** Worship Church Service is now resuming starting 6-14-2020! **
Please bring a mask and keep in mind social distancing rules.
Social distancing, also called “physical distancing,” means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. To practice social or physical distancing:
They didn’t have a meeting this month.
What if there’s an emergency at the church?
Say a small fire starts…Do we know where the fire extinguishers are located, for example. So, in the unlikely chance that there’s a fire, there are two fire extinguishers in the corners of the Fellowship Hall, one by the boiler roomdoor and one by the entrance way, where the lite little tree is. There is a small silver one hanging on the white pillar next to the small white sink in the kitchen. Upstairs there is one hanging at the top of the stairs that go up to the balcony. Another one is outside the lady’s restroom and there is a first-aid kit hanging on the side of the wooden cabinet in the kitchen. We also have a new life saving machine called a Defibrillator that is used if someone should have heart problems. Jayne Kornbau is the person who is knowledgeable on how it is used and when this coronavirus is over, she will be training others on how it is used. We have the Defibrillator mounted on the wall in thefellowship hall. So, the next time you’re in the church look for these and for the EXIT signs above the doors.
Check out the Holy Trinity Website 2020 at www.holytrinityhermitagepa.com
We know you’ll enjoy our very interesting site. Have any questions or concerns, please call Chuck Foltz and he will gladly help you. If you have anything you would like posted on our website, please let Chuck know and he will be happy to post it. In fact, we encourage you to do so.
PS: Thank you Chuck for keeping us in the loop and up to date with the world.
It was submitted by Shirley Madura in the book
Mexican Fruit Cake
Ingredients
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup of chopped nuts
1 (20oz.) can of crushed Pineapple with
Juices
Combine all ingredient. Bake in 350-degree oven in 2 greased 8-inch pans for 30-35 minutes or 9×13 inch pan.
Wow! How easy is that recipe. Not too many ingredients either. It sure sounds full proof. My kind of easy baking and I’m sure it tastes good too.
WE ARE WOVEN TOGETHER
Fall, Winter and Spring Worship Time?
During the Coronavirus we will be having worship at 10:00am only. This is also being done because of the need to keep everything sterile as possible which would be very difficult if we had more than one service, social distancing, wearing a mask during the service, and the using of hand sanitizer. The masks and hand sanitizer are always available when needed. We are living through very difficult times because lives can be lost. Everyone’s patience and understanding are very much needed at this most difficult time in all our lives.
Standard and Altar Shelf – 2020Flower memorials, honors and whatever you wish to acknowledge. The charts are posted on the wall in the narthex. They are only $15.00 and a perfect way to remember a person or event. We have two different places the flowers can go, either on the Altar or in the Standard which is by the Pulpit. You can put your request in one of the offering plates and we will make sure your request is taken care of. Thank you
Speaking of flowers…Don’t the flowers look beautiful that are all around our church? That is thank you to Linda Savach, Judy Kaszowski, Georgiana Bercik, Joanne Gerda and Stephanie Banjak. Thank you all for the wonderful care you give the flowers. Our church property looks fantastic!
Please remember that we still have a special collection of loose change every first Sunday of the month for World Hunger and the third Sunday of the month a special collection of items needed for Joshua’s Haven. Stephanie Banjak has volunteered to bring the items to Joshua’s for us. Thank you, Stephanie.
We however are not collecting aluminum cans for Habitat for Humanity because they quite paying Habitat for them.
We also for many many years now have opened our doors for the American Red Cross Blood Drive to use our facility twice a month. They chose to offer their blood drive the first and third Thursday of every month. We are so happy to help.
View Finders Camera Club are also using our facilities beginning September 1st. They meet the first, second and third Tuesday of every month. Again, we are so happy to help.
