DEADLINE FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY NEWSLETTER IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH.

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1 VOLUME 19 ISSUE 9 November 2014 November Newsletter INGATHERING The November newsletter is in loving memory of Fred and Ethel Schultz by Roxane Williams and family. Serving and Ministering to the Community Since 1873 Rev. John A. Hart, Pastor Phone: , pstrhart@gmail.com Trinity Tidings is a monthly publication printed on the premises of Holy Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church (Hospital Code: 244) Robin McCloud, Office Secretary, robin.holytrinity@verizon.net HOLY TRINITY MEMORIAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 604 Fourth Street Catasauqua, Pa Phone: Fax: Website: holytrinity604@verizon.net DEADLINE FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY NEWSLETTER IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH. IF HOSPITALIZED, BE SURE TO SIGN A RELEASE CARD AND USE OUR HOSPITAL CODE #244. WE ARE A HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE FACILITY.

2 FROM THE PASTOR: A family awakes in church after the service, only to find themselves alone in the pews. It s not the end of the world, Homer says, as they walk out the door. But it is. They appear to have walked into the end of the world. The heavens are raining brimstone and the world is ablaze. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse ride across the fiery sky. Marge realizes what is happening as pure Christians, such as those of their neighbors, the Flanders, kneeling together in prayer, are ascending to the sky. The Simpsons remain firmly earthbound and Marge wonders why they aren t rising to heaven. This humorous scene about the Rapture is of course an episode from The Simpson s. However, the topic of the Rapture is not just a subject for the Simpson s. In fact, Hollywood has now decided to jump on the money train and have made Tim LaHaye s and Jerry B. Jenkins, first book of a 12 volume set into a movie entitled Left Behind starring Nicholas Gage. So with all this new interest in the Rapture, what do you think of it? Did you know that the Rapture is not an old doctrine? Prior to 1830, no church taught it in their creed, catechism or statement of faith. The term "Rapture" first became popular in the United States toward the end of the 19th century through the teachings of John Nelson Darby, an Irish evangelist. The rapture theory continued to grow in popularity among evangelicals largely due to a preacher named William Eugene Blackstone ( ) and it was largely through the influence of Cyrus Scofield's Bible notes that the Rapture became influential among fundamentalist Christians in the United States. Now in researching the Rapture I came across an article by N.T. Wright entitled Farewell to the Rapture that I want to share with you. The American obsession with the second coming of Jesus especially with distorted interpretations of it continues unabated. Seen from my side of the Atlantic, the phenomenal success of the Left Behind books appears puzzling, even bizarre. Few in the U.K. hold the belief on which the popular series of novels is based: that there will be a literal rapture in which believers will be snatched up to heaven, leaving empty cars crashing on freeways and kids coming home from school only to find that their parents have been taken to be with Jesus while they have been left behind. This pseudo-theological version of Home Alone has reportedly frightened many children into some kind of (distorted) faith. This dramatic end-time scenario is based (wrongly, as we shall see) on Paul s First Letter to the Thessalonians, where he writes: For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise first; then we, who are left alive, will be snatched up with them on clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). What on earth (or in heaven) did Paul mean? It is Paul who should be credited with creating this scenario. Jesus himself, as I have argued in various books, never predicted such an event. The gospel passages about the Son of Man coming on the clouds (Mark 13:26, 14:62, for example) are about Jesus vindication, his coming to heaven from earth. The parables about a returning king or master (for example, Luke 19:11-27) were originally about God returning to Jerusalem, not about Jesus returning to earth. This, Jesus seemed to believe, was an event within space-time history, not one