It’s a question I think every Christian faces, if we live long enough – “Why did

this terrible thing happen to me?” Theologians have called this the problem of

evil. We ask how can a good, loving, all-powerful God let horrible things happen?

I am going to be honest and say right now that there is no satisfactory answer to

that question this side of heaven. We go on as Christians, not because we

understand God, but because we see His true heart in Jesus our Savior. Despite

evil; we know God is good – because we see Jesus. We know God loves us –

because Jesus died and rose for us. We continue to walk, even through darkness,

because of Jesus. There is no other answer.

But there is another question that might be phrased this way: “What can God do

with this evil? What new, good thing can God create using this terrible thing?”

Remember the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery in far-away Egypt by

his jealous brothers. He worked hard, was treated badly falsely accused and

thrown into prison. He had every reason (humanly speaking) to stop trusting

God. Yet he was victorious. At last, he saw one good thing that God had brought

out of all his suffering. His family would live through the famine and they would

even prosper.

This doesn’t make what Joseph’s brothers did to him any less evil. Kidnapping is

kidnapping and selling your brother as a slave will never be on the list of good,

moral examples to imitate. But God used that evil to bring about salvation for

nearly a hundred people. From those people eventually came the whole nation of

Israel and from Israel, came our Savior Jesus Christ.

God can bring good out of our evils as well. We may not see how He can do this

right now; we may never see it in this world. That’s hard for us at times to

accept. But in the end, we know God’s true heart toward us through the life,

death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is for us. He loves us and

he will redeem all our evils.

See you in Church!

Pastor Ralph

March 2019

TRINITY CONNECTIONS

What is our purpose?

This is one of the questions posed to the Call Committee, in working through our Ministry Site Profile (MSP). This document is steadily being worked on, by our Call Committee, in hopes to finalize and present to the Congregational Council Meeting March 12th. The MSP represents our story, of who we are, what ministries are important to us, and what we want to move toward. Once approved by the Council, it will be submitted to the Synod, to help assist with candidates for interview.

In preparation to call a new Pastor, the Holy Cow Consulting survey was conducted, in April 2017. The executive summary of our Church survey noted four areas that we are and want to focus on. This will be incorporated into the MSP.

These areas are: 1. Make necessary changes to attract families with children to our church. 2. Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to reach new people and incorporate them into the life of the church. 3. Change or improve the music of the church to deepen our worship experience. 4. Develop spiritual generosity of the people to financially support the ministry of the Church.

If you are interested in the full report, there are a few copies on the activity table in the Fellowship hall or contact the church secretary.

As shared in the February Council meeting, Pastor Paul Backstrom from Gethsemane has approached Pastor Ralph with the idea of Trinity and Gethsemane, exploring the idea of a collaborative ministry. The proposal suggests three people from each Church, form an exploratory team to begin conversations on what this might look like. The concept would have each church maintaining its own building and budget. Sharing might occur, with a full-time secretary, combining youth groups with a full-time youth worker, and creation of a Vision board to project for future community ministries. Pastor Paul might be considered to aide in Pastoral care, while we pursue our call for a Pastor.

We invite your ideas, feedback, conversation and participation to explore…. What if?

Blessings to all, Rose

President’s Corner - Rose Kuebker

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” ~Proverbs 3:5-6

We are continuing to have a great time in BOLT! Thanks to the families for bringing their children to BOLT every week and sharing in God’s love. We are planning on having more fun in March! We will be singing in church on Sunday March 10 and having our annual BOLT Fun Night on Friday March 15 from 6-8pm.

Education - Kelly Browning, Chair

Mark your calendars for VBS 2019 where we will raise our game and reveal the power God’s children have through Him! The kids come to truly understand that God wants us to know Him through His Word, that he sent Jesus to save us, and we can help others know God.

Greeting BOLT Families -

BOLT has an Operation Christmas Child donation bin in the Education Wing where you can bring donations throughout the year. We packed 94 boxes this past year and we are aiming for 100 this coming year, so if you have items to donate, please bring them in anytime of the year. Each month I will share some ideas to consider donating, so this month, let’s think about Accessories.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” ~Romans 12:12

Friendly reminder that we have a Closed Facebook group where I post what is happening with BOLT on a regular basis. You can request to join here: Trinity Lutheran BOLT

BOLT will wrap on Wednesday, May 1st, with an end of the year celebration. We will start back-up in September!

