G R A P E V I N E APRIL 2015

Transcription

1 G R A P E V I N E APRIL 2015 TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 612 Main Street Westbrook, ME Karen Indorf, Pastor Bonnie Wright, Editor Phone (207) Phone (207) pastor@trinitywestbrook.com office@trinitywestbrook.com Regular Hours of Worship 10:30 am Sunday School at 9:15 am for all ages PASTOR S REFLECTIONS Holy Week. From Palm Sunday to Easter. The holiest week of the year for Christians. It begins with the glorious palm waving and singing of Hosannas as Jesus entered Jerusalem. And then suddenly things began to spin out of control. By the end of the week, Jesus has shared a last meal with his disciples, instituting Holy Communion. In spite of Peter s protests, he washed the feet of his disciples in a loving act of service. One of his closest companions betrayed him into the hands of the Roman authorities who mocked him and beat him and sentenced him to death. The one to whom we sang All glory, laud and honor is hung on a cross to die with common criminals. This is called Holy Week? To an outsider it makes no sense. But for followers of Jesus, we understand that what happened during that first Holy Week changed the course of history and still today makes all the difference in our lives. We still meet Jesus in the bread and wine of Holy Communion, our sins are forgiven, we are assured of God s love, and we learn to live in peace and harmony with one another. On Easter morning we hear those wonderful words that Jesus is risen, indeed. He conquered death and evil that we might live in his loving care, both now and in eternity. I invite you to be with us during this Holy Week, that you might know and experience God s love. Pastor Karen

2 Painting Crew Great Job!! Presentation of Climb Aboard the Food Train jar to Mayor Hilton Breaking Bread with Friends at breakfast with Roger & Sally, Smiling Hill Farm Breaking Bread with Friends in honor of Dorothy Sunday School children join the choir.

3 I Heard It Through the Grapevine! HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE Thursday, April 2 - Maundy Thursday Holy Communion 7:30pm Friday, April 3 - Good Friday Tenebrae Service of Sunday, April 5 - Easter Sunrise Service at Smiling Hill 6:30am Rain or Shine - Coffee and muffins at the farm Easter Breakfast at Fellowship Hall sponsored by our 9:00-9:45am EASTER FESTIVAL 10:30am SIX-WEEK EVENING GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP - Wednesdays - April 8 May 13 from 6:00-7:30 pm at VNA Home Health Hospice, 50 Foden Road, South Portland. This will be a closed group (same group of people meeting for the 6 sessions) that works best if you are able to attend all sessions. You must speak with Linda to register to attend this group. For more information or to sign up, call Linda Hopkins, VNA Bereavement Coordinator, or hopkinsl@emhs.org MONTHLY PRAYER SERVICE Every third Sunday of the month, (April 19 is the next service) after the sharing of the peace, Pastor Karen will be present in the front of the annex for persons who would like individual prayer, for themselves or someone else. Anyone is invited to come and sit in the annex during this time. You may pray silently from your pew and/or come forward to pray with pastor. She will be there as long as someone wants to pray. Tricia Bumby will be playing violin music during this time, soothing background hymns of healing, that will also provide privacy to those who come forward to pray. Contact Pastor Karen if you have any questions. 3 RD ANNUAL COMMUNITY ELECTRONIC WASTE RECYCLING DAY-SATURDAY APRIL 25, 9:00AM-1:00 PM RAIN OR SHINE! Woodbury Campus Center 45 Bedford Street-USM Portland Campus A chance to get rid of TVs, Computer Equipment, Home Entertainment, Telephones, Cell Phones, Cameras, Video Games, Air Conditioners, Refrigerators, Small Appliances-Sponsored by University of Southern Maine and Time Warner Cable See Beth if you have any questions. FAIR TRADE EASTER CHOCOLATE Consider purchasing your Easter treats from Divine Chocolate. Divine Chocolate is produced from the cocoa beans from the Kuapa Kokoo ( Good Cocoa Farmers Company in the local Twi language) cooperative, a democratically operated, certified fair trade organization in Ghana, West Africa. That means that the 45,000 members of this cooperative not only use environmentally sustainable farming methods and produce extremely high-quality chocolate, but that a much higher percentage of the profits from the sale of their extraordinary chocolate are returned to the farmers themselves. All Divine products are certified by Fairtrade International, and the wrapper on each bar is decorated with Adinkras, traditional West African symbols that represent values Divine holds dear, including democracy, cooperation, learning from the past and adaptability. Because the farmers own Divine, they enjoy a taste of sweet success from every chocolate sale. The Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Trust receives a premium for every ton of cocoa. Those funds have been used for community development projects chosen at the village level, including schools, water wells, vision screenings, women s clinics, camps for children and many other projects. Along with the Kuapa Koloo cooperative, Lutheran World Relief also owns a share of Divine Chocolate and has partnered with them to spread the story of their work to produce a high-quality product that is environmentally responsible and contributes to supporting just wages and treatment of cocoa farmer and their families. You can order Divine Chocolate including their Easter specialties! online from LWR. You can also find Divine Chocolate bars at Whole Foods and other natural and organic food cooperatives and stores and even at Amazon.

