Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church & School Trinity Tidings Volume 14, Issue 3 September 2017 How Important Is Going to Church Really? Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian”? I believe that phrase is one of Satan’s most effective and destructive deceptions. It makes me sad. We could just as easily say, “I don’t have to talk to my wife to be a husband” or “I don’t have to spend time with my children to be a parent.” Both are technically true, but they’re descriptions of unhealthy relationships. Any relationship like that will soon grow apart. The relationship will grow weaker and weaker and will eventually fail. We know it. We recognize that the desire to stay away from someone is a strong indication that something is seriously wrong and needs to be fixed. In a healthy, growing relationship, we want to spend time together. We make plans to see each other. We move things around to make it happen. We look forward to it! We just want to be together. We talk. We connect. We share our lives. Sometimes we plan for big exciting adventures. We look forward to them, but they are not the foundation of our relationship. They celebrate a relationship that is growing every day. It’s the little things that provide the strength and the satisfaction of a loving relationship. Trinity Tidings - September, 2017 Page 2
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Trinity Evangelical LutheranChurch & School
Trinity TidingsVolume 14, Issue 3
September 2017
How Important Is Going to Church Really?
Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t have to go to church to
be a Christian”? I believe that phrase is one of Satan’s most effective
and destructive deceptions. It makes me sad. We could just as easily say,
“I don’t have to talk to my wife to be a husband” or “I don’t have to
spend time with my children to be a parent.” Both are technically true,
but they’re descriptions of unhealthy relationships. Any relationship like
that will soon grow apart. The relationship will grow weaker and weaker
and will eventually fail. We know it. We recognize that the desire to stay
away from someone is a strong indication that something is seriously
wrong and needs to be fixed.
In a healthy, growing relationship, we want to spend time together.
We make plans to see each other. We move things around to make it
happen. We look forward to it! We just want to be together. We talk.
We connect. We share our lives.
Sometimes we plan for big exciting adventures. We look forward to
them, but they are not the foundation of our relationship. They
celebrate a relationship that is growing every day. It’s the little things
that provide the strength and the satisfaction of a loving relationship.
Trinity Tidings - September, 2017 Page 2
It’s a phone call just to hear your voice. It’s sitting together to do little
things. It’s eating together and working together. It’s laughing together
and crying together. It’s time, time we happily spend simply because
there’s no place we’d rather be that in the presence of someone we
love and someone who loves us back.
It’s the same in our relationship with our Savior and with our church
family. If we have a desire to stay away, there is something wrong. Love
doesn’t lead us to avoid God’s house. Love makes us want to be with
him. We want to hear his voice. We want to talk with him, eat with him,
and connect. It’s fun to have big, exciting events, but that’s not the
foundation of our relationship. It’s the everyday things. Hearing his
word. Celebrating his sacraments. Singing and praying. Just spending
time in his presence.
Hebrews 10:19–25 provides a beautiful list of reasons to spend time
in the Lord’s house. Verses 19-22 show us the privilege we have in
coming to God’s house. Imagine the pain and longing of two people in
love who are separated. Maybe their families keep them apart. Maybe
one moved far away. They dream of the time they could have together,
but instead feel that pain of separation. They would move mountains
just to be together again.
We were separated from our loving God. We sinned. We ran away.
We were lost and powerless to come back home. But Jesus came and
opened a way to bring us back home. It’s a living way. Jesus is the way.
The cost was terrible, but he paid it. Now we can draw near to God
through his Word and sacrament. We have the privilege of coming
home to spend time in God’s presence.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to
enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus—20 he has
opened for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is,
through his body)—21 and since we have a great high priest over
the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
Not everyone has the privilege of coming into God’s presence. But
we do. Jesus opened the way. Jesus loves us and we love him. We want
to spend time together, talking, connecting, and sharing our lives. We
do that together in God’s house.
Verse 23 tells us to hold on to what we have. Remember how much
Trinity Tidings - September, 2017 Page 3
you knew about God and his word during your confirmation years? How
much of that is lost now? God’s word is the source of our strength. It’s
how we grow. How many places can you go to hear God’s word, receive
his sacraments, and grow closer to the Lord, your God? Let’s hang on to
God’s Word. Let’s get stronger together.
23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering,
since he who promised is faithful.
So we come to church, one of the few places in all the earth where
God’s people can gather around word and sacrament to confess
together, grow together, and hold on to the truth of God’s Word.
Verse 24 tells us that church is healthy. Church is where we can
watch out for each other. Where we can urge each other to put God
first. Where we can motivate each other to sacrifice for the kingdom
together. To put down our phones, turn off our TV and computer
screens, and work together to glorify God and save souls.
24 And let us watch out for one another to spur on love and good
works.
So we come to church. Church is not a building or an activity. Church
is God’s people doing God’s work together. Church is God’s people
showing God’s love for him and for each other.
Finally, verse 25 tells us how to keep our faith and our love growing.
It’s easy to neglect the important things in life. It’s easier to pursue a
hobby or watch something than it is to work on a relationship. It’s easier
to stay at home than it is to get up and do something important. We can
always find excuses not to worship, not to serve, not to put God first.
But they are just excuses. They are the whispers of Satan spreading
poison into our souls.
25 Let us not neglect to gather together, as some are in the habit
of doing, but encourage each other, and all the more as you see
the day approaching.
Let’s stay close to God. Let’s encourage each other in our faith. Let’s
pray together, worship together, work together. Let’s spend time
together in God’s house. Let’s prepare together for eternity.
There aren’t many places where you can do that. Trinity Evangelical
Lutheran Church is one of them. God tells us it’s vital for our souls. Let’s
love God enough and love each other
enough to gather together in God’s
house.
