Quarterly Newsletter
Kris D. H. Ferkin, Senior Interim Pastor
As the crisp autumn air returns and the school year begins anew, fall feels like a season of fresh starts. It’s a time when we gather our children’s backpacks, prepare for new routines, and often reflect on our own journeys. For us here at St. Olaf, fall is also a time we celebrate homecoming—a return to the spiritual family we share.
This fall, we extend a special invitation to you and your family to join us as we celebrate “homecoming” in its truest sense: returning to the presence of God and to the community of faith. It’s a chance to reconnect with friends you may not have seen over the summer, to meet new faces who are
A Welcome Homecoming
seeking a spiritual home, and to be nourished by the Word of God together. Our theme for this fall is inspired by the warmth and welcome we find in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32). This familiar story reminds us that no matter how far we may wander, God’s love is constant and His arms are always open, ready to welcome us back with joy and celebration. It is a powerful reminder that our church is a place of unconditional love and forgiveness—a sanctuary where we are all welcome exactly as we are.
Join Us for These Special Fall Events:
Rally Sunday – September 7: “Making Connections” will be here in three short weeks. We want to share more about volunteer opportunities to get involved, give people the ability to participate, and feel the joy of making
connections within the St. Olaf church family.
OctoberFest & Community
Outreach – October 11, 2:00–6:00 p.m.: Featuring games, food, and opportunities to serve our wider community. It’s a wonderful way to meet others and live out our faith through service.
Homecoming Sunday –October 12: Our service will be a special celebration of the last 158 years of our church family. We invite you to bring a friend or neighbor and join us for joyful worship followed by fellowship between services. Let’s break bread and share stories as we celebrate our togetherness.
Harvest Festival – October 26, 3:00–8:00 p.m. at the Carroll Farm: Our annual fall gathering with music, hayrides, food, and activities for kids.
As we move into this new season, let us remember that our church is more than just a building—it is a family. We can’t wait to see you!
In Christ,
* Planting Seeds of Faith this Fall
* Kalle Akkerman: Leading St. Olaf in Song
* Welcome to Maya Warren
* Summer in Review: VBS and Fair Diner
* Glance Ahead
Pr. Kris D. H. Ferkin
Planting Seeds of Faith This Fall
Lyn Meany, Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries
Here we are, just two weeks away from starting another program year. This may be the year I am most excited about, as I had time earlier this summer to work on new ideas for both Sunday School and 9th grade Confirmation.
As with all church programming, ideas take time to grow and take root before they bear fruit. Many of the concepts I’ve developed over the past five years for the youth will truly show their fruitfulness this year. Sunday School continues to grow in numbers. This year we will focus on Bible stories and parables. Teaching how these stories connect to who we are in life can be a challenge with young children, but my volunteers have such warm relationships with the kids that they hardly realize they are learning Bible stories while playing games and doing crafts.
Sunday School will begin on September 7 at 9:30 a.m. We will gather first in the gathering space, then move to the choir room to sing, followed by gym time, and finish with a craft related to the day’s lesson.
There will be the final four classes for the 9th grade confirmation group. We will discuss what faith means to us, exploring who we are to God and to those around us. These classes will meet on September 21, September 28, October 5, and October 12.
We will also continue to have a Sunday School choir and a Children’s Choir for the older kids. Kalle has some wonderful ideas on how to include both groups. Similarly, in Confirmation this year, we will be digging deeper into the Bible. We’ll explore the meaning and teachings of the different books. Because we only meet twice a month, each class will be full of rich content. On alternate Wednesdays, we gather in a youth group setting, always beginning with food and fellowship before activities.
Our first Confirmation meeting will be on September 10 at 6:30 p.m., with parents included, to discuss goals
and expectations for the year. The first student class will be on September 17, starting with food at 6:00 and class at 6:30.
This past July, we had a wonderful time at VBS, God Created Me to Be. A total of 46 kids attended—over half from other churches. The children explored different aspects of creation: bending light through a prism, filtering water, interacting with animals, and discovering how we are both unique and similar through our fingerprints. In crafts, we worked through all seven days of creation. We were blessed with wonderful volunteers who helped keep activities moving along.
Two weeks later, I joined those same volunteers at the Fair Diner. It was not only a profitable fundraiser but also a beautiful opportunity to strengthen our community. When you’re working together in the kitchen, you see those small, Christ-like moments that warm the heart. If I hadn’t been so busy, I would have taken many pictures of them. The profit from the diner was just a small part of what St. Olaf contributes to the fair overall.
