Trinity Lutheran Church Proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ 106 W. Penn Street, Bedford, PA 15522 ~ ph: (814) 623-8813 Office Hours: Monday-Friday; 9:00 am - 5:00 pm e-mail: trinitylutheranbedford@gmail.com website: www.trinitylutheranbedford.com Pastoral Emergencies after Office Hours: Pr Weinhold (410) 971-3495 * Pr Short (814) 977-4741 Parish Announcements ~ December 3, 2017 ~ Sunday (3) Tuesday (5) Wednesday (6) Thursday (7) Friday (8) Sunday (10) Monday (11) Tuesday (12) Wednesday (13) This Week FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT Holy Eucharist: 8:30 & 11:00 am Parish Advent Day Activities: 9:45 am Children & Adults ~ Christmas Cantata Rehearsal: 10:30 am (Choir Room) Trinity Hikers: 1:00 pm (The 1000 Steps Hike near Huntingdon, Pa.) Free Community Dinner: 5:30 pm (Presbyterian Church serving) Trinity Book Club: 1:30 pm (1788 Inn) High School Hang-Out: 6:00 pm (Parish House) Faith & Fun (After-School Children s Ministry): 3:15-4:30 pm Bell Choir Rehearsal: 6:00 pm Vespers: 7:00 pm Christmas Cantata Choir Rehearsal: 7:30 pm Anthem Choir Rehearsal: 8:00 pm Women of Trinity: 6:30 pm (Parish House) Young Adult Night: 6:00 pm (Parish House) Next Week SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT Holy Eucharist: 8:30 & 11:00 am Sunday School & Adult Forum: 9:45 am Christmas Tree & Church Decorating Party: Noon Children s Christmas Pageant Rehearsal: 2:00-3:30 pm Youth Group: 2:00-3:45 pm Altar-Nave Renovation & Property Team Meeting: 6:00 pm Free Community Dinner: 5:30 pm (JLG serving) Faith & Fun (After-School Children s Ministry): 3:15-4:30 pm Bell Choir Rehearsal: 6:00 pm Vespers: 7:00 pm Christmas Cantata Choir Rehearsal: 7:30 pm Anthem Choir Rehearsal: 8:00 pm
The Days of Advent are upon us The Days of Advent bring us the wonderful invitation to hear, in a new way, the Lord s promise to come again in glory and restore the earth, banish the darkness, lift up the broken, and restore all creation. These are Holy Days, observed by Christians since the 6 th century. As we remember his promise and anticipate his coming, we reflect, in an intentional way, on our response to Christ s call to be a people of peace, a people of compassion, and a people of charity, and we strive to amend our lives to more-faithfully respond to His call. Like a mini-lent, Advent is a time to pray more fervently, to worship more regularly, to share more generously, and to live more graciously. All-Parish Advent Day Celebration Sunday, December 3; 9:45 am Parishioners and friends of all ages are invited to share in our annual All-Parish Advent Day in Trinity Hall. Adults can enjoy some conversation and fellowship while our children work on painting Christmas Crèche (manger scene) figurines. Please Join Us! Adults and Children who are singing this year s cantata, O Come, Little Children, are meeting in the Choir Room this morning at 10:30 am for a quick run-through. Please make every effort to be a part of this rehearsal. Please see Terry or Liz with any questions. Worship & Music Ministries Choir Rehearsals Bell Choir at 6:00 pm Cantata Choir at 7:30 pm Anthem Choir at 8:05 pm. If you enjoy singing and making music, we would love to welcome you into one (or all!) of our choirs! A Special Cantata Choir Rehearsal ~ As the activities of Advent Day wrap up on Sunday Morning, December 3 (about 10:30 am) the children of the parish will gather in the Choir Room with the Cantata Choir to sing through this year s Christmas Cantata, in preparation for the Family Festival event (which is set for Sunday, December 17; 3:00 pm). Please see Liz Miller, Terry Osman, or Susan Casteel with any questions. Vespers Wednesday Evenings; 7:00 pm Parishioners and friends are invited to gather Wednesday evenings as we sing Evening Prayers (aka Vespers ), an ancient, serene, and contemplative, candle-lit Monastic Order of canticles, readings, and prayers. If you are searching for a quiet time of reflection and prayer in the midst of a busy week, Vespers is just what you are looking for! Please pass the word, and join us. Holiday Decorating Day at Trinity ~ Join the Fun! Sunday, December 10; Noon Parishioners and friends are invited to share in this long-standing holiday tradition of decorating the church for the upcoming holidays! We begin with a light lunch, prepared and served by Lois Boyer, and then spend an hour or so decorating the Parish Christmas Tree and other areas of the church. Please sign up in Trinity Hall if you ll be joining us! Adults, Youth, Kids, Families Everyone is Welcome! 2
