TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2018
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THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES BELIEVING WITHOUT SEEING POSSIBLE
We know the story of Thomas. His fellow disciples had seen the Lord with their own eyes. They told Thomas what they had seen with their own eyes. And we know Thomas’ response: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25 EHV).
It wasn’t enough for Thomas to hear the eye- witness accounts of those who actually saw Jesus. He wanted to see Jesus himself. He wanted evidence that he could see and touch. He wanted to see it for himself. Then, and only then, would he believe.
In grace the Lord granted Thomas that privilege. He gave Thomas the earthly evidence he was looking for. Thomas saw and believed. What was Jesus’ response? “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:20 EHV). The Lord says we are blessed if we believe what he says even if we don’t have evidence that satisfies our human reason.
But that’s easier said than done. It’s easy for us to fault Thomas for not believing the words of his fellow apostles who had seen Jesus themselves. But the truth is, it is easy for us to be like him. There are times when we are not willing to simply take the Lord at his Word. Like Thomas we want proof that satisfies our human reason before we believe.
We know God’s promise that he will work everything for our good. We know God always keeps his Word. So no matter what troubles I face, I know right away everything will work out. Therefore, I don’t have to worry. But the truth is I often worry anyway.
My loved one gets cancer, I lose my job, and I’m not sure how I will pay my bills. As soon as these problems arise, I know they will work out and all will be OK. God has told me this. But too many times I don’t stop worrying, I don’t sleep better at night, my stomach doesn’t stop churning until I can see how things will work out, or until they actually do work out.
Why is that? The truth is, too many times I am like Thomas. I want to, or I think I have to see how things will work out before I will relax and let go of my fears. I say I believe, but I want to see how the Lord will work things out before I will actually take the promise to heart. In the meantime, I struggle with needless worry and fear, simply because I won’t believe things will be OK until I can see how they will be OK.
I know Jesus’ words. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:20 EHV). I want to be blessed with that kind of faith. But how does that happen?
Well, how does the Lord give us faith? How does he strengthen his faith? “Faith comes from hearing the message” (Romans 10:17 EHV). The Holy Spirit works through the Word to create and strengthen my faith. The very promises I am tempted to doubt, have the Holy Spirit’s power in them to strengthen me and help me to believe what God says even without seeing earthly evidence.
To get myself to the point where I will believe without needing to see proof that satisfies my human reason, I simply need to keep on telling myself God’s promises. The more I focus on those promises, the more the Spirit will work in me to believe those promises.
The more firmly I believe those promises, the more I will be blessed, just as Jesus says. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:20 EHV). The more convinced I am that the Lord will care for me and work all for my good, the more I will relax and be at ease, even if I can’t see how the Lord will bring this about.
Indeed, believing without seeing is easier said than done. But it is possible and it does indeed bring blessings to the Christian. It is possible when the Holy Spirit works in my heart. And the Holy Spirit works in my heart through the power of the Word.
The Word he calls on me to believe is the very tool he uses to lead me to believe. The more I focus on his Word, the more the Holy Spirit will strengthen my faith so that I will believe even what I can’t see. The Holy Spirit makes believing without seeing possible.
Pastor Rawerts
NEW BIBLE CLASS
We have started a new Sunday morning Bible class entitled, “Great Gospel Events in the Lives of Elijah and Elisha.” We invite you to join us as we study about these two powerful prophets from the Old Testament.
2018-2019 PRESCHOOL ENROLLMENT
We are now accepting pre-registration for preschool for the 2018-2019 school year. Please speak with Ms. Leinen to reserve your child’s spot in Trinity’s preschool.
AMAZONSMILE
If you shop at Amazon.com, there is a way you can support Trinity Lutheran School at the same time!
- Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice.
- AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
- Support Trinity Lutheran School by shopping AmazonSmile!
You must START your shopping at this websiste: and follow the directions to get started. Our organization is listed as "Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church." Make sure to select the Aberdeen address, as there are many "Trinity" listings. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask Jessica Kjenstad.
QUARTERLY VOTERS’ MEETING
The Quarterly Voters’ Meeting will be held April 29, 2018, beginning at 10:15 AM.
GROCERY RECEIPTS
A special “thank you” to those of you who have already turned in their receipts for Ken’s and Kessler’s. Please keep saving the receipts through the end of May.
PANTHER CAMP & CAMP LUTHER
Information is available on the GPLHS website about Panther Camp and Camp Luther. Click on the “Latest News” tab to see the brochure.
TRINITY
LUTHERAN SCHOOL
NEWSBYTES
God continues to richly bless Trinity
Lutheran School! Here are some recent notes and news related to our school.
NIGHT OF MUSIC/ART FAIR
Our Annual Night of Music will be held on
April 13, 2018, at 6:30 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall. The piano and band students will be playing selected pieces.
If anyone would like to showcase a musical talent, please let your teacher or Mrs. Kjenstad know by April 11th. This event is open to all congregational members as well. For that evening, TLS students may bring in 2 or 3 art projects to display in the Fireside Room if they wish. Please have all art projects brought in by the morning of April 13.
CLASS PLAYS
The students at Trinity Lutheran School
are really excited about their class plays. This year each classroom will perform a play. The play dates are:
Thursday, April 26, Preschool-3rd grade will present their play at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, April 27, Grades 4-8 will perform their play at 6:30 p.m.
SERVICES ON THE INTERNET
People are able to watch our worship services on the internet. Simply go to our website, trinityaberdeen.org and click on ‘Church Service Videos’.
ONLY GOD CAN DO THAT
A frog fell into a large milk can. Try as he might, he could not get out. All he could do was keep paddling. So he frantically paddled until he churned a pad of butter, from which he was able to leap to safety.
The motivation speaker was quick to make an application. If a frog can do that, so can you. No matter what challenges you face, if you try hard enough, you’ll work your way to success!
So the world would teach us. So the “health and wealth” gospel speakers would declare.
Popular thinking suggests, “Just keep on doing the right things, keep working hard, don’t ever give up, believe in yourself and you’ll get what you want out of life.”
Yes, God blesses hard work. But hard work succeeds only when he blesses it. It all depends on him.
And the truth is, our hard work can never win eternal life for us. That also depends only on him.
Many people say, “I’m a good person. I’m not perfect, but there are a lot of people worse than I.
God knows I'm doing my best! As long as I work hard and don’t give up, I’ll get myself where I want to be.
That may be okay for a frog in a story, but it’s not the way we’ll ever be saved.
My efforts can never keep myself out of the hell I deserve. I can never be perfect. I can never make up for my sins. I can never get myself to heaven.
This Good Friday I will see again what it took to keep me out of hell and get me into heaven. A perfect Savior, who was both God and human, living a perfect life, and being cursed by God the Father. God the Holy Spirit gives me the faith to trust in Jesus as my Savior, so that I enjoy as my own the salvation Jesus has won. Being saved is all God’s doing.
Perhaps the frog could paddle hard and save himself. But when it comes to being saved, it doesn’t matter how hard I try. I can never save myself. Only God can do that.
Adapted from article by Pastor Jonathan Schultz
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
HOLY WEEK SERVICES
March 25PALM SUNDAY
9:00 AM
March 29 MAUNDY THURSDAY 6:00 PM Communion Service
March 30GOOD FRIDAY
6:00 PM
Tenebrae Service
April 1EASTER
SONG SERVICE
7:00 AM
BRUNCH 8:00 AM
FESTIVAL SERVICE 9:00 AM
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