Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

A few updates to pass along to you:

 

1. Several of you have asked which cemetery Bryan Hill’s graveside service will take place.  Evidently there are two.  The service will take place Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at the Upper Long Cane Cemetery, located on SC Highway 20.  If it helps, the cemetery is just down the road from the Upper Long Cane Presbyterian Church (194 SC-20) in Abbeville, SC. 
2. We keep Susan Straup in our prayers as she recovers from cornea transplant surgery yesterday. 
3. Sunday I will be preaching on the gospel reading, Matthew 21:33-46.  Some thoughts to ponder in preparation:
   1. The landowner in this story represents God.
   2. Knowing this, how does this parable portray God?
   3. Are we producing the “fruits” our Lord is expecting?
   4. Have you ever used something you did not own – a car rental, a house, a borrowed tool?
   5. What happens when we misuse or break that borrowed item?

 

See you Sunday at worship in the sanctuary (with Holy Communion) or on the internet,

Pastor Fischer

 

Dear Members and Friends of HTLC,

• I will be conducting the Memorial Service at the graveside of Dick and Mary Williams on Saturday, October 3 at 2:00 p.m. at Memory Gardens, Central, SC.  You are invited to attend.  Please note that social distancing will be observed and masks are recommended.

• For our sermon message this Sunday, I will be preaching on the Old Testament reading of Jonah 3:10-4:11 and Matthew 20:1-16.  We will be exploring the age old truth that “Life Isn’t Fair!” and grappling with whether God is fair.

• If you have someone in mind who you feel would be a good candidate to serve on the church council, please submit their name (or several names) into the Suggestion Box or simply email Pat Ross in the church office your suggestions.

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

It is here!  We are finally about to return to in-person worship in the sanctuary.  I realize that this is not an option for those uncomfortable being in crowds, due to COVID-19, but for others, it is a long time in waiting.  For those planning to attend worship in the sanctuary on Sunday, please keep in mind the following as you enter the church:

• You are strongly encouraged to wear a mask.  Masks will be provided at the door, if you need one.
• You may enter either through the front doors or the ramp door.
• An offering plate will be at each door to receive your tithes and offerings.
• We will be using every other pew, making sure to sit on the ends of each pew.
• Seats will be marked with a bulletin of possibilities where you might sit.
• The ushers will assist in the process.
• Holy Communion will be served at both worship services using wafers, and not bread.
• We will not be gathering at the altar, but instead, a Communion station will be on the floor level.
• I will be reviewing all the worship and Communion instructions in the announcements so please be on time. 

I will be preaching on the timely topic of settling differences.  In preparation for this, I ask you to read over and pray over the Gospel text, Matthew 18:15-20.  Please ask yourself these questions as you read:

• What does Jesus say we are to do with those who sin against us?
• What are the steps?
• Are these steps only for settling disagreements in the church?
• What would our nation/our world look like if we all practiced the words of Jesus in settling our disputes/disagreements with each other?

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

RETURN TO SANCTUARY WORSHIP
The Church Council has decided to open the sanctuary to in-person worship beginning next Sunday, September 6! We will be using all the safety measures we are currently using for COVID-19 at worship at Fellowship Hall.

Guidelines for Worship in the Sanctuary
For the most part, what we have been doing in Fellowship Hall will continue in the sanctuary, concerning worship practices and social distancing, however some of these guidelines are new. Please take the time and familiarize yourself with them before entering the Sanctuary for worship. For those unsure of when to return, perhaps reading over our worship plans will help guide you in your decision.

You may enter the service through the front doors or the ramp door. The doors will be either propped open or someone will open the door for you so that you will not have to touch the door handle.

Offering plates will not be passed during the worship service but instead, be placed at the entrances.

To help facilitate social distancing, we will be using every other pew in worship, and using the ends of each pew. Each seat will be marked with a bulletin.

The pews unused from the Early Service will be used at the Late Service.

Surfaces will be cleaned after the Early Service.

To minimize possible exposure to the virus, worship services will be shorter than what we are accustomed to.

All hymnals have been removed from the pew. We will continue to use a bulletin containing the worship service.
Several recent studies have found that forceful, sustained breathing, such as during singing, appears to pose a greater danger of spreading the coronavirus. To minimize these dangers, the singing of hymns, the Kyrie, and the Psalms, will be omitted. In addition to a prelude, we will be using a soloist for a hymn and speak the remaining parts of the liturgy.

The Sharing of the Peace has been omitted.

We will be refraining from handshaking and hugging.

No nursery or Sunday School will be offered at this time.

The distribution of Holy Communion will be modified to minimize touch.

We will be using wafers instead of bread at this time.

Cups of wine and grape juice will be pre-filled, and cups will be spaced out on the serving tray to eliminate accidental touching of nearby cups.

For the protection of others, the wearing of masks is strongly encouraged during worship. You are encouraged to bring your own mask, however, masks will also be available at the door.

We will continue to record one of the worship services every Sunday morning and post these on the internet, as we have been doing.
A word of caution: We cannot provide a 100% sterile and sanitized environment at all times. Due to the size of the sanctuary, the complexity of the structures and the furnishings within, and the myriads of church members who come to worship, therefore, if you have underlying health issues/concerns, you should not be at worship

Dear Members and Friends of HTLC.

Here are a few updates to pass along to you:

1. We keep Beth Passow in our thoughts and prayers upon the death of her father, Burt Bradley.
2. We keep Mary Williams, who has pneumonia at AnMed, in our prayers.
3. We keep Paul Wagner in our prayers as he recovers from hip replacement surgery earlier today at Oconee Memorial.
4. You may remember Pastor Bruce Booher, who filled in for me in the pulpit, on two occasions. Below is a recent article the SC Synod sent out to all congregations inviting them to participate in three Zoom sessions concerning a heavenly twist to stargazing he will be presenting. 

 

 WHAT’S SO AMAZING THAT KEEPS UP STARGAZING?

Wednesdays – August 26 & September 2 & 9, 2020 at 8:00 p.m.

For nearly sixty years, the marvels of God’s universe have been a source of joy and wonder for Pastor Bruce Booher. You are invited to join him for a three session Zoom event to explore some of these marvels and consider how they can inspire faith and awe. There will be links and resources to help you continue to explore the marvels of God’s creation, and the opportunity for you to share your thoughts and questions.

Wonders of the Universe – 8/26/20 – Marvel at the beauty and majesty of some of the most exciting objects in the cosmos. Discover ways to make new faith connections with God’s magnificent creation. 

Touring Our Solar System – 9/2/20 – We will explore stunning images of the Sun, Moon and planets from observatories and space probes. Discover what you may expect to see through telescopes as an amateur astronomer.

Introductory Stargazing – 9/9/20 – Learn the basics of telescopes and binoculars and how to use them. Find out easy ways to locate some of the brighter deep sky objects in the night sky. Learn some constellations and the stories behind them.

Register in advance. These events are free, but you must register in advance. Each presentation will last about 30 minutes, followed by time for questions and discussion. These events are intended for ages 12 and up.

To Register

https://gsnorcal.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0sdO2gpzMpHt0eTU_EomJCzzqBmVgQfKFX

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer