TRINITY TRUMPETER Newsletter - January 2012

TRINITY TRUMPETER Newsletter
Trinity Lutheran Church, Long Beach

January 2012
Volume 11, Issue 1

Trinity Lutheran Church
Annual Congregation Meeting, Part 2

Trinity’s Annual Congregation meeting, Part 2, will be held Sunday, January 22, 2011, following the worship service. The major item on the agenda will be:
• the review and acceptance of the Trinity Lutheran Church
Annual Report 2011.
The Annual Report 2011 will be available for review on Sunday, January 15, 2011, which is the Sunday prior to the meeting. Please read the report during the week so you are familiar with its content. Much work goes into preparing the report, and it’s an excellent way to get an overview of what’s happening at Trinity.
These and other important events to mark on your 2012 calendar are:
Sunday, January 8 - Volunteer Appreciation Sunday and Installation of 2012 Council, with potluck following the worship service
Sunday, January 8 - Written annual reports for 2011 due to church office
Sunday, January 15 - Distribution of printed copies of Trinity Lutheran Church Annual Report 2011
Sunday, January 15 - Orientation for new council members following fellowship time
Sunday, January 22 - Annual Congregation Meeting, Part 2 following worship
Tuesday, January 24 – Council Meeting and election of 2012 Council/Congregation officers
Sunday, January 29 – Installation of 2012 Council/Congregation officers during worship service.

New Year’s Potluck

The first potluck of the year at Trinity will be held following worship Sunday, January 8th. Please sign up to bring an entrée, salad, or dessert to share as we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Sunday and install the 2012 Council.

About Making A Difference in Our Community

Not only at Christmas time, but all year through, many at Trinity are focused on making a difference in our community. Here’s a summary of just some of the activities in which we participated during the fourth quarter of 2011.
Helping to fix meals at “Meals on Wheels”- on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Thursday before Christmas a team from Trinity pitched in early in the morning to pack luncheon and dinner meals to be distributed to the elderly and homebound.
Packets for the Seafarers – Bob Pedder and Hermine Burg started this ball rolling by filing for a $500 grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to purchase and package personal items (razors, lotions, socks, knit caps, toothpaste, candies,….) for the seafarers who visit the Port of Long Beach during the holiday season. Imagine our surprise when we received $1200. Bob did most of the purchasing, and 387 packages were built. The leaders from Lutheran Maritime Ministry attended worship at Trinity to express their personal thanks for these gifts.
Lutheran Social Services Walkathon - In October, members of our congregation participated in and/or contributed funds toward the comprehensive emergency assistance and programs offered daily by Lutheran Social Services (LSS) in Long Beach. The tutoring conducted each Saturday by LSS staff in the upstairs computer room of Trinity’s education building is one of these programs. A total of $315 was given through Trinity. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans matched all contributions.
SCIC Festival of Music Benefit Concert - Trinity hosted this important annual fund-raising activity for South Coast Interfaith Council (SCIC), which rents space monthly in our education building. A total of $1229 was contributed as a free-will offering by concert attendees. Trinity’s Choir performed, and the Fellowship Committee handled the reception that followed the concert.
Remembering COA on Thanksgiving Eve – A total of $221.56 was contributed as a free-will offering to be forwarded to COA (Christian Outreach in Action) on Thanksgiving Eve.
Holiday Baskets/Trinity Food Bank - Members of Trinity were encouraged to provide monetary and/or food donations for Holiday Baskets, Food Gift Certificates, and/or food items for Trinity’s Food Bank, to position us to share food with those in need in our neighborhood. A total of $230.00 was contributed as designated giving for this purpose.
Toys for Children – Saturday, December 3, we joined with other organizations at First Lutheran Church on Atlantic to distribute toys to about 1,000 children.
Christmas Caroling in the Neighborhood – Saturday late afternoon, December 18, Dalerond Smith led eighteen of us about the neighborhood, sharing Christmas carols, smiles, greetings, and small gift packets with persons/groups we encountered in the residential areas and on busy Long Beach Boulevard. We shared the good news of our Savior’s birth. Then we enjoyed a chili supper prepared by Kathy and Fenton Glendening, chocolate cake from Arline Walter, ice cream from Jim Young, and hot coffee or apple cider.

