May 2011 Newsletter

CHRIST IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED…ALLELUIA!

May, 2011

Easter is exciting because I see many faces that I don’t usually see on most Sundays of the year.  And I’m very happy to see each and every one of them.  It’s easy to get excited about the worship attendance on Easter.

And the music!  I get excited about the music!  What would Easter worship be without the great music…all those Alleluias?  I get excited about the great music on Easter Sunday?

I get excited at Easter because I get to tell once again the story of the first Easter.  Who could help but get excited about Jesus being raised from death to life?

I also get excited because Easter isn’t just about life after death; it’s about a way of living today.  It’s about the power of belief in a world of lost hope.  It is about knowing that no situation is too broken for God to mend.  Easter is confidence that God will never forget or abandon us.  And you know why we have this hope and confidence in new life, because CHRIST IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED…ALLELUIA!

Life doesn’t seem to matter as much if everything stops when we’re laid in the grave.  This is why we gather here today. This is why Easter is so exciting.  It is not simply a celebration of an event long ago. 

We can count on God being with us today, providing all we need for a joyful life.  We can count on God being with us tomorrow, providing all we need for a joyful life.  And we know that we will never run out of tomorrows, even if we die today…and we know why this is true, because CHRIST IS RISEN!  HE IS RISEN INDEED…ALLELUIA!

Happy Easter Season,

Pastor Tom Lichner

Walk with Jesus

During the past several weeks we have invited our members to take a Walk with Jesus and while doing so Listening to Jesus teach.  When we listen to Jesus teachings in the Bible we discover that a major part was about money and possessions and how we use them, or let them control our lives.  Through these teachings Jesus calls us to Give Generously from these many blessings we first receive from God. 

At our Commitment Sunday services on April 3, 45  of our families committed to give over $1,730 per week to support the God’s ministry here at Holy Trinity.  In addition to those making formal commitments we know other families have made personal commitments to financially support God’s work.

If you have not already made a financial commitment please prayerfully consider doing so now.  Remember that God calls upon us to give back to Him a proportion of what he has first given to us. The proportion that God calls for in the Bible is a tithe or 10%.  Giving money to support God’s work is part of the way that we worship Him. 

As you consider your giving first ask yourself the spiritual question “What is God calling me to give?”  Then we suggest you calculate the percent of your income that you are currently giving.  Possibly you do not believe you are able at this point to give a tithe, but would it be possible for you to increase the percentage you are giving?  A target you might consider is to grow at least one percent each year.

CARD SHOWER

Mayme Morgan

Cedarbrook Annex/Room233

724 Delaware Avenue

Fountain Hill, PA 18015

Birthday – 5/28

 

Gladys Herbert

7072 Carriage Drive

Coopersburg, PA 18036

 

Louise Rittoper

711 Spring Street

Bethlehem, PA 18018

 

RECENTLY HOSPITALIZED

Kevin Ashner/Inez Horscroft

Martin Skrovina/Beth Sparrow

RECENTLY BAPTIZED

 

Cole Anders Frey was welcomed into God’s kingdom and Holy Trinity’s congregation on Sunday, April 10. He was born on December 18, 2010, to Harry & Kirsta Frey and his godparents are Robert Kresh and Stephanie Gardner.

SYNOD ASSEMBLY & LIFT EVENT AT MUHLENBERG COLLEGE

June 17 & 18, 2011

Ed & Carol Cool will represent Holy Trinity

at Synod Assembly

MAY MEETING SCHEDULE

COMMITTEE NITE

2nd – 6:30 PM

 

PROPERTY COMMITTEE

(As needed – committee will be notified)

APARTMENT BOARD

May 3rd  – 7:00 PM

 

FINANCE COMMITTEE

May 4th  – 6:30 PM

 

CONGREGATION COUNCIL MEETING

May 9th – 7:00 PM/HTLC

7:30 PM – HTLC & Salem @HT/MLR

 

ATTENTION ALL THRIVENT POLICY HOLDERS

You Can Designate “Choice Dollars” to Holy Trinity

Thrivent Choice Dollars are being distributed in northeastern Pennsylvania now. You should have received a letter from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans advising you of your Choice Dollar amount.

You can visit Thrivent.com/choicedollars to begin or call 1.800.847.4836 and say, “Thrivent Choice.”

You can then review and select the organizations you want to request refunding for by directing Choice Dollars in 2011.

Next choose where you’d like to direct your designated amount of Choice dollars. It’s that simple.

We ask you to consider Holy Trinity when you decide how to share your Choice Dollars.

