12/3/23 Weekly Congregational Update

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

Here are this week’s updates:

  • Several of you have asked for the mailing address of Jeri Cole so you can send her a sympathy card in regard to Allan’s death.  It is:  Jeri Cole, 137 Old Blue Mountain Lane, Georgetown, TX, 78633.

  • We keep in our prayers Whitney Moody who underwent surgery yesterday, Wednesday.

  • Richard Polsdorfer is expected to return home tomorrow, Friday.

  • Whether you have signed up to attend or not, we would love to have you at the Advent Congregational Event on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  We will have hot chocolate, make an Advent craft and talk about ways to ensure we slow down during this time of year we call Advent.  Please be aware that the Anderson Christmas Parade is scheduled to take place during that time (unless the weather postpones the event) so Main Street from West Highland Avenue to River Street will be closed and you will need to take detours.

  • THANK YOU.  All 70 tags have been removed from the Angel Tree!  All gifts need to be dropped off in the Church Office Parlor by Tuesday evening of next week.

  • Sunday, we begin the season of Advent, as the gospel readings shift mostly to Mark.  I will be preaching on Mark 13:24-37 as we explore the four time periods mentioned for the return of Christ – evening, midnight, cockcrow, and dawn.

  • Then on Wednesday of next week, we begin our Advent meals and worship services.  Each week a meal will be offered by a different group in the congregation (A freewill offering basket will be on the table) at 6:00 p.m. followed by a worship service at 7:00 p.m.  I will be preaching on “The Waiting Game.”  We will return to Marty Haugen’s beloved Holden Evening Prayer Service.

  • The December edition of The Mesenger was mailed out earlier today.

  • The Tuesday evening Women’s Bible Study will be gathering each week in a new location until further notice.  They will meet in the Pairs and Spares Room.

  • If you have not watched the Israel-Hamas History video I sent you two weeks ago, I highly encourage it.  All who have seen it and have sent me comments, have had nothing but good things to say about it.  This video will greatly help you see the complexities in this region.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

A REMINDER THAT DURING ADVENT

A REMINDER THAT DURING ADVENT
• The blue paraments symbolize the hope that comes to the world in the birth of the Christ Child.

We omit the Hymn of Praise.

• Each week we light an additional candle on the Advent wreath and sing an additional stanza of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”


• The Prayer of the Day begins “Stir up….”


• We use the Nicene Creed.

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SERVICES

CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SERVICES – December 24th
Worship Service w/Communion Lessons and Carols – 4:00 p.m.
A nursery will be provided.

Christmas Eve Liturgical Worship Service w/Communion – 11:00 p.m.
Note: There will be candle lighting at both services.

December 31st One – Combined Worship – 10:00 a.m.
No Sunday School or Potluck Meal

HTLC Christmas Pageant

The Christmas Pageant will be next Sunday, December 10th during the Late Service.
All ages are needed to participate in this year’s program.

Please prayerfully consider being a part of this delightful Christmas tradition!
We will again be using a script created by Brenda McGowan.
A full dress-rehearsal will take place on Saturday, December 9th at 9:00 a.m.
Our final rehearsal will be Sunday, December 10th following the Early Service.

ADVENT SCHEDULE

ADVENT SCHEDULE
Advent Meals – 6:00 p.m. December 6 Luther’s Ladies – host
December 13 Katie’s Ladies – host
December 20 The Lutheran Church Youth – host
There will be a free will offering received.

Advent Worship Services to follow at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 6 Sermon Message: “The Waiting Game”
Wednesday, December 13 Sermon Message: “The Right Train, But….”
Wednesday, December 20 Sermon Message: “Reunions”

All Advent donations will go to The Salvation Army.

Mark your calendars: Congregational Advent Event – December 3
3:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall
A sign-up sheet is in the Narthex.

Christmas Pageant – December 10
Annual Christmas Pageant during the 11:00 a.m. service

Youth Christmas Party – December 16 5:00 p.m. at the Goodson farm.

Chili and Caroling – December 17
Congregational Christmas Caroling and Chili 5:00 p.m.

Choir Gathering – December 22 at the Helgeson home 6:30 p.m.
with heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Angel Tree

Angel Tree
All the tags on the tree have now been chosen.
Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!

A reminder as you return the gifts:

1. Please wrap gifts.
2. Leave gift, with tag attached, in the church office parlor
(use door code).
3. Gifts should be returned NO LATER than, Tuesday, December 5th, after which, you will be responsible for delivering your gifts to A.I.M.

POINSETTIAS for the Christmas Eve services

POINSETTIAS for the Christmas Eve services will be provided this year for $12.50. Donors will be listed in the worship bulletin for the Christmas Eve services. If you would like to place an order for one or more, please fill out the form and place it in the offering plate or send to the Church office. The deadline is Sunday, December 17th. Payment must accompany your order. Plants may be picked up after the 11:00 p.m. service Christmas Eve. (Please leave the three white poinsettias in the manger.)

Enclosed is______________for ______________poinsettias.