Your Co-worker in Christ,

Kelly, BOLT Team Leader

Please join us June 24-27, Dinner will begin at 5:30 pm each night and is for the entire family. VBS will begin promptly at 6:00 pm with it finishing up at 7:45 pm. Every day there will be music, lessons, games, crafts, snacks, and fun. More details will be shared in the coming months, but if you are interested in volunteering, please let me know.

We had a great time celebrating Valentine’s Day with a fun night learning and sharing God’s Love. Here are some pictures from our Valentines Fun Night!

Join us on Saturday, March 30th from 2-4 pm at Feed My Starving Children in Eagan, MN packing meals to go

across the world. We have 20 spots reserved. Carpooling is available!

Please let Sarah in the church office know if you are interested in going! It is a LOT of fun!

Feed My Starving Children

SAVE THE DATE!

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27TH

AT TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

WATCH CHURCH BULLETINS FOR MORE

INFORMATION OR SIGN-UP FOR A TIME

SLOT AT REDCROSS.ORG

Wedding

Allyson McDonald & Robert Casseday

Married: February 9, 2019

Church Record - February

Thank you to all who donate to the Food Shelf, Backpack Program, Little Food Pantry and/or Grace Place. These donations continue to help individuals and families who otherwise would go without.

We have a number of opportunities in March to help those less fortunate.

Tuesday, March 5th, we will be serving Dinner (Supper) Meal at Grace Place in New Richmond. We will be serving hot dishes, salad, bread and dessert. There will be a sign-up in the Fellowship Room if you would like to donate an item (Feed needs to be at the church before 4:30 pm) and/or help set-up the buffet at Grace Place. See Marti Peterson for details.

Saturday, March 30th, we will be packing meals at Feed My Starving Children in Eagan, MN from 2-4 pm. We have 20 spots reserved. Please sign-up early. See Sarah Pommerening for details.

Don’t forget to go to Dad’s Belgium Waffles at SCC High School on Sunday, March 10th, from 8:30-12:30 pm. Proceeds go to SCC Suicide Prevention.

Thank you, Lord. Please let this day be full of thankfulness. Amen.

Blessings,

Marti Peterson

Mission & Human Needs - Marti Peterson, Chair

QUILTER’S CORNER

March 14th and 28th will be knot tying days in the

quilt room. We start at 9am and we will teach

anyone who wants to learn how to tie knots on

our Lutheran World Relief quilts. After we get the

knots tied, we adjourn to the library for snacks,

coffee and fellowship. Please consider joining us

in March.

March 16th is National Quilting Day. Our quilters

have a lot to celebrate. There are hundreds of

people in Wisconsin and the whole world who

have received the gift of love thru a quilt.

MARCH

3

MARCH

6 MARCH

10

MARCH

13

MARCH

17

MARCH

20

MARCH

24

MARCH

27

MARCH

31

GREETERS S & N Post Doornink’s Kathy

Gustafson S & J

Peterson

A & J Owens

Kathy

Gustafson

Ushers (2) Youth

and/or Adults

B. Johnson

Reader

Acolyte Mitchell Larson

Mitchell Larson

Power Point

S. Peterson

Sound Tech

Communion Helpers

+ + + +

Communion Set Up

Worship Team

+ +

Worship

Team + +

Bread Baker

+ + + +

Offering Counter (2)

Bulletin Sponsors

To Sponsor a Bulletin, please see Betty Johnson BOLT Sponsors

Fellowship Servers

Team I-Sue Bork

Team K-

Bruce & Jo Moll

Team L-Ron & Glenda Pratt

Team A-Jill & Kirk Lyksett

Team B-Todd &

Deb Henry

Exterior Property

Team

Team #13-Myke

LaVenture

Team #13-Myke

LaVenture

Team #13-Myke

LaVenture

Team #13-Myke

LaVenture

Team #1-Hodenfield

Family

Team #1-Hodenfield

Family

Team #1-Hodenfield

Family

Team #1-Hodenfield

Family Team #2-

March Ministry Calendar

Please consider how you might do God’s work with your hands. Sign up at the Communication Corner or call the church office. Instruction available for every role & a reminder call or email a few days before your commitment.

March 3rd BULLETIN: WELCA March 10th BULLETIN: Happy 100th Birthday Lillian from your grandchildren and great grandchildren. Flowers on the altar: In honor of Lillian’s birthday March 17th BULLETIN: No Sponsor March 24th BULLETIN: No Sponsor March 31st BULLETIN: Vera Grant in celebration of Marla’s Birthday.

Do you have a special day, memory or event coming up?

Sign up to be a bulletin sponsor in 2019! Call (715-497-8086), email (alsgal63@baldwin-telecom.net)

or talk to Betty Johnson at church! Only $8.00!!