Sincere thanks to anyone who participated in and/or helped in any way to make these outreach activities possible!!!!!

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Use Your Gifts

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)

On January 6th the Church celebrates the day of Epiphany (which means “appearance”) when the star appeared to the wise men. They journeyed through the night following the star until it stopped, and they were overwhelmed with joy. They were so moved by Christ that they knelt down, paid him homage, and opened their treasure-chests. They offered him the gift of gold fitting for a king. They offered him frankincense, incense for the divine. Lastly they offered him myrrh, embalming oil foreshadowing the death Jesus will suffer. They offered their gifts to the Lord.

We all have gifts: talents, abilities, knowledge, resources, etc. Although I’m not sure we are as in tune as we could be with what our gifts are. We sell ourselves short or underestimate what we are really capable of. Or perhaps we know we are gifted in a certain way, but we just sit on it and don’t use it. But as we embark upon a new year, it is a good time to reflect upon the ways God has gifted us. I encourage you to make a list of all your gifts.

Consider for a moment what it would have been like for the wise men. After journeying through the desert in the dark for some time, you finally come face to face with Christ the Lord. You can’t help but be moved so much you fall to your knees and give him gifts in worship. Like the wise men, we are moved by Christ to give our gifts. Look at your list of gifts and consider how God is moving you to use your gifts. Is there a gift that you have that you feel called to utilize in the church? Let me know! I’m sure we could put your gift to use.

This church would not function if it wasn’t for each and every person sharing their unique gifts and utilizing their God given potential. Whether it be finance, music, cooking, translation, or unclogging a toilet, all of these diverse gifts work together to keep this ministry going. On Sunday, January 8th, we will be having our Appreciation Sunday. This is the time where we take time to recognize and appreciate all the various ways people give their gifts in service to God through Trinity. We give thanks for each of you and the gifts you bring!

God bless,
Pr. Josh Ebener

Attendance at Worship

Average worship attendance 2010: 73.5 (Sat: 32.61, Sun: 43.75, these totals don’t simply add because there were no Saturday worship services some weeks)
Average worship attendance November 2011: 74.5 (Sat: 34 Sun: 40.5)

Beautifying Our Church at Christmas

The following people have contributed funds to help decorate our church for Christmas:
Marilyn Bohl - In memory of Ann Molholt. John E. Carroll - In memory of Jessie M. Carroll. Bryan E. Gaffney - In memory of Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Gaffney, Craig A. Gaffney, and Mildred E. Miller. Virgil Munch - In memory of Vivian Munch. Kirk Olsen - In memory of the Olsens, Smiths, and Kleins. Bob Pedder - In honor of our military. Larry and Sande Rice - In memory of Oscar and Elisabeth Pedersen and George and Jerry Rice. Greg and Luz Sexton - In memory of Mary Salazar. Jim Young - In memory of our mother Elizabeth, father John, wife Barbara, and sister Margie.

Meet Our Newly Elected Council Members for 2012

At the Annual Congregation meeting, Part 1, in November, the voting members of the congregation elected three new Council members and re-elected two Council members to serve second consecutive 3-year terms. The new members are Abigail (Abby) Deras, Richard/Chris Iverson, and Aaron Slaight. The reelected Council members are Marilyn Bohl and Hermine Burg. A brief introduction to each of the new members follows:

Abby Deras was born in South Central Los Angeles and raised in Lynwood, CA. She attended UCLA as an undergrad where she majored in Near Eastern Archaeology and accomplished a childhood dream of going to graduate school in London. Although she continued working in the museum field upon her return to California, the economic circumstances of our time did not allow her to continue to be employed in that field. After finishing a contract to work with the UCLA Rare Books and Special Collections Mellon Project, she found employment with a consulting firm specializing in digital forensics. She enjoys reading and knitting in her free time. Abby joined Trinity in October 2010, about the time she moved to Long Beach. She has always found a great comfort and blessing in belonging to a church and is happy to have found Trinity.

