Endowment-A Financial Cornerstone
That Sustains and Grows
by David Easterbrook, Chair of Holy Trinity's Endowment Committee and Curator of the Africana Library at Northwestern University.

Probably, like me, you know little about Holy Trinity's past. I remember our congregation was established in the 1850s and there have been several locations, each one moving further north until reaching our present location in 1923. We have a few historical artifacts in our midst: the portrait of William Passavant in Passavant Hall, the photograph of the 1890s Ladies' Aid in the kitchen and the memorial plaques accompanying most windows. Also, the sanctuary has been restored to look much like it did in the 1920s.

Something else I know about Holy Trinity's history is that there was a very difficult period in the 1990s when the future of Holy Trinity was in doubt. Closing the doors was a possibility. But a combination of commitment by the small Holy Trinity community, extensive space-sharing arrangements and proceeds from our endowment assured the future.

Holy Trinity's endowment is the result of an unrestricted legacy gift from two sisters, Esther and Lillian Person, long time Holy Trinity members who were born in the 1890s and died in the 1970s. Their parents were Swedish immigrants. Louise Goos remembers them as very active and committed participants in the life of Holy Trinity who were always at church.

The endowment that assured Holy Trinity's continuation through tough times has provided for all of us the opportunity today to be part of a dynamic faith community that enriches each of our lives in so many ways.

A newly established Mission Endowment Committee seeks to build the endowment for the future, for purposes we may never know, providing ways to extend our mission and outreach. Watch for further news of the Committee's plans, and please don't hesitate to ask any Endowment Committee member for more information.

Endowment Committee members: David Easterbrook (chair), Steve Hopwood, Dana Johnson, Ryan LaHurd, Mike Schnell.

Send a note to David with your comments or reflections!

NEXT SUNDAY

June 3 - The Holy Trinity

June 3 Schedule - FESTIVAL OF THE HOLY TRINITY 

• 9:30 a.m. - Festival Eucharist and Baptisms 
• 10:45 a.m. - Holy Trinity Picnic
  This is a party for everyone! This year's picnic includes two special events: spiritual face painting and balloon animals. We'll provide food to grill and games for the young at heart. You bring a side dish or dessert to share. We'll gather in our beautiful garden for a relaxing picnic lunch. The celebration begins immediately following the worship service. Please contact Megan Eichorn or Pastor Sevig if you have questions or to volunteer to help.  

Weekly readings 

Prayer of the Day
Almighty Creator and ever-living God: we worship your glory, eternal Three-in-One, and we praise your power, majestic One-in-Three. Keep us steadfast in this faith, defend us in all adversity, and bring us at last into your presence, where you live in endless joy and love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

President
Meggen Saka

Vice-President
Kelley Bender

Secretary
Megan Whitaker

Treasurer
Steve Hopwood

Outreach
Kristi Harreld, Sarah Hanson

Social Ministry
Ken Duckmann

Finance
Don Marsh

Property
John Flowers, Leon Stevens

Spiritual Life
Megan Eichhorn

Worship
Johanna Olson

Tonight, 6:00 p.m. Contemplative Eucharist
 - Celebrating the Visit of Mary to Elizabeth

After thirteen years of weekly Contemplative Eucharists on Wednesday evenings, we will celebrate the last service of the season tonight. There will be no midweek services during the summer. Beginning next fall there will be periodic Contemplative Eucharists and weekly liturgies during the seasons of Advent and Lent.

Church Office Closed

Please note that Josh will be on vacation from May 27 - June 3. The church office will open again Monday, June 4.  Pastor Mueller will be in the office through Thursday and will be attending the synod assembly on Friday and Saturday. 

Sunday: Picnic with Face Painting and Balloon Animals! 

This is a party for everyone! This year's picnic includes two special events: spiritual face painting and balloon animals.We'll provide food to grill and games for the young at heart. You bring a side dish or dessert to share. We'll gather in our beautiful garden for a relaxing picnic lunch. The celebration begins immediately following the worship service. Please contact Megan Eichorn or Pastor Sevig if you have questions or to volunteer to help.lp.

Worship Times - Open Forum - June 10

An open forum will be held Sunday, June 10, following the 9:30 a.m. service to hear some results of the Worship Times survey; share concerns, ideas and conversation regarding the worship schedule at Holy Trinity; and to discuss the above in light of the Voices guiding principles.