Kalle Akkerman: Leading St. Olaf in Song
Kalle Akkerman serves as St. Olaf’s Cantor, which means “leader of the assembly’s song.” His chief duty is to invigorate congregational singing and lead the St. Olaf Church Choir. He oversees the entire music program, acting as organist, conductor, liturgist, and educator. He coordinates with the other music directors and volunteers, planning all of St. Olaf’s music and liturgy. He is also the curator of St. Olaf’s 51-rank Wicks pipe organ, which is currently undergoing renovation, as well as the 5-rank Casavant pipe organ in the chapel. In recent years, Kalle returned to St. Olaf to serve in this role, and the congregation is deeply grateful to have him sharing his gifts here.
Kalle has always been a passionate organist, church musician, choral nerd, and Lutheran, and is happy to be at a place that values all of those things! Kalle is a son of St. Olaf Church, where he was baptized, confirmed, graduated, and now serves. His family has long roots in this place. He began studying the organ at St. Olaf with Neal Erickson, where he found a real passion for organ and church music.
Kalle was also an active chorister at Austin High School, where he sang under Brian Johnson in Concert Choir and the Austinaires. With these two paths leading to the future, Kalle landed at Luther College, where he earned a B.A. in Vocal Music Education and Organ Performance/Church Music (2015). He began his career teaching elementary music in West St. Paul and serving as the Cantor at St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church. From there, he moved to Rochester, MN, where he taught choir at Lourdes High School and served as Director of Music at Christ United Methodist Church. For fun, he drove motor coach trips for Minnesota Coaches (and still does from time to time).
In 2018, he was selected as the next choir director at Austin High School, following Brian Johnson—a career he always hoped for. In addition to St. Olaf and Austin
High, Kalle also has a private lesson studio for students studying piano, organ, and vocal performance. He is also an active “gig musician” in Austin, playing keyboard with a couple of different groups, and solo piano for various public functions, private events, weddings, funerals, and parties.
Outside of music, Kalle loves working on the family farm, growing crops and livestock, and operating and maintaining machinery. He enjoys utilizing skills he has learned over the years on the farm, such as woodworking, carpentry, welding and metal work, and mechanics. He also has an affinity for classic cars and trucks, as well as vintage farm machinery. He and his girlfriend, Sarah, recently moved to a small hobby farm south of Austin, where they look forward to spending many good years living the country life!
St. Olaf Church Choir is Back!
We kicked off the 2025–26 program year with our first rehearsal on Wednesday, August 27, at 6:30 p.m. The Church Choir is open to anyone in 9th grade or older—no experience required!
We rehearse every Wednesday and sing in worship every Sunday. Choir is a beautiful opportunity to build community, make music, laugh together, lift your spirit, and glorify God.
Bring a friend and join us!
Questions? Email cantor@solc.org or connect with Cantor Kalle Akkerman on Sunday.
Upcoming Programming:
If your child loves to sing, please join the Children’s choir. This choir is targeted for children in grades 1 – 4, but all youth are welcome if they want to be part of the choir. Please reach out to Bethie Carlton at ecarlton3390@gmail.com for more information or questions.
The Children’s Choir is looking for a pianist. If you are interested in helping with this ministry, please contact Bethie Carlton at 507-206-1869.
Kalle Akkerman, Cantor
WELCOME to Maya Warren, St. Olaf’s new Communications Coordinator and Administrative Support.
Maya will play a pivotal role in enhancing the church’s visibility and engagement through a combination of administrative support, strategic communication, and marketing. With a focus on connecting with both the congregation and the broader community, she manages digital and print communications, oversees marketing campaigns, and ensures a consistent and engaging online presence across the website, social media, and email newsletters.
In addition, Maya handles scheduling, data management, and works to create a welcoming, organized atmosphere for staff, church members, and visitors alike. Passionate about using technology to streamline communication and improve operational efficiency, she is dedicated to helping the church thrive both online and offline.
We are excited to welcome her to our St. Olaf family!
Summer in Review: VBS & FAIR DINER
Thank you to all who made St. Olaf’s VBS, “God Created Me to Be,” a joyful and faith-filled week, our volunteers made it possible!
We are grateful to everyone who volunteered at the Fair Diner, your hard work blessed our community and strengthened our fellowship!
