Author Archive: Leesa Bell

This is Pentecost Sunday

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People from the crowd said, as Peter and the Apostles spoke, and people from every land understood them, “How is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?”  What does this mean? 

Let me take a guess: Maybe God wanted others to hear about His Son, Jesus and the love God has for all of us.   There are so many dividing lines between peoples and nations.  Even today, there are so many barriers to just sitting down and enjoying each other’s diversity—or maybe enjoying what we have in common---our faith in Jesus Christ.  Maybe we all have something to learn from each other’s witness to God.  The ELCA has given each synod three sister synods from around the world so that we can do just that.  We partner with Estonia, a breakout of the Russian block; Namibia, the survivor of a segregated Africa; and El Salvador, one of the deadliest countries in the world.  When we witness to each other, we all are made stronger in faith, and our world gets smaller.  The fire of the Holy Spirit spreads.     

If you can breathe, you can sing!

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Thank-you, Chancel Choir, & Happy Summer Break!

Big thanks go to the Chancel Choir, for all the special music, September through May. After singing June 4 (Pentecost) and June 11 (Trinity Sunday,) the Choir gets a well-deserved break until September.

Chancel Choir mid-week rehearsals resume Wednesday, September 6 at 7:15PM. All are welcome! Plus, if you can’t make Wednesdays, we can provide music in advance, and you can run-through it Sun- day mornings. Our motto: If you can breathe, you can sing!

Calling all Summer Singers & Instrumentalists!

You, your visiting relatives and friends, are most welcome to provide any music contributions to Summer worship services, that you would enjoy doing. Solos, duets (trios and more)— vocal and instrumental are all invited. Your talents are most appreciated. Contact us on dates and music ideas.

Luther Hymn for the Summer:

“Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice”

Our monthly “Luther hymn,” in commemoration of the 500th Luther Anniver- sary year, will be one from the 1524 Wittenberg hymnal (the first published hymnal,) “Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice.” We will stretch it out over June, July and August, using its 10 verses in various ways. Luther wrote them all, setting them to a melody he claimed he heard from a traveling minstrel.

Have a look at the text of the eight stanzas in the hymnal (ELW 594,) in which you find the story—to be sung with joy and spirit– of Jesus’ coming, death, resurrection, and gift of salvation. ‘Rejoice….God be praised forever!”

Marcia Merry, Organist / Choir Director

Hershey Park

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Bring your bathing suit and your roller-coaster excitement and come on to Hershey Park with the Middle School and Senior High. We will go to Hershey on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 9:00 for a fun day at Hershey Park, and return home between 7:00pm and 8:00pm. We will need drivers, so if anyone can drive that would be a blessing.

If anyone wants to bring their whole family, they are welcome to take advantage of the group rate. Also, keep in mind any ticket you purchase will not be date specific, meaning you can use them anytime during the summer.

Ticket prices are $39.50 for ages 9-54 (40% off regular price), $30.50 for ages 3-8, $30.50 for ages 55-70

Come on, chill out, and have a great time to start the summer with Holy Trinity Youth. See Pastor Gerry for more details.

Sermon Series: TheKingdomofGod, Virginia

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“Fella, don’t you know, you are in God’s country now!” Many people would say that Virginia is God’s country (most of them live in Virginia. I suppose that the same is true for Leesburg people as well.) We may have something special here, but in God’s eyes, we have something special everywhere. It is called the Kingdom of God.

Jesus talks of it coming, it being near, and now it is here! In fact, Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God more than anything else. So, I guess it is important enough to focus on and talk about for a three week series.

  • June 18: What is the KingdomOfGod like?
  • June 25: The KingdomOf God is within you
  • July 2: The KingdomOfGod, Leesburg, VA

There will be specific readings, prayers, and hymns that direct us in this great message of Jesus. We are part of the Kingdom of God. Let’s talk about it.

Pastor Gerry

Congratulations to our Confirmands!