A message from Patty,
I am writing this note with a heavy heart, sharing in the sadness of our congregation in the departure of Pastor Nelson. It is surely a grave feeling of loss and loneliness when our leaders leave us. But rest assured we are never alone. We have each other and more importantly we have our Lord. He has watched over us and blessed us with so many wonderful leaders, a beautiful building to worship in, and a church family that will be our rock in these times of transition and worry over Covid-19. We have come through many a troubled time, and have pulled together, leaned on each other and prayed for guidance, and not once have we been abandoned. We at Holy Trinity have found that harmony and love will pull us through the most difficult of times. With the Lord on our side and each other we can’t lose. We will get through this together.
God’s Peace and my Love,
Patty
We would like to remind everyone that
Ron Tomko is a certified Lay Worship Leader in the ELCA. He can preside over worship service for any congregation in our synod. We are all so very grateful that we have Ron and can count on him in the future. Thank you so very much Ron we are blessed to have you.
Prayer Concerns: Please pray for…
Alexis Alessia Julie
Elsie Ondich Lillie Bryngelson Gary Schall Faith Dan Arlene Christoff Betty Frye Pam K. Mark Jennifer Gail Hightree Derek Fran Kathleen Garrett Mary Ann K Ruth Toth Bill Marie Kathy Crisan Tim A. Dillon Steve Parkany Bob C. George M. Steve Pam Kurt Moder Alan Porsh Egle Thomas Dot Lori Laurain Victor P. Malachi E. Evan Jillian Andrea Gross Butch D Dick Zets Joe & Jen Jillian Mandy Jim Burgham Becky Marge Kocholek Sally M. John Titus Richard Linda S. Dick Glavey Irena Flynn Frank
John Kudelko Bobbie Denny Karla & family Fedorczyk Family-
Rich-Larry-David-Don-Diane & Helen
All these people are remembered in our prayers every Sunday because a friend or family member ask for them to be put on the list which we do gladly. If any one from our prayer list is doing well, please call the office so we can remove them. Likewise, if anyone family member or friend needs special prayers please call the office so we can add their name.
The miracle of Life…
We are very pleased to announce the birth of a healthy baby boy, Master Ford Adare Livermore. He is the son of Tyler & Sienna Livermore who currently live in California. He weighed 6lbs. 2oz. and was 18 ½ inches long. Mother and baby are doing just fine. Ron & Karen Blosz are the proud grandparents of baby Ford. His great Aunt Kathy Crisan and third cousin Patty Boldish are happy beyond reproach as well. May our Lord bless them with good health and happiness always.
Our church council meets the third Tuesday of every month in our church parlor because the fellowship hall is being used by the Camera Club. So, council members please be sure to use the Sanctuary doors to enter the parlor. Thank You
May our Lord comfort and give His peace to the family of Connie DePreta. She is most certainly playing the organ for the Lord and His angels. Once again, Our deepest sympathy to Connie’s family.
St. Anthony’s church on Idaho in Farrell will be having a
“Take Out Only” BBQ Chicken Dinner. This will be happening on Sunday October 4th, 11:30am to 2:00pm. They request everyone use the Sherman Ave. entrance when picking up their pre-order, which is all they are accepting. To place an order call 724 342-2489 or 330-448-4577. Deadline to order is Sunday September 20th. Masks must be worn, and social distancing maintained. They are offering ½ BBQ Chicken, Green Beans and Croatian Potato Salad for $10.00 or you could just order a whole chicken for $8.00 and they will have Halushki for $4.00. Sounds good if anyone is interested and or has questions please just call them. I can tell you that we have eaten their Fish dinners and they are delicious. If that counts for anything.
PS St. Anthony’s flyer is posted on our bulletin board in the narthex should you want to see it.
On Sunday August 16th not only was it the last day Pastor Nelson led us in Worship, but it also was the confirmation day of Carter Burns and Keegan Widmyer. Pastor Nelson had a very nice service and Marlene Sypolt and the Sunday School gave out cupcakes and bottled water with Carter and Keegan’s name on them. The cupcakes were put in a to-go container and everyone took one of each home with them. Thank you to Pastor Nelson for teaching them and giving them a strong knowledge of our faith and the Lord.
