Dear Members and Friends of Trinity

Good News

Vol. 30 Num. 11 November, 2015

Dear Members and Friends of Trinity,

At the voter’s meeting on October 19, those present approved moving forward in the Start New Process, which is the collaborative effort between our own Michigan District and the FiveTwo Network that I told you about in last month’s newsletter. The vote was 33 yea and 1 nay.

I share this with you for the benefit of those who did not attend the voter’s meeting. It is important that you understand that YOU are needed to make this Start New Process work here at Trinity. The number one problem we are facing in our congregation is a lack of volunteers. People are not helping with events and boards as they once did. In order for us to move forward in the Start New Process and the programs it will create here at Trinity, we need to have volunteers. We cannot pay for staff to handle these programs for us. We need to be involved in them because it is through these programs that we will be able to connect with people in order to, hopefully, invite them to church.

The reality is that most people, 47% of Michiganders according to a recent poll, do not even think that attending church is an important part of life. 47%! How do we invite them to church if they do not see it as having any importance at all?

The answer is by getting to know them through other avenues. Knocking on doors and asking people to come to Sunday services will not work anymore; we must connect with people in different ways.

Our white card initiative is one such way, and we will continue to use it until I am no longer pastor here. Also, new programs like a little kid’s basketball league and an after-school reading program will provide us with other avenues to connect with those who probably would not come on Sunday if you were to ask them. After getting to know you and me through these programs, they just might be willing to come.

The entire goal of this push is to replant a congregation amongst us to carry on the work God has given us here at the corner of Fifth and Oak in Wyandotte for over 150 years. We want the community building filled with people from 10 am to 10 pm every weekday, as we serve them with programs that meet their needs and help our whole community to grow and prosper. Those programs will also be ministries of Trinity that share the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus and that is where you and I will be, serving our neighbors and ministering to them with God’s love and the message of forgiveness in Christ.

In Christ,

Pastor Grenz

NEWS AND NOTES

SNOW SHOVELS NEEDED!

The church and community buildings are in need of newer snow shovels for the upcoming winter season. If you have one you are replacing or not using, please consider donating it to us. Thank you.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS

November 1st is the end of Daylight Savings Time! Be sure to turn your clocks BACK one hour.

CLUB 456

Meets Sunday, November 8. Watch the weekly announcements for time and place.

PPC & ELDERS’ MEETINGS

November 10: PPC at 6:30 p.m., Elders at 7:30 p.m.

MEN’S CLUB

There will not be a Men’s Club meeting this month. Next meeting is Friday, December 4.

THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE

Wednesday, November 25 at 7:00 p.m.

5th SUNDAY POTLUCK

Sunday, November 29 right after service. Our last 5th Sunday of the year! A sign-up sheet will be in the narthex.

THANK YOU

Thank you so much to everyone who donated and volunteered their time to help with Trunk or Treat this year!

SAVE THE DATE!

The Grenz Open House will be on Sunday, December 13 at 1:00 p.m.

ATTENTION THRIVENT MEMBERS!

If you are a Thrivent member, please consider starting a Thrivent Action Team to help obtain funds for our outreach events. Contact the office with questions or assistance, or go to the website: Thrivent.com/actionteam to sign up.

Church Decorating

Saturday, November 28, please come help decorate the church for Christmas at 10:00 a.m. All are welcome!Looking forward toenjoyingtime with you! Please sign up in the narthex.

PRAYER CIRCLE

Every Sunday before service at 9:45 a.m., please come and say a prayer for someone you know or for those on our prayer list.

BOTTLE AND CAN DRIVE

Just a reminder that the blue toter outside the youth room in the Community Building is there for you to put bottles and cans into to support Cub Scout Pack 1770.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

The group meets November 4 & 18 at 10:00 a.m. in the Community Building. If you have any questions, please call Nancy Coman, 734-634-0394. One way that we can support the members of our caregiver support group is to clip coupons for incontinence products, so if you are a coupon clipper, please save those coupons and bring them into the office.

Christmas food baskets

Christmas is right around the corner and will be here before we know it. We will be doing our baskets just like we did last year. We will be packing up a Christmas Dinner basket, and providing winter wear and other items if needed.

We will have a tree in the narthex by Thanksgiving where you can grab an ornament to fill a food basket or shop to provide a gift for a child or other need for the family.

Please pray about our plan and give whatever you feel you can, whether it be gift cards, cash, groceries or actual items needed. Talk with Pastor or Louise Heineman if you have questions. More information will also be posted in the bulletin in the coming weeks.

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB

The next book will be House of Living Stones by: Katie Schuermann. If you would like us to order a copy for you for $12.00 contact Carissa in the office. Meeting day and time is TBD.