Trinity Tidings - September, 2017 Page 4
TLC Food Pantry
“TLC” FOOD PANTRY
“TLC” Food Pantry Hours:
Tue & Thu
10 am – 12 pm
KUDOS: “BECAUSE OF YOU”
Our “TLC” Food Pantry continues to share God’s Grace:
There are at this time seven prospects for Membership to
Trinity.
There are a lot of empty pews for Sunday and Monday
services. The Board would like to put out a challenge for them to
filled. There are many good reasons to attend and to many bad
excuses why not. In Christ Board of Elders
TLS Stewardship Committee
(Dave Schacht, George Dumke, Wayne Conner)
Winston Churchill reportedly said that "we make a living by what we
get, but we make a life by what we give." According to Churchill then,
our lives are defined less by what we have gotten, and more by what
we give away.
Our Lord's life is defined in this way. He gave completely of Himself
for us. He became man for us. He taught the truth of God's Word. He
healed those with many and various diseases. He died the death that
we deserve because of sin. He gave of Himself in order to save us
from sin, death, and hell. And so, it is that by giving completely of
Himself, He got for Him-self us, making us citizens of His eternal
kingdom by grace.
As it was for Jesus, so it is also for us. We get more from giving than
we do from simply getting. For giving softens our hearts and frees us
from the grip which the worries of this world and making a living has
on us. For when we are singularly focused on making a living, we are
singularly focused on what we get. That mindset begins to bleed into
all areas of our lives-our relationships with friends and family, with
neighbors and coworkers, and with the Lord. It shifts our focus from
asking the question-How can I be a friend, family member, neighbor,
and servant to others-to asking the question-what have they done for
Trinity Tidings - September, 2017 Page 4
me lately. We become more selfish instead of selfless.
But when we give, we do not have less, we have more because when
we give we join in the bond of friendship and family, the bond of
service to those around us out of love for them. And love is the
fulfillment of the Law. It is the nature of God Himself, for God is Love.
Thus we are reflecting the divine nature. As Jesus said "It is more
blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).
Serving and Playing Together
Have you seen the list of upcoming events at Trinity?
Praise Team Tuesdays 6:00pm
Choir Wednesdays 6:30pm
Pioneers September 24 2:00pm
Games & Cards September 30 2:00pm
Reformation Movie October 4 &11 6:00pm
New Member Class October 5,12,19,26 6:30pm
Grill & Chill October 14 12:00n
Youth Group Hike October 21 1:00pm
Trunk or Treat October 31 4:00pm
Talent Show November 11 2:00pm
Between faithful members at Trinity and our new Discipleship
Coordinator, there are more opportunities to serve together, connect
together, reach out together, and grow together than there has been
in a long time.
This past July, we called a Discipleship Coordinator to serve us
half time. Jessica Rohde serves God as our new D.C. She has been
hard at work organizing and encouraging new ways for us to grow
together as disciples of Christ. Maybe she’s already contacted you.
Maybe you’ve already been blessed by her work. Regardless, there
are more ways for us to encourage each other now than every
before. And there are more to come.
Trinity Tidings - September, 2017 Page 5
One of Jessica’s big challenges is reaching our Trinity
members. She doesn’t know us all yet. Sometimes we don’t return
her communications. I encourage you to return her calls. Work with
her. Pray for her. Together, by God’s grace, we can make Trinity can
grow. We can become stronger, closer, and more effective. We can
encourage each other, support each other, and help each other
grow.
It’s an exciting time to be at Trinity. Let’s work together for
the glory of God!
Hurricane Relief
GET INVOLVED TODAYJoin other Thrivent members by supporting disaster relief efforts.
HURRICANES HARVEY AND IRMA
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have left a trail of destruction across the southern
United States. Harvey uprooted the lives and livelihood of hundreds of thousands of
people in Texas and western Louisiana. Just two weeks later, Hurricane Irma
caused chaos and devastation in Florida as well as in Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Virgin Islands. It's anticipated Irma will impact multiple other states, including
Georgia and the Carolinas, too.
Personal donations
You can make a personal donation on
Thrivent.com to provide assistance to hurricane
victims. When you do, Thrivent will double the
impact – up to $3 million.
This opportunity will run until the $3 million match is met or until December 31, 2017,
whichever comes first.
The organizations listed below have been selected to receive matching dollars. To
Trinity Tidings - September, 2017 Page 6
donate, simply click the name of the organization to which you wish to personally
donate. Thrivent Financial will pay the processing fees associated with the personal
donations.1
As a Thrivent member, you have additional ways to help those affected:
Local support
Spearhead a grassroots effort in your community by leading a Thrivent Action
Team to raise funds to help those affected by the hurricanes. Use promo code
"2017 Hurricanes", and you'll receive a Thrivent Action Kit containing team T-
shirts, $250 in seed money to launch your efforts and promotional materials – 5
to 7 business days after your event or project is approved.
Visit Thrivent.com/actionteam to get started.
Direct Choice Dollars®
If you're an eligible Thrivent member with available Choice Dollars, you can
direct them to the following organizations to help support those affected by
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Please note you will be prompted to log in.
National
• Convoy of Hope, Springfield, MO
• Habitat for Humanity, Atlanta, GA
• LCMS Disaster Response, St. Louis, MO
• Lutheran Disaster Response (ELCA), Chicago, IL
• Orphan Grain Train Inc., Norfolk, NE
• Samaritan's Purse, Boone, NC
• WELS Christian Aid and Relief, Waukesha, WI
Regional
• American Red Cross of Central Texas, Austin, TX
• American Red Cross Palm Beach and Martin County Florida,
West Palm Beach, FL
1 Thrivent will pay the processing fees for personal donationsmade through InFaith Community Foundation up to $1 millionor 12/31/17, whichever comes first.