Grace Lutheran Church - Hermantown, MN

09/09/2026

Grace Lutheran Church
Wed, Sept. 9, 2026

09/09/2026

Some ideas for Back-to-School conversations this week with your young ones!

09/06/2026

Grace Lutheran Church
Hermantown, MN
September 6, 2026

09/05/2026

Travel Travails

(From this week's Grace Notes newsletter)

On July 17th my family landed in Bergen, Norway and took a bus toward the city center. Construction along the route forced us to transfer busses. But when it was time to disembark, Taryn was stuck within the crowded bus with three big suitcases and a stroller and couldn’t get off in time. So, there I was, on the platform with four hungry, tired children and holding HER phone. What would we do, I wondered, feeling a mix of panic, stress, and amusement!

Travel is a good reminder that life is unpredictable. It teaches us that despite our best laid plans that the unexpected can and will happen. Our sense of control over a situation can very quickly dissolve, leaving us to wonder what comes next. It’s a feeling you’d rather not have to experience, because it exposes our anxieties and vulnerabilities.

We’re not very good about being vulnerable with each other. Society teaches us to be strong, independent, and unshakeable, and that we should have our life “together,” whatever that means. Vast amounts of our time and energy are spent cultivating a public persona built to impress and to not show what we think are our weaknesses.

But perhaps the things we consider our weakness are in fact our greatest strengths? It is in our tenderness and vulnerability in which we are called to connect with others for love and support. And it is in these areas in which we often recognize God better and more fully than when we’re trying to appear “strong.”

After being separated, I took the kids to a Norwegian McDonalds to quiet their hunger pains (and complaining), trusting that Taryn would figure it out. She did, of course, by getting some help with our luggage and catching an Uber to our apartment. Feelings of vulnerability and loss of control, but things worked out. Lesson learned!

In vulnerability, and finding our strength in Christ,
Pastor Christoph Schmidt

P.S. Thank you for the warm welcome back this past week! I’ve been blessed with your appreciation, comments, and support. And thank you for the delicious cake! God is good.

(Picture of my son hiding from the palace guard at the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway).

09/02/2026

08/30/2026

Grace Lutheran Church
Sun, Aug. 30, 2026

08/30/2026

Grace Lutheran Church
Sun. Aug. 30, 2026

08/28/2026

From this week's "Grace Notes" newsletter:

Hello Church! It’s good to be back at Grace after my sabbatical leave!

My time away was great. I traveled with family, and met new relatives in Chicago, Baltimore, and Norway. I reinvested in spiritual direction and reflective practices. I learned more about the culture and history of Native Americans in the Southwest, the church in Europe, and the Vikings in Norway (they didn’t have actual horns on their helmets, disappointingly). I worked on my kids’ treehouse (an ongoing project!). I played my guitar at an open mic. And I was medically evacuated from Isle Royale on a Park Service boat. It turned out fine, but I’ll save that story for another time!

Lots of experiences, and lots of lessons. I learned a lot about myself, my call to ministry, and the people and places of our amazing world. I look forward to sharing more with you in the weeks and months to come.
For now, however, let me say that I am truly glad to be back here at work, doing the ministry you and I are called to do in Christ’s name.

It is a common occurrence for pastors to return from sabbatical with the realization that they need to make a change. Some look to change calls, while others have been known to leave the ministry all together. I am happy to report that this is not the case. If anything, my sabbatical time affirmed my call to serve as pastor here at Grace. God is not done with me, and us, as we continue to share the Good News with each other and our neighbors.

I want to offer my sincere appreciation to the congregation for supporting me and my family during this time. Thank you to Sue, Alex, and church leadership for making sure everything got done that needed to get done. Thank you to everyone who stepped in to preach and lead worship. Finally, thank you to my amazing Sabbatical team for coordinating everything! None of this would have been possible without everyone contributing their time and talents.

I’ll be offering opportunities this fall to share more about my time away, show some pictures, and talk about what I learned. At the same time, I look forward to hearing about how God has been working this summer here at Grace. God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good.

With deep appreciation,
Pastor Christoph

08/26/2026

Grace Lutheran Church
Wed. Aug. 26, 2026

08/23/2026

Grace’s Garden is growing! Tucked in beside the small shed off the back parking lot, this community garden is for everyone. Feel free to take and tend whenever you would like. Please do remember the Honorable Harvest guideline to ‘never take the first, never take the last,’ and leave some for our Harvest Festival on Sunday, September 20th!

We have also started a backyard compost - please drop off food scraps here to help us add nutrition to the garden! Please do not dispose of any meat, bones, or compostable ware (cutlery, cups, plates, etc.) These items can be brought to the industrial composting site at the YMCA.

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