Trinity Lutheran Church

Transcription

1 T R I NITY TIDINGS Trinity Lutheran Church November, 2014 God s preferred future for Trinity Lutheran Church What is it? What is God s preferred future for us? Every organization must periodically hold up a mirror to itself and ask some basic questions: Who are we? Where are we going? How are we going to get there? And for a church, the question becomes even more direct: What is God s preferred future for us? There will be a lot of voices trying to answer the question for us. Some will even sound good and successful. But I frame the question in a faith context. It must be God s preferred future and not ours. In the month of November you will be asked to fill out a church health assessment. It is roughly 90 questions. It takes roughly 15 minutes to complete. This is the first step in a long spiritual discerning process to better define our mission in the world today. From this assessment, we will take time this winter to gather in cluster s to ask ourselves very challenging questions. Perhaps by the spring, we may try some new approaches to ministry; we may rewrite our mission statement. Or maybe we will simply spend more time in prayer as God s preferred future for us unfolds. Please engage with us in this process for the sake of Christ and his church. We do this so that all may know of God s never failing love for his people. See you in church, Pastor Gary WE NEED YOUR HELP FOR BUDGET PREPARATION!! The Church Council, with the help of the Finance Committee and Trinity Staff, will be preparing the Mission Spending Plan (aka Church Budget) for 2015 for you to consider at the Annual Congregational Meeting in February Through the month of October, the Congregation received materials and heard about the ongoing missions at Trinity. The Congregation also received a 2015 Estimate of Giving Card (aka Pledge Card) to prayerfully consider, fill out and return. If you have already returned your card, Thank You! If you have not had an opportunity to make your family decisions concerning your 2015 Estimate of Giving, please consider doing so in the very near future. If you have any questions about the church budget process, please contact Pastor Gary or any of the Church Council. This is YOUR Mission Spending Plan. YOUR timely assistance will help the Church Council prepare a suggested Mission Spending Plan in a prayerful, timely manner. Yours in Christ, Julie Dresel, Church Council President After Thanksgiving, the Giving Tree will be set up in the narthex. Take a tag, purchase the requested item, return it to the church, and bless others this Christmas season! More details next month! Senior Christmas Luncheon For those 55 and older Friday, December 5th at noon Program by Pastor Mike Jacobson Tickets available November 16 & 23 or in the church office before 11/26 $12.00 ticket includes ham dinner, au gratin potatoes, green beans, roll & dessert. Invite a friend to join you!

2 November Scripture Readings November 2: 2 Kings 5:1-14, Matthew 8:2-3 November 9: Micah 5:2-4;6:6-8, Matthew 9:13 November 16: Isaiah 36:1-3, 13-20; 37:1-7, 2:1-4 Matthew 5:14 November 23: Jeremiah 1:4-10; 7:1-11 Matthew 21:12-13 November 30: Habakkuk 1:1-4;2: 2-4; 3:17-19 Matthew 26:36-38 Acolyte Schedule November 2: 8:00 Savanah Hoard, Abby Johnson 10:00 Jaeden Bannister, Jamie Hall, Austin Grovender, Emily Severson November 9: 8:00 Quinn Johnson, Adam Shoberg 10:00 Conner Hartmann, Vanessa Dervie November 16: 8:00 Gabrielle Fisk, one needed 10:00 Mercedes Wilson, Lydia Langevin Michaela Johnson, Sydney Schroeder November 23: 8:00 Nick Hunziker, Brandon Swanson 10:00 Abbie Webster, Blake Loftman, Ashley Darst, Mercedes Wilson November 30: 8:00 Bradey Swanson, Clint Mattson 10:00 Ashley Darst, Alison Will. Abbie Webster, Mercedes Wilson Dates to remember: All begin at 6:30 pm unless noted Wed 11/5: The Lord s Prayer Wed 11/12: Small Group Fellowship Wed 11/19: The Lord s Prayer Wed 11/26: Thanksgiving Worship 7 pm OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD Trinity Lutheran Church is again participating in Operation Christmas Child. Now you can make a difference in the life of a child by participating in this mission project. Boxes and instructions for filling them are available in the Narthex between services. There is also a box for donating individual items. If you are unable to fill a full box, not sure what to put in, or do not have the time, go ahead and pick up some items that can be put in a box and the high school youth will organize and fill them for you! We will be having a packing party on November 12th and are looking for as many items as possible to fill up our shoe boxes. Donation boxes can be found in the Narthex.Mark your calendars: Shoeboxes are due Sunday, November 16 th. Date Night November 22! Date Night is here again! We invite you to have a date night and let youth high school youth watch your children! Our next Date Night will be November 22nd from 5pm-10pm. We hope to see you and your children there! Articles for the December Tidings are due November 17 The women s book club meets the first and third Wednesday of each month. New members are welcome to join at any time! Any questions call Barb Mork at We are having a wonderful time in Sunday School this fall! On October 12th, the preschool-2nd graders got to "interview" Pastor Gary...they learned a lot about him, his family, and his thoughts about God :-) On October 26th, we had a great of kids receive their Bibles! Please continue to keep all of the Sunday School students and teachers in your prayers as we explore our new Bibles and lessons! We have also started practicing for the Christmas Program...yes the Christmas Program! The songs will be coming home soon so your child can practice at home. We will have Sunday School every Sunday in November except for November 30 as it is Thanksgiving weekend. Sunday School has a lot to be thankful for as we approach Thanksgiving...here are just a few things: all the people of Trinity who have supplied us with snack and craft supplies so far. Kevin Malone, Barb Mork, and Amy Parucci for sharing their story reading talents in September & October...we are looking forward to an exciting November full of new readers! Thanks also to Adam Shoberg for bringing Disciple Dog to life every Sunday and all of our other 6-12th grade helpers! Page 2 T RI NI TY LUT HER A N CHURCH