PS Our thanks to Erin Sypolt as well for helping her mom get everything ready.
Sunday School News
It has been decided that we are going to postpone Sunday School until further notice. We thought it would be best to let the kids go back in the school setting first and see how that goes. If all goes well with that then we will start to make plans to bring the students back to Sunday School. Our classrooms in the education wing are too small to be able to social distance. We will be looking at holding our one room Sunday School in the fellowship hall.
Rally Day was schedule for September 13th, and this has also been cancelled.
Dear God, with a new school year upon us, we pray for our students and their teachers, that you would ease their anxiety about going back to school amidst the pandemic. We pray for safety for those returning to in-person classes, and for the needed technology, self –discipline, and adult oversight for those learning online. Would you ensure that every child has enough to eat, a supportive network of friends and family, and perseverance to face every challenge with your strength. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
This came to us from Marlene Sypolt. What a perfect prayer for our church, our country and our world.
An important message from your church council…
Please be advised that beginning September 13th we will be having worship at 10:00am only. This is because of Covid-19. So, mark your calendar that on September 13th church will begin at 10:00am and Pastor James Seeley will be leading us in worship.
Now don’t forget please!
We would like to thank the following people for getting instructions from Rev. Sandra Jones on the proper way to administer communion to our home-bounds. They are as follows:
James Antel Sandy Kimmel
Joanne Gerda Cindy Kapusta
Ron Tomko
Our heartfelt thank you to them for doing such an important aspect of our faith. They were officially installed on August 30th by Pastor James Seeley.
Thank you to them for giving of their time and talents to keep our church thriving and complete. God’s peace and our love to them all.
See, it takes a village!
Please be advised that Mr. Myron Jones and Mr. Joseph Turney are going to make and give away take-out Pasta Dinners to everyone who phones in their order to the church office (724 981-2050) before September 11. They will be giving the dinners out on September 13th following the 10:00am worship service at about 11am in the church fellowship hall. Please see enclosed flyer. What else that is not on the flyer is that Karen Blosz and Donna Pavcik will be making and donating the dessert an Italian specialty called Tiramisu. Chuck & Kathy Long are donating the beef for the meatballs and the Dorcas is donating many items as well. Joe is supplying the delicious homemade Spaghetti sauce and Myron is donating the Pasta. They are all donating their time and talents to ensure that your Free Pasta dinner is loved by all.
See again I say… “It takes a village.”
And a couple very special guys to come up with a terrific idea that puts a smile on everyone’s face. Joe & Myron even will home deliver the meal to our home-bounds who request it.
At the last council meeting they discussed an Evergreen Memorial Fund to help cover costs of planting special evergreen trees at the entrance/exit in our parking lot on each side. The evergreens will help seeing the edges of the entrance/exit when we have snowy weather and the visibility is such that finding the entrance/exit are difficult. The cost of these evergreens have yet to be established. But when it is an announce will be in the weekly bulletin and newsletter. So, we’ll be anxiously awaiting the costs.
Pastor James Seeley will be blessing book bags and school supplies on Sunday September 13th at the 10:00am worship service. So plan on coming to church and get the school year off to a perfect start. It seems especially important this year with the covid-19 and flu season upon us. So mark your calendar. September 13th is a very important Sunday because we start our fall worship at 10:00am, we will be getting our free take-out Pasta Dinners, and Pastor Seeley will be blessing our children’s book bags and school supplies for this 2020-2021 school year.
“Free” Pasta
“Take-Out” Dinner
“Given by Joe Turney & Myron Jones”
“To Honor our beloved Dorcas Society and HTLC Members”
Pick up in Fellowship Hall
3325 Morefield Road Hermitage, PA 16148
Sunday September 13, 2020
Time: after 11:00am
(take-out only)
Please call 724 981-2050 by
September 11th with your order to ensure availability.
