On The Calendar

Sunday, Dec. 6, after worship
Take some time after worship to assemble our gifts for soldiers overseas and the materials for the Seafarers.

Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m.
Holiday Choral Concert
Holy Trinity is pleased to present a combined choral concert on Tuesday, December 8 at 8:00 PM. Featured in the program will be the Bloomfield High School Madrigal Singers under the direction of Ms. Michelle Digaetano and the Bloomfield Chorale under the direction of Ms. Ruth Hsu. The Chorale is part of the Bloomfield Federation of Music. After the hour-long concert, refreshments will be served in the Fellowship Hall. All are welcome -- please invite your friends and neighbors!

Saturday, Dec. 12, at 10 a.m.
Children’s Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
Children of all ages are invited, but our Sunday School children are especially encouraged to “walk through” our Christmas Pageant that will be part of our Child-Focused Christmas Eve (4 p.m.) worship. Stay for pizza and other snacks in the fellowship hall after the work is done.

A Time for Peace: Thursday Night Advent Dinners
Advent is one of two times in the church year, when God’s people are encouraged to take extra time to gather as God’s people in prayer, meditation, fellowship around God’s Word. Join us on
December 3, 10 and 17 starting at 6:15 p.m. for soup supper and an evening Advent prayer, devotion and Bible reading. Bring a friend.

Sunday, Dec. 20, after worship
Hanging of the Greens and Luncheon

Sunday December 20th after worship
Everyone, young and old, is invited to help us prepare the church for our Christmas Services. We will once again gather around the table, this time for some sandwiches and salad. Please plan to join us for a fun time!
Please call or email the church to have a sign up sheet sent to you. Thank you.

Christmas Services at Holy Trinity

CHRISTMAS EVE (Thur., Dec. 24)
4:00 p.m.: A special service for children of every age with a simple pageant and spoken eucharist.
7:30 p.m.: Candlelight service with festive music.

CHRISTMAS DAY (Fri., Dec. 25)
10:00am: Intimate Christmas Day Worship.


To assist at these services, please sign up at worship or call the church office.

Christmas is a great time to invite a friend into the joy of worship and discipleship. The angels announced it, the shepherds told everyone they saw, the magi traveled for years to experience the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ. The world was changed forever. Now it’s our turn. Share the good news, overcome the barriers and connect one to many in the love of Christ.

Annual Reports

Please have your Annual Report information submitted to the church office no later than Sunday, January 3. If possible please e-mail the information to Tina at office.htlcnutley@verizon.net or put on disk. Thank you.

Pastor's Message

O Come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.

I love worshiping at our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. On that evening we begin by standing and singing the great hymn, O Come All Ye Faithful. That hymn, that procession of choir, cross, book, people and clergy is an invitation to worship our God – the one thing in our lives worthy of our time, our praise, our service, our love, our trust, our devotion. The event of God’s incarnation – that our God, for our sake and for our salvation becomes a human being, suffers, dies, rises and ascends – is truly cause for joy, thanksgiving, praise and worship.

God’s messengers, the angels, tell the shepherds in the field what God is doing in the little town of Bethlehem, and those shepherds go and worship. The heavens explode in a sustained burning light that tells the eastern sages that God’s salvation is coming near. The wise men come and worship. As God’s people, we too hear the good news story of God’s love and salvation. How can we respond in any other way: O Come, let us adore him, the Christ, our Lord.

God has created us to live in communion with God and in community with one another. God, in Jesus Christ, has restored our communion with God and reconciled us to our neighbor. God, the Holy Spirit, has gathered us into a community of saints where sins are forgiven, resurrection is anticipated and life in the world to come is our hope and inspiration to live lives of love and service. We witness to this good news most strongly when we gather as a community in worship – on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and on every Sunday throughout the year. When the sun rises, early on the first day of the week, how can we as God people respond? O Come, let us adore him, the Christ, our Lord.

When the procession cues us up and the organ begins to play O Come All Ye Faithful, I hope you will be part of our worshiping community of saints that evening. More than that, I pray that each of us at Holy Trinity will be so captured by the greatest of the good news of God’s love in Jesus that we are inspired to make the worship of God as a community of saints the first priority in our life. Who or what else is as worthy of our praise and devotion? Who or what else has loved, blessed and saved us so wonderfully? Who or what else can we do but take time to come and adore the Christ, our Lord. See you in worship.

In Our Community

Christmas Card Tradition
This year we would like to continue our tradition of having a congregational Christmas card. We ask that members bring in or mail one card to the congregation rather than mailing individual cards to other members. The cards will be displayed in the narthex so that the congregation can read them. The amount that would have been used towards cards and postage should be put in the offering plate or mailed to the church office in an envelope marked "Christmas Card." The money will be donated to ELCA Good Gifts. www.elca.org/giving

Thank you!
From the family of John Edward Ryan… We would like to thank all of you for your kind expressions of sympathy on the loss of my Dad. Your cards, visits and words of comfort were greatly appreciated.
My mom could not get over how many people came to visit and said they were from my church. She said, "I thought you said it was a small congregation!" I told her that we may be small in number, but we treat each other like family. Thanks again… Christine & Frank Siclari

From the family of Irene Wahl…This note is to express our appreciation to the members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church when we were able to celebrate the life of our mother, Irene Wahl, on November 8th. It meant so much to the family to meet people who knew her, worked around her in various church assignments, and prayed with her You have a very special Pastor, and we wanted to acknowledge his fine sermon and help with the arrangements. At a family lunch, all of us commented on how much our mother would have enjoyed the day’s events. The service has helped us to have closure to the good long life that Irene lived. We do not think that the day could have been more perfect; your sermon, meeting members of the church, and the beautiful weather. What a fitting way to remember my mother!....
Allen and Ray Wahl

Church Night at the Devils

Join your friends from Holy Trinity at another NJ Devils hockey game, and save $21! On Friday, January 8, 2010 the NJ Devils face the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:00 PM. The special group rate for mezzanine/balcony level seats is $35 (normally $56 at full price.) The Devils play at the Prudential Center in Newark and tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis and may not be returned nor exchanged. Tickets at this price are available through Group Sales and are not for sale at the box office. Order deadline (to me) is December 24, 2009. Only pre-paid orders will be accepted. Please let me know the number of tickets needed and include cash or a check payable to “J. Scott Jones.” Invite family and friends—the more the merrier! Questions? Scott Jones (973) 338-0267 or jsjones0601@verizon.net

Stewardship Strengthens...

Stewardship strengthens our relationship with Jesus

Thank you to all our partners in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a special thanks to all who dedicated a percentage of the gifts God has given them
to the work of this ministry in 2010.

Consider giving a tithe this Advent
Over the past few years, many of us at Holy Trinity have prayerfully increased our level of giving by one or maybe two percent on our way of living into God’s expectation that we dedicate at least a tenth (giving a tithe) of our income to the work of God’s people. If you are giving less than 10 percent of your income and want to test the waters of the tithe-life, consider giving a tenth during the season of Advent (from Nov. 29 – Dec. 20. Since this is approximately one month, figure out the amount of money you will take in during this month – through salary, investments or other sources – and multiply by 0.1. Then write the check and see what happens. Share your story and the experience with all of us by sending a letter or an e-mail to pastor.htlcnutley@verizon.net or by sharing it on our Facebook page.

What to get the person who has everything.
ELCA World Hunger has produced a Good Gifts Catalog. You may have even received one in the November copy of The Lutheran. If not there is one in the church office you are welcome to use. This exciting holiday catalog offers a variety of ways that you can give a gift that will truly make a difference in the world by changing and saving someone’s life. Who needs another tie or sweater, when for the same price you can help bring clean water to a village or help start a small family business?

Live Simply and Share the Wealth
Do you or does someone you love have a car, appliances, furniture or other stuff they are looking to get rid of or donate? There are people in the community who may be praying for just that thing you are looking to give. Call the church office and let us know what you have.

Remember the Hungry
During these difficult times, organizations that provide food often run short of needed supplies. We will continue to collect food as part of our offering during worship. Bring your non-perishable food items to worship with you, and leave them in the designated area in the narthex.

We were notified of the following by the Red Cross:

FOODS NEEDED: Soups, Stews, Beans, Broths, Peanut Butter
THEY HAVE A SURPLUS OF: Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Rice, Tuna

Staying Connected....

As postal rates continue to rise -- we are trying to distribute more and more of our information electronically. If you haven't already shared your e-mail address with the church office, please consider doing so by sending an e-mail with ADD ME TO THE MAILING LIST in the subject line to office.htlcnutley@verizon.net.

Holy Trinity is now on Facebook. You can become a fan of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and stay up-to-date with what's going on in the congregation and among our members. As a fan you can also post your news, your questions, thoughts and experiences of God's love in action to share with others. It’s just another way to share the good news, overcome barriers and connect one to many in Christ. You can access our page directly from our website, at www.htlcnutley.com

Check out the new Community section of our Website as well. You can read blogs, news from ELCA, preview this week’s worship service and so much more. Log on today.

December Birthdays, Anniversaries and Disciples

Birthdays
1: Nancy Maguire
3: Michael Catelli
5: Madison Bernhard
11: Bradford Wilson
14: Bernd Mayr
15: Alex Rubens
19: Louis D’Agnolo
22: Irene Geiselmann
23: Richard Bacik
26: Julie Franchino
29: Evelyn Denkinger
31: Elizabeth Futyma

Anniversaries
27: Chao-Ren & Agee Lin

Disciples
Each day of the week (except Sunday) has the name of a person in this community. Please, remember that person in your prayers that day. On Sunday, we will pray for all of the people listed in the coming week.

