Posts by Pastor Jeff Engholm

Dear Peace Family and Friends, Two weeks ago, we had a visit with Bishop Jen Nagel who walked through our Ministry Site Profile with us. This past Sunday, Pastor Jen Collins (Assistant to the Bishop) joined us for worship and then met with the Call Committee to talk about what to expect in the next steps. She will be returning at the end of next month to bring the names of prospective candidates. I simply want to mention this because…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, Last Sunday during the Adult Forum, Bishop Jen Nagel led the congregation through a conversation about our current transition and the calling of Peace’s next pastor. This Sunday, Pastor Jen Collins with join us for worship and then meet with the Call Committee about what that next pastor might look like. You can read more details about this process in the Call Process Update below, so I’ll simply ask you to keep it all in…

Dear Friends of Peace, The Bishop is coming! The Bishop is coming! Yes, this Sunday, Bishop Jen Nagel of the Mpls Area Synod will be joining us during Adult Education to discuss the next steps in the search for Peace Lutheran’s next pastor. The work of our Church Council, Transition Team, and Congregation as a whole has reached a milestone with the completion of our Ministry Site Profile, and Bishop Nagel will join us for a conversation about the next…

Dear Friends of Peace, At our Annual Meeting last Sunday, we gathered to elect council members, pass the budget, and look back at the past year. More importantly, however, we looked at the coming year and discussed how best to line up our vision with God’s vision. Thanks to all who contributed to the discussion, as well as those who have been participating in our congregational work regarding the surveys, the listening sessions, and the broad transitional conversation. Now that…

Dear Friends of Peace, Our Annual Meeting will be held this Sunday morning right after worship. When we gather, it will be a time to reflect on where we have been this past year, and it will be a time to consider where we are going. And we’ll have that conversation in the midst of the “creative tension” between past and present during this interim time between pastors. In light of that, here is a picture of the statue of…

Dear Friends, There is currently much conflict taking place in the streets, businesses, and schools of our community, and we are called to respond in the name of Christ. If you’re reading this on the Friday that it’s being sent, then you should know that you are invited to our “Peace Lutheran Day of Prayer” that’s taking place TODAY from 8:00am to 5:00pm. The sanctuary is open, prayer resources have been set out, and we’ll have coffee and refreshments available…

Dear Friends, We’ll be gathering this Sunday morning for worship at 9:30am, followed by Sunday School and Fellowship, just like usual. But the times we are currently living in are anything but “usual.” I’m having difficulty finding the right words to express myself in the midst of this situation, and so I’ll share these comments below from our Minneapolis Area Synod Bishop Jen Nagel: “As I’ve watched the events unfold across the Twin Cities and our state, the killing of…

Our new year is getting off to a rousing start with CAMP SUNDAY this week! Join us as we gather round the campfire for songs, stories, and a visit from one of the staff members of Camp Wapogasset, Hazel Banisky. We’ll also bestow a blessing on our crew that’s going to Robin’s Nest Children’s Home in Jamaica, sending them off with our prayers of support. And on top of all that, we’ll hear a live update from our Transition Team.…

Happy New Year! Our Christmas celebrations are mostly behind us, gifts have been given and received, and the crystal ball on Times Square has dropped to usher in a new year. Of course, since there are actually TWELVE Days of Christmas, we’re still celebrating the birth of our Lord until Epiphany on January 6th. Epiphany is also known as “Three Kings Day” when we celebrate the arrival of the three Wise Men who have followed the star to find the…

Greetings from Peace Lutheran on this Day-After-Christmas! In some countries such as Canada, Great Britain, and Australia, December 26th is known as “Boxing Day” and gifts are given at that time. In Sweden, this day is called “Annandag Jul” and is an official public holiday with most businesses, schools, and government offices closed as people spend the day resting, visiting relatives, or enjoying the final moments of their Christmas celebrations. Whatever YOUR holiday looks like, may God bless your days with…

Greetings from Peace Lutheran Church! What fun last Sunday! We celebrated the Third Sunday in Advent at worship, followed by a beautiful Christmas Program put on by the children of Peace, complete with Joseph, Mary, shepherds, angels, camels, sheep, pigs (yes, it’s possible that there were pigs in the stable), and a beautiful Christmas Star. Hats off to Marcia Craig and her stage crew for putting together this fine production! This Sunday we’ll light all four candles on the Advent…

Greetings from Peace Lutheran Church! December is flying by and our Advent season will soon turn to a Christmas celebration! And if you’re wondering about another way to mark these special holy days, tomorrow (December 13) is Santa Lucia Day, a commemoration of St. Lucia. She was an early Christian martyr from the 4th Century who was killed for her faith. Her name “Lucia” is derived from the Latin word “lux,” which means “light.” It’s a fitting name for this…