March 2026 Newsletter
The Journey to the Empty Tomb
We are in a tremendous time of Lent right now and we look forward to Easter Sunday. Each Sunday night we are coming together to focus on the saving work of Jesus as seen through the pages of the Old Testament. As we consider our need for Jesus and His death on the cross, this is a great time for a spiritual checkup, as we let God’s Word speak to our need for repentance and place our faith in the finished work of Christ. We move closer and closer to Good Friday and the greatest day that mankind has every experienced, the resurrection, which we celebrate on Easter Sunday. How are making this time a time of renewal and revival?
The first consideration that comes to my mind is taking time to read the Scripture and pray. The Word of God speaks to sin in our lives and our great need of forgiveness. When we go for a physical check-up we may not like what we hear, but if we don’t address the physical needs we have we will end up in a dire situation. The same is true when we let the Holy Spirit search our hearts, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24) When we let God search our hearts He comes to us and leads us in the way “everlasting!” He forgives us, purifies us, and makes us useful for service in the kingdom. He puts a new song in our hearts, joy in our lives and a desire to be in His presence.
As we seek God face and seek renewal and revival God puts within our hearts to be in fellowship with other believers. I look forward to each and every time that we can come together as the body of Christ. God has given us the Church, the Bride of Christ, where we can be strengthened in fellowship, grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and then be sent out to share the love of Jesus Christ. The Church is also the place where we see God gifting believers with “grace,” gifts for the purpose of building each other up in love and thrusting us out into our culture, which so needs Jesus!
During this special time of the year as God’s Word dwells in our hearts He calls us to be thankful, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16) When we realize all that God has done for us in our lives I believe that He puts within our hearts a desire to see others experience the same things that we are experiencing. I believe that God give us a burden for souls that will either spend eternity separated from God in hell, or believing in Jesus finished work and being with Him in glory for ever.
As we journey to the cross and the empty tomb during this special time of the year, let’s pray for others, invite others to worship and see God work in a powerful way! Much like Christmas, Easter is a wonderful time to talk about the resurrection and that Jesus is alive! The tomb is empty and He longs to save, bless and give us hope for the future, a future with Jesus in glory!
Serving Christ Together,
Pastor Mark S. Johnson
Preaching Rotation & Worship Texts
March 1
9:00 a.m. Tordenskjold (Pr. Mark) “The Gift of Discernment”
10:30 a.m. ZS (Pr. Dan) “The Gift of Prophecy”
10:30 a.m. Kvam (Pr. Mark) “The Gift of Discernment”
March 8
9:00 a.m. Tordenskjold (Pr. Dan) “The Gift of Pastor/Shepherding”
10:30 a.m. ZS (Pr. Mark) “The Gift of Encouragement”
10:30 a.m. Kvam (Pr. Dan) “The Gift of Pastor/Shepherding”
March 15
9:00 a.m. Tordenskjold (Pr. Mark) “The Gift of Encouragement”
10:30 a.m. ZS (Pr. Dan) “The Gift of Pastor/Shepherding”
10:30 a.m. Kvam (Pr. Mark) “The Gift of Encouragement”
March 22
9:00 a.m. Tordenskjold (Pr. Dan) “The Spiritual Gift of Faith”
10:30 a.m. ZS (Pr. Mark) (Guest)
10:30 a.m. Kvam (Pr. Dan) “The Spiritual Gift of Faith”
March 29
10:30 a.m. Zion-Sarpsborg - Parish Palm Sunday Service
Communion
Zion-Sarpsborg - March 1
Tordenskjold - March 8
Kvam - March 15
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Ministerial Acts
Funeral
Kathleen J. Rovang, age 90
Zion-Sarpsborg – February 22, 2026
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Lent/Easter Schedule
We are very thankful for a great start to our Lenten season and ask you to pray and participate in these special times to come together as a Parish. Each night supper will be served prior to the service beginning at 5:15 p.m, with the Lenten Service to follow at 6 p.m.
