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 18, 2016 ~ Sunday (18) Tuesday (20) Wednesday (21) Saturday (24) Sunday (25) Monday (26) Tuesday (27) Wednesday (28) Sunday (Jan 1) This Week FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT Holy Eucharists ~ 8:30 and 11:00 am Sunday School: 9:45 am (Children & Youth Classes) Congregational Meeting: 9:45 am (Trinity Hall) Christmas Family Festival: 3:00 pm Children s Song, Cantata, Children s Pageant, Dinner Free Community Dinner: 5:30 pm (Presbyterian Church serving) Christmas Eucharist at Colonial Courtyard: 11:00 am Faith & Fun After-School Ministry will NOT Be Held This Week Bell Choir Rehearsal: 6:00 pm Vespers / Evening Prayer: 7:00 pm Anthem Choir Rehearsal: 7:30 pm (Cantata rehearsals have concluded) Christmas Eve: 6:00 pm Festival Candlelight Eucharist with Children s Homily & Kids Sing 8:30 pm Festival Candlelight Eucharist with Bell Choir 11:00 pm Festival Candlelight Eucharist with Anthem Choir & Brass Ensemble Next Week CHRISTMAS DAY 10:00 am (1 Liturgy) ~ Eucharist with Readings and Carols Church Office Closed Free Community Dinner will NOT be served this week Christmas Church Walk: 6:00 pm (Beginning at St. John s UCC Churc) Faith & Fun After-School Ministry will NOT be Held this Week Bell Choir Rehearsal will NOT be held this week Vespers / Evening Prayer will NOT be held this week Anthem Choir Rehearsal will NOT be held this week NEW YEAR S DAY / Feast of The Circumcision of our Lord & St John the Evangelist 10:00 am (1 Liturgy)
As We Venture through these Days of Advent The Days of Advent bring us the wonderful invitation to hear, in a new way, the Lord s promise to come again in glory to banish the darkness, lift up the broken, and restore the earth. 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 reflect His way and 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. Trinity s 247 th Annual Congregational Meeting Sunday, December 18; 9:45 am ~ Ministry Team Highlights ~ Accomplishments during 2016 & Plans for 2017 ~ 2017 Parish Ministry Budget ~ Allocates Resources for Our Worship, Learning, Fellowship & Outreach Ministries ~ Election of New Council Members ~ Nominees Include Tammy Crawford, Lisa Hagenbuch, Wynn Leppert, Betsy Littlefield & Sue Prescott Resources for this Meeting are available as PDFs via Trinity s Web Site. Please contact the Church Office if you desire Printed Copies. Sunday Fellowship Time ~ Please Join Us! Parishioners and friends are invited to gather in Trinity Hall following the 8:30 am Liturgy (prior to Sunday School & Adult Forum) for conversation and light refreshments. Please join us! We really appreciate the willingness of parishioners and friends to share refreshments and serve as our weekly hosts. If you and your family enjoy eating the refreshments, please take a turn, once or twice a year, providing them. A sign-up sheet is posted in Trinity Hall. Thank you to this morning s hosts, Trinity Church Council Poinsettia Display for Christmas Liturgies 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 a special Poinsettia Envelopes. And Volunteers to Help with the Poinsettia Deliveries, too Marlene Claycomb is coordinating the deliveries, and would very much appreciate the help of 5 or 6 volunteers. If you are willing to lend a hand, please register on the sign-up sheet in Trinity Hall. Deliveries can be made at your convenience on Thursday or Friday, December 29 or 30. 2
Please Come and Enjoy Trinity s 49 th Annual Family Festival Sunday, December 18, 2016 ~ An Afternoon of Holiday Fellowship for Families and Friends of the Parish ~ ~ Beginning at 3:00 pm in the Nave ~ Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head ( Appalachian Cradle Song, Arranged by Terry Osman) Sung by our Children & Cantata Choir Followed by Tidings Of Comfort And Joy A Christmas Cantata shared by The Parish Cantata Choir under the direction of Composer, Terry Osman Followed by Just A Little Christmas A Christmas Pageant shared by the Children of the Parish Led by Children s Ministry Coordinator, Liz Miller Followed by Our Traditional Parish Holiday Dinner Prepared by Parish Volunteers and served by Youth of the Parish Please Plan to Help in Some Way and to Join us for the Afternoon! Christmas Candlelight Liturgies O Come, Let Us Adore Him! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24 6:00 pm ~ Festival Eucharist, with Children s Song & Homily for Children 8:30 pm ~ Festival Eucharist, with Trinity s Bell Choir 11:00 pm ~ Festival Eucharist, with Brass & Trinity s Anthem Choir ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25 10:00 am ~ Eucharist, with Readings and Carols 3
