2012 is the 150th year of Trinity’s life as an organized congregation. Sometimes people forget (especially after they turn 39) that the number on a birthday is the number of years already lived. Thus when we celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2013, we will have completed that many years of organized ministry. Our 150th year is going to be a huge year.

Some folks are wondering whatever became of the renovation project since there is no visible evidence of it yet, more than a year after we voted to do it. Indeed, the planning process took longer than we expected, and even after all the decisions were made, the technical work of preparing the mechanical drawings consumed several months more than we had planned for. The good news is that those mechanical drawings are now complete and have been submitted to the Department of Buildings for the required permits and approvals. Once these have been secured – and there is no telling when that will be; asking that question of experienced professionals draws a huge roll of the eyes – we will be able to “put the project out to bid”. These will give us the hard numbers we will need to work with in securing our financing and moving forward with the project. The actual construction contracts containing these hard numbers will be presented to the congregation for a formal vote. Then the hammers start swinging. All this is before us in 2012, God willing.

That’s a lot to process, but it is by no means the whole story. At our Annual Meeting on February 5th, we will elect an entirely new Congregation Council. As part of the legal process of effecting the merger with Ascension, we are required to disband our council and elect an entirely new one. This does NOT mean that those who have served or are currently serving on the council are ineligible for election. On the contrary, it means that we are starting at square one, so that even those whose time might otherwise have been up are eligible to continue. As usual, the current council will present a full slate of candidates; nominations will also be taken from the floor. We will elect twelve council members as of February 5th. Four will serve for one year, four for two years and four for three years, and when these terms expire, all will be eligible for re-election to a full three-year term. After being re-elected once and serving a full term, people must take a year off before they can stand again for election. Thus we will elect four council members every year going forward, always for three-year terms. The council elects its own officers each year; thus the President is president of the council, not of the congregation.

So as you consider serving on council or undertaking whatever service at Trinity in our huge year, remember that you are never asked to do anything alone. We are all in this together. We are united in a special kind of unity. Our individual personalities do not disappear. But we become one body because we have one Lord. “The body of Christ” means not just the Holy Communion, but the body of Christ that is the Church. As members of the church we serve Jesus by serving other people, and the primary service that we are called to offer them is to lead them to God. We can only offer this leadership if we ourselves are followers. Actually, the word for what we are called to be is “disciples”. Disciples are those who practice the particular discipline of a particular spiritual leader. Our leader is Jesus, today and always. No matter who holds office or serves as president or treasurer or pastor, it is Jesus who leads, directs and protects us. Indeed, those who exercise temporal leadership can let us down. Jesus never lets us down, never deserts us, never fails us. This huge year at Trinity is really all about him, and his continuing presence in the life of this community.

I will say one more thing about our huge year and the huge change we must make in our council: It is time for me not to be the president. The main reason that I accepted the position in the first place was so that I could move the meetings along and keep them focused on the task at hand. The council meets to act, not to do the kind of raw brainstorming that is the work of individuals and committees. Still less does it meet to chat. An alert president can forestall those diversions, and I hope that I have been able to do that to a point in our meetings. It also made sense during the special work that came with the merger.

But I have other work that needs doing, and can only be done by me as the pastor. The church will not thrive when more than half of the pastor’s time is devoted to worrying about tree service or finding a sound technician. We will have a huge year, meanwhile the sick need to be visited, classes need to be prepared, sermons and articles written, members and community cared for. Oh yes…and prayers said. Don’t worry: I will certainly do my part with the renovation, and my money is on the table with yours. But the lay leadership in the congregation has to step up. It will be a huge year and perhaps our finest hour.

May God make it so, Pastor Longan

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OFFICIAL NOTICE

This is your official written notice of the Annual Meeting of the Congregation which will be held on Sunday, February 5th, 2012, at noon, following the regular morning service. At the meeting we will elect a new council, hear reports from staff, organizations, officers and committees, and pass a budget.

All our members are urged to attend. Those who have taken communion or made a contribution of record in the previous year are eligible to speak and to vote. Guests are welcome to attend, but may speak only if called upon.

Complete financial reports for 2011 and the Proposed 2012 Budget approved by Council on January 10th will be available immediately after the church service on January 22nd. Anyone wishing to have copies mailed to them may call the church office. Please take one copy only and bring it with you to the meeting.