3 Trinity Senior High Youth Group fall 2014: November: -5 th Movie Night -12 th Service Project Christmas Shoe Box Assembly -19 th Discussion & Activity evening What does Thanksgiving have to do with being a Christian? -26 th Thanksgiving 7pm Events: Newsboys Concert: November 7 pm. Cost of $10 per youth. Sign up with Tashina. Sleep Out at Gustavus Adolphus College November FREE event for youth to gain awareness of homelessness and learn about hunger issues, and think about what is being done and what can be done, through a faith lens. We will spend a night without a home! More Info to come soon! Check us out on or facebook at TLC Youth Group North Branch. Welcome New Members! SISTER is coming for the 65 th Annual Advent Tea 6:30 pm, Tuesday, December 2nd $6.00 Sister comes to Trinity! Get ready for Christmas with the energy and inspiration of the performing trio Sister. Minnesota born and bred, these three singing sisters will feel like family to you as they present The Best Gifts of the Season. These Norwegian women bring all of their love for small towns, Scandinavian heritage and the Lutheran church to the stage in a warm, inviting, harmonious, humorous and sincere presentation that draws the audience in and leaves them with a glow in their hearts. Original arrangements of Christmas classics, a live reading from Gudren of her charming poem Be an Elf for Yourself and The Aunts with their festive Food song are all woven together in preparation of the birth of Jesus! Get ready to share the good news! Come and enjoy as we celebrate 65 years of setting the tone for the Advent season with carols, candles and cookies Sister is a dynamic sure to put you in the holiday spirit. This year we are having the tea catered by Joni Monk so not only are we switching the night this year, but we are selling tickets! Who says Lutherans can t change? Tickets will be available after church in November or in the church office. Trinity welcomed these new members on Sunday, October 5. Top Row: Mike & Mary Jo Banken, Deb Hermel, Sam & Kaia Fairbanks. Bottom Row: Heather, Jared & Addison Bonetti, Lori & Jeff Peterson, Carrie & Jim Jorgenson. NOVEM BE R, 2014 Page 3

4 2 Worship Service/ 9 Worship Service/ 16 Worship Service/ 23 Worship Service/ 30 Worship Service/ 4 54:45 pm JAM Youth Choir 19 2:00-4:00 pm Fare for All Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 9:00 Sunday School Table 9:00 Sunday School 9:00 Sunday School Shoeboxes Due 9:00 am Sunday School NO Sunday School 9:00 pm Youth Lock in :30 am Quilters 17 5:00 pm Thrivent December newsletter articles due :00 pm Council Meeting :30 pm New Creation 6:30 pm Confirmation 6:30 pm High School Youth 6:45 pm Women s Book Club 9:30 am Patience/ Hope Circle 1:00 pm Love Circle 4:45 pm JAM Youth Choir 5:30 pm New Creation 6:30 pm Confirmation 6:30 pm High School Youth 4:45 pm JAM Youth Choir 5:30 pm New Creation 6:30 pm Confirmation 6:30 pm High School Youth 6:45 pm Women s Book Club 7:00 pm Thanksgiving Eve Worship Service 6 7:30 am Women s Bible Perkins 13 7:30 am Women s Bible Perkins 20 7:30 am Women s Bible Perkins 7 7:00 am Men s Bible Oak Inn 14 7:00 am Men s Bible Oak Inn 21 7:00 am Men s Bible Oak Inn :00-10:00 pm Date Night 8 Page 4 T RI NI TY LUT HER A N CHURCH

