Posts by Pastor Jeff Engholm (Page 2)

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…

Our Thanksgiving festivities last weekend have paved the way for our Advent activities to begin! Our Wednesday evening Midweek Suppers & Services have started…tomorrow we will be making lefse, krumkake, and decorating gingerbread houses…and our Sunday School kids have begun practicing for their Christmas program to be held after worship on December 14. Lots going on at Peace! This Sunday morning will be the second Sunday in Advent, so we’ll be lighting the second candle of the Advent Wreath during…

Greetings from Peace Lutheran Church! It’s Thanksgiving Weekend and the holiday season is officially upon us! Have you seen the latest edition of our Partners magazine? Take a look to see all the special activities for the whole congregation! Many thanks to everyone who returned their Commitment Cards as we celebrated our annual Stewardship Sunday last week. Thanks, also, to all those who donated pies for our annual PIE FEST! This week marks the beginning of the season of Advent,…

Greetings from Peace Lutheran Church! In spite of this long string of grey, cloudy days, we continue to celebrate the light of Christ in our lives, especially as we head into the coming season of Advent. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and holiday events will soon be upon us. Please make sure you check our church calendar for special activities for the whole congregation! Last Sunday it was fun to have our Sunday School Singers share a joyful song…

Greetings from Peace Lutheran Church! Were you able to see the Northern Lights on display this past week? I’m sorry to say that I was never in a place to actually see them myself, but the pictures that I saw were gorgeous – one more sign of the power and beauty of God’s stunning creation! Last Sunday we held our annual Harvest Pack in the Fellowship Hall. After worship we gathered together and packed 15,000 meals in just over an…

Greetings from Peace Lutheran Church! The calendar page has turned, our clocks have been set back an hour, and we have landed in November! Last weekend we had a beautiful All Saints Sunday service where we remembered all the saints of our congregation. We lit candles, prayed prayers, and read over 100 names of our beloved departed during worship! Last week at Confirmation we talked about the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and then we talked about…

Greetings from Peace Lutheran Church as the last days of October soon turn to cooler days of November! I continue to be grateful to be serving this congregation that has so many fine program opportunities – Bible Studies, Sunday School, Adult Education, music offerings, and so much more! (Didn’t the Sunday School Singers sound great during last week’s Reformation Service? And our Confirmation Students are looking forward to being more visible on Sunday mornings as they welcome people to worship!…