3:Holly Wiede
4:Brad Wilson
5:Susan Wilson
7:Angelika Achtiani
8:Ira Achtiani
9:Chris Amlung
10:Anne Erwin
11:Andrea Ahrens
12:Richard Bacik
14:Erika Bacik
15:Richard Bacik, Jr.
16:Ava Bacik
17:Joelle Bernhard
18:Matthew Bernhard
19:Madison Bernhard
21:Helen Blair
22:Ken Blair
23:David Cabral
24:Jennifer Cabral
25:Brandon Cabral
26:Emily Cabral
28:Ryan Cabral
29:Leona Candura
30:John Catelli
31:Nancy Catelli

The ELCA at Work

Lutheran Congregations Bring Christmas Cheer to Hurricane Survivors

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Hurricane Ike survivors lined up early Dec. 13 to receive holiday gifts distributed at First Lutheran Church, Galveston, Texas -- a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Among the items given away: Christmas trees, decorations, bicycles, children's board games, dolls, blankets, winter coats, canned food and gift cards. Church member Sandra Stewart, 63, said one man told her, "If you had not done this, there would not be Christmas for my kids."

Immanuel Lutheran Church of Killeen, Texas, provided the bulk of gifts, aided by $1,300 in support from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Thrivent is a Minneapolis-based not-for-profit financial services organization serving members of the ELCA and other Lutheran church bodies. "Our congregation has been collecting gifts all year long," said Jackie Clark, 53, of the Killeen congregation, 240 miles northwest of Galveston.

The eye of the storm smacked Galveston, a community of 57,000 residents. Winds whipped up to 110 mph; tidal waters surged across the island. Seventy-five percent of the island's buildings suffered structural damage -- a staggering $8.1 billion in insured losses. Most property was either uninsured or underinsured.

"For people who lost everything, this event made their Christmas," said the Rev. Doug Guthier, pastor of the Galveston congregation. "The people from the Killeen church brought an amazing amount of quality stuff -- more than we ever imagined."

First Lutheran opened its doors to Lutherans in need at 10 a.m., then to the entire city at 10:30. Several of the 131 people in line arrived two hours before the event.

Before Ike, Galveston generated $700 million a year in tourism. Today, many businesses remain closed, families are without homes and some neighborhoods are still piled with debris. "We see how God will see us through tough times," the Galveston pastor said. "Christmas is about hope -- a message people desperately need to hear in the aftermath of the storm."

Poinsettia Plant Orders

The deadline to order plants is Friday, December 4, 2009.

The plants are $8.00 each and come in a 6 1/2" foil-wrapped pot. You may take your plant(s) home with you after the 7:30pm Christmas Eve Service.

Please call or email the office if you would like an order form sent to you. Thank you.

Poinsettia Plant Orders

The deadline to order plants is Friday, December 4, 2009.

Plants are $8.00 each and are in a 6 1/2" foil-wrapped pot. You may take your plant home with you after the 7:30pm Christmas Eve Service. Please call or email the office if you would like an order form sent to you. Thank you.

On the Calendar

85 Years in Mission – Share your story.
On November 1st, we celebrated our 85th year in God’s mission here in Nutley with a festive worship service and a famous Holy Trinity potluck dinner after worship. Keep the celebration going by sharing your favorite story about the people of Holy Trinity and the way in which God has used them to love, save and bless your life. Send or e-mail (pastor.htlcnutley@verizon.net) your stories -- written or recorded --to the church office.

Saturday, November 14th – Church Work Day
Come out on Saturday, November 14, and lend a hand in cleaning up and doing some repairs around the church building. There are all types of jobs both big and small, and you can help out for the whole day or just for part of it. Work starts at 9 a.m.

November 22nd – Set up for Advent
After worship on November 22nd, we will get together to decorate the building for Advent. After the work is done, we will sit down to a light lunch and some fellowship. This is a great chance for families to work side-by-side and to start their preparations for the Christmas season. There will be Advent gifts for everyone and a special gift for children. Here is another chance to invite a friend or relative into the life we share in Christ.

November 23rd – Nutley Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service
Worship with thanksgiving together with people of all faiths at 7:30 p.m. at Vincent Methodist Church. In this service, we thank God for all the blessings we enjoy as a community, and to remember in prayer those who are in need. The offering supports the Red Cross Food Pantry. Additionally, you are encouraged to bring a gift of non-perishable foods for the pantry.

November 29th – First Sunday in Advent
Jesus announced the good news like this: “The kingdom of God has come near; turn around; change your mind; believe it.” What an extraordinary thing for Jesus to say (see Mark 1:15). What an extraordinary thing for us to announce as well.

As we start our advent journey, hear that good news message again not just as good news of great joy for a fearful and weary world, but hear it for what it is, Jesus calling each of us into discipleship and mission. Hear again Jesus’ invitation to turn from our “worldly preoccupations” and to “open our hearts.”

It’s time for us to step up, get to work, prepare, watch, wait, turn, open. It’s time for us to change. The kingdom of God has come near. Here, gathered by the crucified and risen baby of Bethlehem, we experience “hope amid crisis, light in deep darkness, a growing sense of expectation, a growing trust in the promises of God.” Not ours to keep; ours to give.

‘Family’ volunteers to light advent wreath … and more?

We’re looking for four “families” (Don’t just think Mom, Dad and the kids … get creative and maybe make some phone calls to invite and gather a whole clan … what about sponsors and godchildren) to lead various parts of our Sunday liturgy, particularly the prayer and the lighting of the Advent wreath each week. Fill out the form below, and return it to the office (mail, e-mail, fax, put it in the offering plate on Sunday.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We (names) ___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

___ would like to lead the prayer and light the advent wreath.

___ would be interested in leading other parts of the Sunday service.

__ Prayers of the church __ Serving communion __ Benediction

We are available to serve on the following Sundays (check all you can attend)

__ Nov. 29 __ Dec. 6 __ Dec. 13 __ Dec. 20

Notes, Comments _________________________________________

Pastor's Message

You shall eat plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the LORD your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you. …
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is none else.
Joel 2:26-27

Near the end of this month we will, as is our custom, take time to observe a national day of thanksgiving. A crowded table of culinary delights – meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, pies, sweets and a rich variety of beverages – has become the central symbol of the day, and a house filled to overflowing with family, friends and loved ones has become the ideal setting for the feast. At the end of the day, we can take satisfaction in having gathered and enjoyed the best and most basic things of life in abundance: food, family, and shelter.

The ancient prophet Joel encouraged his people to look forward to a day of plenty and abundance as a sign and promise of God’s presence and a testimony to God’s goodness, mercy, and reconciling love at work in the creation and in the lives of God’s people. When the soil and vine and livestock produce in abundance, and God’s people eat, drink and enjoy the fruits of God’s creative providence so as to forget times of scarcity and want, the prophet envisions also a time when the people will praise the name of the LORD their God and know that LORD is their God and there is none else.

I wonder what emotions will be in our hearts, what thoughts will be on our minds and what words will be on our lips as we gather to “give thanks” this year? I wonder if any of us has looked around at a house, family and feast and thought, “Surely God is in the midst of God’s people, and the LORD is our God and there is none else?”

There will be a moment on that day, maybe a brief moment but a time nonetheless, when we have the opportunity to praise and thank the God “who has dealt wondrously with us.” I encourage you to seize and savor that moment in prayer, silent or spoken. I encourage you to seize that moment to give testimony and witness to God’s life-giving presence and gracious providence in your life. I encourage you to take the words and witness of the prophet to heart and realize that it is not our money, our technology, our intelligence, our family character, our nation or our wonderfully designed house that are worthy of our thanks and praise, but it is the LORD who is our God, who deserves our thanks and praise.

Of course, you don’t have to wait until the end of the month to come to the table, to fellowship with family or to offer God your thanks and praise. Each Sunday morning at Holy Trinity, we take time for a thanksgiving feast, the eucharist or Lord’s Supper. Bring your friends and your whole family and let’s fill our house each week to give thanks and praise to the Lord our God who has dealt graciously with us in Jesus Christ. In Word and in Sacrament we come to know that God is in the midst of God’s people, that God is God and there is no other.

In Our Community

Thursday Night Advent Dinners
Advent is one of two times in the church year, when God’s people are encouraged to take extra time to gather as God’s people in prayer, meditation, fellowship around God’s Word. Join us on
December 3, 10 and 17 starting at 6:15 p.m. for soup supper and an evening Advent prayer, devotion and Bible reading. Bring a friend.

In Memory…
Edith Schulz (nee Muller), 85, of Nutley, died Sunday,
October 25, 2009 at her home with her loving daughters by her side. Born in Treudorf, Poland on February 16, 1924, she and her late husband Miron Schulz emigrated to Lippstadt, Germany and then to the United States. She lived in Nutley for 30 years. She was an assembler at Torelco in Irvington before retiring. Mrs. Schulz was a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Nutley and had been a singer with the Schwaebischer Saengerbund. Beloved wife, mother, and Omi, she is survived by her daughters, Ellen, Doris, & Carmen; her son-in-law Mark Reilly; her brother, Ernst Muller; her grandchildren, Brant, Katie & Kristy Reilly and many loving relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Fund will be appreciated.



For anyone interested in visiting or writing, the current address for Victor Smith is as follows: N.J. Veterans Memorial Home, Room M124D, One Veterans Drive, Paramus, N.J. 07652. Visiting hours are 8am – 8pm.