A few things to ponder…Thank you Jeff Bindas for sharing.
1. Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. Wear nice shoes.
2. If you sit for more than 11 hours a day, there’s a 50% chance you’ll die within the next 3 years.
3. There are at least 6 people in the world who look exactly like you. There’s a 9% chance that you’ll meet one of them in your lifetime.
4. Sleeping without a pillow reduces back pain and keeps your spine stronger.
5. A person’s height is determined by their father, and their weight is determined by their mother.
6. If a part of your body “falls asleep”, You can almost always “wake it up” by shaking your head.
7. There are three things the human brain cannot resist noticing, food, attractive people and danger.
8. Right-handed people tend to chew food on their right side
9. Putting dry tea bags in gym bags or smelly shoes will absorb the unpleasant odor.
10. According to Albert Einstein, if honey bees were to disappear from earth, humans
would be dead within 4 years.
11. There are so many kinds of apples, that if you ate a new one everyday, it would
take over 20 years to try them all.
12. You can survive without eating for weeks, but you will only live 11 days without sleeping.
13. People who laugh a lot are healthier than those who don’t.
14. Laziness and inactivity kills just as many people as smoking.
15. A human brain has a capacity to store 5 times as much information as Wikipedia.
16. Our brain uses the same amount of power as a 10-watt light bulb!!
17. Our body gives enough heat in 30 mins. to boil 1.5 liters of water!!
18. The Ovum egg is the largest cell and the sperm is the smallest cell !!
19. Stomach acid (conc. HCL) is strong enough to dissolve razor blades!!
20. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day & while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
21. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
22. When you wake up in the morning, pray to ask God’s guidance for your purpose, today.
23. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
24. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.
25. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
We want to congratulate Gabrielle Lucas and Robert Pontius who are the recipients of the Paula Joyce Meleky Scholarship Fund this year. They are both fulfilling their academic careers. Gabrielle is continuing her education at Westminister College to get her Bachelor of Arts degree in both Political Science and History. Robert is attending Robert Morris University and is pursuing a degree in Accounting. His favorite option is to be a financial advisor. They both sound like they know just what direction they are goin in life and our prayers are with them to not only attain their desires but to have fun doing it. Again, Congratulations and may good health, happiness and God’s peace be with you both always.
We also want to thank our Scholarship Committee. They are Ron Tomko, Marlene Stebelsky, Kathy Crisan and Wendy Ruffo. Your time and talents are greatly appreciated.
We would like to Celebrate the Confirmation of Cater Burns & Keegan Widmyer
Please know that we will be celebrating Communion on Sunday mornings with or without drinking wine. Pastor and our Worship & Music and Council have worked things out. Thank you to them all for keeping us safe and yet still participating in the spiritual union with the Lord celebrating Holy communion.
We have such wonderful news! Our own Jayne Kornbau gave birth to a beautiful baby boy names Kyler John. Kyler has two older sisters named Maeli and Mira. We are so sure that they are a big help to their Mommy and Daddy in taking care of baby Kyler. They are irreplaceable and very much needed. We want to welcome Kyler and are so excited that baby and Mom are doing fine. May our Lord bless Matt, Jayne, Maeli, Mira and Kyler John and bring them much happiness and good health always. WELCOME to our Holy Trinity Family!!!
A message from Carl & Judy Bottenfield.
We would like to express our sincere thanks for all the ways of kindness and concern for our family at the time of our son John’s death. We received many cards, calls, monetary gifts and dinners. A special thank you to Dorcas for providing a wonderful funeral dinner. Having such a kind and loving church family will never be forgotten.
In Christian Love,
Carl & Judy and Carl Jr.
Habitat for Humanity-
We are no longer collecting aluminum cans for them because they quit giving any monetary value for them to Habitat.
A reminder that the first Sunday of the month is “Loose change for World Hunger day”. We gladly accept currency too just make sure you designate “World Hunger” on the envelope.
