Pastor Jim has TLC staff write SMART goals every year (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based), so to help me with this task, I’ve dusted off a book called Atomic Habits by James Clear. I’m finding that when I read books like this, I am often inserting God into the ideas that the author is presenting. I had read Atomic Habits long ago, and I am finding it to be a different, deeper experience this time around as I peer more closely at the author’s ideas with theological lenses. The lenses in my goggles are plastered with God- they are my Godgles.

The second chapter of this book is titled “How your habits shape your identity (and vice versa).” Clear says, “Identity is about what you believe… Behind every system of actions are a system of beliefs… When your behavior and your identity are fully aligned, you are no longer pursuing behavior change. You are simply acting like the type of person you already believe yourself to be.”

Reading with my Godgles on, this made me ponder how our Christian system of beliefs shape our identity, both as Christian individuals, and as a Christian community. It makes me think more critically about how my behavior may or may not reflect what I believe about being a Christian. It makes me want to be more curious about messaging I have received from school and different churches– messaging that impacts my beliefs, and whether those messages are helpful or hindering. There’s a growing movement in some circles of Christianity that aims to heal one’s beliefs that have been damaged by messaging from churches that emphasized a punishing, wrathful, judging God. Many went to church out of guilt rather than gratitude; many felt internal conflict rather than reconciliation; many felt more harm rather than healing, and then felt confused when harm was considered holy. The author addresses this when he says that “progress requires unlearning.” If we are to continue to grow in our faith- in our identity as Christians- we need to remain curious, willing to learn new things that help us grow, and willing to unlearn and let go of that which doesn’t.

Lutheran theology is very clear that Christianity is not a “works- based” religion. Martin Luther understood that practicing perfect habits does not pave the way to heaven. The focus of this missive is not about developing perfect habits. Rather the focus is more an encouragement to stay aware-of and curious-about how our habits shape our Christian identity (and vice versa– how our Christian identity shapes our habits), and to lovingly address areas of dissonance. The journey is ongoing, and I’m grateful to be on it with you!

Your humble servant,

Pastor Katrina
pastorkat@trinityfreeland.org

Trinity Preschool’s 2026 Pre-Kindergarten class of 17 students graduated last week! With parents, grandparents, siblings and extended family watching, they all walked across the stage and received their certificates. We were told what each child wants to be when they grow up. There are future astronauts, fire fighters, princesses and scientists among them. One shared that she wants to be a mama when she grows up.

Before they officially graduated, they sang some wonderful songs for us! Karl led them in classics such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, as well as one of my favorites Like a Rock, a newer song called I Am Brave, and several others. They were, of course, fantastic!

After the delightful ceremony, our wonderful preschool teachers hosted an ice cream sundae bar for kids and grownups alike.

It was a wonderful opportunity to visit with families. The space was filled with laughter and joyful conversations.

It has been such a joy to watch these children, and their families, grow. Many of them have been at Trinity for three years – starting when they were just 2 years old. Many also have siblings who have attended Trinity – as well as some younger siblings who will be here soon!

Our amazing preschool teachers love these kids, laugh with them, and teach them how to be their best selves (along with their colors, shapes, letters, and numbers). They model empathy and compassion, share incredibly creative lessons, and share the love of Jesus. I am so thankful for them!

Thank you, also, to Mr. Karl who makes weekly visits to preschool to sing – and even dance – with the students.

We are eternally grateful for the families that bring their kids to Trinity Preschool. This was our 40th year of school, and we’ve already started waiting lists for next year’s classes.

This is all possible because of this amazing congregation that continues to support our students, teachers, and families every year.

We are blessed to be a blessing!

Deacon Amy

“Come to me you who are weary,” is the invitation of Jesus.

Tomorrow we will gather at the altar. Tomorrow we will join a parade of broken humans, journeying side by side down the center aisle of this safe place we call the sanctuary. We will move slowly with canes and walkers, oxygen tanks trailing behind, small children holding their parents’ hands and old hands shaking with the telltale signs of aging. Tomorrow we will stumble out of our pews and move toward a table that offers its welcome to all people. In that moment, it may not be clear, but it is most certainly true, that we have more in common than the differences that divide us.

I came of age in the 1970’s. I was formed by life in a small town, Christian values, Midwest culture, and the music of my youth. In 1973, Don Henley and Glenn Frey of the Eagles wrote the song Tequila Sunrise. It speaks of the loneliness and the broken heart of a common man, “a hired hand.” As I listened to this song anew for the thousandth time, I was struck by the line “Take another shot of courage.”

