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STAFF

Pastor Nathan Luong Home: 507-794-5641 Cell: 651 274-4529

pastor@trinity sleepyeye.org

Parish Administrative Secretary

Darlene Brummund Home: 507-276-8013

secretary@trinity sleepyeye.org

Financial Secretary Pat Stevermer

Home: 507-794-7112 finance@trinity sleepyeye.org

Music Director Mary Mulry

Home: 507 227-9880 music@trinity sleepyeye.org

Educational Director Julia Coulson

507 227-1593 education@trinity

sleepyeye.org

Youth Director Maren Sellner 507 661-0097 youth@trinity sleepyeye.org

Custodian Alex Lazatin

In This Issue Pastor Nate…. 2 WELCA… 4 Daily Bible Readings… 4 Stewardship…. 5 Children, Youth and Family News…. 6-7 This & That… 8 Parish Report… 9 Worship Assistants… 10 Calendar… 11

The Trinity Tidings Trinity Lutheran Church

217 Brackenridge SW, Sleepy Eye, MN Phone: 507-794-5051

Web: www.trinitysleepyeye.org

Vol. 51 May 2019 No. 5

Worship Schedule Sunday Worship 9:00 am

Education/Fellowship Hour 10:00 am

Trinity’s Mission Statement We are a community where Jesus is Lord: our mission is to invite, welcome,

nurture, and equip all people to be disciples in His name.

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There are certainly a lot of new, great things happening here at Trinity. I think I’m still in the “new” phase of my career here, but the “newness” goes beyond me. We hired a new youth director, we have new ministry programs starting and even more on the horizon. We have many new people who have joined the church. We’re starting new traditions and trying new things in worship. We’re looking at renovating some spaces within the church and making them new as well. I firmly believe it is a new day at Trinity and it is really exciting.

To capture that feeling and that momentum, we’ve also come up with a new logo for our church. To some, this may seem like a trivial thing, but I don’t think so. Part of my history was working in marketing, both for at TV station and for the Minnesota Wild. I’ve learned in those experiences just how important our branding is. It matters what image we put out there, and how we talk about our church. Given that, I thought it might be helpful to take some time to introduce you to the new logo, and to explain how it came about and what it means.

Given that background, when I arrived at Trinity last fall, I wanted to take a look at how we brand ourselves. I asked the question, “What are we putting out there for our community to learn about who we are?” To do this work well, I gathered a group of people together to form a marketing team. I can’t begin to tell you what an amazing group this was. People with tremendous experience in marketing, digital media, graphic design, and so much more. The first goal of this group was to come up with a new logo. So our group went to work. There were countless ideas that came up for potential logos. Great thought was put forward as to the symbolism that we wanted included in the logo, and the subtle ways that we wanted it to show who we are. We went through rounds and rounds of potential logos. Each meeting, we’d inch our way closer and closer to something we thought was great. There were many hours spent on research, thinking, and tweaking. We floated potential logos out to several groups to see what the reaction would be. After all was said and done, this is what we have come up with:

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In the great spirit of Martin Luther, you might be asking yourself “what does this mean?” First, we wanted a logo that was “clean and fresh.” We wanted something that would speak to the “newness” of life here at Trinity, so we went for a much more modernistic look. Something what was streamlined without too many intricate parts. We needed our logo to speak the fact that we’re boldly looking into the future, and wanted a logo that embodied that.

We also knew that we needed to mimic the idea of the Trinity, which is why there are three boxes. The use of three different pieces was an important theological piece for us. Historically, triangles are more commonly used in reference to the Holy Trinity. We did look at many examples and possibilities using triangles, but quite honestly, none of them just seemed to feel right. We also liked that the boxes reminded us of the slats that are behind the altar. It was important to us that something within this logo reminded us of our church, but didn’t just lock us into a representation of the building. While our building is important, it is not the Church. The church is a group of people; we are the church. So we wanted to make sure that our logo wasn’t too tied to just representing our building.

We were also thoughtful about our colors. They work in several different ways. Red, blue and green are all highly symbolic colors within the church. Liturgically, red is the color of celebration. We have red on the altar on several festival days in the church. It is a color of celebration. Blue is the color of advent. The color blue embodies the anticipation and the waiting for the coming of Christ. Green is the color of ordinary time within the church. Ordinary time is the sort of mundane, everyday time in the church. With these colors combined, we hope to speak to the fact that we as a church are here to walk through all the phases of life with people. Through the waiting times, through the celebrations, and through the everyday.