Because of Covid-19, Blood Pressure screening has been cancelled. Thank you as always to Karen Borden, Cindy Kapusta and Kathy Long our resident medical staff. You are all still the best of the best!
The Dorcas Ladies are not meeting for the summer months. And they will not be having a “Rummage Sale.” Hopefully they will have one next summer.
Thank You
Joshua’s Haven
This is such a worthwhile project. We here at Holy Trinity are supporting Joshua’s Haven. It is a faith and gospel-based City Mission in Farrell on Stambaugh Avenue. for the area’s homeless men. If you would, please help support this mission, by putting any of the needed items in the bin that is placed in the narthex of the church. Thank you to Stephanie Banjak who sees to it that the items are delivered to them.
Much needed items are as follows:
Shampoo (bulk size bottles) Cereal
Body Wash (bulk size bottles)
Pop
Mops
Coffee
Toilet bowl cleaner
Juice
Antibacterial spray
Bleach
Plates
Napkins
Don’t forget…our local hospitals have established new privacy procedures and will no longer tell us when our members are hospitalized. If you, a family member or friend are in the hospital please call Pastor or the office (724 981-2050) with relevant information such as room number and condition. This way maybe we can send a get-well card and include you or yours in our prayers.
This will only apply until August 21st. Then Pastor Nelson will be retiring. Need Pastor Nelson after office hours?
His Cell phone is 1-336-209-5893
Home Phone is 724- 308-7626
His home address is as follows:
1014 Bon Air Drive
Sharon, PA l6l46
garydmin@gmail.com
A message to Pastor Nelson…
Happy Retirement!
All of us here at Holy Trinity want to wish you a well-deserved rest from administering to many many people over the past 32 years. We want to thank you for all your support and guidance during your Call with us. When they say time flies that certainly applies for these past six years, many funerals, many baptisms, weddings and the first Holy Communion, and Confirmation of our young people not to mention supporting many members going through tough times. Thank you for being there and sharing your expertise.
Wherever life takes you all of us here at Holy Trinity pray your future is filled with good health, prosperity and much happiness.
God’s Peace and our Love,
Holy Trinity Lutheran Members
PS All our love and special wishes to Pastor’s dog Mailn as well. We will miss her wagging tail and great disposition.
FYI: Following the worship service on September 13th according to Worship & Music and Marlene Sypolt, superintendent of our Sunday School we will be having our “Rally Day”. What exactly will be happening we are not sure. It depends on how the coronavirus is going. Will it be winding down or winding up…we’ll see?
This is being typed on July 10th which makes it tentative for the time being.
Check out the Holy Trinity Web- Site 2020 at www.holytrinityhermitagepa.com
Hope you enjoy our very interesting site. Have any questions or concerns, please call
Charles Foltz and he will gladly help you.
If you have anything you would like posted on our website, please let Chuck know and he will be happy to post it. In fact, we encourage you to do so. Thanks, so much Chuck.
Recycle and Save our Planet
Please be sure to recycle your bulletins and put them in the tote that is in our narthex, that will help our environment.
If you would also make sure lights and the water are turned off in the bathrooms as you leave them, this will also help. Thank you to Fred Rombold who take the used bulletins to be recycled. Please know it is much appreciated. The Lord gave us this beautiful earth and we should all do our best to take care of it.
Trust Me with every fiber of your being! What I can accomplish in and through you is proportional to how much you depend on Me. One aspect of this is the degree to which you trust Me in a crisis or major decision. Some people fail miserably here, while others are at their best in tough times. Another aspect is even more telling: the constancy of your trust in Me. People who rely on Me during adversity may forget about Me when life is flowing smoothly. Difficult times can jolt you into awareness of your need for Me, whereas smooth sailing can lull you into the stupor of self-sufficiency.
I care as much about your tiny trust-steps through daily life as about your dramatic leaps of faith. You may think that no one notices, but the One who is always beside you sees everything—and rejoices. Consistently trusting in Me is vital to flourishing in My Presence.