that would end it forever. The Ascension of Jesus and the Second Coming are nevertheless vital Christian doctrines, and I don t deny that I believe some future event will result in the personal presence of Jesus within God s new creation. This is taught throughout the New Testament outside the Gospels. But this event won t in any way resemble the Left Behind account. Understanding what will happen requires a far more sophisticated cosmology than the one in which heaven is somewhere up there in our universe, rather than in a different dimension, a different space-time, altogether. The New Testament, building on ancient biblical prophecy, envisages that the creator God will remake heaven and earth entirely, affirming the goodness of the old Creation but overcoming its mortality and corruptibility (e.g., Romans 8:18-27; Revelation 21:1; Isaiah 65:17, 66:22). When that happens, Jesus will appear within the resulting new world (e.g., Colossians 3:4; 1 John 3:2). Paul s description of Jesus reappearance in 1 Thessalonians 4 is a brightly colored version of what he says in two other passages, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 and Philippians 3:20-21: At Jesus coming or appearing, those who are still alive will be changed or transformed so that their mortal bodies will become incorruptible, deathless. This is all that Paul intends to say in Thessalonians, but here he borrows imagery from biblical and political sources to enhance his message. Little did he know how his rich metaphors would be misunderstood two millennia later. First, Paul echoes the story of Moses coming down the mountain with the Torah. The trumpet sounds, a loud voice is heard, and after a long wait Moses comes to see what s been going on in his absence. Second, he echoes Daniel 7, in which the people of the saints of the Most High (that is, the one like a son of man ) are vindicated over their pagan enemy by being raised up to sit with God in glory. This metaphor, applied to Jesus in the Gospels, is now applied to Christians who are suffering persecution. Third, Paul conjures up images of an emperor visiting a colony or province. Paul's description of "meeting" the Lord in the air employs a very specific Greek word for greeting a visiting dignitary in ancient times. The word is apantesis, which has to do with a practice by which people went outside the city to greet the dignitary and they accompanied him into their city. The same word is used in Matthew 25:6 to describe the bridesmaids who go out to "meet" the bridegroom and then accompany him into the feast. It is also used in Acts 28:15 to describe the Romans who go out to "meet" Paul as he arrives in their city. We can look at these other usages to see more specifically what Paul means by the term "meet" the Lord. CONTINUES ON 7th page..

3 Church Council Members Term Ending Dec Term Ending Dec Term Ending Dec Arden Strickland: Barb Fister: Dale Greenzweig: Wayne Kincaid: Cheryl Kneiss: RuthAnn Reinsmith: Paul Gillette: Sherry Creyer: Carol Cunningham: Rick Martson: Carole Nacci: Mark Fried: Youth Rep.: President: Barbara Fister Secretary: (Rotating) OFFICERS Vice President: Arden Strickland Treasurer: John Marakovits $ FINANCIAL UP-DATE $ The Church s budget deficit at the end of September was (-$4,678.63). The budget deficit at the end of September, 2013 (last year) was (- $7,622.95) - $2, more. That s a good sign. The budget deficit is significantly less this year. Regular budgeted income received thus far in 2014 is $3, more than last year through the end of September. Another good sign. In order to make this year s budget of $164,314.00, we need to average $3,160 each Sunday. Through the end of September, we are averaging $3, each Sunday -$ per Sunday less than what is needed to make this year s budget. While it s still a shortage, it s not a major, severe shortage. Our budget goal for 2014 is still well within sight. The Pine Street sidewalk project has been completed. I paid the bill to Baraket Concrete Construction on September the 30th. Here is the final breakdown: $12, Sidewalk Bill Amount -$ 9, Sidewalk Fund receipts - $ 2, Lorraine Wagner Memorial Fund - $ Bill shortage paid by the Church s money market account at the Mission Investment Fund If any future donations are made to the Sidewalk Fund the (-$533.21) deficit will be eliminated, and any excess funds received beyond the sidewalk fund deficit will go to our latest fundraising project the Take-a-seat campaign. This drive