Trinity Weekly
News & Updates
January 22, 2021
Positive Test Rates for Covid-19 are going up!
We are seeing a significant increase in positive Covid rates in our local communities and in the Trinity family. Please be hypervigilant and keep the well-being of others in mind. Wear a mask, distance six feet or more, limit exposure outside your immediate family. We're almost through this!!

Visitors on Campus
Masks are required for all those visiting the Trinity campus. You are required to respect a six foot minimum distancing from the person you are scheduled to meet with. If you feel ill or have been exposed to or test positive for Covid-19, please do not enter the campus. We will gladly reschedule the meeting to a Zoom meeting if needed.

Use of Trinity meeting rooms for Bible Study groups or meetings
  • masks are required of all attending (all those over 2 years old)
  • 6 feet distancing is required between all individuals not in the same primary household
  • no food or drink during meetings because this requires one to remove their mask to eat or drink .

Sanctuary Capacity with Social Distancing
Please note that we are able to accommodate fewer than our usual maximum capacity in the Sanctuary while following social distancing guidelines. With many still worshiping online from home, we do not believe we will reach that capacity right away and plan to move to two services on Sunday before that happens. However, if that increase in attendance happens more quickly than expected, we may find ourselves in a situation where we have to turn someone away once the Sanctuary is full. Please be aware of this possibility and know that we are doing our best to anticipate attendance and seating needs.

Required Quarantine
*We ask that if you have had direct exposure (within 6ft, 15 min, with or without a mask) to someone who is now being Covid tested because they suspect they are ill or were directly exposed, please self-quarantine until you find out that person's results. If that person tests negative, all is well. However, if that person tests positive, you have now been directly exposed to someone who is positive and must take the necessary CDC steps to quarantine until: 1- you have experienced 6 days of NO symptoms and a PCR on day 7 that comes back negative, OR 2- you have experienced a full 10 days completely symptom free. Thank you to all who have taken these steps to keep others safe!

Required Notice
If you (staff member, church or CDC family, guest, volunteer, etc) have had direct exposure to someone who believes they may have been exposed and are now getting tested, or have had direct 1:1 exposure to someone positive for Covid-19, or test positive for Covid-19 yourself, and have been on Trinity's Campus for worship, volunteering or other reasons, please immediately notify a member of Trinity's Administrative Team (Pastor Doug Kallesen, Chanda Gillenwater, Liz Roberts or Patty Moser - email TLC@TrinityDowntown.com). Your name will be kept in confidence, while Trinity makes its best effort to determine which others you may have had contact with to inform them of the need for testing and/or quarantine.

Worship Safety Procedures - MUST READ
  • If you are feeling ill, have a fever or any of the symptoms related to Covid-19, please stay home and join us for ONLINE worship.
  • The wearing of masks is required for all in attendance except for children under the age of two. Proper use is required - mask should fully cover your nose and mouth for the entire service, even while singing.
  • The Pastor is permitted to remove his mask to give the sermon in order to communicate effectively - for this reason the front two pews of church will remain empty to allow for additional distancing between the pastor and guests.
  • All hymnals, Bibles, pencils, attendance and prayer cards have been removed from the pews. There will be no printed bulletin. This removes all items which would have multiple contacts.
  • The carpets will have been steam cleaned and sanitized. All surfaces inside the Sanctuary will be sanitized, including the pews and pew cushions. These areas will be re-sanitized after the Saturday night service in preparation for Sunday morning.
  • Please enter the Sanctuary from the front (south) doors or the west side door (ramp).
  • There will be hand sanitizer available at both the front door and west side door - please use before you enter and as you leave.
  • You will be welcomed into the Sanctuary by an usher or greeter who will escort you to your seat. They will also be able to answer any questions that you might have.
  • The pews and aisles will be marked to facilitate safe social distancing.
  • No hugs or handshakes are permitted.
  • We will be administering in-pew communion rather than having the congregation proceed to the altar to receive the bread and wine. Each communicant will be given a sanitized plastic bag containing the bread and wine (gluten-free wafers will be available to those who need them) at their seat. Pastor will provide instructions detailing the exact procedure to be followed at each service.
  • At the conclusion of the service everyone will be asked to remain seated until it is their row’s turn to leave the sanctuary.
  • Collection plates will be placed at the front doors and west side door from the church to receive the tithes and offerings of those attending the service.
  • There will be receptacles for the used communion kits at each exit as well.
  • Worship will be posted online as it has been, so if you are feeling ill or wish to worship from home for any reason, you may certainly do so!

