Pixels to PanelsPlease indicate “Digital Sign” on your check and mail your donations to:
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
1300 E. Main St.
New Prague, MN 56071
Want to join Margorie’s team of walkers? Meet at the church parking lot at Noon (Oct. 10) to carpool. Click the “Donate” button to sponsor her team!
Vanco, our eGiving provider, has launched an updated app called Vanco Mobile to replace GivePlus Mobile. Download the Vanco Mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. HTLChronicles
The Gift of Welcome
Holy Trinity now sports a pair of stylish chairs, a small conference table, and a safe railing in front 
of the new office wing thanks to a memorial gift from Ron Soheim and family.
Ron and his late wife Linda Solheim were married for 47 and a half years. “From the time we said ‘I do,’ we were married for 17,397 days.”
He remembers seeing her and wanting to know her name, if she was single. He bought her a coffee and asked her to dinner. “The first time we went out was August 12. Our first date was at Barnacle Bar at Frontier Dinner Theater (now Chanhassen Dinner Theatre) on August 12. We were engaged by August 24. Twelve days later. My pastor met her and said ‘You two are truly soulmates. You are meant to be together.’”
Ron and Linda moved from Chanhassen to New Prague on June 2, 2021 to be closer to family. But they also moved so Ron would have help with Linda’s care.
An Amazing Memory
The couple made plans to attend and join Holy Trinity. “Both of us were looking forward to being members of HTLC. She just didn’t make it. She passed away at least six months before we thought she would.”
Linda passed away the day after Father’s Day. “The morning of June 21, the most beautiful person left this life with me to become my most amazing memory.”
Ron treasures his life with his wife. “Our life together of 47.5 years was amazing. Linda had Lupus for 38 years. She was struggling with that all the time. Most of the time she had it under control, but for the last 15 years, she also had one of the rarest forms of cancer. She was a fighter.”
Someone Else in Control
“When we were planning the service, we didn’t have to do much,” says Ron. “Things just fell into place. Someone else was in control.” Partway through the meeting, Jamie showed the Solheim family into the sanctuary. Ron looked up at the screen in amazement. “I wanted the hymn ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ for the funeral. Jamie was showing us some options and there on the screen were the words for the hymn ‘Holy, Holy, Holy.’” The hymn was scheduled for the upcoming Sunday service, but happened to be on the screen at the time of their meeting.
A Memorial For Linda
After a few weeks after Linda’s passing, Ron began to spend more time at Holy Trinity and noticed a few details. “I just saw some needs. So I asked Pastor Ben and Jamie where there might be a need, a memorial fitting of Linda.” Eventually an outside railing, stained glass-style chairs, and a small conference table were purchased as a memorial to Linda from her family.
“Linda would have liked that, having railings for me, especially,” Ron says. I can hear the smile in his voice.
“And she would have loved those chairs. She liked bright colors, and pretty things like those chairs.”
Now, thanks to a loving gift from a family, the entrance is safer. The lobby is bright and welcoming with the new chairs. And there is a small, intimate room with comfortable seating to meet, potentially with another grieving family.
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It’s a Sign
Dennis Jasperson wanted to find a way for his late wife Dorothy to remain a part of Holy Trinity. A way she can continue to welcome people to the church she loved.
“When we did the church visits [in February 2020], I came to the realization all these churches that were doing well had electronic signs. I knew there was talk in the past about this and I thought it would be a good time to bring it up,” says Jasperson, holding his steaming cup of coffee on a warm August morning. “I wanted to contribute, get it started, and hope that people would support it.”
The Sign Team
Holy Trinity responded by inviting the congregation to a series of open meetings led by council member Mark Walser. From there, a committee formed to make Dennis’ hope a reality. Together, members Jed Becher, Dirk Berger, Allen and Donna Gulbransen, Dennis Jasperson, Pat Remfert, Tim Thorp, and George Winn along with council member Mark Walser, Office Manager Jamie Bisek, Facility Manager Jon Bergquist, and Pastor Ben 
Hilding met four times and voted to recommend to the church council a sign of 5 ft. by 10 ft. with 8 mm pixels.
Signs are important to this committee. Says team member George Winn, “I always judge restaurants by their bathrooms and I judge churches by their signs.” The sign will be constructed by Think Digital, a sign company in Edina, and will cost $85,000.
Half A Sign
“In short, we have paid for one side of the sign and are looking to raise funds for the other,” says Pastor Alicia. “This is a project everyone can get involved with. You can purchase a pixel for 66 cents, or go as far as a panel. We’d love to have 100% participation.” (See breakdown below.)
This is an important project for council member Mark Walser whose kids enjoyed playing with Dorothy. Walser researched several companies who make electronic signs and invited two of them to give a presentation to the committee. But he’s clear about wanting the input of the congregation. “I don’t want to spend people’s money without the support of the congregation.” The source of the sign is also important to Walser. “This is a quality sign, manufactured in the U.S, with design controlled in the U.S.”
You Are Welcome Here
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Dignity for Children
HTLC Hosts 3rd Annual School Supplies Giveaway
No child wants to stand apart from their peers for what they do not have. Every child deserves to feel the support of their community.
Holy Trinity will hold our third annual School Supplies Giveaway on Monday, August, 9, 6-8 p.m. Hosted by the Missions/Outreach Team and supported by a grant from the Endowment Fund, $5,000 is allocated to buy K-5 school supplies. The items will be distributed in pre-packed bags and delivered drive-through-style in the parking lot in front of the new wing.
Linnea Hautman, Missions Team School Liaison, is leading the giveaway this year. “As a retired teacher, I really do not want to see any student in need or any student who stands apart because they do not have school supplies,” she told me over the phone.
Where It Began
Open to All
Aligned with Holy Trinity’s motto “All are welcome,” the Giveaway is again open to any family, not just those registered in the New Prague Area School District. While there are some experiencing a need in this area, there is greater need elsewhere.
New Prague Tradition
This is not a new idea in New Prague. Many local businesses collect donations from the public and deliver them to the schools before the first day of school. Then, when kids arrive without enough pencils or folders, they are sent to the office to pick them up. In front of the other kids.
The current format was an idea by Amy Hennen, social worker at Falcon Ridge Elementary in New Prague. When I asked her several years ago how Holy Trinity could help the schools, she shared the process of getting school supplies to everyone. After watching how difficult it is for the kids to be singled out in this way, she knew it would be easier for them to walk into school with a full backpack. Just like the other children.
Missions Team member and retired elementary teacher, Sande Schoenecker, also appreciates this format. “I personally have seen the humble faces of students who have started the school year without their own supplies. I’ve listened to parents who shyly told me they hoped to be able to get supplies over the weekend or by the next week. Most often they couldn’t afford them. I was very grateful for donations given by our church directly to the school social workers, so I could have the supplies for those students. When we first discussed a school supply drive where families could receive supplies before school started, I was eager to help. This provides dignity for kids and parents!”
School Supply Donations Welcome
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