Gary Bague Elected Council President

The Church Council elected Gary Bague Council President, pro tem, at the October Council meeting after Sherrie Smith resigned from the position. Sherrie served as Council President since last May, however, her family relocated to Olympia Washington forcing her to resign.

Gary’s will hold the Office of President until new Executive Officers are re-elected in June 2005. Please pray for and support Gary in his new and important roll as Council President.

Third Graders to Receive Bibles

Another faith milestone will be celebrated in October on Reformation Sunday, October 31, at either service. The 3rd graders will be “having the Holy Scriptures placed in their Hands” in the form of the International Children’s Bible. During the Village Sunday School Time, the 3rd grade parents will join their children for a special class where commemorative bookmarks will be made and laminated. If your 9 or 10 year old has not received a Bible or if your 3rd grader does not regularly attend Sunday School, please call Miriam Nakayama.

Holy Trinity Prayer Chain

Back in 1993, when we were brand new members of Holy Trinity, there was a Ministry Fair where the different committees and ministries put up and decorated booths, some even dressed up in costumes, and invited members and friends of Holy Trinity to become involved in many different ways. A very friendly lady, namely one Barbara Frey, was out and about signing up people for the Holy Trinity Prayer Chain. This very friendly lady signed me up for an area of ministry where I felt I could participate as a new member. Thanks, Barbara, you made me feel right at home and being a part of the Prayer Chain has continued to be a very important part of my life.

How does the Prayer Chain work? Well, members and friends of Holy Trinity call Frankie Hale, the Church Secretary, with a particular need for prayer for families and friends. Prayer concerns often are written on the pew cards on Sunday. Frankie then calls Pat Sladek, the Prayer Chain Coordinator, who begins the chain, which at this time is made up of 4 groups of from five to six people each and sometimes couples.

Whether there is need for support for a family with a particular crisis; or the prayer concerns a successful surgical procedure, a complicated pregnancy, healing for short term or long term illness, or for comfort for family members after a death, all concerns are lifted to God in prayer, for as long as needed. It is not unusual for Pat to receive additional prayer concerns during the calls she is making to the Chain.

As a member of the Prayer Chain, it is always a special reward and encouragement to learn of healing, comfort and strength which has come to individuals and families during a crisis in their lives. The Prayer Chain binds us close to one another in the Body of Christ in this part of the community of faith.

Do you feel you would like to be a part of this ministry? If so, please contact Pat Sladek or if you have any questions, you can call me, one of the Chain, Juanita Stephenson.

The Torah Code

This Saturday - Oct 9th - 8:00 AM - The Fireside Room

Another very good program - by Adrian Popa. His topic is a little different than usual but as you can see, will be very interesting - as submitted by Adrian it will be about:

The Torah Code

Many Jewish scholars believe that the Torah, which is contained in the first five books of the Old Testament, was given directly to Moses by God, letter by letter, over a period of forty days. For centuries biblical scholars have searched for hidden meaning in the Torah, the Law of God. In recent times the ability to use electronic computers to search the Torah for hidden codes has resulted in finding a very large number of important historical events encoded in the Hebrew text. Unlike other recent Bible code books which are largely fictional, the findings of the Torah Code can be argued mathematically. A video about the Torah Code will be shown followed by a discussion of the topic.

For November our presenter wil be Joe Everson, then in December we will meet for our annual Christmas Breakfast on the first Saturday, or Dec 2nd.

Message from Church Council President

Lately it seems like we’ve had to say “good-bye” to too many of our Holy Trinity families. Some are moving because of a retirement (relocating closer to grandchildren it seems) and other, younger families are moving on to places where the dream of home ownership is more within their reach. Or a new job, a life change, a new possibility There’s always a reasonable explanation. One that makes you shrug and say that you understand.

But these departures always come as a bit of a shock. I’ve sat in the pew and thought about what a great loss it will be to our congregational family to lose particular members, or how great it was working with one or another on various projects or committees around church. But, as the brilliant poet, Robert Frost, wrote, “Nothing gold can stay.”

This time it is my family that will be leaving. With great sadness, but with hope for the future, my husband, Eric, our children, Carson and Rhianna, and I will be moving to Olympia, Washington this fall. After a protracted business slow-down, we decided that it was necessary for Eric to look for a new job. God has blessed Eric with many gifts and talents and gave an established, thriving geological firm in Washington the smarts to recognize them. He will start his new job there on October 4th.

In the meantime, the kids and I will stay in Southern California until our house sells. As we have so many times before, we are asking for your prayers during this time of transition in our lives. It seems that you have always been there for us and wherever we are; our Holy Trinity family will always be in our prayers as well.

As your Council President, I have tendered my resignation. At the recommendation of the Executive Committee, a President Pro Tern will be elected at the Church Council meeting in October and will begin their term as soon as I am gone. I know that you will embrace and support this new Council President as you have me during my time in office.
Well, there it is. The hardest article I’ve yet had to write. I want to thank you for your many kindness, prayers and support throughout the years. It has meant the world to our family. And should the Holy Spirit move you in a northerly path some day, please come for a visit. The door will always be open. (And if the spirit moves you to a nice 4BR, 2.5BA in eastern Simi, please see our realtor!) — In His Holy Name, Sherrie Smith

Women to Women Coffee Study Tour in Tanzania

The globe is shrinking and our connectedness as the family of humanity is coming to the forefront of our lives every day, economically, socially, and spiritually. It is a time for people of every nation to listen and learn from one another.

This is a primary value of and of the Women of the ELCA. Together these two groups are teaming up to learn more about the important role of Fair Trade Coffee in the lives of those who grow coffee and in the lives of those who drink it around the world.

November 2-18 a group of ELCA women will go to Tanzania to study, to listen, to learn, to see how God is working in our world to bring hope and justice to those who are hungry and who suffer from the effects of the injustices and poverty. From HTLC we are happy to have two participants invited to join this study trip: Pastor Janet and Stacey Wise. Watch your Sunday bulletins for more information about this exciting opportunity and connection that God is making between the people of Holy Trinity and the people of Tanzania!

Happy Timers Trip to the Getty Museum

October should be a beautiful time for our trip to the Getty Museum on Saturday, October 16. We will carpool and leave the north parking lot at 9:00 AM. Parking in the deck at the museum is $5.00 and admission is FREE.

The grounds and exhibits are handicapped accessible and wheelchairs and strollers are available. There are plenty of benches to sit and rest or just enjoy the gorgeous views on a clear day We will meet in the cafeteria for lunch or if you prefer to pack a lunch tables are available at the tram stop.

The gardens should be beautiful at this time of year or you may prefer to spend your time viewing world famous art, sculpture, photographs, etc. There is also a gift shop where you may find unique items if you want to get a head start on your Christmas shopping.

Thank You Nursery Staff

Over the last several months, Karin Hanson has served in the nursery and we want to say a hearty “Thank You” to Karin on behalf of the little ones and their families who received the good gifts of her care. Karin has completed her education for her Teaching Credential and has been offered a full-time teaching position at Moorpark High School. Congratulations, Karin, we wish you the best in your new occupation.

Over the last several years, Elizabeth MackIm has served as our primary Nursery staff and Coordinator of the nursery ministry. She has been the calm, caring, creative spirit that has welcomed our children and given them their first taste of what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ. Many, many little ones’ faces shine on Sunday morning because they know that God is there for them, and Elizabeth is the face that makes that grace real for them. Now, that her children are getting older, we say a very heart-felt “thank you” to Elizabeth for all that she has brought to the Nursery ministry. We will work hard to continue the high standard of care which families who participate in the nursery ministry we have come to expect and deeply appreciate.

We will be filling both positions as soon as possible. If you or someone you know has experience with infants and toddlers and is interested in one of the positions, please pick up an application in the church office and/or give Pastor Janet a call in the church office.

Spiritual Well Being

What does it mean to be a healthy person? A healthy congregation? A healthy nation? The pastors of the Synod were invited to a half-day event recently to hear about the program of the ELCA to support health and wellness among members and leaders of the ELCA.

The numbers and statistics for clergy and rostered leaders in the ELCA aren’t particularly encouraging; as a group we are beset by an increasing array of troubling commonalties: depression, inactivity (and the accompanying reality of being overweight), isolation, and a general malaise of burn out conditions, now known among those who study these things, as “critical exhaustion”.

Whew, I got depressed just hearing about us! Sadly enough, the statistics suggest that we are only a little bit more of all these things than much of the general public. So, now that we’re all in this together, the big question is, “what does it mean to be healthy together?” I invite you to check out the web site, www.elcaforwellness.org, where a number of resources are being provided for all of us to do a bit of a health check, the Wellness Wheel (center) is one of those resources.

As the body of Christ, we have the privilege of being joined together forever connected to one another by the love of God. We also have the gracious God given task of caring for one another, and for the world around us. As you plan your Fall schedule of activities and begin to establish the rhythms that will punctuate your life in upcoming weeks and months, I encourage you take a look at the wholeness wheel below … how’s your balance? Are there signs of life and growth in each of the areas? Is there one area that needs watering more than the others? Have you ever thought about the fact that whole Body of Christ needs each member to be healthy in order for the Body to be healthy?

The wellness program reminds us that we are the center of the wheel — each of us is a new creation through baptism and a member of the body of Christ. Spiritual health surrounds, contains and supports us through faith and our relationship with God. Within the wheel are the individual aspects of wellness — physical, emotional, social/interpersonal, vocational and intellectual. To be whole means to keep these aspects in balance by intentionally nurturing and attending to each. If one area is neglected the whole will be out of balance.

The wheel can be a simple tool to help us think about the health of our relationships, congregation, our community and our nation. This Fall I’m taking to heart several of the suggestions that I heard last week. The one I was most struck by was the recommendation that a piece of time be “scheduled” each month for unscheduled time. Sounds a bit silly but with our fast and furious calendaring sometimes this vital element of spiritual and emotional rejuvenation gets lost in the busyness of our days. Our spirits and psyches need Sabbath time, which is not filled with plans or pressure.

I encourage you to take 5 minutes now, to think about setting the pace, patterns and priorities of your time for you, for your family life, for your overall spiritual well being. In Christ, we have the chance to be made new. Let’s find space to do that together! What’s one healthy choice you can make to strengthen the Body of Christ today?

Walking with you, in love, renewed by the covenant of our baptism,

Pastor Janet