April, THE REFORMATION 500th CELEBRATION 2017

Transcription

1 Tidings of Trinity April, 2017 THE REFORMATION 500th CELEBRATION 2017 This year, 2017, is a year precious to all Lutherans the 500th birthday of Martin Luther s blessed re-discovery of the Gospel and his rebellion related to the beliefs and celebrations of the Roman Catholic Church. This article is the third of a series covering topics and events leading up to October 31, 1517, date of the posting of the 95 Theses on the Castle Church doors in Wittenberg, Germany. A multitude of forces came together at the time of the Reformation. Luther was a force for the church, but alone, he was just one voice. There were powerful political forces waiting to protect the status quo, and there were powerful forces waiting in the church as well, not likely to welcome Luther s invitation to change. Here is a quick study of one of Luther s most powerful friends, Frederick the Wise. It comes to us courtesy of the Synod website, Frederick the Wise was the son of Ernest of Wettin. Only a year before Ernest s death in 1486, the land of the House of Wettin was divided between Ernest and his younger brother, Albert. Trinity Lutheran Church 410 E 1935 North, Cedar City, UT Office: Pastor Bob: (cell) and (home) Website: pbob022212@cedarlutheran.org

2 Albert took the title of duke and ruled over his half (Ducal Saxony, or Albertine Saxony). Ernest, who adopted the title of elector, had the larger but poorer area of Saxony that would be known as Electoral Saxony, or Ernestine. At the age of 22, Frederick assumed his father s title of elector of Saxony. The chief castle was in Torgau, but Frederick had other castles in Saxony, including Wittenberg, Coburg and Wartburg. These would be important landmarks in Luther s life. Frederick was a devout Catholic with an extensive relic collection. His relics included fragments of the cross, the cradle, the swaddling cloths and others. At the end of his life, Frederick had more than 19,000 relics. He had been taught that venerating relics would aid in getting to heaven. He made his relics available to the public for this purpose. They served another use, though: They were a tourist attraction and moneymaker. He also believed in indulgences, the practice of purchasing remission of sins. The idea was that Christ and the saints had accrued more good works than were necessary for their entrance into heaven. You could purchase an indulgence that would move some of the saints line of credit to your account and thus take some of the years off your sentence in purgatory. Frederick used some of the money from indulgences to build a bridge near Torgau and to fund the building of his university at Wittenberg. He employed a monk named Johann Tetzel to sell indulgences. Tetzel came around again in 1517 selling indulgences for the building of St. Peter s Basilica in Rome. It was here that Frederick drew the line. It was one thing to tax the citizens for infrastructure, but it was quite another to let good German money leave the area for Rome! Nevertheless, Tetzel could conduct business just over the border. The parishioners of Luther s church in Wittenberg queried their priest about Tetzel s practice, prompting Luther to post his 95 Theses. His theses were an invitation to debate the practice of selling indulgences, among other theological concerns. The theses were posted Oct. 31, 1517, the day before Frederick put his relics on display for All Saints Day. Frederick kept an open mind and listened to Luther s thoughts, which were based on Scripture. His motives may not have been purely theological, but instead more political. Luther s ideas fit well into Frederick s ideas of German nationalism, and protecting his young monk/professor was beneficial to both parties. To ensure his safety, Frederick arranged to have Luther kidnapped and hidden in the Wartburg castle after the Diet [Conference] of Worms, at which Luther refused to recant his writings. Frederick was respected amongst princes and popes for his wisdom. This respect was possibly a reason that other nobility listened to and supported Luther s ideas at the Diet of Augsburg. Although there is no evidence that Luther and Frederick ever met face to face, the two had a symbiotic relationship. At the end of his life, Frederick, who never openly renounced his Catholic faith, received the Lord s Supper in the manner of the Reformation, in two kinds (the body and blood of Christ in, with and under the bread and wine of the altar). LutheranReformation.org THE LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD ConcordiaHistoricalInstitute.org 2016 LCMS April, 2017 Page 2

