and no signup sheet. The lunch and Bingo games are hosted by the Fellowship Committee.
PLAYGROUND UPDATE
Spring is here! The playground committee is excited to move forward with
Phase 2 of the playground update. Phase 2 will include fresh ground cover on the other half of the playground, a gaga ball pit, and fun gross motor items for the kids. The committee is asking for your continued support by donating old kitchen items (pots/pans/large spoons) or other noise making items that can be added to our music wall. We are also accepting monetary donations to cover some of the expense for the bigger items. Please contact the playground committee if you have any questions.
Audry Hovland, Erin Nybakke, Julie Nybakke, Lisa Martinson
FIRST RESPONDERS SERVICE PROJECT
Sunday, April 14 our youth will be assembling “Thank You” packages for our Northfield First Responders. Donations of items and funds to purchase items are gladly accepted. There are over 100 first responders in our ar ea. Please consider that when you are donating items. Ideas include – coffee/tea packets, lip balm, drink packets, candy, chips, trinkets, gift cards, money, games, books, puzzles, or anything you think an adult would enjoy receiving form a youth group. If you are donating funds for the youth to purchase items, please do so before we go shopping on Wednesday, April 10. Talk with Lisa Martinson if you have any questions.
WEDNESDAY DINNERS RESUME
The Wednesday dinners in the Fellowship Hall will resume on April 3rd and continue through May 22nd. Dinner begins at 6:00 and everyone is welcome. There is a free will offering basket to help cover food costs, but all are welcome regardless of their ability to contribute. Come to eat with Trinity friends, old and new, and take a night off from cooking. Please talk to Barb Anderson if you have questions about the dinners or dietary requirements.
Join Us for Vacation Bible School This Summer – July 15-18, 2024
*Whenever I'm afraid, I put my trust in YOU!*
Through camp stories, Vacation Bible School will teach campers to put their trust in God! This VBS program invites children on an exciting journey where they learn to trust God no matter what situation life brings, know God is always with them, and feel confident in sharing the good news of God's love through Jesus Christ.
Children who are 4 years old (potty-trained) through 4th grade are invited to attend this year's VBS. Students entering 5th grade and older are encouraged to volunteer. Adults, we need your help too! Just click go to our VBS sign up page and click on the volunteer button to sign up. www.myvbs.org/trinitynorthfield/
See you in July!
Audry Hovland, Sherry Schwaab & Lisa Martinson
APRIL 2024 READINGS
April 7 - The Second Sunday of Easter
Acts 4:32-35
1 John 1:1 - 2:2
John 20:19-31
April 14 - The Third Sunday of Easter
Acts 3:11-21
1 John 3:1-7
Luke 24:36-49
April 21 – The Fourth Sunday of Easter
Acts 4:1-12
1 John 3:16-24
John 10:11-18
April 28 -The Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts 8:26-40
1 John 4:1-21
John 15:1-8
DCE LISA'S PAGE
Challenge for Youth: Memorize Bible Verses – we changed things up a little bit and will be learning verses alphabetically:
March 31-April 6 (M): My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him (Psalm 62:1).
April 7-13 (N): Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1).
April 14-20: (O): O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you (Psalm 63:1).
April 21-27 (P): Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name (Psalm 103:1).
April 28-May 4 (Q): A quiet spirit is of great worth in God’s sight. (1 Peter 3:4).
Signing up for Youth Events: If there is a signup deadline for youth events, the signup sheet will be on the youth bulletin board in the main entrance hallway. It’s always helpful to have people sign up ahead of time so that we can plan for any transportation, food, or supply needs.
Youth Sunday School Schedule – for students in grades 5 and up. We are discussing our way through the book of Genesis - its content, context, and mostly about the message it conveys to us today. Bring a beverage and treat from downstairs… and don’t forget your Bible. We are currently meeting at the table in the office.
Youth Teaching Children’s Sunday School – Our last Sunday to teach the Children’s Sunday School class is Sunday, April 14.
