Trinity Tidings. Trinity Lutheran. Church. Refugee Settlement Workshop at Holy Cross. Third Sunday of Easter 30. April Phone

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1 Trinity Tidings Thursday 27. April 2017 Trinity welcomes all to a community in Christ; serving others, growing in faith, living in hope, and reaching out in love. Trinity Lutheran Church Old Georgetown Rd. North Bethesda, MD When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. Luke 24:30-31 Refugee Settlement Workshop at Holy Cross This Saturday, 29. April, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm see the story on page 7. Phone office@trinityelca.org Web TrinityELCA.org Facebook facebook.com/trinityelca A Reconciling in Christ and a Stephen Ministry congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Third Sunday of Easter 30. April 2017 Assisting Us in the Liturgy this Sunday 8:15 am 10:45 am Acolytes Joshua B Assisting Ministers John B Nathan L Greeters Jane Ri & Eric S Peggy J Lectors John B Nicholas C Ushers Mike J & Joan E Mark P & Robert P Bread Bakers Carol B Coffee Hour Kathy T Petra T/Jon S & Diana M Altar Custodians Carol B Bulletin Assembly Noralyn D Tellers Peggy & Dick J

2 Stewardship Update as of 23. April 60 families have pledged $286,440 to our annual stewardship campaign. 65 families have pledged $481,440 to our 3 year mission appeal, and $269,358 has been contributed to BTAB! If you have returned your commitment cards, THANK YOU! If you have not returned your commitment cards for Grace Changes Everything and BIGGER than a Building!, please prayerfully consider the blessings God has given you and respond generously. The information for our annual stewardship program and our special mission appeal are on the Trinity web page under the Giving tab. Thank you and God bless you in your generosity! Sunday Christian Education for Every Adult! Adult Forum Sundays at 9:30 am Room 10 We will continue the study on Jeremiah. Luther Movie Night 2 POSTPONED! Originally scheduled for Saturday 6. May, we plan to reschedule the movie Luther the Heretic later in the year, most likely in September. Watch future Tidings and Trinitarians for the revised date. Third Sunday of Easter 30. April 2017 Acts 2:14a, Psalm 116:1-4, Peter 1:17-23 Luke 24:13-35 Table Grace At every meal, they held hands and prayed, "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest. Let these gifts to us be blessed." Fifty years of marriage, three children, and five grandchildren meant many meals were served and eaten around their table. The gifts and blessings at each meal were certainly the peas and carrots, chicken and rice, or even peanut butter and jelly, but they were also the tiny hands grasping peas from the high chair tray; the small hands with dirt under the fingernails from the playground. The gifts and blessings at each meal were hands that grasped handlebars, a softball bat, or a steering wheel. They were hands that wore an engagement ring, were tired from a day's work, were wrinkled with age, or ached from arthritis. They were hands that had done both good and ill, but were still welcome at the table. The gifts and blessings at their table were the hands of family and friends, but also of people from across the country and even across the sea. On their travels together they ate at many tables, each with the blessings of food and the gifts of people whose hands were of all different shades and shapes. And then her hands became thin and her skin like paper from the chemo, yet they carefully held the blessings of bread and wine the pastor brought to the kitchen table. The hospice chaplain brought the gift of a hand-knit prayer shawl and laid its softness in her hands. "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest. Let these gifts to us be blessed," she responded automatically. Many hands received the gift and blessing of Jesus' presence in the bread and wine at the communion table the day of her funeral celebrating new life. "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest." Grace our tables with your presence. Reprinted from Words for Worship, 2016 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress. 2

