Long Range Planning Committee Moving Ahead

Recently, the Long Range Planning Committee began working on one of the goals that we, as a congregation, approved. The committee is talking with architects about developing a site plan for the property here at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. You will be hearing more about these plans this fall. They ask at this point that you keep this process in your prayers, and that the leading hand of God be present amongst us.

Read the Long Range Plan for HTLC.

Helping Through Loose Change Update

Our HTLC Jar in the Narthex bears good witness to where your hearts lie: in ministering to those whom Christ has admonished us to care for. As of this writing, August 10th, you have filled it with cows, seeds, trees, chickens, lambs, and food for children!

To date, the total is just above $1,200. Thank you for the love you have shown to our sisters and brothers in Africa. We hope you will continue in this exciting ministry. May God bless you!

Ilajean Kragthorpe, Stewardship Ministry

Childrens Christian Education Committee

This committee helps to coordinate many different ministries here at HTLC including Village Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Milestone Ministries, Nursery care, 4th, 5th and 6th grade fellowship activities and the Aisle Cruisers children’s choir. This committee meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM in our wonderfully redesigned resource room.

Each ministry listed above is lead by different volunteers. The goal of the Children’s Christian Education Committee is to be the brainstorming and supporting network for our volunteers, that nurture and encourage our HTLC children’s faith journey.

We would love fresh ideas from new faces Come join the Children’s Christian Education Committee. Contact Megan Anderson if you are interested.

Thrivent Lutheran Family Night at Dodger Stadium

Friends and Family members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church enjoyed a well-played game of baseball at Dodger Stadium. The twenty-five member group from HTLC, and 2000 plus other Lutherans from Southern California, watched the Braves beat the Dodgers 6-5 Thursday night.

Atlanta took an early 4-0 lead in the first inning and continued with a 5-3 lead into the eighth. The Dodgers quickly tied the game with back-to-back homeruns by Beltre and Green. The Dodgers brought in Gagne to close out the ninth, but Atlanta scored a run to beat the Dodgers.

Our baseball caps off to Randy and Dona Pugh from the Congregational Life Ministry whom organized the event for HTLC.

Camp Creation Was a Hit

Eighty-eight campers enjoyed themselves the week of June 21st at HTLC’s “Camp Creation." Throughout the week the “campers” learned of God’s wonderful gifts through art, drama, music, games, and science. It was a wonderful week with many memories and friendships made. This would not have been possible without the help of all of the awesome volunteers. Thanks again to each and every one of you!

How We Spent Our Summer Vacation

Cesar Augusto Zavala and Elba Tatiana Maid Onoda, ages 14 and 16, came into our lives in 1997 through Compassion International. For the past seven years, we have sponsored them in their respective “projects” churches in Comayaguela and Villa de San Francisco, Honduras. In May we had the joy of once again meeting Cesar and Elba. How they have grown and matured! When we first met on a tour in 1999, then 7 and 9 respectively, they were slight in stature—Cesar was shy except when aggressively playing futbol. Elba was a bit of a flirt with a new haircut for the occasion. Her mother was at her side, having traveled by bus from their small village outside Tegucigalpa. We met at the Compassion office in Tegucigalpa. At that time, everyone in Honduras was recovering from the fury of Hurricane Mitch the previous November. We enjoyed playing soccer in the yard of the office and then went to the Burger King where the kids played on the playground and we all ate hamburgers.

For the past 20 plus years, sponsoring children in Central America has been a part of our lives. These sponsorships have been through an agency called Compassion International. The Compassion Mission statement is: “In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.” The office in Tegucigalpa oversees the approximately 77 church projects, over 10,000 children, in Honduras.

Our first sponsorship 20 plus years ago was a little girl, Gerda, in Haiti. Her family moved after a short while and the sponsorship was ended. We have forever wondered and prayed for little Gerda who now, Lord willing, is probably a very grown up woman maybe with a family of her own. Sponsorship entails a monthly commitment of $28 for each child, and corresponding with and praying for each child—in other words, a relationship. The children receive uniforms and clothing, as needed; at least one meal a day, medical attention and schooling at a church run “project." We probably receive at least four letters a year from our sponsored children and we try to write often and send cards and gifts for birthdays and Christmas. To have the opportunity to meet with them, and for them to meet their sponsors, is a grand experience on both sides.

Since we began sponsoring children, we have been fortunate to take three tours; the first to Guatemala to meet little Ana Noehemy, age 6 at the time, and her family. We have sponsored five children in Guatemala. Then the trip in ‘99 which also included three days in El Salvador. On these tours, we visited “projects” run by local evangelical churches. All follow a criteria set by Compassion according to their mission statement. As well, there are visits to homes which have been opened to us and we experienced — as our youth did in Mexico when they have worked and taught during the Easter break— the great abyss between life in the U.S. and Latin American countries.