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In preparation for the Annual Meeting, there will be an informal “Town Meeting” on Sunday, January 22, 2012, immediately after church. No agenda will be presented, no business will be transacted and no votes will be taken. This meeting is called to provide our members and friends with an opportunity to ask questions, share comments, air grievances (if any), and offer counsel about the activities and direction of the congregation, free from the constraints of the formal meeting the following week.

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A HYMN FOR THE NEW YEAR: “GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS” by Pastor Noel

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” Lamentations 3:22-24

As we enter the new year with all its uncertainties, there is one thing we can be certain of -- the faithfulness of our God.

There is a very popular hymn that depicts the faithfulness of our God – “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (#733 in the red hymnal).

It was a very difficult life for the writer of the hymn, Thomas Obadiah Chisolm (1866-1960). Chisolm with no college or seminary training was a Methodist minister. However due to failing health he was forced to resign. There were times when he could not get up from bed because of illness but whenever he could, he worked hard to support himself. He found solace in the Scriptures and wrote hundreds of poems to express his thoughts and feelings.

One of his poems was inspired by Lamentations 3:22-24. He sent the poem along with some others to his friend William Runyan who was so touched by the poem that he wrote the music for it.

The hymn got little attention for a long while, until it was heard by the president of Moody Bible Institute, Dr. Will Houghton. It was sung frequently at the Institute’s chapel services and aired over its radio station.

During Billy Graham’s evangelistic crusades, George Beverly Shea would sing the hymn and it was then that it became known and popular worldwide.

I. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain: Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

II. Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

III. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

The first stanza of the song affirms the Father-child relationship between God and the believer. As a father, God’s compassion for the believer never changes. The second stanza declares how the sun, the stars, the earth with its seasons, and the whole of nature itself bear witness to God’s power, mercy and love. The third stanza assures the believer that in God one can find forgiveness for sin and the strength and hope for the days to come. Finally the refrain announces God’s faithfulness to the individual believer – faithfulness that is waiting for the believer as she wakes up each morning.

Here is a beautiful hymn written by a man who faced his own difficult situation and emerged victorious in Christ. We can sing this hymn in our hearts as we face the new year.

“I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 89:1

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A FEW TIMELY WORDS ABOUT RELIGION AND POLITICS by Pastor Longan

In my lifetime as a voter and an interested observer of politics and world affairs (an interest that emerged about the time of the Vietnam War), I have never seen such a surge in religious talk on the political stage as in the past few years. The role of religion in public life now is hotly debated. Huge blocks of voters are making choices based on religious convictions (and are being encouraged to do so by their pastors and religious leaders). Candidates are openly trading on their personal religious commitments. One presidential hopeful has gone so far as to declare that he will “end Obama’s war on religion.” Another has adopted policies designed to “protect the sacrament of marriage.” The times are very challenging on many fronts, and so perhaps it should not surprise us to see a retreat into religious and cultural tribalism among us. Confusing and difficult times breed a hunger for the kind of certainty that some religious traditions purport to provide.

Nevertheless, in our political activities we must tread carefully if we want to maintain a society that is free of coercion from religious or partisan agendas. Down the centuries, governments have often been cast as enforcers of religious observance, from ancient tribal cultures, to the Hebrews, the Aztecs, the Holy Roman Empire, Calvin’s Geneva, the Soviet Union…down to the Islamic kingdoms and republics today. In such places, religious and cultural allegiances trump all other values. The idea of a free society that embraces cultural and religious diversity remains a modern – and often elusive – concept.

I am not going to be able to address the matrix of problems the current situation represents in this little article (nor could I do so under any circumstances!) But our Lutheran traditions, theological and social, do have some relevance to the matters at hand, and it seems a good idea to lay them out briefly as we move into this huge year in politics and world affairs.

One of the bedrock theological principles of the Lutheran movement is the distinction between Law and Gospel. The law in its worldly use keeps us safe from one another by restraining crime, and at the same time – in its spiritual use, it mirrors our abiding personal sinfulness and shows us our need for God’s grace. The Gospel is the proclamation and demonstration of that grace; through the Gospel sinners are justified before God, by grace, through faith. God is at work in both Law and Gospel, but the one cannot do the work of the other. Law can restrain crime and perhaps expose our need for a moral compass, but it cannot make us good or moral or virtuous. If it could, then simply passing a law requiring people to love one another would be sufficient to transform human society. No, the law is narrowly focused on regulating social behavior, not on improving private character.

