Author Archive: Leesa Bell

Amen!

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Children are a special gift from God. They have come to be with us every day this week, bringing their smile and good nature and willingness to do whatever we have prepared for them. They really don’t care if it is to eat a graham cracker with blue icing or thread a necklace. They know that whatever we do, we do for them. They know that everyone of our staff cares for them. As a staff, that trust makes it super fun because it opens doors and allows everyone to sing or dance or try new things or learn new stories. It is that care and concern that opens doors.
We want to mirror the care and concern that God has for us. We don’t get weighed down in dogmas or judgments. We just welcome every child like God has welcomed us. We tell them Bible stories and stories of Jesus love for us. We share some fun and enjoy the gifts the children bring to us and share the gifts we have for them.
But we need to trust too. We need to trust that the seeds of God’s love that we planted will grow. That somewhere somehow, God’s love will make a difference for this child as he/she grows up. We pray for that.
As this week ends, we at Holy Trinity have had a wonderful week of Vacation Bible School. We have been blessed with the children. We have been blessed with the energy that our talented staff brings and the willingness of so many people to be a part of this. We have been blessed with the good-natured fun and trusting relationships. This will be a summer to remember for a long time. No doubt; because of him we can say, Amen: Amen!

New Date – Habitat for Humanity

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Holy Trinity is signed up to participate in the Fed By Faith program. This is where churches go out and serve lunch to volunteers of Habitat for Humanity at a build site. We will be serving about 20 volunteers by 11:20 the morning of Saturday,  August 11, at a site in Hamilton, VA, right up the road. We are looking for anyone who would like to help to prepare lunches on Friday, August 10, around 12:30, and/or deliver and serve lunches on Saturday, August 11. This would be a great activity youth, and as always, ALL ARE WELCOME! For more information, please contact Jodie Allen at jodieaallen@gmail.com (two aa in middle!)

Youth Gathering

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Livestream

Did you know that you can follow the ELCA Youth Gathering via livestream? Join us on the ELCA homepage!  The following events will be shared:
  • MYLE worship: June 26 at 6:45 p.m. (all times CDT)
  • The tAble worship: June 27 at 10 a.m.
  • Daily Bible studies: June 27-June 30 at 3:30 p.m.
  • Mass Gatherings: June 27-June 30 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday morning worship: July 1 at 10 a.m.

You can also follow us on our facebook page or on social media using #ELCAYG2018 

The Obvious

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Sometimes we need to say things that are obvious.

 

As a church, children are a blessing to us. When they are baptized, we promise, with their parents, to live among them with God’s faithful people, to bring them to the word and the holy supper, teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the creeds, and the Ten Commandments, and place in their hands the holy scriptures. We nurture them in faith. It sounds like a daunting task.

 

But while we do these things, children in our church community bless us with an opportunity to share our faith. They provide life and joy from their participation with us. They make special occasions like Christmas (Advent) and Easter (Lent) so special and meaningful for us. Their honesty and candidness at children’s sermons liven up our worship. Their special musical presentations are so pure and holy and help us remember our own childhood memories of church. The children are a blessing and help us re-enforce our faith.

 

Today, the children have been practicing for months to provide a worshipful presentation with their spunk and character which is enjoyable and cute (you’ll see). But in the process, they have learned something special. They have learned that Jesus wants us to love above all else. The children remind us of that all the time. That loud child in the pew behind us (and the embarrassed mom); the dis-engaged teenager who required the strength of Jehovah to get them here; or the enthusiastic child that is antsy for the children’s sermon, all are a blessing to us because they are part of the family of God that we see. We can love with a Hi, with a smile, sharing kindnesses, or a conversation. That is what church friends do. That restless child behind you is our child. That confirmand is our child. The singers this morning are our children.

 

Today we are blessed with their musical, Judge Julie Truly, as it parallels the gospel story of the Jesus healing the Paralytic that was lowered from the roof by four loyal friends. The children are excited to share the story with us. As they do, think of our relationship with them. We may not know their name, but we know who they are. We may have taught them in Sunday school or VBS. We may have shared a pastry or fruit with them after worship. They are our kids. We learn how to love by them just being with us. Enjoy the children and the message.

