April 2016 The Trinity Trumpet - …

1 April 2016 The Trinity Trumpet Saturday Evening Worship April 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 at 5:30 pm Wednesday Evening Contemporary Worship April 6, 13, 20 & 27 at 6:00 pm Sunday Morning Worship April 3, 10, 17 & 24 at 9:00 am Monthly Communion at the Nursing Homes 1:30 pm April 6 at Linn Haven Rehab & Healthcare 3:00 pm April 21 at NH Nursing & Rehab & Kensington Place The Trinity Trumpet is a publication of Trinity Lutheran Church 223 South Water Avenue New Hampton, IA 50659 (641) 394-2552 Ministers All who believe Pastors Pr. Kevin Frey Pr. Cindy Krause Office Manager Ellen Franzen Head Organist Dennis Strum Custodian Jim Mettner The mission of our congregation is to multiply and equip the children of God s household! Easter Goes on Forever! I was reviewing sermon notes in one of my previous parishes during confirmation class. An eighth grade boy asked a very important question, How come last Sunday it said that it was Easter on the bulletin?

2 Easter was two weeks ago. I smiled and explained that we celebrate a season of Easter and in fact, Easter is celebrated by the church every Sunday as we worship. For a believer in Jesus, Easter truly goes on forever. Christ is Risen. He Is Risen Indeed! In this way we greet each other on Easter Sunday and on the Sundays during the Easter Season. This greeting connects us to Christians over the millennia since Jesus' death and resurrection, reminding us of the surprise and joy that Christians will always experience at that thought. Surprise and Joy It's easy to understand why the early Christians were absolutely astounded that, hope against hope, their Lord, Savior and friend was ALIVE. Not that things were ever going to be the same (sometimes that's a good thing, isn't it? Growth and change can hurt!), but that their hope was renewed in a most unexpected, life and world changing way. Resurrection Still Works That Way While we may have to endure the loss or even death of something we hold dear, or while we may have to grow beyond what makes us comfortable, renewal comes to us in surprising ways as we follow the path Christ lays out for us.

3 Growth and change are natural and sometimes surprising results of being touched by resurrection. Things may not ever be the same again, but following Christ and experiencing the surprise and joy of his presence and guidance can be amazing. May the Peace and Joy of the Resurrection be Yours! Pr. Kevin Frey April 2016 **We will be receiving new members in May. If you are not currently a member of Trinity and would like to join our church family, please let Pastor Cindy or Pastor Kevin know. Thank you for your contributions to the Mission Cross project in March. It was wonderful to see the suitcases filled with supplies to help a young woman in our community as she graduates from high school and transitions from the Foster Care system to college life. The Mission Cross project for April will be the collection of supplies for Bremwood. Items suggested include (new items would be appreciated): twin size mattress pads; twin size sheets; bed size pillows; personal care items for men and women - body wash, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner; men's and women's socks; t-shirts - adult sizes small to 3X; sweatshirts and sweatpants - adult sizes large to 3X.

4 If you prefer not to shop, the staff can use gift cards from Wal-Mart to purchase the supplies needed. The youth of Trinity are selling the Wal-Mart gift cards as a part of their fundraising - purchase from them and do "double the good". Bremwood also collects the Campbell Soup labels (need the UPC code) and Box Tops for Education. Huge thanks for all of the talent and time you contributed to Lenten services this month and all of the great services during Easter week. He is Risen Indeed!! What a wonderful way to further the mission of Trinity . Reminder: The congregation approved budget to help fulfill the mission of Trinity is $348, That's an average of $6, per week. Please give thought to the many joys of life for which you are thankful and remember the One who makes it all possible. Consider how you can show your thanks and appreciation as Trinity continues to fulfill God's work through our mission. A Note From Your Council Secretary Melissa Drewelow When I was nominated to be your Council Secretary, I was worried about how I would fit another commitment into my already busy schedule.

5 I prayed for direction and accepted the nomination for a 3-year term as Secretary. Although this decision has been a time commitment, it has made me more informed and involved in our wonderful Church. So many new and exciting things are happening here at Trinity ! Our LIGHT Program, youth mission trips, outdoor services, bible studies, and our technology and building updates are just a few of the many great things going on. One of the current items of discussion at council is our General Fund Giving vs. Expenses. After one of our meetings this winter I arrived home and happened to walk by a mirror in my room. I stopped and asked myself, What can I do to help? and How can I find a way to tithe more? I decided at that time that I would make a change in my personal spending and give the money back to God. I have found a variety of ways to do this such as: donating monthly interest/dividends to the Church, setting aside at least half of any refunds/rebates I receive.