Eric Oberndorf has a new address (he is moving to another base) – the only difference is the zip code. Please address as follows:
Oberndorf, Eric
D Co 1-504th PIR
APO AE 09808

Holy Trinity will be accepting donations on behalf of our soldiers. To follow is a list of items needed for Soldier Care Packages. Please bring in your donation(s) to Holy Trinity by Sunday, November 29th and we will arrange to have the items shipped. These are items the soldiers want, but cannot purchase:

PLEASE, NO PACKING PEANUTS

Food, snacks, drinks: energy drinks, drink packets (for water bottles), or anything that can keep well without refrigeration. This includes Lunchables, tuna salad kits, beef jerky, canned pasta, ramen noodles, summer sausage, trail mixes, gum, pop tarts, Tobasco sauce, coffee, sugar cubes, and non-dairy creamer are always in short supply. Mailing: envelopes and postage stamps are a great way to help your soldier keep in touch. Electronics: Most base camps now have electricity, and so many soldiers have portable DVD players, CD/MP3 players (iPods), Game Boys, and the like. So send new DVDs, CDs, games, etc. that a soldier may like, to help break the monotony. AA batteries also help a lot for these small personal devices. Magazines are always good; send general magazines that people their age enjoy. Toiletries: hand sanitizer, baby wipes, Chapstik, sun block, foot/body powder, boot insoles, disposable tooth brushes and Ziploc bags. Thank you.

Facebook

Holy Trinity is now on Facebook. You can become a fan of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and stay up-to-date with what's going on in the congregation and among our members. As a fan you can also post your news, your questions, thoughts and experiences of God's love in action to share with others. It’s just another way to share the good news, overcome barriers and connect one to many in Christ. You can access our page directly from our website, at www.htlcnutley.com

Check out the new Community section of our Website as well. You can read blogs, news from ELCA, preview this week’s worship service and so much more. Log on today.

Christmas Services

December 24th:
4:00pm. Simple spoken Eucharist with carols.
7:30pm: Candlelight services with festive music.

December 25th:
10:00am: Christmas Day Worship.

Now’s the time to invite a friend. Go ahead, share the good news, overcome the barriers and make the connection. To assist at these services, please sign up at worship or call the church office.

Christmas

Stewardship Strengthens...

Stewardship strengthens our relationship with Jesus

Thank You for Your Pledge

Thank you to all who have pledged to share your gifts and assets to carry out the mission and ministry that God is calling this congregation to do. And, thank you to all of you who have committed yourselves to deepening your relationship with Jesus through daily prayer, Bible reading, weekly worship, generosity, service and friendship. Please, continue to pray for God’s wisdom and understanding as we seek God-pleasing ways to spend our time, our talents and our money, and remember the work of our congregation in your prayers.

If you have yet to send in your pledge card or your covenant card, you can still send both to the office. We need all God’s people acting together in faith, hope and love to live out the fullness of the ministry that God is calling us to. Thank you again.

Live Simply and Share the Wealth

Do you or someone you love have a car, appliances, furniture or other stuff they are looking to get rid of or donate? There are people in the community who may be praying for just that thing you are looking to give. Call the church office and let us know what you have.

Remember the Hungry

During these difficult times, organizations that provide food often run short of needed supplies. We will continue to collect food as part of our offering during worship. Bring your non-perishable food items to worship with you, and leave them in the designated area in the narthex.

We were notified of the following by the Red Cross:
FOODS NEEDED: Soups, Stews, Beans, Broths, Peanut Butter
THEY HAVE A SURPLUS OF: Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Rice, Tuna

Seafarers & International House

SEAFARERS & INTERNATIONAL HOUSE is a Lutheran Mission for seafarers and sojourners that started out in 1873 as an Augustana Lutheran mission from Sweden that strives to nurture the human spirit and to foster human dignity.

Christmas-at-Sea – there is some irony in that. The Christmas gifts we will share with family and friends in the warmth of our homes will most likely have arrived from overseas, aboard merchant ships whose seafarers will spend Christmas in the middle of some ocean, far away from their own family and friends. All of us ashore have the opportunity to return the favor to these seafarers and Holy Trinity would like to help. We will be accepting donations here at the church on their behalf. There will be one satchel for each seafarer (please keep in mind that most of them are men) and each satchel will contain:

One Sweatshirt – hooded or unhooded (size L-XL)
One pair of socks – thermal or white gym
One casual pullover T-shirt (size M-L)
One winter cap
One can of nuts or bar of chocolate
A Christmas Card from you.

Note: please do not wrap your items, we will be provided the special satchels for placement.

Please bring your donation(s) to Holy Trinity no later than Sunday, November 29th. Thank you.


To learn more, please go to http://www.sihnyc.org

November Birthdays, Anniversaries & Disciples

November Birthdays

4: Erika Bacik
8: Sara Murphy
10: Jennifer Murphy
11: Chris Amlung
12: John Fenton
13: Irene Falk
14: Barbara Hudnett
15: Victor Smith
18: Cathy Geiselmann
21: Erik Hess
25: Frank Siclari
27: Judi Lovas
28: Joelle Bernhard,
28: Stefeny Krombholz
29: Bonnie Munoz
29: Grace Viola
28: Aida Rubens
30: Nancy Duhm, Nicole Duhm, William Murphy

November Anniversaries

1: Ken & Irene Geiselmann
2: Richard & Susan Ulley
24: Louis & Terry D'Agnolo
24: Jim & Stefeny Krombholz

November Disciples

2: Chao-Lin
3: Agee Lin
4: Joyce Lin
5: Jeff Lin
6: Jared Lin
7: Edith Lodge
9: John Lovas
10: Judi Lovas
11: Rebecca Lovas
12: Kay Ludwig
13: Janette Lutz
14: Betty Mack
16: Tony Maguire
17: Nancy Maguire
18: Miriam Mascola
19: Gerald Mayr
20: Otto Mayr
21: Hedy Mayr
23: Bernd Mayrs
24: Carlos Medina
25: Grace Medina
26: Elaine Miller
27: Lois Milner
28: Nicole Mozeliak
30: Lizzy Wiede

On the Calendar

Sunday School
Sunday School is in full swing. Families gather for worship at 10 a.m. and children and teachers move to the classroom after a children message and prayer. The whole assembly gathers again to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. If you would like to volunteer to be a teacher or helper, please call the church office.

Let’s Have Lunch!
All women of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church are invited to have lunch – bring a friend! – enjoy the fellowship!

When: Saturday, October 17th at noon
Where: The Park Pub, 789 Bloomfield Ave. Nutley (across from Roche)
Who: Please RSVP by October 14th to Julie Franchino at (973) 667-8492 or to Phyllis Weber at (973) 744-5482.

Remember to “fall back” on November 1st!
Please note that daylight savings time ends on November 1, 2009 – make sure to set your clocks back one hour.

Celebrate 85 years in mission November 1st
On November 1st, we will celebrate our 85th year in God’s mission here in Nutley with a festive worship service and a famous Holy Trinity potluck dinner after worship. Look for the potluck signup sheet later in this newsletter.

Pastors' Message

“I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Phillipians 4

Over and over again, I am reminded of your generosity and the eagerness with which you share all God has blessed you with. I thank God for you and for your willingness to share in God’s mission to love, save and bless the world in Jesus Christ. I am especially thankful for the people of this community in these exciting, difficult and changing times.

All around us the world is changing. Our ideas about money, time and the environment may all be changing too. It seems that in times like these we are being asked – in some ways being forced to live more simply. At the same time, the circumstances of people in our lives, our families and our communities continue to depend on our generosity. Now, it seems we are starting to sense the urgency in our Lord Jesus’ voice when he invites us to follow him for the sake of the world by living simple and generous lives of faith, hope and love.

Over the next month, I invite you to join the conversation this congregation will be having around the topic – “Make it Simple.” I invite you to join the conversation and to share with this whole community – in prayer, talk, song and friendship -- how God has been working in your life. God has given us to each other to share our lives and challenges and share and grow in our faith. And so, remember that God has a word for us; Jesus has a life-giving, life-changing word to speak. We need to talk and share all that’s happening in our lives, but, more importantly, we also need to listen and to hear God speak.

I am anxious to hear about how you are “making it simple.” What steps have you taken to simplify your life? How have your ideas about money, time and the environment been changing? How is God challenging you to grow in your generosity? You can post your stories to our Facebook page, e-mail them to me at pastor.htlcnutley@verizon.net, write a card or letter or even share your experiences with the congregation as we gather for worship. I look forward to hearing from you, and to listening to what God is saying through you.

Over the course of this month, I am excited to look for new ways in which we can “Make it Simple” and inspire each other to live a simpler and more generous life -- not as a defensive reaction to current conditions but as a faithful and hopeful response to our Lord Jesus’ invitation to follow him, to face the truth, to act together and to share enough.

But let’s not just do this alone. Please, invite your friends, family, buddies, co-workers, hairdresser, handyman, plumber -- whoever you talk -- to join our conversation and to be part of God’s solution.

I rejoice in the mission we are partnering to accomplish – to share the Gospel, to overcome barriers, to connect one to many in the unconditional love of God. And I thank God that we are facing these times together as a community. In the power of the Holy Spirit, God is making us a powerful community of faith, committed to following our baptismal call of faithfulness to Jesus and service to our neighbor.

Facebook

Holy Trinity is now on Facebook. You can become a fan of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and stay up-to-date with what's going on in the congregation and among our members. As a fan you can also post your news, your questions, thoughts and experiences of God's love in action to share with others. It’s just another way to share the good news, overcome barriers and connect one to many in Christ. You can access our page directly from our website, at www.htlcnutley.com

In Our Community

Chris and Nancy Duhm are proud to announce that their son Matthew has attained the highest rank in Scouting, the rank of Eagle Scout. Matthew, along with eight other scouts will be honored on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at the Essex Manor located at 41 Broughton Avenue in Bloomfield, 1:00 - 5:00 pm, cost per person is $34.00. Those individuals interested in attending should contact Sally Mueller at 973-667-1049 by October 19th.