These colors also are important in terms of religious iconography. Green was the color of creation, where God the father was active in creating everything. Blue is the color of the sky, speaking to the Heavens, where Christ now resides, and the kingdom of God. Red, historically was used to represent humanity, but is also the color of blood, which helps us remember Christ’s sacrifice. It also is the color we use to represent the Holy Spirit. All of that is to say that these colors help us to remember the Holy Trinity. So while we decided to use red, blue, and green, we also wanted to make sure that they were in modern, fresh tones to fit the message of a modern, forward thinking church.

Finally, was the placement of the Cross. It was very important to us to have the Cross present in the logo somewhere. The placement of the Cross in the negative space, shows that Christ cannot be “boxed in.” That Christ always stands in between the boxes that we create. But the Cross reaches into the boxes, connecting two of them. This speaks to the ministry of reconciliation that we do in the name of Christ. That Christ calls us to cross boundaries and bring people together in Christ.

As you can see, there was great work done in assembling this logo, and so much symbolism embedded in it. I cannot thank the members of the marketing team enough for their work on this, and the work that we continue to do. I hope this logo stands for us, at this time, as a beacon and a roadmap of who we are, and more importantly, who we want to be.

In Christ- Pastor Nate

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Week of May 5

Su John 21:1-19

M Acts 9:19b-31

Tu Acts 26:1-18 W Luke 5:1-11

Th Revelation 5:1-10 F Revelation 6:1-7:4

Sa Luke 12:29-32

Week of May 12

Su John 10:22-30

M Revelation 15:1-4 Tu Acts 9:32-35

W John 10:31-42 Th Revelation 10:1-11

F Revelation 11:15 Sa Revelation 11:16-19

Week of May 19

Su John 13:31-35

M Acts 11:19-26

Tu Acts 11:27-30

W Luke 10:25-28

Th Acts 15:36-41 F Acts 16:1-8

Sa Luke 19:1-10

Week of May 26

Su John 14:23-29 M Revelation 21:5-14 Tu Revelation 21:15-22 W Luke 2:25-38

Th Luke 24:44-53 F Revelation 22:6-9 Sa John 1:14-18

Cut this out and use as a bookmark in your Bible. Remember to read your love letter from God each and every day.

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Save it or shred it? From receipts to bank statements and tax documents, it can feel like you’re swimming in financial paperwork. So what do you do with all those documents?

Routine bills and receipts When it come to things like utility and phone bills, there’s no need to hang on to them unless you’re seeking reimbursement from your employer or you’re getting a write-off. Save the sales slips for larger purchases or products that come with a warranty.

Bank brokerage statements You don’t have to keep every monthly bank statement or health insurance explanation of benefits statement you receive. Most of the time, keeping your annual statement with your account number and basic information is sufficient. You may likely obtain most of this information on line.

It is sometimes better to play it safe and retain older statements related to your brokerage accounts. When it’s time to sell securities, you need to know how much you paid for them. Even now, you don’t always get an accurate cost basis if you switch brokerage firms.

Tax forms When you include all the supporting documentation, tax documents take up a lot of space in your safe or filing cabinet. Hold on to them for at least six years, after which time an audit is highly unlikely.

-Thrivent, March 2019 *** Thank you to the generous and faithful stewards at Trinity Lutheran Church. The Board of Stewardship analyzed our giving for 2019 at a recent meeting. It was noted that through Palm Sunday, we have spent $11,639.33 more than we have received in receipts. Part of this is due to the difficult weather we endured during February and March. During Lent, the noon service was not held this year.

The concern was expressed that the summer months will soon be here which has seen a decrease in contributions even though the expenses are sometimes more due to projects that can only be done in the summer. As we all know, the annual budget was approved in January for $310,000 which included hiring a youth worker. That has happened as of April 1. Maren Sellner has accepted the position as a member of the staff. The Roof Fund is nearing completion with $2385.23 remaining as of April 30th.

Many opportunities for giving exist at Trinity in addition to the general budget: Building Fund, Meals That Matter, Food Backpacks, World Hunger, Food Shelf, Fry Fund, Lutheran World Relief and Disaster Relief. Ways to give are weekly envelopes, automated giving, stock, or grain. Keep the financial needs of Trinity in your prayers. ***

Time and Talent sheets were placed in narthex mailboxes at the beginning of the month and tabulating them will begin soon. Consider how you may be involved in worship or other activities at Trinity. If you have misplaced your form, there are more in the church office or on the narthex table. Your Board of Stewardship

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Welcome to our newest staff member, Maren Sellner, who is our new Director of Youth and Family Ministry!

