https://trinitylonglake.org/blog Stories and devotions from the Trinity Lutheran Long Lake community. en-us Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:42:56 GMT https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-summer-nights trinitylonglake-story-summer-nights Tue, 14 Jul 2026 18:42:56 GMT I love both volunteering at and attending Summer Nights because of the joy that comes from seeing everyone together. https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-power-outage trinitylonglake-story-power-outage Tue, 07 Jul 2026 20:37:04 GMT Thank you to everyone who joined us for worship last Sunday — whether in person or virtually, especially as we navigated the unexpected interruption of a power outage. I am especially thankful to Gabriella for her assistance with worship… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-brick-oven trinitylonglake-story-brick-oven Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:13:05 GMT Since January 2025, Trinity's Outreach Team has been exploring the idea of building a brick oven on our church grounds—both as a ministry tool and a way to bring people together. Rooted in Trinity's commitment to community and outreach, an… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-431 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-431 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:10:14 GMT For many Trinity families, Summer Nights are a highlight of the season—a chance to gather, connect, and enjoy time together. For Katie Bergstrom and her family , it’s a tradition they look forward to every summer. https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-417 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-417 Mon, 01 Jun 2026 20:37:38 GMT The Trinity Foundation supports Trinity’s long-term mission and ministry through faithful gifts given in memory, celebration, and gratitude. These gifts extend opportunities beyond the regular budget, creating a lasting impact in the life… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2431 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2431 Fri, 17 Oct 2025 14:50:22 GMT Today’s final sharing on this incredible trip in so many ways begins with this photo above from Angie and this message to the group. “Our place is simply beautiful, I love it thank you so much.” https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2396 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2396 Thu, 16 Oct 2025 17:08:31 GMT Today was the final day for the group to be at the oven build site. The photos speak volumes of the friendships made, the oven that is a true gift for this community of women, and their words of thanks and gratitude that have been shared… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2377 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2377 Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:35:12 GMT From Nancy, Founder of Bricks to Bread : Today the group had the opportunity to visit another operational bread oven. They spent the day visiting and baking with Maria and her family in Barrahonda. The devotion and discussion on the drive… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2354 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2354 Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:20:12 GMT The devotional today was from Jesus’ Calling focusing on these two scripture verses: Proverbs 17:22 states, “ A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” . Proverbs 31:25 says, “ She is clothed with strength… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2316 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2316 Tue, 14 Oct 2025 02:26:59 GMT Today’s Devotional: Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”. In a new country, this verse encourages seeking friendships that challenge and improve you, and being that kind of friend to others. A… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2284 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2284 Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:16:22 GMT From Sarah: Hola! Today was our fifth day in Costa Rica. We began this day in reading “The Prayer of Oscar Romero”. It has set goals and direction for this oven build. As we layer the bricks, setting them in rows and patterns, we can get… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2216 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2216 Sat, 11 Oct 2025 17:45:55 GMT Hola everyone! What a fun day we had—and we only worked a half day! Our oven is amazingly coming to look more like an oven each day, and today was no different. We put red bricks on the front and wow—we’re getting closer to the picture of… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2188 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2188 Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:10:34 GMT Today’s devotion and reflection: Scripture: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2129 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2129 Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:22:08 GMT Scripture: “Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.’” – John 6:35 https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-387 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-387 Wed, 08 Oct 2025 22:32:10 GMT Today was Perfect! Our flights were on time and Nancy and Ana Grace were waiting for us with big smiles and full hearts! We had a delicious lunch and headed to our build! The Women of Carpintero were waiting for us! They greeted us with… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-377 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-377 Sat, 04 Oct 2025 03:06:07 GMT On October 7, a group of women with most from Trinity will travel to Costa Rica on an oven build trip with Bricks to Bread. This is an exploratory trip as they learn