* Childcare/nursery will not be available until further notice. Children are always welcome in worship services!
* Children's Sunday School and Youth Bible Study decisions are being made now. Updates coming soon.
FOOD & FUNDS on the FIFTH Sunday
On months that have five Sundays, Trinity members bring in a fifth Sunday collection of non-perishable foods for a local food pantry, and a donation of funds above regular giving that go into the Pastoral Discretionary Fund. The Discretionary Fund is used to assist those experiencing an acute financial crisis which requires one-time assistance, which is available to all of the Trinity family (members, staff, CDC, and all) and sometimes someone from outside the Trinity family as well. Decisions are made by Pastor, President and Senior Elder on how those funds are used. Please join us in building up these food and funds collections. Prepare now by gathering those buy-one-get-one deals or cleaning out your kitchen cabinets, and gathering funds, to be shared on Sat/Sun Jan 30-31. Thank you!

Caution: Email Scams
We’ve seen a recent increase in scams or hacking of individual Trinity emails. Please be cautious if you receive an email that does not look like a usual communication from our Trinity staff, with our logo, and TrinityDowntown.com email addresses. The latest we’ve seen is a fake email that looks like it was sent from our CDC Director, Patty Moser saying “Confirm if you are free? Need you to run a quick request. Get back to me as soon as you can.” THIS IS NOT LEGITIMATE. If a person were to respond to this email, they would be requested to get gift cards or cash due to some fake urgent crisis on Patty’s behalf. It is NOT true. Please DO NOT respond. If you are not certain if an email is a scam or not, please call the CDC or church offices and ask a member of the admin staff to confirm. We don’t want anyone falling prey to one of these scams. Thank you.
Missionary Update
Dear friends and family, Happy New Year to you all in the name of Jesus, who makes all things new! Speaking of new, we have made a few, small tweaks to our newsletter format - both digital and print - and we hope you like it. CLICK HERE
Peace in Christ to you, The Wasmunds
Children's Sunday School and MS/HS Youth Bible Study
These Sunday classes are not yet meeting in-person.
Christian Yoga
Christian Yoga continues online via Zoom on Mondays @ 6:30pm. Now more than ever - the relaxation of yoga is a tremendous benefit. Email Beth for more information at baschu4@bellsouth.net.
Support Trinity Downtown while you shop!  
Start your Amazon shopping from Amazon smile, and you’ll a small percentage of your shopping totals will be donated to Trinity ministries! THANK YOU!
Sharing Trinity Family Moments!
Send in your photos of Trinity Family moments- pictures of your study groups, special birthdays, rehearsals, etc. With so much isolation right now, let's do more to share photos and stories to keep in touch. We'll share them in the Weekly. Send to Chanda at TLC@TrinityDowntown.com.

CONNECT - LEARN - GROW

Small groups connect you to others where you can learn, connect, and grow in ways which will strengthen and equip you to share the gospel and serve in your local community and beyond! That’s straight from Trinity’s mission statement and our commitment to bring people one step closer to Jesus.
 
Trinity’s mission: to share the gospel through ministries which strengthen and equip people for Christian witness and services in downtown, metropolitan Orlando and the world.  

Currently Running Groups (see red notes for NEW info)
 
Grief Share - Grief Recovery Support Group
  • Discussion leader is Norma Smith, contact at normie1939@gmail.com
  • Tuesdays at 1pm, Loggia 3 Classroom, in-person, workbook needed
  • Each weekly session is a stand-alone session - so you can join at any time and at any pace!
GriefShare is for people grieving the death of a family member or friend. You’ve probably found there are not many people who understand the deep hurt you feel. This can be a confusing time when you feel isolated and have many questions about things you’ve never faced before. Grief Share support groups are led by people who understand what you are going through and have been trained to facilitate this support group. Please share with others who may need to hear about this. These groups are open to all. To learn more visit https://www.griefshare.org/ . Questions? Contact Trinity’s Ministry & Communications Coordinator, Chanda, at 407-490-7339 or TLC@TrinityDowntown.com
 
Participants will gain access to valuable GriefShare resources to help you recover from your loss and look forward to rebuilding your life. It is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone. GriefShare meets weekly for 13 weeks. Each GriefShare session has three distinct elements:
  • Video seminar with experts Each week your GriefShare group will watch a video seminar featuring top experts on grief and recovery subjects. These videos are produced in an interesting television magazine format featuring expert interviews, real-life case studies, dramatic reenactments, and on-location video.
  • Support group discussion with focus After viewing the video, you and the other group members will spend time as a support group, discussing what was presented in that week’s video seminar and what is going on in your lives.
  • Personal study and reflection During the week you will have the opportunity to use your workbook for further personal study of the grieving process and to help sort out your emotions through journaling. Your group will spend time discussing questions and comments from the workbook study.

