LINKS
Evangelical Lutheran Church
ELCA.org
Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
Godslove.org

PASTOR
Larry D. Laine
MINISTER OF MUSIC
Patricia A. Shoup
SECRETARY
Kay F. Moosch
SEXTON
Harold J. Wambold, Sr.
          PRAYERS AND SCRIPTURE          READINGS FOR DECEMBER
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​        Sunday Jan. 3 - Second
          Sunday of Christmas
Prayer for the Week
Almighty God, you have filled all the earth with the light of your incarnate Word. By your grace empower us to reflect your light in all that we do, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
SUNDAY: Jeremiah 31 :7-14
MONDAY: Isaiah 6:1-5
TUESDAY: Jeremiah 31:7-14
WEDNESDAY: Isaiah 60:1-6
THURSDAY: Daniel 2:1-19
FRIDAY: Daniel 2:24-49
SATURDAY: Numbers 24:15-19

      Sunday Jan 10 — Baptism
                  of  Our Lord
Prayer of the Week
O God our Father, at the baptism of Jesus you proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized into Christ faithful to their calling to be our daughters and sons, and empower us all with your Spirit, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
SUNDAY: Isaiah 42:1-9
MONDAY: Judges 4:1-16
TUESDAY: Judges5:12-21
WEDNESDAY: Numbers 27:1-11
THURSDAY: Jeremiah 3:1-5
FRIDAY:Jeremiah 3:19-25
SATURDAY: Jeremiah 4:1-4

    Sunday Jan. 17 — Second
     Sunday After Epiphany
Prayer for the Week
Lord God, source of every blessing, you showed forth your glory and led many to faith by the works of your Son, who brought gladness and salvation to his people. Transform us by the Spirit of his love, that we may find our life together in him, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
SUNDAY: Isaiah 62:1-5
MONDAY: Isaiah 54:1-8
TUESDAY: Song of Solomon 4:1-8
WEDNESDAY: Song of Solomon 4:9—5:1
THURSDAY: Isaiah 61:1-7
FRIDAY: Nehemiah 2:1-10
SATURDAY: Nehemiah 5:1-13

​   Sunday, January 24 —Third         Sunday after Epiphany
Prayer for the Week
Blessed Lord God, you have caused the holy scriptures to be written for the nourishment of your people. Grant that we may hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, comforted by your promises, we may embrace and forever hold fast to the hope of eternal life, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
SUNDAY: Jeremiah 36:1-10
MONDAY: Acts 9:1-22
TUESDAY: Jeremiah 36:11-26
WEDNESDAY: Jeremiah 36:27-32
THURSDAY: 2 Chronicles 34:1-7
FRIDAY: 2 Chronicles 35:20-27
SATURDAY: 2 Chronicles 36:11-21
   
​ Sunday January 31 —Fourth
          Sunday after Epiphany
​Prayer of the Week
Almighty and ever-living God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and love; and that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
SUNDAY: Jeremiah 1:4-10
MONDAY: 1 Kings 17:8-16
TUESDAY: 2 Kings 5:1-14
WEDNESDAY: Jeremiah 1:1 1-19
THURSDAY: Deuteronomy 9:1-5
FRIDAY: Deuteronomy 9:6-14
SATURDAY: Deuteronomy 9:15-24

Bulletin Cover Ash Wednesday February 10


Lent begins with a solemn call to fasting and repentance as we begin our journey to the baptismal waters of Easter As we hear in today’s readings, now is the acceptable time to return to the Lord. During Lent the people of God will reflect on the meaning of their baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection. The sign of ashes suggests our human mortality and frailty. What seems like an ending is really an invitation to make each day a new beginning, in which we are washed in God’s mercy and forgiveness. With the cross on our brow, we long for the spiritual renewal that flows from the springtime Easter feast to come.

​                          The Garden

Bountiful givers
I look along the years
And see the flowers you threw
Anemones
And sprigs of gray
Sparse heather of the rocks
Or the wild violet
Or daisy of the daisies field
But each your best. 
I might have worn them on my breast
To wilt in the long day
I might have stemmed them in a narrow vase
And watched each pedal sallowing – 
I might have held them so – mechanically
Till the wind winnowed all the leaves
And left upon my hands
A little smear of dust
Instead I hid them in the soft warm loam
Of a dim shadowed place
Deep
In a still cool grotto
Lit only by the memory of stars
And the wide and luminous eyes
Of dead poets
That love me and that I love
Deep deep
Where none may see – not even ye who gave
About my soul your garden beautiful.
    Our lives can been seen as a garden of flowers – colors of experience, sights of joy and laughter, smells and tastes of people and events.  We hold those memorial flowers like stars that light our darkness.  May you experience a flower this day - adding to your garden. 
   Lola Ridge, this author of this poem that was published in 1918, was born on December 12, 1873, in Dublin. Her books include Sun-up and Other Poems (B. W. Huebsch, 1920), Red Flag (Viking Press, 1927), and Firehead (Payson & Clarke, 1929). Ridge died in New York on May 19, 1941.  ​
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                  Wear Love
     As your pastor we have been together for almost a year. I have come to know most of you — many of you quite well. It has been my joy to be your pastor for these many months and I look forward to many months and years to come. Together we have continued the outreach community ministries that you have supported for years. These ministries of food, clothing and fellowship are the hallmark of your outreach and the witness of your church. Together we have grown in church fellowship and friendship through many shared worship experiences, after worship gatherings, luncheons, picnics, programs, visitations and many, many conversations. No doubt these will continue as we deepen our relationships and our commitment to love of God and others.
   Now, as we begin another year, we need to look forward to the challenges ahead of us. We must continue to grow. We need to grow in membership. Your evangelism committee is committed to the invitation to invite others to worship. The first Sunday of each month is “bring a friend to church” Sunday — an invitation for you to invite others to join in this festive and loving community. The first Sunday of each month is also a time when the children of our Sunday school share in worship through reading and presenting. We need to grow in young people participation through a young adult group and a senior high youth group. I know there are people willing to lead this endeavor. We need to grow in our recreational and entertainment life through the use of “The Grove Recreation Center” — a resurrected playground for all of us. I know there are some of you who will take up the challenge to lead and make this happen. We need to grow in our worship life by participating in reading, singing, sharing, praying and caring for each other. There are many opportunities for each of you to read, create a bulletin cover, sing in a group, and witness in a temple talk, share a God experience, pray for others. We need to grow not only by sharing our talents and gifts, but also by sharing from the abundance that God has given us. Your church council has been very diligent in stewardship — cutting costs and making improvements to our church facility over the last several months. No doubt this diligence will continue. However, we can only cut costs so much. We must augment our diligence with a renewed commitment of increasing our financial support to the life and mission of this loving community.
    Most significantly we need to grow spiritually from that which binds us together as one body in Christ. I think the most succinct statement of this growth is stated by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Colossians 3:12-21:
   ‘So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”
Blessings and Peace,
Pastor Laine

TRINITY BOOK CLUB

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   Trinity Book Club will meet Tuesday, March 1 at 7:00 pm at the home of  Janice and Larry Cory. The book we are reading is The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.
   Any questions call Janice Cory at 610-863-1988.
WORSHIP SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY
Sunday, January 3, 2 Sunday of Christmas. Worship celebrating Holy Communion is at 10:00 A.M. The youth will participate in the 10 A.M. worship service. Sunday School is at 9:00 A.M.
Sunday, January 10, The Baptism of Our Lord. Worship, 10:00 A.M. Sunday School is at 9:00 A.M.
Sunday, January 17, Sunday after Epiphany. Worship, 10:00 A.M. Sunday School at 9:00 A.M.
Sunday, January 24, 3 Sunday after Epiphany. Worship, 10:00 A.M. The Annual Congregational Meeting will be held immediately following worship. Sunday School is at 9:00 A.M.
Sunday, January 31, 4 Sunday after Epiphany. Worship, 10:00 A.M. Sunday School is at 9:00 A.M.

BRING A FRIEND TO CHURCH
The first Sunday of each month is “Bring a friend to Church” Sunday. The first Sunday will be January 3. Our church is a joyous family of people — different, unique and clothed with warmth for others. Bring a friend to church and share the warmth.

ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING TO BE HELD
Trinity’s Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 24 immediately following the worship service downstairs in the Fellowship Hall. Please plan to attend this important meeting. Church Council members need to be elected and the 2016 Proposed Budget needs to be approved.