Holy Trinity Sunday

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The classic line about the Trinity is don’t try to understand it, our minds just can’t make sense of it; but God who is infinitely wiser knows how he can be one God in three persons. I don’t like to dismiss our seeking some understanding of the essence of God so quickly. The easiest explanation is that they all three have specific jobs or functions. That is known as modalism taught by Sabellius in Rome in the 3rd century. This belief was determined to be heresy in the early church.
So how do we theologize about the Trinity? First, it is important to have some idea of the essence of God. Moses’ first question to God was “What is your name?” or what is your essence? I think it is normal to want to know more about the essence of God (how God exists). That is why I like this picture. We know the three persons from the Bible, but there is a great deal hidden by the light. They all radiate with light together and separately.  They share a joint concern (love) for their creation. But they maintain a mysterious aura. They reveal some things but not all. The reason for that is their secret. So perhaps, God does not want his total essence to be known. Except to say that there are three persons in one God.
Throughout Church history, holy people referred to as saints, sought a closer relationship with God. In their quest and in their writings was the consistent proclamation of the three persons in one God. So, we can just thank God for his creation, for his redeeming, and for his perpetual guidance.  We receive joy in the ways that God shares his love in our world. We look with joy for the constant presents of God in our lives.
Pastor Gerry

Sunday School for all Ages

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Ages 3 to Grade 5:  Lydia

PreK through Grade 6 meet in the sanctuary for opening activities

Grade 6:  Lydia

Grades 7-12:  Meet in Youth room

Adults:  The early church handbook for people to become followers of Jesus Christ:  The Didache.   It is written by Justin Martyr.  It should be an interesting journey as we walk through this early church handbook.

Welcome Center Construction

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You may have noticed the beginnings of our new HTLC WELCOME CENTER in the gathering area.  After much discussion and thoughtful planning, we have come up with a design that will welcome new visitors to our church.  It will provide information about new member activities and even provide a MAP of our beautiful church so people can navigate themselves. We hope to answer the following questions for people coming to our church for the first time:

How do I become a member?

How do I get involved? (ALL teams, committees and groups will be represented with opportunities to become involved with each one….meeting/activity times will be provided for each)

What activities do you have for kids?  Where and when?

Where are the restrooms?? (MAP!)

What is the schedule?

Is there a bible study at HTLC?

I am interested in baptism, what do I do?

Do you offer Sunday School for all ages?  Where and when?

What is the church’s mission?

Who is the pastor? (picture will be displayed)   

Who can I go to with any questions I might have?

  Who is on the church council? (pictures will be displayed)

Do you offer any music opportunities?

Do you have a preschool? 

Each aspect of our church will be represented (all teams/committees will be represented) as well as the preschool.  We hope to showcase all the wonderful activities and opportunities that HTLC offers, as well as make a central location for sign-ups and information for current members.  There will also be PHOTOS of our pastor and council and staff, so prospective new members can put faces with names.  It is an exciting project and one that will hopefully extend a warm welcome to all who enter!

Construction of this center will require some hands-on help!   If you would like to participate, please contact either Amy Miller or Leigh Johanneck.  Sanding, painting, and some carpentry skills will be needed, as well as help designing/planning the layout of photos/team info etc.  Snacks would also be appreciated on our ‘build’ days!!  ALL ARE WELCOME!!