Chris Iverson (whose legal first name is Richard, but he’s commonly known as Chris) is well known to many at Trinity. He has been a member of Trinity for many years. Chris retired a few years ago from his work at Ralph’s Grocer’s. He enjoys classical music and has sometimes assisted as an usher at concerts of the Long Beach Symphony. In recent years, Chris is often accompanied by his dear friend Louise Villarreal, also a member of our congregation. He cares for Louise and looks after her at church and in other situations.

Aaron Slaight was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Long Beach and has spent the majority of his life here. As a teenager, he joined the U.S. Army and served our country in Birdlach, West Germany, 1981-1985. Aaron has one son, age 21, from his first marriage. He met Gabriela while attending Covenant Presbyterian Church. Initially, they dated secretly. Finally, on the third try, Gabriela said yes to Aaron’s marriage proposal. Together, they’re raising Gabriela’s daughter Jennifer, who is a talented singer and a fifth grader at Bethany Lutheran School in Lakewood. The family joined Trinity in March 2011. Aaron attends the adult Bible study and is a member of the Outreaching Committee. He especially values God and family.

Hermine and Marilyn are long-time members of Trinity who need no introduction. Hermine worked for many years as owner and manager of Burg Escrows, Inc. Marilyn worked in software development and in management of technical teams at IBM and at a couple of smaller startup companies. She’s the author of 9 textbooks widely used in colleges, universities, and technical schools in the United States and abroad. Hermine and Marilyn are at Trinity not only on Sundays but also on many days of the week in their roles as Business Manager and Financial Secretary of the congregation respectively. Marilyn writes the vast majority of the articles you read in this newsletter and works with office secretary Kathy Glendening to edit and publish each issue.

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain,
but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Cut Your Grocery Budget with the Help of Golden SHARE Foods

Trinity is now a host church for an alternative low-cost food distribution program: Golden SHARE [Self Help and Resource Exchange] Foods, out of San Diego County. Major differences between Golden SHARE and the prior distributor we used are that (1) the fruits and vegetables are fresh, not frozen, and (2) a.wider range of food packages is available—for example, there’s the Basic package (frozen meats and fresh produce) for $30.00, the Veggie package for $20.00, the Breakfast package for $22.00, the Lunch Box package for $25.00, and so on. You may save 30-50% on the cost of the same kinds of tasty, nutritious food items you would buy at a supermarket. The January order deadline is Wednesday, January 18, and the January distribution date is Saturday, January 28.
Golden SHARE began distributing to 355 families in 2005. It now serves over 3000 families in numerous states. The organization’s goal is to provide highest quality frozen meats and fresh produce to individuals and families at reasonable prices. Because the organization buys in large quantities and directly from food sources, it obtains items at low cost. It also strives to build and strengthen community through volunteer service. See the goldensharefoods.com website for additional information. Contact Kathy Glendening at the church office between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tuesday – Friday to place your order.

“Let the River Flow”

As I hope you are aware, our 2012 stewardship theme is: Let the River Flow. The river is a beautiful image to help us focus on the way good things flow from God to us, and then can flow from us in love for one another and outreach to the community. The time, talents, and treasures we offer position our church to have life—to thrive and grow and reach out—just as a river with water always entering and leaving supports life within and along its banks . Fish can swim! Plants, trees, and other life can thrive at the water’s edge!
To help us visualize our theme and our willingness to commit to a thriving church, we posted a large white board showing only a river. As Estimate of Giving Cards and Time and Talent Commitment Surveys poured in, fish (colored by the children) were posted on the river. Our goal was to be able to post 30 fish. As of this writing, we’ve posted 32! Yes, 32 commitments have been received—an increase of 7 compared to last year. Monetarily, the commitments represent $47,654. That’s more than a $4,000 increase compared to last year and is a major step toward the $56,000 in member envelope giving included in the 2012 income projections reviewed at our Annual Congregation Meeting, Part 1. Therefore, to our large white board have been added not only fish but also green grass, plants, trees, and flowers. Office secretary Kathy Glendening is using the Time and Talent Survey information to build a matrix that can be used throughout the year to know who’s available to do what when needed. Sincere thanks to all who have willingly committed their time, talents, and treasures. Together, we’ll show love for one another and reach out to others in our community.
—Marilyn Bohl, Stewardship Co-Chair

Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but
how to dance in the rain.

