April 2019 page 1

THE TRINITY

HERALD

notes and news from

Trinity Lutheran Church and School 8781 Brunswick Rd,

Minocqua, WI 54548 715-356-2255

www.trinityminocqua.org

Our mission at Trinity Lutheran Church is to teach

the Word of God, to train believers for lives of

Christian service, and to tell the good news

of Jesus Christ to the Northwoods community

and to the world.

DONE WITH “EASTER,” NOT WITH JOY

I am done with “Easter.” Allow me to explain…

Mention “Easter,” and invariably the subject moves to Easter baskets, Easter bunnies, Easter dresses, Easter bonnets, Easter shopping, Easter sales, Easter cards, Easter gifts, Easter dinner, Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts, Easter candy, Easter everything-but-what-Easter-actually-is.

So…I am done with “Easter.”

I prefer “Resurrection morning” or “Resurrection day.” It would be harder to miss the joy and meaning of “Easter” if the resurrection is front and center. Try and find resurrection dresses, resurrection baskets, resurrection sales or resurrection candy. Clearly, unmistakably, and undoubtedly, “Resurrection” takes you to the empty tomb of Jesus Christ and the full life he offers through faith.

“I do this so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, in the hope that in some way I may arrive at the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10,11, EHV)

There is something that the resurrection brings that “Easter additives” cannot: joy. Pure, unadulterated, deep, lasting, no-one-can-take-this-away-from-me joy! The New Testament is filled with praise to the risen Christ for the joy he brings through his bodily resurrection from the dead.

For example, Paul’s letter to the Philippians speaks of joy from beginning to end: joy in the risen Christ, joy in anxiety, joy in suffering, joy in humility, joy sharing the Gospel, and joy in growing in faith. Could you use an extra boost of joy? Know anyone else who needs joy?

Long after the candy and chocolate are digested – reluctantly and with great protest by frustrated digestive systems – joy remains. Long after Easter shopping and sales give way to Cinco de Mayo sales, Mother’s Day sales, Flag Day sales, Father’s Day sales, and Christmas shopping again (this starts about mid-July, does it not?), joy remains and sustains in all circumstances.

I am done with “Easter.” Bunnies and baskets, be gone. Thank you, Jesus, for your Resurrection!

He lives! Pastor Stephen Luchterhand

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WORSHIP NOTES

BIBLE STUDY NOTES

Please remember the following members and friends of Trinity in your prayers and your words of encouragement to them:

Ruth Ahlborn Helen Anderson

Don Berndt Jordan and Justin Grebe

Carolyn Johnson Doris Juntunen

Pearl Klug Laura Lee

Sheila Lemke Steve Meade

The family of Johannah Peterson Toni Plunkett Ron Rathke

Harvey Sadler Shari Stresing

Brandon Trapp

If you would like to be included on this prayer list in future newsletters please contact the church office.

WORSHIP AT TRINITY

Sundays at 9 am Mondays at 6:30 pm

Lent: Wednesdays at 4 & 6:30 pm

Heavenly Father, you are the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Left to ourselves, we are spiritually poor and barren. Through the poverty and suffering of your only Son and the sanctifying operation of your Holy Spirit, you make us rich in spirit and fruitful in life. As you continually give us power to get wealth, so give us the wisdom and generosity to give a good portion of your gifts back to you. Make us and all members of our congregation good stewards of our earthly treasure that we and many others may enjoy your heavenly treasures. Give us a healthy national economy that we may labor and have the wherewithal to give to you willingly, cheerfully and regularly. Lift our eyes to the fields white already to the harvest and fill our hearts with love to send reapers to the uttermost parts of the earth. Let your blessing rest on us and all our efforts for you, for without you we can do nothing. Amen.

If you are unable to make it to worship, you may listen to one of our sister congregations services through local radio stations on Sunday mornings.

Zion, Rhinelander Services on WYCE 93.7 FM at 9:00 am

Christ, Eagle River Services on WERL 950 AM at 10:00 am

RADIO SERVICES

PRAYERS STEWARDSHIP PRAYER

Sunday Bible Study continues with the topic: Idols We Never Knew We Had. This study helps bring to light these idols that hide themselves so easily in our homes and hearts, and through God’s guidance and power we’ll get help to avoid worshiping them. Among the idols we’ll examine in April: Family and Politics.

Mid-week Bible Study (Wednesday @ 12:15 p.m.) will resume after Easter on April 24th. Watch the bulletin for details.

Upcoming weekend worship Scripture texts and themes for the month of April: April 3 (Wednesday) = John 18:3-9 “Three Words of Truth: I Am He” April 7/8 = Luke 20:9-19 “A Disturbing Gospel” April 10 (Wednesday) = John 13:31-35 “Three Words of Truth: Love One

Another” April 14/15 (Palm Sunday) = Luke 19:28-40 “All Eyes Up Here” April 18 (Maundy Thursday, 6:30 p.m.) = Matthew 26:26-28 “Take and Eat;

Take and Drink” April 19 (Good Friday, 1:00 & 6:30 p.m.) = John 19:28-30 “It Is Finished!” April 21 (Easter Dawn; 6:30 a.m.) = John 20:1-18 “Empty Is…” (Easter Festival, 9:00 a.m.) = 2 Timothy 2:8 “Remember Jesus Christ: He Has Risen!” April 28 = Psalm 16 “Easter Is Everyday” (Monday worship will include

Branches Band)

As you can see, April is a busy month for worship. Please note the extra worship opportunities during Holy Week. Take special note of the times of worship, especially for Good Friday (same service offered twice) and Easter (two unique services). Since the two Easter services are unique, you could worship at the empty tomb twice that day, with time for an Easter brunch in our fellowship hall between services.