Gifts & Memorials
June - August 2025
Debt
IMO Brian Williams, David Finley, Thomas Morem
Given by Duane Dahlback, Friends & Family, Marlene Paulson, Virginia Kehret
Endowment
IMO Brian Williams, David Finley, Dixie Halvorson, Glenn Bakke, Gloria Fedson, Janice Opsahl, Phyllis Waldron, Thomas Morem
Given by Darlys Smith, David & Diane Dammen, Deanna Bakke, Greg & Lynee Larson, Paul & Joanne Worlein, Renae Bakke, Richard & Jan Chuick
Foundation
IMO David Finley, Glenn Bakke
Given by Maureen Steenblock, Renae Bakke
General
IMO Brian Williams, Darren Shaw, David Finley, Gloria Fedson, Janice Opsahl, Mark Braaten, Thomas Morem
Given by Barbara Mair, Barbara Meany, Bernard & Vern Bishop, Brenda Willmott, Charles Hauck Jr, Cheryl Dunlap, Clark & Valerie Cipra, Craig & Jane Johnson, Dan & Marsha Wilson, Dana & Suzanne Miller, Daniel & Carla Conradt, Dave & Mary Crandall, David & Brenda Raffelson, David & Kathy Bjorge, David & Leanne Clasen, David Sylte, Deloris Saman, Dennis & Joy Blaser, Dennis & Lorene Olson, Dennis & Marsha Shaw, Diane Winter, Dorothy Krob, Duane Dahlback, Gary & Darlene Nordland, Greg & Amy Baskin, Jack & Rhonda Akkerman, James & Mary Herrick, James Braaten, Jane Johnson, Jim & Mary Herrick, John Jr. & Sue Mann, June Nelson, Keith & Sharon Barnes, Kenneth & Margaret Silvey, Kevin & Lenise Arnold, Larry & Sherry Andersen, Lawrence & Barbara Scheid, Lois Gunderson, Lynda Howden, Marcia Love, Marie King, Marilyn Halverson, Marjorie Ellingson, Marlene Fiala, Marlene Paulson, Mary Henry, Mary Kruger, Maureen Steenblock, Michael & Karen Lewis, Michael & Patricia Ankeny, Michael & Sarah Landherr, Mrs. Robert Brinkman, Nancy Allen, Nancy Strand, Pamela Terry, Patricia Hulet, Paul & Sally Wahlstrom, Philip & Jacquelin Blackford, Rev Lowell Foster, Richard & Dedarae, Ronald & Lois Peters, Roy Earl, Ruth Anderson, Sandra Folk, Scott & Catherine Richardson, Sharron Mills, Steve & Cheryl Greenman, Steven & Barbara Kime, Timothy & Angela Ross, Todd & Susan Peterson, Zane & Judy Juncker
Music
IMO Brian Williams
Given by Al & Alice Holst, Cheryl Dunlap, Darlys Smith, Judith Bungum, Merilee Klemp, Thomas & Gwendolyn Morem, Tim & Ellen Gerber
Organ
IMO Brian Williams
Given by Friends & Family
Kitchen
IMO David Finley
Given by Marlene Fiala
Radio
IMO Thomas Morem
Given by Friends & Family, Lawrence & Joyce Crowe
Fall Programming
A Glance Ahead
September 7 – Rally Sunday & First Day of Sunday School | The Outreach Committee will begin collecting items for the Little Free Pantry on Sunday, September 7
September 10 – Parent and Student Informational Confirmation Meeting, 6:30 p.m. (food provided)
September 14 – Blessing of the Bibles for 3-year-olds and 2nd graders during both services
September 17 – First Confirmation Class for 5th–8th Grade
Food at 6:00 p.m.
Class begins at 6:30 p.m.
9th Grade Confirmation (9:30 a.m., between services):
September 21 & 28
October 5 & 12
Confirmation Sunday: October 26 – 9th graders confirmed at the 10:45 a.m. service (to be live streamed)
The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 2:00 p.m. in the church. All are welcome to join us for fellowship as we create shawls to comfort those in need.
WORSHIP WITH US!
Sundays In-Person: 8:15 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.
Online: 8:15 a.m.
Radio Broadcast 99.9 FM: 10:45 a.m.
St. Olaf Staff
Check us out on our social media pages!
/stolafchurch
@stolaflutheranchurchELCA
@stolaflutheran
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Pastor Kris D. H. Ferkin
Interim Senior Pastor pastorkris@solc.org
Eric Buntrock Business Administrator ericmb@solc.org
Lyn Meany Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries lynm@solc.org
Mark Metcalf Custodian markm@solc.org
Sarv Mithaqiyan Communications Coordinator sarv@solc.org