5 Gifts Given to the Glory of God Financial Update January 1 - September 30, 2014 To the Cemetery Fund in memory of Melissa, niece of Butch & Sharalyn Olson & Duane & Eileen Fisk from Karen Nelson To the elderly fund in memory of Gertrude Sorenson from Steve & Shari Denny Budgeted Actual Unified Fund Income $243,818 $258,845 Expenses $255,702 $254,877 -$11,884 $3,968 Special Gifts Income $63,615 Loan payoffs $51,209 $12,406 Special Notes: * No moneys from our Line of Credit or savings were needed over the slower summer months. * A balanced budget was approved by the congregation in February This budgeted information is shown in the Budgeted column above and reflects our normal ebbs and flow in giving and expenses - and how it affects us on a month-by-month basis. * With our balanced budget, all of the additional moneys given (beyond what was owed in actual loans) are projected to be available by the end of the year - assuming all pledged offerings are made and we incur no additional expenses beyond those budgeted. Building Mortgage Bank balance as of 8/31/14 $41, Sept deposits $11, Sept withdrawls (mortgage pmt) -$8, Interest earned $3.54 Bank balance as of 9/30/14 $44, Mortgage Balance as of 9/30/14 $933, at 4.625%; interest rate renews 7/2016; loan matures 7/2026 Finance Committee, Molly Koecher (treasurer), Dennis Aulich, Tom Hals, Kristin Ferguson, Kaia Fairbanks Jeopardy question of the month: Christ the King Sunday, November 23 rd, Answer: What is the last Sunday of the season of Pentecost and of the church year? The new church year begins with the 1 st Sunday of Advent which is November 30 th. Happy New Year! ALTAR GUILD Serving for the month of November Nan Hult & Karen Young Christmas Eve Worship Services will be held at 2:30 pm, 4:00 pm, 5:30 pm, and 10:00 pm Mortgage Refinance Current Interest Rate 4.625% Current Balance $933, Current Monthly Payment $8, Next Rate Review Date 07/2016 Loan Maturation Date 07/2026 New Interest Rate 4.125% Estimated New Payment $8,318 Fees $3,500 New Rate Review Date /2019 Loan Maturation Date 07/2026 Monthly savings $ Months in period 60 Savings $13,857 Less Fees -$3,500 Total Savings $10,357 In September the Council approved the refinance of our mortgage. Over the next 5 years this refinance will save us approximately $10,357. This refinance does not extend the term of our existing loan which matures in 7/2026. The Finance Committee NOVEM BE R, 2014 Page 5

6 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID North Branch, MN Permit Lincoln Trail PO Box 447 North Branch, MN Return Service Requested Mailing Label November 2014 Partners in Ministry: The People of Trinity Church Office: Church Fax: Church Office Hours: Monday Thursday 8 am 3 pm Sunday Worship 8:00 a.m.& 10:00 a.m. Church office@trinitynorthbranch.org Church website: Gary Guptill, Pastor gguptill@trinitynorthbranch.org ext. 12 Suzie Hischer, Bookkeeper shischer@trinitynorthbranch.org ext. 37 Mary Johnson, Sunday School Coordinator mjohnson@trinitynorthbranch.org ext. 15 Tashina Good, Coordinator of Youth Ministries tgood@trinitynorthbranch.org ext. 13 Deb Aulich, Director of Worship and Arts daulich@trinitynorthbranch.org ext. 14 Julie Morgan, Church Office Manager jmorgan@trinitynorthbranch.org ext. 10 Cheryl Immel: Financial Recorder cimmel@trinitynorthbranch.org Roger Anderson, Head Custodian Office Help: Judy Weiss Sharon Fairbanks Missionary: Alison (Lindberg) Haupt Our Sister Congregation in Tanzania ~ Pawaga Church Council Members: Julie Dresel, Council Chair Dan Peterson, Council Vice-Chair Doug Fischer, Jeff Johnson,, Molly Koecher, Mary Anderson, Vicki McDougall, Rich Lundberg, Steve Mork Thanksgiving Eve Worship 7pm Wednesday, November 26