For anyone interested in visiting or writing, the current address for Victor Smith is as follows: N.J. Veterans Memorial Home, Room M124D, One Veterans Drive, Paramus, N.J. 07652. Visiting hours are 8am – 8pm.

In Memory…
Dorothy (Dot) Wilson on Thursday, August 27, 2009. She was survived by her husband, Bradford, son, Greg of Westfield and daughter, Susan of Butler. She was predeceased by her brother, Peter Janco and her sister, Susan Trehan.

The following is an excerpt from a Sympathy Card to the memory of
Dot Wilson…
“I remember Dorothy’s dedication and service to her Tuesday evening L.C.W. circle, as well as her sincere and caring ways and her presence at worship. Enclosed is a donation to the Endowment Fund to remember with thanksgiving, the life of Dorothy Wilson. With sympathy… ’’~ Jeff Grieco.

Jeannette M. (Ibbotson) Rusignuolo,87, of Clifton, and formerly of Nutley, on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, at St. Vincent's Nursing Home in Cedar Grove. Mrs. Rusignuolo was born in Brooklyn; she resided in Nutley until 1999 when she moved to Clifton. Mrs. Rusignuolo was employed for 23 years at Roche where she was a member of the Roche Retirees Club. Before her retirement in 1984, she was a supervisor in clinical drugs research at Roche.

Predeceased by her husband, Frank Rusignuolo, she is survived by a daughter, Lois A. Milner; a son, Frank R. Rusignuolo; four grandchildren, Scott, Kristie, Brian and Kari, and five great grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Ava, Isabel, Leah and Olivia.
Memorial contributions to the Alzheimer's Association would be appreciated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Thank you people of Holy Trinity … you all helped to make our Back-to-School/Back-to-Church celebration such a joy. THANK YOU …

…to Diane and Kara for putting together our gift packs;
…to Debbie, Emily, Sally, Nancy, Julie, Rebecca, and everyone who helped teach our children that God’s Word is our light;
…to Martin, Elaine and Ruth for leading our discussion as we began to rediscover our Book of Faith, The Bible;
… to Scott and the choir for leading worship and for inspirational music;
… to Julie, Greg, Aida, Frank, Nancy and everyone who planned, prepared and served the food;
… to all who passed out door hangers, invitations and postcards.

Thank you to everyone for making it another event to remember. But most importantly thank you for your warmth, your enthusiasm and your desire to share the Gospel with everyone we meet.

Using Email to Make, Keep and Invite Friends

As postal rates continue to rise -- we are trying to distribute more and more of our information electronically. If you haven't already shared your e-mail address with the church office, please consider doing so by sending an e-mail with ADD ME TO THE MAILING LIST in the subject line to office.htlcnutley@verizon.net.

Stewardship Strengthens our Relationship with God

LIVING AS GOD’S GENEROUS PEOPLE

Pennies for Peace
Thanks to everyone who contributed to our “Pennies for Peace” program during the summer. We raised a total of $100.50 to help children in war-torn areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thanks to Paige and Diane Petschel for bringing this project to us—together we do more! www.penniesforpeace.org


Live Simply and Share the Wealth
Do you or someone you love have a car, appliances, furniture or other stuff they are looking to get rid of or donate? There are people in the community who may be praying for just that thing you are looking to give. Call the church office and let us know what you have.

Remember the Hungry
During these difficult times, organizations that provide food often run short of needed supplies. We will continue to collect food as part of our offering during worship. Bring your non-perishable food items to worship with you, and leave them in the designated area in the narthex.

We were notified of the following by the Red Cross:

FOODS NEEDED:
Soups, Stews, Beans, Broths, Peanut Butter

THEY HAVE A SURPLUS OF:
Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Rice and Tuna

How to Contact Our Staff

How to contact our staff – church office: (973) 667-0256
158 Vreeland Avenue, Nutley, N.J. 07110

Rev. James R Krombholz, Pastor:
(732) 548-1215 + pastor.htlcnutley@verizon.net

J. Scott Jones, Minister of Music:
(973) 338-0267 + music.htlcnutley@verizon.net

Tina Patti, Parish Administrator:
(973) 667-0256 + office.htlcnutley@verizon.net

Facebook - You can access our page directly from our website, at www.htlcnutley.com

October Birthdays, Anniversaries and Disciples

October Birthdays

1:Agee Lin
12:Tony Maguire
14:Evelyn Cordes
16:Angela Murphy
17:Ruth Sekula
18:Joseph Cicci
22:Martin Futyma
23:Jennifer Riccio
26:Lynn Johnson
29:Matthew Duhm
30:Kevin Johnson and Monica Rubens

October Anniversaries

3:Brenda & Dan Munoz
16:Nancy & Tony Maguire

October Disciples

1:Dot Greengrove
2:Nancy Guenther
3:Marcia Hayes
5:Erik Hess
6:Dayna Hess
7:Samantha Hess
8:Sydney Hess
9:Ruth Hsu
10:Rich Hudnett
12:Barbara Hudnett
13:Christina Hudnett
14:Alicia Hudnett
15:Ricky Hudnett
16:Lynn Johnson
17:Kevin Johnson
19:Brian Johnson
20:Scott Jones
21:Debbie Jones
22:Emily Jones
23:Sarah Jones
24:Robert Kozak
26:Marilyn Kozak
27:Robbie Kozak
28:Pastor Krombholz
29:Stefeny Krombholz
30:Jakob Krombholz
31:Luke Krombholz

Job Opportunity

Children’s Aid and Family Services is a non-profit human services organization that has been helping children since 1899. They have a rewarding employment opportunity that is more than just a job. Perhaps you know of someone in your community who is looking for work or is seeking a change in his or her life? They are looking for individuals who understand the importance of family, are community-minded, and who would be great role models to help positively change the lives of teenagers in foster care. These are young people who are desperately seeking the opportunity to experience a stable home and a loving family environment.

They are seeking committed couples who are passionate about parenting and making a positive difference, to serve as “Professional Parents” to teenager in either an agency-owned home or possibly their own home. To follow is a description:

Professional Parent (FT positions): To provide 24/7 intensive, therapeutic foster care for up to five (5) adolescents and demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to work with behaviorally challenged youth. Participate in trainings and treatment planning as well as its implementation. Assist each adolescent with developing the necessary life skills which will promote independence and encourage them to be active in his/her community and maintain relationships with birth family members as approved by DYFS. Requirements: Must be at least 21 years of age with a minimum of a high school diploma (or equivalent), one (1) year of experience working with behaviorally challenged youth and have a valid NJ driver’s license/good driving history. The professional parent must secure their own co-parent who will reside full time at the home/apartment provided by the agency – additional funds provided for food, utilities, car, etc. The professional parent must accept any team assigned referrals and supervise a full time youth counselor. The professional parent may not have outside employment and have any children under the age of fourteen (14) living with them. The co-parent is not an employee of the agency and may work outside of the home. Salary: $40,000 annualized.

Call (201) 226-0300 or visit www.cafsnj.org for more information.

Unemployed? Trials, Lessons and Blessings

If you’ve just lost a job, be angry, frustrated, scared and downright crazy if you need to be. Losing a job stinks and you’re allowed to tell God so. But if you’re past that first period of shock and fear, here are some of the things we’ve learned.

Don’t hide out
Tell everyone what’s going on. Get out of the house and network with folks. Let people know you’re looking for work – you never know where an opportunity might come from.

Keep praying
Let’s be honest – most of us turn to God more often during difficult periods, and this is one of them. If your prayer life has been on the back burner, now is a good time to move it front and center. Be as honest and forthright with God about your anger, frustration and fear as you want or need to be – God can take it!

Breathe and exercise
Breathing brings down stress levels. Take time to care for your body and soul during this time, not only by breathing but by exercising. Breathe and exercise so your body and soul can be open and attentive to whatever comes your way.

Continue to laugh
Laughter is great medicine. Do it daily. It will reduce stress, make you feel better and help you to stay balanced.

Keep the lines of communication open
Talk with family members about how you’re feeling and listen to their feeling as well. It’s easy to suffer silently, to think that if you don’t name your fears out loud they’ll go away. Talk about them with those you love. Let the hardships of this time pull you together.

Let the church hold you up
Your church community can help. Go to Bible/Prayer Studies. Go to Soup Suppers (Holy Trinity offers one every Thursday Night!) – it’s not only a good meal for pennies but an opportunity to socialize, network and relax with others who are holding us in prayer. Take a second look at ways in which your church community can support you right now.

Work the system
One of the most difficult aspects of unemployment really is all the bureaucratic red tape, with all it specialized language. Be persistent –
be dogged in going after the resources out there for those out of work. You’ll start feeling better when those unemployment checks start coming in.

Let others help
Teresa of Avila, a Spanish nun and writer once said that we are Christ’s hands and feet, so let others be Christ’s hands and feet to you. This is no time to be proud. If those around you want to help and are able, let them!

Give back in whatever ways you can
Budgets are important when your financial situation changes and maybe you don’t have money for charitable gifts right now. But you have time and talents to offer – give whatever you can – be Christ’s hand and feet yourself. You’ll feel better when you give to those who are even less fortunate than you. There are plenty of them out there.

The above was an excerpt from an article by Debra Farrington from The Lutheran. www.thelutheran.org

If you have time, talent and/or money and want to help some people in our community who are feeling the pinch of these tough economic times, talk to Pastor Jim about ways you may be able to help.

