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New pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in BE

By Staff | Sep 18, 2016

Pastor Jeanette Bidne in front of Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Earth.

Not only is Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Earth preparing to celebrate its 125th anniversary, but they have also welcomed a new pastor into their parish.

Jeanette Bidne, originally from rural Kiester, will officially be installed during Trinity Lutheran’s 125th anniversary celebration being held on Sunday, Sept. 25. Worship times are scheduled to be held at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. with an anniversary dinner at 12:30 p.m. and a special singing program at 1:30 p.m.

Pastor Bidne’s first day at Trinity Lutheran was just a few weeks ago on Aug. 15 and she says the welcome to the church has been so positive.

Bidne, who grew up on a farm outside of Kiester, actually grew up in the Trinity Lutheran Church of Kiester. She attended high school at United South Central and then went on to college at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. It was there that she received a degree in youth and family ministry as well as two minors in music and worship studies. Then began her journey to seminary.

She graduated from seminary in 2011 at Luther College in St. Paul, where she was ordained as a pastor. She then served at Esther Lutheran Church at Parker’s Prairie to answer her first call to service.

Her husband, Daniel Foster, is also a pastor. He serves as pastor for Amboy and Vernon Center United Methodist Churches. The couple moved closer to home to be closer to relatives on both sides of their family, as Foster is from North Mankato. Currently, the couple reside in Vernon Center, and Bidne admits she enjoys the commute to Blue Earth so far.

“It’s a straight shot, so it’s nice. We will see come winter time, though,” she says with a beaming smile.

Her first Sunday service at Trinity Lutheran was on Aug. 21. She shares that her parishioners were both curious and excited to see a new pastor. Bidne says she also felt the same feelings.

“Of course, there will always be a time of adjustment, but everyone has been very gracious, and I am so excited to be here to serve this church,” says Bidne.

She says she is also very excited for the upcoming 125th celebration.

Jeanette Bidne sits behind the grand piano in the sanctuary of Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Earth. She just began as pastor at the end of August.

“Not only will we have pastors from years previous come to speak at the church, but Southeast Minnesota Bishop Steven Delzer will also be in attendance. That’s very exciting for us,” says Bidne.

What’s also exciting for Trinity Lutheran’s new pastor is the music.

“I love music. I play flute, guitar, organ and piano; so, to know that the church is very involved in music makes me very excited,” she says.

As Bidne passes into the sanctuary of the church, she pulls off the dust cover on the piano, opens to reveal the 88 black and white keys and begins to play, the music echoing through the sanctuary of the church.

“I’m a little rusty,” she says. Music has always been a fairly big part of Bidne’s life and she says music is part of what helped her answer the call to becoming a pastor.

Bidne played a lot of music growing up, which is where she was told she had natural abilities not only to play music, but she says a lot of her teachers and mentors said she had a natural ability to lead, and to lead with compassion.

“We pastors all have a common story, and that’s where we’re told that we have that natural leadership ability at a young age,” she says. “Some of us answer that call and go to seminary and become pastors, while others choose not to.”

Bidne says when it came to making her decision, it all fell together for her on high school career day. Her assignment? To shadow a career for a whole day. Her career she chose to shadow? She shadowed her confirmation pastor for a whole day, and that is where Bidne says she began her journey.

“I saw how fun being a pastor is and it became more clear to me that this was the right fit for my future,” she says. “But I know now that there are good times as a pastor and bad times. And sometimes that can be all in the same day; but sharing God’s love and his message. I want to help others learn more about God’s word.”

Her goals as the new pastor reflect that of the people: learning about God’s love, spending time together, and strengthening the church.

Bidne says Trinity Lutheran also has some goals to bring their church outside of its walls. They are hoping to begin more community work and help others outside of the church’s doors.

For now, however, her focus is not only just settling into her new role as pastor, but helping the church prepare for their special anniversary event.

And outside of the church? Bidne says she enjoys spending time with her parents Loren and Joan Bidne, as well as her two sisters, and her grandmother.

“I’m very thankful to be closer to home. My family has been experiencing some health issues, and it’s with God’s grace that I am able to be with them on a more consistent basis now,” says Bidne.

Besides hanging with her family and her husband, she says she enjoys anything that keeps her hands busy; which includes scrapbooking, music, hanging out with friends, cooking, and any kind of crafts. She’s also a sucker for audio books.

Whether she’s at work in her new church, playing music, or doing another number of activities, one thing is for sure she is thankful to be where she is.

“I am so excited to be a part of this church and a part of this community. It feels good. God is certainly at work here,” she says, with another beaming smile.