Lutheranism

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Lutheranism
Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Martin Luther was eight years old when Christopher Columbus set sail from Europe and landed in the Western Hemisphere. Luther was a young monk and priest when Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel in Rome. A few years later, he was a junior faculty member at a new university in small-town Germany, intently studying the Scriptures, “captivated with an extraordinary ardor for understanding Paul in the Epistle to the Romans.”

In these days Luther was tormented by the demand for righteousness before God. “I did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God who punishes sinners, and secretly, if not blasphemously, certainly murmuring greatly, I was angry with God.” Then, in the midst of that struggle with God, the message of the Scriptures became clear, like a long-shut door opening wide. When he realized that a “merciful God justifies us by faith … I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise
itself through open gates.”

What Luther discovered is the freedom of Christians trusting God’s mercy in Christ. As he later wrote, “Faith is God’s work in us. It changes us and makes us to be born anew of God. This faith is a living, busy, active, mighty thing. It is impossible for it not to be doing good works incessantly. Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that believers would stake their lives on it a thousand times.”

This discovery set Luther’s life on a new course —both his own life and his public service as a preacher and teacher. When a church-endorsed sales team came to the Wittenberg area in October, 1517, Luther was concerned that the promotion and sale of indulgences undermined the promise of God’s unreserved mercy in Jesus and the faith that trusts that promise. His 95 Theses or Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences became the first of a life-long stream of books, sermons, letters, essays, even hymns in which he expressed his confidence in this life-giving promise from God, the Gospel, and its liberating implications for all of life in church and society.

Pictorial Directories

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They’re Here!!!!!!!!
The new Pictorial Directories have been printed and are awaiting you in the narthex, one per family. We will begin to distribute them on Sunday, however, if you would like to pick up your families’ copy early or if you will not be in attendance at worship on Sunday, you may stop by the church at your convenience. Please make note that there are mailing labels on them to help us keep up with who has picked up their copy and who has not. Much thanks goes out to Pat Ross, our secretary, for assembling this booklet and to Dave Korn for taking the photos. This new Pictorial Directory will be a big help in assisting us to get to know each other, especially all of our newest members.

Congregational Advent Wreath Workshop 11/28/21

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Congregational Advent Wreath Workshop

WHEN: Sunday, November 28

TIME: 3:00 p.m. – Until

WHERE: Parking Lot of the Fellowship Hall

WHAT: The Learning Committee invites you to an Advent wreath workshop so we can begin our holiday decorations together. A wreath form for each family, wire, snips, candles and a short family devotion for each week, will be provided by the Learning Committee.
The Committee will have some evergreens to help get everyone started but we ask everyone to bring some to share in the workshop.
We are looking forward to starting this season of HOPE together with a safe fellowship event. If you plan to attend please sign up in the Narthex or notify Pat in the Church office by Sunday, November 14th, so that there will be adequate supplies available for everyone.

11/14/21 Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting

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Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting will take place on November 14. We will be: 1) Electing four new Council Members for a 3-year term. 2) Approving the 2022 Church Budget.

Just as we did last year, with the threat of COVID-19 and in order to practice social distancing, we will be conducting our Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, November 8 in a different manner. According to our Church Bylaws, proxies and absentee ballots are not permissible for this meeting so we have decided to be a little creative in order to meet safely to conduct the business of the congregation. We have decided that we will still have our Congregational Meeting on November 14, but NOT during the Sunday School hour and NOT in Fellowship Hall.

Instead, our meeting will take place at both the Early and Late Services that day during the worship service. At the designated time during the service, we will take 5-10 minutes to complete the voting process to elect new council members and to approve a budget for 2022. In order to make this happen, you have a little homework on your part to complete before the meeting. You have a list of the eight Council nominees as part of this bulletin (electing four), and you will receive the nominees again, as well as the budget as part of the November Messenger, as in years past. However, to vote on the budget, is a little more of a challenge since we will not be able to handle discussions as part of the congregational meeting. Along with the budget you will receive a sheet explaining the basic changes to next year’s budget compared to this year’s budget. If you have any questions or comments, you are asked to contact Diane Richardson, our church treasurer, and she will go over your budget questions, before the Congregational Meeting. Since the budget has already gone through the Support Committee and the Church Council, and next year’s proposed budget is slightly different from this year’s, we will be voting to approve the church budget with a simple yes or no answer as part of the meeting. In the unlikely event, that there happens to be a tie in the voting process for new council members, we will have a tie breaker vote the following Sunday on November 21. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding in this time of COVID-19. Our goal is to take care of the business of the congregation in an efficient and safe manner. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Pastor Fischer.

10/24/17 Weekly Congregational Updates

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Dear Members and Friends of HTLC,

A few things to pass along to you this week include:

1) Last Sunday, as part of our Stewardship Program, we gave out ladles, reminding us to serve others. We still have a few ladles leftover. If you did not pick one up this past Sunday, please do so this Sunday.

