FEBRUARY Monthly Newsletter
St. Valentine
Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated every February 14th. This year Valentine's Day falls on a Friday. Across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. There are different stories about how our present-day celebration of Valentine’s day came to be.
The story that is most likely the true story of St. Valentine is a little gruesome: A physician and priest living in Rome during the rule of the Emperor Claudius, Valentine become one of the noted martyrs of the third century. The commemoration of his death, which occurred in the year 270, became part of the calendar of remembrance in the early church of the West. Tradition suggests that on the day of his execution for his Christian faith, he left a note of encouragement for a child of his jailer written on an irregularly-shaped piece of paper. This greeting became a pattern for millions of written expressions of love and caring that now are the highlight of Valentine's Day in many nations.
While the Saint Valentine story set the groundwork for establishing the day as a holiday for romantic love, what truly solidified the connection between Saint Valentine and love was a poem by medieval author Geoffrey Chaucer in 1375, which historians consider the origin of the "modern" celebration of Valentine's Day, where we celebrate our romantic partnership with one other person.
There is nothing wrong with associating romance with February 14th. After all, marriage was the Lord’s idea in the first place (Gen. 2:18). The real story of St. Valentine is even more noble: thinking of the child of your jailer, imitating the kind of love that Jesus has shown us. Even while we were sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).
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
February Baptisms Anniversaries
Doug DeMann Becky Grieser Betty Habermas
Brenda Niebuhr Ray Ozmun Susan Roberts
Bobbi Schmidtke Sherry Schwaab Morgan Voigt
Dan Wett
FROM THE TREASURER
December Home Fund Budget Status Report
Home Fund Balance on December 1, 2024 $67,109.72
December Home Fund Contributions $27,220.24
Designated Giving* $25,127.00
Loose Plate Giving** $893.24
Rental Property Fund $1,200.00
December Home Fund Expenses $19,279.98
Home Fund Balance on December 31, 2024 $75,049.98
* Includes giving by people who use offering envelopes and e-giving
**Includes giving by people without offering envelopes
CHURCH COUNCIL MINUTES
1/2/2025
Call meeting to order
John Greenfield called the meeting to order. Pastor Klein opened in prayer.
Attendance
John Greenfield (President) Rev. Dr. Brent Klein (Senior Pastor)
Kurt Anderson (Chair Pro Tem, Elder) David Ohmann (Stewardship)
Jackie Ohmann (Stewardship) Jim Koch (Elder)
Rev. Dr. Armand Boehme (Assoc. Pastor) Ruthie Wagner (Education)
Barb Anderson (Treasurer/Fellowship) Tony Schmidtke (Trustee)
Karen Wagner (Education) Bobbi Schmidtke (Fellowship/Missions)
Approval of Minutes
Reviewed and motioned to approve minutes of December 5, 2024. Adopted.
Approval of Financial Statements
Motion to approve Financial Statements as presented. Motion by Kurt Anderson and seconded by David Ohmann to transfer $25,000 from the Trinity fund and $5,000 from the capital fund to LCEF capital fund account. The proposal will be presented to voters. Adopted.
Old Business
Parking lot resurfacing: Valley Blacktop provided a bid ($69k to replace asphalt + $14k to replace sidewalk that doesn’t meet code). Still working on other quotes. John Greenfield will ask Ray Ozmun for ideas for financing the blacktop's cost.
Fidelity account update: Anyone can use this resource, according to Barb Anderson.
New Business
Elections: Brent Casmey (Trustee) and Karen Wagner’s (Education) terms are up in April 2025. Kurt, Jim, and Bobbi all are reconsidering re-election.
DCE Intern: Kurt, on behalf of the elders, motioned for a DCE/DCO intern for Trinity, which will start in June 2025. It will likely be $2400-2500/month, including salary and housing. Seconded by David Ohmann. It will go to the voters’ meeting. Adopted.
Trikes in the shed: Bobbi wants to donate them to Peace Preschool. Motioned by Barb and seconded by Karen. Adopted.
Thrivent Request: Bobbi motioned to apply for up to $500 for Valentine’s Banquet, Feb. 8. Seconded by Pastor Klein. Adopted.
Reports
Pastor Klein
- Jan 8th, Wednesday, Pastor would like help taking down Christmas decorations
- Pastor would like to plan a Saints game trip with the Fellowship Committee
Pastor Boehme
- Feb 9th, Sunday, Pastor Boehme will begin a 7-video series–My Own Home As Long As Possible. This study should last about 7 weeks.
Tech Committee
- No update. Still have sound issues. There was no sound for New Year’s Eve Service.
Fellowship Committee
- The year’s events are undecided and will be planned for January.
Trustees
- On Dec. 17, the main control panel of the parsonage was replaced. It’s been inspected and approved.
Missions
- $580 to each mission for 2024, and the year ended well with a little leftover for adopt-a-student.
Stewardship
- 2023 and 2024 settled finally.
- Pastor Boehme said the statements will be ready on Sunday, Jan. 5.
Elders
- Internship for DCE (above).
- Kurt asked, “How are we living out our stated mission statement?”