Tomorrow we will gather at the altar to share the bread and wine of Holy Communion. We will come at the invitation of Jesus. The table is his, the guestlist is none of our business. No one needs to bring their resume, church membership is not required, conformity of thought is not expected, we do not need to understand the mystery of this meal or the mystery of the incarnation. We do not even need to believe. It does not matter where we have been or where we are going.

The invitation comes from the one and only host of the meal, the only vote that matters is that of Jesus, and his vote is cast for you. Jesus invites all to come, Jesus invites you to come and he may invite a few that you would rather not dine with. Come to the table, take another shot of courage, bread and wine and words of hope wait for you there. Drag your weary body forward. If you are lonely, broken, depressed, betrayed, dismayed, diseased, plagued by doubt, or feeling hopeless then this meal is for you. If you are nearing the end of life or the end of your marriage, then Jesus bids you to come. Take another shot of courage. With trembling hearts and fearful minds open yourself to the grace filled words of Jesus, “You are loved, you are forgiven, and you are never alone.”

Take another shot of courage. Have a transfusion of courage, the blood of Jesus strengthening you, allowing you to face the world once again. Take another shot of courage and know that everyone around you is on a journey of insecurity and doubt. Look around, observe the parade of sinners, give thanks for the people of God and go forward in peace.

Take another shot of courage. Tequila is not the answer, money is not the answer, knowledge is not the answer, and courage will not be found in the presence of the Wizard of Oz. Take another shot of courage, open your heart to Jesus.

Tomorrow we will gather at the altar, I hope you will be there. Mine is the Church where everybody’s welcome. I know it’s true ‘cause I got through the door.

Christianity is not a society of achievers, Christianity is one beggar telling another where to find bread.

Your friend the beggar, I am your,

Pastor Jim

rvlindus@whidbey.com

“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice.” – The words of the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi from a prison in Rome.

We have so much to be thankful for as we live our island lives in peace, as we travel safely down Highway 525, as we wait in endless ferry lines among strange looking tourists from the mainland. We have much to be thankful for as we gather each Sunday to celebrate God’s grace and the privilege of belonging to a church where everybody’s welcome.

I am thankful for each of you and the unique gifts that you bring to our community. I am thankful for our bakers, artists, musicians, quilters, woodcutters, church council members, teachers, greeters and ushers. I am thankful for the wonderful staff that serves the mission of TLC with tireless dedication. I rejoice always for the strong, courageous and dedicated women who serve as a part of our staff: Robin, Laura, Tonya, Deacon Amy, Sheila, Yuka, Megan, Cathy, Emma, our six wonderful Preschool teachers and Pastor Katrina!

It has been 5 months now since Pastor Katrina was ordained at TLC. She has worked part-time and continued her nursing career as well. In the past 5 months we have been inspired by her preaching, teaching, and serving. We have embraced her and loved her as part of our family. Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice.

On June 1st there will be a major transition at TLC. The Church Council has decided that the time is right to expand Pastor Katrina’s ministry role. Beginning June 1st Pastor Katrina will be full-time on our church staff. She will have consistent office hours every Tuesday- Friday from 9 am to 1 pm. In addition to those hours she will be teaching, providing pastoral care, writing, providing leadership and juggling the various responsibilities of full-time ministry. In January, Pastor Katrina dedicated her life to Christian service. This service can be all consuming. The demands on her time will be considerable, following Jesus in this form of leadership is a 24-7 calling. I would ask you to do what you have always done, namely, love your pastors. Pray for Pastor Katrina in this time of transition.

This transition is a win-win for all, a move that is enthusiastically embraced by our staff. Pastor Katrina is not replacing anyone on our staff, she is enhancing an already capable team.

Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice! We have so much to be thankful for! I am optimistic as we face the future together. We are in good hands. Trinity is a place of grace.

Thanks for your loving and tender care for me, my family and our staff. One beggar, telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,

Pastor Jim

On Pentecost and Copernicus – Say that 5 times fast!

May 24th is Pentecost Sunday! It is also the church’s lesser festival for Nicolaus Copernicus, and I think they pair quite well!