If you are in need or know of someone who is in need and would like this community of disciples to be of assistance, feel free to call pastor Jim, anytime –
732-548-1215; pastor.htlcnutley@verizon.net

Stewardship Stew

A community-action activity
As a loving parent, you want “the best” for your child. “The best” is not just about the best schools, the safest housing or the most nutritious foods, although these are all desirable. The “best” you want for your children is the best part of them – the God part of them. You want your kids to be who God created them to be; people who care and live their life showing it.

God, your loving parent wants “the best” for you, too – no matter how old you are. The best God wants for you is that place in you where your generous heart still beats, your soul trusts in God’s economy and your spirit feels compelled to pass on this most essential news to the next generation: “We are richly blessed by God. We feel the most joyful and free when we share God’s blessings.”

You can nurture that best place of caring and generosity in your children and in yourself by learning about being good stewards. Here’s a delicious activity, “Stewardship Stew” that will get you, your friends, your family and anyone you want to invite cooking, thinking and learning together.

Ingredients from the store
2 lbs lean beef (or another protein)
1 qt water or broth
2 cups sliced potatoes
1 cup sliced turnips
1 cup sliced carrots
1-2 onions chopped
3T flour
Salt and pepper
Garlic, parsley or a few favorite herbs

Ingredients from home
Love
Baptismal water
Bible
Blessings
Secret ingredients

Start the Stew
1. Sauté the meat, stirring constantly. When well browned, put it into the soup pot.
2. Cover with water, bring to a boil; skim fat. Simmer for one hour.
3. Add carrot, turnip, onion and potatoes; simmer for another hour.
4. Thicken with 3 tablespoons of flour diluted with enough cold water to pour easily.
5. Let the stew come to a boil again.

Adding the home ingredients
Now consider: where will you find items in the right hand column of the recipe? Where do you keep love? Give each other hugs. Stretch out your arms and pretend to hug God’s world. Stretch out your arms as wide as a large soup pot. Love surrounds you and your stewardship stew.

1.Where are the blessings? Look around at home and name some blessings you see inside and outside. They’re everywhere. Scoop some up for pretend and throw them in the stew pot.

2.How about the Bible? Find it, open it and read John 21:15. Jesus asked his disciple Peter, “Do you love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, I love you.” “Great!” said Jesus. “Then feed my lambs. Of course you’re not going to put the Bible in the stew! But you can pretend to shake some words in there. For example. “Jesus wants us to take care of each other.”

3.If you can, find a picture or remember out loud the story of yours, your child’s or your friend’s baptism. Before the stew is cooking, let others pour cold water or broth over the meat in the pot. When you were baptized, God pours water over you and gives you some jobs. Ask: “What are some jobs God gives us? Your baptism goes into the stew because when you’re baptized God says, “Care, give, share.

A Secret Ingredient
Don’t hold back on adding more to your stew: fresh tomatoes, herbs, a Bible verse that taught you about giving, a song that makes you feel God. Use your whole bodies as you season the soup. Jump up and down like salt shakers, pop like herbs in the garden, sneeze from the pepper, twirl around like a stirred up stew.

Taste and See
Now it’s time to eat. Say a Stew Grace to bless the meal. And be sure to surprise someone by sharing a container or two with them.

Potluck Dinner

Celebrate 85 years in mission Sunday, November 1, 2009, by gathering for worship and the Lord’s Supper at 10:00 a.m. and then stay together after worship for a potluck dinner. Mark your calendar and get ready to share great food, some fun times and that famous Holy Trinity “family” fellowship. This is a great opportunity to invite your friends and neighbors to come and experience the grace of God working through our loving community, so bring a friend!

Use the form below to tell us what you plan to share at this gathering.
Thank you!




November 1, 2009 Potluck Dinner Sign-up Sheet

We will be there (names): ___________________________________

We plan on sharing:

Food:
Main Dish _____

Salad or Vegetable _____

Dessert _____



Time and talents:

Set up _____

Clean up _____

On the Calendar

Book Study/Supper
Thursday night dinner and study

Our Thursday night dinner and Bible study continues this fall. Join us at 6:15 p.m. for dinner and at 7 p.m. for Bible study. Here is an opportunity to share God's love and some good food with people who are feeling the pinch of the economic downturn. Simple meals, but inspiring fellowship. Make and share your favorite recipes. Make some new friends. Experience the life-changing power of God's word for our life. Make it a date with friends.

Monday night Bible and Prayer
Join a small-group of God's people for a time of prayer, sharing and a slow, meditative reading of The Bible Monday evenings starting at 7:30 p.m. For the first few weeks, we will be reading, discussing and putting into practice methods from Eugene Peterson's book on the art of spiritual reading Eat This Book.

Sunday School Teachers and Parents
It's time to begin another year of Sunday School. If you are interested in planning, helping or teaching this year, please come to a planning meeting after worship on Sept. 6. If you cannot make that meeting, but want to help out, please talk to Gail Ceravolo or Pastor Jim. Sunday School starts with our Back-to-School celebration Sept. 20.
Choir Rehearsals will begin again on Thursday, September 10, at 8pm and the choir will sing on Sunday, September 13th. If you would like to join the choir or would like more information, please call, email or speak to Scott Jones.


Back-to-School; Back-to-Church; Back-to-the-Bible
Sunday school starts September 20 with our annual back-to-school celebration. This year, our celebration begins with a special worship with Holy Communion at 10 a.m., followed by games and crafts for children and a special Bible program for adults: Rediscovering the Book of Faith. Finally, we will all gather for a great lunch and more games and crafts. It's a great way to start your school year, and a great time to invite your friends and neighbors to join the Holy Trinity family.

If you are interested in planning, organizing and/or helping make this day a success, please come to our planning meetings after worship on Aug. 30 and Sept. 13.

Rediscovering the Book of Faith – September 20 – October 4 after worship
Where did the Bible come from? The Christian Scripture contains sixty-six separate books, two testaments, and seven distinct types of literature. Yet, Christians the world over hold it as a single, bound volume we call “The Bible.”
This three-session study held on Sunday after worship explores how the Bible came to be our Book of Faith and what it means for our lives today. Together we will learn how, why and where the Old Testament and New Testament were created and explore how the Bible was put together, and examine the impact of the Reformation on our access to and understanding of scripture. Invite your friends and family to attend with you.

Here are the topics we will explore and discuss each week:

1. Rediscovering the Family Album of God’s People
2. Rediscovering the Good News of Jesus
3. Rediscovering God’s Gift of Grace

Please return to church office or e-mail your request to office.htlcnutley@verizon.net



____ Yes, I am excited to Rediscover the Book of Faith, and

____ I/We plan to attend Sunday after worship. (9/20 – 10/4) Please order ____ copies of the study guide for me.

____ I/We cannot attend the Sunday sessions, but would like to follow
along at home. Please order ____ copies of the study guide for me.

____ I want like to invite a friend to attend with me, and I would like the church to help me.

Name(s): _____________________________________________________________________________________

Pastor's Message

What I am trying to do in my life is change the way I mark time, and I invite you to join me.

"Very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. ... As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, ... "You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised." Mark 16

When I look at most calendars the box at the far left, the first box of the row that makes up any particular week, corresponds to Sunday. Sunday is the first day of the week. Yet in my life and in my speech, sunset on Sunday marks the sad -- and sometimes anxious -- end to the weekend. Sunday is the last day of the week.

Since the world we know spins on an axis of work and school, most of us mark time with a five-day week that begins on Monday, makes a turn on Friday, and ends on Sunday. Sunday is the last day of the week, regardless of what box comes first on the calendar on the wall. In fact, in the calendars most of us keep on our desk, Monday is the first day of the week. Monday takes priority. Sunday comes last.

For years, I have understood that the one of the biggest obstacles to people joining the assembly of God's people for worship on the first day of the week [read: going to church on Sunday], is the time of day and the day of week when we worship. For all practical purposes, Christ's people are worshipping on the morning of the last day of the week and the last day of the weekend. When the alarm goes off on Sunday morning and the church bells start to ring, these summons ring right in the middle of "our time." Add to this, the church's wise and consistent teaching on the sabbath -- the day God rested from all God's work and commanded God's people to do the same from all their work -- and the fact that we really do need a "day of rest" at the end of the week and seems to tough to make the case for Sunday morning worship.

If we remember our catechism, however, we remember that Martin Luther explained that Christians keep the sabbath by attending to God's word and the sacraments, by resting in God's grace, mercy and love. This is most certainly true, but I have met few people, especially parents, who see or experience Sunday morning worship as rest. It's a lot of work, honestly. I know. And that's okay. I am fine with that.

What I am trying to do in my life is change the way I mark time, and I invite you to join me. I want my mind and heart to reset itself to the rhythms of a six-day work week that begins on Sunday in worship, praise and thanksgiving, tending to God's word and being fed and strengthened at Christ's table. From there, I move into the rest of my work week, slowly at first, but I will go in peace to do what God has called and gifted me to do: to share the good news, overcome barriers and connect one to many in Christ in the home, in the classroom and on the job. Then as the sun sets on Friday, I want to slow down and begin to rest, again in praise and thanksgiving to the God who gave me life, meaningful work and a command to rest.

Sounds simple enough, but its a challenge because I am not asking that we simply write worship into our weekly schedule, I am asking that God's word and weekly worship transform our schedules, our priorities, ... and our lives.

Thank You!