3 Remember in Your Prayers... the church our synod & bishops Bishops Elizabeth Eaton and Richard Graham our missionaries Stephen Deal & Marta Giron, Central America our congregation Trinity Church... the nations Afghanistan, Central African Rep., Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Liberia, Libya, Myanmar, Namibia, North Korea, Palestine, the Philippines, Russia, Somalia, South Korea, Sudan (Darfur), Syria, the United States, Yemen, and Zimbabwe... the sick and suffering nursing/rehabilitation center Margaret B, Aarondale Assisted Living Elaine D, Potomac Valley N. & W. Bruce S, Sunrise of McLean Philip T, Manor Care Potomac John W, Sunrise of Rockville home Billie J Fred K June L Craig O Rob W family and friends* Jenna B, niece of Jerry B Molly B, friend of Anita S Pam G, friend of Cathy C Ricki H, friend of Peggy & Dick J Eun J, friend of John J Chandran L, pastor of ICWF Jacob S, friend of Lisbeth N-D Noble S, cousin of Miriam M *For the family and friends, prayer requests will be kept on the list for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, please complete another prayer card. Thank you. Deaths Elizabeth (Betty) Y April 2017 member of Trinity funeral will be at Trinity 6. May at 1:00 pm This Week at Trinity Third Sunday of Easter 30. April :15 am Holy Communion 9:30 am Sun. Sch./Confirmation/ Adult Forum, 1 st Communion 10:45 am Holy Communion Mon. 7:30 pm Heavenly Handbells Tues 11:15 am Staff Meeting 7:00 pm Stephen Ministry Supv Thur 7:30 pm Trinity Singers Sat 1:00 pm Betty Y Funeral Next Sunday 7. May Fourth Sunday of Easter 8:15 am Holy Communion 9:30 am Sun. Sch./Confirmation/ Adult Forum, 1 st Communion 10:45 am Holy Communion 12:00 pm Potluck Lunch and Congregational Meeting Looking Ahead at Trinity 8 May Refugee Sponsor Train., 7:00 pm 9 Congregation Council, 7:30 pm 10 Men's J's, 1:00 pm 15 Trinitarian Deadline Birthdays 1 May Kathy L 3 Leah M, Anya N 5 Madeline B 6 Bob C Baptismal Days 30 Apr Vincent M 1 May Peggy J, Dan S 3 Atticus D, Logan D, James M 4 Ava P 5 Margaret F, Mina Anniversaries 30 Apr Jane R & Eric S 5 May Kathy & Dennis D, TJ & Lindsey D 6 Shirley & Wes O'B John (Jack) R April 2017 friend of Marilyn & Richard G 3

4 The Mission Endowment Fund will present six awards in April and May during worship, totaling $3, The awards have been chosen based on nominations received from the congregation and committee members. Since 2006, including this year's awards, the Mission Endowment Fund has awarded a total of $40, it is the gift that keeps on giving! The Semi-Annual Congregational meeting is Sunday, 7. May 2017, preceded by a potluck luncheon at 12:00 noon. Please bring a main dish, salad, side, or dessert to share. We will be electing Congregation Council members and reviewing achievements of The recipients of this year's awards are: Special Program and Building Purposes of Trinity Church Trinity Youth Mission Trip $ Trinity Columbarium Landscaping $ Please pick-up your First Quarter Statements Special Community Ministries Rainbow Place $ LSS Children s and Adoption Services $ in the Social Hall. Special Benevolence Projects Synod Fund for Serving Scholarships (to support ministry tuition) $ ELCA Disability Ministry $ Please consider gifts in honor or memory of loved ones or as part of estate planning and no gift is too small. It's simple just note Trinity's Mission Endowment Fund on the envelope and on the notes section of your check or use the designated envelopes in the pews. The Fund also accepts bequests of money, real estate or stock certificates. The Trinity Men's Group April meeting will be on Wednesday 10. May at 1:00 pm at Larry J's home in Leisure World. Leisure World is a gated community and the guard needs advance notice of how many are coming, so please let Larry know no later than 12:00 noon on Tuesday 9. April. Kim B Chair, Mission Endowment Fund First Communion! First Communion Sunday is 21. May, with classes beginning on Sunday 30. April. Please tell Anita or Pastor B if your child would like to receive First Communion. 4

5 The Word in Season for April-June 2017 is in the tract rack in the Social Hall. Living Lutheran magazine (April issue) is on the coffee table in the Lounge. Please take one to read & return it, if you wish. This subscription is a gift f r o m T r i n i t y ' s M i s s i o n Endowment Funds. Refugee Sponsorship Training Scheduled Trinity is moving ahead with co-sponsorship of a refugee family in partnership with Lutheran Social Services (LSS.) The next step will be for Trinity members to receive training from LSS. This two-hour session has been scheduled for 7:00 pm on Monday, 8. May. Mira Mendick, Community Resource Coordinator of Refugee & Immigrant Services, will cover specifics on the refugee program, cultural communication, and logistical information going forward. The training is required for any members who will have direct contact with the family. If you are interested but not able to attend the training, p l e a s e c o n t a c t K a t h y T a t kthrower24@gmail.com. Lutheran Social Services Mother s Day Shower Sunday 21. May As Mother's Day approaches, so does our annual supplies drive for LSS! This year we are collecting items that have to do with some of the children's programs at LSS: Youth Haven Camp and the Foster care program. These two programs need: Youth Haven Camp new pillows new pillow cases new sleeping bags large sized flip-flops (see Old Navy for sales) beach towels good quality swim googles soap bars men and women's deodorant body lotion women's spa (fuzzy) socks non-perishable healthy snack items (cheese crackers, pretzels, raisins, fruit cups) gift cards: ($10 Chick-Fil-A, Subway, Chipotle) $15 movie gift card Foster Program Mobile DVD players that staff can use in their cars when transporting children to and from family visits Supermarket cards Movie theater gift cards for family outings We will start collecting items on 14. May and continue to collect items until 21. May. If you have any questions, please contact Robyn K-V at robyn.b.kleiner@gmail.com. 5