Education
- Youth and family events will be planned for 2025 with Sheldon.
- Weekend in WI in January, Subs and Valentine’s Banquet in February, Bowling in March.
- John Greenfield says the Board of Ed can administer the Youth Account.
- Trinity Fund can only be used by the approval of the council. Ruthie made a motion to be allowed to submit up to $1000 in expenses for youth outreach, determined by the Board of Ed. Seconded by Pastor Boehme. Adopted.
Meeting adjournment
Motion to adjourn. Adopted.
Next Month’s meeting on February 6, 2025 - Prepared by Ruthie Wagner
TRINITY NEWS
VALENTINE DINNER TICKETS
The Valentine’s Banquet will be held again this year and will be on Saturday, February 8. Save the date and plan on joining us for a fun evening! Tickets for the banquet will be $16 per person and will be available to purchase January 19th-February 2nd in the fellowship hall. A limited number of tickets are available during the week in the church office as well. The committee is again asking for donations for door prizes. This is always a special part of the evening and the wonderful donations we’ve had in the past are greatly appreciated. If you have any questions please talk with Bobbi Schmidtke. We look forward to seeing you there!
SUPER BOWL SUB SANDWICHES
Support our youth by ordering Super Bowl sub sandwiches! Place your orders on the next 2 Sundays (January 26 and February 2) after the worship service. Sub sandwiches, drinks, and snacks will be available for pickup on Super Bowl Sunday (February 9). ALL proceeds will go to the youth fund to support our youth and their trip to the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans in July.
LWML UNDERWEAR DONATIONS
Join in the fun in February! We will be having a few “Undies Sundays” where the LWML will collect new underwear to donate to the Orphan Grain Train. Any color, any size will be accepted - boys, girls, men, women! The LWML thanks you for all you do.
(See one of the flyers around the church or speak to one of the ladies in LWML).
God in Man Made Manifest
The season of Epiphany focuses on how God was made manifest in the flesh of Jesus. The church spends time hearing of the miracles, signs, and wonders of Jesus in the world. And this made plain to all that Jesus really is who He said He was. He is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the only begotten Son of the Father, in the flesh. For “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
It is revealed for all the world to see that Jesus is God in the flesh. It is made manifest by His words and His work, by what He said and by what He did. And these belong together, for “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Jesus is the Word and will of God in the flesh, that is, He is the walking, talking enactment of God’s Word.
It is no different for us. We are called not just to believe in God in hearts but also to trust in God in word and deed. As James wrote: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22), and again, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? … So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. … Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. … For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:14, 17–18, 26).
Our faith is lived out in works for our neighbor. Our trust in the Word and will of God is lived out not in word only but also in deed and in truth. In other words, the Epiphany of the Lord creates in us an epiphany of our faith in our works of obedience to God who commanded them. By this, our faith is made manifest to the world. It is, as Luther wrote of faith:
Faith is a divine work in us. It changes us and makes us to be born anew of God (John 1). It kills the old Adam and makes altogether different people, in heart and spirit and mind and powers, and it brings with it the Holy Spirit.
Oh, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith. And so it is impossible for it not to do good works incessantly. It does not ask whether there are good works to do, but before the question rises, it has already done them, and is always at the doing of them.
He who does not these works is a faithless man. He gropes and looks about after faith and good works and knows neither what faith is nor what good works are, though he talks and talks, with many words about faith and good works.
Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man would stake his life on it a thousand times. This confidence in God’s grace and knowledge of it makes men glad and bold and happy in dealing with God and all His creatures. And this is the work of the Holy Spirit in faith. Hence a man is ready and glad, without compulsion, to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer everything, in love and praise to God, who has shown him this grace.
And thus it is impossible to separate works from faith, quite as impossible as to separate burning and shining from fire. Beware, therefore, of your own false notions and of the idle talkers, who would be wise enough to make decisions about faith and good works, and yet are the greatest fools. (Preface to the Book of Romans)So, then, let our faith be active by God’s power in the Word through the Holy Spirit. And let then our faith be made manifest to the world by what this faith does: serving our neighbor – in church, in the family, and society – with the works of faith in time, talents, and treasures.