is attempting to raise funds for new chairs in the Alice Storch Room. As of Sunday, 10/5/14, a total of $4, has been collected thus far. I m sure more information on the Take-a-seat Fund will be forth-coming. Finally, I d like to thank Olin and Suzanne Webb for their on-going support of the church s lawn care bills. A company from Bath, Pa by the name of Lawns by George, Ind. periodically, throughout the year, will stop by to weed and feed our church lawn. The Webb s have faithfully paid this bill for the church going all the way back to July 11, 1999: WOW! That s 15+ years. Thank you Olin and Suzanne. We do appreciate it. We are now officially in the 4th quarter of the year an important quarter financially for the church. Please continue to support Holy Trinity s ministry to the best of your financial ability. Thank you, John Marakovits, Treasurer

4 HOLY TRINITY NEWS NOVEMBER 2 On Sunday, November 2nd, we will observe All Saints Day. You will have the opportunity to come forward during worship and light a single candle in remembrance of loved ones who have died. By now, you should have received your offering envelopes for November and December in the mail. If you do not receive them, please contact Robin in the church Office (610) Holy Trinity is a member of the Blood Bank Program. If you give blood, you may designate it as Holy Trinity. Also, if you ever need blood, tell them you re a church member. B.Y.O.B. STUDY GROUP Study with Pastor Hart on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Join us and increase your Bible knowledge. All adults are welcome. The studies are always very interesting. When there is inclement weather (snow, ice, sleet) all functions at church are canceled. For Sunday worship cancellations, tune to WFMZ TV or WFMZ Website or radio. Sunday early service is always cancelled when there is snow, sleet or ice. At any time, you can give donations to the Pastor s Discretionary Fund. This fund is used to give temporary financial assistance to people of our congregation and community when a sudden need arises. You may send contributions to the church or place them in the offering plate on Sunday mornings. Please mark your checks or envelopes Pastor s Discretionary Fund. Have you remembered Holy Trinity in your will? Joyful Giving Circle Help further the ministry of Holy Trinity Don t wait for a special occasion to make a contribution in honor or in memory of someone. Fill out the enclosed form or print it off our website, place it in the offering or mail it with your check in any amount. We will print your dedication in our next newsletter. Turn your clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday, November 1st. Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 2nd. We are looking for someone to take over Cradle Role If you re interested in volunteering for this position, please call Robin at the office. Simply Giving Simply Giving allows you to share first fruits through planned giving. Activate your stewardship into an on-going automatic withdrawal of your tithes and offerings. Holy Trinity benefits by having a steady income no matter what the season or weather. To learn more, call the church As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God s varied grace. I Peter 4:10 RSV We continue our collection of canned goods and non-perishable items until November 9th (Harvest Home Sunday) when these items will be presented in the church. We will then distribute everything to the Catasauqua Food Bank in time for the holidays. Dear Church Family, Thank you to everyone for all the wonderful cards that you sent while I was at Fellowship Manor. They brighten up my days very much! ~ Helen Reichl Demonstrate your thankfulness this season: Each holiday season, Holy Trinity, anticipates and relies on a seasonal increase in contributions. It is through the donations of every individual and family in the congregation that we are able to carry on our work now and throughout the year. If you need a convenient way to make recurring contributions or plan to make an additional gift before the end of the year, we encourage you to check out our electronic giving option. As the pace of life speeds up around the holidays, you may find electronic giving a most welcome way to make contributions. To set up a recurring giving schedule, please call the church office. Thank you for your generosity and support! Join us for Christmas Cantata rehearsals 7:00p.m. on Wednesdays, through December 10th. The Cantata