4 SENIOR SAINTS will meet at IHOP at 11:00 on Wed., April 15 and will sing and entertain folks at Springbrook Nursing Home in Westbrook at 2:00 pm PAUL S PALS will sing at Avita of Stroudwater on Sunday, April 19 at 2:00 pm SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS NEED TO BE IN BY APRIL 30th DEADLINE. Applications can be requested from the church office. Guidelines for granting Education Scholarships: 1. The recipient must be an active attending member of Trinity Lutheran Church. 2. A letter requesting a scholarship must be made in a timely fashion with the deadline set forth by the Church Council on an annual basis. 3. The applicant must be accepted for the first time to an institution of higher learning. 4. The amount to be granted to each recipient will be recommended by the Finance/Stewardship Committee and approved by the Council as part of the budget process each year. The approved amount will be presented at the annual meeting. 5. The recipients must be present to receive their Scholarship at a worship service. Thrivent Financial representative(s), Sarah Groleau, FIC and Hans Tobiason and Jennifer Kruszewski of Epstein & O'Donovan, LLP in Portland are offering an event on the basics of Estate Planning including Wills and Trusts at First Lutheran Church in Portland on May 11:30. They will also offer strategies to ensure your family is provided for and that your church and charities that depend on your support are also part of your legacy. Space is limited. To reserve your place call the church office at or Jolene Knowles admin@firstlutheranportland.org Lunch will be provided. Daycare will be provided. PORTLAND AREA LOCAL YOUTH GROUP will meet on Saturday, April 11 at 4:00. The plans are to go bowling. See Doug for more information. SOUTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONCERT AT TRINITY The SMCC Choir and Chamber Singers will be presenting a concert at Trinity on Thursday, April 30 at 7:00. The theme of the concert is Songs of Love and Labor. Donations of nonperishable food items and/or cash will be given to the Westbrook Food Pantry. This concert will kick off our Climb Aboard the Food Train collection events the weekend of May 1-3. REPORT FROM SOCIAL MINISTRY COMMITTEE COME CLIMB ABOARD THE FOOD TRAIN Please consider joining us for this event. The collection jars and food boxes have been delivered and the Climb Aboard the Food Train project is off and running with lots of positive support. During the first weekend of May we will finalize the project with a train stop collecting from the area businesses on Friday, May 1 st.. We will be setting up for a food drive on Saturday the 2 nd at the skateboard park next to Hannaford. The train will be collecting from the churches on Sunday the 3 rd. The food and donations will be delivered to the Food Pantry immediately following the churches train stops. This is a