“In 2011 I received my Bachelors degree in Psychology from Augsburg College, and then I went on to receive my Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling in 2013 from Minnesota State University. During my time in school I enjoyed working with people at all walks of life while interning at the Harriet Tubman women's shelter for victims of domestic violence and also at Wellcome Manor Family Services for women (and their families) struggling with addiction. When I became a mother in 2014, I decided to push the pause button on my career in counseling so that I could focus on staying home with my son Oliver. I switched gears completely and became a licensed daycare provider in Sleepy Eye for 2 years, until we welcomed our twins (Calvin and Millie) into our family in 2017. Since then, I've enjoyed over a year and a half of being a full time stay at home wife and mother!

I love to travel and go on adventures - I've been skydiving 3 times, am a certified scuba diver, and have explored 11 different countries! Animals hold a huge place in my heart, and our family currently has 2 dogs (Meekah and Wally), a cat (Norman), and about 10 fish. My husband (Justin) says we cant have any more, but I'm always looking for more critters to add to the family when he isn't looking.)

Please feel free to drop by my office any time - I love visitors and can't wait to get to know you all and start planning some awesome youth a family programming here at Trinity!”

Join us for VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL at Trinity!

Tues., June 25th from 9:00am-2:00pm

All children 3 years old through 6th grade can participate! (Note: 3 and 4 year olds can attend a special preschool session from 9:00-11:00 am). We also need all 7-12th graders and adults who are available to sign up to teach and help. Join us as we kick up our heels and stampede through the wild frontier, all while celebrating the greatest gift of all- Jesus! Sign up your children, grandchildren, neighbors and friends. It’s FREE!!! Sign up TODAY at: vbspro.events/p/4dbbe9

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New for families with young children! Check out our new TLC children's activity bags and coloring table, located at the rear of the church. We ask that users help keep these new items clean by doing a quick wipe down with the provided disinfectant wipes before returning them to the rack after service. We greatly appreciate your feedback on these new additions so that we can gauge whether or not we should add more bags in the near future!

Contact Info: Director of Youth and Family Ministry:

Maren Sellner youth@trinitysleepyeye.org

507-661-0097 *Her office is the former intern’s office right inside the basement

door. See her office door for weekly office hours.

Education Coordinator: Julia Coulson

education@trinitysleepyeye.org 507-227-1593

Thank you to our Sunday School teachers and Confirmation Guides who gave of their time and talents to share the GOOD NEWS of Jesus with our youth! These teachers include:

Sara Sellner, Jamie Heiderscheidt, Kari Schieffert, Shawna Sellner, Crystal Uys, Rachael Evers, Julia Coulson, Kelleigh Peterson, Kenna Strong, Morgan Klein, Joleen Dittbenner, Jim Klein, Casey Coulson, Ana Beltran-Turbes, Kate Nelson, Kari Myers, Mary Mulry, Mark Beito, Juli Wahlborg, Tom Johnson, Keith Lendt, Sarah Lendt, Bryan Sellner and Pastor Nate.

We hope you enjoy your summer!

Important Dates: Sun., May 5: Sunday School Choir sings; Last day of Sunday School Celebration! Sun., May 12: Senior Recognition/Baccalaureate Sunday Sun., May 19: Installation of Maren Sellner, new Youth Director, during Worship;

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Our Services are broadcast on Channel 8 each

Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m. or on our

webpage anytime. Share the Good News with

those who are unable to join us in person!

Newsletter Deadline: The next issue of

Tidings will be in mailboxes April 1st. Please

have items for the newsletter to Darlene by

the 20th of each month. Thank you.

FAIR-TRADE COFFEE, CHOCOLATE AND TEA Don’t forget that you can purchase fair trade coffee, chocolate and tea in the church office. Coffee comes

in drip and bean and also regular and decaf. New items that just arrived include decaf coffee beans; chamomile tea; ginger tea, hot chocolate and a variety of dark and milk chocolate candy bars. Fair trade products are sourced from small farmers cooperatives around the world and provide them a way to receive a fairer price for the crop they are growing. .

Thanks for the music!