Our Discovery Canyon Vacation Bible School was a great success! We met many new friends and had as many as 21 children in attendance, along with several adults. Thank you to EVERYONE who helped in any way to make it possible—through donations, decorating, prep work for arts and crafts, teaching or helping as part of our team. Through Bible lessons, music, movement, art and crafts we learned to REJOICE, PRAY, ASK, TELL AND SEEK. Our mission project this year was The Lutheran Navajo Mission in Rock Point, Arizona.

Thanks to our staff:
Co-directors: Scott Jones & Kara Suttora
Worship Leader/Adult Study: Pastor Jim
Office/registration: Tina Patti
Pre-K: Emily Jones, Chris Siclari, Sarah Jones with teen helpers Angela Murphy and Lauren Kyle.
Pre-K Classparents: Chris Caporaso, Stefeny Stofa Krombholz and Stephanie Yero
K-Grade 1: Ruth Hsu and Cathy Geiselmann
Grades 2-6: Nancy Duhm
Crafts: Debbie Jones
Science and Movement: Gail Ceravolo
Music: Scott Jones
Snack: Diane Petschel

Thanks to everyone who helped to decorate or prepare crafts and to those who made contributions toward VBS. In addition to those already listed above, special thanks to Greg Sekula, Al Weber, Dave VanHouten, George Ceravolo, Nancy Guenther, Julie Franchino Janet Stofa, Leona Candura, Jayne Osborne, Elaine Miller and
Terry Scalcione. Sorry if we missed anyone.

Lemonade
Thanks to all of you who participated in and acted as host for this years’ summer Lemonade!

Keep it Simple

How have you simplified your life and reset your priorities over the past year? Share your insights with the people of Holy Trinity. Send me an e-mail at pastor.htlcnutley@verizon.net or leave a post on the Holy Trinity Facebook discussion.

Facebook

Holy Trinity is now on Facebook. You can become a fan of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and stay up-to-date with what's going on in the congregation and among our members. As a fan you can also post your news, your questions, thoughts and experiences of God's love in action to share with others. It’s just another way to share the good news, overcome barriers and connect one to many in Christ. You can access our page directly from our website, at www.htlcnutley.com

In Our Community

Congratulations!
Congratulations to Ricky Hudnett, who on June 20, 2009 graduated from Nova S.W. University in Florida, with his M.B.A. He is also working at the University as the Assistant Director of the Master’s Program.

Ricky also recently became engaged on May 23, 2009 to Alicia Cook – a fall 2010 wedding is planned! Ricky is the son of Richard and Barbara Hudnett.

Congratulations on the birth of
Connor Logan Murphy, born on June 23, 2009. He joins siblings Angela, Erika, Alex, Olivia, Sara, and William. Mom and Dad are Damian and Sharon Murphy.


Eric Oberndorf will be deploying to Iraq shortly. Anyone who wishes to send him mail can do so in the following way(s). We’ve been notified by his father, Steve, to wait until the end of September to send anything. This APO address is good through the end of the year. Letters and cards sent to the APO address only need normal First Class postage stamps and can be mailed from any mailbox:
SSG Oberndorf, Eric
D CO 1-504th PIR ,
APO AE 09381

However, packages must be mailed from the post office and a customs form has to be completed. Packages also must have a specific return address (not the sender's) to comply with Army regulations. That address is Eric's permanent duty station and it is:
Oberndorf
D CO 1/504 PIR
Fort Bragg, NC 28310

ALCM Conference
In July, I attended a regional convention of The American Guild of Organists in Boston. An AGO convention is all about amazing concerts in amazing spaces. We heard many large pipe organs in historic churches, including a brass and organ concert at Trinity Church and a recital at the Christian Science Mother Church, which looks like something that belongs in the Emerald City! There were some interesting talks and workshops, including one on the music of Mendelssohn--a Jew whose family converted to the Lutheran faith!
An Association of Lutheran Church Musicians conference is more of a spiritual time for me. Our national convention this year was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and we had a wonderful week! I always wish you could all experience the worship and the singing at these events. We had on average three worship services each day, along with concerts and
some great workshops. This year I found it to be mostly an affirmation of my work and relationship with Pastor Jim and you, the congregation. Thank you for supporting my professional memberships and attendance at these conferences. ~Scott Jones

Items Needed ~ Thank You!

Car
If you or anyone you know has a used car (in working condition) they are looking to donate, please contact pastor or the church office, as we do know people who are in need.

Refrigerator(s)
The church is in need of two refrigerators. Anyone looking to donate a good quality, usable full size refrigerator for our kitchen, or a small or “dorm” –sized refrigerator for the church office, please call the office.


Food Drive
During these difficult times, organizations that provide food often run short of needed supplies. We will continue to collect food as part of our offering during worship. Bring your non-perishable food items to worship with you, and leave them in the designated area in the narthex.

We were notified of the following by the Red Cross:

FOODS NEEDED:
Soups, Stews, Beans, Broths, Peanut Butter

THEY HAVE A SURPLUS OF:
Pasta, Pasta Sauce, Rice and Tuna

September Birthday, Anniversaries and Disciples

September Birthdays

3:Alexander Murphy
7:Leona Candura
9:Maura Cicci
10:Helen Blair
11:Angelika Achtiani
15:John Norton
20:Danny Murphy
24:Holly Wiede
26:Alicia Hudnett
27:Hedy Mayr
28:Susan Wilson
29:Janet Strachan

September Anniversaries

10:John & Evelyn Denkinger
11:John & Elfrieda Fenton
13:Ken & Dot Duke

Disciples

1:Ken Duke
2:Dot Duke
3:Richard Ebeling
4:Barbara Ebeling
5:Stacie Ebeling
7:Chelsea Ebeling
8:Elizabeth Ebeling
9:Jean Esparolini
10:Chris Esparolini
11:Irene Falk
12:John Fenton
14:Elfrieda Fenton
15:Julie Franchino
16:Pete Franchino
17:John Franchino
18:Martin Futyma
19:Betty Futyma
21:Susan Gage
22:Tom Gallo
23:Heather Gallo
24:Nicholas Gallo
25:Cathy Geiselmann
26:Erica Geiselmann
28:Ken Geiselmann
29:Irene Geiselmann
30:Jim Greengrove

Altar Flowers

Please note that we still have two dates available for anyone who would like to sponsor our altar flowers. If you would like to honor or remember someone, please fill out the chart outside of the church office or give us a call at (
973) 667-0256. The cost is $30.00

The available dates are September 20 and October 4, 2009.

Let's Take a Walk

The 2009 CROP Walk (SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18th AT 2PM.) and will begin and end at First Congregational Church, 40 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair.

We will join neighbors from different faiths, cultures, and ages, walking together to take a stand against hunger in our world. Together we raise awareness and funds for international relief and development, as well as local hunger-fighting agencies. Some 2,000 communities across the country take part each year. CROP = Communities – Responding to – Overcome-Poverty!

The WALK will begin and end at First Congregational Church, 40 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair, and is the usual 3 miles.

This year we are joining together in interfaith community CROP Hunger Walks around the theme “we walk because they walk.” Many of the walkers will be wearing “we walk because they walk” t-shirts, proclaiming their solidarity with the millions of neighbors around the world who have to walk to live. T-shirts and baseball-style caps will be available at a cost of $10.00 for adults.


WALKS help fight hunger and poverty around the world including the U.S. Up to 25% of what a CROP Walk raises can assist food banks, pantries, community gardens, and other local hunger-fighting initiatives. The total raised for the 2008 Essex Walk in Montclair was over $22,000 (the $20,000 goal was reached again) with $5,500 being returned for our 11 local food pantries in Montclair, Bloomfield, Kearny and Nutley.

The one and only meeting for the 2009 WALK will be Tuesday, September 8th and 7:30pm at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 153 Park Street, Montclair. WALK envelopes, poster, flyers, t-shirts, etc. will be available for distribution.
Call (973) 744-6043 with any questions.

Volunteers Needed for the Fall Festival

If you would like to volunteer for helping at the Fall Festival on Sunday, September 20, 2009, please call the church office at (973) 667-0256. We need all kinds of help, starting with setup at 7am through cleanup starting at 2pm. Thanks.

On The Calendar

Dive into the Book of Faith


Open the scripture. Join the conversation. Come, hear and learn once again the story of God and God’s people in a deep, meaningful and transformative way this summer. As part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) initiative that calls “the whole church to become more fluent in the first language of faith, the language of scripture, in order that we might live out our calling as people renewed, enlivened, empowered and sent by the Word.”

We enter into this conversation based on the promised that exploring the Bible deeply with others opens us to God working in and through us. God’s Word is life changing, church changing and world changing. As we come together around God’s Word, the Holy Spirit works to lay a promising and fruitful foundation for connecting Bible, life and faith.

This summer, we will start this journey to renewal in the power of God’s Word together as a congregation assembled to worship and in small groups. All in all, there will be three opportunities to gather, open scripture and join the conversation.

Between July 12 and August 30, the assigned readings take us into and through the Book of Ephesians. In Sunday worship, through songs, sermons and prayers, we will focus on that particular Book of Faith under the theme, God’s Extraordinary Church. We will pick up that study and add time for group discussion, prayer and support during on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m., following our weekly community dinner.

Finally, a number of people have expressed interest in learning more about how the Bible came to be our Book of Faith and to explore more about what we mean when we confess the Holy Scripture to be the Word of God. Join us on three Sunday afternoons in September as we Rediscover the Book the Faith, the Bible. What better way to go “back-to-school” than to get back into God’s Word. It will change your life.

To sign up for either one of these exciting studies, fill out the forms below and return them to the church office or e-mail the church office with your plans office.htlcnutley@verizon.net.

