02/18/24 Weekly Congregational Updates

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

Here are some things worth sharing:

• If you are curious about the little pink and blue flags along the side of the office and behind the office, they are marking our new irrigation system that was just installed last week for the Prayer Garden Project.

• Thank you for your generosity this past Sunday for the Souper Bowl of Caring event. A total of $627.00 was given to AIM to fight hunger in the Anderson area! In case you are wondering, the Chiefs again, outdid the 49ers, $394.00 to $258.00 but the real winners will be the recipients at AIM.

• If you have been unsuccessful in recent days in trying to download our worship services, we have changed servers for our church website. Paul Wagner tells me that it may take another couple of days for the change to fully take place. In the meantime, you can still download our worship services using YouTube.

• At this point we do not have the official numbers for our Community Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper but from all indications over 400 folks came through the pancake/sausage/bacon line! A good time was had by all for sure.

• Sunday, I will be preaching on the story of Noah, recorded in Genesis 9:8-17 in our First Lesson for the day. We will take a look at how to handle the difficulties in life, when “the waters begin to rise.”

• We are off to a great start with the Lenten season with our two Ash Wednesday services yesterday. Beginning next Wednesday evening, we return to our regular Lenten schedule for supper and worship service. A Lenten meal will be provided at 6:00 p.m. (in case you are wondering, a free will offering will be received for each meal) in Fellowship Hall. Then our Lenten worship will take place at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. If you would like to read ahead, I will be preaching on the interesting story of Genesis 18:1-16, as we explore Abraham and Sarah providing a meal for three special guests.

• Please mark your calendars, for those looking for a unique way to reach out to children in need, we have it. On Saturday morning, February 24, the Service Committee will be hosting a One Hour Project from 10:00-11:00 a.m. in the Office Conference Room. You will have the opportunity to write notes of encouragement for children who receive Weekend SnackPacks. The supplies will be supplied. You will even be given message samples. See your bulletin or newsletter for all the details.

In Christ,
Pastor Fischer

02/11/24 Weekly Congregational Updates

Dear Congregational Members and Friends,

 

Here are this week’s updates to pass along to you:

 

  • We keep Tamara Polsdorfer in our thoughts and prayers upon the death of her husband, Richard.

  • We had 26 at last night’s Family Fun Night event, enjoyed by all! We will be taking the month of March off due to the Lenten worship schedule and will resume in April.

  • A reminder that our Semi-Annual Congregational meeting will take place Sunday morning in Fellowship Hall, promptly at 9:50 a.m.  A light breakfast will be provided.  You may find it helpful for you to bring your copy of the 2024 Yearbook as reports are shared with the congregation.

  • This Sunday is Red Dress Sunday, when the woman of the congregation are encouraged to wear the color red as we highlight heart disease awareness and education in women.

  • Sunday is also the Souper Bowl of Caring event for our congregation.  After each worship service, the Youth will be in the narthex with two big soup pots to receive your financial gifts to AIM to fight hunger. Come and “vote” for your favorite Super Bowl team.

  • Sunday, I will be preaching on the gospel reading, Mark 9:2-9, as we focus on the Transfiguration of Jesus.

  • Tuesday, of course, is when our Community Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper will take place.  I wanted to take a moment to explain the listings in the Sunday bulletin and newsletter.  There are actually 2 (two) Pancake Suppers taking place that night.  Our congregation will gather at Boulevard Baptist Church with others in our community as we have done in the past. This is an All You Can Eat drop-in event from 4:30-7:00 p.m.  I just wanted you to be aware that the Anglican Church – Church of the Ascension, will be using our Fellowship Hall that night for their own gathering.  We will see you at Boulevard Baptist Church! Many of our own Lutheran Men in Mission will be doing the cooking, serving and cleaning.

