1/4/26 Weekly Congregational Update

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Dear Members and Friends of HTLC,

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

  • First of all, Happy New Year!  If you have a few things you plan to do new or different in this new year, just remember that it takes 21 days to begin a new habit.

  • With this coming Sunday still in the season of Christmas, we will again be singing Christmas hymns (for the last time) during worship.

  • Since Sunday is so close to Epiphany, for our message, I will be preaching on a different gospel lesson from the usual Church Year readings.  We will be taking a look at the magi (“three kings”) recorded in Matthew 2:1-12a and Herod’s role, as well as keeping the importance of the Christmas event in our life in the new year.

  • The new Adult Sunday School Class begins Sunday at 10:00 a.m. in the Pairs and Spares Room and will be team-taught by Jane Cahaly and Lauren Sayers.  This class is in addition to the ongoing Martin Luther Adult Class in Fellowship Hall.

  • The Dining Divas will be having their monthly meal out on Thursday, a week from today, at Carson’s Steak Warehouse. Just remember to RSVP Beth Cribbe of your plans to eat with the group.

  • Please mark your calendars for Sunday, January 25 at 10:00 a.m. as we will be recognizing Ernie Thoms for his 23 years of faithful service to our congregation as our Property Committee Chair.  This event is scheduled during the Sunday School hour so that both the Early and Late Service worshippers can attend.  Refreshments will be provided.

  • After receiving all the Time and Talent Sheets, the following dates are still open for 2026 to provide flowers for the altar.  If you are interested, please send me a REPLY and I will give all information to Pat on Monday morning. In case you are new to the congregation, the office has a list of florists that are recommended.

o       February 1

o       February 15

o       March 8

o       April 26

o       June 21

o       June 28

o       August 9

o       August 16

o       September 13

o       November 29

o       December 6

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

 

 

12/28/25 Weekly Congregational Updates

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

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

  • I pray that you and your family had a blessed Christmas Day together!

  • Thank you for your faithful attendance at the Christmas Eve worship services.  We had 103 at the 4:00 p.m. worship and 63 at the 11:00 p.m. worship service.

  • If you have not yet picked up your poinsettia from the sanctuary, please do so Sunday.

  • Even though Christmas has come and gone, the Church continues to celebrate the Christmas season for a full 12 days.  We continue to sing Christmas hymns up until Epiphany, January 6.

  • As the new month and new year approach, your new offering envelopes are in the room off the narthex, as well as the Christ In Our Home devotionals for Jan-March.

  • Mike Cox has been busy updating the procedures for the Offering Tabulators.  He is offering tabulator training on Sunday, January 11 and 18, between the worship services, beginning at 10:00 a.m. both Sundays.  All tabulators are encouraged to attend one of these training sessions in the Office Conference Room.

  • With the New Year almost upon us, Jane Cahaly and Lauren Sayers are offering a new Adult Sunday School class for those not currently participating. The classes begin January 4th in the Pairs and Spares Room.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Calling All History Lovers

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Calling All History Lovers
It has come to our attention that reorganizing the archives of our congregation would preserve our history for years to come. We need 2 or 3 people interested in exploring through Holy Trinity’s treasures and then cataloguing them for easy access. Brenda McGowan has a friend, Melinda Summer, who is willing to share her expertise (free of charge) with those who are interested in history by guiding them through the process of setting up an up-to-date system.
Melinda is a retired history teacher who is enormously interested in South Carolina history, particularly in SC Lutheranism. She has done detailed archive work for St. Matthews in Downtown Charleston – one of the largest Lutheran Churches in the state. After meeting with and learning from Melinda, you would work on our archives as you have the time. If you are
interested in working on protecting our church history, please contact Pastor Fischer.

New Sunday School Class

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NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
The start of the New Year is always a great time for resolutions, and this year we are inviting all adults at Holy Trinity to prayerfully consider a “weekly walk through the Bible” in a proposed new adult Sunday School.

Starting Sunday, January 4th , Lauren Sayers and Jane Cahaly will be leading this new venture and will be using two books as guides: “The Whole Story” by Dr. David Jeremiah and “Thirty Days to Understanding the Bible” by Max Anders.
Our motivations for this new class are as follows:

• To build an adult Sunday school class for those not already participating in the current adult class during the 10 o’clock hour

• to build relationships between individuals worshiping in the early service and the late service

• to promote the idea of individual and/or family Bible study on a weekly basis.

