Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. . . Have no fear little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”   Luke 12:22 & 32

Dear Friends,

 In the July Tidings I quoted from the book of Proverbs about the wisdom of the Ant who worked so diligently in preparation for her future.  In these verses from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus promises us that God will take care of us and that we have no reason to worry about all the things that other people seem to be worrying about.  I love that Jesus and the Ant both have wisdom to share with us about our time and our possessions!
 
Jesus invites us to trust God for what we need and inspires us to share what we have with
others.  Jesus is not telling people to stop working, but rather he is suggesting that our
priorities need to be examined with the Kingdom of God coming first.  Then with our priorities in order we can truly “have no fear.”  Verse 34 of this chapter sums it up quite well, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  What do you treasure?  What do you value?  Where is the focus of your life?  For whom do you care?
 
There are so many good things in our lives—our families, our health, our jobs, our hobbies, our friends, our neighbors, our homes, and so much more.  In the Lord’s Prayer many of these gifts come under the heading of “our daily bread” because they are the things we need for our lives.  Jesus says not to worry about food or clothing, but those who do not know where there next meal is coming from do worry.  Our gifts to the Food Bank make a huge difference in their lives.  The Great Trinity Give-Away on August 3rd will make it possible for many to worry less about clothing and household items.  Thank you for sharing! 
 
When we take time to share our blessings our hearts turn outwards towards others.  When we worry and fret, our hearts turn inwards towards ourselves.  Jesus is encouraging us to turn our hearts towards God and our neighbors by reminding us that God’s heart is always turned towards us.  God has great pleasure in giving us what is good.  I imagine God takes great pleasure in our sharing those good things, too! 
 
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!”
 
Working with you in the Kingdom, resting with you in God’s love,

Pastor Jocelyn

 
 

“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.  Learn from their ways and become wise!  . . . they labor hard all summer gathering food for the winter.”  Proverbs 6:6 & 8 New Living Translation

Dear Friends,
 
On of my favorite books as a child was “Aesop’s Fables.”  I am sure that you remember some of these stories too.  They are still a part of our culture and most people at least know the story of the Tortoise and the Hare.  As I was out working in the garden in the sunshine the other day I was remembering the fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper.  The Ant is very industrious and works very, very hard.  I think she is modeled on the same Ant that is mentioned in Proverbs 6.
 
The Grasshopper on the other hand is a great model of self care and relaxation.  However, winter is coming and the Grasshopper has not collected any food and has no place to go to stay warm.  I, like the Grasshopper, sometimes forget how cold winter can be while I am in the midst of enjoying summer.  The green leaves, the blue skies, the flowers and vegetables growing like weeds—all these speak of everlasting summer to me.
 
There are many Stewardship messages in the book of Proverbs!  God praises the industrious Ants and God encourages the Grasshoppers to take care of themselves and their families. (See Proverbs 6:9-10)  We as a church community have committed ourselves to a budget that pays staff salaries, buys the paper for the bulletins, keeps the lights on, and provides a place of grace for many to meet.  Our commitments do not take a break in the summer.  We need to be like the Ants, even as we enjoy our summer rest and relaxation like the Grasshoppers!
 
We have also committed ourselves to continued progress on paying down our Building Fund Mortgage.  I can just hear the Ant saying, “the faster you pay this off, the less interest you are going to have to pay.”  She is correct.  Our third commitment is to support a Local Benevolence each month.  This month we give socks for school children who are in need.  This is a fun yet practical gift to give that will make a difference in many children’s lives.
 
Whether you see yourself as Ant or Grasshopper this day, you are always a Steward of the gifts God has given to you.  We give thanks to all the stewards of Trinity—the ones who have installed an air conditioner in the basement and the ones who will teach, lead, and play with the children at Vacation Bible School in July.  We are Stewards not just of money, but of time and abilities, too. 
 
Loving life today and remembering to give all summer,
Pastor Jocelyn 

Dear Friends,

The Northwest Washington Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran church in America has elected Pastor Kirby Unti from Saint Matthew’s Lutheran in Renton as our new Bishop.  Our prayers will be with him as he, his family and the people of Saint Matthew’s prepare for the changes in their lives.  Our prayers are also with our outgoing Bishop, Pastor Chris Boerger and his family as he prepares to accept a new call.  We give thanks for both of these fine people for their gifts of leadership in the church and we give thanks for all of the 16 pastors who allowed their names to be considered for the call of Bishop.