Sometimes in our deeply religious society, that principle gets forgotten: we try to make the law do the work of the gospel. It doesn’t, it cannot work. It’s like trying to thread a needle with a baseball bat, or to eat a chocolate mousse with a garden rake; it’s the wrong tool for the job. The role of civil law as regards religion is to protect our right to practice our faith in every way that does not impinge upon the rights of others outside our group. Thus, for instance, a church may choose to allow only male clergy, because that choice affects only the internal operations of the church. Outside the church, however, such workplace discrimination on the basis of gender is massively illegal. If we are wise stewards of our political process, we will operate within the inherent limitations of law.

On the other hand, another bedrock principle of Lutheranism is freedom of conscience. No one can dictate to us what we have to believe; the reach of the law stops at the door of the heart. Society has expanded freedom of conscience to embrace freedom of speech, of assembly, of the press. The few legal constraints of these freedoms are all focused on the first use of the law, to protect others from injury by our abusing our freedom.

This freedom is good, but it is not absolute. Our freedom is contingent on its being exercised without doing harm to others. I may be free to own and operate a coal mine, but I am not free to release tons of toxins into the air we all must breathe, or to neglect the safety of my workers. I may be free to produce and sell milk, but I am not free to add melamine to it to inflate its protein quotient (this actually happened in China recently; many children died as a result). In the name of freedom there is a great hostility to regulations in our political discourse just now. Among the regulations being challenged are those that govern air quality, mine safety and food additives. Freedom is good, but we are never free to put the health and safety of others at risk. Such regulations as those I mention are proper laws that restrain crime, and should be strengthened, not abandoned. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Sadly, it has been demonstrated abundantly in human history that without constraints, people will abuse their freedom and harm one another.

Meanwhile, there are positive principles of our Christian faith that need to inform the operations of our society. Jesus (along with Moses and the Buddha and every other spiritual teacher I know of with the possible exception of Ayn Rand) teaches that caring for the poor, the ill, the imprisoned and the oppressed is not optional, but is rather a sacred social duty. Just as we may not use our freedom to harm others, so we may not claim a freedom to ignore their needs.

Political arrangements are illegitimate that put the exercise of “freedom” above the responsibility to care for one another. Such arrangements have been common in human history and are always ultimately self-destructive.

My point is that religion and society definitely intersect and their claims upon us are in definite tension with one another. When we exercise our civil and political rights,

1) We claim our own personal freedoms of faith, thought and expression, without trying to limit or control that same freedoms for others who may differ from us.
2) We maintain and enforce a body of law to protect all people from being harmed or exploited.
3) We use our freedom to promote the common good and to relieve suffering.

You will note that I haven’t endorsed candidates or commented on their campaigns. It’s not because I don’t have opinions! But in one way or another, all of the principles that I have set out in this article are being challenged this year. If we are wise and faithful, we will see through the fog of political rhetoric and make informed choices about candidates and policy. Not everything that is being promoted as Christianity in this election is authentic, nor is every claim about our American Constitution true. Perhaps Paul’s advice is best: let us be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

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THEY WERE “OUTSIDERS” (A REFLECTION ON THE EPIPHANY) by Pastor Noel

Tradition had given them names and nationalities – Persian or Babylonian. Maybe they knew about the Jewish faith and hope for a Messiah from knowledge passed on from the Jews during the Babylonian Captivity several centuries earlier.

Although they were called wise (because they were astrologers-scientists-priests) they did not know exactly where to go. They had this conviction that the strange, brightly shining star that was out of place in their constellation charts signaled the birth of a great king. Risking their own lives they braved the hot desert with its unknown topography, wild animals and robbers, presumably traveling mostly by night so they could see the star as it moved westward.

The unusual thing was that they were not Jews; they were Gentiles. They were “outsiders” to the Jewish nation, the chosen race. They did not belong.

In searching for the newborn king, these “outsiders” naively inquired at the place where the king of the Jews logically would be born – the capital city Jerusalem. What they did not know was that Herod, the incumbent Roman client king, was so insecure on his throne that he had murdered all those he perceived as threats, including his own household. Overcome by paranoia that there was a new king that might unseat him from the throne, Herod asked the scribes and chief priests where the Messiah was to be born.

Then Herod resorted to the self-preservation tool he had mastered – deception. He secretly called the magi and sent them to Bethlehem with the instruction that they let him know when they find him so that he, too, could worship him. The magi then left, followed the star and finally saw the Child. They paid homage to Him and offered Him their gifts. Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they then went home using another road.