6 One particular time I decided to go without a professional haircut and style for 2 months and I was able to save and donate $100! (Although my hair wasn t at it s best, I smile when I see pictures of that time because it reminds me to live like Jesus and put God first in my life!) When you give with a joyful heart, it changes the way you think and feel about giving back to God. James 2:14, 26 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? As a body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. Prayerfully consider looking into your mirror this month, and ask yourself how you can share your faith through deeds by giving your time, talent, and treasures to Trinity Lutheran Church! Your current Church Council members are unified in working hard to help our congregation continue to grow and prosper. We welcome your ideas and help in meeting the needs of Trinity . Please feel free to contact me. My address is 160 Melrose Court, New Hampton, and my phone number is 641-394-6597.

7 Thanks to everyone who participated in the special services during Holy Week. For those who took part in the Last Supper and the Bell Choir special music on Easter morning and the many others who shared their time and talents. We thank you. April 2016 ** April is Trinity s turn to supply volunteers to work at the Chickasaw County Food Pantry in New Hampton. The food pantry is open every Friday morning from 9AM to Noon. The Fridays in April that volunteers are needed are: April 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29. Please let Gregg know if you are able to volunteer a few hours of your time to work at the pantry. We thank all of you that volunteered in 2015. The months we supply volunteers are: February, April , July and December. Contact Gregg Shattuck at 641-394-2237 if you are available any of these months to volunteer. **ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL Join us every Sunday morning at 10:00 am following worship in the Fireside Room. Everyone is invited to join the group for interesting topics.

8 April 3: Mission Trip to Haiti April 10: Religions of the World with Pastor Cindy (Catholicism) April 17: Bible Study April 24: Current Issues Thrivent Choice Dollars The Finance Committee met in February and discussed the Thrivent Choice Dollars. People that participate in Thrivent Choice Dollars are able to designate their money to certain funds here at Trinity , but we still have some amounts that go undesignated. The Finance Committee proposed that the total amount of money received from Thrivent Choice Dollars each month go into the General Fund. Contact the Finance Secretary (Mike Babcock) or Ellen Franzen (Treasurer) if you would like your donation to be applied to a different fund. Council approved the motion 10-1 to move the balance of $5,207 from the Thrivent Fund to the General Fund on April 30. If you have made a contribution in the past 3 months and prefer a different fund please contact the office (394-2552) before April 30th. **Blessing of Quilts The Wednesday morning quilters have been busy making quilts to be taken to Waverly on April 23rd for the Lutheran World Relief - 2016 Spring In-Gathering.

9 Every year we send quilts to be distributed all over the world by LWR. We will be blessing the quilts during the services on Wed., April 13, and at the weekend services of April 16 and 17. Join us during one of these services to see all the pews in the sanctuary covered with quilts made and tied by the women of Trinity and other women from the community. Thanks to all that have made this project possible. **A piano recital hosted by the Carnegie Cultural Center will be held here at Trinity on Saturday, April 16 at 2:00 pm. Students of the University of Iowa will be performing. Mark this on your calendar for an afternoon of Bach, Bartok, Mozart and many others. April 2016 LIGHT Newsletter April 2016 The Good Samaritan This month our story is The Good Samaritan, which can be found in Luke 10:25-37 and in the Spark Story Bible on page 360. The rotations will be music, science, drama, and games. Students 3-6 will have a special class teaching them Bible Skills.

10 We will also be having a special LIGHT class on April 13 with the quilting group working with all K-6 students. Vacation Bible School Vacation Bible School will be July 18- 21. We will be starting at 12:30 and ending at 5:30. VBS is for kids completing grades K-5. Older youth are welcome to be volunteers for the younger kids. We will feed the kids a snack in the middle of the afternoon. They will need to have lunch before they arrive. Our week of Vacation Bible School will conclude with a program at the 6:00 Thursday evening service. Please mark your calendars now so your kids and their friends can join us for a fun week! VBS registration forms are available in the Church office. Please contact the office if you would like to volunteer. Wednesday Schedule Meal: 5:00 - 5:50 Worship 6:00 6:30 LIGHT Education: 6:40-7:30 Singing in Church April 3 All children will be asked to sing in front of the congregation during church service on Sunday, April 3. Hope to see you there!