will be presented December 14th during worship. Choir will also continue their Sunday morning rehearsals at 9:00 a.m. Thanks, Ben Becker, Church Musician I continue to be impressed by the steady commitment of the members of Holy Trinity Memorial as you plan and carry out events that support the ministries of the congregation. You are a very faithful group. I am also gratified by your kindness in alerting my wife and me about upcoming events. Thank you so much! We wish we could attend the dinner, but we are unable to come. The meal looks like it will be delicious. Please accept our regrets regarding this particular event but, please don t count us out of future possibilities. Wishing you the best, Bishop Zeiser

5 Remember or Honor Loved Ones Altar Flowers TO THE GLORY OF GOD: Nov.2 (Altar) All Saints individual mum plants Nov. 9 by the Knauss family Nov. 16 by John and Sue Marakovits Nov. 23 In loving memory of Joseph Baragone by Sandy and Erich Svitana Nov. 30 In loving memory of mother, Jean Bayard and father, Jerry Bayard by Alan and Carol Fenstermacher. Bulletins TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND: Nov. 2 Open Nov. 9 Open Nov. 23 Open Nov. 30 Open Trinity Tidings All dedications are taken for Thank you. Please Note:To reserve a flower date, fill in the Flower Chart in the narthex and call Suzanne Webb with your dedication. If you do not call Suzanne, the dedication will read To the glory of God by (your name). To dedicate a Sunday bulletin, call the church secretary ( ). Bulletins are $10, altar flowers are $35. Please pick up your flowers or have someone pick them up for you. Sunday School News Thank you for the donations to our Harvest Home collection. You may continue to donate non-perishable items through November 9th. Your kindness will help our neighbors receive what we often take for granted. Please read the Social Ministry article for information on the Christmas Ingathering collection for area institutions. (Mitten tree, Angel tree etc.) Upcoming events: November 2: Thanksgiving Craft activity; November 9: Harvest Home Sunday - dedication of food during worship; December 7: Christmas Craft activity; December 14, 21: Practice for Christmas Program; December 28: Christmas Sunday School Program during worship. A closing program is held each week at 10:00a.m. in the Alice Storch room. This is a great opportunity to witness the youngest members of our church and also learn more about the awesome love that God has for all of his children both young and old. ARE YOU PROUD OF YOUR CHILD S ACCOMPLISHENT? Let us know. We are happy to publish it in our newsletter. Call Make a note! On November 9, after worship, there will be a brief meeting to plan for (Yes!) Christmas decorating. If you are interested please attend and bring any ideas that you might have. We will be looking for both AA batteries and C batteries. Details later MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR FUTURE EVENTS Saturday, November 15, 2014 Baked Chicken Dinner( ticket deadline is Nov. 2 nd!) Sunday,Feb. 1, 2015 Super Bowl Treats after church Feb 2015 Sweets With Your Sweetie Family Date Night (date to be decided) Saturday, April 25, 2015 Annual Victorian High Tea Saturday, June 21, 2015 Baked Ham Dinner Saturday, September 19, 2015 Murder by ShooFly mystery dinner theater Have you noticed that our Sunday bulletins and the Trinity Tidings have been filled with lots of opportunities to give - both Christmas gift-giving and compassionate giving? From Scrip cards to benefit our Christian Education program...to sponsoring Christmas decorations, trees, and poinsettias for our house of worship...to the Fair Trade table filled with handmade items and chocolate...to the food table...to the Angel Tree and Mitten Tree...to the Cops-n- Kids book drive...to the Baked Chicken Dinner fundraiser... Giving at Holy Trinity is often done "outside the gift box". We hope that, rather than feeling spread too thinly in supporting these and other giving opportunities, you will find one or more that tug at your heart and pour some of your earthly blessings into them. Turn your Christmas giving into an opportunity to share your blessings and your faith story with those who will enjoy the fruits of your "shopping". Calling all interested youth. It's not to late to a join the Holy Trinity youth choir this fall. We rehearse every Sunday after church and sing once a month during service. Everyone is welcome to join. Ask Ben for more details.

