A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR AZZAM Trinity

Trinity Lutheran Church -- On the Sunrise Side of Michigan
A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR AZZAM
2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
What we have been waiting for has finally arrived: it was cold every day until it wasn't, the summer crowd was nowhere to be found until they came and all the season's activities are in full swing.
The scriptures tell us that the whole creation eagerly awaits the manifestation of the sons of God.
(Romans 8:19). Such a revealing must seem to some like it is a long way off. For others, it does
not occur until it does. We have experienced such a revealing in double digits in our congregation
this year and even more if you count close relatives of our members. These, who have hoped in
Jesus are now among the sons of God to be revealed. They have had their robes washed in the
blood of the Lamb.
Therefore, they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 7:15-17)
This day seems so far off...until it arrives as well. When the whole creation will finally cease from
its groaning and rest in the presence of its creator and her people who have trusted in Him reign
with their Lord and Redeemer.
In Christ,
Rev. Timothy Azzam
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Sundays
8 am--Worship Service
9:15 am--Sunday School (Sept. - May)
9:15 am--Adult Bible Class
1-3 pm--Bells of Glory Practice
Mondays
10 am--Open Bells
Wednesdays
7 pm--Choir Practice
Tuesdays
8 am--Men's Bible Class
9:30 am--Ladies Bible Class
10-Noon--Parish Nurse Hours
10:30am-2pm--Crafts & Quilts
Thursdays
10 am--Bible Class

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
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Elders Meeting -- Tuesday, August 4th, 6 pm.
Council Meeting – NO Council Meeting in August.
Deadline for September Newsletter & Calendar -- Sunday, August 16th.
Trinity Ladies' Picnic @ Connie Heinrich’s -- Tuesday, August 18th, 11 am.
Right to Life @ Sacred Heart Library -- Tuesday, August 18th, 7 pm.
UPCOMING EVENTS
In October we are planning a Harvest Dinner look for further information in the September
Newsletter.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Are you aware of the various opportunities you have at Trinity to REALLY learn more about your Christianity?
Presently there are 5 classes, each offering different topics, 3 for both men and women and 2 specifically for
men or women. Look for these opportunities in the weekly bulletin. Below is a listing of the topics and leaders.
Any questions, please contact Ruth Golm, Christian Ed. Coordinator.
Active Bible Studies:
Sunday 9:15-10:15 am in the Education wing.
Feed My Lambs--The Church’s Care for the Needy (4 sessions) - Pastor Azzam.
Tuesday morning (MEN) 8-9 am at Burger King.
Book of Leviticus - Lou Kuhlmann.
Tuesday morning (WOMEN) 9:30-10:30 am in the Education wing.
Book of Acts - Ruth Golm.
Tuesday evening 7-8 pm in the Education wing.
Comparing 4 Gospels to writings of Matthew - Lou Kuhlmann.
Thursday morning 10-11:30 am in the Education wing.
“Interactions” a cutting edge series designed to develop devoted followers of Christ - Kathy Azzam.
ALL ARE INVITED TO TRY US OUT!
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TLCW / LWML Trinity Lutheran Church Women / Lutheran Women Missionary League Here it is the middle of summer and moving way too fast. I think it is true the older we get the faster time passes. August 18th is our annual picnic . Connie Heinrich was so kind to offer her home for the gather‐
ing. Her address is 7732 US 23, Oscoda, MI. It will start at 11 am and please bring a dish to pass. If you can car pool with friends as she has limited parking. Please join us for a wonderful afternoon. Everyone is welcome! We had a wonderful garage sale. We surpassed all other garage sales. We made around $2,500. Many thanks to the co‐chairs Jonalee E., Yvonne N., Ann D. and everyone who donated, bought and worked on the garage sale. Our Father’s Day dinner was a huge success. We served 62 people. Everyone really enjoyed themselves. If you were not able to attend mark your calendar for next year. The salad luncheon served 82 people. Connie and Judy did a wonderful job decorating for the luncheon. The theme was a beach party. If you didn’t go you really missed a wonderful luncheon. Thank you Connie H. and Judy H. for the best salad luncheon in town. Carol W, Cindy M, Sue W & Debbie A just returned from the LWML National Convention in Iowa. Talk about thrilling Thursday night we had church services. Just imagine 5,000 people attending a church service and 95 % are women. Words are hard to express the intense karma floating around that room. They voted on raising the budget from $1,800,000 to 2,000,000. The top Mission Grant was Clean Water and Evangelism Ministry $50,000. MI received a grant for God’s Love Bus $100,000 to provide funds for purchase of a new wheelchair‐modified bus in Detroit, MI. Project Compassion Ministries. They provide nursing home resi‐
dents transportation to church and cultural events. Next was election of officers. Patti Ross from Tulsa, OK is our new President. Vice President Of Special Focus Ministries was won by Kaye Wolff from Southfield, MI. All & all the convention was wonderful and we all had a great time. When we arrived in Des Moines, Iowa they had tornado warnings. Thank the Lord it didn’t touch down but they did receive 4 1/2 inches of rain. Everyone is welcome to join the TLCW/LWML. We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. We usually have a speaker and the meetings last about an hour. We do not have a meeting in July. August is our annual picnic. We enjoy socializing with each other. On the Tuesdays that we do not have a meeting we work on mission projects or we work on projects for the bazaar in November. If you have an idea or would like to help please join us. President Debbie Adams Sunday School
Minutes and
Financial Statements
We are looking for teachers for the
fall. If interested, see Natalie Smith.
