November 24, 2010                                                                                      

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church   





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Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Greetings!
hingeThese are hinge days. Last Sunday marked the end of a church year. We festively celebrated Christ the King Sunday. With Pr. Denver Bitner, president of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, we were reminded that we honor a different kind of king whose reign is revealed in works of justice and love. With choir and trumpet our voices resounded: This is the feast of victory for our God.

Our scripture readings in November had to do with the end of the world and the Day of the Lord. And it seems like we begin where we ended, for next Sunday we hear more readings about the coming of the Son of Man at the end of time.

Maybe our lives are in a hinge in-between place more times than not, if we really think about it. There's always something ending or dying, and something beginning or coming to life.

In these hinge days we are caught between seasons. Though not yet Thanksgiving, and days away from Advent, the stores and streets are decked for Christmas. Yet we will gather Thursday with loved ones to share a festive meal, and to pause to remember the blessings in our lives. May you rejoice in God's bountiful grace on Thanksgiving Day.

Then get ready! Hinge, indeed! Advent is coming. Christ is coming. And things are going to get stirred up. The scriptures will surprise, shock, and challenge us. The blue of Advent is meant to seem a bit out of place in all the holiday overdrive of our culture. So come next Sunday as we begin a new year of grace together. Come and sing the great hymns of Advent. Come and gather together as we look for the signs of the end--but in God's mercy, the beginning!

Pastor Craig M. Mueller


UPCOMING SUNDAY - Advent I

AdventThe new church year begins with a wake-up call: Christ is coming soon! In today's readings both Paul and Jesus challenge us to wake from sleep, for we know neither the day nor hour of the Lord's coming. Isaiah proclaims the day when God will gather all people on the holy mountain and there will be no more war or suffering. Though we vigilantly watch for the promised day of salvation, we wait for what we already have: Christ comes among us this day as the word and meal that strengthens our faith in the promises of God.

Schedule this Sunday:
  • 8:30 a.m. - Simple Eucharist
  • 9:15 a.m. - Choir Rehearsal
  • 9:30 a.m. - Holiday Fair Trade Bazaar
     
  • 9:30 a.m. - Adult Forum and Sunday School
  • 10:30 a.m. - Sung Eucharist 
     
    • Music: Choir
  • 11:45 a.m. - Holiday Fair Trade Bazaar
     
Sunday Forum

This Sunday: Reflecting on the Scriptures of the Day
Seminarian Cuttino Alexander
9:30 a.m. (St. Mark's Room - upstairs)

Lessons for Next Sunday

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
By your merciful protection
save us from the threatening dangers of our sins,
and enlighten our walk in the way of your salvation,
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

GENEROSITY APPEAL 2011



We have received two-thirds of our anticipated commitments. In order to plan for the 2011 budget, we would like to receive commitments by this coming Sunday.

THREE WAYS TO RESPOND:
1) Send an e-mail to the church office
2) You can use this online form
3) Use this form and mail or bring it to the office

Thanks for your support!
In This Issue
New And Noteworthy
Last Sunday's Sermon
Upcoming Events, Opportunities, and News
Calendar
In Our Prayers
Among Our Community
Quick Links
VolunteerHub
CELEBRATIONS
BIRTHDAYS:
 Joanne Roeder  11/24
Mia Bonarigo  11/26
Scott Hendrickson  11/27
John Duncombe  11/28
Samuel Stelter  11/28
Catherine Nero  11/29
Mary Nero  11/29
Hope Wilson  11/30
Ron Bogan  12/01
Rose Cline  12/01
Bruce Beal  12/02
Leslie LeSage  12/02

BAPTISMS:
Belle Craig  11/30
Colleen Hanna  11/30
Aana Vigen  11/30
Rafael Jimenez-Rivera  11/30
Anna Vicknair  11/30
Jessica Sime  12/1
Alison Strickler  12/1
David Easterbrook  12/2

ANNIVERSARIES:
Dorothy Klefstad  12/1
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
Attendance Last Sunday
8:30 - 20; 10:30 - 133

Thanksgiving Eve Service and Pie Reception

7:00 p.m. Wednesday/Thanksgiving Eve, November 25.
Please bring canned goods/food items or cash donations for the Lakeview Pantry.