6 HT YOUTH NEWS What was Tarp Day???? Check out the tarp decorated by our youth in October, now on display in the Alice Storch Room! It's a tribute to our youths' creativity, an eye-catching banner to use whenever we're hosting a youth activity, and our seating area for a 2015 camping extravaganza at Creation Festival in Mount Union. PA!!! Creation Festival is open to youth who are currently in grades Also open to families who want to attend this Tribute to Our Creator with their younger children. Upcoming youth events: Sunday, November 2nd - revised date for Catty High School's Haunt for Hunger from 2-4pm. Any youth who can help shelve the collection will enjoy lunch at CiCi's pizza - we have to keep our strength up to shelve at the Catty Food Bank from approximately 2:30-4:30. Rides home are available. Saturday, November 8th, 9:30-1:30. Meet at HT and walk to the food bank to help shelve the Scouting for Food collection. Lunch will be provided on site. Friday, November 14th - Newsboys concert at Stabler! 10 HT youth and friends will be rockin' the bleachers! Saturday, November 15th - calling all youth to volunteer at the 5 Loaves and 2 Fish Baked Chicken Dinner. See Mrs. Czar or talk directly to Mrs. Charvala ASAP to let us know what time you can help! Sunday, December 7th - calling all ladies of Holy Trinity, friends, and family: Trades of Hope Fair Trade party immediately after worship. Light refreshments will be served by the youth; benefits our "Nohla" account to support our monthly child sponsorship pledge through World Vision. Come treat yourself to something beautiful, or do a little Christmas shopping without having to fight traffic and crowds. December 7th is also the deadline to let us know if you would like to order 2015 wall or pocket calendars. A sample wall calendar is on display with the youth photos in the Alice Storch Room. Check out the beautiful pictures on quality stock. Sign up at the display to pre-order. Wall calendars are $7, pocket calendars with 50-page notepad are $5. We must sell at least 13 wall calendars or 13 pocket calendars to break even, more to make a profit. This is a no-pressure "sale" - we had several requests last year for these calendars, and want to offer them to the congregation if there is enough interest, even if we don't turn a profit. Thank you for your continued support of HT Youth!!!! SOCIAL MINISTRY NEWS Contentment: "We will never be satisfied with what we want if we cannot be satisfied with what we have". I admit that I am speaking from a position of a stable job with decent pay and benefits, no health or family crises, and no more children in college. But it hasn't always been that way, and might not always be in the future. Yet I hope that in all things, I will be able to give thanks to God, and give proportionately, even sacrificially, to the work of God through Holy Trinity...and be content. As we move into the season of retail decadence that runs from Black Friday through the after-christmas clearance sales, here are some opportunities to indulge in holiday contentment: To borrow a phrase from the Allentown Rescue Mission: "This Thanksgiving, let your storehouses be the stomachs of the poor." How? Remember to bring items from your pantry to the food table in the sanctuary, or make a donation to the Pastor's discretionary fund. The annual Ingathering of gifts for area institutions runs through Sunday, November 30th (Thanksgiving weekend). Check the Angel Tree in the back of the sanctuary - take one or more angels from the tree, or a wish list from the table, and spread Christmas contentment through this district-wide mission. And don't forget the Mitten Tree in the Alice Storch Room! Requested items include 100 packs of snack-size m&m's (60 are still needed) and 25 rolls of lifesavers to be included in gift bags for KidsPeace, a $20 cash gift toward our mission district's donation to Lutheran Congregational Services' refugee resettlement program, mittens and warm hats (all sizes, but especially children's, and men's for the Allentown Rescue Mission). We're still waiting for our gift information for 2 kids at KidsPeace. Items and cash donations will be delivered to St. John's Nazareth on December 4th for sorting, wrapping, and distribution. How about a donation that gives twice: KidsPeace wish list includes a variety of gift cards, including book stores, itunes, movie theaters, Target, Kmart, and Walmart - all available from Scrip. If you'd like to participate in this way, get your order in to Diane or Joe by the November 9th Scrip deadline. Pick up some chocolate or handcrafted items from the Fair Trade Table in the sanctuary. Great stocking stuffers!! Take a catalog from the Fair Trade Table and browse for gift ideas - something you can wrap, or something to be given to a family in a developing country, like seeds, clean water, or the share of a goat. Share the anticipation of the Advent season by purchasing one or more Advent calendars, featuring Divine chocolate morsels! Available on the Fair Trade Table while supplies last! When asked "What do you want for Christmas?", give a wish list compiled from your visit to Ten Thousand Villages (fair trade store in the outdoor shops at Lehigh Valley Mall), or from one of the Fair Trade Table catalogs. Already content with what you have? Ask for a donation in your honor to Holy Trinity, the Numan Orphanage or the "Metsehet Fund", World Vision, Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity...the possibilities are endless. Wishing you a contented countdown to Christmas.