See Betty Johnson to sponsor a bulletin! Just $8.00! March Bulletin Sponsors

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

31 1 2

9:00am Worship

10:15am Coffee Fellowship

8am-2:30pm Hammond

Library

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

9:00am Worship w/Holy Communion

10:15am Coffee Fellowship 2:30pm Girl Scout Troop

5:00 pm Grace Place

Dinner 5:30-7 pm Fat

Tuesday Pancake Supper

6:30-8pm Boy Scouts

6:30pm BOLT

6:30pm Ash Wednesday

Worship

8am-2:30pm Hammond

Library

1-5 pm 100th Celebration

7am-5pm Walking

Together, UW-Eau Claire

7am-5pm Christ Jam Middle

School Youth Event, UW-Eau

Claire

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Daylight Savings Time

Starts 8:30-12:30pm Dad’s

Belgium Waffle Breakfast at SCC High School

9:00am Worship

Food Shelf Sunday 10:15am Coffee Fellowship

6:30-8pm Cub

Scouts

7:00pm Council Meeting

9:00am

Jumpstart!

6:30pm BOLT

6:30pm Lenten Worship

9:00am Quilting

8am-2:30pm Hammond

Library

6-8pm BOLT Fun Night

9:00 am National Quilting Day

event at Shepherd of the

Valley, Afton, MN

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

St. Patrick’s Day 9:00am Worship w/Holy

Communion

10:15am Coffee Fellowship

Newsletter items due!

10:00am Heritage Worship

6:30pm BOLT

6:30pm Lenten Worship

8am-2:30pm Hammond

Library

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

9:00am Worship

10:15am Coffee Fellowship 10:15am Youth Meeting 3:00pm Girl Scout Troop

10am

Newsletter Folding

6:30pm Cub

Scouts

7:00pm Endowment

Team

9:00am

Jumpstart!

6:30pm BOLT

6:30pm Lenten Worship

9:00am Quilting

8am-2:30pm Hammond

Library

2-4pm Feed My Starving Children,

Eagan, MN

March Calendar of Events

“It’s not luck… it’s God’s favor. From the fullness of his grace we have all received

one blessing after another.” ~John 1:16

WELCA – Kathy Jensen, Chair

Youth - Christine Pommerening, Chair

Property & Grounds - Laurie Posey, Chair

WELCA will have a meeting in April to finish planning our calendar for 2019. Date to be set soon and it will be after church at 10:30am. ALL women are welcome!

One pair of Hands, Kathy

As February is blessing us with lots of snow, I’d like to remind the

Exterior Property Committee to ensure the sidewalk is shoveled

the full length of the sidewalk that runs along the parking lot. We

have lots of activities happening at the church throughout the week

and it’s important for the safety of all attending events at the

Church that the sidewalk is safely accessible.

As always, if you spot an issue that needs addressing, please let

myself or the church office know so we can address the situation

timely.

Thanks much & enjoy the rest of winter! ~Laurie Posey

As January 31, 2019 Financial Overview Year-to-date:

Income Total $10,255.23

Expense Total $16,098.47

Total Income $-5,843.24

Month of January Financial Overview:

Beginning Checkbook Balance $23,488.54

Ending Checkbook Balance $17,645.30

All bills were paid for the month of January.

Coffee Chat with the Treasurer

Trinity’s youth are heading to a

Women’s Minnesota Gopher

Basketball game on Sunday, March

3rd.

Our Confirmation Students will be

heading to Christ Jam on Saturday,

March 9th. We are lucky to have

these High School youth on the

Synod Youth Board: Hunter

Feyereisen, Karter LaVenture and

Mandi Wilberg.

We are looking to schedule an

overnight in April.

Next meeting will be on Sunday,

March 24th after worship! Agenda

to include: planning an overnight and

a service project! Bring your ideas!

Remember: The youth will meet the

4th Sunday after worship every

month! Grades 6-12 are welcome!

Bring your friends and ideas! Hope

to see you there!

Excited to serve, Christine

The Tuesday Community Supper is served the first Tuesday of every month at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, 1350 Florence Street, Baldwin, Wisconsin. This is a free meal open to anyone in the community, served from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Area churches, businesses and organizations take turns preparing and serving good nutritious food every month.

First Reformed Church will be preparing and serving the meal on Tuesday, March 5th, 2019. The menu is hamburger/corn hot dish, lettuce salad, buns and fruit crisp.

