A Note

From Pastor Mark

Lent has a way of slowing us down. In a world that constantly pushes us to improve, achieve, and prove ourselves, Lent invites something different: honesty, reflection…and grace.

This year at Shepherd of the Prairie, our Lenten journey is rooted in Paul’s letter to the Romans and a simple, powerful truth: God’s love is not held back.

     It is not rationed.

     It is not earned.

     It is outpoured in Christ.

Again, and again, Romans reminds us that God doesn’t wait for us to get our lives together. God meets us right where we are—with mercy that saves, grace that frees, and love that never lets go.

Each week we will follow how this love moves: from promise to cross, from forgiveness to freedom, from mercy to transformed living. Using the Augsburg/Fortress Love Outpoured devotional as our companion, we’ll discover how God’s love shapes not only what we believe, but how we live.

Our Dinner Church Weekly Journey each week from 6-7 pm.

Wednesday, February 25 – Love Promised: Grace Before We Are Ready, Romans 1:16–17; 3:21–24

We begin with good news that overturns expectations: righteousness is a gift, not a reward. Lent doesn’t start with self-improvement—it starts with grace.

Invitation: Release the belief that God’s love must be earned.

Wednesday, March 4 – Love Justified: Mercy That Makes Us New – Romans 5:1–11

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s love meets us at our worst, not our best. The cross reveals mercy poured out for all.

Invitation: Trust that nothing in your past disqualifies you from God’s love.es, honest in confession, and grounded in grace. It is a quiet, meaningful service of prayer, scripture, and Holy Communion as we begin the season of Love Outpoured together.

Wednesday, March 11 – Love Set Free: No Condemnation – Romans 8:1–11

“There is therefore now no condemnation.” God’s love doesn’t just forgive—it liberates. The Spirit breaks chains of fear and shame and leads us into new life.

Invitation: Name what still binds you—and receive God’s freeing love.

Wednesday, March 18 – Love Enduring: Nothing Can Separate Us – Romans 8:31–39

Life can be hard and faith doesn’t deny that. Yet Paul proclaims a promise stronger than suffering: nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.

Invitation: Rest in the assurance that you are held, no matter what.

Wednesday, March 25 – Love Outpoured: Living Sacrifices – Romans 12:1–2, 9–13

After grace comes transformation. Love received becomes love lived. Our everyday lives become offerings of mercy in the world.

Invitation: Go forth as vessels of God’s outpoured love.

Holy Week

As we gather on Maundy Thursday (April 2) for the Living Last Supper and stand at the cross on Good Friday (April 3), we return to Romans 5:8:

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Here we see love fully poured out—for the life of the world.

A Thread Through the Season

Each week we will return to this refrain:

     God’s love is not held back.

     It is promised, justified, freeing, enduring—

     and outpoured for you.

Wherever this season finds you—steady or struggling, confident or weary—there is a place for you here. Come walk this Lenten road with us. Come receive again the love that never runs dry.

We hope you’ll join us

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Mark

Contact Pastor Mark at: pastormark@sotpmail.com

A Note

From Pastor Ryan

For as in one body we have many members and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us…” (Romans 12:4-6, NRSVUE)

2026 is poised to be a very exciting year for youth ministry at SOTP!

Last fall, I introduced you all to Marisa Wielgos, a tremendous volunteer who has done some great work already as she has become the primary leader for our Thursday night youth group gatherings. She also led a fun and meaningful lock-in on January 2nd. Marisa volunteers for us on a very part-time basis because of the demands of her regular full-time job, but the work she has put in thus far has been so good for our youth ministry.

I continue to look for a full-time Youth Ministry Coordinator to come aboard as our primary high school ministry leader, and Marisa will be ready to be a valuable support person for this future leader. And another awesome chapter in our ministry was launched in January.

When I began my call at SOTP in August of 2022, our youth ministry was at a sort of crossroads. The old Youth and Family Ministry Team (in my understanding) had not met regularly for some time. I knew I would need to put a team together, but as I looked at the team that was already serving as our Children and Family Ministry Team, I realized they were the people I would want on my youth team anyway, so I asked them to expand their focus to include Confirmation and Youth Group.

Fast forward to late 2025. Jill and the Children and Family Ministry Team is achieving great success in their role as event planners and played a critical role in our reimagining of our Kids Connect program. I realized the time had come for me revive the Youth and Family Ministry Team, and God put a leader in my path who is poised to join Marisa and me in continuing the success of our Confirmation program, making great strides with our high school youth group, and even helping to launch our young adult ministries.

Dan Wichtendahl (who many of you know through his guitar playing in our Praise Team at the 10:45 service), wanted to branch out and get more connected in the ministries of SOTP. I presented him with the idea of him serving as a chairperson as we revive the Youth and Family Ministry Team, and he accepted! Dan, Marisa, and I met on Ministry Night in January, and couldn’t be more pleased with the prospects of our new venture. Marisa will continue to plan and lead Thursday night youth group gatherings along with the occasional weekend event. Dan will come alongside and work on some fundraising opportunities, assist with Marisa’s planned events, and plan some of his own. They are going to be a great complement for each other! In addition to Dan and Marisa, I have asked Tim Torkelson and Jess Panella to join our team in their capacity as leaders of our Confirmation program.

I can’t wait to see what this group will accomplish together, and I can’t wait to see what we can do when this group serves as a complement to our future Youth Ministry Coordinator. The SOTP Youth Ministry arrow is pointing up, and we all have good reason to feel excited and encouraged by what God is up to among us.

Marisa, Dan, Jess, and Tim, I owe you so many thanks for all the work you have done and all the work you will do! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Pastor Ryan

email Pastor Ryan at pastorryan@sotpmail.com

Thank You Lunch

For Huntley Chamber

The Community Outreach team is excited to kick off our first community celebration luncheon of 2026 by honoring the Huntley Area Chamber! We will be celebrating all that they do for the Huntley area on March 18th by bringing them lunch and baked or store-bought treats as a simple way to say thank you and show our appreciation. Please watch for the sign up as the date gets closer!

Contact: Tara Mackey at rtmackey10@yahoo.com

Recycling Plastic

February 2026 Update

We are off and running with year three of our NexTrex plastic collection.  With our window opening in January, we are already at 348 pounds!!!!  Since we have been doing this for so long, the number of unacceptable items that show up in our plastic collections have increased.  I’d like to take some time to clarify what types of plastics are appropriate:

If the plastic has either of these, DO NOT BRING IN.

NO plastic containers of any kind – see below

I have some wonderful volunteers that help to weigh, document, and drop off the large collection bags each week. Please help them out by doing your part and bringing the appropriate items. The Outreach team is still trying to find a place to donate this next

bench. If you have any ideas of establishments needing a bench or would be interested in helping out with the plastic collection, please reach out to Tara.

Prayer Chain

Submit requests to: www.bit.ly/SOTPpray   

Join the chain & pray for others, email your request to Donna Kelly at donna@sotpmail.com