Closer to home we at Trinity Lutheran Church are thanking retired Associate in Ministry Clara Griffin for sharing her gifts of music and leadership with us.  She has faithfully shared her beautiful soprano voice, her gift of choosing just the right music for the choir and bells, her warm welcome and patience with every member of the choir and bells, and her gifts of collaboration with a number of colleagues in ministry.  Our worship has been blessed by her in so many ways.  Clara will also no longer be visiting those who are unable to attend church.  We thank her for her caring, loving presence with many.

Leadership in life and in the church is a gift of the Holy Spirit and a call from God.  Most of the ways we serve in the church have a component of leadership attached to them, encouraging others to join us in an endeavor to serve. One of my favorite sayings is that God doesn’t call those who are equipped but that God equips those who are called.  This means to me that we can be brave and courageous when we take on a new or unfamiliar task of leadership because God will support us and empower us.

We have many, many leaders here at Trinity.  Some of them have been elected to serve on Church Council, but many others have just seen a need and stepped up to fill that need in the best way possible.  A great example of that is the Trinity Give Away III happening on August 3 this year.  Jennie Fenrich saw a need and mobilized people to answer that need as she bravely made a touching and inspiring announcement that led us to clean out our cupboards and closets!  Thanks Jennie!

Thank you to those who lead and to those who follow the leaders offering support and encouragement every step of the way.  I invite you to keep your eyes out for ways that together we can serve God and our neighbors.  Your ideas and your passions are part of what makes Trinity such a fun place to come together.

Leading and following with you,

Pastor Jocelyn

 

Dear Friends,

Last month I wrote about the concept of “Sabbath rest” and invited you to be part of theAll-Church Summer Retreat in August.  I wrote of Sabbath being a gift from God to us for the refreshment of our bodies and our souls.  Vacation time, days off, coffee break, and even a brief walk at noon, can give us a sense of renewal and send us back to our work with a clearer head.  Gathering with other followers of Jesus for worship also is a gift intended to refresh us and to give praise and thanks to God.

Sunday morning worship has been the practice of Trinity Lutheran Church since 1904.  We, like Christians around the world, gather on Sunday morning in recognition of Jesus’ resurrection on the first Easter Day.  In John’s Gospel, the disciples gather on the first day of the week but they gather in the evening.  For early Christians, living in Jerusalem, keeping the Sabbath from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday, (the seventh day) would have been the normal practice.

As the church moved from Jerusalem, into Judea, Samaria and the entire known world, worship practices began to change.  The Apostle Paul always began his ministry in a new city by worshiping in the Jewish synagogue, moving into the homes of Gentile Christians later to share the Good News with all people.  In honor of the resurrection Christian worship was held on Sunday not on the Sabbath day.

Last year while I was visiting friends in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, I had a taste of what it would be like to be the minority religious community.  In Dubai, the days off were Friday and Saturday, with Sunday being the day that everyone went back to school or to work.  Sunday morning in Dubai is a difficult time for worship and prayer. Being there made me think of how hard it can be to make it to church here, too.

Sunday morning is no longer set aside by our culture as a time for church. There are many alternatives to worship such as, work, sports, sleeping in, gardening, and family activities.  I give thanks every Sunday for those who take time out of their busy weeks to refresh themselves and others by participating in worship.  I also am thankful for parents who brought me to church on Sunday mornings.  In worship I learned of God’s love for me and the world and I learned to love and serve my neighbors.  In worship I experienced music, prayers, community, and peace.

When you can, come and share in the blessings of worship for your life,

Pastor Jocelyn

 

What does the Lord require of you?  To do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8

Dear Friends,

Have you made your plans for some time of rest and relaxation this summer?  Summer is the traditional time for activities that take place outside.  Every person, no matter their age or abilities can benefit from time spent in nature, which was created for us by our loving God.  Time spent hiking in the woods or sitting by a river gives us a chance to renew our souls and recharge our physical batteries.