Holiday Fair Trade Bazaar

This exciting sale will be after each service on 11/28 and 12/12, and in between services on 12/5. This year we will be offering hand-selected goods from SERRV through the Lutheran World Relief Handcraft Project - Divine Chocolate advent calendars, toys for kids, cards, serving pieces, jewelry, ornaments and more! By buying Fair Trade you are supporting a more equitable distribution of the world's resources, promoting global economic stability and world peace. So give your loved one a beautiful hand-made item AND the gift they've always wanted: a bit of Peace on Earth.

VoicesTake the Voices Online Survey

As we prepare for what is next in our ministry together at Holy Trinity, we need to hear all of your voices! If you have not taken the online survey, click here. It will take 5 - 10 minutes. All the responses will be used at a leadership retreat on January 22, 2011 as we develop an umbrella strategy to guide our planning in months to come.

Advent Bread-baking Retreat
Saturday, December 4,10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

During the December rush, spend some time with others in quiet reflection and breadbaking, marking the wonderful season of Advent. Sign-up by December 1st.
Read more here (scroll down on the 2nd Wed. page)

Thrivent Financial Elections

Sunday December 5th Holy Trinity will be the polling place for the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans North Cook County-Chicago Chapter Leadership Board. All Thrivent Financial Members are eligible to vote for the leaders of this important organization. Ballots will be available in the back of the church following each worship service. If you have any questions please contact Tim Peterson by email or phone (312-663-3917).

Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols
Sunday, December 12 @ 4:00 p.m.

It's one of the musical events of the year
Featuring the talents of our own choir and string ensemble
Invite a friend, neighbor or colleague
Come sing some great Advent hymns
Find some quiet space in the pre-holiday rush
Gather with the Holy Trinity community for this special December event

Lessons and Carols

Advent/Christmas at Holy Trinity
candle
  • Saturday, December 4 - Advent Breadbaking Retreat, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 5 - food4thought, 11:45 a.m.
  • Sunday, December 12 - Lessons and Carols for Advent, 4:00 p.m.
     
  • Wednesday, December 15 - Advent service (with the St. Cecilia Recorder Consort), 7:00 p.m.
  • No Wednesday evening services on December 23 and 30
  • Friday, December 24 - 4:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Eucharist (especially for families)
  • Friday, December 24 - 10:00 p.m. The Christ Mass (Festival Eucharist)
  • Sundays, December 26 and January 2 - One service at 10:30 a.m.; No 8:30 a.m. service or Sunday School/Forum
  • Sunday, January 2 - 10:30 p.m. Christmas/Epiphany Festival (with children's participation)
food4thought
Food For Thought

food4thought
Select Sundays, 11:45 (following the 10:30 a.m. service)



Meet some of the great people of Holy Trinity

Enjoy a healthy, delicious meal

Engage a stimulating topic

The meals prepared for food4thought support local farmers, educate volunteers from the congregation in healthful cooking, and help us care for creation through organic and sustainable food systems.

Ways You Can Help With the Meals:
  1. Help with the cooking and learn some new recipes/techniques with our chef, Matthew Peterson. Attend the 8:30 am service, and help prepare the meal from 9:15 - 11:45 a.m. (Four volunteers needed each date).
  2. Bake and bring bread (3 - 4 loaves to serve about 40).
  3. Bake and bring dessert (3 persons)
  4. Help clean-up from 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. (4 persons)
    Sign-up for one of the above.

TOPIC FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5
Leap of Faith: A Journey from Marketing and Meetings to the Mountains of Montana
What is it like to drop everything for a chance to follow a life dream? This spring Sarah Hanson decided to leave her marketing communications position to pursue her long-time passion for photography. Recently back from a five-month intensive training course in Missoula, Montana, she will share photos, stories and lessons learned from taking a leap of faith in the quest for a new career.

LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON

Christ the King
November 21, 2010
Pr. Denver Bitner

Transcript not available. Click the link below to listen online.

Listen to the sermon here.
Listen to the entire service here.
FURTHER UPCOMING EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND NEWS
PAWS Chicago Opportunity

Each December, PAWS has an adopt-a-thon, and in anticipation of the large numbers of cats and dogs adopted, PAWS taps its foster network for people to care for dogs and cats before the adopt-a-thon. Fostering would be for a finite period of time (probably 2-4 weeks), and there is no obligation to do more, although people are obviously welcome to continue fostering if they wish. You can request dogs or cats of specific sizes, can already have pets or not have pets, and/or request pets that are child friendly, even for different age groups (eg, a dog great with kids 10+ but not preschoolers, cats who love to be around babies, etc.). If the pet has any medical conditions PAWS covers the cost of treatment.

If people are interested, they would need to attend a foster orientation and fill out an online application. However, PAWS said if we get 12 or more adults from Holy Trinity who are interested, then they will set up a special session for us. If we have fewer than 12, then Beth Morris can work with congregants to get them into the foster network. With questions, contact Beth.

"Team Trinity"

Please consider joining Team Trinity today!  VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Check the 'Team Trinity' site for upcoming opportunites.  It is Holy Trinity's goal to register as many members on-line to assist in helping with our ministry projects within the community.  Simply log-in now and sign-up online to volunteer today: http://holytrinity.volunteerhub.com.  Let's serve those in need together!

VolunteerHub

Dates to Remember:
  • Wednesday, November 24 - Thanksgiving Eve Eucharist (7:00 p.m.)
     
  • Saturday, December  4 - Advent Bread-baking Retreat (10:00 a.m.)
  • Sunday, December  5 - Food4thought - Leap of Faith (11:45 a.m.)
  • Sunday, December 12 - Lessons and Carols for Advent (4:00 p.m.)
  • Saturday, January 22 - VOICES Retreat (9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
     
New Members: View pictures/bios of new members from January here, May here, and October here.
Next Baptism Dates: Jan. 9, Feb. 27, Apr. 23, 2011. More info.
Next New Member Orientation Dates: Jan. 30, May 1, 2011.  More info.

Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs., 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Wed., 1:00-8:00 p.m.; and Sun., 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 
CALENDAR
WEDNEDAY, NOVEMBER 24
    7:00 p.m.  Thanksgiving Eve Worship and Pie Reception (Nave)
    7:30 p.m.  AA (St. Mark's Room)
    7:30 p.m.  SAA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25
     Church Office Closed - Thanksgiving Day
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28
    8:30 a.m.  Simple Eucharist
    9:15 a.m.  Choir Rehearsal
    9:30 a.m.  Holiday Fair Trade Bazaar
    9:30 a.m.  Adult Forum, Sunday School
    10:30 a.m.  Sung Eucharist
    11:45 a.m.  Holiday Fair Trade Bazaar
    1:30 p.m. Memorial Eucharist for Alice Peppler
WEDNEDAY, DECEMBER 1
    10:00 a.m.  Revelation Bible Study - Rossing Ch. 6
    7:00 p.m.  htVespers
    7:30 p.m.  AA (St. Mark's Room)
    7:30 p.m.  SAA (Passavant Hall)
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4
    10:00 a.m.  Advent Breadbaking Retreat
   

COMMEMORATIONS FOR THE WEEK
Wednesday, November 24 - Justus Falckner, died 1723; Jehu Jones, died 1852; William Passavant, died 1894; pastors in North America
Not only was Falckner the first Lutheran ordained in North America, but he published a catechism which was the first Lutheran book published on the continent. Jones was the Lutheran church's first African American pastor and carried out missionary work in Philadelphia which led to the formation there of the first African American Lutheran congregation (St. Paul's). William Passavant helped to establish hospitals and orphanages in a number of cities and was the first to introduce deaconesses to the work of hospitals in the United States.

