Special Voters Meeting Called for March 3
Trinity will be holding a
special voters assembly meeting
on Sunday, March 3 following the 11am worship service. Meeting will begin at 12:30 to discuss our finances and our school ministry.
New Member Welcome March 3
New members will be welcomed in the 11am service. Join us for a short reception in the loggia after the service, and before the voters meeting- plan for about 20 minutes - introduce yourself, say hello and grab a snack.
Adult Bible Studies - New Topics
- Tuesday Evening Women's Bible Study meets at 6:30 p.m. and has begun a study on the book of Isaiah. Contact Julie Lasater at julieheals@att.net for more information.
- Sunday Morning Women's Bible Study meets at 9:30 a.m. each week in Pastor's office and has just started the new study book entitled, "Encouragement for Today" by Renee Swope, Lysa TerKeurst, and Samantha Evilsizer. All are welcome! For more information, contact Stephanie at stephanie.landis@intertek.com
- Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study Currently studying the topic of Redemption, as we approach the Easter Season. This will lead us into and through Lent, finishing on Palm Sunday. Join with your Trinity family for lively discussions and Scriptural learning as we work collectively to bring our community "one step closer to Jesus." We hope that you will also bring a friend/guest with you to check out the study group - a personal invitation goes a long way and may be just what someone needs to reconnect with a church family.
A Series on Stewardship - 2 of 4 - by Senior Elder, Tom Finger
This week we will examine the concept of tithing and whether it is a relic from the Old Testament or a valid concept in the 21st century.
What is a tithe? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word tithe as: a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support of a religious establishment.
One of the earliest mention of a tithe is found in Genesis chapter 14 where Abram gave an offering of a tenth of "everything" to Melchizedek, a priest of God Most High, as an offering of thanks for God's protection in battle. The first Biblical mention of tithing as a requirement came during the time of Moses. This mandatory giving, commanded by God in Numbers 18:2, was known as the Sacred Tithe. It was used to compensate the Levites and priests for their service to the temple and the congregation.
While you can find the term tithe in the New Testament, there is no mention of tithing as a requirement in the early Christian church. That is not to say Jesus did not talk about money. In fact more than half of Jesus' parables talked about money and the pitfalls of worshiping the "things" of this world. While He did not mandate tithing He made it clear that what we as Christians did with the wealth entrusted to us was important to God. Paul, in 2nd Corinthians 9:7, says: "Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.... " In practice many 1st century Christians sold all they had and donated the proceeds to the Church. Clearly, while the practice of tithing is no longer required, the mandate to contribute to the Church remains.
What does the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) have to say about tithing? Rather than mandating tithing LCMS has developed a set of guidelines to use when contributing to the Church: 1. All giving must be done voluntarily and cheerfully. 2. All giving should be from our "first fruits" that is at the beginning of the week before our other debts become due. 3. Giving is to be proportional. In other words giving should not be a fixed amount, but instead a percentage of our income each week. 4. We should give faithfully. This means we should give in faith, trusting that God will provide for all our needs, though not necessarily our wants!
We know that God in the New Testament commands that we give generously to support the work of the Church. Since God, in the Old Testament, commanded His people to give 10 percent of their income to support the temple that seems like a good target. Depending on each giver's current situation they might be able to give significantly more or substantially less. If you are unable to tithe at this point but want to begin giving faithfully, choose a starting point that works with your current circumstances, and set a goal of eventually being able to tithe at 10%. You can make a plan to increase the amount you donate by a certain percentage each year, until you meet your goal. (See the chart below for help with calculating your goal).
As we learned last week, God, the creator of all things, is the rightful owner of all your wealth. Be a faithful Steward and a cheerful giver.
See you in church!
Neighborhood Walk
Be a part of Trinity's outreach efforts in our local community by taking part in the Neighborhood Walk this weekend. We'll be walking around the Lake Eola Heights neighborhood Saturday from 9-11am. Volunteers will meet at Eola General (not yet open - which used to be Handy Pantry) and will disperse from there. Come prepared to visit with neighbors, take prayer requests, share the love of Christ with others, and invite new friends to Lenten and Easter worship as well as the upcoming Touch-a-Truck event.
Trinity Lutheran School's PTL needs YOU
Volunteers and Sponsorships
Touch a Truck is coming up in just three weeks on Saturday March 9 from 9a-1p. Volunteers and sponsors are much needed and appreciated to make this big community fundraiser a great successes. We've been blessed with the gift of billboard advertising for Touch a Truck from one of our school families this year and have some great I-4 visibility - so we're anticipating and even better turnout than last year. At the event you'll enjoy Live music, Food and drinks, Hot Wheels Car Races, Face painting, Dozens of trucks to explore...and much more!
