Wednesday, April 29, 2009

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.

Motherhood: A Holy Calling
Sunday, May 10, is Mother's Day. God has called us to various walks of life and to live out the Gospel through a variety of roles we play in relationship with others. To be "mother" is not only a biological event, it is a divine calling. What better way to honor Mom and all the other mother-figures that God has brought into our life than in our worship at 10 a.m. We will include a special blessing for all mothers that Sunday. Mom's invite your children to join you in worship before they take you out for lunch. Children, invite Mom to worship with you as part of the special day you have planned for her.

Women of the ELCA
Our next WELCA meeting will be Wednesday,
May 13 at 7:30 PM. The meeting will be held at Julie Franchino’s house. Please call Julie at (973) 667-8492 to let her know you will be attending.

Pentecost, Sunday, May 31
It’s Pentecost Sunday, the day we remember how God poured out the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ disciples and empowered the church for God’s mission. On the first Pentecost the Bible tells us that all the disciples were gathered in one place when the Holy Spirit blew through. Mark your calendar and invite your friends to join you for this festive worship. Let’s see what happens this year. Remember to wear red! (please see the order form for geraniums on page 13).

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.


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 6:00-8:30 PM. The Registration fee is $15.00 per person (maximum is $30.00 per family). Registration forms will be available at church – please pick up after worship or call the office) There will also be a track for teens and adults, including study/discussion time with Pastor Jim.

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!

First Communion Class May 21 at 5 p.m.
Pastor is offering a "first-communion" class for children and families in 2nd grade, for older children who have not had any formal first communion instruction, for families who like to review what the Lord's Supper means and what God does through it. The first class will meet on Thursday, May 21, at 5 p.m. At this class we will also discuss dates and plans for the celebrations of "first" Holy Communion. Plan to stay for soup after class.

Choral Vespers
Scott Jones is singing Bach’s Cantata, Wer Da Gläubet Und Getauft Wird, For Ascension Day, at Grace Lutheran Church, Teaneck on Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.. The choir is under the direction of Carol Weber and will be accompanied by a professional orchestra. An offering will be received.
Grace Lutheran, 1200 River Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666. GraceLutheranTeaneck.org

Pastor's Message

"I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father." John 15:15

We like to talk about the life of discipleship as being the life of a servant -- a servant of Christ, a servant of our neighbor. That conversation has its place, but let me direct your attention to another way of living out our life together in God's mission, not as servants, but as friends. Meditate a while on the difference. Servants have masters. Servants obey orders and commands. Servants are part of a hierarchy. Friends, however, are equals. Friends are bound by and respond to each other out of love and respect. To work together as friends implies working with common knowledge and purpose. In many ways, I think, we might better embody the good news of God's kingdom through friendship rather than service.

Over the past few months, we have had a number of conversations about what we can do as individuals and as a community to respond to people who have lost their job, been overwhelmed by debt or have in other ways been adversely effected by current economic conditions. It seems that best answer we came up with was for us to be a friend. We are continuing our soup suppers on Thursday night so that we can gather as friends and make new friends. By being friends, we announce and live God's friendship with us.

Friendship also lies at the heart of our vision for ministry here at Holy Trinity. The hierarchy is gone. We are all free to live out the good news that Jesus Christ has heard from the Father, that Jesus Christ embodied, that Jesus Christ has revealed to us. Gone are the days when the church council played gate-keeper and permission-giver. Gone are the days when committees made decisions and then looked for servants to march out to do their wishes. Gone are the days when the pastor, council president or committee chair told everyone how and where to serve. Today, at Holy Trinity, we encourage all people at Holy Trinity to meet together and to live out their calling to be Jesus' disciples and Jesus' friends in creative ways, according their gifts, abilities and interests. We share a particular vision of a way to embody the mission God in this place: to share the good news of the God's kingdom, to overcome barriers and to connect one to many in the love of Christ. Now, we seek to work together -- pastor, council, teams, people -- as friends.