Children & Youth Ministries Sunday School ~ Please Join Us! Sundays at 9:45 am Sunday School will NOT gather for regular Classes today (12/3) as we celebrate Advent Day Our pre-school children through Sr High Youth typically gather every Sunday to celebrate, explore, and grow in the Faith. We appreciate the dedication of a great group of volunteer leaders and helpers who make this all happen in a wonderful way! Please check with Liz Miller if you would like to join in the fun! Faith and Fun ~ After School Ministry w/ Kids in Grades K-5 Wednesdays; 3:15-4:30pm Children and friends of the Parish explore Bible stories, work on crafts, and share in activities and games. We provide bus transportation from the Bedford Elementary School and the 2 Chestnut Ridge Elementary Schools, and a shepherd to walk the kids across the street from St Thomas School. Parents are asked to pick-up their kids, at Trinity, at 4:30 pm. Please see Liz Miller with questions. Thanks! to our amazing volunteers and helpers! Thanks! to Nicole Clark for sponsoring this week s snack. High School Hangout Tuesday December 5; 6:00-8:00pm All Senior High Youth are invited to another relaxed evening together in the Parish House. We will have dinner, conversation, and then try out a new game that is sure to be a blast! Please sign up in Trinity Hall so adequate food can be prepared. Youth Group Sunday, December 10; 2:00-3:45pm All youth are invited for another afternoon together full of food, games, fellowship, and Kiva. We will put each other s skills to the test with some wild competition, have some nice conversation with one another, and look after our neighbors with Kiva grants. We hope you can join us! Be sure to sign up in Trinity Hall! Children s Christmas Pageant Rehearsal Sunday, December 10; 2:00-3:30 pm Children of the parish, and friends, are looking forward to sharing another inspiring Christmas Pageant ~ complete with shepherds, angels, wise-men, and of course - the Holy Family, for families and friends of the parish to enjoy as part of our 50 th Annual Christmas Family Festival, on Sunday afternoon, December 17. Simply come to the rehearsal on Sunday, 12/10, and you ll be suited-up and put in the lime-light! See Liz Miller with any questions. 3
Adult & All-Parish Ministries Trinity Hikers ~ 1,000 Steps Today, Sunday, December 3; 1:00 pm Come walk with us, as we tackle The 1,000 Steps hike, near Huntingdon PA. We will leave Trinity at 1:00pm and caravan together to the trail head. From there we will hike to the top of the mountain, enjoying the beauty and functionality of 1000 steps carved into the mountainside. We ll meet at the Church and car-pool and/or caravan together. Please note that there is a bit of travel time attached to this hike and plenty of incline as we trek up the mountainside. But we will make the most of our extended time together by stopping for dinner together on the way home. We hope you can join us for this adventure! Please sign up in Trinity Hall! Trinity Book Club Tuesday, December 5; 1:30 pm The Trinity Book Club will meet on Tuesday, December 5, 1:30 pm, at the 1788 Inn on Rt. 30 in Breezewood. Our December book choice is Martin Luther's Christmas Book, edited by Roland H. Bainton. This is a collection of 30 excerpts from Martin Luther's Christmas sermons. Please contact the group s coordinator, Pat Macchiarolo (814-977-2436) if you can join us! Women of Trinity ~ Growing Merriment Thursday, December 