Prayer Bible Study Group
Pastor Doug leads an evening prayer group on Wednesdays at 7pm. For a weekly check-in, a lesson on prayer, and time to pray with and for one another, contact Pastor Doug for the Zoom meeting invitation at doug.kallesen@trinitydowntown.com.

Adult Bible Study - IMMERSE - Prophets
New Immerse Bible Reading Experience, Book 4: PROPHETS - Starts the last week of January
Book needed, daily readings, eight week plan, multiple meeting options
  1. Sunday Mornings 8:45am adult group will meeting in-person at Trinity with the option of Zoom link for those who aren't yet meeting in-person! Contact Gregg Yawman at gyawman@instetag.com for moreinformation.
  2. Tuesday Morning Women’s Group with Connie Sobol facilitating. Loggia 2 Classroom, 9am. Email darlene.rehbein.sabin@gmail.com for details.
  3. Tuesday Evening Women's Group with Julie Lasater in her home. Email julieheals@att.net.
  4. Tuesday Evening Adult Group in Gregg Yawman's home. Contact Gregg at gyawman@instetag.com
  5. Saturdays 4:30pm, at Trinity, in the Loggia 3 Classroom right next to the Sanctuary. Lead by Bob Trapp, Jr. Email segt@netzero.net

The bulk order for Immerse: Prophets has already been placed/received. Books came to $12 each with the 20% bulk discount. If you missed the deadline and still need to order a book, just visit the website HERE and place your own order. You can also find audio files of the book on the website for free.

Tuesday Morning Women’s Group, Bless These Lips
This group will start a new book in Feb 2021 - Stay tuned
  • Book needed, weekly reading assignment, jump in anytime
  • Tuesdays at 9am, Loggia 3, in-person. Contact Terry at mammierocks@yahoo.com to sign up.

Online/At Your Own Pace
Rev. Milan Weerts shares a study on "The End Times" and "The Gospel of John." You can follow along via Pastor Weerts' Facebook page, or study at your own pace accessing the lessons on Trinity's Bible Study webpage. Pastor Weerts uses the ESV translation but you can use your own favorite translation for study as well. If you have specific End Times questions, send them to Pastor Weerts at StrongInChrist@CFL.RR.COM   

Immerse Bible Reading Experience, Book 1: Messiah (Continues)
  • Book needed, daily readings, eight week plan
  • Saturdays at 4:00 with Pastor Doug, via ZOOM. If you're interested, contact Chanda at TLC@TrinityDowntown.com.
Immerse: Messiah is the first of six volumes in Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience. Messiah takes the reader on a unique journey through every book of the New Testament. Each section of Messiah begins with one of the Gospels, and together they combine to provide a life-changing reading experience centered on Jesus.
Community News
Live and Local Lunch Series
The St. Luke's Concert Series
To view ONLINE concerts, visit St Luke's website for links. Links to watch live!

Covid-19 Vaccine information From the Orange County Govt Website
A Phased Approach... Know before you go:
By appointment only. No walk-ups. Register online.
Must be 65+ years old.
Must present valid ID.
Must present valid QR Code. This is different from the barcode you receive when you make an account. You will only receive a QR code once you've successfully booked an appointment.

Concordia St. Paul
January 2021 - Concordia University, St. Paul has announced a new church work tuition guarantee that ensures eligible students enrolled in church work programs will pay no more than $6,000 in tuition each academic year. This move further supports Concordia St. Paul’s commitment to prepare more workers for the church as the most affordable church work option in the Concordia University System of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Beginning fall 2021, full-time students enrolled in a church work program will receive a minimum of $17,900 in combined institutional financial aid each year. Scholarships and grants from a student’s home congregation, LCMS District and local community may be stacked on top of this guarantee to further reduce the cost of tuition and living expenses.

The new church work tuition model is available for all incoming and current full-time church work students enrolled in the following programs:

• Director of Christian Education
• Director of Christian Outreach
• Director of Parish Music
• Lutheran Classroom Teacher
• Pre-Deaconess
• Pre-Pastoral

The vital need for future church workers cannot be overstated. Please consider encouraging the young people you serve to contemplate utilizing their God-given gifts in full-time ministry. Thank you in advance for directing any questions pertaining to Concordia St. Paul to Tom Halligan at halligan@csp.edu.

