On The Calendar

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER

Sunday, March 28 - Palm/Passion Sunday
8:45 a.m.:Meet for coffee in fellowship hall. Walk to the “Mudhole” for the Blessing of Palms.
9:00 a.m.:Ecumenical Blessing of the Palms service. Process back to Holy Trinity for coffee and bagels.
10:00 a.m.:Festival worship with Palm Procession led by Sunday School children.

Thursday, April 1 - Maundy Thursday
6:15 p.m.:Soup Supper.
7:30 p.m.:Service of Holy Communion.

Friday, April 2 - Good Friday
Noon:Nutley Clergy Fellowship Good Friday service at Grace Church.
7:30 p.m.:Good Friday service and Passion of Our Lord according to John.

Saturday, April 3 - Church Work Day
10:00 a.m. Would you like to help prepare the church for Easter? We will meet in the morning to change the paraments, hang wreaths and place the Easter flowers around the sanctuary. Please call Scott and
Debbie Jones (973-338-0267) or the church office.

Sunday, April 4 - Easter Sunday
10:00 a.m.:Festival worship with Holy Communion.


Bible StudiesOpen the Scripture. Join the Conversation.
Every Monday night at 7:30 p.m. (starting April 19), and every Thursday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. (starting April 15) 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.

Eco Palms

For this Palm Sunday we ordered “Eco-Palms” direct from Lutheran World Relief. Lutheran World Relief is partnering with the University of Minnesota to build support in the U.S. for Eco-Palms by introducing Lutheran parishes to this social and environmental justice project. In addition to environmental and economic sustainability, Eco-Palms promote improvement for entire communities in Guatemala and Mexico. Eco-Palm cooperatives designate five cents from each palm they sell to improve the lives of all community members. Consider the good that can be accomplished through our Palm Sunday celebration.

Altar Flowers

Please note that if anyone would like to honor or remember someone, we currently have many open weeks available for flowers, especially in April, September and November. The cost is $30.00 per week.

Pastor's Message

In John’s Gospel we find the story of a woman named Mary who breaks open a jar of very expensive perfume. She uses the perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet at a dinner party. Overwhelmed with thankfulness, praise and love for her Lord -- Jesus had just raised her brother from the dead -- Mary offered the best she had to welcome Jesus. Judas, one of the twelve, is offended. Water, common water, was what a proper host used to clean guest’s feet, not perfume. Judas would have preferred to see the costly perfume sold and the money given to the poor than poured out on Jesus’ feet in an emotional public display praise and thanksgiving. To Judas, Mary’s worship is an exuberant waste and sign of some misplaced personal priorities.

Jesus disagrees. Jesus instead responds to Mary’s strange, beautiful and sensual act of worship and adoration with vocal appreciation, and in doing so, he reminds Judas that it is he, Jesus – not social causes or personal economic security – who stands at the center of a disciple’s life and motivates a disciple’s behavior. Mary’s got it right.

When this story came up as part of our Sunday readings, it got me questioning myself, wondering, “What’s the point of our Sunday worship? Is it worth my time and effort? Would I rather be spending my time, energy and resources in other ways than publicly worshipping Jesus?” That story got me thinking, so, let me pose that question here, too: On whom, on what and where do you want to lavish your valuable time, resources and energy? What are the most important things to you?

When we get right down to it, worship is about naming something as worthy of our time, our energy, our resources and our devotion. We do that every day and every week by the things we do, the places we go, the people we associate with and the things we spend our money on. The things we do “religiously” are probably central to our lives.

As Americans, we value our freedom to choose what is worthy of our time and devotion. While many activities, causes, ventures and products may compete for your love, loyalty and devotion, we are free to choose what we believe contributes to our happiness. As Christians (God’s baptized people) however, we have been chosen by God, redeemed by Jesus’ death and resurrection and given a new life in the power of the Holy Spirit. In telling the story of God and God’s people, the Bible gets very specific about what God expects of God’s redeemed people -- lives of worship as part of a gathered community of God’s people. God expects us to be together, and together, God expects us to put God’s kingdom and God’s righteous justice first.

At the beginning of this month (April), as a community gathered to worship, we will follow Jesus from the Last Supper out into the garden; from the garden where he is betrayed to the courtyard of his trial and sentencing; from the place where he is crucified to the tomb where they put his lifeless body; from a closed tomb to an empty tomb and proclamation, “He is risen!” In living these events, we learn Jesus’ worth. He is worthy of our blessing and honor, our praise and our glory, our love and our devotion.

Ultimately, I believe that is why we rise early on the first day of the week and gather with our sisters and brothers here at Holy Trinity. God is worth it. Jesus is worth it. Worth our time, our energy, our resources, our lives. If you think that Jesus is worthy of such adoration, please join us in worship this Holy Week and every week.

Seven Steps Into Worship

1.Learn to practice the presence of God daily. Really follow Paul’s words, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Have personal times of inner worship, confession and attentiveness to Christ; have God with you in every corner of your life.

2.Have many different experiences of worship. Worship God when you are alone. Have home groups or little groups of two or three and learn to offer up a sacrifice of praise. Try a small group at Holy Trinity – Monday evening or Thursday afternoon.