This summer everyone is invited to participate in an All Church Retreat at a place that is designed to be welcoming and accessible to all.  We gather under the theme, “What does the Lord require?” a question asked by the prophet Micah.  Our relationship with God is of course God’s gift to us through grace, but Micah challenges us to grow in discipleship.  We will learn more about justice and kindness and we will talk about what it means to walk humbly with our God.  Deaconess April Boyden from Bellingham will be our retreat leader.

One sign of being a person of God is to observe a time of “Sabbath.”  The Sabbath was a gift from God to the people of Israel designed to allow them time to rest and refresh themselves, their servants and their animals.  This summer’s retreat will provide a time of Sabbath for people of all ages. Imagine the rest a retreat provides, spending quality time with your church friends, not having to grocery shop or make meals, and the beauty and peace of the countryside. There will be times of worship, study and discussion but there will also be ample time to do those things you enjoy. Swimming, hiking, fishing, crafts, photography or just sitting still are just some of the options.

The Cascadian Center is just north of Mount Vernon and you may come for the entire retreat or for just a day. The details are on the front page of the newsletter, and I hope you will consider taking part in this retreat, even if you have never gone on a retreat before.  Some scholarship money is available (please talk with me) and all rooms are accessible.  Make plans now to spend time in nature, sing around a campfire and enjoy great friends!

Blessings of peace and joy,

Pastor Jocelyn

 

Dear friends,

Spring is on the way!  Our little pink rhododendron has been blooming for the last week—it is always my first indication that the days are going to get longer and warmer.  The plant and seed catalogs are starting to pile up at our house and the primroses are showing their bright faces!  We are in the season of Lent, a word that literally means to lengthen.  The days lengthen and the plants grow longer and taller each day as we move closer to the joyous celebration of Easter.

But first we must walk through the days of Holy Week when we hear again the story of the last Supper that Jesus ate with his beloved disciples.  Before the joy of Easter, we experience the desolation and death of Passion Sunday and Good Friday.  We might want to take a short cut and get to Easter without the sadness, but that would dilute our joy. 

Good Friday is called “Good” because on that day the greatest good gift for humanity was given in the self-sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The abundant grace and mercy that give us joy were given through his pain, suffering and death.  The Apostle Paul reminds us of God’s abundant love when he writes, “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-6)

The grace that Jesus gives us is not cheap.  We have been given costly grace, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, True God and True Man.  Jesus freely gave himself for us, but it was at a severe cost to him.  Out of thankful hearts, we respond to his sacrificial love with our own costly gifts on behalf of the world. 

We are invited each Lent to grow our faith through Bible Study, prayer, sacrificial giving, and worship.  On Easter we are invited to celebrate with great joy the resurrection of Jesus and the beauty of spring!

Growing in grace,

Pastor Jocelyn

 

Dear Friends,

In the face of great need and remembering the command of Jesus to “love our neighbors”, many of us often wish that we could do more for those who are hungry or homeless.  Thanks to our able administrator, Christa Johnson, we have some great news about how our gifts can go further!

Trinity Lutheran Church receives $5,000 Economic Outreach Bridge Grant. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation grant aids efforts to support basic needs in community:

 “Difficult economic conditions and high unemployment rates have caused many Americans to seek support for basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter from local nonprofits,” said Kathy Larson, grants program manager for the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation. “This grant program is designed to help effective organizations maintain their financial stability in the face of increased demand on their resources.”

The funding was awarded to Trinity based on our effectiveness in addressing basic needs of the local community such as food, clothing or shelter through the Trinity Aid Bank (TAB).  Our staff persons are good stewards of the gifts you give and they are compassionate listeners to those in need.  They are creative and kind as they seek to help in a wide variety of situations. 

In order to make the best use of the gifts you give, we have also elected to participate in a complementary challenge grant program sponsored by the Foundation. For every dollar given by donors by Mar. 31, 2013, the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation will provide an additional 50 cents—up to $5,000—in support of the our TAB ministry.  Thank you in advance for your support of this life-changing ministry! This is a great time to invite friends or family to join us in giving gifts during this “matching opportunity”.  Gifts of any size can be brought or sent to Trinity Lutheran Church, Attn. TAB, 2324 Lombard Avenue, Everett, WA 98201 or gifts can be given through PayPal on our website.

Jesus says, “I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.”  Matthew 25:34-36

Living hopefully in God’s kingdom,

Pastor Jocelyn