7 Continued from Pastor: The key factor with the normal usage of the Greek verb "meet" is this: In no case does the arriving dignitary change directions and go back where he came from after people come to meet him; rather, he continues with them into their house or city. In Matthew, for example, the bridegroom's arrival is greeted with a shout: "Look! Here is the bridegroom. Come out to meet him." But the bridegroom does not then kidnap the bridesmaids and take them away with him after they go out to meet him! Rather, the bridegroom goes with the bridesmaids into the house from where they came, where everyone is waiting for him. Matthew makes this clear: "The bridegroom came, and those who were with him went into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut" (Matthew 25:10) Paul s image of the people meeting the Lord in the air should be read with the assumption that the people will immediately turn around and lead the Lord back to the newly remade world. Paul s mixed metaphors of trumpets blowing and the living being snatched into heaven to meet the Lord are not to be understood as literal truth, as the Left Behind series suggests, but as a vivid and biblically allusive description of the great transformation of the present world of which he speaks elsewhere. Paul s misunderstood metaphors present a challenge for us: How can we reuse biblical imagery, including Paul s, so as to clarify the truth, not distort it? For a start, is not the Left Behind mentality in thrall to a dualistic view of reality that allows people to pollute God s world on the grounds that it s all going to be destroyed soon? Wouldn t this be overturned if we recaptured Paul s wholistic vision of God s whole creation? In the words of the immortal bard Homer Simpson after watching the Left Behind movie This movie will haunt me for the rest of my life, just like Cannonball Run II. Marge, what if the Rapture is coming and I haven't led a good enough life? I could be left below!

8 SCRIP GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER No penalty for EXCESSIVE CELEBRATION with Scrip cards!!! On October 31st, we drew the name of our winner - to be announced in the December Tidings. What were we celebrating? Nothing less than reaching $1000 in profits since the Scrip fundraiser started in April 2014!!! Everyone who had placed a Scrip order was included in the drawing for a $10 Scrip card of the winner's choice. Congratulations to our winner - but our biggest winner is the Christian Education program, which will benefit from the profits of this ongoing fundraiser. Other exciting news: Nancy Miller's longest-distance order, placed by phone from Colorado and delivered to the Rocky Mountain state from our inventory of cards, has been bested! Natalie Oberman is now our long-range winner, all the way from California! Nat will be doing her grocery shopping with Scrip cards!! In case you're a newcomer to the game, here are the rules we're playing by: The second Sunday of each month is the deadline for our regular monthly order. We pay $7.75 shipping for each order, so we try to combine all orders into one submission each month, to maximize our profits. If you have a special need, we will try to combine your request with other pending orders to get what you need in between our regular orders. The monthly order is submitted the day after the deadline. If you give us an order after that day, it will be held until the next month's submission unless you let us know that you have a special deadline. So please try to give us your orders by the 2nd-Sunday deadline! Cards are delivered to you at church the 3rd Sunday of the month. We receive them 3 days after we place the order. An is sent out to those who placed an order to let them know the cards have arrived, in case someone needs their cards before Sunday. All of our profits to date have been rolled into an inventory of the most popular cards, available for immediate purchase. After Christmas, we hope to reduce our inventory so that funds can be used to start paying upcoming Christian Education expenses, like the spring curriculum bill. So get in the game! Think Black Friday sales; Christmas shopping; gift cards for those hard-to-shop-for people on your list; employee, teacher, and boss's gifts; pastor gifts...next order deadlines are Sunday November 9th and December 14th. Starting November 1st, Scrip offers a limited supply of $5 and $10 gift cards from some of your favorite retailers. Great gifts for teachers, mail carriers, hair dresser/barber, coworkers, secret Santa s, and stocking stuffers! Ask Diane or Joe for more information!

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