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Confirmation marks the completion of Holy Trinity’s program of confirmation ministry, a period of instruction in the Christian faith as confessed in the teachings of the Lutheran Church.  Those who have completed this program were made members of the Church in Baptism.  Confirmation includes a public profession of the faith into which the candidates were baptized, thus underscoring God’s action in their baptism.   We give thanks for all who have served as teachers and mentors to these young people along their faith journey.  We thank them for sharing their gifts in this important capacity.

Getting to Know You…

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Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

My Mom was a singer and an organist for a church. Growing up as a kid she would sing a favorite song all the time. I never really paid much attention but as an adult some show tunes are permanently programed in my head. One of her favorites was “Getting to know you” sung by Julie Andrews featured in the musical: “The King and I.”

“Getting to know you, getting to know all about you. Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me. Getting to know you, putting it my way, but nicely, you are pre- cisely, my cup of tea.”

Alright I admit it, as corny as it is, that tune has made its way to my consciousness right now. Thanks Mom.

Each Easter we celebrate the life, death, and resurrec- tion of our Savior. And we get to know him once again. We get to know him once again and that sets us up for the rest of the year. It is all about getting to know him. When hardship happens in our life, circumstance forces us to look at him. When great joy fills our hearts, we turn to him and thank him. In fact, in all our human experiences, we are prodded to look his way. “Getting to know you….”

This Easter the words of “Getting to know you” has a different meaning as you experience your spiritual journey shared with me, your new pastor. While we focus on “Getting to know” each other, we also are prodded to look beyond that to see the workings of Jesus Christ, our loving Savior, in the development of our relationship and its direc- tion. So far, I have been blessed and amazed by what has happened to me. But I also know that there is so much more to come. I am excited about that.

Together with the Congregation Council, we are planning Cottage Meetings (evening meetings of church people in people’s homes) starting around May 20. They will be hosted by people in the congregation and one will be held in Leesburg, Ashburn, and Purcellville. We understand, you may be tired from work. You may need to get a babysitter. There may be a million ways to spend your evening. We ask that you help us by spending one evening with us. During that time, we would like to know your thoughts and dreams for this church community. In short, we are getting to know you, getting to know all about you. From these meetings, the council will have a planning retreat and follow up with a planning session for the whole congregation in late summer or fall.

I am amazed how vested people are in this community. We all want to do God’s work here (That is called growth), and we all seem eager to make that happen. It is all about the abundance of resources we share and how to effectively share them for the benefit of God reaching all he can. There is no better or more nobler challenge. But that challenge is all of ours together. We can’t wait to hear and share in the discussions about this community we love at the Cottage Meetings. So, please look for the sign-up and maybe bring a church friend.

A later verse of the song is: Sharing your spirit, sharing your tears and your laughter, hoping it goes on, hoping it lasts endlessly. You are completely, my friend you see. Let us all sing along: Lord, getting to know you—Friend: Getting to know you like me,

Have a wonderful Spring,

Pastor Gerry

Table for Five Thousand

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The Children’s Choirs of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church present…
Table for Five Thousand

by Tom S. Long and Allen Pote

Sunday, April 30

as part of our 9:30AM Worship Service

Found in all four New Testament gospels, the story reveals how one young boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, along with his apparent willingness to share, led to an event so startling that members of the crowd wanted to proclaim Jesus as King. Later, the event revealed an even greater truth as Jesus told his disciples, “I am the Bread of Life. Those who come to me will never go hungry.”  The musical remains true to the Biblical accounts while underlining the theme that the most humble among us – especially children – can do great things with God’s help.
~~ The Choristers Guild ~~

 

The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Children’s Choir is made up of 20 children in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Our Youth Choir is composed of 7 Middle School and High School students. These choirs provide musical offerings to Holy Trinity Worship services approximately once a month, and present a musical each spring. The Children’s Choir rehearses each Wednesday night November through April as part of Holy Trinity’s Wednesday Night, LIVE! (WNL) program. WNL is an intergenerational ministry for adults and children. The evening provides an informal atmosphere to grow in faith and experience Christian fellowship thru shared meals, Children’s Choirs, Adult Choir, Middle School & High School Chimes and various outreach efforts. The Youth Choir rehearses on Sundays before the Worship service.

