Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

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

• If you were not able to attend Ernie’s funeral this morning, don’t forget that it was recorded and is available to watch on the church website.

• We are way behind our numbers on where we usually are this time of the year, concerning Easter lilies for Easter Sunday.  To place an Easter lily in the church In Honor Of or In Memory Of a loved one on Easter Sunday, please fill out the Order Form in the bulletin or March newsletter and place it in the offering plate on Sunday or mail it back to the church office.  35 lilies have been ordered.  Only 9 have been spoken for.

• Sunday, I will be preaching on the gospel reading, John 9:1-41, as we explore the three things we begin to see, once the Lord has opened our eyes.

• Our next mid-week meal and worship service will take place on Wednesday, with the Lenten meal at 6:00 p.m. followed by worship at 7:00 p.m. We will look at the Lord’s Prayer petition, “Thy Will Be Done.”

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Dear Congregational Members and Friends,

 

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

 

• This Saturday, the Crafty Ladies will meet to work on their hobbies in Fellowship Hall from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. If you have any questions on this, please reach out to my wife, Beth.

• Don’t forget to reset your clocks Saturday evening before going to bed due to Daylight Saving Time beginning.  We will lose an hour of sleep.  Remember, “Spring forward, fall back.”

• It appears that scams are making their rounds again, concerning pastors and their members.  There is a text out there, supposedly from me, asking you to do an errand for me as I am heading into a meeting, so please reply to my text.  First of all, I never sign a text or email “Rev. J. Chris Fischer.”  Secondly, always check the source.  Is the email from my email address or the text from my cell phone number?  When in doubt, call or text me directly and ask me.

• Is there ever a time in your life when you may doubt God’s presence?  Sunday, I will be preaching on the First Reading from Exodus 17:1-7 as we look into this topic for our sermon message.

• Wednesday evening, we continue our Lenten meals and worship services. At 6:00 p.m. our Lenten meal will take place in Fellowship Hall, followed by our mid-week Lenten service at 7:00 p.m.  We will explore the Lord’s Prayer petition, “Thy kingdom come.”

• I am saddened to inform you of the death of Ernie Thoms early this morning at the Rainey Hospice House.  We keep his wife, Jeanette, and family, in our thoughts and prayers.  I will send you an email with the funeral arrangements when they are finished.  (In case you are wondering, we will still dedicate the Mechanical Room in Fellowship Hall in Ernie’s name at our later date.) 

 

“Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Ernie Thoms.  We humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming.  Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.”   – Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 283 

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

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

• Sunday I will be preaching on both the Old Testament reading, Genesis 12:1-4, as well as the gospel reading, John 3:1-17, as we look at aging in the Lord.

• On Wednesday evening, we continue our Lenten meal (6:00 p.m.) followed by our Lenten mid-week worship service (7:00 p.m.) as we explore the Lord’s Prayer petition, “Hallowed be thy name.”

• A week from today, Thursday, the Dining Divas group will enjoy a meal at Master’s Wok.  Please reserve your spot with Beth Cribbe if attending.

• We keep in our prayers:
  • Marijane Coggins – upon knee replacement surgery
  • Diane Richardson – upon gall bladder surgery
  • Brenda Hucks – who is awaiting surgery for broken bones in her hand
  • Ernie Thoms – who continues his stay in the ICU following his stroke

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

BOLD WOMEN SUNDAY
During both of our worship services today we will be celebrating the bold women in our life. It is on this day that we
give thanks to God for all women who have acted or are acting boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ. Some women are bold in
their unceasing prayers. Other women are bold in their service to those in need. Still other women are bold in their
advocacy or through their hospitality. Whether we live out our bold story of faith in the workplace, family, home, or community, our faith compels us to make a difference in the lives of others. It’s all about living out our baptismal call, about being a disciple of Christ. 
Amy Goodson will be giving our Temple Talk this morning.

You can’t help but notice the “dead” tree covered in caterpillars which has appeared in the Sanctuary. You may question – why is it here or what is it about?
Things are different in both the church and nature this time of year. There are some things “sleeping” in our worship such as the use of Alleluias. Everything in our yards such as the grass and trees look dead but they too are just “sleeping”. Some of God’s creatures such as caterpillars make cocoons. Although we might think they are dead, they actually have rebirth as a butterfly.
This tree is actually here to help each of us to remember that while the weather often is cool and gray and the grass is brown and the trees bare, there is the hope that Spring is coming! Bulbs are blooming and the days are getting longer. Just as we have hope for Spring, Lent gives us a time to hope for Easter and the promise that the resurrection brings. Just as the change of seasons brings surprises, keep watching the tree thru the Lenten season – there are more surprises to come!
In past years this has been a project of the LCY and the Sunday School children but this year we included all families of the congregation during a Family Fun Night event.