Trinity Weekly, December 9

A Note From Pastor Tom Zehnder

Dear Trinity Family,

Today and tomorrow we will have opportunity to meet Pastor Mark Schudde, one of the candidates for our pastoral call. As you know there will be a Town Hall meeting tomorrow (Saturday) in the Sanctuary at 10 am where we will have an opportunity to meet and greet Pastor and Mrs. Schudde. Surely hope you can be a part of this important conversation! God is with us in this Call process!

You are also aware that we will have a Voters' Assembly at 12:15 pm this Sunday. Again, I hope that everyone will do their best to be present. The Church is God's precious gift to us. It is the Body of Christ. Apostle Paul reminds us that each of us has a particularly unique function in this church. When all the parts work together things go well. Read 1 Corinthians 12 for St. Paul's encouragement for our involvement in our beloved Trinity!

Our mid-week Advent devotions give us another opportunity to learn of God's grace, extended to us through the Faces and Families that are involved in God's plan to bring His Son, Jesus, into our world. Last week we took a fascinating look at the genealogy of Christ recorded in Matthew 1. It is filled with rather shocking and astounding events, for each name listed there has a story to tell. Some were quite shocking. We learn through the genealogy that Christ Jesus comes from a long line of saints and sinners. However Jesus Himself is sinless and he redeems all people, even those in his "Line" who stepped way out of line more often than not.

This coming Wednesday we will learn of Joseph, Mary's husband and Jesus' protector! He is a wonderful man. While we know little about his background, we know so much about his character - which we could surely all emulate. Join us at 12:10 pm or 7 pm.

Enjoy this wonderful days of Advent. Expectation and promise are in the air! God bless us all. trz

Your Weekly News & Updates

Senior Pastor Candidate Visit, Dec 10 Town Hall Meeting

Our second call candidate, Rev. Mark Schudde will be visiting December 9 & 10, and will be available for questions at a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, December 10th from 10-11am in the Sanctuary. If you have questions, please contact Call Committee chairperson, Stephanie Landis at [email protected]

Voters Meeting, Dec 11

Please join us this Sunday, December 11, for a Church Voters Meeting in the Sanctuary after 11am worship (about 12:15pm). At that time presentations will be made by representatives from Finance, School board, Senior Pastor Call Committee, Thrivent Pulse donations distributions, and Comfort Dog Ministry. Other agenda items may be added as well. To save time during the meeting, please review the minutes from June and August meetings in advance so we can vote to approve the final minutes. These can be found on the website under Member Resources/Official Reports .

Approval of Minutes - Regular Voters Meeting from June 19, 2016

Approval of Minutes -Special Voters Meeting from August 28, 2016

Christmas Poinsettias

Sign up to sponsor poinsettia purchases to decorate the Sanctuary on Christmas Eve. You can take them home with you after worship on Christmas morning. Order forms are in the Narthex.

Bake Sale-Bring Cash

Trinity Youth will be hosting a bake sale in the loggia after the 8:00am and 9:30am services through December. Proceeds benefit Trinity Youth who are raising funds to attend the upcoming District Gathering. Stop by and support of Youth!

Delivery Help Needed for Distributing Angel Tree Gifts

Gifts are being organized and prepared for delivery now. 2-3 more drivers are needed for upcoming deliveries next week. If you would like to help contact Glenda at [email protected].

OWLS - Older Wiser Lutherans

Let's end 2016 by having lunch at Cracker Barrel on Friday, December 20th at 11:30am. Please call Bob or Audrey (407-897-148) or e-mail [email protected] if you are able to attend. We'll meet at Cracker Barrel at 6699 S. Semoran Blvd., Orlando 32822.

Christmas Eve Family Service

All families will enjoy a child-friendly Christmas Eve celebration at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 24. The children of our church are practicing their lines so they can share the wonderful message God's angels spoke long ago - a message that will never grow old! This service is perfect for families with small children. Please come and hear the Christ story the way the angels may have viewed it.

Rehearsal Date Change

The Parish Choir is preparing its Epiphany Cantata, Song of Emmanuel , which will be sung at both of the traditional services on January 8. Extra rehearsals for the cantata will be held as follows:

Saturday, December 10, immediately following the Town Hall Meeting which concludes at 11am
Wednesday, January 4, 7:00 - 8:30pm
Saturday, January 7, 9:30 - 11:00am

He Came to Seek and Save the Lost

On Tuesday, December 20 , Trinity is hosting a special memorial service for 73 men and women who died without a home this past year. Some were estranged from family, some had no family, many had friends who shared their struggles. All will be recognized as persons who, we pray, knew God loved them and saw His love in action because of you or someone like you who "gave something to eat or drink, or clothing, or care, or a visit" (Matthew 25:35-36) Beginning at 10:30 a.m. in our church sanctuary, Pastor Zehnder will welcome several hundred members of the community and city and county government who believe in dignity for all people. Scripture readings and eulogies from community leaders with a candlelit memorial highlight the service. It is a moving and humbling experience you will be thankful to participate in. A small reception follows in our courtyard.

Servant Saturday, January 28th -- Save the Date

Trinity's first "Servant Saturday" is scheduled for Saturday, January 28, 2017. This is a morning set aside to reach out into the community and lend a helping hand to others. YOU will have an opportunity to volunteer from 9am to 12pm, at one of the following:

Orlando Union Rescue Mission Bargain Thrift Store: sorting, displaying donated items to sell.
Grand Ave. Primary School in Parramore: helping indoors or outdoors with special projects for this primary school
Coalition for the Homeless: preparing bag lunches for 150 families, serving, cleaning up.

Look for sign-up opportunities in early January, and get your name in before our 15 slots for each place, are filled. After our morning of volunteering, we will reassemble at Trinity for lunch and sharing. Sounds like a grand opportunity, doesn't it? For more information contact Gladys Dittmer at [email protected] or 407-488-1919 x101.

Children's Ministry

Christmas Celebration is straight "From Heaven Above." The Sunday morning children's teachers are planning the annual family friendly worship for the 3:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service . Children who regularly attend Sunday morning classes AND those who cannot are warmly invited to be part of the celebration.
Children's Choir All K-5 children are invited to be a part of Trinity's Children's Choir. Contact Julia Malkene at [email protected] .

TYM: Trinity Youth Ministry (6-12th grade)

TYM for Fellowship Put these dates on your calendar:

HS TYM Sunday December 18 , 4:00-6:00 (on campus) We will celebrate the birth of Jesus and the sweetness of the season! Bring a favorite or two cookie decorations to share. Have festive sweaters, shirts, or socks to wear??? Wear them!!
MS TYM Friday December 9 has been cancelled. Please contact Mrs. Blackwood if you have any questions.