Tuesday Community Supper

In attendance: Rose Kuebker, Kathy Jensen, Betty Jacobson, Laurie Posey, Susan Frank, Sarah Pommerening and Ron Pratt by phone. Absent: Pastor Ralph Olsen, Deb Henry, Tim Haugen (Kelly Browning), Christine Pommerening, Marti Peterson, Becky Fowler Call to order: Rose Kuebker called the meeting to order at 6:34pm (No quorum was attained.) Devotions: given by Rose Kuebker from Christ in our home booklet. Remember who you are. Welcome New Council Member: Becky Fowler: This will be done at the March Council Meeting. Review Minutes: January Council meeting minutes were reviewed by the group and will be approved at the March Council meeting. In the Pastor’s report, we need to change one Sunday to two Sunday’s.

Treasurer’s Report: Sarah Pommerening shared the January report. The ending checkbook balance is: $17,645.30. Deb is learning the processes of Treasurer. Questions were asked about some of the expenses, and asked for more detail as far as expense reimbursements to help better understand.

Youth Audit update: We are waiting on a couple of receipts for the Youth Audit to be completed. Another youth dropped off a partial payment, waiting on rest of their payment. One youth and adult still need to pay for a total of about $400.

ELCA: one-hour webinar February 21st on Finances: Jennifer Haugen is signed up to do this one-hour webinar. We needed to register by February 15th, it might not be too late to sign-up if you are interested.

Pastor’s Report: Pastor Ralph had a bunch of documents to share. Those that were not in attendance, the documents are in your mailboxes. They were also going to be attached to an email to council members. Pastor Ralph has Pastor Backstrom from Gethsemane covering Pastoral care while he is on vacation from February 23rd - March 4th. Pastor Jerry Malak is covering service on Sunday, February 24th and Pastor Kristin Kelleher is covering service on Sunday, March 3rd. Update on Red Lake Mission Trip, there are currently 4 going, with availability of 15 to go, must be at least 14 years old to go. The cost is $429.00 per person. Also, we talked about possibly exploring the idea of collaborative ministry with Gethsemane, maintaining separate buildings and budgets, but sharing a youth worker, education opportunities and joining Confirmation classes. More information to come. OLD BUSINESS Review Constitution and By-laws: Chapter 12: This will be done at the March Council Meeting.

Committee Meeting Minutes need to be filed in Church office: Rose asked that committees make sure they are taking minutes when they meet and that they send a copy of their minutes to the church office, so they can show record of what/when the committees are meeting.

Stewardship Update: No update at this time.

Upcoming Property Usage and Agreements on file: No upcoming Property Usage for March. We do now have on file the Cub Scout Property agreement for the rest of the school year.

ELCA: EPIC Training: To be discussed at the March Council meeting, possibly pull a team together after Church on a Sunday and meet for one-hour?

Walking Together 2019: March 9th/Council Interest: Please let the church office know if you are interested in going.

Endowment Team Members: Team will be meeting on March 26, 2019 with John Levi. Kirk Hodnefield, Lance Olson, Sue Bork, Jill Lyksett and Deb Henry. >continued on next page.

Trinity Council Minutes for February 19, 2019 (Unofficial)

Trinity Office Hours will be 9am-12(noon) and

2:30-6pm.

FOOD PANTRY UPDATE

Next Food Shelf Sunday is: March 10

Thank you for helping others in need!

Properties: Change of Insurance final action: Laurie reported no action will be taken at this time,

due to the insurance payment being made in January already. Xcel Energy Rate comparison: Laurie contacted Xcel, we do not qualify for any programs because we are business and have a large usage of electricity. We can check for rebates for lighting and have a person come and Audit to see if we could make any changes in the building to help cut down the cost.

NEW BUSINESS VOTE: Vice President and recording Secretary: Moved to the March Council Meeting Committee Updates: Nothing to report Open: Nothing to report Closed with the Lord’s Prayer at 7:40 pm. Respectfully submitted by Sarah Pommerening, Office Secretary

YOU ARE INVITED!!

Lillian Jorgenson will be celebrating 100 birthdays on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at Trinity from Noon to 4 pm. Please come wish Lillian 100 Happy years. Please no gifts or cards. If you

wish to support Lillian's favorite cause the Saint Croix Central

Backpack Program. Examples of foods that the Backpack Program needs are peanut butter, canned

meats, canned vegetables and canned fruits.

Hope to see you on the 9th.

Trinity Council Minutes continued

Join us on Tuesday, March 5th from 5:30 – 7:00 pm for all you can eat pancakes. Free Will offering. Money raised will help the Trinity Youth headed on the Red Lake

Mission trip this July!

Fat Tuesday

Pancake

Supper

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