Worship & Music Ministries Bell Choir & Anthem Choir Rehearsals Wednesday Evenings: Bell Choir ~ 6:00 pm Anthem Choir: 7:30 pm Bell Choir rehearses at 6:00 pm and the Anthem Choir rehearses at 7:30 pm Wednesday evenings. If you enjoy singing and making music, please offer your time and talents and join with our ministries! Please see Terry Osman or Susan Casteel if you have any questions. Please note that our Cantata Choir has concluded their Wednesday evening rehearsals and the Anthem Choir rehearsals will return to their customary 7:30 pm rehearsal time this week.. Vespers / Evening Prayers Wednesday Evenings; 7:00 pm Parishioners and friends gather to share our prayers in the serenity of this ancient, contemplative liturgy of canticles and readings on Wednesday evenings (7:00 pm). Vespers is a shorter liturgy, lasting about 25 minutes or so. Please pass the word, and join us. Bedford Community Christmas Church Walk Wednesday, December 28; 6:00 pm ~ Beginning at St John s UCC @ 6:00 pm Parishioners, friends and neighbors will gather for this annual tradition, coordinated by the churches of our down-town Bedford Community. This year s walk begins at St John s UCC (144 W. John Street). As we tour our down-town churches, we ll read the Christmas Story from the Scriptures and sing traditional carols. The Church Walk s final stop will be at the Bedford United Methodist Church, where we ll enjoy some light refreshments. Young and old alike have caused this event to grow each year. Please, as you are able, join us! Children & Youth Ministries Join Us for Sunday School ~ Sharing and Growing in Faith! Sundays at 9:45 am Make sure you don t miss out on the great happenings with our Children s Sunday School ministries. At Sunday School, our kids learn the stories of the Faith through singing, dancing, coloring, cooking, and a whole lot of other fun and exciting activities. There is a great group of volunteers who share the tasks of leadership, too! See Liz Miller, or call the Church Office, with any questions. Please remember that Sunday School Classes will NOT be held Sunday, December 25 or Sunday, January 1. We will resume with a Special Epiphany Day All-Family Gathering, on Sunday, January 8. Faith and Fun ~Our After-School Ministry Note: Faith & Fun will NOT meet on December 21 & 28 We re enjoying another wonderful year of Faith and Fun with Kindergarten ~ 5 th grade children! At Faith & Fun, our kids learn the stories of the Bible and the blessings of the Faith through activities, lessons and games. Transportation is provided from the Chestnut Ridge Schools and Bedford Elementary School each week. To register your child, to join our crew of volunteers, or to ask any question, please contact Liz Miller at 717-818-4218. 4
Adult & All-Parish Ministries All-Parish Epiphany Celebration & Blessing of the Doors Sunday, January 8 ~ 9:30am Parishioners and friends are invited to gather in the Narthex immediately following both liturgies on January 8, 2017 for the Blessing of the Doors. At this rite, families will be given the opportunity to take some chalk home with them to mark their own residences. After the blessing (following the 8:30 am liturgy) we will gather in Trinity Hall for refreshments, hosted by the Women of Trinity, and to work on an Epiphany craft, coordinated by Liz Miller and Lisa Hagenbuch. It is certainly a morning you won t want to miss! Adult Forum ~ The Art of the Church Sunday Mornings; 9:45 am ~ Beginning January 15, 2017 Beginning January 15, 2017, we ll begin our next Adult Forum series, which will be a 7-week study entitles The Art of the Church. Pastors Weinhold & Short will lead us in an exploration of Iconography, Architecture, Painting, Statuary, Choral & Instrumental Music, and Hymnody. Plan