We will be meeting in the “Pairs and Spares” room during the month of January. At the end of
that month, we will pray for guidance to see if there is interest in continuing. It is not necessary
to sign-up in advance but if you are interested in exploring this opportunity or have questions,
please text Lauren at 215-589-9647 or Jane Cahaly at 864-314-2561. We look forward to
hearing from YOU

12/21/25 Weekly Congregational Update

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

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

  • Last week I sent out a rough draft of the 2026 Church Directory.  If I do not hear back from you by the end of next week, I am assuming your household information is correct. Several of you have responded that your phone number appears to be included with the household above yours.  This may be due to different versions of Microsoft being used, causing some display issues.  In any case, I assure you that the printed version will be correct. 
  • Due to computer issues in the office today, I will be sending out Sunday’s bulletin TOMORROW. 
  • The new Christ In Our Home devotionals for January-March are now ready to be picked up in the narthex.  We do ask that you limit yourselves to one per family. 
  • The 2026 offering envelopes are ready to be picked up, in the room off the narthex. 
  • There are 2026 church calendars in the narthex, as well, if you are interested. 
  • On Saturday of this week, the choir will gather at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Bruce and Jill Helgeson for their annual Christmas gathering. 
  • Sunday, I will be preaching on the gospel text, Matthew 1:18-25, as we take a look at the significance of the WHERE, WHO, and WHY of Jesus’ birth. 
  • The deadline to place a poinsettia for Christmas Eve is Sunday.  If you would like to place a flower In Memory Of or In Honor Of someone, please fill out a form and drop it in the offering plate Sunday. 
  • We are offering two different style worship services for Christmas Eve. At 4:00 p.m., there will be a Lessons and Carols Service.  A nursery will be provided. Then at 11:00 p.m. there will be a Liturgical worship service for those who desire to be in the sanctuary at the midnight hour of Christmas.  Both services will have Holy Communion, candle lighting, and a sermon.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

12/14/25 Weekly Congregational Update

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

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

 

  • We have a pair of eye glasses (female ?) that are looking for their owners, left after church Sunday.  They are quite lonely.  They have been placed in the narthex.

  • A huge “Thank You” goes out to all who pick up names off the Angel Tree and purchased gifts.  They were dropped off Tuesday morning to AIM and should create a bit of smiles for Christmas, among the local children.

  • Our Early Service Sunday will be our regular Sunday worship service, with me preaching.  I will be speaking on the “Gift of Patience” based on the Second Reading, James 5:7-10.

  • Our Congregational Christmas Pageant will happen at the Late Service Sunday, taking the place of the scripture readings and sermon.

  • Yes, we will have our Martin Luther Adult Sunday School class at 10:00 a.m.

  • Sunday evening, all are invited to go Christmas Caroling with us as a congregation to local assisted living and Senior Living Communities. We will gather in Fellowship Hall before 5:00 p.m. to get our assignments and to set up carpooling and will be leaving at 5:00 p.m.  Please come a little early! We will return afterwards to some wonderful homemade chili and sandwiches.

  • Wednesday evening will be our final Midweek Advent Meal (6:00 p.m.) and Advent Worship Service (7:00 p.m.)

  • We keep in our prayers:
    • Lauren Sayers – upon the death of her grandfather, Dale Womer.
    • Jeanette Thoms – upon her return to AnMed

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

12/07/25 Weekly Congregational Updates

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Dear Members and Friends of HTLC,

Here are this week’s updates:

• A big Thank You for your quick response and generous hearts! All tags have now been removed from the Angel Tree. Please remember that all gifts need to be dropped off at the church, no later than Sunday evening.

• Sunday, I will be preaching from the Gospel text, Matthew 3:1-12, as we take a deeper look at John the Baptist and God’s use of fire, biblically.

• Our next Midweek Advent meal will take place December 10 at 6:00 p.m. A 35-minute Advent worship service will follow at 7:00 p.m.

• Sunday, December 14, our Congregational Christmas Pageant will take place during the Late Service that day. (The Early Service will have its usually service.)