  • Then on Ash Wednesday of next week, we begin the 40-day journey of Lent with Jesus to the cross.  We will have two identical worship services – one at 12:00 noon and one at 7:00 p.m.  Both will have the Imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion.  I will begin a Lenten series on bread in the Bible.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Breakfast Blessings

BREAKFAST BLESSINGS
Hope Missions of the Upstate, a charitable and religious non-profit organization in Anderson, provides a safe place for the homeless population to come and enjoy breakfast, coffee, juice and fellowship Monday through Saturday (except the last Saturday of the month) from 7:15 – 10:00 a.m. In 2023, from January 1 through November 11 they served 25,729 meals and this year the need is even greater.
When we reached out to Hope Missions to see how Holy Trinity could support their efforts, we learned they were in immediate need of packets of instant oatmeal, instant grits, ground coffee and powdered creamer.
We can support Hope Missions by gathering the following items to send “Breakfast Blessings” their way:

Boxes of Individual Packets of Instant Oatmeal

Boxes of Individual Packets of Instant Grits

Ground Coffee (like Maxwell House, Folgers, etc.)

Powdered Non-Dairy Creamer
We are asking for donations Sunday, February 25 and Sunday, March 3 or during the weeks previous to those dates. Donations may be placed in the gray bin on the table in the room off the narthex. Donated items will be taken to Hope Missions on Tuesday, March 5.
If you have any questions about this project or suggestions for future “Gathering and Giving” projects, please contact Jamie Corrigan at (864) 224-8070 or Leslie Cox at (301) 788-9035.

Souper Bowl of Caring Sunday

SOUPER BOWL OF CARING SUNDAY
On Super Bowl Sunday, on one of the biggest eating days in the U.S., our congregation will be focusing on hunger in our own community. On February 11th the LCY will once again be participating in the Souper Bowl of Caring. The youth will be in the back of the church after both worship services with large soup pots to collect funds which will go to AIM. Your generosity is appreciated. Following the Late Service that day, the LCY will meet in the Fellowship Hall for their monthly meeting and a Super Bowl party of their own.

Lent Reminders

LENT
Just a reminder The Forty Days before Easter are the Lenten season. During this time we omit the refrains that are connected to celebrating Christ’s resurrection and we use the verses appropriate for Lent.
They are:

• We refrain from singing or saying Alleluias because of its connection to Easter.
• There is no Absolution (minister declaring our forgiveness, page 118) for all of Lent is a time of self-examination.
• We use the Apostles’ Creed.
On Easter Sunday, March 31, we will return to the verses praising our Lord and His resurrection.

Weekend Snack Notes of Encouragement

 

Weekend Snack
Notes of Encouragement
Saturday, February 24, 2024
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Office Conference Room

Childhood hunger is real. In South Carolina, 60% of school-age children qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch at school. But what happens on the weekend when these children aren’t in school. The Weekend SnackPack Program, sponsored by the United Way of Anderson County, steps in to fill the gap. Through this program, teachers and guidance counselors at area elementary schools identify children who fall into this weekend hunger gap. On Fridays, each child enrolled in the program receives a bag of child-friendly, ready-to-eat foods to take home for the weekend.
The first thing a child sees when they open their bag is a colorful, handwritten note of encouragement made by volunteers. This note is a simple message to let each child know someone is thinking about them. Over 800 SnackPack bags are distributed weekly – almost 30,000 cards are needed throughout the school year which is why your help in making these cards is greatly needed!
Back, by popular demand, the Service Committee invites you to join us on Saturday, February 24 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. in the Office Conference Room to make notes of encouragement to be included in the Weekend SnackPacks. Supplies and suggestions for making these cards will be furnished. Of course, if you can’t join us that day you can still make the notes on your own. Just keep in mind the messages may not contain any religious references. These messages are distributed to elementary age children who may not be able to read cursive writing, so please print. If you choose to make cards on your own, please leave your completed notes in the designated box on the table in the room off the narthex. The Service Committee will collect these by March 4.
If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Corrigan at (864) 224-8070 or
Leslie Cox at (301) 788-9035. We hope to see you Saturday, February 24 10:00-11:00 AM.

2/4/24 Weekly Congregational Updates

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

Here are this week’s updates:

• We keep in our prayers Harry Coggins who recently underwent rotator cuff surgery.

• The February issue of The Messenger was mailed out to you yesterday, Wednesday.

• This coming Sunday is the last Sunday Shrove Tuesday Pancake tickets will be available after each worship service. You can still stop by the church office next week and see Pat or purchase your tickets online but the deadline to purchase your tickets is a week from today, Thursday, February 8.

