Salem Lutheran School

After our Veterans Day program this year, I was sitting in my office when one of our members stopped in. I didn't know him well. He stood there and cried. He told me about friends he'd lost many years ago and about some of the vivid memories that still live inside of him. I'll never forget what he shared with me, and his pain as he said it. It hit me in a visceral, gut level way.

I'm thinking about him today.

So many people are living right around us, having been through trauma most of us can't begin to imagine. My grandpas never talked about what they'd seen in war. That silence- the stories that they couldn't tell- spoke volumes.

To every veteran, every Gold Star family, everyone carrying grief and trauma that others can't see- this is for you:

God is not distant from your pain. He physically lived it. He took on flesh, walked this broken world, and wept at the grave of a friend. He knows what it is to watch someone you love die. He knows the weight of trauma, of loss, of a world that is irreparably broken.

That same God makes you a promise. He sits with you in your grief and pain. He sees all of it. And faithfully, steadfastly, quietly gives you hope. He promises healing and a true home where there is no more war, no more grief, no more wounds that won't heal.

His mercies are new today and every day.

If you're carrying something heavy, Salem has a place for you. Our Heroes Coffee Club is a small group — veterans, friends, and family — who meet together, share stories, and just exist in a safe space. Join us for the next meeting June 2 around 9:30 for coffee and donuts. No agenda. No pressure. Just community.

Happy Last Day of Preschool and Happy Penultimate Day of School to everyone else!

Today we celebrate the year we've had: all that we've learned and accomplished, the friendships which have been made and strengthened and the lessons we've endured and grown from...and we praise God for all of it!

Our Graduation Service will be held this evening (Thursday, May 21st) at 5:30pm in the sanctuary. We extend a huge congrats to all of our graduates who will be moving on to high school in the fall! Please remember, students in K-8th grade will be singing at the service.

Afterwards, we'll have dinner for everyone and awards night to celebrate!

Five more days of structure before absolute chaos (I mean, joy). 😉☀️ Swipe through the countdown. And if you need recommendations for noise-cancelling headphones, our veteran parents have you covered.

Your kids grew in knowledge, in inches, and in faith this year. What a gift from God!

Congratulations to Salem alum Ellie Ross on her graduation!

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

She plans to study Sports and Exercise Science at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

🙏 God's wisdom, guidance, and protection in her life.

Let's go down, down, down the rabbit hole! Join us tomorrow evening for "Alice's Adventure with Idioms" as presented by Salem's 1st-4th graders! They have been working hard and you're sure to love the catchy tunes. Doors open at 5:30pm and the fun begins at 6:00pm

Bring the family. Invite the neighbors. All are welcome to come enjoy the show.

Salem Lutheran School - Stillwater, MN

The Bible’s vision of motherhood is far bigger than the carefully curated pictures that we so often see.

Strong. Wise. Courageous. Loud. Productive. Fierce Leaders.

They build homes, shape generations, speak truth to power, protect the vulnerable, and create places of refuge in a chaotic world. Women are described in scripture as “ezer” (Hebrew word translated to English as "helper"), a word most often used to describe God himself: a source of rescue, strength, protection, and refuge. Over and over again, we see God refer to motherhood as a place of peace and safety.

And here's the kicker. The Bible doesn't treat motherhood as a simple genetic connection. Motherhood is much less about your children and much more about your vocation. Motherhood is also about the other connections women have that nurture, mentor, teach, and pass on faith to the next generation.

This weekend, join us to thank God for all of the women in our lives who have carried our burdens, spoken hope, prayed fiercely, loved deeply, and passed on a legacy of faith that goes beyond blood.

Whether motherhood has been joyful, painful, complicated, or deeply missed in your life, Christ redeems all of it.