5 Thrivent Action Team Event. Social Ministry Committee: Brenda Orach, Jane Sinclair, Pastor Karen, Deb Knight and Kevin King Following is a list of businesses and churches that have Climb Aboard the Food Train boxes or jars. Please stop by with your support! NAPA Auto Parts, AJ Market, Curves, Cintas, Pizza Time, UPS Store, Mister Bagel, Cumberland Farms, Trinity Elves, Smiling Hill Farms, Severino s Variety, Mission Possible Teen Center, River s Edge Deli, Rent-a-Center, Good Things Variety, Sullivan s Tire, Tigris Market, The Kid s Closet, Arwo Market, Hub Furniture, Walker Memorial Library, Mainely Small Engines, Hillside Lumber, New England Chiropractic, Westbrook Service Center, Forte Hair Salon, Catbird Creamery, LP Furniture, Corsetti s, Gulf Mart, Lake Region Imports, Tickets Unlimited, Final Cut, SIAM Square, Sherwin Williams, Euphoria Nail and Spa, Supreme Hearing Aids, Shaw s Supermarket, Digby s Variety, Doughboy s Deli, Friendly Discount, Full Court Press, Harmon Barton s Florist, My Place Hair Fashions, Trinity Lutheran Church Community Meal, Remax Alliance, Chase Custom Homes, Profenno s, TNT Nails, Loose Ends, Sportsman s Hardware,, Guidi s Diner, People s United Bank, Spring Crossing, Kozeta s, Charlie s Diner, Pride s Corner Flea Market, Westbrook Public Safety, Hannaford, Messer Truck Equipment, Dog-A-Hollick, Gagne Concrete Products, Swenson Granite Company, Broadway Gardens, Casa Novella, Brazier s Barber Shop, Westbrook Eagles, American Legion, Platinum Pawn and Loan, Top Cuts, Paul s Shoe Repair, Death and Glory, Pick and Paint Pottery, Foyes Linoleum, Portland Glass, Starlite Café, Pride s Corner Nursery School, Good Fella s Barber Shop, Amato s, Egg and I, Pratt and Abbott, Art s Variety, Duck Pond Variety, Cinemagic, Westbrook Auto Service, First Fabulous 2 Cuts, Dairy Queen, My Lady s Tea Room, Pilates, Husson College, Toddler Inn and Trinity Lutheran Church, Westbrook-Warren UCC, St. Anthony s of Padua Catholic Church, First Baptist Church, Pride s Corner Congregational Church, Avant Dance Ctr., Ed s Batteries Your Lenten envelopes with the red blocks on the bottom dated February 25, will be designated for ELCA Young Adults and Global Mission. The envelopes with the purple blocks are for the Maundy Thursday offering which will be designated for the Friendship House; Good Friday offering for the Root Cellar; and Easter offering for the Good Samaritan Fund. We encourage people to follow their passion as to where they would like to contribute in special ways to Christ s work. Please join us on Easter morning as the Youth of the church help serve a delicious buffet of pancakes, fruit, coffee, juice and some additional breakfast items. Thrivent is helping through an Action Team project submitted by Deb Knight. She has arranged several Adult volunteers to shop, prepare and cook and the Youth will set up tables and serve. This year s recipient (as chosen by the Youth) for the breakfast donations will be Camp Sunshine in Casco. This organization is a year-round retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The program is free of charge to all families, and includes 24-hour onsite medical and psychosocial support. We hope to see you and breakfast will be served between 9:15 and 10:00am. ELCA Malaria Campaign A child dies from malaria every 60 seconds. Every year, millions of people around the globe observe World Malaria Day on April 25. The ELCA Malaria Campaign is again turning this day into a special week, inviting you and your congregation to participate. We are in a special moment to help turn this around. Since the start of the ELCA Malaria Campaign, ELCA members and our companions overseas have already seen a reduction in the number of deaths from this preventable, treatable disease. We are a church that believes God is calling us into the world together. Working through Lutheran partners in Africa, the ELCA Malaria Campaign is uniquely positioned to help provide mosquito nets, education, testing, medication and more to help eliminate deaths from this disease for good. In honor of World Malaria Day, Trinity will designate the Pentecost offering on May 24 to this campaign.

