Pastor Jim Fowler FM or AM 1570)

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1 The Servant s Song What s INSIDE 1. Pastor Jim s Message 2. Opportunities, Worship Leaders 3. Book Club, Vermillion Food Pantry 4. Health Ministry Challenge 5. From the President 6. Birthdays and Anniversaries 7. Calendar A publication of Trinity Lutheran Church, Vermillion, SD Dear Friends in Christ, Do you read the newsletter? Or do you ignore it? Of course, only the people who read the newsletter will be aware that I even asked those questions. When I ask those questions directly to our members (admittedly not all), about half answer that they always read it, while the other half respond that they never do. That leads to some frustration for Karla and me. We wonder if the production and mailing of the monthly newsletter is good stewardship of staff time and Trinity s financial resources. I raised those questions and not for the first time at the January meeting of Trinity s Congregation Council. After much thoughtful discussion, the Council decided to print the newsletter quarterly, and continue discussion of how we best can communicate with the congregation going forward. If we were to have begun that communication schedule immediately, it would have meant not publishing a newsletter until April. We wouldn t have a newsletter to publicize Ash Wednesday, Lenten Wednesdays and Fridays, Holy Week and Easter in a timely manner. Saturday evenings Worship with Holy Communion, 5:30 pm Sunday mornings Worship with Holy Communion, 10:00 am (Listen to the 10 AM worship on So at this point, I intend to implement the Council s decision in this way: monthly newsletters for February, then one newsletter to cover March and April, one for May/June, and another for July/August. During that time, we will be asking you how you would prefer to receive information from the church. Your responses will help your leadership determine Trinity s communication strategy. Blessings! Pastor Jim Fowler FM or AM 1570) March 6 Ash Wednesday Worship at 7:00 PM We are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

2 Opportunitie each month, Sletwold room at Trinity February Prayer Group meets Tuesday, February 12, 9:30 a.m., Esther Knutson s home, 126 S. Plum ST. Men s Scripture Study, Wednesdays at 7:00 a.m., First Dak ota N ational B ank Conference room Women s Scripture Study, Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m., Sletw old room at Trinity Quilters meet Thursdays at 9:00 a.m., Quilting room at Trinity Women s Bible Study Groups (note the dates and times) Naomi: 7:00 PM, Tuesday February 12, Jill Munger s, 1018 Crestview DR Esther: 10:00 AM, Thursday, February 14, at Dakota Gardens Martha: 2:00 PM, Monday, February 18, Erma Larson s, 1107 W. Main ST Worship Leaders Dates 02/03/19 02/10/19 02/17/19 02/24/19 Communion TBD Servers TBD TBD TBD Lector Ross King Glenda Ofstehage Bob Long Brenda Walker Greeter Jeanne Roberts Brenda Wortmann Arlis Johnson Bob Iverson Greeter Carol Finnegan Reta Eidem Daryl Johnson Linda Iverson Usher Dave Lorenz Bill Huber Glenda Schempp Rick Steenholdt Usher Jeaneite Lorenz Shirley Huber Scott Schempp Susanne Steenholdt Usher Jane Nelson Wess Pravecek Mary Sorensen Jake Terry Usher Cinda Passick Amy Richardson Tom Sorensen Kara Terry Head Usher Rich Walker Rich Walker Bill Huber Scott Schempp Coffee Hosts Dwayne & Mary Baer Passick Family Bob & Kathy Nelson Dusty & Cinda Passick Acolytes Kaurie Lucas TBD Theo Wittmuss, Caiden Mandernach Dawsyn Jepsen, Gavyn Jepsen

3 TLC Book Club News The Trinity Book Club has a busy new year planned. We just finished reading The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo by Kent Nerburn. This is the third book of a trilogy about a Plains Indian Holy-man s life and the Spiritually he has learned. February s read is called One True Thing by Anna Quindlen. Mother and daughter Ellen come full circle, when Ellen comes home to care for her mom Kate during her chemo sessions. Ellen comes to appreciate and cherish her mom during this time of difficult decisions. March s book is The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter. A Native American Child named Little Tree becomes orphaned at an early age. His Grandparents walk down out of the Blue Ridge Mountains to claim him and bring him back to their way of life no running water, electricity or central heat. They live as mountain folk have for a hundred years, until the Government decides that their grandson must again be ripped away from his family to be placed in a school 50 miles away. Grandpa has a better plan, join us to see how this family crisis is solved. April is our last reading month for the club until September. Educated, a Memoir by Tara Westover is our book for spring. This is a New York Times #1 Bestseller for Tara was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho. She taught herself enough mathematics, grammar, and science to take the ACT and was admitted to Brigham Young University. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to England s Cambridge University. Our group meets on the last Wednesday of the month in the Sletwold 7:00 pm. If March or April s read looks interesting, call Mary Berglin ( ) or Jan Olson ( ) to reserve a copy for that up-coming month. We would love to have you join us! In September, we will again meet and plan which books we will be using for fall/winter next year. Do you have some suggestions? Come and be a part of that discussion process next fall. September 2019 will be our kick-off month! The Vermillion Food Pantry It almost time to get ready for that big game on Feb 3 rd and to support the Vermillion Food Pantry at the same time. Last year Americans spent $15 billion on food, drinks and partying for Super Bowl events. The SOUPer Bowl Challenge is one w ay to assist those w ho are hungry in our community. In previous years, our congregation has participated in the SOUPer Bowl Challenge. This SOUP collection is one of our essential food drives during the winter months. To add to the friendly competition the VFP will recognize those with (1) creative collection campaigns, (2) pounds/number of cans collected, (3) congregation participation, (4) seriousness, (5) silliness and anything else that we can think of!