Psalm 40:4; Psalm 56:3-4; Psalm 62:8;
Isaiah 26:3-4
Speaking of no one noticing…We want to thank from the bottom of our hearts all the people who donated masks, bought hand sanitizer and gave of their time and talents to help repair the things that go wrong around here. You know who you are, and our Lord knows who you are, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Our Lord sees everything…
BLESSINGS FOR TRAVELERS
O God, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go, preserve those who travel, surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Special news about a special project…
A new Chair Lift! The Dorcas ladies are trying so hard to get this project started but regulations etc. keep getting in the way. Hopefully it will be installed at the top of the stairs in the sanctuary leading down to the Fellowship Hall soon.
What tomorrow brings is uncertain. Will school resume? Will Sunday services be able to continue? Will we be able to get a supply Pastor for our Sunday services? Will we be able to have Sunday School? Will we be able to resume our normal life- style? Only time will tell. We hope and pray our prayers are answered and we will begin our normal ways.
A few jokes based on religion courtesy of Don Gold. Thanks, Don, for sharing.
A father was approached by his small son who told him proudly, “I know what the Bible means!” His father smiled and replied, “What do you mean, you ‘know’ what the Bible means? The son replied, “I do know!” “Okay,” said his father. “What does the Bible mean?” “That’s easy, Daddy…” the young boy replied excitedly,” It stands for ‘Basic Information Before Leaving Earth.’
(This one is Don Gold’s favorite)
There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country. “Is there anything breakable in here?” asked the postal clerk. “Only the Ten Commandments answered the lady.”
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“Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good morning, Lord,” and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good Lord, it’s morning.”
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There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: “I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it’s still out there in your pockets.”
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While driving in Pennsylvania a family caught up to an Amish carriage. The owner of the carriage obviously had a sense of humor, because attached to the back of the carriage was a hand printed sign… “Energy efficient vehicle: Runs on oats and grass. Caution: Do not step in exhaust.”
 We love these No-Bake Cookie Clusters because they’re a sweet homemade treat that we can make without using our oven. This makes them the perfect summer cookie! Plus, these cookies taste as good as more traditional recipes. Creamy chocolate and peanut butter are always a winning combination! What You’ll Need1 (12-oz.) pack – white chocolate chips2 tablespoons peanut butter1 1/4 cups crispy toasted rice cereal1 cup Spanish peanuts1 cup miniature marshmallowsWhat to DoLine baking sheets with wax paper.In a large saucepan over low heat, melt white chocolate with peanut butter, stirring constantly. Let mixture cool slightly, then stir in cereal and peanuts. Fold in marshmallows.Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Let cool until firm. Serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.Mr. Food Test Kitchen Tip!You can add some fun to these by sprinkling on a little flaked coconut, colored sprinkles, or chopped candy bars before allowing to cool. No-bake desserts are a great way to keep the kitchen cool & make everyone happy!We are very pleased to announce that Scarlett Hanley daughter of Chelsea and Chris Hanley, granddaughter of Jim & Janice Lowery great-granddaughter of Bill & Norma Matzel graduated from West Seneca High School in Buffalo, NY. She has enrolled at Buffalo State University and plans on attending this coming fall. We are also very pleased to announce that Jacob Christopher Klein grandson of John & Ruth Klein has graduated from Jupiter High School in Jupiter, Florida and is going to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. He will be majoring in Aerospace Engineering. He was tenth in his class of 800. Our prayers are for them to have their college years filled with much learning, continued good health and abundant happiness. Congratulation!!! |
Congratulations on Your Retirement Pastor…
We rejoice with you on this special occasion as you celebrate your retirement. May the Lord bless you and keep you, fill your life with His joy and sustain you with His grace. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Happy Retirement and happiness always from all of us here from Holy Trinity.
“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.”