I am privileged to be a part of the Music ministry at Trinity Each worship evokes special blessings as we bring our worship and praise to God. Rose Wall and the bells, Sunday School choir, Praise Team, In the Spirit, and Trinity Choir as well as our wonderful congregational singing and the many soloists who share their special songs with us are part of this ministry. We sing because we must!! There is no better way to come together as God's people. Mary Mulry

Nacel Open Door is seeking a WELCOME family for two students that will attend the Sleepy Eye High School in the fall of 2019-2020. Oyku of Turkey is a tennis player with straight A's. She wants to study medicine in the USA or Canada after graduating from high school. Jesus of Spain is interested in basketball and baseball. He also wants to study science as his major. Please contact Julienne Antes at 507-304-2143 for more information about becoming a welcome family for either student.

Please join us for a

farewell party for

Jeongbin Park.

Saturday May 11th,

3:00-6:00pm,

Trinity basement.

We are celebrating a wonderful year

and wishing her well as she returns

to South Korea.

All are welcome.

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APRIL

Worship Services Week of… Date Attendance 4/7 155 4/14 303 4/21 316 4/28 165

Date Offering Week of… 4/7 $7874.06 4/14 $5640.02 4/21 $12,257.98 4/28 $3774.04

Monetary gifts were given to the Memorial Fund, General Fund, Youth Group, Roof Fund, and WELCA in memory of Donald Anderson by family and friends.

WE PRAY FOR ALL WHO GRIEVE THE LOSS OF LOVED ONES...

Loren & Pat Renberg and their family in the loss of their sister-in-law, Carol Renberg…

The family and friends of Arline Bagaason, who went to her heavenly home on April 11, 2019. She and her husband Carroll M Bagaason served Trinity in the 1970’s...

May God’s Spirit comfort and assure these families, and all who grieve. We believe in the promise of our Lord to bring us and those we love together in a new heaven and a new earth where crying, pain and death are no more.

Please remember to inform the church office of any address or phone number changes to insure you keep receiving your monthly copy of the Tidings and to help keep our records up to date.

Send an email to the church office at secretary@trinitysleepyeye.org and let Darlene know you want your newsletter via email !!

WATCH OUR SERVICES ON TRINITY’S WEBPAGE ANYTIME www.trinitysleepyeye.org

THE TRINITY TIDINGS NEWSLETTER IS NOW ALSO POSTED ON

WWW.SLEEPYEYEONLINE.COM WATCH THIS SITE FOR COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS.

TRINITY IS NOW ON FACEBOOK ~~ CHECK IT OUT!!

(Trinity Lutheran (ELCA) Sleepy Eye MN)

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May: Nicole Stevermer, Sheila Nesset June: Terry Newgord

Worship Assistants

Sunday 9:00 a.m. Acolytes

5/5 Trenton Nachreiner

5/12 Mason Sellner

5/19 Kennedy Braun

5/26 Caden Evers

Readers

5/5 Karen Voge

5/12 Rose Wall

5/19 Eric Wahlborg

5/26 Dave Vosbeck

Sound Techs

5/5 Sue Pedersen

5/12 Bryan Sellner

5/19 John Hirschboeck

5/26 Russ Sorensen

Communion Assistants

5/5 Dave Vosbeck, Donna Augustin,

Nicole Krenz

5/19 Harold & Bonnie Pettis, Paul Dunn

May Ushers

Dave Vosbeck

Larry & Sherry Baumgardt May Greeters

Jim Hutchins

Sunday 9:00 a.m. Acolytes 6/2 Bryent Finstad

6/9 Jakob Nachreiner

6/16 Isaac Lendt

6/23 Envy Morales

6/30 Nolan Domeier

Readers

6/2 Cindy Anderson

6/9 Larry Baumgardt

6/16 Doug Domeier

6/23 Jim Hutchins

6/30 Pat Lowther

Sound Techs

6/2 Sue Pedersen

6/9 Bryan Sellner

6/16 Russ Sorensen

6/23 John Hirschboeck

6/30 Russ Sorensen

Communion Assistants

6/2 Harold & Bonnie Pettis,

Larry Baumgardt

6/16 Lee & Isaac Johnson,

Mark Miller

June Ushers

Brian& Brandon Polesky,

Kevin Kjelshus

June Greeter

Kathy Krenz

Group One will be the next servers.

Group One Co-chairs are Sandy Beito &

Diane Evers

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non profit U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 22 Sleepy Eye, MN

56085

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 217 Brackenridge SW Sleepy Eye, MN 56085 Return Service requested

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT 9:00 AM