7/14/24 Weekly Congregational Updates

/in , , /by

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

Here are this week’s congregational happenings:

• We had a tremendous turnout this past week for our Saturday Servants event. In fact, we had the largest numbers yet with 35 helping out! You are reminded that we will NOT gather this coming Saturday to make sandwiches as the 2nd Saturday of each month (for the entire year) is handled by another congregation. We will resume again on July 20 and 27.

• With our youth of the congregation and adult advisors leaving Monday to attend the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, we will have a Rite of Blessing over them as part of the Late Service Sunday.

• Sunday, I will be preaching on the gospel, Mark 6:14-29, as we hear again the story of Herod ordering the beheading of John the Baptist and how this story might be applied to our life. I am sure I have peaked your interest.

• Earlier this week, we received a letter from two churches praying for our congregation as part of their ministry. They are St. James Lutheran Church in Graniteville and The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Newberry. I have posted them on the bulletin board in the hallway of the Education Building, next to the library.

• I spoke with Shirely Ebert this morning and found out that Bill has been placed in the care of hospice about two weeks ago. You are asked to keep Bill and Shirley in your thoughts and prayers. Even though they moved to Lexington, SC two years ago, they are still members of Holy Trinity. Their address is listed in our church directory if you would like to send them a card.

In Christ
Pastor Fischer

Thank You! from Pastor and Jill

/in , /by

Dear Members of Holy Trinity,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your recent generosity and kindness shared with me and my family this past Sunday. The staff recognition of me and Jill for our years of service to the congregation has truly been an event to be remembered and treasured. For the many hours of planning of the Mutual Ministry Committee, for the work before, during and after the Celebration of the Fellowship Committee, for the wonderful talents of Beth Cribbe and Brenda McGowen shared in song, and to all others who helped shape this marvelous event – thank you, thank you, thank you!
It is such a joy to worship, minister, and serve Christ with you!

Pastor Fischer

 

A Note from the Organist/Choir Director:

Just a note to express my gratitude for the love and appreciation shown to Pastor and me on June 30th.  To love and be loved is the greatest joy on earth! Much thought and effort went into planning this event and it was a huge success!
A tremendous thank you to the congregation, the Mutual Ministry Committee, the Fellowship Committee for their always tireless work in the background, to Paul Wagner for the video, to Dave Korn for the photos, to Brenda McGowan and Beth Cribbe for the cute song. In other words, thank you to everybody!

The outpouring of gifts and support and food was overwhelming and unexpected. It was truly a day to remember and cherish!

Love to all, Jill

7/7/24 Weekly Congregational Updates

/in , , /by

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

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

 

  • This coming Saturday will be our first Saturday Servants project this year.  We will gather in Fellowship Hall at a new time, 9:45 a.m., to allow us to make more sandwiches.  We will begin right on time so if you come early, you will be asked to wait until the designated time. Then at 10:50 a.m., a handful of us will travel over to the Anderson Emergency Soup Kitchen location (formerly Roy’s Diner, 1527 South Main Street), to distribute the sandwich bags to those hungry in the Anderson area.  There is not sign up.  Just show up.

  • As part of our Holy Trinity tradition, for a change of pace, we switch over to using the blue With One Voice (WOV) hymnal for the months of July and August.

  • Sunday I will be preaching on the gospel reading, Mark 6:1-13, as we hear the amazing story of how Jesus could do few miracles when he returned to his home town of Nazareth, due to their unbelief.  My message will focus on handling our disappointments in life.

  • A week from today, Wednesday, July 10, our next Summer Fun Night will take place from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.

  • Retired Lutheran pastor/author, Frank Honeycutt (brother-in-law to Anna and Chris Caldwell and Andy and Sharon Christmas) has just released the new book, Miracles For Skeptics – Encountering the Paranormal Ministry of Jesus.  If you are interested in ordering this book, please use the link: https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802883155/miracles-for-skeptics/

  • Several of you have inquired whether the Staff Celebration from last Sunday was recorded.  Yes, it was, thank you Paul Wagner.  Just clink on the church webpage, and there is a link under Sunday’s worship service.

  • Dear Members of Holy Trinity, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your recent generosity and kindness shared with me and my family this past Sunday.  The staff recognition of me and Jill for our years of service to the congregation has truly been an event to be remembered and treasured.  For the many hours of planning of the Mutual Ministry Committee, for the work before, during and after the Celebration of the Fellowship Committee, for the wonderful talents of Beth Cribbe and Brenda McGowen shared in song, and to all others who helped shape this marvelous event – thank you, thank you, thank you!  It is such a joy to worship, minister, and serve Christ with you!