3 April, 2017 Page 3 THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD+THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD Easter this year is on April 16. We will celebrate with a special schedule. At 800am we meet for an early breakfast. As the newsletter is being prepared, the Sign-Up sheet is fully subscribed to provide dishes for the breakfast. Continue to check the sheet as the day approached. LWML will take charge of breakfast so check with Diana or Cookie for opportunities to help out. The annual Easter egg hunt will take place following breakfast out on the south lawn, weather permitting. Bible Study will be suspended for the day. Worship will follow at the regular time of 1000am. Easter bonnets have gone the way of the Easter Parade, but Easter is still a wonderful time to gather the family and head to church. We will have a joyous time thanking God for the miracle of Jesus Resurrection and declaring that CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED! So bring the whole family and invite a neighbor too. Our Alleluias will ring out with special joy. See you in church at Easter! Midweek Bible Study After a hiatus of almost two months, mid-week Bible Study will resume on Wednesday April 26 at 530pm. We will continue our study of the life of King David. I am sure the Bible students will be glad to get back to studying God s Word. It is a good opportunity for others to join in. Please consider coming for a week or two to hear what goes on and to decide whether you would benefit from attending. Choir is scheduled to rehearse immediately following Bible Study. It is just a short walk from the Fellowship Hall into the sanctuary. Certainly, choir would welcome a few new voices, or many. Little Alex in Church Thanks to Carl Dahlia One Sunday morning, the priest noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church, staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names with small U.S.A. flags mounted on either side of it. The seven year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the priest walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly "Good morning Alex." "Good morning Father," he replied, still focused on the plaque. "Father, what is this?" he asked the priest. The priest said, "Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service." Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque. Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear, asked "which service, the 8:00 or the 10:30?"

4 Trinity Tea Ladies Trinity Council April, 2017 Page 4 Just in case you ve misplaced last month s newsletter, here s a repeat of our events for 2017 starting with afternoon tea at the welcoming country home of Sharol Kleinschmidt on Friday April 28th at 1 PM. April 28th 1 PM at the home of Sharol Kleinschmidt Devotions, fellowship, refreshments May 26th 1 PM at the home of Diane Molnar Devotions, fellowship, refreshment June 23rd 1 PM at the home of Charmaine Beckman Devotions, fellowship, refreshments July 28th 10 AM on the SUU Campus Christmas in July craft fair followed by lunch at The Grind on Main St. August 25th 1 PM at the home of Travis Hoppes Devotions, fellowship, refreshments Sept. 22nd 1 PM at the Iron Gate Inn Tea on the garden terrace (cost $12.50) Oct. 27th 1 PM at the home of Cookie Heddings Devotions, fellowship, refreshments Nov. No meeting scheduled due to Thanksgiving holiday Dec. 12th 10 AM at the Iron Gate Inn Christmas brunch and program jointly with LWML (cost $12.50) All ladies as well as friends and guests are always welcome at our Tea Ladies events. Consult your church directory for phone numbers and addresses if you need directions. See you there! Congregation members are always welcome to attend council meetings, which are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 5:30 PM. If you have a topic to bring before the council, it must be included on the agenda. To get your item placed on the agenda, contact the secretary, Lynette Webber, at least three days before the scheduled meeting. The next Council meeting will be Thursday, April 20th at 5:30 PM in the fellowship hall. The Elders meet the same day at 4:30 PM. Trinity Church Book Club (TCBC) This month s selection is Frank Peretti's "This Present Darkness." The discussion date is Wednesday, April 26th at 11:30AM. We meet in one of the classrooms at the Cedar City Library-On-The-Park. Bring a lunch to eat while we meet.

5 April, 2017 Page 5 News Please join us for the LWML on Saturday April 1st at 10:00am. All woman of the church are invited. Lunch will be available come join in the fellowship. March Attendance and Offerings WORSHIP DATE Attendance Collection March 5 43 $ 2,963 March $ 986 March $ 1,018 March $ 955 Total 172 $ 5,922 Midweek services 97 Our operating budget for 2017 calls for monthly collections of about $5,900. Our midweek services, which began on Ash Wednesday, March 1, added a total of 97 worshippers. Collections for the midweek services are added to the subsequent Sunday collection. Please con tinue to be generous in your support of the ministries here at Trinity, especially in light of the February repair of the sanitary sewer which cost totaled over $5, Galatians 6:9 Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Cedar Area Interfaith Alliance (CAIFA) Community Sewing Event Thanks to all who participated in this joyful gathering of quilters and stuffers on March 15th. We completed 47 small quilts and 118 teddy bears which were donated to our local Family Support Center. During our lunch break we heard from the director of the Family Support Center, Connie Sowards, and were moved by her heartbreaking stories of children in need right here in our community, and her appreciation for our efforts to provide comfort for some of these children with quilts and teddy bears. Watch for next year s event in March when we plan to sew flannel pajamas for children.