William Barclay, Scottish theologian tells of three reactions to this episode in the story of Jesus’ birth. For Herod, it was fear and hostility that translated into a scheme of deception to kill Jesus and preserve his throne that caused the lives of innocent male children. For the scribes and chief priests who were the “insiders”, it was indifference; Bethlehem was such an insignificant town. For the “outsiders”, it was loving worship.

God in His wisdom has chosen to show Himself to these strangers who were “outsiders”.

There is a sense in which we were all “outsiders” – outsiders to God’s love and blessings because of our rebellion. But God chose to draw us unto Himself and bring us “inside.” Through God’s grace there is no such thing any more as “insider” or “outsider”, Jew or Gentile, male or female, but all who of us believe are one in Christ Jesus.

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WORSHIP AND MUSIC IN 2012 by Sally Catlin Park

Epiphany is a marvelous season of the church year. It is a time to renew our joy as followers of Jesus. God’s light is here in the love brought to our suffering world by Christ’s birth.

“Beautiful Savior, King of Creation, Son of God and Son of Man.”ELW 838

The gift of Christmas opens our minds and hearts to the reality of our salvation. Look for new ways in which to serve our neighbors. Allow the service of others to penetrate our thick defenses.

“Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer, Than all the angels in the sky.”

We need to look for glimpses of God’s Kingdom in the world around us. His gifts may be found everywhere. Exercise compassion and thankfulness.

Jesus calls us to be disciples wherever we are. When we follow Him, we are set free from fear and can claim the peace and love He brings. This is no small gift – it opens the world to a future in which God will unite us.

Jesus is able to redeem us from the load of guilt and sin with which we have burdened ourselves.

“O Lamb of God, O Lord divine, Conform our lives to your design, And on us all have mercy.” ELW 410

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CONGREGATION COUNCIL MTG HIGHLIGHTS – DECEMBER 12, 2011 by Henrietta Markisch

· Poinsettias for Christmas have been ordered.
· It was suggested that we have a kitchen cleanup day
· There were problems with the boiler.
· Unfortunately nothing has been heard from Christ Suffern about the organ at Ascension.
· Railings at the altar need to be finished on the end to prevent splinters.
· The 2012 Ordo was distributed and reviewed.
· Ideas for the Olga Finneran memorial were discussed.
· The 2011 and 2012 budgets were reviewed and discussed.

MOTIONS:

· A motion was made, seconded and carried to employ Ace Payroll Service at a cost of approximately $1,300.00 per year.
· A motion was made, seconded and carried to increase the salaries of the Youth Minister, Secretary and the Custodians at Trinity and Ascension by 4%.

November Financials

General Account
Income $12,907.09*
Thrivent Choice $208.00
Expenses $16,504.29*
Includes Soup Kitchen $153.00

Property Account
General Property $1,878.00
Renovation Income $9,560.00
Expenses $0.00

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KIDS’ IDEAS ABOUT LOVE

This issue of Trinity Times covers the six weeks from the start of the New Year to Valentine’s Day. Kids, aged 5 to 10, were asked how they look at “love and marriage”. Here’s what they said.
Source: http://www.puffun.com/love/kidlove.php

· "I think you're supposed to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn't supposed to be so painful." Manuel, age 8
· "Once I'm done with kindergarten, I'm going to find me a wife." Tom, age 5
· "Love will find you, even if you are trying to hide from it. I been trying to hide from it since I was five, but the girls keep finding me." Dave, age 8
· "No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That's why perfume and deodorant are so popular." Mae, age 9
· "On the first date, they just tell each other lies, and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date." Mike, 10
· "See if the man picks up the check. That's how you can tell if he's in love." John, age 9
· "My mother says to look for a man who is kind. That's what I'll do. I'll find somebody who's kinda tall and handsome." Carolyn, age 8
· "I'm not rushing into being in love. I'm finding fourth grade hard enough." Regina, age 10
· "Most men are brainless, so you might have to try more than once to find a live one." Angie, age 10
· "You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming." Allan, age 10
· "No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with." Kirsten, age 10
· "One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills." Ava, age 8
· "[Being] single is better…for the simple reason that I wouldn't want to change no diapers. Of course, if I did get married, I'd figure something out. I'd just phone my mother and have her come over for some coffee and diaper-changing." Kirsten, age 10

Happy Valentine’s Day!