2016 OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE NOW HERE
The 2016 Offering Envelopes are in the Fellowship Hall. You may pick up your envelopes after worship on Sunday mornings or you may pick them up during the week, Monday thru Thursday, 9:00 A.M.-12 Noon and
1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M.

SOCIAL MINISTRY UPDATE...
We have given food out to 43 families for the month of December. The food pantry has been blessed by many people and organizations this past year. For Christmas we received $100.00 from the Lion’s Club, $500.00 from Merchant’s Bank, $547.50 from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church $330.00 from our Advent suppers and $1,500 in Weis’ gift cards from Majestic. We thank all the churches and organizations for their help and support. We also thank our congregation for all of their support for this ministry throughout the year.

OPEN DATES FOR ALTAR FLOWERS
Altar Flowers are needed for January 3, January 10, January 17 and January 31. If you are interested in any of these dates, please see Kay after worship or call the church office, 610-588-2023. The cost is $20.00 for one vase, $40.00 for two vases.

BULLETIN SPONSORS ARE NEEDED
Bulletin sponsors are needed for February 7, February 10 (Ash Wednesday), February 14, February 21 and February 28. If you are interested in any of these dates, please see Kay after worship of call the church office, 610-588-2023. The cost is $15.00 per bulletin sponsor.

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS - 2015
A listing will be inserted in the Christmas Eve Bulletin with Memorial/or Honors. Please fill out the form with your donation and send it to the church office. The deadline for the insert is Monday, December 14.

Junior Youth Group News

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December  2015
Junior Youth Group News Reflections.
   Reflections as I was sitting with our youth group children during the first Advent soup/salad, another child said that they had forgotten my Christmas present. Gage, a youth not from our church, looked at me and said, “I’m supposed to get you a present?”. I smiled and said, “Gage, your presence is enough of a present for me!” He sat and thought for a minute and said, “No one has ever said something that nice to me!”
     Sad that children these days don’t hear those kind words that make them feel good about themselves. But I know that our church is making a difference in the lives of th children in our neighborhood and within our own church family.
    During the Advent season, let us remember that a kind word or act towards anyone, can brighten their day!
    Many of our youth came to the Advent suppers and enjoyed singing the carols and eating awesome food! Although we were not able to go caroling, the Christmas spirit is alive in them and the good times they experienced. So much so that they convinced me to have another December meeting- they enjoy what we do and the time that they can play!
   This is just another reason why I look forward to providing them with a game room in the future in which they can learn some new skills and play ping pong, cards and board games.
   Meeting dates in January are January 6 and 20 Please remember that if school is closed or calls for an early dismissal, there will be no youth group that evening. Youth group is open to all youth in grades 3 and up.

Evangelism
 The first Sunday of every month will be invite a friend to church Sunday! January 3 will be the first one. We will have special bookmarks that they are welcome to take in the ‘narthex after church. It will have our information on it for quick reference. We think this is a nice “gift” to all our visitors- whenever they may come! So think about who you would like to invite!
Together in service,
​Christina Hagan

Christian Education

​   I hope everyone had a blessed CHRISTMAS and will have a prosperous NEW YEAR.
our Christmas program was a great success. The children did a wonderful job and thanks to all the parents who made sure the children were at Sunday School to practice.
   January 3 we will have Sunday school, so please make sure your child attends. Christian education is so important to our children and to parents.
   Pastor Lame does such a wonderful job talking to the children at church during the children’s sermons. It is so great to see all the families who attend church.
  We will continue to have the children make the bulletins for our worship services. The drawings so far have been inspirational. Anyone in the congregation can participate in this program also. I know we have a few artists in our congregation who would probably make some very beautiful bulletin covers to share with us.
   Our Sunday school taking part in our worship service will continue. Confirmation will be taking their turn in February. I am sure they will come up with something great to share.
    Our Sunday school has doubled in size from last year and our offering continues to amaze me. Our Sunday School Staff has grown also. Thanks so much for all the support from families and congregational members to make our Sunday school continue to grow.
    Our next meeting is scheduled for January 13 at 6:30pm. If you are interested in being a part of our committee, please call me or just come. we would love to have you join us.
God’s Blessings for the New Year.
Billie Bair
Chair of Christian Education
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