7; 6:30 pm All women of the parish and friends are invited to join us for Holiday Surprise II, which will be hosted in the Parish House. Please wear something that sparkles and bring a $5 wrapped gift that, in some way, relates to growing. The gift might be comical, meaningful, religious, silly, or practical. A sign-up sheet is posted in Trinity Hall for those planning to attend. Trinity Young Adult Night Friday, December 8; 6:00 pm ~ In the Parish House All young and youngish adults are invited to the Parish House for our next Young Adult gathering. We will enjoy a casual evening of food, fellowship, and festive banter. It is always a good time together! Please bring along a side dish to share and your favorite beverage if you re picky. This time we will gather as Adults Only. Please sign up in Trinity Hall! Adult Forum ~ The End Times Sunday, December 10; 9:45 am As we read the Scriptures, we often encounter fascinating passages that are full of wild images and talk of the end times. While passages such as these can be incredibly interesting, they have often been misinterpreted in rather frightening ways. As we gather, we ll talk about apocalyptic literature, its defining characteristics, how it is meant to be read, and what messages are really being shared. We ve already discussed the Book of Daniel and St Matthew s Little Apocalypse (Chapter 24). On December 10, we ll turn our attention to the Revelation of St John of Patmos. Please join us, in Trinity Hall! See Pr Weinhold or Pr Short with any questions. 4
Sr Adult Fellowship Luncheon Christmas Lunch at the Landmark ~ Thursday, December 21; Noon Wear something green, red, and festive, and join us for lunch and fellowship at the Landmark. We order from the menu and enjoy the conversation and fellowship of one another as we eat our noon-day meal. A sign-up sheet is in Trinity hall for parishioners and friends who plan to attend! Chicks with Sticks ~ Knitting & Crocheting Group Thursday, December 28; 6:30 pm in the Parish House If you knit or crochet (or are interested in learning), you are invited! Bring along a current project or plan to work on a shawl with the group. If you would like to learn more about our Prayer Shawls for parishioners and friends in difficult times, please check with Mary Ann Martz (839-2403). Outreach Ministries The Bedford Food Outreach December s Special Ministry Highlight and Appeal The Bedford Food Outreach is an incredible organization that serves over 375 low-income families each month, plus hundreds more at the (almost) weekly special fresh-produce distributions. Our financial gifts, shared during the month of December, will be used by Bedford Food Outreach to purchase bulk foods at incredible savings. Cereal, for example, can be purchased for $0.20/pound! Please share your gift for this Ministry by using a special envelope. If you enclose a check, please make it payable to Trinity Lutheran Church. Volunteers are always welcome and needed to help with the BFO s work. Please check with Dan Kerr (623-6384) to learn more and/or volunteer. Thanks, in advance, for your continued and generous support! Shoppers for this Year s Winter Clothing Ministry Thank You! We ve had a great response, and are serving 39 children this year! Please bring your purchases to the stage in Trinity Hall on Sunday or Monday, Dec. 10 or 11(please - NO earlier!). Check with Kathie, in the Church Office, to turn in your receipts for reimbursement. Please check with Mary Ann Martz (839-2403) or contact the Church Office with any questions. Salvation Army s Kettle Drive Ministry ~ 2 Hour Shifts A Great Way to respond to God s Call to serve those in need! Trinity is once-again taking the lead among local churches and civic groups to promote a successful 2017 Kettle Drive, to provide food, shelter, and utility assistance to local low-income families. Our shifts at the Save-A-Lot Grocery Store during the afternoons/evenings and weekends of the week of December 11-17 are pretty-well full. Thanks, so much! Evening shifts are still available at Walmart on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays during the next few weeks. Please visit the sign-up sheet which is posted in Trinity Hall to claim a shift (or 2). Contact the Church Office, or see Pr Short with any questions! 5