Materials are provided, so anyone
can do it.
are posted on the bulletin
by the Education Wing.
~Henrietta Fortney
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T∙H∙A∙N∙K Y∙O∙U
Thank you to whoever weeded the edge of the
flower/memorial garden, THANK YOU! Looks
great.
Thank you to the funeral committee for a great
job this month (Henrietta Fortney, Connie
Heinrich, Judy Hohf, Dori Dopp, and Jonalee
Engstrom) we appreciate the help from all who
volunteered, whether is was bringing a dish of
food or working, serving, putting away tables
and chairs, cleaning up, sweeping the floors.
All the extra hands made the work so much
easier.
Thanks to Dave Golm and Sue Pisarski who
washed dishes after the luncheons.
Thank you Pastor Azzam for your time visiting
the ill and funerals you have done in the past
several months.
Henrie Fortney
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MANY THANKS to everyone who sent
prayers, cards, food, visited or called
during my recent time of healing. The
time is passing quickly with all the love
shown by my Trinity family.
Your sister in Christ, Joyce Davis
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
FACEBOOK PAGE
Did you know when something is
posted on our page, it has usually
been looked at no less than 1,000 times, sometimes upward of 2,000 times. The numbers are
that high, because when you see it and like it,
all your family and friends on your page see it
also. There are also other ways it shows up
through automatic notifications and our website.
FEED MY SHEEP Do you recall the passages in John 21:15‐17 where Je‐
sus admonishes Peter to "Feed My Sheep"? Of course you do, but this message was meant not only for Peter but for us, today, right here at Trinity. The good news for us is that we have a small group in our Trinity family who are striving to do just that...Feeding His Sheep. However, they cannot do it without you! Please let them know of your willingness to help by contacting Jonalee Engstrom at 739‐5818, or sign up on the sheet provided on the fellowship hall bulletin board. Feed My Sheep is a program created within our Trinity family to serve individuals or families who, due to sick‐
ness or accident, can use some assistance in the form of a meal delivered to them by caring people. It is strictly for the delivery of a meal to ease others through diffi‐
cult times. It is a hands‐on way of showing our love for our brothers and sisters in our church family. How does it work? When a need is perceived, that individual or family member is contacted to verify that the meal or meals will be welcomed. Then a person who has indicated their willingness to take a meal is called and dates and times confirmed for meal delivery. The meals them‐
selves need not be elaborate—probably just what you were planning for your own family—spaghetti, meatloaf or possibly a crock pot dish, a little fruit or salad and a cookie or pudding. If you don't cook, No problem, pick up a bucket of broasted chicken from Wiltse's; hamburg‐
ers from McDonalds or Burger King; soup and sand‐
wiches from Mancino's and, of course there's always the ever popular pizza. Gift cards can also be used if appro‐
priate. For more information call Jonalee Engstrom or simply sign up and you will be contacted when a need arises. Please keep this form of witnessing in your
prayers.
Kathy Azzam
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STEWARDSHIP ADVISORS
Why People Give and Why They Do Not
God's Word speaks quite a bit about the importance of giving. Our giving gives evidence to the depth
of our .faith and trust in the Lord. God wants us to give cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7), regularly (1 Corinthians 16:2), proportionately (2 Corinthians 8:12), and the first portion of our incomes (Proverbs
3:9). Through our faithful and generous giving, we express our thanks to God for His goodness, love,
and mercy. By God's grace through Jesus, we are enabled to return a portion of what God entrusts back
to Him through our giving to our church and other Christian ministries.