God’s Extraordinary Church: Studies in Ephesians – July 12 – August 30

Mega-churches seem to catch everyone’s attention these days. Bigger appears to be better. The Letter to the Ephesians reminds us that God enables us to build a wondrous church beyond our wildest expectations (Eph. 3:19-20). Spiritual quality is always more important than worldly quantity when it comes to God’s heavenly design.

This book of faith is like a blueprint written to modern churches like ours, churches in transition. This series gives us the opportunity to experience divine guidance in our mission and ministry. As we rediscover God’s Word for our life and the life our church, we will discover again our passion for God’s purposes in the world through Jesus Christ. Come along. Open the Scripture. Join the Conversation.

Here are the topics we will be exploring in worship, study, conversation and prayer:

1. Are We Building in Love? Ephesians 1:3-14
2. Are We Building with Walls? Ephesians 2:11-22
3. Are We Building Beyond Measure? Ephesians 3:14-21
4. Are We Building as One? Ephesians 4:1-16
5. Are We Building Up? Ephesians 4:25-5:2 and 5:15-20
6. Are We Built to Withstand? Ephesians 6:10-20

Please return to church office or e-mail your request to office.htlcnutley@verizon.net

____ Yes, I am excited about exploring God’s amazing Word to God’s
extraordinary church, and

____ I/We plan to attend Thursday night. Please order ____ copies of the study guide for me.

____ I/We cannot attend the Thursday night study this time, but would like to follow along at home. Please order ____ copies of the study guide for me.
Name(s): __________________________________________

Rediscovering the Book of Faith – September 20 – October 4 after worship

Where did the Bible come from? The Christian Scripture contains sixty-six separate books, two testaments, and seven distinct types of literature. Yet, Christians the world over hold it as a single, bound volume we call “The Bible.”

This three-session study held on Sunday after worship explores how the Bible came to be our Book of Faith and what it means for our lives today. Together we will learn how, why and where the Old Testament and New Testament were created and explore how the Bible was put together, and examine the impact of the Reformation on our access to and understanding of scripture. Invite your friends and family to attend with you.

Here are the topics we will explore and discuss each week:

1. Rediscovering the Family Album of God’s People
2. Rediscovering the Good News of Jesus
3. Rediscovering God’s Gift of Grace

Please return to church office or e-mail your request to office.htlcnutley@verizon.net

____ Yes, I am excited to Rediscover the Book of Faith, and

____ I/We plan to attend Sunday after worship. Please order ____ copies of the study guide for me.

____ I/We cannot attend the Sunday sessions, but would like to follow
along at home. Please order ____ copies of the study guide for me.

____ I want like to invite a friend to attend with me, and I would like to church to help me.

Name(s): _____________________________________________________________________________________


Summer Music Conferences

Scott Jones will be in Boston for the Region Convention of the American Guild of Organists from June 30 through July 4. Scott is registrar for the 2011 Morristown Convention and will be meeting with the Boston Planning Committee. Locally, Scott serves on the Executive Board of the Metro NJ Chapter, is Membership Chair and publishes their Directory of Members.

In August, Scott will attend the National Convention of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Scott is Regional Vice President for the ALCM and he always looks forward to the workshops, concerts and worship services at these conferences.

Talent Time to Present Gypsy

The musical Gypsy will be presented at Bloomfield High School August 6-8 and 13-15 at 8:00 pm. General Admission tickets are $12/$10 for seniors and Students. The High School is at 160 Broad St. in Bloomfield and is air-conditioned! Emily Jones is producing the show as well as playing in the pit orchestra. Sarah Jones is performing in the cast.

As part of the Charles Seller Foundation, the Talent Time players have been presenting benefit performances since 1950. Each summer the members, who are in their mid-teens to late twenties, produce and perform a musical in which all the profits go to help a local person with a severe medical need.
Please call (862) 202-6943 for more information.

Summer Food Drive

During the summer months, organizations that provide food often run short of needed supplies. This summer, we continue to collect food as part of our offering during worship. Bring your non-perishable food items to worship with you, and take them forward during the gathering of our offering.

Discovery Canyon VBS is Just Around the Rim!

Our journey begins Sunday, August 16 and ends with a closing program on Friday, August 21. We will meet in the evening again, from 6:00-8:30p.m. Registration is $15.00 per person with a maximum of $30.00 per family. Registration forms will be available at church, by emailing the office at office.htlcnutley@verizon.net or by registering online at www.htlcnutley.com DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS AUGUST 2, 2009.

Mark your calendars and grab your hiking gear. This is a week filled with amazing Bible stories, Cavern Crafts, Sagebrush Storytelling and Red Rock Rhythm! Plan to join us and invite a friend. See you at the Canyon!

To help defray the cost of education and craft materials, we are asking for monetary donations. If you would care to make a donation, there will be donation cards in the church entry for different denominations totaling the amount estimated for the supplies. Please take one or more and enclose them with or attach them to your contribution, which can be put in the offering plate on Sundays through June, July and/or August. Please make sure to clearly mark the offering for “VBS”.

Can you help create our “Canyon Adventure?” We could use southwest/Native American blankets or fabric, pottery or baskets and blow-up or artificial cacti. Hiking gear like backpacks, hiking boots, a canteen and walking stick would be appreciated. Stuffed, resin or wooden “critters” for our daily themes would be great—desert lizard, owl, burro, praying mantis, and fox. Donations may be brought to church any time. Please identify them with your name so that they can be returned in August after VBS. Stay tuned for more announcements about craft preparation and church decorating. Thank you!

Annual Back To School Celebration - September 20

This year’s Fall Festival is still in the early planning stages, but we are working with the theme … Back-to-School; Back-to-Bible.

Not only will this year’s celebration mark the opening of Sunday school with lively worship (including a special blessing of the backpacks) food, games and prizes for all children, but we are planning on inviting all people, young and old to join us in rediscovering our Book of Faith (see article on page 4) this fall. To volunteer, call or e-mail Pastor Jim.

In Our Community

Relay For Life

On June 13th and 14th, Emily Jones participated in a Relay for Life in Mount Olive to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Although the rainy weather moved the event indoors, it did not dampen the spirits of the participants. Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate those who have survived cancer, remember those who have not, and fight back by supporting cancer research.

Mount Olive’s Relay brought in over $100,000 and that amount will continue to grow with post-event donations. Emily’s team was able to surpass their goal and raise over $2,800. Thanks to the members of Holy Trinity who donated to this cause and helped Emily’s team and the event raise such an amount.


Congratulations!

Congratulations to Chelsea Cicci, who on June 16 won her second Paper Mill Playhouse “Rising Star” Award for choreography. The award was for her work on Bloomfield High School’s production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying back in February. Bloomfield was nominated for three awards, but only Chelsea won!

Congratulations on the birth of Charles William Ouellette, born on May 21, 2009. He is the grandson of Chris & Frank Siclari and joins sisters Jackie, 6 and Maddie, 3. Mom and dad are Michelle (Siclari’s daughter) & Bill.

Thank You!

Marilyn Kozak would like to thank everyone who has called and visited her father, Victor Smith. Victor has been moved to the Park Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Bloomfield. They are located at 23 Park Place, Bloomfield, N.J. 07003. (973) 743-7772.

Summer. Time for Lemonade

As we move into summer this month, we will re-start our after worship lemonade fellowship time. So, plan to linger a bit after worship to visit with friends both new and longstanding. We have two dates still available if you would like to host – they are August 9 and August 23rd. To follow is our schedule:

June 28: Lizzie & Holly Wiede (w/mom)
July 5: Kara Suttora & Diane Petchel
July 12: The Rubens Family
July 19: Gail & George Ceravolo
July 26: Audrey Stevens
August 2: Jayne Osborne
August 9: OPEN
August 16: The Jones Family
August 23: OPEN
August 30: Sally & Martin Mueller
September 6: Lizzie & Holly Wiede (w/mom)

Taking Root

Introducing the new ELCA Hunger Resource for children and youth,

Taking Root:
Hunger Causes
Hunger Hopes

Four Events in One!

1. Youth Summit

2. Children's Ministry Celebration

3. Hunger Events for Adults

4. Agape' Concert

FOR FULL DETAILS AND CALENDAR, GO TO:

www.njsynod.org

Pastor's Message

I am writing in the week between two wonderful celebrations of our life together in Christ Jesus: Last week (June 21) we witnessed Allison and Samantha’s baptism, and this week (June 28) we celebrate with Lizzie as she experiences Holy Communion in a deeper way. These two events coming in consecutive weeks remind us how our entire life flows from God’s grace in Word and Sacrament. Through Word and Sacrament God enlightens us, enlivens us and sustains us in a life of faith and love that comes from our connection to God and to each other.


In our baptism liturgy, the parents, sponsors and congregation promise to faithfully live out our faith and love for God together. We do this by gathering weekly in worship to hear the scriptures, God’s Word, and to participate in the holy supper. We do this by learning, teaching and putting into practice the Ten Commandments, the Apostle’s Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. We do this by nurturing the life of faith and prayer in ourselves and in others. We do this by proclaiming God’s reconciling love for the world in Christ Jesus in what we say and by what we do. We do this by joining together to care for others, to care for the world God made and to work for justice and peace.

Allison and Samantha and all the newly baptized are just beginning down this path of discipleship. Lizzie and others, like our college and high school graduates, are passing significant milestones along the way. Let’s cheer them on in the faith enthusiastically.


At the same time, these slower days of summer give us time to reflect on our own journey. Where are we spending our time and our energy? How might we be strengthened in our faith and love for God to more effectively live in witness to God’s grace and love for us? How might we encourage each other to grow in faith, hope and love.

In the letter to the Ephesians, the author prays that the church in Ephesus might receive from God “a spirit of wisdom and revelation” as they come to know Jesus more deeply. He prays this so that “with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of God’s power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:17-19).

