Trinity Family
From Pastor Martin
Our deadline for this weekly update is December 23, so I can’t officially tell you what a wonderful time I had sharing in Christmas worship with you all. Singing carols together, receiving the Lord’s Supper near the manger scene, Silent Night by candlelight. By the time you read this, I trust you will have another year of memories of celebrating Jesus’ birth…and how God sent His own Son to be our Savior. Emmanuel–God With Us.
What I can say for sure is this: THANK-YOU on behalf of all us who are privileged to serve the Lord at Trinity for all the Christmas greetings, cards, cookies, and gifts. A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
The schedule after Christmas.
No Saturday service Dec 26!
Sunday, Dec 27: 8, 9:30 & 11am with Pastor Zehnder as our guest preacher.
Also, there is no Children’s Sunday School, MS or HS Bible study on the 27th
New Year’s Eve 7 pm…with Pastor Zehnder and the Elders leading.
While our campus is closed from Christmas through Jan 2, Pastor Zehnder will be on call. You can reach him for emergency pastoral care by calling x 123 at church, while Carol and I are visiting family in Nashville. We’ll see you in church January 2 & 3
Estate Planning We’re blessed to welcome Pam Moksenes from the Lutheran Church Extension Fund at Trinity on Sunday, January 10. She will be available after 8 am service (starting at 9 am), right up to the beginning of 11 am worship, so that anyone can drop by before or after church, meet Pam personally, and find out what kind of estate planning support is available to us through LCEF.
Epiphany Cantata Sunday, January 10, at 8 & 11 am worship services
Meet the Neighborhood Day Saturday January 16 1 to 2:30 pm We had such a great time walking through the neighborhood talking with our neighbors on Saturday, Dec 12, that we’re inviting others to join us on January 16. It would be great to have 10-12 folks out visiting at the same time. Watch for more info.
Baptism Celebration January 16/17 at all Worship Services. What’s a baptism celebration? Just what it sounds like: celebrating God’s gift of baptism and remembering our own baptisms. It’s a great opportunity for parents to talk with their younger children about what happened when they were baptized. But it’s for big people too. It might even give you an opportunity to dig out your baptism certificate and reconnect with your godparents. And, if you know of someone who is wondering about being baptized, or having their children baptized, it’s a great time to talk with them about it. In fact, we already have some baptisms scheduled that day. Watch for more info
Foundations Class Starts Tuesday, January 19th
Led by Pastor Jim Martin, this class meets for 8 weeks, from 7-8:30pm on Trinity’s campus. The first five sessions focus on what Lutherans understand the Bible teaches us about what it means to follow Jesus. The last three sessions focus on what that means for us here at Trinity, and will provide opportunities for you to build friendships and get connected. We welcome anyone with an interest of learning more about learning more & growing in their faith: guests, members, school families, staff, neighbors… all are welcome! (Note: Amazing snacks are provided by our Member Ministry Team).
100 Years Young
TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO MAIL A CARD! On January 1, 2016 Trinity’s second oldest member will turn 100. Helen Penberthy now lives at Windsor Place – 404 Mariposa Lane – #207, Orlando 32801. What a wonderful gift it would be if she received 100 birthday cards! The Sunday school children made cards and others in our congregation are getting ready to send birthday greetings to our oldest new year baby. Helen was a presence in our school and church offices for many years helping with finances, weekly bulletins, and monthly newsletters. Her sharp wit and great sense of humor are an ever present reminder of life beyond retirement. Helen Penberthy’s touch on Trinity is seen in the beautiful stained glass window near the west side of the chancel. She was one of the first donors and dedicated it to the memory of her husband, Harold. Besides bookkeeping, Helen is an artist, still knits, and is an outspoken leader at her resident meetings. She shows her faith in Jesus subtly and never fails to share her gratitude and encouragement to the staff working hard at Lutheran Towers-Windsor Place. Please take a few minutes to send birthday greetings for the January 1 birthday of a wonderful friend and now shut-in member of Trinity Lutheran Church.
The Lutheran Federal Credit Union is open for YOUR business!
So who are we? The Lutheran Federal Credit Union (LFCU) is a federally chartered credit union that serves the LCMS community nationwide. It’s focus is to support those within the LCMS community by offering awesome everyday banking products to fit your needs with low costs and with easy access. The credit union serves also as a sponsorship source for ministry and provides a lower cost option for checking accounts for congregational and LCMS entities.
What We Offer: Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Loans (Mortgage, Auto, and Personal), Credit Cards. Find out more at www.lutheranfcu.org or call 314.394.2790. (flyers available in the Narthex)
Estate and Will Planning
On Sunday, January 10, 2016, between 9:00 and 11:00 AM (location TBA). Trinity Downtown hosts guest presenter Pam Moksnes, Vice President Gift Planning Services LCEF. Pam will be here to provide encouragement, guidance and direction to Trinity congregation members, guests and staff in the area of estate and will planning. Pam will also assist Trinity with resources and guidance in the establishment of corporate endowments that will benefit Trinity.