 

WEST BETHLEHEM EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRY

The Food Pantry’s hours of operation are every Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 12 NN, except the last Wednesday of the month when it is open from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. If you are available to assist once a month with food distribution during either of these times, please all 601.865.2684 and leave your name and phone number and we will return your call and discuss your interest.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE FOLLOWING EVENTS

June 25 – Volunteer at Lehigh Valley Outreach Depot

September 17 – Women’s Retreat

October 15 – Crock Pot Dinner

More info to follow in bulletins and newsletters

THE SCRIP PROGRAM CAN HELP WITH GRADUATION & WEDDING GIFTS

Cards are available for all those special occasions about to happen … graduations, showers, weddings, etc.! We have many kinds of SCRIP cards available for purchase: cards for grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, and specialty cards, too! Many are always on hand for easy purchase, or special orders - from the list with hundreds from which to choose – can be filled. See Sandy Beidler, Carol Ebeling, or JoAnn Staller on Sunday mornings; or call the Church office (610.865.2684) to make a purchase. The purchase of these cards helps eliminate HTLC’s budget deficit.

RED SCHEDULE BOOK

Please remember to schedule all church meetings in the RED SCHEDULE BOOK.

For the sake of good communication and administration, please reserve your time and space in the Red Schedule Book located in the church office. This will also assure that your meeting will be advertised in the weekly worship bulletin and the monthly newsletter. Phone the church office Tuesday-Friday between 9:00 AM-2:00 PM to schedule your meetings.

The Mail Room will be open on Sunday mornings for you to walk in and personally schedule a meeting in the Red Schedule Book. You will find the book on the desk just inside the Mail Room the door.

Remember to include your name and telephone number when reserving a meeting time and place in the Red Schedule Book and keep in mind your request needs to be approved by Congregation Council at its monthly meeting.

FLOWER/BULLETIN SPONSORS NEEDED

Sponsorships for altar flowers and weekly bulletins are available for the following Sundays in April and May:

Altar – May 1

June 19 & 26

 

Bulletins – May 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29

June 5, 12, 19 & 26

***Please use a Sponsor Form in addition to signing the chart to let us know how you want your gift acknowledged in the bulletin. Simply fill out the form (attached to the flower chart) and drop it into the mailbox on the church office door. (Flowers - $36.50/Bulletins - $20.00) Thank you!

SUNDAY SCHOOL EASTER PAGEANT

“Who Was That Man on the Cross?”

Sunday, May 10 – 10:30 AM/Nave

Physician, teacher, Savior, and friend … Jesus is all these and more! Holy Trinity’s Little Actors invite you to explore “Who Was That Man on the Cross?” with them as we all take a closer look at Jesus and his many titles.

MAY COLLEGE GRADUATIONS

Katie L. Beidler, daughter of Dan & Wendy Beidler, and granddaughter of Forry & Sandy Beidler, will graduate from East Stroudsburg University on Saturday, May 7th. Katie’s major was business management.

Stephanie Shifter will also be graduating on May 7th from Kutztown University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Communications and a minor in Public Relations. Stephanie currently works part-time as a Trade book seller at Lehigh University’s bookstore while seeking a full-time position in her field of study. She is the daughter of Zel Shifter of Allentown and Thomas Shifter of Bethlehem.

We wish both of them God’s blessings and much success in their future endeavors.

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER

Keep in mind that should you be admitted to any one of the Lehigh Valley Hospital campuses, YOU are responsible for providing them with your church affiliation. If you do not let them know you are a member of Holy Trinity and that our church code is 243, the pastor and office staff will not be given the information that you are a patient in their facility and we will have no way of knowing that you have been hospitalized. Please keep the church code handy – maybe with your list of medication(s) in the event you need it!

IT’S ALMOST TIME FOR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Salem Lutheran Church will be hosting VBS from July 10 thru the 14th. This year’s theme is Hometown Nazareth – Where Jesus was a Kid. Come learn about Jesus through the eyes of his mother, Mary, and his neighbors in Nazareth as he was growing up. Registration forms will be distributed in Sunday School classes. We ask for pre-registration so that we have an accurate account of the number of children attending.

VBS is open to all children from preschool through Grade 5. If your child will be entering 6th grade and would still like to be a part of VBS, they can help as Tribe Leaders. This is also a good way for confirmands to log service hours.

Monetary donations are being sought from the congregation to help offset the expenses of Vacation Bible School. If you would care to make a contribution, make your check payable to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and mark the memo “VBS.” You may place your check in an offering plate on Sunday morning or hand it to Zel Shifter, who is acting as this year’s co-director.

Holy Trinity will be responsible for the Crafts at this year’s event. We are seeking volunteers to help each day with the crafts. A meeting for all persons interested in helping with this project will be held on Tuesday, May 10, 7:00 PM, at HTLC. Won’t you please consider helping out?

Sunday, June 5, 9:00 AM

Last Day of Sunday School

Annual Strawberry Festival

Teacher Appreciation Day

PASTOR IS COOKING

Lunch ‘n Learn

Thursday May 19, 2011

Menu

Curried Pumpkin Soup…

Great for Thanksgiving and Christmas,

Cheese Spread & Crackers Appetizer, Beverages

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

In The Gathering Place at Holy Trinity

Watch Pastor Cook Pumpkin Soup

While Teaching About

“ANGER”

$8.00 Donation - 12 People Maximum

Reservations Required

Phone 610-865-2684