It seems that friendship may also be a way to embody our vision for evangelism. Not only are we encouraged to invite our friends into a relationship, a friendship with Jesus, we are commissioned to go and make friends in Jesus’ name. That simple act is at the heart of inviting someone to join us as disciples of Jesus, and that simple act can make the difference between hope and despair in difficult times.

During these past months, when Jakob was in the hospital and Luke was sick as well, as our family has started to make adjustments to the new reality of living with a chronic illness, we have taken strength from Christian friendship. To know that we are remembered in prayer and joined in conversation by people who are walking with us, crying with us, laughing with us is to know God's love and new life in God's kingdom. I pray that all people may come to know the love of God as my family and I have over this past month. Thank you, friends.

Please save Boxtops for Education & Campbell's UPC Labels for Education

Please save Boxtops for Education &
Campbell’s UPC Labels for Education
for the ELCA Navajo Mission
Rock Point, AZ www.nelm.org
There is a collection box at the church entry.

(For Campbell’s, please trim to just the dotted area around the UPC. They no longer accept label fronts. Boxtops are found on Big G cereals and Kimberly Clark paper products—Scott products, Ziplocs and some popcorn/food items)
Pastor Jim has worked with this mission and it is our designated mission project for Discovery Canyon VBS this summer.

In our Community

Using E-mail to Make, Keep and Invite Friends. Communication is vital to any relationship. That includes your relationship with others groups, teams and ministries going on at Holy Trinity. E-mail puts a powerful communication tool at our fingertips. Not only can we stay informed about news, events and happenings in the Holy Trinity community, but we are able to share that news with our friends as well by passing the information along to them or inviting them to be part of the Holy Trinity mailing list.

As postal rates continue to rise -- another two cents in May -- 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.

SAVE THE DATE!
AIDS WALK NEW YORK
Sunday, May 17, 2009

AIDS Walk New York (AWNY) is the world’s largest AIDS fundraising event. In 2008, more than 45,000 people participated and raised a record breaking sum of over $7 million. Funds raised from the walkathon go to numerous programs and educational services to support people living with HIV/AIDS, and to over 60 other tri-state area AIDS organizations. The 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) walkathon begins and ends in Central Park. Nancy and Tony Maguire are again raising funds and on Sunday, May 17, 2009 they will participate in AIDS Walk New York. If you would like to walk with them, or sponsor them by donating money, please let them know.

Checks should be payable to AWNY and can be given to Nancy or Tony anytime. You can also mail your check to their address at 26 Parsons Ct., Mahwah, NJ 07430. If you would like to raise money at your school or place of business they can provide you with sponsor forms. If you would like more information please call them at
(201) 934-9366. You can also visit www.aidswalk.net.

Thank You!

On Sunday, May 31, we will recognize the various ways people have volunteered to serve and live God's mission through the ministry of this congregation. In the litany of volunteer recognition we will confess: "Our volunteers put flesh and bone on our call to be the body of Christ in the world."

Thank you...

To all who shared soup so far, either of your own making or from your favorite restaurant, and to all who purchased or made bread: The Jones Family, Jill Fenske, Marcia Hayes, Jainie Gambaro, Sally Mueller, Betty Gambaro, Julie Franchino, Phyllis Weber, Linda (Franklin Reformed Church), Pat Brulato, Jeff Grieco, Nancy Guenther. To all who shared a little something else -- who can forget Dave's fired Salami or the week of three pound cakes for dessert. If we missed anyone, please accept our apologies. Thanks. To Phyllis and Nancy for once again organizing and preparing the assortment of fruit and cheeses that make our Maundy Thursday dinner so special.

To the Holy Trinity choir for their dedication and their ministry.

To Pastor Jill and the people of Franklin Reformed for walking with us on our Lenten journey and for sharing with us in our common mission: the good news of the kingdom of God.

To Frank and Chris for all they do, but especially for making raising funds so much fun.

To Nancy for all she does, but especially for pulling together a wonderful and enjoyable Easter pancake breakfast.

To all who worked the pancake breakfast: the cooks, the set up and clean up, the serving, the dishwashing.

To all who helped bring the look of Easter to our sanctuary by coming out on a Saturday morning.