to join us, at 9:45 am, in Trinity Hall. Outreach Ministries December s Special Ministry Highlight and Appeal The Bedford Food Outreach Our local food pantry is an incredible organization that serves over 400 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 c. $0.25/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. Thanks, in advance, for your continued and generous support! Salvation Army Bell Ringing Volunteers ~ It s time to sign up! Trinity Rings from Monday, December 12 through Saturday, December 24 Last year s Kettle Drive received donations of more than $21,000! ~ donations which have been providing warmth and shelter for low-income families and neighbors in our Bedford Community this past year, thanks to the generosity of local shoppers and the work of many, many volunteer ringers. Ring with a friend, ring solo, ring with your mentor or confirmand, take a child or 2 and make it a family affair. (Let s be sure there is always at least 1 adult on site). The schedule, which is posted in Trinity Hall, runs from Sunday, December 12 through Saturday, December 24. There are a variety of weekday afternoon and evening shifts, as well as weekend mornings and early afternoon shifts, to accommodate a variety of schedules. 5
Free Community Dinner ~ Ecumenical Ministry Hosted by Trinity and Served every Tuesday Evening; 5:30 pm Trinity is the host and coordinator of the Free Community Dinner ministry which serves a warm and nutritious meal to neighbors and friends of our community every week. It is also a beautiful witness to ecumenical friendships, as we work together with 5 other local congregations. Trinity s next evening to serve is Tuesday, January 3, 2017. Recycling Stewards at Trinity We re always looking for ways to embody our proclamation that Creation is a beautiful and most blessed gift from God. One small way that we do this is by collecting much of the paper, plastic, metal, and glass that amasses here at Trinity. If you would be willing to collect these goods and set them out with your own recycling, or drop them off at the local township building. please sign up to be a Recycling Steward for a month, in Trinity Hall. See Pr David with any questions. Other 2017 Altar Flowers, Sanctuary Lamp, Sunday Bulletins, and Lutheran Missionaries Parishioners and friends who would like to celebrate a special event or remember a loved one are invited to do so by sharing an offering to sponsor the Flowers, Sanctuary Lamp, weekly Bulletins, and/or our Lutheran Missionary. Your gift is a great way to give thanks for a special occasion (birthday, anniversary, etc.) or remember a loved one. Flower Sponsors have their choice of sponsoring 1 vase ($30) or 2 vases ($45) and the flowers are YOURS to take home (or deliver to a special friend of their choosing) after the 11:00 am liturgy. If you choose to leave them at the Church, they ll adorn the altar throughout the week. Please talk with Kathie in the Church Office with any questions about sponsoring the altar flowers, bulletins ($20), our Missionary to Africa ($25), or the Sanctuary Lamp ($5) 2 Quilt Auctions, supporting local Charitable Organizations A locally-created Quilt, made of Vera Bradley materials, is being raffled to benefit the local Salvation Army Service Unit. Chances can be purchased at Juli s Wearable Art, on Pitt Street. A locally-handmade Queen Size Quilt is being raffled to benefit the Bedford Food Outreach. Chances are available at Altoona First Bank, on Pitt Street. Have you Considered Your Automated and Online Giving Options? Did you know you can: Establish regularly-scheduled offerings to Trinity from your Regular Checking/Savings Accounts. Establish regularly-scheduled offerings through Vanco Financial Service s Simply Giving. Establish regularly-scheduled offerings or occasional 1x special gifts to Trinity using your Paypal Account, via Trinity s website. Automated Giving provides a convenient and secure avenue for sharing our offerings. Automated Giving helps us give consistently of our First-Fruits. Automated Giving helps us support the ministries of the Church, even during those weeks when we cannot attend Sunday Liturgies. 6
