I Hope You’ve Had a Restful Summer Because…
… the ride’s going to get bumpy from here! LOTS and LOTS of fun and interesting things going on! Hang on Tight!
Worship Schedule Change: To get things started, we continue with just the one 9 am service through Labor Day weekend, but following our custom from recent yeas we wilI go back to the two service schedule on September 9 th. 8 am Traditional Worship, and 10:30 am Contemporary Worship, with Sunday school and coffee hour between.
September 9th brings Rally Day, the beginning of the Sunday School class sessions for the year. Kids meet their new teachers and are introduced to the curriculum. It’s a great chance for parents to meet the teachers, too! At 2:30 that afternoon we will have an Ice Cream Social. Bring your friends and neighbors!
The Confirmation Program for 6 th - 8th grade kids begins with a parent/kid/teacher meeting on Wednesday, September 12 th at 6 pm in the AMC. Sharon Sharp, who teaches 6 th & 7 th grade, will be there to talk about curriculum, expectations and goals for the class.
On Sunday, September 16th, our Missionary in Guyana, Dr. Richard Young, returns for a visit. He will be preaching at both services and leading a discussion forum in the AMC during the Sunday School Hour. Dr. Young comes state side every two years, and it’s always a treat to hear about his missionary work there first hand.
The Adult Church on Wednesday (COW) begins again on Wednesday, September 19 th at 6 pm. We just finished a popular video series on The Lutheran Handbook, and will be moving on to other things, such as the video, “The Magic Never Ends” (a documentary shown on PBS on the life of C. S. Lewis) - a follow-up to our Narnia movie showing last summer, and the PBS documentary on Martin Luther. Other possibilities still pending for October: A Video study on Dietrich Bonheoffer and some selections from our subscription to MOSAIC, a monthly video series on various topics from our denomination.
Another Thrivent/Habitat work day for Trinity people is scheduled for Saturday, September 22nd. What a fulfilling and worthy endeavor! Please join your fellow Trinity members in this great project. See Bob Johnson or myself for further details.
Finally, I wanted to comment on some of the news coming out of our ELCA Churchwide Assembly, held the first week of August in Chicago. As I read the news articles on the outcome, the phrase, “Putting the Funk in Dysfunction” comes to mind. The pro-gay agenda was being largely deferred until the Human Sexuality study will be completed in 2009. A last-minute motion was voted on and passed, not asking that the rules be changed (because it wasn’t going to happen), but that bishops be asked to “exercise restraint by not disciplining pastors in same-sex relationships, nor to discipline congregations who call them into ministry” So it’s, “Don’t deal with the issue directly, but play games until we get our way.” As always, the agenda is clear as crystal and the means used to accomplish them are painfully manipulative, unethical and misleading. It has been that way for decades and seems not likely to change anytime soon. Space is limited here, but we need to have more conversation about this.
As discouraging as some of that news is, Trinity is a wonderfully busy and joy-filled place to worship and find connections with one another and with God. Join us in as much as you can— you’ll be greatly blessed!
Finishing my 13th year among you (where did the time go?) in Christ’s Service,
Pastor Larry