God knows Your Name
Almost everyone reading this newsletter is blessed to have a home – a place you feel protected and safe. The word “homeless” is too often erroneously associated with negative habits and poor choices. But a surprising number of people without the safety of a home are hidden. Sleeping in a hotel room, crashing on a friends couch, sharing a room in a parent’s house; all these situations are defined “homeless”. This past Tuesday, December 22, the caring social services and faith communities of Orlando stopped during this busy time of year to remember and recognize the 56 homeless men and women who died in 2015. The memorial was a time to feel sadness, but also a time to recognize the grief of the friends who are mourning. In the past 3 years, the 200+ men and women who slept in the woods, under the highway bridge, on the floor of Salvation Army, Rescue Mission or Coalition, or a secluded doorway, died with the honor of having their name memorialized. Each person was identified with his or her name; not one person received the demoralizing title “John/Jane Doe”. Praise and Thanks only to our Heavenly Father who brought together caring, Christian men and women from the churches in the Orlando area and organized IDignity, Inc. This organization is dedicated to providing free identification papers to poor and needy people. The success of this program is evident at such sad times as the last three years of funeral/memorial services when everyone was called by name. God knows Your Name and Your Identity; You are His Child no matter where you rest your head.
Cookie Monster Visit
What a party the young (and not-too-long-ago young) ladies of Trinity had last Sunday afternoon. Cookies! Yum and Yum!! And you would have marveled at the gingerbread designs little boys created. LIPS – Ladies In Purple who Serve – are women who need adult time to talk and share life experiences, and who want to make a difference in the life of others. This was another quarterly event where fun combined with concern and love resulted in a box overflowing with gifts and cookies for BETA House residents. The next event is one you won’t want to let pass you by. Contact: Jamie at: jamieerp@gmail.com for more information.
Touch-A-Truck, January 23
TAT is one of Trinity’s biggest annual community events and fundraisers, organized by the PTL of Trinity Lutheran School with a network of volunteers made up of church members, school families, and staff. Please check out the Volunteer needs for that day and find out where you are able to serve. This is a wonderful opportunity for our church and school family to come together to reach out to the surrounding community for some fantastic family fun. To find out more about where you are needed, please go to our event on Volunteer Spot at http://vols.pt/ThG7Lf. Thank you!
Get Connected – Develop Spiritually
Trinity has multiple ongoing Bible study options. Please let us know if you have any questions!
Sunday Adult Bible Class in Trinity’s Fellowship Hall (S110) at 9:30am and 11am.
Sunday Moms’ Bible Study, 9:30am, First Loggia Meeting Room (S104)
Monday Evening Winter Park Group, 7:00-8:15pm (not yet scheduled)
Tuesday Women’s Tea & Coffee Bible Study, 8:45am, Trinity’s Magnolia building, first floor conference room (M115)
Tuesday Evening 6pm Women’s Bible Study, Trinity’s Magnolia building, first floor conference room (M115)
Tuesday 7pm East Orlando Group (1st and 3rd Thursdays), Location rotate in member homes
Tuesday 7pm Foundations Class (begins Jan 19, 8 weeks), Middle Loggia classroom (S105)
Thursday Morning Men’s Prayer Breakfast, 6:30am, City Diner, 411 N. Magnolia Ave
January Those Who Serve
Schedule is available in the Narthex and on Trinity’s website.
Thank you – Trinity Shares Christmas
Thank you to everyone who responded so generously to our annual Trinity Shares Christmas project! In the next week, our wonderful delivery volunteers Omar and Gladys Dittmer, Diann Grover, Tina Hamilton, Sheila Mathews, and Maria Quesada will be delivering gifts, Christmas cards, wrapping paper, food, a Publix gift card, and information about Trinity to twelve caregivers who are the parents, grandparents, or guardians of 21 children who have an incarcerated parent. Each caregiver, when contacted back in October, expressed heartfelt thanks for this unexpected opportunity – your kindness is very much appreciated.
A New Day for the New Year
The women of Trinity regularly meet four times a year for Supper and a Speaker. This LWML event is a themed pot-luck supper featuring a guest speaker who shares an educating and interesting topic. THE DATE IS MOVING from the first Thursday to the third Thursday in January. Next event is January 21, 6:30 p.m. in Trinity’s Fellowship Hall. Details in the next Trinity Weekly.
Youth News
Middle & High School Bible Classes available at 9:30 Sunday Mornings
*Not meeting on December 27th MS and HS Youth each have their own Sunday classes providing opportunities for students to grow deeper in their relationship with God as well as their relationships with others. Meet the Youth Ministry Team leaders in the second floor classrooms of the K-8 building for fellowship and study time each week.
High School Youth
- July 2016–National Youth Gathering–check website for more information!
For more info: Contact Laura (407) 404-3242 or Mike (727) 686-7403, email TrinityHSYouth@gmail.com, check the Trinity Website or the Trinity HS Youth Facebook page!
Important Dates
December 24 through January 3 Trinity Campus/all offices/programs closed (except for worship services)
Christmas and New Year’s Worship Schedule
Christmas Eve worship services
3pm Special Children’s Program during worship
5pm, 7pm, 9pm and 11pm Candlelight Communion Worship
Christmas Day Worship 10 am
No Worship on Saturday, December 26
Dec 27: 8am, 9:30am and 11am — Pastor Zehnder preaches
No MS or HS Bible Study, No Sunday School on December 27th
New Year’s Eve Worship 7pm — Pastor Zehnder preaches
Jan 2 & 3: 6, 8, 9:30, 11
January 4 Offices Open and School back in session
January 10 Epiphany Cantata at the 8am & 11am worship services
January 23 Touch-a-Truck
Jan 24-31 National Lutheran Schools Week
February 21 New Century Center Dedication (DATE CHANGE)
Attendance & Giving