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 & Sue Prescott Adult & All-Parish Ministries Team: Sandy Zembower Outreach Ministry Team: Kevin Rizzo & Denise Steele Property Ministry Team: Ben Altman & Jeremy Vent Finance & Stewardship Ministries Team: Jay Cessna & Don Replogle Upcoming Ministry Team Meetings: o January 8, 2017 (Sunday); 1:30 pm ~ 2017 Church Council Orientation Meeting & Dinner o January 23 (Monday); 6:00 pm ~ Finance & Stewardship Ministry Team o January 23 (Monday); 7:00 pm ~ Property Ministry Team o January 25 (Wednesday); 5:00 pm ~ Parish Musicians o January 30 (Monday); 6:00 pm ~ Children & Youth Ministry Team o January 30 (Monday) 7:00 pm ~ Adult & All-Parish Ministry Team o January 31 (Tuesday) 6:00 pm ~ Worship & Music Ministry Team o January 31 (Tuesday) 6:00 pm ~ Outreach Ministry Team 2017 Church Council Orientation & Planning Meeting and Dinner Sunday, January 8, 2017 New and Returning Members of our 2017 Church Council will be installed to their offices Sunday, January 8, at the 8:30 and 11:00 am liturgies. We ll gather at 1:30 pm (1/8), to begin the work of evaluating our recent past year(s), and planning for our ministries through the upcoming years and into the future. We ll also elect our 2017 Officers and coordinate our Ministry Teams leadership responsibilities for the year. We ll adjourn at/by 4:30 pm Then, we ll gather at Hoss s (near the Turnpike Interchange) for dinner. Spouses/Guests are invited to join us. Please be sure to confirm your attendance plans with Kathie by Wednesday, January 4. 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 December 16 Attendance: 204 Tithes & Offerings: $6,708.00 Year to Date: $305,452.93 Thank You for Generously Supporting the Ministries of Trinity! 7
Parishioners and friends who would appreciate prayer and pastoral visitation while sick, hospitalized, or recuperating are asked to contact the church office and alert Pr Weinhold or Pr Short. 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 Pray for The Church, especially All Servants of the Church, especially Bp Michael, Pr Weinhold & Pr Short, our Liturgical Deacons, and all who labor for the Gospel. Parishioners and friends who serve on our Church Council and Ministry Teams. Our Sunday School Teachers, Faith & Fun Club Leaders, and Choir Members. The charitable work of the Bedford Food Outreach, and those whom they serve. The ministries of the Salvation Army, those who ring the bell, and those whom they serve. Please Pray for Our Nation and the World, especially Those who lead and govern the Nations of the World Our President-Elect and Vice-President-Elect and those who will serve in their Cabinet Police Officers, First-Responders, Fire Fighters, and those serving in the Military. Please Pray for Parishioners, Family Members & Friends, especially Nancy Batzel, Ann Bittner, Becky Bortz, Don Claycomb, Deb Cornell, Brian Kolander, Rick Martin, Olive McDaniel, Mark Nelson, Steve Palmateer, Peg Roadman (12/18) ) ~ Owen Taylor (Joe, Nanette, & Rylan Schnably s friend), Tom Bingham (Doug & Carol Feather s friend), William Loomis (Amanda Claycomb s fiancé) (12/11) ~ Pat Greenland (Bell Choir Ringer), Matt Zubak (Donna s son) (12/4) ~ Lisa Wise (Joyce s daughter-in-law), Joyce Corle (Tammy Hess s mother), Pr Jack Timm (local pastor), Rodney Moser (Liz Speicher & Becky Toth s brother), Bonnie Schnably (Joe s cousin) Rest Eternal Grant Them, O Lord Melinda Mouse Grass (12/12 Dorothy Vensel s friend), Frank Bittner (12/12), Katie Cunard (12/6), William Koontz (12/3 Bill s father), George Toth (11/27 Natalie Boyer Toth s father-in-law), Nick Macchiarolo (11/20 Mike s brother), Donna (Feger) Moyer (11/14 Carol Feather s cousin), Larry Cooper (11/5 Fred & Arlene Fluke s friend), Robert Appleman (11/1 Carol Feather s uncle), Elroy Backman (10/23 Marilyn Homoki s brother) To The Glory of God Flowers ~ In memory of Dawayne Diehl and Lucy Pittman by Dwight & Rose Diehl Organ Flowers ~ In memory of Richard Smith by Donna Zubak and family Bulletins ~ In honor of Mr. & Mrs. Homer Wertz by Janet Wright Missionaries ~ In loving memory of George Toth by The Boyer Family Sanctuary Lamp ~ In memory of David Kagarise by his wife, Freda, and sons In honor of Rhys Altman s 4 th birthday 8