• Sunday evening, December 14, we will go Christmas Caroling into some of the nearby assisted living/nursing home facilities/Senior Communities in Anderson. We will leave at 5:00 p.m. Afterwards, we will return to Fellowship Hall for some homemade chili, sandwiches and desserts.

• We keep in our thoughts and prayers:
o Chris Caldwell and family – upon the death of his brother, Pat
o Nick Korn – following surgery
o Carter Boucher – on his upcoming eye surgery on Tuesday

In Christ,
Pastor Fischer

11/30/25 Weekly Congregational Update

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

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

 

  • The December issue of The Messenger was dropped off at the post office this afternoon.  Your household’s copy of the newsletter should arrive soon.

  • We keep in our prayers Dan Hunnicutt, who had shoulder surgery earlier this week.

  • As of Sunday, all names have been removed from our Angel Tree!  Wow!  If you were not able to pick up a name/gift suggestion yet, no worries, 24 more name tags have been added to the tree.  A reminder that all gifts need to be dropped off in the Church Office Parlor by Sunday, December 7.  You can speak to an usher if you need to get into the Church Office (or use the same door code to enter).We will have One Combined Worship Service this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.  Followed by a Potluck Meal.  The Fellowship Committee will be manning the kitchen that morning so you may drop off your food items to them, beginning at 9:30 a.m.  A reminder that the committee members will be glad to warm up your dish but we do not have the facilities for them to cook your meal. Ham and meat will be provided by the church.  Please bring a dish (or two) to share.

  • New members, Mike and Robin Mixon, and Dustin and Kate Nutter, will be joining our church family during our Sunday service. 
  • Sunday begins the new church year with the season of Advent.  We shift from the gospel readings of Luke, to Matthew.

  • I will be preaching on the gospel text, Matthew 24:36-44 as we explore how we are to live our lives in anticipation of Christ’s return.

  • Sunday afternoon, the Learning Committee is sponsoring a Congregational Chrismon Making Event in Fellowship Hall at 3:00 p.m.  Hot chocolate and cookies will be served.

  • Our Midweek Advent worship services and meals begin on Wednesday of next week.  A different group will provide the meal at 6:00 p.m. each time and there will be a basket for a free-will offering.   An Advent worship service will follow at 7:00 p.m.  The Church Council has designated Haven of Rest to be the recipient of this year’s Midweek Advent offerings.

  • I pray a special blessing for you and your family as you travel and gather together to eat for Thanksgiving.  May we all count our blessings from the Lord this day!

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

11/23/25 Weekly Congregational Update

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

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

 

  • This coming Sunday is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the Church year.  We begin a new Church year the following week with Advent.

  • The theme for Sunday is, of course, of Jesus as the leader of all earthly rulers.  I will be preaching on the gospel text, Luke 23:33-43, as we hear again the crucifixion story and explore just what kind of king we worship.

  • The Angel Tree is now in the narthex, ready for you to remove the name of a child in need, and a gift.

  • Monday evening the Lutheran Men in Mission will gather for their monthly supper meeting as we honor our military veterans in the congregation.

  • Looking down the road, with Sunday, November 30 being a 5th Sunday, we will have One Combined Worship Service that day with a Potluck meal to follow.  That afternoon, at 3:00 p.m. our Learning Committee is sponsoring a Congregational Chrismons event at 3:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.
  • Janice Davenport was moved Tuesday to Lila Doyle Post Acute Care in Seneca. We continue to keep her and Bob in our thoughts and prayers.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Advent Schedule of Events

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ADVENT SCHEDULE
Advent Meals – 6:00 p.m.
December 3 Luther’s Ladies – host Meal Group A-Beth Fischer
December 10 Luther’s Ladies – host Meal Group B-Beth Cribbe
December 17 The Lutheran Church Youth – host
There will be a free will offering received.

Advent Worship Services to follow at 7:00 p.m.

Mark your calendars:
Youth Christmas Party – December 6 @ 5:30 p.m. at the Goodson farm.
Christmas Pageant – December 14 Annual Christmas Pageant during the 11:00 a.m. service
Chili and Caroling – December 14 Congregational Christmas Caroling and Chili 5:00 p.m.
Choir Party – December 20 – Jill Helgeson’s Home