Free Community Dinner ~ Ecumenical Ministry Hosted by Trinity and Served every Tuesday Evening; 5:30 pm Trinity hosts and coordinates the Free Community Dinner ministry which serves warm and nutritious meals to neighbors of our community every week. It is also a beautiful witness to our ecumenical and community friendships, as we work together with 5 other local congregations and one area business. Trinity s next turn to serve is Tuesday, December 19. A sign-up sheet is posted in Trinity Hall for parishioners and friends who can help prep & serve the meal. THANKS! for all the support so many parishioners and friends continue to share with this ministry! Other Updates and Notes Bibles, Bibles, Bibles! On Display in Trinity Hall One of the promises that parents make during the baptism of their children is to place in their hands the Holy Scriptures. This is a wonderful responsibility and privilege of parenting! But, as kids grow, it can be difficult to find quality and age appropriate resources to help with this task. Please check out the display which we ve arranged in Trinity Hall with some good Bible options for various age groups. They are arranged from Pre-K and Under Story Bibles all the way up to Study Bibles for Adults. Everything you see can be found conveniently online (most on amazon). So take a minute, give the table a look, and if anything interests you you know where to find it! Trinity s 248 th Annual Congregational Meeting Sunday, December 17; 9:45 am Parishioners and friends are encouraged to take the time to share in this annual official meeting of the congregation where we ll hear about the ministries we ve shared this past year and some of the directions we re envisioning for the year(s) ahead. We ll elect 4 new members to serve on our Church Council. We ll adopt our Parish Ministry Budget for 2018. We ll act on the recommended proposal of the Altar-Renovation Team. We ll act on the recommended amendments to Trinity s Constitution and By-Laws. We ll express our thanks to our Congregational Leaders and Staff. Please visit Trinity s Website, where these materials are being uploaded for review prior to the meeting. Contact the Church Office if you would appreciate printed copies in advance of the meeting. Christmas Family Festival s 50 th Annual Gathering! Sunday, December 17 3:00 pm ~ Cantata Choir, with Children 4:00 pm ~ Children s Christmas Pageant... 4:30 pm ~ Fellowship & Refreshments Trinity s annual Christmas Family Festival began in 1968 as a Social Event for the 6 congregations of the Greater Bedford Lutheran Parish. Through the years, we ve enjoyed Cantatas, Youth Plays, Children s Pageants, Carol Sings, and wonderful dinners. We re looking forward to hosting our friends from our neighboring congregations, renewing acquaintances, and enjoying the special music, children s pageant, and refreshments as we host this special 50 th Year event. We hope you ll invite family and friends, and plan to join us for the afternoon! 6
Poinsettia Display for Christmas Liturgies Sponsorships by Sunday, December 17; $10.00 Parishioners and friends are invited to sponsor poinsettias in honor and/or in memory of loved ones, which will adorn the church during the liturgies of the Christmas Season and then be delivered to parishioners in special circumstances. Please enclose your $10.00 contribution in one of the special envelopes which are available with the bulletins and in Trinity Hall. Contact the Church Office with any questions. Deliverers Needed ~ A sign-up sheet is posted in Trinity Hall for parishioners and friends who are willing to help deliver the poinsettias (any time Thursday-Saturday, 12/28-30) to fellow-parishioners who are homebound