Trinity Lutheran Church Women

Trinity Lutheran Church Women had its annual Thankoffering and Ingathering Dinner on Nov. 10 in Trinity Hall. The welcome was given by Co-President Bev Jackson-Cotter.

The Rev. Marcia Hall gave the devotions and the table prayer. The group sang the doxology. The dinner was served and prepared by Greg Andersen and his staff.

Erna Berthelsen and Eleanor Schou presented a skit, “Celebrating 125 years of the Trinity Ladies Aid.” Jackson-Cotter narrated the skit. The first portion of the skit was written for the 100th anniversary of the ladies aid by Schou and her sister, Luella Nielsen.

The first portion of the skit showed two older Danish women who were sharing their memories of how the organizations were formed with 10 cent dues. There were 44 women who attended the meeting at the home of P.P. Jensen, invited by the pastor at the time, the Rev. Christensen. The pair, Emma and Lena, talked about chicken dinners, pancake suppers, bake sales and sponsoring a food booth at the county fair for church fundraisers.

The memories of Berthelsen and Schou provided the group with lots of information about various activities, the new church built on Washington Avenue and the Dorcas Circle buying two stained-glass windows at the cost of $700, creating the Chrismons for the Christmas tree, raising dues from 10 cents to 15 cents during the Depression, sending packages to World War II soldiers, Grandma Hansen living to 107, Pioneer Day, paying $660 rent for the displaced John Lacis family from Latvia following the war, packing clothing for Lutheran World Relief and making quilts, the merging of the Danish, Norwegian and German background churches to form the American Lutheran Church, 16 different mission circles, Thankoffering dinners, soup and pie suppers, another merger with the Swedish, forming the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, renovation of Trinity Hall and prayer shawl ministry.

Today, 16,482 quilts and blankets have been contributed to Lutheran World Relief and the Salvation Army. They also talked about more recent changes in the TLCW and shared personal memories as Berthelsen and Schou have been friends since grade school.

Mission Growth Secretary Jan Drews gave the WELCA Thankoffering — the group gathers to worship and combine offerings and offer them up with thanks and praising, dedicating the funds to missions.

The November Bible study was given by Meyer. She said “ His joy is what he offers to us, our thanks is what we offer to him, Joy and Thankoffering come together in worship.”

Jackson-Cotter gave the announcements. The group’s TLCW meeting was at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Lunch was served by the Deborah Circle. The Albert Lea High School chorale, under the direction of Diane Heaney, presented its Christmas concert at 2:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church as well.

The Rev. Marcia Hall installed the 2016 Trinity Women Slate of Officers as follows: co-presidents Marlene Wright and Coreen Johnson; vice president Karen Nelson; secretary Mary Roozenboom; treasurer Nanciana Jensen; mission community secretary Phyllis Tavis; mission growth secretary Drews; and mission action secretary Meyer.

Hall gave the benediction and all recited the Lord’s Prayer. The meeting closed and the circle chairs took over to conduct their meetings.