the process firsthand of building a brick oven to support a community. https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-322 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-322 Wed, 03 Aug 2022 17:57:03 GMT Melanie DeLuca, Trinity’s representative, joined a group from Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina to travel to Colombia, South America for a weeklong mission trip. During this “insight” trip led by Opportunity International, the group will… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-310 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-310 Wed, 09 Sep 2020 17:10:07 GMT When I made the switch from youth ministry to children’s ministry almost 3 years ago – after 8 years of mission trips, confirmation, youth group, and teenagers – one of the things I was most excited about was planning faith formation… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-303 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-303 Wed, 19 Aug 2020 13:38:36 GMT People say, “Sometimes you can’t see what is right in front of you.” I have never felt this statement more than I did one night after volunteering at a Trinity Community Meal. It was the second meal that I have volunteered at this summer… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-284 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-284 Wed, 17 Jun 2020 15:07:29 GMT Like many, I have experienced feelings of confusion, discomfort and guilt these last few weeks. https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-267 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-267 Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:30:38 GMT As I was sitting at home on my porch, I could hear the sirens and the helicopters, and the popping sounds of the protests happening just blocks away. But as I was sitting there I wasn’t worried about myself, I wasn’t worried that something… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-248 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-248 Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:42:58 GMT On Wednesday, May 27th, Trinity hosted a drive-thru celebration for our Trinity grads. It was a perfect night – the weather was gorgeous, we had a great turnout and, oh my gosh – I was so glad to see people in person other than on a… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-229 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-229 Wed, 20 May 2020 17:20:19 GMT I am so incredibly sad for the Class of 2020. My graduation memory is vivid. I was a member of the Class of ’76; the “bicentennial” class. There was red, white and blue EVERYWHERE. There is no other experience like high school graduation… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-218 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-218 Sun, 26 Apr 2020 09:00:00 GMT Social justice was the original driving force in moving me to volunteer at a church. I was in graduate school going to University Lutheran Church of Hope and was part of the team, led by Pastor Mark Hansen, working on the statement on… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-204 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-204 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 16:00:00 GMT Staying home with our small family of four in our small home is no small task. What the government is asking seems simple enough: just hang tight at home for a couple weeks and remain socially distant to everyone in the ENTIRE WORLD! Yep… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-170 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-170 Thu, 26 Mar 2020 14:00:26 GMT After our daughter, Maisie, arrived prematurely at 24 weeks on January 17, 2015, it was recommended by doctors that we keep her out of daycare for at least the first year of her life due to her weakened immune system. After looking at our… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-159 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-159 Wed, 11 Mar 2020 12:34:32 GMT Agreeableness. My star word for 2020. At first glance, I thought it was telling me to agree with everyone and everything. After looking up the definition, I found out that is not true at all. Here is the definition from the… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-women-170 trinitylonglake-story-women-170 Sun, 08 Mar 2020 04:02:08 GMT For the past year I have felt like I am in a constant state of transition. From navigating newlywed life and maintaining our first home to learning the ins and outs of my career as a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Therapist and now… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-133 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-133 Wed, 19 Feb 2020 05:00:00 GMT During summer 2017, I decided to strengthen and grow my connection to God. As a seventh grader, I did not know what to expect when Tyler [Trinity’s former MS Youth Director] mentioned the Boundary Waters. But I knew that it was my style… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-126 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-126 Wed, 05 Feb 2020 06:00:00 GMT As this New Year is swiftly moving forward, the gift of giving continues to help us make connections with others. https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-110 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-110 Wed, 18 Dec 2019 05:00:00 GMT “And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.” – Luke 2:7 https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-102 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-102 Wed, 04 Dec 2019 06:00:00 GMT I met Nancy Alvarado (founder of Bricks to Bread) and her husband, Chato, in the airport two summers ago. Chato was coming back from building a brick oven in Costa Rica and wearing his Bricks to Bread t-shirt, and I