That is my prayer for all of us this summer. Please join me.

God's Gift For All Creation - Don't Bottle It Up!

The Youth Of The New Jersey Synod Challenge You To Take The Pledge!

In the fall of 2007, young people in the New Jersey Synod, ELCA began studying issues of water scarcity, plastics, pollution and water rights relating to bottled water. Out of this came an education and advocacy effort aimed at helping reduce the use of bottled water and strengthening safe public water systems both locally and globally - the Don’t Bottle It Up campaign!

We invite you to study, pray for, teach about, and advocate for
God’s precious gift of water for all creation, and, for earth’s sake,
Don’t Bottle It Up!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“…living creatures, and the air, soil and water that support them, face unprecedented threats. Many threats are global; most stem directly from human activity. Our current practices may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner we know.”


"[A]s people of biblical faith, who live together in trust and hope, our primary motivation is the call to be God's caregivers and to do
justice...As members of this church, we commit ourselves to personal
lifestyles that contribute to the health of the environment."

Don’t Bottle it Up! Pledge (
Submit your pledge to the church office or at Worship – thank you)

I pledge to reduce my use of disposable bottled water, which means:

Opting for public tap water over bottled water; and

Advocating for healthy, strong public water systems both locally and globally.

Signed by: _________________________________



Here Are 10 Interesting Facts About Bottled Water

1. “An estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle—sometimes further treated, sometimes not treated at all.” – Allaboutwater.org

2. Drinking bottled water is 1000 (one thousand!) times more expensive than drinking tap water.

3. “In an interesting study conducted by Showtime television, the hosts found that 75% of tested New York City residents actually preferred tap water over bottled water in a blind taste test.” – Allaboutwater.org

4. “Bottling and shipping water is the least efficient method of water delivery ever invented. The energy we waste using bottled water would be enough to power 190,000 homes. But refilling your water bottle from the tap requires no expenditure of energy, and zero waste of resources.” – PBS.org


5. “The Earth Policy Institute estimated that to make the plastic for the [water] bottles [consumed annually] burns up something like 1.5 million barrels of oil, enough to power 100,000 cars for a year.” – SeattlePI.com

6. “Nearly 90 percent of [water] bottles are not recycled.”
SeattlePI.com

7. “Bottled water is actually much less regulated than tap water. There are a number of studies in which we find arsenic, disinfection byproducts and bacteria in bottled water.” – SeattlePI.com, quoting Gina Solomon

8. 30 million water bottles are thrown away every day, and each one of them takes 1000 years to biodegrade. – emagazine.com.

9. “In one case, bottled water labeled as “Alaska Premium Glacier Drinking Water: Pure Glacier Water from the Last Unpolluted Frontier” was actually drawn from Public Water System #111241 in Juneau.” – emagazine.com.

10. Buying one gallon’s worth of bottled water is three times more expensive than buying one gallon of gasoline. –

July & August Birthdays, Anniversaries & Disciples

JULY BIRTHDAYS
1: Sydney Hess
3: Alex Murphy
4: Rory D’Agnolo
9: Meredith D’Agnolo
14: Verna Norton
18: David Reed
23: Ricky Hudnett
30: George Ceravolo

JULY ANNIVERSARIES
2: Al & Phyllis Weber
19: Scott & Debbie Jones

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS
3: Daniel Munoz
6: Aubrey D’Agnolo
10: Steve Oberndorf
16: Kay Ludwig
21: Greg Sekula
24: James Greengrove
25: Chao Lin
27: Dot Duke
29: Martin Mueller
30: Jared Lin
31: Robert Catelli

AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES
18: Frank & Chris Siclari
22: Gail & George Ceravolo
23: Evelyn & Steve Oberndorf
24: Dave & Sharon Reed
26: Martin & Sally Mueller

JULY DISCIPLES
1: Phyllis Weber
2: Kristian Wiede
3: Lizzy Wiede
4: Holly Wiede
6: Brad Wilson
7: Dot Wilson
8: Susan Wilson
9: Angelika Achtiani
10: Ira Achtiani
11: Chris Amlung
13: Anne Erwin
14: Andrea Ahrens
15: Richard J. Bacik
16: Erika Bacik
17: Richard K. Bacik
18: Ava Bacik
20: Joelle Bernhard
21: Matthew Bernhard
22: Madison Bernhard
23: Helen Blair
24: Kenneth Blair
25: David Cabral
27: Jennifer Cabral
28: Brandon Cabral
29: Emily Cabral
30: Leona Candura
31: John Catelli

August disciples will be in next months' newsletter

Vacation Bible School

Discovery Canyon VBS is Just Around The Rim!
Our journey begins Sunday, August 16 and ends with a closing program on Friday, August 21. We will meet in the evening again, from 6:00-8:30p.m. Registration is $15.00 per person with a maximum of $30.00 per family. Registration forms will be available at church, by emailing the office at office.htlcnutley@verizon.net or by registering online at www.htlcnutley.com DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS
AUGUST 2, 2009.

Mark your calendars and grab your hiking gear. This is a week filled with amazing Bible stories, Cavern Crafts, Sagebrush Storytelling and Red Rock Rhythm! Plan to join us and invite a friend. See you at the Canyon!

To help defray the cost of education and craft materials, we are asking for monetary donations. If you would care to make a donation, there will be donation cards in the church entry for different denominations totaling the amount estimated for the supplies. Please take one or more and enclose them with or attach them to your contribution, which can be put in the offering plate on Sundays through June, July and/or August. Please make sure to clearly mark the offering for “VBS”.
Can you help create our “Canyon Adventure?” We could use southwest/Native American blankets or fabric, pottery or baskets and blow-up or artificial cacti. Hiking gear like backpacks, hiking boots, a canteen and walking stick would be appreciated. Stuffed, resin or wooden “critters” for our daily themes would be great—desert lizard, owl, burro, praying mantis, and fox. Donations may be brought to church any time. Please identify them with your name so that they can be returned in August after VBS. Stay tuned for more announcements about craft preparation and church decorating. Thank you!

On The Calendar

Recession Relief: Soup (and more) Suppers!

Every Thursday night at 6:15 p.m., the people of Holy Trinity host a soup supper: a simple shared meal and an informal time for conversation, connection and support. This regularly meeting mealtime also gives us a simple way to share some of what we have -- food, faith, hope and love, a relationship with Jesus -- with people who may be going some difficult times. Sign up to share your favorite homemade soup. Sign up to bring something else -- go ahead and be creative -- to share with the group. But most important, invite your friends and neighbors to sit down and share a meal with you.

Open the Scripture. Join the Conversation.
Every Thursday night at 7 p.m. (after our soup supper), we gather to open the scripture and join in conversation with God and each other.

What is God doing in the the world? What is God doing in our lives? What is God saying to us as individuals, a community of faith, the world? What is the good news of God's kingdom? How is God sending us into the world? These are just some of the questions we ask as God engages us through God's word and the witness of the Holy Scripture. Come for the soup, but stay for the meal as we feast on God's word of life in Jesus Christ.

New Jersey Synod Assembly, June 5th and 6th
Pastor Jim, Scott Jones and Elaine Miller will attend the New Jersey Synod Assembly when it meets in East Brunswick June 5th and 6th. Look for a report in next month’s newsletter.

Worship in the Park, Sunday, June 7
Sunday, June 7, is Holy Trinity Sunday
and we will gather for worship again at Kingsland Park at 10:00 a.m. Invite a friend or two to join you in worshipping God and to stay with you for a picnic lunch, volleyball and softball after worship. Bring your own food and drinks, but you may want to bring some extra to share, too!
Please note: because of the long walk from the street to the gazebo at Kingsland Park, there will be a spoken service of Holy Communion (no music) at 9:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity for those who are physically unable to attend the worship in the park.

Father’s Day
Fatherhood, like motherhood is a holy job, a divine calling. God has given dads a special role in our faith and life development. We are thankful for fathers, and according to many fathers, becoming a dad gave a new understanding to God's word and work in their lives. It’s fitting to begin our Father's Day celebration
(June 21) in worship together with our fathers. All fathers will get a special gift that day. Additionally, to honor dad you may even consider giving a special gift in thanksgiving for our fathers, to the Holy Trinity endowment (see form in this newsletter).

Arsenic & Old Lace
The Nutley High School Drama Club presents Arsenic and Old Lace at Nutley High School, Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 at 8:00 PM. Sean Ulley, Miles Mueller and Danny Fornasa are involved in this production. Please call for tickets or more information: (201) 563-0080

Relay For Life
Emily Jones will again be participating in Mt. Olive’s Relay for Life this year on June 13th and 14th. Relay For Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society at which teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event based on the idea that cancer never sleeps.

Relay For Life encourages people to:
• Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer.
• Remember loved ones lost to the disease.
• Fight back to put an end to the disease.

If you are interested in donating to this cause, you can make a donation online http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09EA?pg=pfind&fr_id=14058, then search for “Emily Jones, or you can see Emily in person for a donation form.

Summer Choir: June 14, June 21
Are you a “singer in the pews?” For two weeks in June—June 14 and 21—we would like to invite you to be part of the choir for worship. Scott has selected easy and fun anthems that can be learned with minimal rehearsal. There will be short, 15 minute rehearsals immediately after worship on Sunday, May 31 and Sunday, June 14. You will also be asked to come to the choir room at 9:45 AM on the Sundays we sing. You may sing either week or both, but an RSVP would be appreciated so that we can plan accordingly. Please speak to Scott Jones, or call/email him at (973) 338-0267 or jsjones0601@verizon.net