Ordinary People/Extraordinary God

Vacation Bible School (VBS) this year will be August 6-10 at Luther Memorial Church in Ravenswood. Young adult counselors from Lutherdale Bible Camp will bring the camp experience to us in the city and lead the older children on a fun-filled faith adventure. The younger children will also have fun playing games, doing crafts and exploring Bible stories.

Through the lens of Biblical characters the youth will experience that God's love is for all, that we are God's children, that God is with us in hard times, that God's love transforms us, and that we are called by God in this world. Please register quickly, deadline to register is June 15.

Last Week's Attendance 

9:30 a.m. - 110 (Pentecost with choir and strings)  

HT Kids Pictures - Phase II

Now that we have a number of children "on the wall" in our Sacred Space Gallery, it's time to see our "Old Kids." Yes, we want the adults in our community to bring in pictures (framed, ready to hang) of themselves-both yesterday and today. Please bring in separate pictures and we can have fun guessing which grown picture goes with which little picture. You can bring your photos to Josh in the office. Contact Barbara Wahler if you have any questions.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

During the first month of ministry we have gifted five prayer shawls to member and friends of Holy Trinity. It's an exciting new venture and we invite you to join us on Sunday, June 10th after worship for a brief meeting and some time to stitch and pray with others. HTLC's Prayer Shawl Ministry group is fun, creative and relaxing, and we welcome all people, whether beginner or advanced. If you have questions please contact Patrice Macken.

VOX 3 Concert - Veiled Faces

The girls tell their side of the story in this recital that pairs history's great composers with several world premiere compositions! Many of the female characters in the Bible are nameless, forever hidden-fascinating characters known to us only as "Lot's Wife" or "The Bleeding Woman." Others are infamous, like Jezebel, whose name has become a symbol for a brazen, lustful woman. Still others are both familiar and mysterious, like Eve, who glimpsed both paradise and a fallen creation, or Mary, who trembled at the angel's words, then at the foot of her son's cross. Major works by Hindemith, Fauré, and Handel are featured alongside new songs and cycles by Chicago composers Amos Gillespie, Adam Gustafson, Randall West, Eric Malmquist, and Randall Moore. The program will be performed four times, with varying music and performers. Performances will be on May 27, 31, June 1, 3. Please visit the VOX 3 website for specific repertoire and performer information.

"Team Trinity" Volunteer Opportunities

Please consider joining Team Trinity today! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Check out Volunteer website 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

--The Lakeview Pantry

Holy Trinity members help hand out food at the Lakeview Pantry on the third Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. For more information or with questions, contact James Perez.

--The Crib

The Night Ministry has reopened their youth/young adult homeless shelter, The Crib. Holy Trinity will be preparing and serving a meal once per month. On the third Saturday of each month, volunteers will meet at Holy Trinity at 7 p.m. to prepare the meal, then will head to The Crib to serve the meal. For more information, speak with or email Ken Duckmann.

--The Night Ministry Outreach Bus

Holy Trinity will be assembling and distributing 'meals in a bag' with the Night Ministry in Rogers Park on a quarterly basis. Next dates are May 16, August 15, October 17.  Watch the e-news for details. With questions, contact Ken Duckmann (773.551.2573).

--PAWS Chicago

Spend an evening socializing shelter dogs and cats! Attend periodic adult volunteer nights where you can spend time acclimating dogs and cats to a life with a family by playing with them, brushing them, petting them, showing them how to play with toys, or just letting them curl up on your lap. You are welcome to pick dogs or cats - or both! THERE IS NO NEED TO ATTEND ORIENTATION. For socializing, you will be shown what to do at the Center. If you would like to do more advanced things, like walk dogs, feed the dogs and cats, etc., contact Beth Morris to talk about scheduling a more advanced orientation. .

Next Baptism Dates: June 3 (9:30 a.m.), August 26 (9:30 a.m.). More info.

Next New Member Orientation Date: TBD.  More info.

Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs., 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Wed., 12:00-7:00 p.m.; and Sun., 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 

May 27, 2012
The Day of Pentecost
Pr. Craig M. Mueller

SIGHS MATTERS

Sigh .... it feels good to sigh. I sigh in traffic or long grocery lines-what else is there to do? Sometimes I sigh when I am running. I sigh as I move from thing to another on a busy day.

There's the exasperated sigh. The delighted sigh. The bored sigh. The tired sigh. The "I don't know what else to say" sigh. Some people sigh after working hard or enjoying something sensual.

