Tucked away under a small aquifer bridge just outside Janesville, a bright green pasture served as a sun-kissed sanctuary on Sunday as parishioners gathered outdoors for the annual Unified Parish Mission Festival.
The special worship gathering brought together congregations from across the four-church parish—representing Janesville, Waseca, Waldorf, and Minnesota Lake—alongside Freedom Lutheran Church for a day dedicated to mission, worship, and multi-generational fellowship.
Mission Festivals can serve as occasions for mission education. They can help to raise a congregation’s mission awareness, and they can become portals to increased mission involvement on the part of individuals or entire churches.
Serving as guest preacher for the festival was Rev. Dr. Richard E. Carter, Professor Emeritus of Concordia University St. Paul. A veteran missionary who has traveled extensively across Asia, Dr. Carter led two distinct worship services at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., wearing a stole he acquired during his mission work in Thailand.
Dr. Carter’s morning sermon centered on a clear directive: paying close attention to Jesus rather than simply going through the religious motions. Drawing from passages in Romans and Isaiah, he emphasized the importance of listening diligently to God’s word amidst the noise and distractions of daily life.
“Incline your ear that your soul may live and be renewed,” Dr. Carter urged the congregation, highlighting the Hebrew concept of chesed—God’s steadfast, compassionate, and enduring love.
Connecting scripture to real-world faith, Dr. Carter shared a story from his time pastoring in Appleton, Wisconsin, recalling a miraculous moment of deep prayer that led to the overnight healing of a parishioner. Pointing to Jesus’ compassion in the feeding of the five thousand, Dr. Carter invited attendees to bring their personal, family, and community concerns directly to God and to remember to offer praise when blessings arrive.
“God takes us on unique paths,” Dr. Carter noted while welcoming attendees. “Just like arriving at this pasture today required a few wrong turns, but oh my, were there blessings to see along those unexpected paths.”
Though a planned baptism was postponed due to a sudden family illness, Dr. Carter led the morning gathering through the baptismal prayers, leading the congregation in renouncing evil and affirming faith in Christ.
Around 50 parishioners attended the morning service, filling custom wooden pews set up in the pasture, while many brought their own lawn chairs for added comfort.
The outdoor setting proved to be an acoustic gem. A live 12-piece ensemble comprising clarinets, piano, tuba, trumpet, and vocalists provided musical accompaniment for the hymns. Nestled near the edge of the woods, the brass and woodwind instruments echoed through the trees with rich, natural resonance.
A small choir of youth and elders also performed a featured hymn recounting the birth of Christ.
For local families, the Mission Festival is far more than a single Sunday service—it is a cherished summer ritual. According to longtime parishioners, the festival has been held annually for at least 75 years, with some recalling their very first festival in the early 1950s. Today, that tradition continues as grandparents, parents, and grandchildren share the day together.
Following the morning service, attendees gathered at noon for a massive community potluck that displayed the area’s rich hospitality. Tables were filled with fresh salads, sandwiches, and traditional Midwestern staples like tater tot and green bean casseroles. An extensive dessert spread featured homemade pies, bars, brownies, and a popular s’mores dessert creation.
The afternoon service concluded the day’s events with a fresh message from Dr. Carter, encouraging the parish to “trust the process the Lord takes you on”—a fitting theme for a parish celebrating decades of shared history in rural Minnesota.