March 1 Lenten Service – Kvam 6 p.m. (Cliff Fegert)
March 8 Lenten Service – Tordenskjold 6 p.m. (Jacob Zacha)
March 15 Lenten Service – Zion-Sarpsborg 6 p.m. (Kurt Mortenson)
March 22 Lenten Service – Kvam 6 p.m. (Pr. Dan)
Holy Week
March 29 Palm Sunday Parish Worship at Zion- Sarpsborg @ 10:30 a.m.
April 2 Maundy Thursday Services (with Holy Communion)
Zion-Sarpsborg @1:30 p.m.
Tordenskjold @ 7:00 p.m.
April 3 Good Friday Service
Kvam @ 7:00 p.m.
April 5 Easter Sunday Services
Kvam @ 7:00 a.m. (Breakfast to follow)
Tordenskjod @ 9:30 a.m.
Zion-Sarpsborg @ 9:30 a.m.
CHURCH LIBRARIES
We are very thankful to have resources available at each of our churches for you. Many volunteers over the years have put time and effort into making good resources available. Please be sure to us them.
Bible Study Opportunities
Tuesday Morning Men’s Bible Study
Each week at 6:45 a.m. at Underwood Quik-Stop. We are currently studying “Spiritual Gifts.”
Tordenskjold Ladies Bible Study
Meeting each week at Tordenskjold at 4:30 p.m. Studying, “When You Pray,” six different prayers in the Bible. For more information contact Judi @ 218-205-0861 or Becky at 218-205-1293.
Kvam Ladies Prayer Group
Meeting each Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. at the Rock in Dalton. For more information contact Deanna Mounts 218-770-9304.
Young Adults Bible Studies
LIFT (Living in Fellowship and Truth). Meeting each Monday.
Guys at Bethel Lutheran in Fergus Falls at 6:30 p.m.
Gals at the Zacha’s each Monday at 5:30 p.m. For more information contact Jacob Zacha 219-452-8369.
Zion-Sarpsborg Ladies Bible Study
Meeting on the first Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m. at Zion-Sarpsborg.
Mothers with Young Children
Meeting every other Thursday at various homes. Next meeting is March 5th at 1:30 p.m. Currently studying the book of Hebrews, using N.T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guide. For more information contact Chris Fegert:
(cmfegert@gmail.com) or text 218-671-1708.
Thursday Men’s Coffee
Conversation and Prayer- Come for fellowship each Thursday at 10 a.m. Meeting at Zion-Sarpsborg in Dalton.
AFLC Annual Conference
Our AFLC Annual Conference will be held June 10-13, 2026 at Concordia College, Moorhead, MN. The theme is “Sure Hope” (Philippians 1:6). For more information, or to register, go to www.aflc.org
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PARISH CHOIR
We are inviting singers-high school age to 100 or so-to join us to sing at Zion Sarpsborg for Palm Sunday March 29th. We will practice after Zion's 10:30 service March 1, 8, 15 and 22nd. Questions, please call Stephanie Tallman 612-720-3923
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ANCHOR NEWS
Anchor will continue to host suppers before our Lenten services as a fundraiser. We will also be participating in the fourth annual Wheels, Tracks, and Wings event in Elbow Lake on April 25th.
Anchor is planning on another day trip to Feed My Starving Children in mid-April! More information on this outing will be shared on our social media accounts and on Anchor's texting group.
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Spiritual Gifts
It has been very encouraging to preach and teach about spiritual gifts these last weeks. We would like to encourage you to spend time in the Scripture and prayer so that we are all good stewards of the gift that God has giving us. It has been great to see different ministry and fellowship opportunities arise from some discussions and ideas about ministry in our Parish. If you would like to talk more about the topic of spiritual gifts or have ideas how to “exercise,” them to the glory of God and the building up of the body of Christ, please don’t hesitate to talk of the pastors, deacons, or a trusted Christian friend. Let’s keep praying for revival for God to be at work in our lives as individuals, families and a as churches!