Pentecost comes from the Jewish Festival of Weeks or Shavout, which is celebrated 50 days after Passover. In the book of Acts chapter 1, Jesus ascends into heaven and says: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In chapter 2, the Holy spirit comes upon them: “The day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”

Now, if I had been Peter, I would have been concerned about logistics: when will the spirit be coming; what should we watch out for; let’s get some fire extinguishers ready. The Bible doesn’t give us those details- only that the apostles were gathered, along with many other Jews who had journeyed to Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks/ Shavout. Many had come from different places and spoke their own languages, so when the Apostles began speaking their languages, they were amazed (or skeptical that they were drunk). Many other miracles were performed, and 3,000 people welcomed the Gospel and were baptized. This is in part why Christians regard Pentecost as the “birthday of the Church” and is a Principal Festival of the church. Red is the symbolic color for joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit.

A lesser festival that falls on the same day this year is for Nicolaus Copernicus (1543). Copernicus was born in Poland and died at the age of 70 not long after publishing his book On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres which included a model of the solar system that placed the sun, rather than the earth, at the center. It is so exciting to imagine Copernicus doing all his work around the same time that Martin Luther was doing his reformation work. Copernicus is celebrated as someone who studied nature, showing that when we take time to do so, we better understand our world and our faith.

I think this pairs so nicely with the celebration of Pentecost, because mathematics, physics and the sciences are like other languages. This Pentecost, may the Holy Spirit open our hearts and minds to better understand the world, God, life, and each other in new ways!

Pastor Katrina

Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve…” Mark 10:43-44

One-time, one-time several years ago, Felicia and I had a special memory. We ate dinner at Canlis restaurant in Seattle. One-time only and it was amazing. To be honest, I don’t remember what I had for dinner, what appetizers or entrees I enjoyed. I only remember the company and the hospitality. We enjoyed dinner with friends, and we were treated to extravagant hospitality.

From the moment we arrived in the parking lot we were engaged, welcomed, and cared for at every turn. Our car doors were opened, we walked in, as our car safely disappeared. The Maître d’ greeted us, took Felicia’s coat, and walked with us to our table, thanking us for coming and asking if we were celebrating a special occasion. Felicia’s chair was pulled back slightly, allowing her to gracefully take her spot at a perfectly prepared table. The owners of the restaurant were making the rounds, touching tables, each patron was noticed and appreciated.

The dinner lasted for hours, the conversation was lively, and the servers seemed to anticipate our every need. I ordered a glass of wine after seeking the advice of the sommelier. Later I asked him the name of the wine that I was drinking and when it was time to depart, he brought me a cute little Canlis bag, inside the bag was the wine label. We pushed back from the table and headed for the door. There was the Maître d’ holding Felicia’s coat in front of the fireplace, warming the inside for her comfort. Outside our car was idling. We were treated like royalty.

A meal at Canlis is expensive, but for a special occasion it is worth every penny. The food was outstanding I am sure, but it was the hospitality that left a lasting impression.

Every Sunday morning people come to TLC. It takes a lot of nerve to come to a church for the first time. Visitors are a little nervous, apprehensive, unsure what their experience will be, wondering if worship will be user friendly, hoping that they will be welcomed. Every Sunday morning they come, most times they are new to Whidbey Island, but others come as a result of some unspeakable loss, or devastating diagnosis.

On Sunday morning we work at Canlis. We are the servants of Jesus, called by Jesus. We work here, we set the table, we make the cookies, we welcome the guests that Jesus invited. We have no say in the guestlist. The greeters are the first line of welcome, offering a smile and a handshake. The ushers are the Maître d’s. They too welcome the guests, offering them the morning menu and a smile as they guide them to a comfortable seat. Hospitality is our central calling. It is opening the door for the Gospel to be heard. If they don’t see Jesus in us, then their hearts may be hardened, and they may not see Jesus in Karl’s songs or in the sermon.

I read an article by a pastor who took his family to Disneyland. On Sunday morning before going to the Magic Kingdom, their family found a local Lutheran Church. He later compared the hospitality that they experienced at the church and at Disneyland. They felt more welcomed by Mickey Mouse than they did by the followers of Jesus. It was a reminder that hospitality lays the groundwork for hearing the Gospel.

Every Sunday morning they come, the guests that Jesus invited. Every Sunday morning, we work at Canlis. Your assignment that morning does not come from Tonya or Robin, it comes from Jesus. So, if you want to be served this Sunday go to the Braeburn, and if are ready to serve come to TLC, the church where everybody’s welcome.