One last thing regarding worship: Whom will you invite? Every worship service is an opportunity to hear God’s Word and to respond in worship and praise, but these weeks offer unique opportunities to invite others. Especially Easter! Invite and bring! This is the message that matters more than any other: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again…for all!

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FINANCIAL UPDATE

MINISTRY UPDATES TRINITY SCHOOL NEWS

The weekend before Easter (Saturday, April 13th), we’re hosting an Easter for Kids from 9:00 – 11:45 a.m. Children ages 3 through 4th grade are invited to this active morning of learning and discovery about the true meaning of Easter. Any children in your life? Bring them! Invite others! We have plenty of room! Look for registration materials in the fellowship hall and on our website.

Grief Support Group will meet at the usual time in April (2nd Wednesday); April 10th at 11 a.m. in the Welcome Center.

A “heads up” about a couple of post-Easter events here on our Trinity campus: - LWMS Spring Rally hosted here at Trinity on Saturday, April 27th; opening

devotion takes place at 9:15 a.m.; Ladies, no need to travel! It’s happening here!

- Monday, April 29th, during 6:30 p.m. worship, we’ll welcome Branches Band for a combination worship service/concert. They’ll be sharing a special music program with the children of our school at 2:30 p.m. Check your calendars; you may want to come to worship on Monday instead of Sunday that weekend; whatever you decide, do come to worship!

Youth Group will meet on Wednesday, May 1st, from 6:15 – 8:00 p.m.

Since the last newsletter, we are proud to announce that our basketball team won 2nd place in their division of the Middle School LPS Basketball Tournament! Congratulations to the players and coaches!

In addition, last week we were able to congratulate one of our students on winning a handwriting competition. Brinnli was Wisconsin's 5th grade winner of the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest. Her handwriting submission will now go on to the national championships. Congratulations also goes out to her teacher, Mrs. Lori Wetterau!

Our students are now beginning to learn their parts for the upcoming Entertainment Evening, scheduled for Friday, May 17. You won’t want to miss it!

Upcoming Dates at Trinity School

Tuesday & Wednesday, April 2-3 Parent/Teacher Conferences

After School

Saturday, April 13 Easter for Kids

Sunday, April 14 3K-8th Grade sing for Palm Sunday Worship

9:00 am

Friday, April 19 No School—Good Friday

Monday, April 22 Full Day of Classes—Make-up for

snow days

Monday, April 29 Branches Band visits classrooms

Midweek Chapel

We invite you to join the students for our midweek chapel on Wednesdays at 8:15 am during the school year. The students have chosen to send their mission offerings to the WELS Prison Ministry this year.

“You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that through his poverty you might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9, EHV)

It’s been quite a winter. Cold and snow are expected, and they don’t always arrive in moderation! This winter, we experienced a number of severe weather events on weekends. This led to very low worship attendance on two weekends (due to snow/ice) and a Monday worship cancellation (due to ice) on another weekend. Most of us lived through this – why remind you of it? It’s likely one of the reasons we find ourselves “behind” financially at this point in our fiscal year (July ’18 – June ’19) here at Trinity.

Some of the numbers shared by our Stewardship Committee: Total income year-to-date (end of Feb): $317,449.88 Total expenses year-to-date (end of Feb): $349,167.36 Shortfall year-to-date (end of Feb): $31,717.52

A couple of items to note: a) Expenses are under budget year-to-date. We’re grateful for faithful

stewardship in all areas of ministry. b) Easter takes place three weeks later than last year; this means that the

typical increase in offerings during the Lent/Easter season is ongoing and may not yet fully realized.

c) Our leadership believes it is important for members of our Trinity family to be aware of our current situation with just four months left in the fiscal year (March-June). May we devote ourselves to prayer and action as the Lord blesses!

d) “God will fully supply your every need, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19, EHV) “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, EHV)

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PALM SUNDAY—Sunday, April 14 (9:00 am) & Monday, April 15 (6:30 pm) Ride On, Ride On In Majesty!

MAUNDY THURSADY—Thursday, April 18 (6:30 pm) Three Words of Truth—Take and Eat; Take and Drink

Holy Communion will be served

GOOD FRIDAY—Friday, April 19 (1:00 & 6:30 pm) Three Words of Truth—It Is Finished

EASTER DAWN—Sunday, April 21 (6:30 am) Jesus Christ Is Risen Today

EASTER FESTIVAL—Sunday, April 21 (9:00 am) Three Words of Truth—He Is Risen!

A light breakfast will be served between the Easter services. There will be no Monday evening service on April 22.

HOLY WEEK

LWMS Northwoods Circuit Spring Rally Saturday, April 27, 2019

Hosted by Trinity Lutheran Church , Minocqua

8:30 am Coffee, snacks, registration and Reporters’ Meeting

9:15 am Opening devotion followed by guest speaker, Mr. Shannon Bohme Business meeting and elections

12:15 pm Closing devotion and lunch

Walking Together in the Great Commission

Have you ever dreamed of being a missionary or helping in a mission field? Now you can! A new program called WELS Mission Journeys offers short-term trips for WELS congregations and their members to help home mission churches and world mission fields. Mr. Shannon Bohme, Coordinator, will explain this exciting program and talk about future mission trip opportunities. Please join us!