– LCMS Stewardship Ministry: lcms.org/stewardship
FEBRUARY READINGS
February 2 - The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Jeremiah 1:4-19
1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13
Luke 4:31-44
February 9 - The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Isaiah 6:1-13
1 Corinthians 14:12b-20
Luke 5:1-11
February 16 - The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
Jeremiah 17:5-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-20
Luke 6:17-26
February 23 - The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
Genesis 45:3-15
1 Corinthians 15:21-26, 30-42
Luke 6:27-38
VACUUMING AND SNOW REMOVAL
Brent Casmey Jan. 26 to Feb. 1 Buzz Cummins
Rob/Colleen Gottsch Feb. 2 to 8 Tony Schmidtke
Linda Munson Feb. 9 to 15 Brent Casmey
John Pfeiffer Feb. 16 to 22 Dan Wett
Jim/Kay Koch Feb. 23 to March 1 David Nybakke
John Greenfield March 2 to 8 Josh Wagner
Tony/Bobbi Schmidtke March 9 to 15 Jim Frederick
Brent Casmey March 16 to 22 Buzz Cummins
Rob/Colleen Gottsch March 23 to 29 Tony Schmidtke
Linda Munson March 30 to Apr. 5 Brent Casmey
John Pfeiffer Apr. 6 to 12 Dan Wett
Jim/Kay Koch Apr. 13 to 19 David Nybakke
John Greenfield Apr. 20 to 26 Josh Wagner
Tony/Bobbi Schmidtke Apr. 27 to May 3
Brent Casmey May 4 to 10
Rob/Colleen Gottsch May 11 to 17
Linda Munson May 18 to 24
John Pfeiffer May 25 to 31
WORSHIP CAMERA OPERATOR SCHEDULE
February 2 Olivia Voigt
February 9 Becky DeMann
February 16 Brent Casmey
February 23 Becca, Jonah Koch
March 2 Erin, Jared Nybakke
GREETER SCHEDULE
Feb. 2 Kurt Anderson
Feb. 9 John Pfeiffer, Kurt Anderson
Feb. 16 Craig & Kathy Schuster
Feb. 23 Larry & Joan Pralle
March 2 The Wagners - Josh, Ruthie, Elijah, Josiah, Isaiah, Lizzie
March 9 Jim & Kay Koch
March 16 David, Jackie, Grace Ohmann
March 23 Kurt Anderson
March 30 John Pfeiffer, Kurt Anderson
Apr. 6 Craig & Kathy Schuster
Apr. 13 Larry & Joan Pralle
Apr. 20 The Wagners - Josh, Ruthie, Elijah, Josiah, Isaiah, Lizzie
Apr. 27 Jim & Kay Koch
May 4 David, Jackie, Grace Ohmann
ACOLYTES
February 2 Maddox Schwaab
February 9 Isaiah Wagner
February 16
February 23 Elijah Wagner
March 2 Maddox Schwaab
March 9
March 16 Morgan Voigt
March 23 Isaiah Wagner
March 30 Elijah Wagner
USHER SCHEDULE
February 2 - Group F March 2 - Group B
February 9 - Group G March 9 - Group C
February 16 - Group H March 16 - Group D
February 23 - Group A March 23 - Group E
March 30 - Group F
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, Karl Thomforde, Kevin Mortensen, Sheldon Volkert
Group E - David, Erin, and Jared Nybakke, Jonathan Ohmann, Martin Ohmann, David Ohmann
Group F - Tony and Bobbi Schmidtke, John Pfeiffer
Group G - Craig and Kathy Schuster, Jim Grieser
Group H - Dan Wett, Rudy, Myleen, and Ashlie Maurer, Rob Gottsch, Jim Frederick
COUNTING TEAMS
February - Pralle & Childers
March - Larson & Roberts
April - Thomforde & Niebuhr
May - Rasmussen & Downhour
June - Larson & Roberts
July - Pralle & Childers
August - Schmidtke & Anderson
September - Thomforde & Niebuhr
October - Rasmussen & Downhour
November - Pralle & Childers
December - Schmidtke & Anderson
ALTAR GUILD
February - Becky Grieser, Colleen Vivant, Brenda Niebuhr
March - Mary Ozmun, Linda Munson, Darlene Larson
April - Brenda Niebuhr, Becky DeMann, Mary Vogt
May - Mary Ozmun, June Rado, Linda Munson
June - Becky Grieser, Barb Greenfield, Marcia Huber
July - June Rado, Becky DeMann, Darlene Larson
August - Barb Greenfield, Colleen Vivant, Mary Vogt
September - Becky Grieser, June Rado, Marcia Huber
October - Barb Greenfield, Becky DeMann, Brenda Niebuhr
November - Colleen Vivant, Mary Vogt, Linda Munson
December - Mary Ozmun, Darlene Larson, Brenda Niebuhr
FEBRUARY 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
February 2 - Pastor Boehme Group F Olivia Voigt
February 9 - John Greenfield Group G Becky DeMann
February 16 - Deb Thomforde Group H Brent Casmey
February 23 - John Pfeiffer Group A Jonah Koch
GREETERS ACOLYTES
February 2 - Kurt Anderson Maddox Schwaab
February 9 - John Pfeiffer, Kurt Anderson Isaiah Wagner
February 16 - Craig & Kathy Schuster
February 23 - Larry & Joan Pralle Elijah Wagner
VACUUMING SNOW REMOVAL
Brent Casmey Jan 26 to Feb 1 Buzz Cummins
Rob & Colleen Gottsch Feb. 2 to Feb. 8 Tony Schmidtke
Linda Munson Feb. 9 to Feb. 15 Brent Casmey
John Pfeiffer Feb. 16 to Feb. 22 Dan Wett
Jim & Kay Koch Feb. 23 to March 1 Dave Nybakke
ALTAR GUILD
Becky Grieser, Colleen Vivant, Brenda Niebuhr
COUNTING TEAM
Larry & Joan Pralle
Paul & Jean Childers