To the people who stayed after worship to brainstorm some ways we can start as a community to reach out to people affected by the current economic downturn.

To the people of Holy Trinity for your prayers, your concern, your cards and well wishes, your patience and understanding during Jakob's time in the hospital and during this current time of adjustment and re-adjustment.

To Tina for her dedication and skill in the administration of the ministry we all share.

To Scott for his leadership -- musical, spiritual and organizational -- and for his attention to detail that keeps this ministry on track.

To all who teach and help with Sunday School and to those who are starting to plan for this summer's Vacation Bible School.

To all who serve us in worship ushers, greeters, lectors, worship leaders and table servers.
Again. Thank you.

Using our Gifts in God's Mission
At Holy Trinity, when we talk about participating in God's mission, we don't talk about starting another program, we wonder how we can use the gifts, talents, passions and interests that God has given us to share and embody the good news of the God's kingdom. Over the past few weeks, we have heard conversations about doing ministry in these areas:

+ Growing and sharing our own vegetables this summer.
+ Simple living and getting control over your financial life.
+ Prayer and spiritual growth.
+ Reducing our carbon footprint and other "green efforts."

Do any of these interests align with your interests? Then join us on Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m. (after soup) for prayer and conversation around these topics.

Stewardship Strengthens...

Stewardship strengthens our relationship with Jesus

STEWARDSHIP OF THE EARTH
Churches today are becoming more concerned about the stewardship of our Earth’s resources; the New Jersey Synod and Holy Trinity are no exception. Martin and Sally Mueller are heading up a committee to begin looking into ways that we can make “green” choices.

Please talk to the Mueller’s if you would like to help.

Christianity and Ecology Resources

Eco-Justice Ministries - http://www.eco-justice.org/ - An independent ecumenical agency focused on helping congregations strengthen their environmental concern. Includes the free weekly e-devotion/newsletter Eco-Justice Notes, as well as worship and educational resources

Greenfaith: Interfaith Partners for the Environment - http://www.greenfaith.org/ - A New Jersey organization involved in a wide range of faith-based environmental causes. Has a range of programs, grants, tours, justice causes, and resources, including many basic stewardship guides.

ELCA Environmental Advocacy - http://archive.elca.org/advocacy/issues/environment/default.asp - a wide range of ELCA actions and resources pertaining to the environment.

Earthkeeping News - http://nacce.org/library/ - Network Alliance of Congregations Caring for the Earth’s weblog of articles, issues, and other Christianity and ecology resources.

Renewal: Stories from America’s Religious-Environmental Movement – A film with eight 10-15 minute stories on religious groups engaged in environmental work in the U.S.; a very effective discussion starter from the Renewal project, a multi-denominational Christian ecological movement based in the United Kingdom. DVD can be purchased at http://www.renewalproject.net/dvd for $19.95.

Energy Star for Congregations - http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=small_business.sb_congregations – A useful guide for congregations seeking to reduce energy usage.

Lenten Carbon Fast - http://www.gwipl.org/lent.asp - see how congregations in the greater Washington, D.C. area are working to go green this Lent.

Carbon Footprint Calculator - http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx - see what your estimated carbon usage is – it will likely surprise you!

Biblical Texts and Creation Care - http://www.greenfaith.org/spirit/scripture.pdf

New Jersey Council of Churches Eco-justice Advocacy - http://www.njcc.cnc.net/ecojustice.html - Not too much on there right now, but good to keep in mind.

OUR TOWN NEEDS YOUR HELP
With the economic downturn continuing, the needs of Nutley citizens grows. Use your gifts of time and talent to “connect one to many” by considering these volunteer opportunities:

Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB):
This increasingly valuable town resource would like to expand its’ current operating schedule. To make this possible, the NFSB needs several volunteers from 11:00am until 3:00pm on the second Saturday of each month. At least 3 people are required, but more will allow the NFSB to rotate responsibility. Those that are interested in volunteering should call Jolinda Griwert, (Co-Director, NFSB) at (973) 667-6322 after 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.


