05/02/21 Weekly Congregational Updates

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

Here are some of the things that are happening in our congregation:

 

  • Tony and Christa Mollgaard are closing on their house today.  There new address will be:   530 Windstone Drive, Unit 310, Hartland, WI  53029.  Our prayers surround them during this time of transition.

  • Congratulations go out to Cam Weeks, grandson of Tom and Kathy Weeks, who was recently named the Male Athlete of the Year at Anderson University. Cam is completing his Freshman year at AU.  He is a face-off specialist on the lacrosse team. He led the conference in two statistical categories and also led the nation in one category. He was also named Freshman of the Year in the SAC conference and was named to the All-Conference first team.

  • Again, today and tomorrow, AnMed will be administering COVID vaccines (Pfizer) at the Civic Center for those 16 years of age and older.  Today the hours are 7:30 a.m. -6:00 p.m. and Friday the hours will be 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

  • The May edition of the Messenger will be mailed out later today.

  • This Sunday, May 2, will be Youth Sunday, when the youth of our congregation will be conducting both worship services.  Holy Communion will be celebrated and I will be conducting those parts of the liturgy.
  • As part of each worship service, we will be doing the rite of the Blessing of the Gradates, and recognizing our five high school seniors:  Kathleen Dial, Katie Fischer, Bree Plesko, Ellie Smith, and Bowen Strang.   These five will be delivering our sermon message on Sunday, with the theme: “2020, What A Year!” as they share how COVID has affected their senior year and how their faith in the Lord has helped them through these difficult times.

  • Beginning this Sunday, we will return to singing the Kyrie and the Psalm responsively.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

 

04/25/21 Weekly Congregational Update

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Dear Congregational Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

This time of the year there is a lot going on in the congregation that you may find to be newsworthy. 

 

  1. I received word from Amy Goodson, that AnMed will be accepting walk-ins to the vaccine clinic today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday) at the Civic Center for all who are 16 years of age and older.  No appointment is required.  If you know of someone who may benefit from this information, please share it with them.
  2. Dave Rasche’s stay at the AnMed Rehabilitation Hospital has been extended until Friday, April 30.
  3. My sermon message this past Sunday generated quite a few related stories from many of you.  You will recall I preached on the topic of the scars of Jesus’ hands and feet.  I began my message about a little boy whose mother questioned whether he had washed his hands before eating supper.  After being told to go and wash his hands after his father had given the meal blessing, the little boy’s response was, “Jesus and germs!  Jesus and germs!  That is all I hear around here, Jesus and germs!”  On Monday morning, one of our members brought me a wash towel to share with my family with the following words printed on it: “Wash your hands and say your prayers because Jesus and germs are everywhere.”
  4. Youth Sunday will not be April 25.  Instead, we have moved Youth Sunday to May 2.
  5. Sunday will be Tony and Christa Mollgaard’s last Sunday with us.  They will be moving to Hartland, Wisconsin next week.  We will be using the Rite of Farewell and Godspeed for them at the 8:45 a.m. worship service if you would like to be in attendance and tell them goodbye.
  6. Sunday, I will be preaching on the gospel text, John 10:11-18, and the theme of Jesus
    as our Good Shepherd.  In fact, the 4th Sunday of Easter is generally referred to as “Good Shepherd Sunday,” as we will hear again the beloved scripture of Psalm 23, and hear the singing of “The King Of Love My Shepherd Is.”     
  7. We received word this week that our congregational Blood Drive, scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

4/17/21 Operation in as much 2021 final update

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Operation Inasmuch

On Saturday, April 17th thirteen people gathered and participated in a congregational litter pick up on Fritz Drive and Beltline Connector.

In addition to this, approximately 12 others participated by baking 35 dozen cookies for 120 first responders and 24 others prepared casseroles for Calvary Children’s Home.

Thank you to all who participated in this year’s projects.

4/25/21 Blood Drive has been cancelled

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We have received word that the blood drive for 4/25/21 has been cancelled

We will let everyone know when it will be rescheduled.

05/02/21 HTLC COVID Policy changes

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At its April meeting, the Church Council has made the following COVID protocol changes:
BEGINNING MAY 2:
1) The congregation may sing the Kyrie and Psalms each week in worship (continuing the wearing of masks and social distancing).

2) Resuming Sunday School classes (wearing masks and social distancing and using larger rooms if needed to accommodate distancing).