I'm delighted that the sigh is part of our faith vocabulary, though we don't talk about it a lot. The sigh is part of St. Paul's theology. And every once in a while it comes up on Pentecost when we talk about the Holy Spirit.

Sighs too deep for words. Creation groaning in labor pains. Waiting for deliverance, for redemption. Waiting to be set from bondage, from pain, from struggle. And sometimes the only prayer we have is a sigh. Sighs too deep for words. Sigh-prayers that express something deep within us. Without theology talk. Without any rhyming hymn texts. Without any beautifully crafted prayer language. Just sighs. Sighs too deep for words. And in those sighs, Paul says, the Holy Spirit is praying for us.

Continue reading the sermon here   

WEDNESDAY, MAY 30

    1:20 p.m.  Cubs Home Game

    6:00 p.m.  Contemplative Eucharist - Final Service of the Season

    7:30 p.m.  12-Step Groups (Passavant & St. Mark's)

THURSDAY, JUNE 31

    10:00 a.m.  Weekly Bible Study

FRIDAY, JUNE 1

SATURDAY, JUNE 2

    3:00 p.m. Commitment Ceremony - Jeremiah Peterson and Brian Jones 

SUNDAY, JUNE 3

    9:30 a.m.  Eucharist

    10:30 a.m.  Holy Trinity Picnic (Garden)

MONDAY, JUNE 4 

    7:00 p.m.  Meditation Group

TUESDAY, JUNE 5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 

    7:30 p.m.  12 Step Groups (Passavant Hall & St. Mark's Room)

Full Calendar of Events  

 

COMMEMORATIONS FOR THE WEEK

Thursday, May 31 - Visit of Mary to Elizabeth

This festival marks the occasion when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, visited her cousin Elizabeth who was herself pregnant with John. Elizabeth pronounced Mary "blessed among women," and Mary responded with the song called the Magnificat.

Friday, June 1 - Justin, martyr at Rome, died around 165

Born of pagan parents, Justin was influenced by an elderly Christian in Ephesus. He became a teacher of philosophy and the Christian faith. Jailed for practicing an unauthorized religion, he refused to renounce his faith and was beheaded.

Sunday, June 3 - John XXIII, Bishop of Rome, died 1963

When elected pope, the former Angelo Roncalli was expected to be a short-term caretaker. He showed great spirit, though, and convened the Second Vatican Council which helped bring great changes to Roman Catholic and other churches.

Sunday, June 3 - The Martyrs of Uganda, died 1886

On June 3, 1886, thirty-two young men were burned to death for refusing to renounce Christianity. The confident manner in which these Christians went to their deaths contributed to a much stronger Christian presence in Uganda.

Tuesday, June 5 - Boniface, Bishop of Mainz, missionary to Germany, martyr, died 754
Boniface was a native of England who became a Benedictine monk and was called to missionary work among the Vandal tribes of Germany. With fellow workers, he established churches and schools, and he also worked to reform the church.

From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2010 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #26481.

Kara Grimme was married to Ed Popelas at the Newberry Library on Friday, May 25. 

Heather DeSouza is putting together a one-woman show. She'll be singing some tunes and telling some tales at Davenport's Piano Bar, June 23 & 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Alison Strickler and Aana Marie Vigen, along with their son Benjamin Gabriel, warmly invite all members and friends of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicago to celebrate the renewal of our vows and Civil Union during the 9:30 a.m. worship service on July 22, 2012. We will host a festive champagne and dessert celebration following the service.

The Holy Trinity faith and friendship community is a powerful, gracious, and joyous presence in our lives. You help nourish and sustain us as a couple and family. So, we hope many of you can join us in this time of promise-making, blessing, and celebration!

In Sunday's Sermon:
A Richer Life by Seeing the Glass Half Full

Article by Jane E. Brody from NYTimes blog, Well

The definition of an optimist:

Someone, like me, who plans to get more done than time permits.

Having failed to achieve the impossible, someone, like me, who is sure everything will somehow get done anyway.

A more classical definition from the Mayo Clinic: "Optimism is the belief that good things will happen to you and that negative events are temporary setbacks to be overcome."

Continue reading the article at the New York Times website.

Check Out These Links for more interesting discussions, conversations, questions and ideas!

• Living Lutheran: A Daily Blend of Stories, Culture and Community - <link>
• Spirituality and Practice: Resources for Spiritual Journeys - <link>
• Big Questions Online - <link>
• Religion dispatches - <link>
• Sightings (The Martin Marty Center) - <link>