Jean Strandlie: Lasting Connection
I began attending Holy Trinity in 2002. My husband had just passed away while we were living in Florida and my daughter, Julie, encouraged me to come live near my family in Northern Virginia. At the time, she had an 18 month old daughter and living here allowed me to lend a hand.
I started attending Holy Trinity because my daughter and son-in-law were members of the church. I don’t remember my first visit but I know that this church has always been friendly. My mother and I were here visiting my family during the Christmas holidays. I noticed in the Holy Trinity bulletin that the Senior group was going on an outing to Manassas Battlefield in January. Since we would still be here, I signed us both up. While we were waiting for the bus to take us to Manassas, we became acquainted with several of the group. It was there that we learned that Dave Badger was from Wisconsin where we were from. Later we learned that my parents bought the house in Janesville, WI that Dave’s grandfather had built in the 1940s. He had bought the plans and materials from Sears Roebuck catalog. We lived in that house for ten years until it was demolished for business property. What a coincidence! We have remained close friends. My Mother helped Genie Davis make blankets for a DayCare in Falls Church. She loved making quilts, making hundreds for Lutheran World Action. The church I left in Florida wasn’t very friendly. Those who attended were all snowbirds and when they left church, they went straight home.
Not long after I joined the church in June 2002, Susan Blasko, Holy Trinity’s administrator, held a meeting and asked for volunteers to help her. I said, “Oh, I can help!” I’ve now been helping for 22 years and practically lived at church for many years.
I’ve done everything you could think of. For about 15 years, I organized Breakfast with Santa and for even longer, I volunteered in the office. I participated in the Altar Guild and organized about 10 weddings as the Wedding Coordinator for Holy Trinity. I still more or less organize the monthly luncheon for the OWLs group which I continue to attend.
Of all the years I’ve spent at Holy Trinity, my favorite memory is spending time with my grandchildren during Breakfast with Santa. I also really enjoyed seeing them perform in the choir and the bells choir. I spent a lot of time with my grandchildren when they were little at Holy Trinity. They are now grown!
My mother’s memorial service was also held at Holy Trinity which is a special memory for me. Helping in the office, participating in altar guild, and volunteering as wedding coordinator always stick out in my memory.
Joan Buscher brings up a memory often. When my grandchildren, Carolyn and Nicholas were little, they liked to go to church with me. Nicholas was about five years old when one day, he decided to help Joan do the books. He got so tired that he curled up on the couch and fell asleep. Carolyn had to shake him to wake him up because he was so tired. We still get many laughs from that story.
When I was growing up, I went to confirmation class at a rural church. My mother drove 30 miles round trip to make sure we all got to church on time for catechism and Sunday school. I still try to go to every virtual service at Holy Trinity.
Holy Trinity has kept me very busy over the years. I’ve really missed it, but haven’t been able to go in-person since before COVID. I’m a little disabled at this point making it hard to go. It’s also hard for me to sit at church for long periods of time. Because of these things, virtual services are my favorite part of Holy Trinity in 2024. At home, I can get up and move around and still watch it.
Holy Trinity is different from other churches because they reach out and help everyone that needs help. They help take care of people who’ve come from other countries and more activities that people attend have popped up throughout the years. I found much to do at Holy Trinity over the past 22 years and it continues to be part of my life.