• Sunday, I will be preaching on the gospel text, Mark 1:29-39 as we focus on prayer and how our Lord found the time to pray, even in His busy life.

• On Wednesday evening of next week, February 7, our next Family Fun Night will take place in Fellowship Hall from 5:30-7:00 p.m. We have moved it a week earlier this month due to Ash Wednesday Services. WE will be preparing our Lenten/Easter caterpillars/butterflys as we prepare for the season of Lent.

In Christ,
Pastor Fischer

01/28/24 Weekly Congregational Updates

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

Here are this week’s updates:

 

  • You will recall that last week I sent out a list of the open altar flower dates for this year.  I am happy to report that all dates are now filled for 2024.
  • You will also recall that we were looking for two more volunteers to join in the rotation of distributing the altar flowers after worship.   We are grateful to John and Barbara Trent, and Beth and Katie Fischer for agreeing to serve the Lord in this capacity.
  • After a lot of work, the 2024 Yearbook has now been completed and is ready for you to pick up on Sunday (or before if you wish). There is one copy for each household in the congregation.  They are on the cabinet in the narthex.  The Yearbook consists of two parts: 1) the new Church Directory, and 2) committee reports and accomplishments from last year as well as worship assignments for 2024.
  • A big “Thank You” goes out to our secretary, Pat Ross, for all the extra time and effort she put into this project and to Jamie Corrigan for proofing and editing.  This is a huge undertaking each year and we are very grateful for all who helped make the printing of our Yearbook possible.
  • The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper tickets will be available after each worship service this Sunday, and again on February 4.   Please see Robert Allen after the Early Service, or John Trent/Robert O’Conner after the Late Service if you need tickets.  Other options you have are to stop by the office one day next week to see Pat, or purchase your tickets online.
  • The new Lenten devotionals are now ready to be picked up Sunday in the narthex.
  • Sunday, I will be preaching on the interesting Gospel text of Mark 1:21-28, as we take a look at Jesus’ interaction with unclean spirits (demons) in worship.   

 

See you on Sunday,

Pastor Fischer

Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner

Our Community Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper will take place on Tuesday, February 13 at Boulevard Baptist Church.  We hope to have tickets available this coming Sunday (we are waiting for them to be dropped off at the church).  The cost is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children (12 and under). If you prefer, you can get your tickets online at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shrove-tuesday-pancake-supper-tickets-794365958967?aff=oddtdtcreator    All proceeds will go to the Westside Community Center.

Why Enjoy Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday

1/21/24 Weekly Congregational Update

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

Here are this week’s updates:

 

  • With all the cold weather we have been having and will have this week, I thought it is a good time to remind you of our weather decision making process for cancelling worship services.  In the event that we are expecting inclement weather (ice, snow, power out, etc.), the President of the Congregation and I discuss whether we need to cancel our worship services.  We watch the weather forecasts and whether other congregations are cancelling worship.  We check the roads, if possible, to see if they are passable.  Just a couple of years ago, the roads were clear but when I arrived at the church, the steps and ramp were completely covered over in ice, and so we cancelled worship as we did not want anyone to slip and fall.  When the decision is made to cancel worship, the President of the Congregation will call the members of the Church Council and they in turn have 10-11 church members to contact to inform them of the decision.  In the upcoming Year Book, is a page dedicated to the Congregational Call List with the names and phone numbers of each family.  If you have any questions on this, please reach out to me.

  • Our Community Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper will take place on Tuesday, February 13 at Boulevard Baptist Church.  We hope to have tickets available this coming Sunday (we are waiting for them to be dropped off at the church).  The cost is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children (12 and under). If you prefer, you can get your tickets online at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shrove-tuesday-pancake-supper-tickets-794365958967?aff=oddtdtcreator    All proceeds will go to the Westside Community Center.

  • Sunday, I will be preaching on the First Reading from Jonah 3:1-5,10 as we look at the story of Jonah and those times in our lives when we refuse to do the will of the Lord.

  • We still have 5 remaining Sundays that need altar flowers.  If you are interested in one of these dates, please contact Pat in the church office and leave a message on the answering machine or wait to contact her on Monday morning.
    • April 28
    • June 30
    • August 4
    • September 22
    • December 8

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer