May 10, 2022Dear friends in Christ,Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is with sadness that I report to you the death of the Rev. Dr. Roger D. Helgren on Thursday, May 5, 2022.Pastor Helgren was born July 11, 1953, in Ishpeming, Michigan, and married Carol Wahlstrom on December 19, 1981. He graduated from North Park University in 1976. He continued on at North Park and earned a Master of Divinity. He later earned a Doctor of Ministry from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 1992.Pastor Helgren was ordained January 6, 1985, by the Lutheran Church in America. Pastor Helgren served his first pastoral call at Bethany Lutheran Church, Wenona, Illinois, from 1985-1989. Pastor Helgren went on to serve Trinity Lutheran Church, Harvard, Illinois, in 1989. His last call was to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Tonica, Illinois from 2004-2015. He retired in 2015.Pastor Helgren was devoted to serving others – both through his work as a pastor and a as a mental health counselor.Memorial services will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at 10:30 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church, 717 Chambers Street, Ottawa. Visitation will be held prior to the funeral service, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the church. Rostered ministers are invited to vest and process. The color is white.As the church we offer our sympathy to his family and friends and because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we rejoice in God’s promise of eternal life, comfort, and hope.Walking with you,
The Rev. Jeffrey ClementsBishopNorthern Illinois Synod, ELCA