3) Allowing Congregational groups to meet in person, such as LMM, WELCA, Quilters, etc. (no meal at any meetings and encouraging the wearing of masks, social distancing and using larger rooms if needed to accommodate distancing).

4) The LMM group has been given permission to meet in person for their April 26 meeting in Fellowship Hall (with masks and no meal).

5) Church Council meetings will meet in person in the Fellowship Hall (still wearing masks and social distancing).

6) Confirmation classes will continue to be conducted via ZOOM through the school year (June).

04/18/21 Weekly Congregational Updates

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

A couple of things to pass along to you:

  • The Church Council, at its meeting Monday night, approved the following changes to our current COVID safety protocols for the congregation:

Beginning May 2:

    • We will begin singing the Kyrie and Psalms each Sunday morning (as we continue to wear masks).

    • All congregational groups may return to in-person meetings, including:  Sunday School, LMM, WELCA, Quilters, etc.  (Please note that these groups are still not permitted to have meals and folks are still encouraged to wear masks at their gatherings).

    • Church Council will resume in-person monthly meetings in Fellowship Hall (wearing masks).

    • The Lutheran Men in Mission has been given to meet in-person for their May 26 meetings in Fellowship Hall (with masks and no meal).

  • Don’t forget our Operation Inasmuch Projects will be completed this weekend.  They include:

    • On Saturday, we have 13 members of the congregation who have signed up to clean up litter in Anderson.

    • We have already taken a dozen casseroles over to the Calvary Home for Children and you have until Sunday, if you still plan to help with this project.   Even if you signed up or not, simply drop off a casserole in the Fellowship Hall freezer and they will be delivered on Monday morning.

    • You can bring your homemade cookies up until Sunday morning as they will be delivered to our local First Responders on Monday morning.  There is a box in the room off the narthex for the cookies.  Whether you signed up for this or not, you can still participate.
    • Attached is a photo of the azaleas currently blooming around the front oak tree, to the left of the church.

 

See you Sunday!

Pastor Fischer

Cross of Flowers Easter Sunday

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CROSS OF FLOWERS
Again this year the cross will be outside in front of the church.
Your Easter flowers may be placed into the cross.
This is a great opportunity for family photos.
What a beautiful way to celebrate our risen Lord!

Butterfly Tree

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BUTTERFLY TREE
Throughout the 40 days of Lent, our sanctuary hosted a “dead” tree, covered with caterpillars.
On Good Friday the caterpillars went into their cocoons, but today and throughout the season of Easter, they have been gloriously transformed into butterflies, symbolic of the Resurrection of our Lord!

4/4/21 Weekly Congregational Updates

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

Here are some updates to pass along to you about upcoming events in the congregation:

 

  1. Operation Inasmuch Update: To date we have 9 people signed up to bake casseroles for Calvary Children’s Home, 8 signed up to bake cookies for local First Responders and 14 signed up to pick up litter.  If you are interested in taking part of any of these projects, please see your April Messenger for the details and then sign up in the room off the Narthex.

  2. Little by little folks are trickling back to worship.  This past Sunday, Palm Sunday, was our largest turnout yet since COVID struck.  We had 46 at the Early Service and 51 at the Late Service for a total of 97!

  3. From the Church Council Call Tree, here are the numbers of those who have indicated they are planning to attend one of Easter Sunday worship services and some thoughts:

    1. 7:00 a.m. – 44, 9:00 a.m. – 65, 11:00 a.m. –65

    2. Using every other pew, and spreading out the seats, we have figured our seating capacity to be around 50-55, give or take, depending on the size of the families attending.

    3. We would like to shift some of our numbers from the 9:00 a.m. and the 11:00 a.m. service over to the 7:00 a.m. service.  If you would be willing to change your worship time, please send me an email.

    4. We will not be turning anyone away from worship.

    5. If you have any concerns about being around others, you should not be in attendance on Easter Sunday.

    6. All of our COVID safety protocols will continue to be in place for worship, until further notice.

    7. One of our Easter worship services will be recorded and placed onto the church website.

  4. For those returning to worship for the first time since the pandemic began, the question is usually, “Where do I sit?”  The answer:  all the pews/seats we will be using for that particular service will be marked with bulletins.  We use both ends of the pews, leaving the middle unoccupied, and we use every other pew.

 

Looking forward with eager anticipation to celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday with you,

Pastor Fischer