4 Thanks to all who participated in the Kindness December Health Challenge. Congratulations to Teresa Gilbertson for winning the December Challenge!! Join the Trinity Health Ministry in the Heart-Health February Challenge, as we continue the journey toward better health. February is National Heart Health Month as recognized by the American Heart Association. Every year, one in four deaths are caused by heart disease. The good news is healthy lifestyle choices and managing health conditions can help prevent heart disease. Let s work together to nurture the many hearts in our Trinity family. February s Challenge is all about working healthy choices into your daily life to benefit heart health. Choose one heart-healthy action for 20 days. Then simply turn in your completed Heart Health February slip by March 3 for the challenge gift drawing. Good Luck & God Bless!!

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 I want to thank the Trinity Lutheran congregation for the great honor and privilege of serving you as your president this year of Please keep me in your prayers to help me serve this congregation well. To past president Chad Passick: And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due time.. Galatians 6:9 I sincerely want to thank Chad for all of his diligent work that has brought much-needed updates to our building, such as reliable heating, cooling, new and improved sound system and the new sanctuary lighting, which will be installed later this year. He worked tirelessly on the new constitution and was part of other difficult decisions that were prayerfully addressed. To council members, committee members, Pastor Jim, staff and the entire congregation: Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 Thank you for all that you have done in the past and for all of the great accomplishments in the future, some only known by our Lord and Savior at this time. My hopes, prayers and goals for this upcoming year would include the functional and the relational characteristics that Pastor Fowler wrote about in his address in this year s annual report. These goals would include, but of course not limited to: on the functional characteristic maintaining our new heating and cooling systems on a yearly basis, keeping the building and the grounds maintained, painting the newly remodeled bathrooms and hiring a part time custodian. We want our church to be welcoming to all that enter. The relational characteristic goals would include a youth director to continue to grow the momentum that has blossomed with the BLAST program and vacation Bible school and hopefully more youth oriented programs in the future. As we all know and have heard in multiple times, but it is certainly true, the youth are the future of our church. The choir continues to grow and bring in new joyful voices which will grow our congregation. I also would like to see more uplifting events in the church like the inspirational testimony given by our own Jenny Peterson this past fall and the fun talent show that youth, adults and even a dog participated in last year! We will also be mindful of our duty of benevolence. In closing: Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things Colossians 3:2 May the Lord bless you and keep you, Mary Jo Olson President of our congregation

6 2.1 DeAnn Szymonski 2.3 Emma Brinkmann; Cyndie Madsen; Brad Melstad 2.4 Jaxon Gilbertson; Roger Holmes 2.7 Mabel Aune; Noreen Stewart 2.8 Chuck Schwartz; Julie Stewart 2.9 Taylor Peters 2.10 Greg Baedke 2.12 Todd Brevik 2.13 Nona McClain; Ron Schoellerman 2.14 Valarie Hower 2.15 Dennis Iverson; Amanda Paulson; Wess Pravecek; Theo Wittmuss 2.16 Mary Baer; Andrew Granaas; Dwight Iverson; Laurie Kruse; Janet Sunde 2.17 Floyd Boschee; Henry Terry; Theo Wittmuss 2.18 Gerald Hansen; Brooks Neeman; Kent Osborne; Suzanne Williams 2.19 Marilyn Gregoire; Richard Walker 2.20 Bonita Manger 2.22 Cindy Nelson 2.23 Christy Kimball; Calli Siecke; James Taggart 2.24 Chad Lerfald 2.25 Lois Halverson 2.26 Nathan Fick; Jackson Hill; Trevor Mandernach; Gary Rasmussen; Cambri Siecke 2.27 Kathy Melstad; Dorothy Neuhaus 2.28 Leslie Joy; Carter Williams Anniversaries 2.2 Harry and Candace O Connor 2.12 Keith and Candy Joy 2.14 Derek and Crystal Moeller LENT BEGINS on March 6 with Ash Wednesday worship at 7:00 pm

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8 Permit No. 1 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED TO: The Servant s Song February 2019 Contact Information Phone: Website: Facebook: Trinity Lutheran Vermillion, SD Pastor James Fowler jim@trinityvermillion.org Karla Tawzer, Office Manager office@trinityvermillion.org Marcy Lund, Parish Nurse grandmother_marcy2@hotmail.com Paul Almjeld, Trinity Choir Director palmjeld@yahoo.com Mission Called by God Forgiven in Christ