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Music Program News

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“Next to the word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.”

–Martin Luther

The treasure of music is something that lasts a lifetime. Time and again I have observed within the church or working in nursing homes, that music sticks with us. It becomes part of who we are. In the words of Helen Kemp, an icon is church music, stating in one of her warm-ups: “Body, mind, spirit, voice; It takes a whole person to sing and rejoice.” Perhaps this is why the words of hymns, often taken directly from scripture, stay with us long after many other capabilities have gone.

We invite you, all of you, to come and join us in singing and rejoicing! We have choirs for ages Kindergarten through adult. What you sing-will stick with you, and you will have a lot of fun!

Children’s Choir – Grades K-5: Starts September 20th and meets every Wednesday from 6:15-7:00 PM as part of Wednesday Night, LIVE!

Youth Singers – Grades 6-12: Starts September 20th and meets every Wednesday from 7:15-7:45 PM as part of Wednesday Night, LIVE!

Chime Choir – Grades 6 through adult: Starts September 20th and meets every Wednesday from 7:45-8:15 PM as part of Wednesday Night, LIVE! (No experience necessary!)

Chancel Choir – adults and interested high school singers: Starts September 6th and meets every Wednesday evening from 7:15-8:30 PM as part of Wednesday Night, LIVE!  You are most welcome in the Chancel Choir any and all Sundays and holidays in the coming year. If you can’t make mid-week practice, we can work something out. We have great music lined up for 2017-2018, including for a November Hymn Festival Sunday service. Sing every week, or just on occasion, as you can. Soloists welcome! If you have some special musical offering, and/or would like to involve friends, school- or work-mates in some Sunday music, please contact us. Thanks in advance, for your talent and good will.

Nancy Fox & Marcia Merry 

 

Free Pizzas to Help Little Blessings

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Get FREE PIZZAS and help Little Blessings raise money!
For every large pizza you buy at regular menu price, you get 1 free!
Buy 1, Get 1 FREE-
Buy 5, Get 5 FREE and so on!
Valid for carryout at participating locations in DC, Maryland, & Virginia
The card is $15
Unlimited use through SEPTEMBER 2018!
Cards will be available for purchase after services on September 3, 10 & 17 and  in the preschool office from 9:00-12:00 Monday-Friday.

Youth Pizza Party

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ELCA YOUTH GATHERING TO HOUSTON

We will have a Youth Ministry Pizza party on Wednesday August 23, 2017 at 5:00pm at the church to enliven the youth ministry and to talk about that ELCA Youth Gathering.  Come on, lets have fun before school starts up again! All rising eighth graders are welcome too.

Planning Sunday

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August 20: Worship & Luncheon

During Worship, we will pray and reflect about the Holy Trinity community doing God’s work and the gift of a planning process. A luncheon will follow, and each table will be given three questions to answer. It is that simple. We will continue the process on September 17 and October 1 during Sunday School Hour. Results will be shared through Constant Contact in mid-October.  We will invite comments and do a review and vote at council to adapt the visional and missional statements and objectives.

Planning Sunday Workbook

Summer Reading

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I have a couple of books that are great books about churches that have been successful and prosperous. Reading church books can be interesting and fun. Most of them are short easy reads. Come to my office and pick up a spare copy. Here are some recommendations:

It, How Churches and Leaders can get It and Keep It, by Craig Groeschel
This is a book about the presence of the Holy Spirit within a church and how we need to focus on hosting the Holy Spirit in our churches in what we do and say.

Speaking Christian, by Marcus Borg
This is a great book to open our eyes to how we speak about God and what that says about what we believe. There are other ways to speak about and understand God within our realm of Christianity. This will challenge us to see the similarities.

Change your Church for Good, by Brad Powell
This book talks about good change. It talks about keeping the important things important. You would be surprised how much churches lose focus on that.

Making a Good Church Great, by Steve Sjogren
This book is about how to develop a service culture in your church and live it out. This book really gets the reader to the heart of joyful service to others.

Power Surge, by Michael Foss
This is a book about spiritual development of people and of a church. It is a simple book that highlights what a Christian does to be a Christian. It is really a wonderful model for Christian living.

I also have spiritual development books and Bible books that are great. Just stop by if you want some great summer reading.

Pastor Gerry

Nats Game

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Take Me Out to the Ball Game!
The L.A. Dodgers are the hottest team in the National League and were the Nationals nemesis in last year’s post season.  We will go the Nats/Dodgers Game on August 16, 2017 at 1:05pm.  If you are interested in going, please let Pastor know by August 13.  He will explain his praying technique for home runs.

The KingdomOfGod

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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.  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

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