Praise for God's creation
By Pastor Jim Ranney
“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.”
Psalm 149:1
In the Bible in the book of Psalms, there are several wonderful chapters that connect God’s creation with nature and how God is praised through what the Lord created.
Psalm 98:7-9 says, “Let the sea resound and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord.”
These poetic words bring us powerful images of how all components of God’s good creation are brought together for purpose and to praise the very One who created the world. Gathering for worship in community is a wonderful way to praise God!
Summer days in Wisconsin are such a wonderful blessing and a great time to connect with friends and family! Some of my very favorite memories include spending time with family and friends during the summer in southwest Wisconsin. I can recall many family gatherings at Brigham Park and Blue Mounds State Park over the years. I know many of you have enjoyed similar moments at these parks with relatives as well as our church family.
This summer, we hope you can join us at Two Steeples Parish – Springdale and West Blue Mounds Lutheran churches for a time of praise, worship and fellowship. We continue to gather for worship on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. (1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays at Springdale, and 2nd and 4th Sundays at West Blue Mounds). We look forward to seeing you!
Enjoy these wonderful summer days. Be safe and blessed!
Peace and Joy in Jesus!
Jim Ranney ><>
Students to be Honored
Several of our students will soon be honored for their accomplishments! We’ll recognize our three high school graduates – Andrew Ranney, Kingston Gargano and Pyper Gargano – and each will receive a beautiful quilt crafted by Sherri Hefty. Emma Ringgenberg will be presented a scholarship to help support her education at UW-Whitewater. We plan to honor them at the worship service on Sunday, July 19. We’ll celebrate during a special Fellowship for our students and church family after the service. Please join us!
Enjoy Summer Sights and Sounds at Our Outdoor Worship
It’s hot, it’s summer and it’s time to plan our outdoor worship. This year’s worship service will be held on Sunday, August 16 at 10 a.m. at Springdale. We’ll worship outside but if it rains, we can make a short dash to the Fellowship Hall. Having the outdoor worship at Springdale will give us another chance to use our new Blackstone griddle to grill burgers and brats. There will be a potluck for salads, appetizers and desserts. Be on the lookout for more details as the event gets closer. This is a fun event and we hope you can attend!
Car Show is Just Down the Road
Calling all volunteers for the annual Springdale Car Show! The 2026 Car Show is set for Saturday, August 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with registration kicking off at 8 a.m. The committee has added a category for tractors, so there will be even more vehicles to check out. The recipient of the proceeds will be Custom Canines, which trains service dogs for veterans and first responders with PTSD.
This event is fun for families, car aficionados and volunteers, so please attend or lend a helping hand if you can. To sign up to volunteer, please contact Sherri Hefty.
Date Set for Norwegian Dinner
After the successful Norwegian Dinner we hosted at Springdale to celebrate Jim’s Ordination last fall, we decided to move forward with another festive dinner this year. Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 26. The menu will be similar to last year, with meatballs, potatoes, a vegetable and more. We’ll have fun meeting in advance to make krumkake, lefse and possibly other treats. Contact Sherri or Kay if you can help with planning.
Maintenance Project Updates
As you may know, our lift at Springdale hasn’t been operational since a power surge. A new company from Madison was selected to repair the lift and they have proven to be knowledgeable and responsive. Good news – they fixed some issues and expect the lift will function consistently after they replace one more part. Thank you to Sue Bakken for finding the new company and coordinating with their representatives.
A second maintenance project will be underway soon at Springdale. We plan to have the parking lots and cemetery road resealed. It has not yet been determined when work will begin. Thanks to John Arnold for getting project bids.