Rochester Servant Event (RSE) Interest/Informational Meeting will be on Thursday April 4 from 6:30-7:00pm. I will meet with those who want information about RSE and/or those who are interested in attending. If you are interested but cannot make this meeting, please let me know. RSE will be from Sunday, June 9-Thursday, June 13. We are adding an extra night at the end to enjoy time with our hostess and spend some prayer/devotional/sharing time before heading home on Thursday morning. This is for youth who will be 11 and older by June 9.
First Responders Event – We will again be packing gifts for our Northfield Area First Responders (Police, Fire, Ambulance). In addition to collecting items from you and our church members, we will again shop for items at the Dollar Store. Shopping will take place on Wednesday, April 10 from 6:30-7:30pm. (Adult drivers will be needed.) Packing will take place on Sunday, April 14 from 5:30-7:00pm. We will have a pizza supper during packing time. This is for all youth age 9-18.
Northfield Women’s Center Spring Gala is coming up on Thursday, April 18. We had several youth serve last year and we will do the same again this year. I will not be available to help again, so it would be very helpful if a few adults would consider going to the event and watching the youth. Youth servers are asked to arrive before 5:15pm and are also asked to wear a white top and black pants. Please let me know if you can help so the Women’s Center can plan for you.
SKY ZONE DATE IS SET We will travel to Sky Zone in Eagan on Friday, May 3 for a 90 minute jump time starting at 7:30. The cost for Sky Zone is $30 and includes 90 minutes of jump time plus the necessary Sky Zone socks. If you already have specific Sky Zone Socks, your cost is $26. We will leave church at 5:30pm and stop on the way for supper (location TBA). I will pay for all youth age 18 and younger for supper and all drivers. All non-driver participants over 18 will need to purchase their own meal. Please RSVP by April 15 to reserve your spot. When you RSVP please let me know how many jumpers and also what size socks are needed (Toddler -5-9; Child -10-13; Small - 1-4; Medium - 5-6; Large - 7-9; Extra Large - 10-14).
Service Project at the Northfield Women’s Center on Sunday, May 19 from 5:30-7:00pm. This time was set by the Women’s Center and I will be out of town so adults are definitely needed to help. We will meet at the Women’s Center at 5:30 and help with cleaning, sorting, and organizing. Also, this is the height of their annual Diaper Drive so in addition to asking you to bring a pack of diapers for them, I’m sure we’ll be sorting diapers too. This is for all youth age 9-18.
Mission Trip Notes:
For all Costa Rica and Idaho participants.
Fundraising events (Mile of Pennies, Serving Fellowship Hour Treats on April 14; Sponsor-A-Day Fundraiser in May; Serving Fellowship Hour Treats on May 5; Scooping for Tips (June Date TBA).
Send out your sponsor letters (optional).
I will be meeting with Julie and Ruthie about a Service Fundraiser – details will be sent soon.
I will be meeting with Julianna about a Pizza Fundraiser – also, details will be sent out soon.
Costa Rica Specific:
*April 7–$300 per person (Zero if you personally purchased your airline tickets)
April 31 - $300 per person
May 26 - $300 per person – or less if balance with fundraisers and sponsor money is below that
June 30 – Balance remaining after fundraisers and sponsor money deposits
Idaho Specific:
*April 7 – 10:30am Meeting and $125 per person.
April 31 – 10:30am Meeting and $125 per person
May 26 - $100 per person – or less if balance with fundraisers and sponsor money is below that
June 30 – Balance remaining after fundraisers and sponsor money deposits.
