Heritage Herald – January 2026 Edition
From Pastor’s Desk
Old Year, New Year Thoughts
Pastor K.J. Anderson
Merry 7th Day of Christmas!
Hannah and I were very busy through December moving to a new residence. We decided it was time
to downsize from the old Dunbar Ct home, which had served us well since 2003. But now the kids
are all grown and out on their own with their own places to maintain. And I’m getting older so that
snow-shoveling, lawn-mowing, gardening, and maintenance on a 50-yr – old home began to exceed
my ability. We relocated to a two-bedroom townhome at 223 Birnamwood in Burnsville, about five
miles and ten minutes away from Heritage.
Two other big family events make 2025 a very memorable year. Evan and Alyssa (Wendland) were
married in Minneapolis on August 15. They live in Hopkins. Evan works in the corporate office of
Lifetime Fitness. Alyssa is finishing her final year at the UofM Law School.
One week later, granddaughter Elaine was born to Coriann and husband David Ponath. The Ponaths
live two doors up from the Cook family on Garland Ave. in Apple Valley.
I look back over the year with a profound gratefulness to the grace and providence of our God. Estimates are
(Axios Media) that 15,000 Christian churches in America will have closed in 2025, far surpassing the few
thousand new churches estimated to start. This represents a disappointing trend having begun in 2019, which
saw only 4,500 closures (Lifeway Research). The median size of Christian congregations in America, across all
denominations, is about 60 in weekly attendance. So, half of the churches in America have less than 60 weekly
attenders. 70% of all churches have less than 100 in attendance (Hartford Inst.). Membership in mainline
denominations continues to fall. While around 60% of Americans affiliate with a Christian church, only 30%
are found in attendance at least twice monthly. We live in a difficult era for Christianity in America.
Against that national context, Heritage has remained strong, stable, and active in its purpose and mission. God
has blessed us with faithful members, dedicated stewards, willing volunteers, and a beautiful building and
campus. At the close of 2025 Heritage numbers about 90 households and 190 members. Our weekly
attendance is around 100 and more than 70% of our members attend Heritage at least once a month. We pray
for growth- numerical and spiritual- but in the present context of American Christianity, Heritage has weathered
the storm, still standing on the solid Rock foundation of the Gospel of Christ. At Heritage, the Sacraments are
carefully administered according to Christ’s Institution, and the Word of God is preached and taught in truth and
purity. Worship services are thoughtfully planned and expertly executed with the help of our excellent organists,
pianists, instrumentalists, and our remarkable choir. The sick, hospitalized, homebound, and shut-ins are visited
regularly. The babies are baptized, the children are taught the Gospel, the young people are instructed and
confirmed, the couples are counseled and married, the elderly are honored and cared for, the dead in Christ
receive a proper funeral and burial. Heritage has always maintained an untarnished reputation for integrity and
faithfulness in Biblical practice and doctrine. I feel blessed to be a part of Heritage.
Looking forward to 2026, I see all those things continuing, but with greater zeal and better organization, finding
opportunity for our own growth and for serving people with the Gospel. To all Heritage members who have
stepped up and put their hand to the plow, Thank you! To everyone reading this note, make 2026 the year to
seize an opportunity to help, serve, and share your blessings in the ministry of your congregation. God bless
you all in 2026.
Pastor K.J. Anderson
FY26 Financial Summary
FY26 November Financial Summary
Council Update –
Inreach
- Klaudia is preparing for the Christmas program with the teachers and kids
- Planning caroling with the youth of the congregation – timing TBD (Dec 23)
Spiritual Oversight
- Alex Hanson is willing to help with recording services
- Tim Lehne has been approved by the Elders to join our board (motion by Steve, 2nd by Jesse, approved by all)
- Looking to secure communion assistance Christmas Day (Steve: tentative)and New Years Eve (Jason)
School Board
- Katie Henricks has accepted the call to teach preschool starting with the 2026/2027 school year.
- Continue to work with Dave on finalizing details for the summer program. We have great pieces in place to help this be successful for this upcoming summer. Details will start to fall into place as soon as we have more discussions with Katie about her involvement and responsibilities in the program (assuming that she’s voted in by the congregation as the new PreK teacher).
- Teachers are and have been finalizing a list of items for purchasing using the Hike For Heritage funds. An email should go out soon to all those who donated with a breakdown of items purchased as well as a big THANK YOU!
Outreach
Properties
- Bill Weitzel is willing to help with the properties board.
- Thoughts on Jodi’s quote for cleaning carpets?
- Dishwasher issues and may need to be replaced
Treasurer
- What do we need to do for the refinance in Jan?
- There were a lot of notable cash inflows that happened last month, so numbers look strong (School Relief, Hike for Heritage, and Al Braunwarth Estate).
- I also included a couple of things that I think may be helpful to share at the call meeting on Sunday.
Chairman
- Working with John regarding school call & summer program staffing
- Collecting and organizing Talent & Interests survey and results
TLC/Office
- TLC:
- The Advent suppers have been well attended
- Flowers will be taken to 7 shut-ins for Christmas
- The Bazaar was a huge success
- The seminary gifts will be delivered this week
- Our next meeting will be a brunch on February 14, 2026
- Office:
- Nothing to report
School & Church Security
The security of our building and grounds is very important. Here are a few points that need your attention:
1) Council has appointed Alex Hanson as Security Consultant: Alex has great expertise in this area and is leading us through a security assessment and in developing a security plan for both the church and the school. We’ve already identified a few items that we can take immediate action on.