6 Maine Women of the ELCA Spring Gathering May 9 from 9-3 At: Grace Lutheran Church, Auburn, ME Theme: Women of Many Generations Registration and workshop information will be mailed soon. THRIVENT SOCIAL EVENT Sea Dogs baseball game on May 23 at 1:00 pm. Tickets are only $3.00. You can make reservations through Ken Schoepf at (207) or kjschoepf@yahoo.com Spring is here! Really! PARISH CARE will meet on April 7th at 2:00. SOCIAL MINISTRY will meet on April 7th at 7:15. ON-GOING The WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY will meet on the second Tuesday of the month, April 14 at 10:30 am in the large classroom. All are welcome. KNIT NIGHT will meet Thursday evenings on April 2nd & 16th from 5:30 7:30 pm. Please join us! NEWS FOR WORSHIP HELPERS Thank you to all the Assistants, Readers and Acolyte/Crucifers. If you are unable to perform this duty on specified date, please arrange for a substitute and let Bonnie know so the correct name may be put in the Sunday bulletin. Readers and Assistants please supply your replacement with your prayers or readings that are ed to you. Thank you. WORSHIP HELPERS FOR APRIL THANK YOU! APRIL ASSISTANT READER ACOLYTE/CRUCIFER 5 Ken Doug M Eleshadaye 12 Bill O Elsie Fente 19 Bill S Alice Delia 26 Abera Bev Jenny

7 ETHIOPIAN AND ERITREAN FELLOWSHIP IN SONG AND PRAYER Our Ethiopian and Eritrean brothers and sisters from Westbrook and greater Portland are meeting weekly at Trinity in the fellowship hall for a Celebration of Prayer and Praise in their native languages. Worship will be on Sundays, April 5th, 12th and 26th at 4:00; and on Saturday, April 18th at 2:00. REJOICING SPIRITS meet on the third Sunday of each month at 4:00 pm. The worship is casual and user friendly for those with disabilities or mental challenges. We have a sign language interpreter. Families and caregivers, as well as anyone else who would like to attend are welcome. The next worship service will be Sunday, April 19th. The fellowship meal will be sponsored by the Social Ministry Committee. PRAYER GROUP Meets Wednesday at 11:15. Many prayer concerns have been lifted up and many thanksgivings have been raised. We invite all who cannot attend to consider praying with us at 11:15 on Wednesday from wherever you are at that time. There are prayer request cards and a box to place them in after they are filled out on the table next to the office door. ALL AROUND THE TOWN (Nice hat Jane!) COMMUNITY MEAL The Community Meal continues to take place here at Trinity at least until May while the Teen Center kitchen is being renovated. Every Wednesday from 5:00-6:00 we serve a free hot meal and warm fellowship, with food provided by Wayside Food Services. 268 meals were served in January and 348 meals were served in February. Volunteers are needed to cook, serve and clean up. See Jane Sinclair or Ted Deschambeault for more information. BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS are being offered at the community meal. THURSDAY NOON COMMUNITY MEALS prepared by and held at Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, 810 Main St., There is a suggested $5 donation but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Meals coming up: 4/2-Roast Pork; 4/9-Meatloaf; 4/16-Shepherd s Pie; 4/23-Chicken Pie; 4/30- Smothered Beef; 5/7-Ham and Mashed Potato To All: It was a wonderful surprise to come in Monday & find all the wonderful gifts of sweat pants, underwear & socks. I can t tell how much we appreciate them. Times are hard for a lot of families and this just makes it much easier. Thank you. We are blessed to have you! Peg, School Nurse & everyone at Congin School.

8 KID S KORNER Knock,Knock Who s there? Luke Luke who? Luke through the keyhole and you will find out. Deck of Cards Find and circle all of the words that are hidden in the grid. The words may be hidden in any direction. TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN JACK QUEEN KING ACE JOKER HEARTS DIAMONDS CLUBS SPADES THE LIGHT SIDE HANDY TIPS ld telephone books make ideal personal address books. Simply cross out the names and addresses of people you don't know. Avoid parking tickets by leaving your windshield wipers turned to fast wipe whenever you leave your car at a timed spot.

9 A Bit from Bonnie Without Easter, there would be no hope of heaven. Without the hope of heaven, there would be no repentance, no personal transformation, no attempt to follow biblical principles. Without Easter, the world would be in chaos and darkness. Jesus death and resurrection means we can be reborn, to live better, to do better, to shine light into the shadows. Hallelujah! Happy, Happy Easter. By Joanna Fuchs