2) You are asked to fill out your Time and Talent Sheets and pledge cards and bring them to worship with you this Sunday or the next Sunday, October 31 (or mail them in). As part of the worship service, these commitments to the Lord will be blessed. Even if you choose to not return a pledge card, we would like to get back as many Time and Talent Sheets as possible. The altar flower information is given to Pat as she sets up the flower schedule for 2022. Nancy Korn gathers all information pertaining to the Altar Guild, Worship Assistants, acolytes, lay readers, etc. and prepares a spread sheet for volunteers in 2022. Speaking of acolytes, we really need more adults to volunteer to serve as acolytes. Our Youth do this many Sundays but we do not have enough Youth for each Sunday. If you would be interested in serving in this capacity, please indicate so on your Time and Talent Sheet. Training will follow.

3) I will be preaching on the Gospel text, Mark 10:46-52, the healing of the blind Bartimaeus. In all my 28 years of ministry, somehow, I have never preached on this text. More than likely, most years the church calendar does not have this many Sunday after Pentecost.
a. What strikes you about this story?
b. How is this story different than the healing in Mark 8:22-26?
c. How does Bartimaeus participate in his healing?
d. How would you answer Jesus’ question in verse 51, “What do you want me to do for you?”

4) Sunday, we will be giving out bags for the Trick-Or-Treat-So-Others-May-Eat food drive. Please prayerfully consider participating as this is one of AIM’s largest food collections, besides the Postal Food Drive. If you will not be in attendance Sunday, we will leave some bags in the Narthex for you to stop by and take home. Then on the following Sunday, October 31, we ask that all filled bags be returned to the room off the narthex. You may let yourself into the church at any time using the door code to do this.

In Christ,
Pastor Fischer

2022 Budget Approval

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2022 BUDGET APPROVAL
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued need to social distance, the Church Council has approved to conduct our next Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, November 7, in the safest way possible. We will not meet in Fellowship Hall as we have done in years past but we will instead conduct the business of the church in the same manner we did in November 2020. Voting to elect Church Council members will take place during both worship services that day. The 2022 Church Budget will be voted upon with a simple yes or no choice. You will have the opportunity to contact our Church Treasurer, Diane Richardson, before the vote so that she may address any questions or concerns. Budget notes will be printed in the November Messenger with explanations on key budget lines as well as more details.

WELCA Foothills Conference Fall Meeting

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The Women of the ELCA at Lutheran Church By The Lake

100 Twelve Oakes Drive and Hwy 378
McCormick, SC 29835

Cordially invite you to the
Foothills Conference Fall Meeting
On Saturday, November 6, 2021
10:00 a. m. – 2:00 p. m.
A light lunch will be provided.

Dr. Shirley Quarles, formerly of McCormick,
Will be the speaker.

RSVP: Beth Fischer (fischerfive@att.net)
by October 27th

Covid protocols will be in place.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING
YOU!

10/17/21 Weekly Congregational Updates

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

 

Here are this week’s “greatests” to pass along to you:

 

  1. We continue to receive new members into our congregation.  This Sunday, at the Late Service, we are excited to be receiving the following new folks:
    1. Barbara Thomas
    2. Jeremy, Mary, Brady, and Gracie West
    3. John and Barbara Trent

  2. Sunday, I will be preaching on the gospel reading, Mark 10:35-45, as we explore the disciples’ request to sit near Jesus in the Kingdom to come.  Some things to ponder:
    1. Do you normally sit in the same pew each Sunday?
    2. If so, why?
    3. Why are James and John referred to as, “Sons of Thunder?” – see Mark 3:17
    4. Also read Luke 9:54-55, as a possible reason.
    5. What does it mean for us to be “servants of the Lord”?
    6. How does our use of Time and Talent sheets connect with this idea?

  3. We keep Amy Goodson in our prayers as she recovers from knee replacement surgery.  She will be returning home this afternoon.

  4. We keep Marion Howell in our prayers after almost a week of hospital stay.  She was moved to Brookdale earlier this afternoon.

  5. We keep Joshua Fischer in our prayers after surgery for a deviated septum on Wednesday.

 

 

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer

Trick or Treat so Others may eat

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TOTSOME Trick -or-Treat- So- Others- May- Eat –

The Youth will meet after the Late Service on October 24th to gather for lunch and then go to their designated neighborhoods to distribute the bags.

We once again have bags available for the congregation to make food donations. The congregation is asked to pick up their bag and bring it back on the 31st filled with food items and place them in the room off the Narthex.

Then on October 31st, the Youth will return to the neighborhoods to pick up the filled bags. We will need some vehicles to help with the pick-up. If you are able to help, please see Amy Goodson.

10/10/21 Congregational Updates

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Dear Members and Friends of Holy Trinity,

A few things to pass along to you this week:

  1. This Sunday, October 10, will be “Pink Sunday” in the congregation, as we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness.  If you would like, you are encouraged to wear something pink in memory of or in honor of those who struggle(d) with breast cancer.

  2. This past Sunday, our attendance at the Late Service was 63!  You are reminded to sit in the pews that are marked with bulletins so that we may use every other pew.  However, of course, on the days our attendance spikes, like last Sunday, we are not able to practice skipping a pew.

  3. We now have a new digital push-button keypad on the door near the new restroom, near the Columbarium, for those who need to enter the church from that side of the building.  The code is the same as the other doors.

In Christ,

Pastor Fischer