One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,

Pastor Jim

rvlindus@whidbey.com

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”

He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40

Deacon Amy and I have been diving into a Comparative Religions class with many of you these last few weeks, and there is so much to learn! One person in our class recently said that we really are just scratching the surface- there is so much depth and context that’s difficult to fit into one class- and he is right! The goal for our class is to engage in an introductory exploration to major world religions so that when we encounter people of different faiths, we know more about them and love our neighbors better.

This week’s class was on Buddhism, and the book asked- is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy? As I read more of the chapter, and dove into books from the library, I began to also wonder if Buddhism is also a practice or a spiritual discipline. This also made me curious about what spiritual disciplines we employ in our Christian faith.

Part of the joy in our class is learning about our own faith more deeply and also seeing the ways in which different religions overlap and have much in common. For example, the Buddhist teacher quoted in our book summarized the Buddhist Holy Eightfold Path as: doing as much good as you can; refrain from doing evil; purify your mind.

This has much in common with Methodist goals of: refraining from doing evil; do all the good you can; pursue the spiritual disciplines that help you stay and grow with God. Both the ELCA and Methodist mission statements share words about “serving joyfully” and “loving and witnessing boldly.” The Episcopal church emphasizes unity with God and with each other in Christ.

The world is full of communities who share common goals to live out The Greatest Commandment to love God and love our neighbor. And within each community, every person has their own story and method for what “works” for them. Some pray daily; meditate; go to AA meetings; exercise; journal; make art or music; quilt; share meals with one another. We share an important meal together on Sundays, as our spirits are nourished with the Word, Sacraments, and fellowship.

I’d love to encourage both myself and all of you to consider what practices/ habits/ values you live into each day- or maybe you haven’t started yet but are curious about- that nurtures your loving connections with God and with each other.

With love and gratitude,

Pastor Katrina
pastorkat@trinityfreeland.org

If you think that the world is harsh and broken, you are right. But the world of the Apostle Paul 2000 years ago would be unrecognizable to us. Poverty, squalor, and oppression by the iron fist of Rome; Jesus was crucified and so were thousands more. The church was mostly non-existent, those who followed the ways of Jesus did so at the risk of persecution; Paul was jailed and executed.

If you think the world is harsh and broken, you are right. The common human experience from the garden of Eden to 2026 has been one of trials, tribulation, famine, natural disaster and the drumbeat of war echoing from generation to generation. 2000 years ago, life expectancy was just 35 years. By 1800 that average had not really changed. We are mortal and in the end, since the dawn of creation, everyone dies.

The realities of this brokenness sometimes leave us with grief, an impending sense of doom, depression, anxiety and despair. But we are reminded in the Bible that though grief is a part of the human experience, as Christians we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Somewhere around the year 60 AD the Apostle Paul was in a dark, dank prison cell in Rome. Confined by the power of the empire, he wrote these words:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4

When we gather on Sunday morning we bathe in God’s grace, we claim God’s promises, we celebrate the resurrection, we break bread and taste wine, we share our lives in story, song and at a festive coffee hour. Our gathering does not deny the problems that exist in our families or in our troubled world. But we are people of hope, we are called to Christian ministry in the unique settings of our daily lives. Trinity must be a safe place to cry and laugh. Perhaps our worship is most authentic when we do both.

Rejoice! Rejoice always. May God open our eyes to the beauty of this world and the beauty of the humans who share this journey with us. We have been blessed beyond the measure. The Apostle Paul would marvel at our full refrigerators, the comfort of our homes and travel. We live better, longer and healthier than the Kings and Queens of previous generations.

Rejoice! May our worship reflect the hope that we share and the gratitude that we have for the life we have been given. Rejoice! Saint Teresa of Avila tired of joyless Christians said, “From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us!”

Rejoice! Receive and extend grace and then go forth to change the world for the better. Blessed to be a Blessing.

One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,

Pastor Jim

rvlindus@whidbey.com

“When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2

This is a NASA image taken on April 2, 2026 by the Artemis II crew. Seeing the clouds over the ocean helps to put those words from Genesis 1 into perspective: “a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.”

Earth day was this past Wednesday, April 22nd! There’s a branch of theology called EcoTheology, that explores who we humans are as part of God’s creation, and how we are guided by that understanding, and our understanding of scripture, to care for creation. Similarly, there is a Doctrine of Creation which “points us to faithful practice as creatures… who live in a world that exists for God’s loving purposes.”