The event itself is $5.00 to attend (children 2 and under are free), but we are in need of sponsorships to make this event a success. Please consider donating your time and/or resources to this event. See the information below for sponsorship opportunities, and
click here for volunteer opportunities
Support Trinity Lutheran School's Touch-A-Truck fundraiser by using the links below to volunteer and/or contribute food donations.
Sponsors Needed
Circus/Dog Show $ 350.00
Raising Cadence Band $ 250.00
Popcorn/Cotton Candy $ 100.00
Hot Wheels $ 100.00
Game Truck - Art of Gaming $ 500.00
Jr. Sports Game Arena $ 200.00
Face Painting $ 300.00
Marketing/Flyers$ 150.00
You may sponsor the entire amount or just a portion. You can also donate as an individual, business or several families can sponsor together. If you would like to help with any of the above sponsorships, please email our PTL Board at PTL@trinitydowntown.com, or bring your donation to the front office. Note: Sponsor names will be posted on the event webpage. THANK YOU!
Trinity members serving to engage in Trinity's mission with the volunteer Outreach Ministry Team would like to thank you for your support of the bake sale on February 10th by either providing or purchasing the baked goods. YOUR support allowed Trinity to raise $420.00 for ministry use. $320 will go to Rebecca's Garden of Hope at Our Savior Lutheran to help with the cost of supplies for Trinity's Phase ll Servant Saturday on April 27th, and $100.00 will be given to defer costs for those youth from Trinity who are attending the LCMS National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis this summer! THANK YOU!
Trinity Lutheran School K-8 is now in Open Registration
TLS Discount Registration Deadline is March 1. Trinity Lutheran School is open for registrations for the 2019-2020 school year; discount registration is available until March 1. Contact the school office for more information:
Keri.Packman@trinitydowntown.com
LWML News
Trinity's LWML quilters have transported the 70 quilts we made this year to Redeemer Lutheran for later trucking to Lutheran World Relief in Maryland. Also, we shipped the 210 bars of soap collected during December. LWR will distribute these donations throughout the world in the next year. We are glad to report that the last shipment of quilts we sent to LWR in February 2018 were sent on to Zambia, Africa on September 20, 2018, for distribution there. LWML quilters are now starting new quilts for shipment in February, 2020. Right now we have all the material we can store, but, we can always use more women willing to tie quilts twice a month and/or sew quilt tops together. Call MaryLou at 407-491-4452 if you are interested in further information.
In memory of our dear sister, Peggy L. Trapp, Trinity's LWML has donated $100 to the Current Expense & Missions Fund of Trinity Lutheran Church.
Please let us know!
Please let your Trinity family know of any scheduled surgery or hospital stay. In addition to scheduled procedures, please give the church office a call to let us know about extended illness, unplanned hospital stays, or even the birth of a child. You can call the office at any time and leave a message-no need to wait until business hours (407-488-1919 x101). During business hours, that information can then be forwarded to the appropriate caregivers. For an emergency that requires the care of a Pastor after hours or over the weekend call or text us at 407-490-7339 and leave a message. We'll get back to you ASAP. We want to be sure to know when you need us-whether to pray with you before a scheduled procedure, sit with you during a loved one's procedure, pray for you while you recover, visit you in the hospital/at home or to share praise and thanksgiving prayers for good news/results. Just let us know. Thank you.
Urgent Prayer Requests
If you have an urgent prayer request that can't wait until you fill out a yellow prayer card during worship, please submit it via email to
Pray@TrinityDowntown.com. While submitting a yellow card during worship is still the preferred way to share prayer requests, sometimes a prayer need can't wait until Sunday. Your prayer request (first name and basic details of the prayer requested) will be shared with a team of committed weekday prayer warriors and will also be added to Trinity's regular printed prayer list for the congregation. All prayers are kept on the printed list for a period of three weeks, so please resubmit long term prayer needs regularly so that they stay on the printed list. Thank you.
Important Dates
March 1 - TLS K-8 2019-2020 Discount Registration Deadline
March 3 New Member Welcome
March 3 Special Voters Meeting
March 4-6 - Veteran's of the Cross Retreat
March 6 - Ash Wednesday 12:10 and 7pm
Lenten Bread and Soup Suppers 5:30-6:45 in Fellowship Hall
March 9 - Touch a Truck Community Event & Fundraiser for TLS
March 13-April 10 Wednesday Lenten Devotions 12:10 and 7pm
Lenten Bread and Soup Suppers 5:30-6:45 in Fellowship Hall
April 18 Maundy Thursday Worship 12:10- and 7pm
Confirmand First Communion at 7pm
April 19
Good Friday 12:10 and 7pm Worship
April 20 Easter Eve 6pm worship
April 21 Easter Morning 6:30/8/9:30/11am Worship
