Pastor Dave's Message

I don’t know if you realize it or not, but you, Trinity Lutheran 
Church, are a very blessed congregation. 
A lot of churches I have seen over the years are literally 
paralyzed by the infighting on their Councils, but your 
Council functions so well, and the leadership is extraordinary! 
I have never before seen a church Council like the 
one here. Everyone on Council has Trinity’s best interest 
in mind. There are no hidden agendas. 

I am very impressed. I have never been in a church before that operates 
as well as Trinity does. This is a church that’s about the people, 
not the pastor, (and I find that to be the case in 
each of the other three congregations in the Parish as 
well.) 
Do you realize that you are exactly what a church is 
supposed to be?! A church is the people. A church that 
revolves around a pastor is more like a club or a “dog 
and pony show.” Once the pastor runs out of tricks, the 
people get bored and start fighting with each other and 
then a lot of them leave. 

Here at Trinity, the pastor is simply one of the people. 
She or he does what he or he has been assigned to do 
just like everybody else does and everyone works together. 
That is exactly what our Lord intended for His 
churches: Everyone working together, everyone on 
equal standing, everyone serving the Lord, period. 
We are very fortunate in the Lutheran tradition, (at least 
in the ELCA’s version of Lutheranism), that the pastor is 
not considered somebody with “special powers” that 
nobody else has. Even our dear Bishop is simply one of 
the people. In our tradition, ordination is a setting apart 
to assume certain responsibilities for the sake of order 
and that is all. No pastor glows in the dark~ (except for 

the ones with the “dog and pony” shows…they glow, 
but their “light” is artificial and only lasts as long as 
those cheap glow sticks you can buy at the Dollar 
Tree…) 
Since this is appearing in the November church newsletter, 
I really should include some kind of Thanksgiving 
theme. So, let me say this: I am so very thankful for 
YOU, Trinity. You have restored my faith in churches, 
and not only my faith in churches but Heaven’s faith in 
churches as well. 

You make Heaven smile because you give Heaven 
hope that churches can indeed become what the 
Lord intended them to be. 
Trinity Lutheran Church, an oasis for angels. 

Pastor Dave 

We are still making prayer shawls.  These will go to the Hope Cancer Center in Howland.

NEEDED - Flat sheets of Styrofoam are needed.  This will be used to make next year's tree chrismon.  Bring to the office.