I think of this often when we observe Ash Wednesday and say, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The people of the Bible lived with a lot of dust, and in a much closer proximity to the Earth. For transportation they primarily walked on the land. They farmed and foraged for food, and had a very intimate connection with that which nourished them. It’s important to remember that context when reading scripture, staying curious about translation. For example, the word radah in relation to “dominion” might also be better understood as a royal responsibility: caring, nurturing, not exploitative.

Deacon Amy and I were at the Bishop’s Convocation earlier this week (it was a large gathering for rostered church Pastors, Deacons and chaplains), and it was fascinating to hear about the ministry contexts of other Lutheran churches– their joys and challenges of ministry. My next thought is a bit of a stretch when I compare church bodies to planetary bodies, but this is how my brain works sometimes: I’ve often wondered about whether or not there are other planets like Earth in the universe. Then a thought occurred to me recently– what if there is another planet like ours, and those inhabitants are nailing the assignment: there are no wars, there are no climate crises, everyone’s working together for the thriving of all people and creation. Sounds more like heaven than Earth, but if such a place existed, I’d want to learn more. Like the clergy at the Bishop’s convocation, I’d want to know about their joys and concerns, successes and failures as another planetary community in the universe, and how they’re able to structure life on their Earth as it is in Heaven.

One last parting insight is from Artemis crew member Christina Koch (you can watch her very moving speech here). I was struck by how much of what she said reminded me of scripture:

A crew is a group of people who are in it, all the time, no matter what; that is stroking together every minute with the same purpose; that is willing to sacrifice silently for each other; that gives grace, that holds accountable; a crew has the same cares and the same needs and a crew is inescapably, beautifully, dutifully linked. So when we saw tiny Earth, people asked our crew what impressions we had, and honestly what struck me wasn’t necessarily just Earth- it was all the blackness around it. Earth was just this lifeboat hanging undisturbingly in the universe… So, I may have not learned- I know I haven’t learned- everything that this journey has yet to teach me, but there’s one new thing I do know, and that is: Planet Earth, you are a crew.

Blessed and grateful to be on this mission, on this Earth with all of you!

Your humble servant,
Pastor Katrina

We live in a cause-and-effect world. The choices we make have a major effect on the quality of our lives. The choices we make bear good or bad fruit for us (ourselves) and for those that we love. Every day we experience the realities of cause and effect. Sometimes we are the cause and sometimes we just get the effect. In every accident there is a cause; we fail to look back when we back out of the parking stall at Payless and we cause a collision, someone is texting and driving and they cross the center line striking our car. Their cause affects us.

We live in a cause-and-effect world. Our choices matter. In 2014 at the commencement ceremony at the University of Texas, Navy Admiral William H. McRaven gave a speech where he emphasized the importance of making the bed. His basic message was simple, if you want to change the world, if you want to change your life, if you want to be successful then start your day by making your bed. Each decision, small or large, sets into play a cause-and-effect reaction.

I do a fair amount of counseling with people who are grief stricken, desperate for change, trying to find their way. Every human story is unique and strikingly familiar. My advice to each is quite simple: “every morning wake up and make a list of things that are in your control, things that you can achieve that day that will benefit your life financially, spiritually, and physically. One decision at a time, take care of your physical, mental, financial and spiritual health. Invest in yourself and care for your relationships with loved ones.”

We are the primary writers of our life stories; we are not victims or pawns of a predetermined reality. Start the day by making the bed and build on that success as you make healthy choices the rest of the day. We live in a cause-and-effect world but…

We do not have a cause-and-effect God! God does not send us trouble, punishment or disease based on our behavior. God does not need to punish us; we are pretty good at punishing ourselves as we live with the consequences of misguided freewill choices. If you think that God is punishing you then you need to rethink your image of God. God is love. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, and “nothing” includes everything. God’s love is not based on our intellectual assent, our good works, church attendance or exemplary behavior. Good works will serve us well and neighbors will be more likely to like us. Church attendance will encourage us with words of grace and the company of people of hope. Exemplary behavior will help to keep us out of trouble.

Human relationships are by nature transactional. Not so with God. God is love. God loves you. There is nothing that you can do to make God love you more and there is nothing that you can do to make God love you less.

We live in a transactional world, a cause-and-effect world. But we are not in a cause-and-effect relationship with God, our God is not a cause-and-effect being.

So, wake up tomorrow and make the bed, move forward to a healthier existence. One decision at a time you can change the world and change your life.

One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your,

Pastor Jim

rvlindus@whidbey.com