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Saturday Servants

/in , , /by

As in prior years, HTLC will prepare bagged lunches for the Anderson Emergency Soup Kitchen
through the Saturday Servants Program. Each Saturday in July (except the second Saturday) we
will gather in the Fellowship Hall to prepare 140 peanut butter/jelly sandwiches and 140 bologna
and cheese sandwiches, along with other food items. July 27th is our last Saturday. We will begin
to pack at 10:00 a.m. NOTE THE NEW TIME.

Kroger Baker is providing the bread as in prior years. Ingles has provided all the bottled water.
We now have adequate food donations to cover all Saturdays of July.

If you have questions, please contact Leslie Cox at 301-788-9035 or Jamie Corrigan at 864-224-
8070, our Service Committee Co-Chairs.

06/30/24 Weekly Congregational Updates

/in , /by

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

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

 

  • The July/August edition of The Messenger was dropped off yesterday, at the Post Office.  Hopefully, your copy will arrive very soon.

  • Thank you for all your generous donations to the Saturday Servants project. We now have most of everything we need as far as food donations go.  If we discover, later in the month of July, we need additional food items, I will let you know. Our first Saturday to put together sandwich bags is July 6.  More info on this next week.

  • A reminder that with this coming Sunday being a 5th Sunday, there will be ONE-COMBINED WORSHIP SERVICE at 10:00 a.m.  Afterwards, we will gather in Fellowship Hall to recognize Jill for her 26 years as our organist (we missed her 25th last year) and my 15 years as your pastor.  The meat (ham and chicken) as well as the drinks and dessert will be provided. You are asked to bring a dish (or two) to share.  The Fellowship Committee will be in the kitchen beginning at 8:30 a.m.  You may drop off your food to them before the worship service.  They will be glad to heat up your dish but please remember we do not have the facilities for them to cook every dish.

  • Sunday, I will be preaching on the topic of healing, based on our gospel reading, Mark 5:21-43, as we explore:  FIVE TRUTHS OF HEALING.

  • With July 4th falling in the middle of next week (Thursday), we will be singing the patriotic hymn “O Beautiful For Spacious Skies” as our closing hymn this coming Sunday.

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

7/10/24 SUMMER FUN NIGHT

/in , /by

SUMMER FUN NIGHT
We will gather in Fellowship Hall for a time of Food, Fun & Fellowship around a Biblical theme. Adults and Kids of all ages are invited to join us! There will be crafts, games, and song. The meal will be provided.
WHEN: Wednesday, July 10 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
WHAT: “NOAH’S ARK”
All Children are welcome to wear swimsuits; it will be a water fun night.

6/23/24 Weekly Congregational Updates

/in , /by

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

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

 

  • We have finally finished printing our new Congregational Pictorial Directory.  You will recall that we asked you to update your photo on Easter Sunday.  These directories are ready to be picked up in the narthex at your convenience.   Please note that each household’s copy has a name written on the front cover.  If for some reason yours is missing or you would like an additional copy, there is a stack of these as well in the narthex. Help yourself.

  • I am excited to report that Pastor Hitoshi Adachi, our Japanese missionary we have been supporting financially as a congregation the last couple of years, will be visiting the United States and worshipping with us on July 28 (both services) to express his gratitude to us.  (Unfortunately, his wife, Satako, will not be making the trip with him.)  I have a very unusual request of you.  We are looking for someone in the congregation to host him on Sunday evening.   He will be leaving Monday morning to drive to Columbia to visit with our bishop and staff.  In case you are wondering, Pastor Hitoshi speaks fluent English and even lived in California for some of his training/schooling.    If you are interested in doing this or have any questions, please send me a REPLY so that I can reach out to you.

  • Sunday, I will be preaching on the gospel text, Mark 4:35-41, of Jesus calming the stormy seas as we explore the question, does our Lord care for us?

  • We are getting closer to our Saturday Servants event in July where we, as a congregation, feed the hungry in the Anderson area.  As of this morning, we have everything donated we need except the following:
    • 6 jars of mayonnaise (32 oz. size)
    • 65 boxes of Little Debbie cakes (individually wrapped)
    • 662 individual snack-size bags of salty snacks (chips, pretzels, goldfish, etc.)

             There is a container in the room off the narthex to collect these things.