Love takes many forms

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Love takes many forms. Can you imagine this grandpa the head of a multi-billion-dollar corporation?  Or maybe he is a four-star general at the Pentagon? No, of course not! If he held either of those positions, he would have more self-respect and he wouldn’t put on that silly hat.  Love takes many forms.
My Grandfather was a serious man, yet I have a picture of him with a silly birthday hat on.  Some of us who are grandparents know that we would do anything for our grandchildren, the silly hat and not taking ourselves seriously doesn’t come close to the limit of lack of discretion. We would do anything for our grandchildren. True love is like that. We will do anything for the ones we love. We would even die for them. Whether it is our parents, our spouse, our children, or our grandchildren, or a friend, when we love, truly love, there are no limits to what we will do.
Jesus is making that point as he says, “I am the Good Shepherd.” I am the one who will lay down my life to make sure the little sheep are safe. I am not a hired hand, I am invested. If something happens to the sheep, it happens to me.
As we are Post-Easter people, we understand that Jesus laid down his life for us, but people in Jesus day had no idea what was going to happen. They were unfamiliar or didn’t know the breath of God’s love. Other cultures of the time worshiped gods that explained creation of humans as entertainment or slave labor. But the true God and his son Jesus love all of their creation — especially the people.
Jesus doesn’t mince words. Jesus died for us and he would die again out of sheer love for us—to have us know the love of God and to have us feel safe and experience true safety even in a world that being safe is never a sure thing.

Jesus, Is that You?

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In Luke 24:41, Jesus, in his post-Easter appearances to the apostles, looks like a ghost, so naturally the Apostles are afraid.  They thought Jesus was a ghost once before when he walked on water, so the Apostles are confused and scared. Jesus tells them who he is and not to be afraid. Then Jesus does something interesting: he asks if there is anything to eat. It is not that Jesus likes boiled fish or is hungry after a rough couple of days without eating. It is that Jesus wants to prove to them that he is human and that he is present in the flesh.
It was important that Jesus prove that he is back to his human state so that they could understand that he was raised after being dead, instead of being a person trapped between life and afterlife as a ghost. This was a moment of proof. Jesus ate the fish, and the Apostles concluded that ghosts don’t eat, so this must be Jesus in the flesh.
It is interesting that while Jesus was alive with them, he was trying to have them see his divine nature; that after his death, Jesus wants to reveal his human nature. Through that fish, their eyes were opened to who Jesus was and what happened to him. They even saw how Jesus predicted it, and how it was prophesized in Scripture. It was also revealed that repentance and forgiveness are to be proclaimed.
As time went on, a fish became the symbol for faith in Jesus Christ: Ichthus (IXOYC), or Greek for fish. Christians used this symbol as a way to connect with each other and share their faith. While Jesus taught in parables, the physical example he used to hook people to his message was the fish — from “Come be fishers of people” to eating fish to convince the Apostles of his resurrection. So today, think of the fish as a simple item that becomes sacramental as it opens our eyes in faith.
Pastor Gerry
The Gospel according to Luke 24:36b-48
 36bJesus himself stood among [the disciples] and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in their presence.
44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things.”

He is Risen

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Wheeeeeeere is Jesus? “He is not here, he has been raised. Go tell his disciples and Peter to meet him in Galilee, there you will see him.”  They fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them. Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Salome were stunned! I think I would be stunned too in their emotional roller coaster ride of life, death, and life. As the story unfolds, they did tell the disciples and Peter, and they did meet Jesus in Galilee.
What I like about the story is that Jesus is not boastful. He is not walking around appearing and disappearing to those he knew. Even with all the gospel accounts, there are very few post-resurrection appearances. We all know history would have done a better job of recording the resurrection if Jesus had more witnesses. What if Jesus would have appeared to Pilate or Herod? Or maybe, just think of what kind of in-your-face message Jesus could have presented to good old Caiaphas, “So much for your ‘permanent solution’ to your problem….” I could think of a hundred great appearances Jesus could have made which would have projected the new church into the next millennium.
But Jesus did not do that. He met with his disciples and a few others and flew off to heaven without too much fan-fare.
Jesus was humble in life and his character did not change even after the resurrection. He had done what he had come to do. He had been such an influence that he made a difference. He left it up to the apostles and Peter (with the Holy Spirit) to carry the message forward. Today, 2,000 or so years later, we celebrate the victory won by Jesus. We celebrate that Jesus gives us hope that just like him, this earthly life doesn’t hold us, we will rise also.
Today, this resurrection seals Jesus’ credibility. It seals his gift to us in dying on the cross and opening a new relationship with God. Today, we celebrate this new day in Christ Jesus where we all are given hope in new life in him. Alleluia! Jesus has risen!
Pastor Gerry