Arriving at these generally very remote towns, visiting the project churches, and being welcomed by the children, who come running up to their visitors with beaming faces, is just about the warmest embrace available. If you would like to know more about our summer vacation experience, let us know.

Roger and Juanita Stephenson

Youth Director Search

As you may remember the congregation said “Good-bye” to Erik Gravrock, our Youth Director, on July 11th at both worship services. Thank you to everyone who has supported Erik and shared in his farewell celebrations. Erik is moving to Minnesota to begin Seminary in the fall and will be greatly missed (and promises to keep in touch to keep us all abreast of his transition to real weather.)

Looking ahead, the Youth Committee is eagerly awaiting the work of the Holy Spirit to deliver us our new Youth Director! We have been interviewing and as yet do not have a name to submit to the Council since our primary candidate withdrew just a few weeks ago, due to family considerations. Consequently, we have in a sense begun a new search for a Youth Director and are hoping to find one very soon.

The good news is that God is good and we have help while we are waiting! Chris Brunsell, a lifetime member at Holy Trinity, has offered to assist with their Sr. High program. He will help-out on a part-time basis, leading the pool parties and Sr. High worship services until September 1st, or until we find a permanent, full-time Youth Director. The pool parties have already been arranged but if there are any questions, please call Chris Brunsell. We ask that you support Chris with your prayers as he helps out this summer with the Senior and Junior High.

Please also pray for our search process and for the person who might best serve our Youth Ministry needs, in the full-time permanent position.

A Message From the Church Council President

I’ve been reading the most delightful little book lately. It’s called Eats, Shoots & Leaves. It’s been among the Top 5 on the New York Times’ Bestsellers List for several weeks now. It is about, of all things, punctuation.

I bring this up in the first place to recommend the book. It’s very funny. And secondly, because the book’s rallying call is, “Sticklers Unite!” Although the author quickly acknowledges the impossibility of this happening; since sticklers tend to be annoying people who don’t actually get along with others.

If you’re wondering about the relevance of this, here it is. Have we been “stickling” lately? Within our congregation, our Synod and the ELCA we have many issues before us. Big issues such as when and how to add a 3rd Worship Service; or the questions posed by the ELCA Study on Sexuality and smaller issues, like whether or not to print the hymns in the bulletin. Clearly, we are people with a lot to talk about and change tends to bring out the stickler in all of us.

So, as we hold these and other conversations in forums large and small, public or private, it’s important to keep the teachings of Christ first in our hearts and minds. Jesus states simply in Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” and in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

I love the plain spoken Jesus, don’t you? As the family of Christ let us go joyfully forward with kindness and love for one another and don’t stickle.

Sherrie Smith

Anticipation

Anticipation. It has the power to change our moods, our plans, our words, our finances. Stock market theories are predicated on the power of anticipation to direct our lives. Our physical pulse and adrenaline levels change as our minds tell our bodies to ready ourselves for one possibility or another. What we anticipate often leads us to our next step - to what we will be and do next - both at a personal level, as well as in much larger scales as communities of people, as nations, as national and international church bodies.

One of the most powerful realities in our lives is how we anticipate what God is doing in the world and in our lives. What will tomorrow be like? More than the simplicities of the proverbial 1/2 full, or 1/2 empty cup, if we look closely at our hearts and minds and attitudes we may find patterns of what and how we anticipate the future, and God’s place in it. It was only a few months ago that we celebrated God’s call in our lives to be peacemakers; surrounded by people of many different faith traditions, we planted the Peace Pole in anticipation of the promise and hope of peace for all God’s people. It’s very presence helps remind me to think about, pray about and learn about what it takes for us to make peace in our lives and in our world. As our nation continues to be embroiled in the activities of war, and as many nations around the world are seemingly caught in the entanglements of poverty and hatred and greed that keep war and devastation a reality, the Peace Pole stands as a visual reminder to ask the faithful questions, “How can we anticipate peace instead of war? Hope instead of despair? Cooperation in place of condemnation?”

I like the bumper stick “Visualize World Peace.” At first it might sound so trite, so cliché. But to visualize something often helps us to anticipate it as a reality. What would it take for us, in these warm days of August, to begin to visualize in our prayers and in our hearts, to anticipate, an end to the heated destruction of communities and lives, an end to the beheading and blaming? To come together and pray with anticipation for God’s will to be done - for a strong voice of leadership to emerge somewhere, from the sea of voices, that helps to set the feet of the leaders of the nations on the path toward peace. Can we together anticipate signs of the handiwork of the God of peace, and justice and freedom?

As I write, my family and I are anticipating our trip across country to Arkansas, and all that time together with family (and many hours together in a small car) may hold! I am anticipating deep appreciation for the time together, for the taste of fresh grapes taken off the vine and renewed wonder at the power of Sabbath to bring life - the handiwork of a loving and creating God. And, I am anticipating being back mid-month to be in mission and service with you, in the name of Christ, the prince of peace.

May God give us hearts of anticipation for God’s goodness and healing power in the world.

Pastor Janet