In his book, The Power of Pure Stewardship, Rev. Carl W. Berner, Sr. gives the results of a survey on
giving. The following are the top six reasons that caused people to be faithful in their stewardship:
1. I want to show my gratitude for all God has done for me.
2. I want to be faithful in my stewardship.
3. I want to live within God's will.
4. I want my life to count for God.
5. I want to be true to God's principle to give as He prospers.
6. I want to lay up treasures in heaven.
These same people, reflecting their own struggles before achieving a breakthrough in their personal
stewardship, identified some hurdles which had to be overcome.
1. I can't afford to be a good steward.
2. I have to take care of myself first.
3. I intend to give when my ship comes in.
4. I was not taught as a youth to give in proportion to how I've been blessed,
5. Constant appeals for money led me to hold back in expectation of the next appeal.
Possibly the biggest issue that prevents many of us from giving freely is the desire for financial security. The fear is that, if we give too much, we will have too little for ourselves and our future. It is right
and reasonable to have a desire for personal security. What is wrong is to think that if we have ,much
wealth we are secure. Without God, none of us can be secure even though we may possess millions of
dollars. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to tell the difference between true security in
the Lord and the false security that money and possessions of this world try to provide. May God help
each of us understand the shortcomings of what the world offers, which leads to failure, and help us to
strive for the real security found only in God.
~ Bill Davis
STEWARDSHIP - Mission Support
August’s mission of the month is
“Adopt a Seminarian.”
You can use a mission envelope that can be
found in your envelope packet, or pick one up from the
ushers stand at the back of the sanctuary to support the
“Mission of the Month”. If you already support a
mission, please continue to do so by designating that
particular mission by name on a Mission envelope.
~ Bill Davis
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June 11, 2015 Council Meeting Minutes (excerpts)
Meeting called to order at 7:10 pm by President Ed Heinrich.
Present: Ed Heinrich, Ed Pisarski, Kathie Orr, Henrietta Fortney, Bill Davis, Dave Wagner and Pastor Azzam.
Pastor opened with prayer.
Minutes were read and approved.
Health coverage discussed, Ed Heinrich will contact the gentleman who helped him devise the health care coverage
we have now to help with expenses for budget and health care.
Treasurers report-absent
Elders-Ed Pisarski will check with Parish Nurse on cost of parish nurse conference. Henrietta Fortney volunteered
to type up form for Angel Tree & Thanksgiving Basket giving.
Trustees-no report absent. Lighting Fund discussed. Still getting a firm bid for designated areas of church which
need update first.
Evangelism-No report Ron W. absent, Pastor stated Ron will be starting visitations. Art on the Beach is last weekend of June volunteers needed.
Stewardship-Bill Davis stated a pledge program will be starting in August.
VBS discussed. VBS budget of $450.00 has been allocated. Henrietta Fortney will contact Natalie Smith about
being Christian Education Council representative and chairing VBS.
District Convention-Pastor discussed one new program for outreach and one new program for mercy. At District
Convention the topic of same sex marriage will be discussed. 500 year celebration of the Lutheran Church in 2017
there will be a cash ingathering.
Old Business-no business
New Business-budget discussed. Pastor’s salary was cut the past three years, is the council thinking about a cost of
living adjustment? Ed Heinrich said we do bonus at the end of the physical year, if funds are available. Further
discussion was made on bonuses, salary recompense, Pastor’s continued education to learn to do things differently,
to listen, learn and deal with life and death situations. Bill Davis said our members aren't giving like they should to
sustain this congregation. Henrietta Fortney stated this congregation has to be told they have to give more for us to
continue as a congregation. If we want to give pastor an increase, then we have to ask the members to give it.
Dave Wagner said he will e-mail everyone with a new proposal. He will work on the budget and see what he can
do. Finance Committee to meet briefly on the 21st of June after bar-b-que. If the finance committee wants him to,
Ed Pisarski volunteered to speak to the congregation every once in awhile to report whether we are in the red or
black and encourage them to give more.
Pastor closed with prayer at 9:30 pm
Respectfully submitted by: Henrietta Fortney
We need officers for 2016, a nomination committee needs to be in place by March.
June 21st Special Council meeting
Dave Wagner presented a new budget, with a 2% cost of living to be given to Pastor, if funds are available at the
end of physical year 2015. Motion was made and approved to accept the budget. Bradd Chisolm volunteered to
speak to the congregation at both worship services every three months, explaining the financial situation we are in.
Everyone was in agreement.
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If you are unable to read this, a larger print version is posted on the bulletin board near the education wing.
Planning Ahead for Roof Replacement (UPDATE)
In the January newsletter, the Church Council reported that the roof over our classroom addition
is approaching twenty years old. We are thankful to God and His blessings to our members for
providing this addition, and we expect the roof will need replacing in the next two to three years.