6 April, 2017 Page 6 Children s Ministry Matters This year Easter falls on the third Sunday of April, the 16th. It is a wonderful and mysterious celebration for the Church and more especially for the children. Because of the activities like the egg hunt between Easter Breakfast and the worship service, the children will be extra excited. Be sure to share your excitement with a child that morning and thank them for being in church. God bless and keep all the children of our congregation. I am thankful for the Children s Ministry and for the devoted saints who bring children and grandchildren to church or who sustain the Children s Ministry by teaching Sunday School or helping out in the Nursery when infants are brought to church. Allowing a young mother to sit quietly and worship in church while her infant is being attended to in the Nursery is a wonderful blessing. Have you been encouraging the children of the congregation? Many of the saints at Trinity are grandparents, but living in Utah places them far from their grandchildren. Reaching out to pray for, encourage and greet the children warmly is a great example of Christian love. Check out who is teaching in April: Date Sunday School Nursery 4-2 Cookie Heddings As God Provides 4-9 Catherine Webb As God Provides 4-16 Catherine Webb As God Provides 4-23 Charmaine Beckman As God Provides 4-30 Ellen Janis As God Provides Cedar Area Interfaith Alliance (CAIFA) Hosts National Day Of Prayer Event This year s National Day of Prayer breakfast will be held on Thursday, May 4th at 8 AM in the Gilbert Great Hall on the SUU campus. The event includes a hot breakfast, special musical numbers, and heartfelt prayers by local community members. It s a wonderful way to start the day. Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased from Lynette Webber. More Ladies With Typewriters And this one just about sums them all up -- The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours."

7 Lilly Submitted by Sharol Kleinschmidt April, 2017 Page 7 Last month I told you about our little hen, Brownie.This month, I want to tell you about a scary incident that happened to our white hen Lilly. First to describe Lilly... She is a large white hen with a ring of gray feathers around her neck like a collar. She came to us from another town. The owner could not keep her. She quickly became one of the "rulers of the roost". One morning I heard a loud call from my husband near the chicken yard. {Yes, he does take care of the chickens!} He yelled out that one of the hens was out of the 6 foot yard that they occupy. This is a very large yard as chicken yards go. We have 2 dogs who have not been around a loose chicken before and therefore the panic on my part! Miraculously, they did not try to chase her. I did not want to take any chances as it had been my experience at another location and another dog, that once a chicken starts running and flapping its wings, there is no hope for the chicken! My husband opened the chicken gate and stood back. I went around behind Lilly and tried to shoo her inside. I lost count of how many times we went around and around before she finally went into her yard! She did not seem to absorb what a close call she had. She was safe! This event led me to compare how many times we as Christians get out of our "pens" and are led back by our patient Lord. Sometimes we are not even aware of the danger both physical and spiritual that we may encounter. I am sure that if we think about it, we can all recall such dangers in our lives. Thanks to God...we are all still here and able to praise Him for his patience with us! He is Risen Indeed!! All glory to our God! New Contact Info Mike Scott 343 West Bristlecone. He's moved across the street! The remainder of his address remains the same, as does his phone number. Byrd Bargman Byrd Bargman has arrived safely in Rawlins, Wyoming to start her new job monitoring environmental issues. She reports that she has found a small LCMS church, Christ Lutheran, where she was welcomed warmly on Sunday. She sends greetings to all and hopes for a warm and early spring in Wyoming! Here's her temporary address: BYRD BARGMAN PO BOX 1348 RAWLINS, WY Cookie Heddings New address: cookie@heddings.com Jill Dillard New phone:

8 April 2017 SUNDAY 2 MONDAY 3 Lee Webb s Birthday 8:45am Bible Study Frank Nichol s B day Pastor s Day Off (Communion) 4PM CAIFA POTLUCK 9 8:45am Bible Study Pastor s Day Off 17 TUESDAY 4 3PM Service at Bella Terra (formerly Kolob) WEDNESDAY 5 3pm Confirmation Class AM Ladies Breakfast at Denny s Peyton Canary s Birthday 9am Breakfast at IHOP 24 8:45am Bible Study Pastor s Day Off Newsletter Deadline 30 8:45am Bible Study (Communion) 3pm Confirmation Class 19 9am Breakfast at Denny s SATURDAY 1/8 April 1 10am LWML Mtg 6pm Soup Supper 7pm Lenten Service 18 FRIDAY 7 9am Breakfast at Pork Belly s EASTER! 8am Easter Breakfast Pastor s Day Off Easter Egg Hunt (Communion) 23 THURSDAY 6 14 GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE 7 PM 7pm Maundy Thursday Worship Shanda Badger s Birthday No Confirmation Class Mike Riley s Birthday 25 4:30pm Elders Meeting 5:30pm Council Meeting :30am Trinity Church Book Club 1pm Ladies Tea at Shoral 3pm Confirmation Class Kleinschmidt s Home 9am Breakfast at Pork Belly s 5:30pm Mid-Week Bible Study Freda Aquilina s Birthday 31