Time & Talent Survey
The Church Council has updated the Time & Talent Survey. They are asking that all members take a moment to click on the Heritage Time and Talent Survey 2025 and fill out the simple Google form.
Adult Bible Study Opportunities
Women’s Bible Study.
Men’s Bible Study
The Men’s Thursday Morning Bible Class will reconvene on Thursday, January 8th at 9 am.
Are You A Thrivent Member
Are you a Thrivent Member? Did you know that Thrivent has 2 ways to benefit Heritage? First is the Choice Dollar program. This is a simple program that throughout the year you can Direct Choice Dollars to your chosen non-profit. The Second is through Thrivent Action Teams. You sign up to “lead” a group of volunteers for an educational event, fundraiser, community service or fellowship project. Thrivent will provide $250 seed money to use for expenses incurred. Fiesta Night, Synod Youth Lock-in, Math & Science Night, VBS, Game Night, School Field Trips & Roller Skates rental are just some of the ways Heritage has already benefitted throughout the years. For more information you can log on to your account, both programs are under the Generosity tab across the top.
Heritage Choir
Member Directory
Click to view the Heritage Picture Directory 2025 (1) If you have a family photo that you would like us to use, please submit it to the office.
Volunteer Opportunities Around the Church
Members Helping Members
TLC – The Ladies’ Connection
The Ladies’ Connection will meet on Saturday, February 14th at 9:30 a.m. for a brunch.
Seminary Gifts
Thank you to everyone who signed up to support the Seminary students this Christmas and thank you to Phil Holz for delivering the gifts to the Seminary.
Companions in Prayer
My Prayer Story
Expectations! What expectations do you have for the New Year? Expectations are accompanied by joy and celebration when they come true and by sadness and disappointment when they are not met. Often a lot of planning and preparation has gone into achieving these expectations. Are you thinking you will get a promotion, or fearing layoffs? Do you think your favorite sports team is going to go all the way this season, only to lose again at the last minute? Do you think you have finally found your dream house, but someone outbids you? You expect a multiple choice test and it turns out to be an essay. You plan to exercise and lose weight, but by the end of January you have lost your enthusiasm. We are joyful when expectations come true and disappointed when they do not. Unfortunately many of these expectations and plans we cannot control or at least do not have complete control over.
Here are some expectations and preparations that you can count on. God’s promise to be with us always-“…and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.”(Matt.28:20). God’s promise to take us to heaven- “He who believes and is baptized, will be saved…” (Mark 16:16), “Jesus said to him, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14^ and “In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2) God also tells us what we should not expect- “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40). And finally “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14.:26) May the Holy Spirit bring us all a clearer understanding and a stronger faith in these promises in 2026.
Congregation Prayer Suggestions:
Intercessory prayer – prayers on the behalf of others – is a part of a Christian’s life. If you have a request for Companions in Prayer at Heritage to pray for you or someone you know, please contact Alice Schmidt, Pastor Anderson or the Office.
Each of you have a list of those you pray for, but consider adding these to it.
- Pray for those who have just been through the first Holiday period without a family member or friend. May God grant them peace and comfort.
- May the turmoil that abounds in our world be decreased so that we may live in peace at home and abroad.
- May our church and synod be successful in spreading the word of God to unbelievers and grant success and safety to our foreign missions.
Serving in January
Click the link –> Greeter Calendar
Greeter Guidelines
To provide a consistent, friendly, and sincere greeting every Sunday to all members and visitors to Heritage Lutheran Church, guidelines have been developed to help accomplish that goal. Following are some of those guidelines:
- Please mark your calendar for the date you are assigned. The date assigned will be published in the Heritage Newsletter for a two-month period.
- Please be ready to greet no less than 20 minutes before each service for which you have been assigned.
- As you greet visitors, please encourage them to sign our guest book. If there are two people greeting, one of you could escort them to the guest book while the other continues to greet. Ideally you should try to introduce them to another member standing nearby. Sometimes this is difficult to do as the service is starting. In that case, try to chat with them after the service and introduce them to other members after the service.
- Stay at the door until the service is underway; visitors quite often show up late and really need extra help in getting bulletins and a place to sit. Feel free to involve the ushers as needed.
- If you have a chance, get their contact information from the guest book or by asking them for it, and then follow up with a thank you text, email, or note sent to them thanking them for visiting our church. If you inform the church office, they could help with this task.
- If you are unable to greet at both services, please ask someone to fill in for you. If you find out at the last minute, text the following who are willing to help – Remus 651-800-5827, Braun 612-237-1064, Fahning 952-200-2870, Eisenbeis 651-230-4423, Barb Oachs 952-465-5272
- If you have a conflict with the date you were assigned, please contact someone from your month or the next month and trade with them. This helps those doing the scheduling with juggling all the rescheduling. Thank You!
January Ushers, Acolytes & Communion Helpers
Click the link –> Usher Acolyte Calendar
January Recording
1/4 – Stan Miller
1/11 – Libby Paulsen
1/18 – Jason Eisenbeis
1/25 – Stan Miller
January Altar Guild
Sondra Frimanslund/Bonnie Kooy
January Fellowship
1/4 – Open
1/11 – Merseth
1/18 – Calhoun
1/25 – Nikoley
January Birthdays
10 Lisa Leary
16 Maddie Paulsen
16 Jacob Calhoun
26 Chris Nikoley
26 Teri Olson