2021 ANNUAL CFEC JOB FAIR POSTINGS
Name: Mayor's Job Fair
Date:  January 27, 2021
Time:  12:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Central Florida Fair Expo Park, 4603 West Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL 32808
All Job Seekers Welcome! All safety protocols are in full affect for this event. Meet companies from the Central Florida region waiting to meet YOU. Find your next employer at Central Florida Employment Council CFEC Job Fair in Orlando, Florida, from 12-4 pm at the Central Florida Fair Expo Park, 4603 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32808. Thousands of career openings in various industries as well as employment resources on hand to assist your job search. PROFESSIONAL DRESS, bring resumes, free admission/parking, and no children, please. Registration and attendance information for our next job fair is located at https://www.CFEC.org/job-fairs. Questions call Christian HELP/CFEC at (407) 834-4022
Jan 5 New Grief Share Series begins
Jan 11 Prayer Bible Study begins with Pastor Doug
End of Jan IMMERSE: Prophets study begins (five different meeting options)
End of Jan  Women's Bible Study Begins a new study
Feb 17 Ash Wednesday Worship 12:10pm-12:50pm lunch-hour service, 7pm evening service
Feb 24-Mar 14 Lenten Devotions on Wednesdays 12:10 and 7pm
(March 15-19 OCPS Spring Break)
April 1 Maundy Thursday Worship 12:10 and 7pm
April 2 Good Friday Worship 12:10 and 7pm, otherwise, CDC and offices closed
April 3 Easter Eve Worship 6pm
April 4 Easter Morning Worship: 9am Contemporary, 11am Traditional
(No Easter Breakfast this year due to Covid concerns)
April 5 Easter Monday - CDC and Offices Closed
Submit your prayer requests by emailing them to TLC@TrinityDowntown.com.
Your prayer request will be added to Trinity’s weekly emails for the congregation. All prayers are kept on the list for a period of three weeks, so please resubmit long term prayer needs regularly. (red: week one blue: week two gray: week three)

Those Fighting Cancer 
Jamie J, Rick B,  Bruce S, Christine M, Gail W
 
Health Concerns 
Jessica and family, Allen C, Claudia K
 
Peace and Comfort
  • For the family and friends of Marilyn Haberkamp, a friend of the Killinger family.
  • For the family and friends of Vaughn Cornell, husband of Susan Cornell, and son-in-law of Martha Pfantz.

Surgery and Recovery/Hospitalized
Dale N, Cindy D
 
Confidential Prayers
For those prayers that have been shared in confidence, you know the details, Lord. We lift them up to you.
 
Serving Our Country - For all those who are serving in the US Armed Forces - may God empower and protect them as they serve to protect this Nation and our freedoms.
2nd Lt. John Kauffman, Alexis Peterson, Chad Elders, Cpls. Ricardo Wright, Cpt., Amanda Killinger, Cpt. Paul Roeder, James Henry Bond , Luke Rawlings, Quinn Koller, Ralph Ramos III, William
 
For Our Communities - For Our Nation - For Our World
We pray for our nation, for our Nation's leaders, for its people, and for our future together as One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all! We pray that we may all be a reflection of Christ's love, sharing grace and mercy, living in peace with one another. Let's reach out, listen, connect, and have those hard conversations. Love is first. Love wins. And with that prayer, we share a few excerpts from some incredibly Inspirational poetry from a young woman with such grace and giftedness. (from Amanda Gorman's poem, "The Hill We Climb")

"We are striving to forge a union with purpose
To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man
And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us
but what stands before us
We close the divide because we know, to put our future first,
we must first put our differences aside
We lay down our arms
so we can reach out our arms
to one another."

"If we merge mercy with might,
and might with right,
then love becomes our legacy."

"For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it."

So, for those of us who put our faith in Jesus Christ... we are reflecting, modeling, and living out HIS light and HIS purpose, with HIS right and HIS might, reaching out to others as HIS hands, sharing the gospel, and loving one another... If only we're brave enough to accept it, live it, let it shine through, and share it! Here I am, Lord! Send me!

Additional Prayers
  • For all those caring for aging and/or ill family members in need
  • Prayers for our CDC staff & families, Trinity membership and all Trinity staff & leaders
  • For all those struggling with mental health issues
  • Prayers for all of the front line workers in our community and nation; our doctors, nurses, EMT, fire fighters, special needs caregivers, essential workers and police.
  • Prayers for all those who have Covid-19 to be restored to full health
  • Prayers for those who have lost their job or who have been furloughed. And we give thanks for those who have found new employment or have been able to return to their jobs.
  • Prayers of thanks for God’s daily provisions. 
 
Our Trinity Missionaries
Wasmund Family in East Asia, Trump Family in Kenya, Clausing Family in Tanzania, Lehman Family in Spain, Young Family in Kenya
Links to Worship Online