(1 Peter 4:7-11) Peter writes this letter to the Christians in Asia Minor. They are experiencing “separation anxiety.” They were so dispersed that they were addressed as “exiles.” He wrote it when it was tough to be a Christian. He wrote it because he was convinced that following Jesus would only get tougher as time went on. Their situation put them in conflict with their culture, leading to suffering, persecution and alienation. This letter then is an addressed on how to live out their baptism in such difficulties. The baptized should be prepared for action and have their hopes set on the grace of God and this will in turn produce holiness.
This letter speaks to us as well. We now have entered a time when a deadly virus is roaming around the earth. We too are feeling the anxiety. We are afraid, we don’t know what to do, what is the right path. It has led to fear, suffering and sometimes death. Peter says that we live in hope, and the source of this hope is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and because he lives we will live also.
This hope leads to a new way of living, and this new way of living leads to purity which is obtained by obedience to the truth and leads the baptized into genuine love for one another. Our church is still open, and we are doing ministry. Although we are not in our building we have been doing worship on Sundays, funerals, praying for and providing for those in need.
When days of difficulty, pain, or loss sweep over us, that is not the time to pull away from the Lord, but an opportunity to draw closer to him. Trials help us grow into mature Christians. Troubles help us grow into more effective channels of God’s love and grace to others. Peter’s letter shows us how to survive in a world turned hostile and how to focus on the hope we have in Jesus instead of on the hopelessness of the situation around us.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Nelson
We express our condolences to the family of John Miller (Sally Calvin’s brother) who died in Ohio on April 29th.
We express our condolences to the family of John Bottenfield (Carl & Judy’s son) who died in Hermitage on May 5th.
We express our condolences to the family of Ron Haun Sr. who died on May 6th .
We express our condolences to the family of Harold “Pete” Dinger of Brookville, Pa who died on May 5th. Pete was an active lay person who was part of the greater NWPA synod and the former Western-W. Virginia synod.
We extend our condolences to the family of the Rev. Richard “Dick” Schultz who died in Erie on May 10th. Pastor Schultz’s last call was to St. Paul’s Lutheran in Erie (Millcreek) before retiring.
WHEN WILL WE BE BACK IN OUR BUILDING?
First of all, we are thinking about June 14th, but as they say, we are following the science not the politics, and the data not the emotions. We will consult with our governor, the CDC, and our Bishop, but the final decision will be the pastor and our council. As of now we want to you know that your church council has been working at some things that need to be done in preparation for whenever we return to the building. We need to do a deep clean and our sextons have agreed to do that. The building needs to be cleaned after every service. We will need to wear face masks and sit at least six feet apart. We will not physically share the peace, have children’s sermons, greet each other after the service or have a social time after the service. One of the big challenges is how do we distribute communion? I have talked with our Bishop and other pastors about it and have some suggestions. We are also considering having worship out in our parking lot. We are ordering a low volt transmitter that would allow people to dial in a certain station on their car radio. We would also have to stay in our cars and not get out. We are open to any ideas that you may have. In the meantime we are worshipping and ministering to each other and our community. It’s just different.
We also want to welcome Kyler John Kornbau to our Holy Trinity Family. He was baptized on July 25th right here in our church with Uncle Ron Tomko assisting Pastor Nelson. While mom Jayne and father Matthew watched James Antel become Kyler’s God Father and Gabrielle Lucas become his God Mother. And other family members and sisters Maeli and Mira joined in this most special happening.
One of the last religious functions Pastor Nelson will be doing is confirming Carter Burns and Keegan Widmyer. We want to congratulate them both for their dedication and hard work learning all about being a Lutheran. We also want to thank Pastor Nelson for his guidance and wisdom over these past two years. They are considered adult members of our church with all that comes with it. They are voting members, they have their own offering envelopes special number and all, they can serve on the church council and any other committees. Most importantly they have fresh ideas, hopes and even fears about Holy Trinity that will be welcome by all.