”When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I no longer used childish ways.”
GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)

“This is real love--not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”
New Living Translation (©2007)

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CHURCH WOMEN UNITED NEWS by Wilma Jagusch

Just received a friendly reminder via email that the Trinity Times deadline was approaching. I truly appreciate receiving a reminder. December is such a busy month for all of us and time passes by so quickly. Although Church Women United will not be meeting in January, I would appreciate you writing February’s meeting date on your calendar. We will be meeting on Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:00noon at Glendale Reformed Church, 77-11 64th Place, in Glendale. If you haven’t attended one of our meetings, we wish you would. How about starting the New Year with the Lord and giving us a try?

Our purpose is as follows: “To encourage church women to come together in visible fellowship to witness to their faith in Jesus Christ as Divine Lord and Savior and enabled by His Spirit, to go out together into every neighborhood and nation as instruments of his reconciling love.” In February, we will be collecting due which are as follows:

Individual yearly dues $3.00 (Voluntary)
Church Women’s Society $5.00

During the year, we engage in various programs provided by Church Women United National. We support philanthropic organizations, fellowship, and provide time for all to participate in a sharing time as to what’s going on in our individual churches. Bring a sandwich; refreshments will be provided. Bring a friend; all are welcome!

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NOTES ABOUT PEOPLE

In no particular order: One of our fine teenagers, Kristin Spykermann, is trying to raise money so that she can participate in a mission trip to South Africa, sponsored by an organization called Word of Life. If you have an opportunity to help her, please do so. Several folks have faced health challenges recently: Kay Neuendorf had a hip replacement on January 5th. By the time you read this, she will already be home. Keep moving, Kay. Herta Priester sustained a bout of pneumonia and was hospitalized in December, but she is back in circulation now and we are glad. After a rather mysterious episode that took her to the hospital for three days, Edie Klose is home and going about her normal routine, thank God. Wilma Jagusch missed a step before Christmas and had to spend some time in the hospital. She is now at home with a partial cast on her foot waiting for her MRI results. Daisy Grill was able to come out to the Senior Fellowship in January and it is always a joy for us all to see her. After a long absence, Juergen Schroder took his place at council on the 10th. Nothing keeps him down. Ken Paider has had a rough time in the past couple of months. He is at home, but they will be moving soon to a new home. Sally Keyan will get a knee replacement on Valentine’s Day at Mount Sinai. Join the club and stay strong. Joann Benini turned 70 last month, and enjoyed a surprise party at Zum Stammtisch that was really a surprise. Happy Birthday, Joanne. Marge Paulinyi did a guest appearance at The Atrium while George and Susan were away over New Years’. They were begging her to stay. It was great, as always, to see the whole Catalano family at Christmas. Yet another new baby, daughter of Captain Catalano USAF. Rest in peace, Thomas Dowdle, a well remembered former member of Trinity. Didee Davis has served with distinction on the synod’s Committee for Congregational Viability Norms. That committee will make a presentation about its work at Trinity on Sunday afternoon, March 4th. I was amused to learn that some people actually believed that the “call” I took in the pulpit on Christmas Eve was a real one. No, it was just part of the fun. The call was placed from the pew by P.J. Catalano, who had a transcript of the sermon in his lap. Just kidding!

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TRINITY WOMEN by Joyce Beaudoin

Happy, healthy new year to all! Since I'm writing this in the beginning of January, Trinity Women resolves to grow for the year 2012. We have been an active part of the church for many, many years, but our numbers are getting smaller. Therefore we resolve to try and make a change and move our meeting to the third Wednesday afternoon of the month – starting on March 21st at 1:00pm. We'll start with corned beef sandwiches and cole slaw. Hopefully new women will come on board and we can become more pro-active.

Our president, Kay Neuendorf, had her hip replaced on January 5th. She should be on the way back and recovering as you read this. We wish her God speed. With luck Kay will be back at the helm for the March meeting, as you can't keep a good woman down.

We do not meet in January or February due to poor weather conditions, so mark your calendars for March 21st. See you then!

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QUILTS FOR AIDS BABIES by Marge Kromar

We will resume our meetings on the third Friday of each month starting January 20th. Donations of 100% cotton material, wool, thread or batting would be greatly appreciated.

We welcome Henrietta Markisch to our group. For anyone else interested to join us please come from 10 to 2 p.m. Please bring lunch.

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SOCIAL MINISTRY by Marge Kromar

We wish everyone a blessed and happy new year! Many thanks to Pastor Longan for delivering our special concerns their Christmas gifts.

During this holiday season, we distributed 101 beautifully crocheted blankets made by Gloria Vergara to the Midway Nursing Home in Maspeth and the Veterans Hospital in St. Albans. Thanks again, Gloria, for all your hard work in bringing comfort to those less fortunate.