6 Lutherans Come to North America Most of us know that Lutheranism had its start in Germany with Martin Luther. But when and how did it come over to North America? The story begins with the arrival of a pastor with a distinctive name, at least to our ears. On April 17, 1640, Swedish pastor Reorus Torkillus arrived in Fort Christina, near present-day Wilmington, Delaware. The Swedish government was developing a small settlement there and needed someone to attend to the spiritual needs of the Swedish immigrants. If we wish to see a sustained presence of Lutherans, though, we must wait about a hundred years. Germans had begun arriving in America in the 1680s, with most settling in Pennsylvania and upstate New York but others heading for Louisiana and the southeastern colonies. Many were fleeing poor conditions in Germany, and though they brought their beliefs from home, there was, at first, no provision for Lutheran pastors. But in 1741 Lutherans in Pennsylvania issued a call to a thirty-year-old pastor in Saxony, Henry Melchior Muhlenberg. He arrived in Philadelphia in Muhlenberg turned out to be an excellent choice. Not only was he untiring in his pastoral work, but he laid the foundations for what would become the Lutheran church in America. He helped more congregations to organize and call pastors. He called into existence the first North American organization of Lutherans, the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. He helped prepare a standard Lutheran liturgy and create a constitution. He even contributed deeply to a hymnal published in Henry Melchior Muhlenburg Lutherans kept coming from different European lands. Swedes and Norwegians settled largely in the upper Midwest; Danes were more widespread. German immigrants were concentrated in a band across the northern part of the country, but they also established concentrations in places like Missouri and Texas. Slovaks, heirs to Luther s predecessor Jan Hus, also arrived. Often these groups set up their own separate church systems, such as the Augustana Synod, the Norwegian Synod, and the German-based General Synod. Then there were groups that formed in opposition to teachings of the earlier groups, like the Hauge Synod and the Missouri Synod. Mergers have occurred, but so have divisions. Currently the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is by far the largest Lutheran body in the United States, followed by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and many smaller bodies. But the story doesn t end with the first immigrations from northern Europe. The nineteenth century brought increased missionary activity to the scene, and in time some of those who had been taught by these missionaries also came to North America, bringing their own Lutheran customs. So now our mix includes heritages such as Ethiopian, Nigerian, Liberian, Korean, Chinese, Indian, Palestinian, Brazilian, and many more. Where can your congregation trace its roots? 6

7 Refugee Resettlement Workshop The Holy Cross Parish Community invites you to an evening of learning, conversation, and action on Saturday, 29. April from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Social Hall, Holy Cross Church, 4900 Strathmore Ave., Garrett Park, Maryland. Always With an Open Heart: Encountering our Brothers and Sisters who are Refugees To begin this family-friendly event. we will gather together in Holy Cross Social Hall for a simple meal. After dinner, the children (ages 3-10) will visit various stations in classrooms at Holy Cross School to learn about the issues, while adults will stay in the Social Hall to engage in dialogue about the current refugee crisis, what the needs are, and what we can do to encounter our brothers and sisters and help. The adult presentation will feature 3 speakers: Luis F. Mendez, Foreign Service Officer and Regional Refugee Coordinator for W. Africa, will describe the scope of the current crisis. Seme Ayane, Program Manager of Catholic Charities Refugee Service Center and Trafficking Victims Assistance, will speak about the services offered by Catholic Charities to recent refugees in the DC area. Kate Tromble, Pastoral Associate for Social Justice in Holy Trinity Parish in Washington, DC, will talk about the decision by Holy Trinity Parish to sponsor a recently resettled refugee family with the help of Lutheran Social Services. A freewill offering will be accepted to help defray food costs, and to benefit Catholic Charities. To help us in planning, please RSVP the number of adults and children to Dan Bowen at hcgpjustice@gmail.com We hope you will join us! 7