Roger Tosfrud Order of Service

Processional

“Seven Spanish Angels” - Willie Nelson

Welcome and Scripture Reading

Matthew 6:25–34 ESV

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Prayer

Obituary

Message

**Invite to join for reception following the service in the gym

Funeral Message for Roger Tofsrud

(Matthew 6:25–34; Serenity Prayer)

We gather today to remember and honor the life of Roger Tofsrud—a long-time farmer, a craftsman, a man who loved this community, and most importantly, a man who trusted in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Those who knew Roger will smile when I say this: Roger was particular. Very particular. If something needed to be moved, he meant one inch. And if you went one inch too far? Well… he’d graciously tell you to move it back an inch. This was Roger—precise, careful, thoughtful, and yes, sometimes hilariously stubborn.

As he declined in health, that precision never left him. Travis had gotten him a more comfortable chair, one easier to get in and out of. But because Roger resisted change—and because the old chair had earned its place—this new chair sat untouched for days. They had to convince him that it was worth trying, and then—of course—get it placed exactly where the old chair had been, down to the inch. Only then did he relax into it.

We smile because we knew him. We smile because it was so Roger. But today, these memories do more than make us laugh—they teach us something.

Roger liked order. He liked control. On the farm, in the shop, in the house—he knew how things ought to be. Farming itself requires precision: timing, weather, soil… all the variables a farmer tries to manage but can never fully control.

And yet this very man, who spent his life trying to get things “just right,” would often recite a prayer that every one of us needs:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

There is a kind of irony here— A man who loved control prayed a prayer about surrender. A man who liked everything “just so” trusted in a God whose ways go beyond anything we can arrange or measure.

But maybe that’s exactly why Roger loved that prayer. Because he knew the truth: for all our planning, precision, and effort… so much of life is outside of our control. And that is where faith becomes more than a word. It becomes a lifeline.

“Do Not Be Anxious…” — Jesus’ Words to Worried People

In Matthew 6, Jesus speaks directly to people who know what it feels like to worry, to fear the unknown, to wish for control they don’t actually have.

Jesus says:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life… Look at the birds of the air… your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25–26)

And later:

“Do not be anxious about tomorrow… each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34)

Jesus isn’t saying, “Pretend everything’s fine.” He’s not saying life is easy. He is saying something much deeper:

“Your Father is in control. Trust Him.”

The birds cannot control the weather, the fields, or the seasons— yet the Father cares for them. How much more does He care for His children?

When Jesus spoke these words, He was telling us what Roger eventually learned to rest in: that the God who created the world is also the God who holds our days, our breath, our eternity.

Roger’s Trust Was in Christ

Roger believed that. For all his precision, all his preferences, all his routines—he knew there was One thing he could not control: his own salvation.

He needed a Savior. And he trusted Jesus Christ for that.

He believed that Jesus died on the cross for his sins, that Jesus rose again in victory, and that Jesus promises eternal life to all who place their faith in Him.

Roger trusted in that promise. And today, the promise is fulfilled.

The same Jesus who said, “Do not be anxious,” also said:

“I go to prepare a place for you… that where I am, there you may be also.”

Roger is with the Lord he trusted. Not because he controlled his own destiny. Not because he earned his way. But because Jesus Christ saved him by grace.

Are You Trusting Him—Today and Forever?

Funerals bring us face-to-face with what we cannot control. We cannot control the length of our life. We cannot control the day of our death. We cannot control what happens after.

But we can control whether we trust the One who can.

Just as Jesus asked His disciples, the same question comes to us today:

Are you trusting in Jesus for today? Are you trusting Him with your anxieties, your fears, your future?

And beyond that:

Are you trusting in Jesus for your eternity?

The gospel is simple and profound:

We are sinners who cannot save ourselves.

Jesus Christ lived perfectly, died sacrificially, and rose victoriously.

All who place their faith in Him are forgiven, redeemed, and given eternal life.

Not by our effort, not by our control, but by His mercy.

That is the hope Roger held on to. And that is the hope that holds on to us today.

Closing

As we say goodbye—for now—to Roger, we remember his particular ways, his humor, his stubbornness, his craftsmanship, his love for the land… and most importantly, his love for his Savior.

And we hear Jesus’ words again:

“Do not be anxious… your heavenly Father knows what you need.” “Seek first the kingdom of God…” “Do not be anxious about tomorrow…”

May the God Roger trusted grant us the serenity to accept what we cannot change, the courage to change what we can, and the wisdom to know the difference— as we rest in the arms of the One who is always in control.

Amen.

Special Music

“The Fall” - Cody Johnson

Closing Prayer

Dismissal

“I’d Rather Have Jesus” Pastor Rob and his daughter Rachel