DOWNRIVER COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

During October, Trinity members donated 87 pounds of food and paper products to the Food Pantry. I can assure you that the volunteers at the Food Pantry appreciate and thank you for every can of food and every roll of toilet paper, paper towels, etc. God Bless You ~ Helga

· “Divine Drama-Our Narrative” led by Pastor Grenz, Saturdays, 4:00 p.m., Sanctuary & Sundays, 8:45 a.m., Fellowship Hall

· ”Proverbs” led by Pastor Grenz, Mondays, 6:30 p.m., Sanctuary

· “Catechism” led by Pastor Grenz, Thursdays, 10:00 a.m., Community Building

· “John” led by Al Ave-Lallemant, Thursdays, 8:00 a.m., Community Building

· “Not So Well Known Ways of God,” led by Doug Wieneke: Sundays, November 8 & 22, 6:00 p.m., in the Community Building AND Mondays, November 9 & 23, 7:00 p.m., Doug & Ellen Wieneke’s home.

LWML MITES

Here’s an excerpt from a recent LWML enews about how some of our LWML mites are being used. Thanks to all of you for filling those little purple mite boxes!

YourMitesatWork

Last biennium LWML granted $30,000 to Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) to train three K-9 Comfort Dogs to aid those who share the love of Jesus and help spread the Gospel to people who are hurting and in need.

This week a second team of LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs and handlers arrived in Roseburg, Oregon to supplement the original team of six dogs and twelve handlers. The administration of Umpqua Community College requested the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs as the only outside group to be present when students returned to classes on the campus where mass shootings claimed ten lives and seriously injured nine.

Tim Hetzner, President of Lutheran Church Charities says, “In the midst of crisis God works - and works through His people. Healing, hope, compassion, the listening presence of another and the soft fur of a Comfort Dog; all things that God does and works through. What an impact for Jesus Christ in bringing the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ to those suffering!”

Deployed team leader Rich Martin said,"We have never prayed with more people in a deployment than this one. It is non-stop, people wanting to talk and wanting us to pray!"

Your support of mission grants through mite offerings relieves suffering, shares Christ’s peace, and spreads the Gospel to a world in need of God’s love.

For more information on the 2013-2015 grant for K-9 Comfort dogs, visit the website: www.lwml.org. (LWML enews Issue #168– October13, 2015)

TWIM Notes & News

Twelve ladies attended the October 6th meeting.

Trinity hosted the Dearborn-Downriver LWML Fall Zone Rally on Saturday, October 24th from 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. Thanks to everyone who donated delicious coffee cakes, Danish rolls and muffins for the continental breakfast! Thank you to the TWIM ladies for their help hosting the event, Pastor Grenz for giving the opening devotion and Diane Candea for playing the piano.

Fall Rummage Sale

This TWIM fundraiser is Friday, November 6, 12:00 – 4:00 P.M., and Saturday, November 7, 9:00 – 1:00 p.m. Saturday is $2.00 bag sale day. Set-up is Thursday, November 5 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Help is needed, so stop by during set-up day or on the sale days to lend a hand. Bring your clean, gently used items Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., and place it on the stage only! The gym is rented during the week so we cannot have items on the gym floor, and fire code prohibits items from being in the hallway. Please remember that large furniture and analog TVs should not be donated. We would have great difficulty disposing of these items if they are left over from our rummage sale. Federal regulations prohibit the resale of used car seats and cribs due to the many recalls in place.

If you need to bring in items during the week after office hours or assistance is needed moving items to the Community Building then, please call Karen Lester.

TWIM Christmas Luncheon

This annual event takes place on Tuesday, December 1, 2015, 12:30 p.m., at Sibley Gardens, 916 W. Jefferson, Trenton, MI 48183. We will order off the menu with individual checks. Since we are a group gathering, the minimum gratuity is 18%. A reservation must be made in order to attend. A sign-up sheet for reservations will be available on the church sign-up bar. The last day to make a reservation is November 22nd. All Trinity Ladies and guests are welcome to attend. Contact Christie Wilczynski or Karen Lester if you have any questions.

Our next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. All Trinity ladies are invited to join us and guests are always welcome.

Christie Wilczynski, Secretary

”Thank You” to those Trinity members who so generously donated to cover a $440.00 shortfall caused by only 19 ladies attending the Retreat instead of the required 25. We appreciate your thoughtfulness!

ENDOWMENT FUND

As you are aware, Trinity has benefited from the existence of our Endowment Fund as the dividends and interest earned by the fund have supported major programs not covered under the operating budget. For example, money earned by the Fund has supported the sound system upgrade, Church renovations, and Church loan reductions.

One of our congregational desires is that Trinity continues to be an important Christian voice in the Downriver area well into the future. To do that we must ensure that resources to continue that mission be there when needed. We can help in that mission if we build up the Endowment Fund to carry the congregation along when normal funding cannot fulfill this desire.

The funds to help in this area can only come from the earned income and revenue generated by the Endowment Fund’s principle. The higher the amount of principle, the higher the income, the more we can provide for these unbudgeted needs.

Please prayerfully consider remembering the Trinity Endowment Fund through your contributions to the Fund or in your estate plan, which is an excellent way to build the Fund’s principle and therefore increase the support for building maintenance and outreach programs here at Trinity. If you would like to talk to someone for assistance or want general information about the Fund any of the Endowment Fund Committee members will be willing to assist you.

Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Fund Committee