Calendar of Events (in addition to Sunday School):
April 4; 6:30pm – Rochester Servant Event Informational Meeting
April 5; 5:30pm – Women’s Mystery Dinner in the Fellowship Hall at Church
April 7: 10:30am – Idaho Mission Trip Meeting
April 10; 6:30-7:30pm – Youth Night – Shopping for First Responders
April 14: 10:30am – Youth Teach Children’s Sunday School
April 14: 5:30-7:00 – First Responders Thank You Service Project
April 18: 5:15 -?? – Northfield Women’s Center Spring Gala Serving
May 3: 5:30-9:30pm – SkyZone Youth Night
May 19: 5:30-7:00pm – Youth Serving at the Northfield Women’s Center
WORSHIP CAMERA OPERATOR SCHEDULE
Sunday, April 7, 2024 - Erin & Jared Nybakke
April 14 - Brent Casmey
April 21 - Josh Wagner
April 28 - Olivia Voigt
May 5 - Amy Klein
May 12 - Becky DeMann
May 19 - Erin & Jared Nybakke
CHURCH VACUUMING SCHEDULE
March 31 to April 6 - Brent Casmey
April 7 to 13 - Rob & Colleen Gottsch
April 14 to 20 - John Pfeiffer
April 21 to 27 - Jim & Kay Koch
April 28 to May 4 - John Greenfield
May 5 to 11 - Tony & Bobbi Schmidtke
GREETER SCHEDULE
April 7 - Larry & Joan Pralle
April 14 - The Wagners -Josh, Ruthie, Elijah, Josiah, Isaiah, Lizzie
April 21 - Jim & Kay Koch
April 28 - David, Jackie, & Grace Ohmann
ACOLYTE SCHEDULE
April & May 2024
April 7 -
April 14 - Morgan Voigt
April 21 - Elijah Wagner
April 28 - Morgan Voigt
May 5 - Dorothy Hovland
May 12 - Elijah Wagner
May 19 - Morgan Voigt
May 26 - Elijah Wagner
TRINITY COMMUNION ASSISTANTS
April 2024
April 7 - John Pfeiffer
April 14 - Pastor Boehme
April 21 - Craig Schuster
April 28 - Lisa Martinson
May 5 - Tony Schmidtke
USHER SCHEDULE
April 7 - Group A
April 14 - Group B
April 21 - Group C
April 28 - Group D
Group A - Ray Larson, Dave Downhour, Ray Ozmun, Larry Pralle
Group B - Tom Pumper, Jeff and Holly Ciffra, Jackie Ohmann
Group C - Kurt Anderson, Brent Casmey, Russell Kraft, Jim Koch
Group D - John Greenfield, Josh Wagner, Jesse Hinz, Kevin Mortensen, Sheldon Volkert
Group E - David, Erin, and Jared Nybakke, Jonathan Ohmann, Martin Ohmann, David Ohmann
Group F - Tony and Bobbi Schmidtke, Grant Hovland, John Pfeiffer
Group G - Craig and Kathy Schuster, Jim Grieser, Jeff Martinson
Group H - Dan Wett, Rudy, Myleen, and Ashlie Maurer, Rob Gottsch, Jim Frederick
APRIL VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE
PLEASE NOTE: If these times do not work for you, please remember that it is your responsibility to find a replacement or someone to switch with. (Special services are in bold, italics.)
WORSHIP ASSISTANTS USHERS CAMERAS
April 7 - John Pfeiffer Group A Erin & Jared Nybakke
April 14 - Pastor Boehme Group B Brent Casmey
April 21 - Craig Schuster Group C Josh Wagner
April 28 - Lisa Martinson Group D Olivia Voigt
ACOLYTE
April 7 -
April 14 - Morgan Voigt
April 21 - Elijah Wagner
April 28 - Morgan Voigt
GREETERS
April 7 - Larry & Joan Pralle
April 14 - The Wagner’s - Josh, Ruthie, Elijah, Josiah, Isaiah, Lizzie
April 21 - Jim & Kay Koch
April 28 - David, Jackie, & Grace Ohmann
SNOW SHOVELING
March 31 to April 6 - David Nybakke
April 7 to 13 - Josh Wagner
ALTAR GUILD COUNTERS
Brenda Niebuhr, Mary Ozmun Deb & Karl Thomforde
Darlene Larson Brenda & Kraig Niebuhr
