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I love both volunteering at and attending Summer Nights because of the joy that comes from seeing everyone together.

A few years ago, I signed up to help in the kitchen. One evening, a youth asked if he could help too, and before long he was serving alongside us almost every week. That simple act of volunteering grew into a friendship, and eventually he wanted to take on a leadership role. I had the privilege of supporting him as he led Bingo Night, and we've been involved with that event ever since.

One of my favorite things about Summer Nights is watching our youth become active leaders. I love seeing them sitting with older members, sharing conversations, laughing together, and building genuine friendships. I've watched relationships grow across generations—not just between church members, but with neighbors and guests from the community as well.

Another thing that amazes me is how people naturally step in to help. Some arrive early to see what needs to be done with setup or in the kitchen. Others volunteer to serve food so the regular crew can take a break and enjoy dinner themselves. At the end of the night, almost everyone pitches in with cleanup, and before you know it, everything is put away.

Summer Nights is more than a weekly event. It's a place where people of all ages serve together, friendships are formed, leadership grows, and our community becomes a little stronger each week. It's one of the many ways Trinity feels like family.

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 (what a clear and commanding voice to lead us in prayers and the Apostles' Creed, even without a microphone), and Nichola's willingness to lead us through our hymns. Your patience, flexibility, and faithful presence were a gift. It is a true joy to be a part of the community at Trinity, and a privilege to share a bit of my own faith journey and musing on Scripture as a guest preacher.

I am in awe of how the weather and disruption brought our text to life. Not only were there seemingly special effects going us our very own wall of water from the beautiful windows behind the altar, but the pause that came with the loss of power brought a stillness. We all paused for a moment… …and then we moved forward.

For a few moments we were reminded that God is not limited by sound systems, lights, screens, or carefully planned moments. Even when circumstances shifted, the church remained gathered, the Word was still proclaimed, and God was still present among us. Thank you for staying, participating, opening the hymnals, and bearing witness to the steady faithfulness of God in an unsteady moment.

Remember that God meets us not only in calm and certainty, but also at the edge of fear, change, and deep waters. Remember that faith does not always begin with confidence or clarity; sometimes it begins with taking the next step while afraid, trusting that the God who has been faithful before will be faithful again. Just as God held the Israelites through the waters, God continues to hold us through uncertainty, calling us to remember, move forward, and trust that we do not cross alone.

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 oven would create new opportunities to share meals and build relationships.

Over the past year, a small group has met with experts, visited churches with brick ovens, and received church council approval to continue exploring the idea. Interest is growing, with members eager to help design, build, and fund the project.

This summer, the next step is gathering input from the broader congregation:

• June 13 | Help with pretzel making (par-baking) at Bricks to Bread in St. Louis Park (contact Jill to participate).
• June 17 @ Summer Nights | Nancy Alvarado from Bricks to Bread will bring a portable oven for a demonstration. Pretzels will be finished and served, and you can share feedback through a brief survey.
• July 15 @ Summer Nights | Lion's Fire food truck will demonstrate pizza-making with a brick oven.
• September 10 | Trinity Women's Event featuring pizza baked in the portable oven.

A survey will help guide next steps. In addition to fostering community, a brick oven could also support fundraising for Trinity ministries and community partners.

Please complete the survey online below, at a summer event, or a Sunday morning. After gathering congregation feedback, the proposal will return to church council this fall. Learn more here.