Being good stewards of God’s gifts we have started to set aside funds for this replacement.
The gifts will be held in the Building Fund until such time as needed.
Our current goal is to raise $15,000.00. To date, we’ve received $14,550.00.
Thank you to those who have contributed thus far.
If you wish to give for this replacement you may use the “Building Fund” envelopes in the pew racks or your offering envelope box. You may also make a gift designated for the “New Roof.” This may be a good opportunity for a year-end gift to
our church. We have a member matching funds for this project.
As additional information is available it will be shared with the congregation. Your consideration and support for our
building maintenance is appreciated!
Church Council
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PREVIOUS YEAR OFFERINGS TO DATE = $132,436.24
THIS YEAR: OFFERINGS to date
=
$118,734.15
EXPENSES to date
=
124,018.66
NET INCOME (LOSS)
=
( $ 5,284.51)
NEED $2,923 PER WEEK TO MEET BUDGET
FINANCIALS (JUNE 2015)
Total Unrestricted Offerings =
$13,659.00
Total Expenses =
$13,131.91
Net Income or (Loss) =
$ 527.09
Altar Flowers For August
2nd - Given by Steve & Joan
Hutchinson in honor of their
wedding anniversary.
9th - Given by Lila Wetenhall in
memory of Tom Wetenhall.
Total Cash Available for Church Operations = $31,314.25
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RESTRICTED FUND BALANCES
Health Reimbursement Acct. 10,091.97
Love Fund
695.77
Thrivent
2,809.44
Building Fund
14,284.00
Youth
700.43
Memorials
2,584.10
Bell Choir
621.28
Choir
639.35
Children's Message & Ministry 2,711.07
Parish Nurse
91.74
Landscaping
24.31
Social Ministry
29.83
Lutheran Hour
$35,283.29
Thank you,
Kathie Orr, Financial Secretary
Roof Funds Received
GOAL ►
$25,000.00
$22,500.00
$20,000.00
$17,500.00
$15,000.00
$12,500.00
$10,000.00
$7,500.00
$5,000.00
$2,500.00
$-
$14,550.00
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Susie Manning
Liz Shock
Karoline Brewer
Nickolas Freel
Jewel Beveridge
Karen Peca
Susan Pisarski
Lyle Boyce
Gail Chartrand
Diane Schefferly
Katherine Kapus
Joshua Cooper
Steve Ogden
Edward Heinrich
Jackie David
8/3
8/4
8/5
8/5
8/6
8/7
8/7
8/9
8/9
8/11
8/12
8/15
8/15
8/19
8/22
Blake Roy
Heather Loyer
Elma Mertz
8/25
8/26
8/28
2nd
9th
16th
23rd
30th
Funeral Committee
July - August - September
Henrie Fortney, Chair
Judy Hohf
Jonalee Engstrom
Dori Dopp
Connie Heinrich
10:30 am
Ted & Karen White
Kathie & Randy Orr
Bea Scheffler
Elma Mertz
Miriam Kuhlmann
Jonalee Engstrom
Greg & Joann Pancost
Lila Wetenhall
Christine Rogel
Debbie Adams
Ushers
8 am
2nd
9th
16th
23rd
30th
8/6
8/7
8/14
8/20
8/22
8/25
FUNERAL COMMITTEE
Greeters
8 am
Terry & Sharon Syrett
Bradd & Joan Chisholm
Jack & Annette Inman
Rodger & Carol Wenzel
Neil & Judy Malson
Steven & Karoline Brewer
Homebound Barb Dewald
Richard & Phyllis Fitzgerald
Fred Fyfe
Don Mertz
Mary Nester
10:30 am
Bradd Chisholm & Roger Tack
Karen & Ted White
Roger Tack & Bradd Chisholm
Dave & Ruth Golm
Lou & Miriam Kuhlmann
Bill Davis & Charlie Rainey
Ann & Lee Dawley
Jack & Annette Inman
Ed Pisarski & Wayne Fortney
Rodger Wenzel & Bill Davis
Know the Elders
The Board of Elders concerns itself with
the well being and spiritual life of our
congregation and pastor. Pastor Azzam
and your Elders are happy and eager
to hear from you!
They may be reached at:
Elders
2nd
Communion 9th
16th
Communion 23rd
30th
Charlie Rainey
Gary Adams
Roger Tack
Rodger Wenzel
Mitch Davis
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Pastor Azzam - 739-4820
Gary Adams - 739-1385
Mitch Davis, Jr. - 989-292-0123
Ed Pisarski - 989-569-3518
Charlie Rainey - 724-6704
Roger Tack - 989-293-8050
Rodger Wenzel - 724-6800