3.Find ways to prepare for the gathered experience of worship. Prepare Saturday night by having inward experience and examination and confession. Go over Sunday readings (see Taking Faith Home inserts each week). Gather early and let go of inner distractions by focusing on the presence of God filling the sanctuary.

4.Have a willingness to be gathered in the power of the Lord. As an individual, let go of my agenda, my concerns, my desire to be blessed or even to hear the word of God. The language of gathered worship is not I, but we. There is submission to the ways of Christ and submission to one another in Christian fellowship in the desire for God’s life to rise up and fill the group.

5.Cultivate holy dependency. Learn to become completely dependent upon God for anything significant to happen. Look forward to God acting and moving and teaching and wooing and winning.

6.Absorb distractions with gratitude. Become willing to relax with distractions – they may be a message from the Lord. Receive what happens in a gathered worship experience, rather than feeling distractions somehow deter your worship of God.

7.Learn to offer a sacrifice in worship. Many times you will not feel like worship. But you need to go anyway. You need to be with the people of God and say, “These are my people. As stiff-necked and hard-hearted and sinful as we may be, together we come to God.” So go, even if you don’t feel like it. Go, even if worship has been discouraging and dry before. Go, praying. Go, expecting. Go, looking for God to do a new and living work among us.

From Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster, pp. 170-173.

In Our Community

SAVE THE DATE! AIDS WALK NEW YORK
This year marks the 25th annual AIDS Walk New York – the world’s largest AIDS Walk.

Sunday, May 16, 2010
Aids Walk New York (AWNY) is the world’s largest AIDS fundraising event. In 2009, more than 45,000 people participated and raised a record breaking sum of over $5.6 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 16, 2010 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.

BACH VESPERS AT GRACE, TEANECK
Grace Lutheran Church, Teaneck will present Cantata No. 147, “Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben” (Heart and Voice and Deed and Life) by J. S. Bach in Choral Vespers with professional orchestra on Sunday, May 2 at 4:00 P.M. This cantata includes the famous chorus “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.” Scott, Debbie and Emily Jones will be singing and the choir is under the direction of Carol Weber. An offering will be received. 1200 River Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666 (201) 836-0994 www.GraceLutheranTeaneck.org

PRAYER TEAM
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” (Ephesians 6:18) We are reorganizing our Holy Trinity Prayer Team/Prayer Chain. Each member of this group has a file box of index cards on which are written the names of people, groups or concerns to be remembered in prayer. The names/concerns are prayed for each day by at least one member of the team. If we have eight members, each person prays once in an eight-day rotation.

To join our group, please contact or speak to Scott Jones (973) 338-0267 or music.htlcnutley@verizon.net. Look for news about ways in which to request prayers and also note cards to be sent to those we have remembered in prayer.

GRADUATING IN MAY OR JUNE?
Please let us know the date and from where you are graduating and we will share that good news. Feel free to share your future plans, as well.


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. Please bring your non-perishable food items to worship with 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.

Email...

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.

Want to receive this Newsletter electronically?
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.

April Birthdays, Anniversaries and Disciples

April Birthdays

4: Ken Duke
5: Justin Munoz, Richard Hudnett
9: Brian Johnson, Alexandra Rubens
10: Elfrieda Fenton, Erica Geiselmann
14: Sarah Jones
18: Christine Esparolini, Jeff Lin
22: Richard Bacik
24: Nancy Guenther
26: Ed Cordes, Miriam Mascola
29: Sharon Murphy

April Anniversaries

7:Greg and Ruth Sekula
21:Otto and Hedy Mayr

April Disciples (please pray for this person on the date listed)

1:Sarah Jones
2:Robert Kozak
3:Marilyn Kozak
5:Robbie Kozak
6:Pastor Krombholz
7:Stefeny Krombholz
8:Jakob Krombholz
9:Luke Krombholz
10:Chao Lin
12:Agee Lin
13:Joyce Lin
14:Jeff Lin
15:Jared Lin
16:Edith Lodge
17:John Lovas
19:Judi Lovas
20:Rebecca Lovas
21:Kay Ludwig
22:Janette Lutz
23:Betty Mack
24:Tony Maguire
26:Nancy Maguire
27:Miriam Mascola
28:Gerald Mayr
29:Otto Mayr
30:Hedy Mayr

Prayer Request

PRAYER REQUEST - Please use this to add a person or to update the status of an existing request.

(Please place request in offering plate, mail to the church, hand to Pastor Jim or call the Church Office with your information.)

Date of request:_________________________

Name of person/people to pray for: __________________________________________________

Details (e.g. surgery dates, illness, life challenge, etc.):

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Request submitted by:

Name:__________________________________________________

Address:__________________________________________________

Phone:__________________________________________________

Email:_________________________________________________

These requests are confidential – first names only are used in the weekly bulletins.

Please contact Pastor Jim in the office or at home (732) 548-1215 or the HTLC office at (973) 667-0256 if special prayers are no longer required and to keep informed of progress, healing etc.