Nutley Red Cross (NRC):
Current programs in need of assistance include:

• Senior transportation: drivers offer one morning or afternoon per week transporting seniors to medical appointments in Nutley and neighboring towns.

• Food pantry: pack food bags for families, weekdays and weekends.

• General office assistance: answering phones, make appointments and distribute food bags, one morning or one afternoon each week.

• Blood drives: greet and sign in donors and operate the coffee table, the third Tuesday of each month from 3pm – 8pm.

Please let us know if you would like to volunteer – the Church Office has the Volunteer Applications for the Red Cross. Thank you.



Red Geraniums

On Pentecost (May 31, 2009), we celebrate the birthday of one holy and apostolic church. We remember how God poured out His Holy Spirit on his disciples and emboldened and empowered us for God’s mission in the world.

It is a Holy Trinity tradition to decorate the church with Red Geraniums and for all of us to wear red on this festive day. To order red geraniums, please fill out the form below and return to the church office no later than Sunday, May 17. The cost is $3.00 per plant (4 ½” foil wrapped pot). Any plants left will be planted outside the Church.

Red Geranium Order Form

Name ________________________________

Envelope no._________

Number of plants ________(at $3.00 each)

Total enclosed __________

How many plants would you like to:

Take home with you: __________

Leave at the church for planting: __________

===================================================
Counters, please fill out below:

Paid amount: $____________ Paid via: (circle one)

Cash or Check

Mother's Day Contributions to the Endowment Fund

Three times a year, we encourage the people of Holy Trinity to make gifts to the Endowment Fund in honor of their parents and others through whom God has worked to build faith – Mother’s Day, All Saints Day, and Father’s Day. The name of the donor and the person honored in the gift will be included in the bulletin on these special days. Our Endowment Fund is a vital ongoing and multiplying source of support for our current mission and ministry, but more than that, your gift to the fund is invested; it grows to bear fruit in support of God’s future work through this congregation.

Here is an opportunity for all people of Holy Trinity to participate in the future effort of God’s mission. If you would like to make a gift to the Endowment Fund, please use the tear-off at the bottom of this sheet and include it with your check made out to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Fund.

2009 Mother’s Day Gift to the Endowment Fund of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

Name: ____________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________

Amount: ___________ Relationship:______________________

Name of person(s) to be honored/remembered:

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Name of person(s) giving the gift:______________________________

(Please leave this sheet and offering in the offering plate or office.)



Where in the World do You Witness?

• The Car Wash – a setting with baptismal images abounding! You have from 5 to 8 minutes to engage with someone about something besides the weather. Ask about the bumper sticker on their car. See if you can connect with some core conviction and share a thought about what gives meaning to your life.

• The Barber Shop – another short block of time where a simple question can take you deeper.

• The Ball Field – sportsmanship, health and fitness, values for children, what will give you an opening to witness?

May Birthdays, Anniversaries and Disciples

Birthdays

2:Al Weber
3:Audrey Stevens
4:Erika Murphy
11:Don Walch
12:Jean Esparolini
14:Ethan Munoz
15:Gail Ceravolo
19:Dorothy Greengrove, Debbie Jones, Terry D'Agnolo
21:Jan Strachan
26:Gerald Mayr

Anniversaries

29:Joseph & Liz Cicci

Disciples

Please pray for this person on the day of the week listed for them.
1:Verna Norton
2:Steve Oberndorf
4:Evelyn Oberndorf
5:Ellen Oberndorf
6:Eric Oberndorf
7:Jayne Osborne
8:Ross Pennise
9:Hope Pennise
11:Jillian Pennise
12:Diane Petschel
13:Paige Petschel
14:Anthony Pisciotta
15:Kathy Pisciotta
16:David Pisciotta
18:Kristen Pisciotta
19:Dave Reed
20:Sharon Reed
21:Chuck Rhodes
22:George Ritacco
23:Diane Ritacco
25:Davia Ritacco
26:Alex Rubens
27:Aida Rubens
28:Catherine Rubens
29:Alexandra Rubens
30:Monica Rubens