Welcome to our website – we are so glad you found us whether you are “just looking,” searching for a faith community, already an active part of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church or have been a part of this community in the past. We are so glad you are here and looking around our website.
I’d like to share a few of my favorite passages and why they are central and important to who I am as a Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Genesis 1:26 -27a
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them.
Why? All people are beautifully created in God’s image. As the people of God we are called to love and serve God and our neighbors (our neighbors are the people who live in the same house, across the street, across town, across the state, the country and the world). All of our neighbors are created in God’s image. When we hurt one of our neighbors we affect our whole community. May we welcome and love all people.
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Why? These verses from Romans are my absolute favorites – for there is nothing, nothing that can separate us from God’s love. God created us in God’s image and God loves us and cares for us and promises to be with us throughout our lives and nothing can take away that love and care. Not anything we do or don’t do – not anything we think – not any disease or hardship – nothing. God loves us.
Philippians 1:3-6
I thank my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always in every one of my prayers for all of you, praying with joy 5 for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Why? I give thanks to God for the people I have the privilege of serving and journeying together in faith. I give thanks for the people who faithfully pray for me, my family, this congregation and our world. I trust that God who began a good work in me and in you is faithful to equip us with everything we need to live out the work to love and serve God and our neighbors in the world.
Luke 15: 11-32
11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”
Why? I love this story – I love this story because God’s generous and extravagant love and grace are shown. I love this story because it shows how much this father loves his son even when the son insulted his father by asking for his inheritance before his father was dead, even when he wastes all he has been given and even when we comes back home to say I’ve messed up. This father comes running to celebrate before the son can even share the speech he has prepared. The father celebrates his lost son who is now found. I imagine God is a lot like that father full of extravagant love for each one of us.
I invite you to join us at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and my hope and prayer is you experience the amazing and abundant love of God in your life.
God’s Peace
Pastor Kristin Hoyer