was part of a Trinity… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-women-148 trinitylonglake-story-women-148 Sat, 30 Nov 2019 23:08:52 GMT When my dear friend Cari Bullemer asked me to contribute to this blog, my first thought was “I don’t have anything important, interesting or funny to say.” But Cari pressed and suggested I write about raising kids today with Christianity… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-91 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-91 Wed, 20 Nov 2019 06:00:00 GMT ( This post was originally shared on our Trinity Women blog . ) https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-68 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-68 Wed, 23 Oct 2019 02:19:49 GMT My son, Parker, will be confirmed this weekend. That sweet baby boy that we had baptized in the river at our family’s cabin is now a freshman in high school beginning to make his own decisions. Where did the time go?! Did we prepare him… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-62 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-62 Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:01:00 GMT Judging seems to be despised in our culture, but I find it necessary for leading an informed and responsible life. I’m often uneasy (even sometimes irritated) with people or groups that tout, “No judgement here.” Likewise with individuals… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-53 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-53 Wed, 09 Oct 2019 05:00:00 GMT The bible is an incredibly powerful thing; it’s old and complicated and contradictory, and there are a thousand different ways to interpret it. How we interpret the bible – the lens we choose to view it through – changes the meaning of… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-48 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-48 Wed, 02 Oct 2019 06:00:00 GMT I was instantly struck with an “aha” moment when I read Chapter 3 of Adam Hamilton’s book, “Half Truths.” In it he focuses on the common phrase used to give comfort, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” He shatters this statement… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-33 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-33 Wed, 25 Sep 2019 06:00:56 GMT “ With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-wordpress-22 trinitylonglake-story-wordpress-22 Wed, 18 Sep 2019 06:00:39 GMT “G od is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46 “ For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted.” – I saiah 49 https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-women-123 trinitylonglake-story-women-123 Sun, 08 Sep 2019 14:06:44 GMT “You my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2073 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2073 Wed, 14 Aug 2019 19:50:35 GMT During our week in El Salvador, we began each morning reading the devotion for the day from Bread for the Journey by Henri Nouwen. How appropriate our devotion was for Sunday morning, August 11, as we reflected on our past week in El… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2064 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2064 Tue, 13 Aug 2019 23:27:32 GMT On Thursday, August 8, our group spent the day in the Emaus Church community. We began the morning with a time of song and prayer together before heading out to visit some homes of students in the community. For Sarah and Eloise, it was… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2060 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2060 Mon, 12 Aug 2019 16:11:15 GMT On Wednesday, August 7, we had the distinct pleasure of witnessing profoundly faithful servants. We spent the morning at Casa Esperanza- the homeless shelter run by the Lutheran Church of El Salvador. Despite a lack of funding, the pastors… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2050 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2050 Tue, 06 Aug 2019 23:30:34 GMT Today we joined hundreds (maybe even thousands???) of Lutherans from around the world to walk together in celebration of the Salvadoran Lutheran Church’s 33rd Anniversary. With each step we heard of the many ways in which God is at work in… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-2043 trinitylonglake-story-travel-2043 Mon, 05 Aug 2019 16:52:39 GMT “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9 https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-1986 trinitylonglake-story-travel-1986 Thu, 01 Aug 2019 21:41:05 GMT Trinity’s sending another team down to El Salvador for the annual Seeds of Hope summer trip. Throughout the next week they’ll be meeting with our Seeds of Hope students, connecting with our sister church of San Pablo, and joining Lutherans… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-women-116 trinitylonglake-story-women-116 Fri, 19 Apr 2019 21:08:55 GMT I tried something new this year. I set aside the Christmas cards we received during the holidays and opened them all at once. I chose Christmas evening when all the hustle and bustle of the previous day and night had subsided. https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-1983 trinitylonglake-story-travel-1983 Mon, 14 Jan 2019 02:13:05 GMT This blink-of-an-eye, whirlwind of emotion and humbling experience has come to an end. I’m sitting on the plane between my mother, Konnie, and Cheryl struggling to eloquently summarize the trip. It took an hour for 4 of us to string… https://trinitylonglake.org/blog#post-travel-1976 trinitylonglake-story-travel-1976 Fri, 11 Jan 2019 02:49:46 GMT Day 4 in the morning, six of us attended the Getsami Co-op’s cooking class. Wow what an experience! So much to learn from the co-op ladies. We started shopping for the ingredients for our meal at the local Ahuachapan market. This was not…