Blessings - Trinity Lutheran Church

Blessings
Trinity Lutheran Church
What’s
Inside
January
2015
Worship Times
Christmas message from our Bishop
Kroger Fundraiser
This Month at Trinity
January Celebrations
Giving
Council Notes
Serving Schedule
Thoughts from the Pastor
Typhoon Haiyan: One Year Later...
Sunday Morning
and pray for all who lost their lives,
homes, communities and livelihoods to Super Typhoon Haiyan.
10:30 am—Traditional
Sunday Evening
7:30 pm—Evening Prayer
Education
Sunday Morning
9:30 am—Sunday School
Wednesday Morning
9:45 am—Bible Study
The Situation:
One of the most powerful storms
ever recorded crashed across the
central islands of the Philippines.
The typhoon impacted approximately 13.28 million people, destroyed 1.1 million homes and has
displaced more than 4 million people. One year later, we remember
Our Response:
Lutheran Disaster Response received an outpouring of prayers
and financial support. More than
$2.5 million was collected to directly respond to Typhoon Haiyan.
Together, we were able to provide
immediate need to people and
communities affected, and we
continue to walk with our brothers
and sisters in the Philippines who
are still working to rebuild their
lives and livelihoods.
Typhoon Haiyan: One Year Later cont...
Lutheran Disaster Response works
with an extensive network of partners who are actively engaged with
communities on the ground. Within
days after the typhoon made landfall
our trusted partner, Lutheran World
Relief, was responding to those
affected. And a year later, we are
still there, continuing our work with
Lutheran World Relief and working
with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines.
The work has been extensive and
still continues. This has taken the
form of shelter repair kits, making it
possible for people to start to rebuild and return to their homes. Safe
drinking water has been provided
with water filtration units, wells constructed or repaired and an increase
effort of household sanitation
through latrines and hygiene kits.
Cash-for-work programs were established to assist people whose livelihoods were destroyed by the typhoon. This program allowed people
to participate in clean-up efforts
within their communities, while
earning an income to provide for
their families. Food as well as nonfood items were distributed to help
meet short-term needs.
ation shelter during emergency situations. In non-disaster times, the
centers will serve as venues for capacity building and disaster preparedness training workshops for
church and community leaders.
The people of the Philippines are
grateful for the generosity shown by
the members of the ELCA and their
world partners.
Long-term plans include a community center that will serve as an evacu-
Christmas Message from our Bishop...
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
[Good Christian Friends,
Rejoice; ELW 288]
Oddly, this refrain from a sprightly
medieval Christmas hymn came to
mind in mid-November as I watched,
through tear-blurred eyes, the press
conference of Ed and Paula Kassig,
the parents of Peter Abdul-Rahman
Kassig, after they learned of his brutal murder by ISIS. The press conference was held in the narthex of
the family’s United Methodist
church in Indianapolis.
“Our hearts are battered,” Paula
said, “but they will mend. The world
is broken, but it will be healed in the
end. And good will prevail as the one
God of many names will prevail.”
“Please,” Ed asked, “allow our family
the time and privacy to mourn, to
cry – and yes, to
forgive – and begin to heal.”
Battered…will mend. Broken…will be
healed. Allow us the time…to forgive. God will prevail.
Unexpectedly, oddly, my heart
began to sing, quietly, slowly,
barely audible in my own heart:
Christ was born for this. Christ was
born for this.
One commentator on this hymn has
said that its “catchy melody bounces
along in a triple rhythm that is easily
sung and danced.” There was neither singing nor dancing when it
came to my mind. It was more like
the voices of the Kassigs, weary,
broken, trusting, hopeful: Christ was
born for this, even this, especially
this. Christ will not let this deep brokenness, this savage evil, this unbearable pain have the last word. It
will take time, but we will be healed,
Christmas Message from the Bishop cont...
we will forgive; the world will mend,
God will prevail. Christ was born for
this.
One of the unusual traits this hymn
has picked up as it has echoed its
way to us from the 14th century is a
brief, strange mid-verse change in
meter.ii In some versions (preserved,
for example, in some United Methodist hymnals), the phrase “News!
News!” is inserted before the refrain
in each verse. So, verse two of the
hymn reads like this:
Good Christian friends, rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
News! News!
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened heaven’s door…
This odd interruption reminds me of
a newsboy standing on an old, cold
December street corner holding up
the special edition newspaper just
released, beckoning to all who pass
by, “News! News!” Perhaps a contemporary image of this might be
those intrusive pop-ups that appear
on our computer screens to let us
know that an important email message or news report has arrived and
demands our attention.