Make a Joyful Noise

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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I have been overwhelmed with the greetings and enthusiasm that I have experienced in my first week here at Holy Trinity. Ok, one would expect that people would greet me and say something nice, like, “We are glad you are here.” But that is not what I am hearing. People are talking to me about their hopes and dreams and what we could do and be as this mission of Jesus Christ in Leesburg. You all have greeted me with excitement and eagerness in a way that makes me feel that this has all been worked out already. To say this another way, the Holy Spirit is somewhere in this process of transition, and truth be told---I am so glad to be here to be a part of it!

So, I had a little epiphany that I want to share with you. As you know, I was here in 1997 with Pastor Wuebbens. As a parting gift, he and Anne gave me a calligraphy picture of the first line of Psalm 100: “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” Both Pastor and I enjoy music, but that was not a big thing for us to share. So, the selection of this psalm was a little strange, but maybe it was the best-looking picture or he picked it for some other reason besides the joyful music message. I have always had that picture in my church office to remind me of him and my experience at Holy Trinity.

Then when I got the picture out to put it on the wall (Please come and see it!). I stopped in my tracks. It didn’t say make joyful music – it said make joyful noise.

What if the noise is not meant as music? What if it meant make a sound – make a difference – create some- thing that shares God’s glory – JOYFUL NOISE!

Suddenly that was not just a psalm anymore – it was a prophecy. We need to make joyful noise. I am so impressed with the skills and talents of the people here, especially the staff. I am so impressed with the devotion – you guys installed your own pipe organ. My goodness you have fire here. We have been making joyful noise and we are called to continue to make more joyful noise. To me that means that we need to make a difference in our lives of faith and in the lives of faith of others, the families in our preschool, the young adults of our families, our neighbors, Helen and Joe (from the sermon), our community, our schools, and whoever else God puts in our path. We need to make a difference.

I am so excited with that charge. I am excited to talk to the preschool families. I am so excited to visit aging members. I am so excited to talk to people in our community. I am so excited to connect with people that I knew for a year, twenty years ago. I am so excited to have the opportunity to do cottage meetings (meeting of a group of people in someone’s home for me to listen to their hopes and dreams). I am so excited to plan a Church Council retreat. I am so excited and energized with every meeting and conversation I have with the ministers (staff and leaders) that I share God’s ministry here at Holy Trinity.

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord.” Yep. We will do just that. We are on that already. Thank you for allow- ing me to be a part of something so exciting! The Holy Spirit is with you – I feel its presence. More joyful noise is on the way!

Pastor Gerry Johnson

Easter Breakfast & Egg Hunt

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All are invited to join us Easter Sunday morning between 8:00 am – 9:30 am for a full breakfast in the Commons and Fellowship Hall.

Children age 2-Grade 5 are invited to meet in the Gathering Area following the 9:30 Easter worship service for an Easter Egg Hunt. Plan to bring your Easter basket for collecting! The hunt will be held rain or shine!

Lenten Reflections

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Exactly, what is it about Jesus, anyway?

Maybe that is not the way you would ask the question.  But that would be the way that you would hear it asked by someone who can’t see a way to make a connection to God. For us, we can easily get distracted or just lose focus about what exactly Jesus is all about. Lent is a time of reflection and re-connecting to the core of our faith in Jesus Christ.  Come let us sharpen our faith together with the Noon on Wednesday Reflections.  In these three short reflections we will highlight the central point of what Jesus is really about for us and for others that ask us.

JOIN US FOR OUR MID-WEEK SERVICES ON WEDNESDAYS AT 12:00 PM

            March 22

            March 29

            April 5