  • Don’t forget to vote on Tuesday to make your voice heard.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Happy Fathers Day

/in , , /by

Our Thanks to those who have contributed through the Lutheran Men in Mission to the SC Loan and Gift Fund. These gifts will be awarded to a new SC Lutheran mission, to help them get started with building programs. These are interest-free loans and when the loans are repaid, they are invested again in other new churches.
These gifts have been given In Honor Of or In Memory Of the following men this Father’s Day:
IN MEMORY OF
In Memory of James Adams, given by Julie Hawkins & Jamie Few.
In Memory of Arnold Allen and Ervin Hidlebaugh, given by Robert and Vicki Allen.
In Memory of Bob Potter, given by Jane Potter.
In Memory of Wiley W. Howell and Paul R. Rummage, given by Paul Rummage.
In Memory of Ted Larson & Jerry Scalf, given by Nancy Scalf.
In Memory of Claude L. Calloway, given by Claude D. Calloway.
In Memory of Anton Rudawski & Joseph P. O’Connor, given by Robert & Sophie O’Connor.
In Memory of Bill Metz, Sr. & Rev. J. Luther Ballentine, given by Bobbi Metz.
In Memory of Gary Furman Vinson, given by Bob and Jean Vinson.
In Memory of Bill Christmas and Bill Caldwell, given by Chris and Anna Caldwell.
In Memory of Jack Richardson, given by Diane Richardson.
In Memory of A. Neal Cain and Earl P. Korn, given by Dave and Nancy Korn.
In Memory of McKeva (Mac) Thomas and Rev. John (Jack) Fischer, given
by Pastor and Beth Fischer.
In Memory of Harold H. Rasche and Elvin J. Hannahs, given by Dave and Sue Rasche.
In Memory of Henry W. Theiling, Sr. and Thomas W. Howell, given by Ronald & Karen Theiling, Jr.
In Memory of Bill Christmas, given by Connor Caldwell.
In Memory of Robert Browder & James Freeman given by Sandi Jordan.
In Memory of L.C. Trent, given by John Trent.
IN HONOR OF
In Honor of Ronald D. Theiling, Sr. & Olin R. Bell, given by Ronald & Karen Theiling, Jr.
In Honor of Jim Jordan and Jim Browder, given by Sandi Jordan.
In Honor of Chris Caldwell, given by Connor Caldwell.
In Honor of Mike Metz, given by Bobbi Metz.
In Honor of Pastor Chris Fischer, given by the Fischer Family.
In Honor of Claude Calloway, given by Shelley, Amanda, Grant, and Rylee Carroll.

5th SUNDAY WORSHIP

/in , /by

5th SUNDAY WORSHIP
10:00 a.m.
POTLUCK
Please mark your calendars for Sunday, June 30, as we celebrate significate anniversaries with Jill and Pastor for their many years of faithful service to our congregation. We will be honoring Jill Helgeson for her 25 years as our Organist/Music Director and we will be honoring Pastor Fischer for his 15 years as our minister (and his 30th year of Ordination). With this being a 5th Sunday, there will be One-Combined Worship Service at 10:00 a.m. followed by a meal.

The meat, beverages and cake will be provided at the luncheon, but we are requesting that families bring side dishes that will compliment the chicken and ham, that will be provided.  Thank you for your help in making this a special day for these servants and for our congregation.
The Mutual Ministry Committee

6/16/24 Weekly Congregational Update

/in , /by

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

⦁ Sorry for the delay in sending you these updates and for Sunday’s bulletin. We had computer issues in the office on Thursday.

⦁ We keep the family of Linda Blackwelder in our prayers upon her recent death. Linda died at home, under the loving care of Interim Hospice. With most of the family living in North Carlina, they have decided not to have a memorial service locally.

⦁ We keep Lauren Guthre in our prayers upon her recent hip surgery. She is at home recuperating.

⦁ The new Christ In Our Home devotionals are now ready to be picked up in the narthex. This latest edition is for July, August and September.

⦁ We had 30 to attend our Wednesday evening’s Summer Fun Night! We enjoyed chicken fingers, salad, watermelon, chips and ice cream as we learned about Deborah’s role as God’s servant as prophet and judge. Our next event will be July 10.

⦁ With Father’s Day upon us this coming Sunday, we will be recognizing all of our fathers with us in worship, during the announcements. I will be preaching on the Gospel text, Mark 4:26-34.

⦁ Sunday, as is my Father’s Day tradition, in memory of my father as a Lutheran pastor, I will be wearing his worship alb, stole, and cross necklace.

In Christ,
Pastor Fischer