As we move through the challenges
of our days, Advent and Christmas
interrupt our rhythm, break our
stride, and disrupt the doldrums of
our days with the cry: News! News!
Christ was born for this!
The tinsel, bright lights, and beautiful wrappings of this season cry out,
too, with the good news that all our
struggles, pain, anguish, doubts,
fears, and most desperate aching for
peace and joy, forgiveness and new
life find their home in the manger, in
the child of Bethlehem who enters
deeply into this troubled world to
break its stride by rising from the
tomb.
I can hardly wait to sing this wonderful hymn this Christmastide. Thanks
to the Kassigs, it might even move
me to dance (or at least to sway a
bit; I am Scandinavian, after all),
resting the world and my own travails in the sure and certain promises
that come wrapped in swaddling
clothes.
Christ was born for this!
+Bishop Bill Gafkjen
Kroger Fundraiser...
SHOP & SWIPE YOUR KROGER
PLUS CARD in 2015
Over the past several years Trinity
has received several thousand dollars from the Kroger Cares program thanks to our members who
have used their reloadable Kroger
gift cards.
Beginning in January, Kroger is
changing the program to make it
easier and more customer friendly.
Effective February 1, we encourage you to register your Kroger
Plus loyalty card at
www.kroger.com/
communityrewards . Once you’ve
successfully enrolled and selected
Trinity Lutheran as your organization of choice, we will earn rewards on all eligible purchases you
make using your Kroger Plus Card.
You can earn rewards on almost anything, every time you shop. However,
there are specific purchases that cannot be included. Alcohol, tobacco,
government-assisted prescription
purchase, postage stamps, Kroger gift
cards, reloadable gift cards and debit
cards, lottery and promotional tickets,
fuel and sales tax are excluded from
eligible purchases. Eligible Pharmacy
purchases include out- of-pocket copays for non-government-assisted
Pharmacy programs.
We are currently awaiting our
Kroger Community Rewards
(KCR) organization number and
will let you know when it arrives. Once we have been registered as an organizations,
please log-in and register your
card.
CAN-DO
This Month at Trinity...
CONFIRMATION
Confirmation Schedule
1/4
NO CONFIRMATION
1/11
5p—6p
Quiz on 8th Commandment
1/18
5p—6p
Quiz on 9th Commandment
1/25
5p—6p
Quiz on 10th Commandment
2/1
5p—6p
NO QUIZ
YOUTH GROUP
Youth group continues to meet every
Sunday from 6-7:30 p.m. Pastor Scott
and our parent group leads the teens in
bible study and a variety of other activities. Middle and High school youth are
invited to attend and bring a friend.
The “snack bar” needs to be replenished,
so please send your teen’s favorite snack
and a 12 pack of soda or their favorite
drink.
Youth Group Schedule
1/2
7p—7a Youth Group Lock-In
1/4
NO YOUTH GROUP
1/11
6p—7:30p
1/18
6p—7:30p
12/25 6p—7:30p
2/1
6p—7:30p
Thank you all for taking the time to
bring your cans to the church for recycling. Please remember to rinse
the cans if you are able
and to separate the cans
from other types of aluminum. If you do not then
the pastor has to do so
before the cans can be
recycled. To date we have taken in
308 pounds of aluminum & copper
that has turned into $182.00 ministry
dollars. This money will be used to
do ministry in our community. This
ministry comes to us in many different forms, and happens in many different ways all guided by the work of
the Holy Spirit.
THANK YOU
Sherry and I would like to
thank everyone who gave to
us a card, gift, or kind words
of encouragement during the
Christmas season. Your
kindness and generosity is
overwhelming and constantly
reminds us of how much love
exists in this church family.
May our new year together be
blessed with love, joy, hope
and peace.
January Celebrations...
Birthdays
01/13 Julie Biddle
01/14 Abby Thomas
01/14 Laura Wiberg
01/15 Dorothy Chambers
01/22 Mike Aughe
01/24 Jeff Thomas
01/24 Sandy Voyak
01/27 Robert Hatfield
01/28 Dave Wallace
01/30 Tina Stenberg
Altar Flowers...
January
Thank you to all of you who donate flowers for the altar in celebration of life
events and for the glory of God.
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9 10 11 12 13
January 4
Robin Neuman
January 11
Thomas Family
January 18
Open
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
January 25
Open
28 29 30 31
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Week Of
12/7
12/14
12/21
12/28
Current
Expenses
$2,216.03
$2,240.20
$1,627.00
$2,204.29
Restricted
Funds
$65.00
$133.00
$71.00
$70.00
Special
Projects
$20.00
$40.00
$95.00
$380.00
Sunday
School
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Total
Deposit
$2,301.03
$2,413.20
$1,793.00
$2,654.29
Weekly
Goal
$2,220 to meet expenses; $2,575 to fully fund the budget
Giving Report
Ask about electronic giving.
Enjoy the Convenience
of Electronic Giving
As Trinity Lutheran Church
moves into 2015, it is important
to know what support we can
depend on from our congregation members. By knowing
what you are willing to commit
financially, we are able to
better plan for the future.
Please consider setting up a
recurring giving plan. Automating your financial commitments means your contribu-
tions will be received on a
steady, uninterrupted basis.
To set up a recurring giving
schedule, complete a paper
authorization form and return it
to the Steve Thomas, Financial
Secretary. The authorization
forms can be found on the hallway bulletin board.
TLC Church Council Notes…
In December the Church
Council met and approved
the budget for 2015, and
then were hosted by the
Hammerles in their home for
a time of fellowship and fun
with our families
Usher Teams
January: Steve & Andrew Thomas
February: Tom Coulter & Dave Wallace
Serving
1/4
1/11
1/18
1/25
2/1
X
Chambers
Small
Hammerle
Peters
Ottinger
Greeters
Inskeep
Ratcliff
Jansing
Mauch
Jensen
Neuman
Acolyte
Ian C
Tom P
Willow P
Abby T
Kylie O
Lector
Eric W
Erin B
Vivian B
Brad C
Dorothy C
Communion
Assistant
Tim P
Andrew T
Joyce W
X
Eric W
Alter Guild
Jan C
Jan C
Amy H
Amy H
Tracy H
Music Specialist
Lorrie B
Lorrie B
Charlie F
Lorrie B
John R
Counting
Team
Nick B
Sherry M
Dorothy C
Rick H
Doris K
Marilyn R
Marilyn S
Steve T
Rick H
Julie B
Fellowship
Thoughts from the Pastor...
As 2014 comes to an end, many of
us will be watching Year in Review
type TV shows or looking through
our social media sites that portray
our friends year end reflections in
pictures. It is a natural thing to do at
the end of any year, especially in
places that enjoy relative peace like
in our country. Of course this gives
me the opportunity to look back and
reflect on our life together as Trinity
Lutheran Church.
This year started with an onslaught
of dreaded four letter words that
described much of what went on at
the church for two months, “SNOW,
COLD, ICED OVER”. As a result of the
extreme weather we experienced
very poor attendance and very low
giving, which was something we never caught up on during the year. Our
financial situation was never dire,
but it did limit the amount of ministry and support to the synod that we
could engage in.
After a bout with extreme weather,
we continued together in March
with a time of gathering in fellowship, fun, and good will. The Youth
Lock-In brought the youth together
and the Chili Cook-off was as suc-
cessful and as fun as always for the
congregation. We enjoyed time with
our fellow Christians in weekly Soup
Suppers and celebrated the resurrection of Jesus, which along with
Christmas is the heart of our worship
life together.
Just as the first four months of the
year brought us together in fellowship, the next five months brought
us together in service to our neighbors. Together with Thrivent for
Lutherans we sent 40 youth and
adults, many for the first time, to an
Indianapolis Indians picnic and baseball game. With your support for me
and with your direct involvement we
were able to help Lutheran Hills improve their electrical system, helped
provide the electrical systems for 4
Habitat for Humanity homes, and
rewire a kitchen for a family struggling with illness. Together in partnership with Habitat’s Apostle’s
Build and Woman’s Build we were
able to help a Great Grandmother
and a single mother secure decent
and affordable housing for them and
their families.
We sent 30 people to Blue Knob,
Pennsylvania where we painted the
second story of a home for a retired
nurse and her disabled son who
suffered a stroke at a very young
age. The youth and adults also
sprinkled happiness in Pennsylvania,
and I am thoroughly convinced that
we changed the attitudes of many at
least for that day. We helped support the United Way and Back Pack
Attack by helping to Stuff the Bus, to
count and sort at Gander Mountain,
and distribute backpacks full of
school supplies before the start of
school. Together we finished the
shed as our God’s Work! Our Hands!
Day project for the Boys and Girls
Club, and we even made the cover
of the ELCA’s magazine for churches,
Seeds of the Parish.
Most importantly we proclaim the
gospel of Jesus Christ through our
support of missionaries in Scotland,
First Communion, Confirmation, and
Sunday School classes, through our
sacraments of Baptism and Holy
Communion, and finally by coming
together to worship. We are the
church today and will be in 2015.
Happy New Year,
Pastor Scott