or in other special settings. Please see Marlene Claycomb with any questions. Please Help Us Plan for our Altar-Nave Renovation Project! To help with the financial planning for the proposed Altar-Nave Renovation Project, parishioners and friends are asked to respond to the special letter which was recently mailed by indicating the financial support which we re willing to share with the project. We appreciate the responses we have received to date, and look forward to receiving even more through the weeks ahead. Church Council & Ministry Team Notes President: Sue Prescott Vice President: Kevin Rizzo Secretary: Denise Steele Treasurer: Jay Cessna Worship & Music Ministry Team: Jennifer Bailey & Lois Boyer Children & Youth Ministries Team: Tammy Crawford & Lisa Hagenbuch Adult & All-Parish Ministries Team: Sue Prescott & Betsy Littlefield Outreach Ministry Team: Kevin Rizzo & Denise Steele Property Ministry Team: Wynn Leppert & Jeremy Vent Finance & Stewardship Ministries Team: Jay Cessna & Don Replogle Upcoming Ministry Team Meetings and More: o December 10 (Sunday); Noon ~ Parish Christmas Decorating Event o December 11 (Monday); 6:00 pm ~ Altar-Nave Renovation & Property Teams Meeting o December 17 (Sunday); 9:45 am ~ Trinity s 248 th Annual Congregational Meeting o December 17 (Sunday); 3:00 pm ~ Christmas Family Festival s 50 th Anniversary Gathering Worship Attendance & Offerings Our Worship and Tithes are an out-pouring of our Gratitude for our Lord s Gracious Gifts of Life and Salvation. This Past Week ~ through November 30 Attendance: 203 Tithes & Offerings: $4,861.00 Year to Date: $291,678.84 7
Thank You for Supporting the Ministries of Trinity so Generously! Please contact the Church Office to have family and/or friends included in the Prayers at Sunday Liturgies and on the Parish Prayer List. Please be sure to notify Pr Weinhold or Pr Short if you would appreciate visitations and prayers during hospitalizations or extended home-bound recuperations. For The Church Our Bishops and Pastors in Christ, Missionaries, Deacons, and all who labor for the Gospel. Parishioners and friends who serve on Church Council, as Teachers of our Children & Youth, and as servants on various Ministry Teams. The Ministry of the Bedford Food Outreach, especially those who serve, those who share gifts and resources, and those who are served and fed. The Ministry of the Salvation Army, those whom they serve, and those who donate their time to ring the bell! For Our Nation And All Peoples Of Creation Those who serve in offices of government and leadership. Police Officers, Fire-Fighters, First-Responders, and those serving in the Military. Victims of violence and terror, and refugees For Parishioners, Family Members & Friends In Times of Special Need Howard Atkinson, Ann Bittner, Becky Bortz, Harry Clark, Rodney Pete Moser, Raymond Nave, Matthew Peck, Ed Seager, Carmena Stoney, Charlie Welsh, Sharon Wertz, Sandy Zembower (12/3) ~ Irene Holland (Dean & Jennifer Bailey and family friend), Bonnie Schnably (Joe s cousin) (11/26) ~ Marian Lippert (Gretchen Fleischer s sister), Connie Miller (Willa Lehman s friend), Don Whitford (Sr Anna Mary s husband) (11/19) ~ Janet May (Fred Shumaker s friend), Dustin Moyer (Mary Ann Martz s friend), Ned & Margaret Stumpf (Fred Shumaker s friends) For Those Who Have Died and Those Who Mourn ~ Rest Eternal Grant Them, O Lord Ray Nave (11/21), John Waugerman (11/15), Jane Gorman (11/8 Donna Zubak s great aunt), Robert Kerr (11/8), Members of First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, Texas ((11/2), Susan Moyer (11/3 Carol Siegfreid s friend), Sr Anna Mary (10/29), George Cassel (10/23 Howard Atkinson s friend), Janet Critchfield (10/10 Susan Casteel s cousin) To The Glory of God Flowers ~ In honor of all children by Miriam Peck Bulletins ~ In honor of Fred Fluke s birthday by his family Sanctuary Lamp ~ In honor of Vivian McElroy by Jim & Linda McElroy In loving memory of JoAnn & Allan Boyer by Dan & Lois Boyer 8