Thursday, November 25 - Isaac Watts, hymnwriter, died 1748
Thought by many to be the greatest hymnwriter in the English language, Watts as a youth was critical of the quality of the metrical psalter of the time. He wrote about 600 hymns-many based on the psalms, but others that are not.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010 - Andrew, Apostle
The first of the disciples to be called by Jesus, Andrew quickly began to bring others to the Savior, including Simon Peter. The Bible also shows him leading some Greeks to meet Jesus, and he brought forward the boy with five loaves and two fish, with which Jesus fed thousands.

From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2010 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #26481.
IN OUR PRAYERS
Those ill or in special need: Those grieving the death of Alice Peppler; Christine, friend of Susan Twetten; Mary Cannon; Sam Patitucci; Samuel Zangri; Patti Ann Smith; James Emery; Brent Vicknair; Sam Horcher; Leon Steven's father, John Stevens; Colin and Veronica Fiegel; Sam and Ang Zangri; Mark Sauer; Barbara Wahler's friend, Jim Haring; Jen Hopwood's friend Gabrielle; Bill Glawe, Garrett Glawe's grandfather; The Levine family; Alan Stang, Jeff Stang's father; Paul Weber; Kate; Scott Johnson's mother, Virginia Johnson; Chris Stelter's grandmother; Rick Boyum's mother; Victor Jimenez; Jonathan Chell's friend, John; Vivian Carter; Marji Shannon's sister; Ken Duckmann's nephew, Anthony Drago.


Those in leadership: President Barack Obama and members of congress; Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson and Metropolitan Chicago Synod Bishop Wayne Miller; the pastors, staff and congregation council at Holy Trinity.


Serving in the Military: Benjamin Brackley, in Afghanistan.
Metropolitan Chicago Synod Prayer Rotation:
  • Christ Lutheran Church, Melrose Park, IL
  • Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession, Bishop Dr. Stanislav Pietak
  • Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod, Bishop evin S. Kanouse

Ministries Supported by Holy Trinity: ELCA World Hunger Appeal; RefugeeOne; Lakeview Action Coalition; Lakeview Pantry; Lakeview Shelter; Lutherans Concerned; The Night Ministry; Christian Peacemaker Teams; Arise Chicago; Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches; The Lutheran Volunteer Corps; Anti-Racism Team of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod; Holy Family Lutheran Ministries; Lutheran Youth on the Northside (LYONS).
CheckitOutCHECK IT OUT!
ConvictionConviction is a true story of a sister's love for her brother that is so radical and astonishing that it takes one's breath away. There is a spiritual quality to this rare kind of kinship; it includes self-sacrifice, loyalty, and total commitment.The movie tells the story of an innocent man convicted of murder and his sister's determination to free him from prison.

Mentioned in the November 14 sermon at Holy Trinity

Read a review. Check it out.
AMONG OUR COMMUNITY
Curtis Duffy, chef at Avenues restaurant received two stars in the Michelin guide for 2011! Read more here. Congratulations, Curtis!

A memorial eucharist for Alice Peppler will be held next Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Please send news about awards, new positions, life passages and other important events in your lives for this section of our e-news.
AMONG OUR COMMUNITY
Curtis Duffy, chef at Avenues restaurant received two stars in the Michelin guide for 2011! Read more here. Congratulations, Curtis!

A memorial eucharist for Alice Peppler will be held next Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Please send news about awards, new positions, life passages and other important events in your lives for this section of our e-news.
HOLY TRINITY E-NEWS is the weekly electronic newsletter of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago. To unsubscribe click on "safeUnsubscribe" below. E-newsletter submissions and prayer requests should be sent to office@htchicago.org by Monday at 4:00 p.m.

Website: www.holytrinitychicago.org
 
Josh Judd-Herzfeldt and Craig M. Mueller
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church