IN MEMORY OF____________________________________

IN HONOR OF_______________________________________

 

OTHER (To the Glory of God)__________________________

Given by_____________________________________________

download printable order from by clicking on the link below

POINSETTIAS 2023

11/26/23 Weekly Congregational Updates

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

Here are these week’s TOP TEN items to pass along to you:

 

  • First of all, Happy Thanksgiving!  My prayers go out to you as you travel and enjoy time and God’s blessings of food with your family.

  • I am happy to report the safe arrival of Lilian Ruth Bannister who entered this world on Monday!  Congratulations go out to her parents, Davis and Sarah Ann Bannister, and to proud grandparents, Jay and Suzie Bannister.

  • We keep Ben Emanuel in our prayers after his recent hip surgery.

  • Richard Polsdorfer continues to recover and is now at the AnMed Rehabilitation Hospital.

  • I have spoken with the Cole family recently and they have asked me to pass along to the congregation an update on Allan.  Sadly, his cancer has returned and Allan has decided not to seek further treatment. Instead, he will soon be going into Hospice care.  Please keep Allan and Jeri, as well as their family, in your thoughts and prayers.

  • This coming Sunday is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the Church Year.  The theme for our worship service is, of course, the kingship of Christ.  I will be preaching on the Gospel text, Matthew 25:31-46, as we explore our Lord’s story of the separation of the sheep and the goats.

  • On Sunday, December 3, our Congregational Family Advent Event will take place in Fellowship Hall at 3:00 p.m.  Whether you are “family” of one or ten, you are invited to join us as we prepare for the Advent season by creating Advent crafts.  A signup sheet is in the narthex to help us with the planning.

  • Thank you for removing so many name tags from our Angel Tree this past week.  We started with 70 and we currently have 25 tags remaining.  We would like to make sure that every child is taken care of this Christmas season so if you have not yet taken a gift tag or you would like to do another, please let yourself into the church using the front door code.  A small change from years past, this year we have been asked to wrap each gift (attaching the tag on the outside) or placing the gift in a gift bag.  Now you have another option – we have several volunteers who have said that they would be glad to wrap gifts.  Whatever you decide, place all gifts in the Church Office Parlor (the room with the fireplace) NO LATER THAN TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5. If you have any questions on this, please contact Nancy Scalf or Beth Fischer.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

11/19/23 Weekly Congregational Updates

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

Here are this week’s updates:

 

  • As I mentioned this past Sunday at our Congregational Meeting, attached below is a link from the SC Synod concerning the history and context for the Israel-Hamas War presented by the Rev. Bobby Morris.  He is the pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Prosperity and the Professor of Old Testament at our Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia.  Even though this is a rather long presentation (1 hour and 34 minutes), it is an excellent summary of that area of the world and helps greatly to understand the history of that land.   I recommend watching it in sections when you need a break.

  • With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we will be using two “Thanksgiving” hymns during our worship on Sunday.

  • Sunday, I will be preaching on our gospel text, Matthew 25:14-30, the parable often referred to as, “The Parable of the Talents.”

  • The new Advent devotionals have been placed in the narthex for you to pick up.  Please limit yourselves to one per household.

  • The Angel Tree was put up earlier this morning and is covered with tags of needed items for boys and girls, by Nancy Scalf and Beth Fischer.  PLEASE NOTE:  In the past, we did not wrap the gifts but we received word this morning, after the bulletin was printed, that all gifts will need to be wrapped this year, or placed in a gift bag, with the tag attached to the outside.

  • Monday evening the Lutheran Men in Mission will gather for their monthly meeting.  Supper will be provided beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.

  • We keep in our prayers Richard Polsdorfer who has been at the AnMed hospital for the last 2 and ½ weeks with heart issues.

  • Someone asked me this past Sunday if they could still turn in their Time and Talent sheets.  The answer is:  “Of course!”  It is not too late to indicate how you would like to serve the Lord through Holy Trinity next year.  Simply drop off your completed form in the offering plate or mail to the church office.  There are more forms available in the room off the narthex.

  • If you would like to be a part of this year’s Christmas Pageant, please contact Virgil Hobbs at 706-717-1177 or vghobbs@bellsouth.net.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

 

 

 

CONGREGATIONAL ADVENT EVENT

CONGREGATIONAL ADVENT EVENT

Advent Family Event

Although the world has already started stocking shelves with Christmas décor, airing Christmas commercials and blaring Christmas music over the radio, Lutheran Christians know that before Christmas comes Advent. The definition of the word Advent is, “the arrival of a notable, person, place or event.” It is during this first season of our liturgical calendar, that we prepare for the Christmas coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

This year, the Learning Committee will once again be sponsoring an event to begin our Advent journey with a craft project. This event is for all families and individuals who would like to participate. This project will help us keep our focus on the true meaning of the season.

WHEN: Sunday, December 3 at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Fellowship Hall
WHO: Everyone. A signup sheet will be in the narthex to help plan for materials.
WHAT: Advent Family Event