Church Council Highlights

The Church Council held its last regular meeting of the 2011 calendar year Tuesday, December 20. Highlights follow:
1. Pastor Josh led devotions based on Matthew 3:1-3 and challenged council members to reflect upon how they might prepare for the coming of Christ once more. Following group sharing, the devotions closed with prayer.
2. Pastor Josh reported that about 30 persons attended the Thanksgiving Eve service held jointly with St. Luke’s Episcopal Church at our facility. About 15-20 people are attending the Advent mid-week meal/worship services on Wednesday nights. Eighteen persons enjoyed Christmas caroling about the neighborhood Saturday, December 17, with chili following.
3. Pastor Josh and other ELCA and Episcopal pastors are working with the ELCA and Bishop Nelson to discuss a possible linking of campus ministry and young adult ministry in Long Beach.
4. President Kistyn Gritney reminded the Council of the Orientation session for new council members planned for January 15.
5. Business Manager Hermine Burg summarized the November 2011 financial statements, pointing out November Member Receipts of $4,635.19, Total Budget Receipts of $16,675.68, and Total Received of $17,201.24. Disbursements in November totaled $21,998.26. As of November 30, Cash on Hand was $8,996.61. Cash in Bank at the end of the month was $42,760.30. That last figure, minus a $17,721.11 commitment to Designated Funds, leaves the church with $25,039.19 in Working Capital. Financial Secretary Marilyn Bohl acknowledged that November expenses were higher than usual, primarily because of Workers’ Compensation $2,629.85 and Taxes $2,300.92, but those are the kind of expenses that don’t occur monthly.
6. Referring to the Designated Receipts pages, Ms. Burg pointed to the line item COA/Thanksgiving Eve, which indicates that $121.56 was received and then disbursed. Ms. Bohl noted that’s the free will offering taken on Thanksgiving Eve, and that another check for $100.00 made out directly to COA [Christian Outreach in Action] was also included in the offering but not included in our processing. It was forwarded to COA together with the amount of the rest of the offering, making the actual total received by COA $221.56.
7. A total of $21.18 remains in the line item Trinity Food Bank/Holiday Baskets after $150 was spent in November. Ms. Bohl checked December deposits to find that $90.00 additional designated gifts for food have been received thus far this month. Pastor Josh will notify Bob Pedder of that number.
8. Pastor Josh expressed great appreciation for the surprise presentation of gifts and cards to him the past Sunday and for all the good words that were spoken about him.
9. Saturday Outreach activities will be on winter break from Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011, until Saturday, January 21, 2012.
10. Pastor Ebener reported that he continues to be in contact with Weicheng Zhao, to whom an offer to serve as our organist has been extended. Mr. Zhao has accepted our offer, agreeing to a January 15, 2012, start date to allow time for processing of required paperwork on his part.
11. The Council passed a motion approving the Pastor’s designation of $15,588 (12 x $1,299) as housing allowance for the calendar year 2012.
12. Pastor Josh and other members of the Council expressed their great appreciation to Fenton Glendening, who is completing 7 years of service as a Council member. Fenton acknowledged that he had enjoyed his service and learned a lot.

--Edited from notes provided by Ms. Burg and Ms. Bohl, acting on behalf of the Secretary in his absence.

Remembering Nadine Smith-Johnson

Nadine Smith-Johnson passed away November 2, 2011, at her home in Long Beach. She had entered Long Beach Memorial Medical Center about a month earlier for surgery to prevent an aneurism from bursting. After spending two weeks of slow recovery at Memorial, she was released, but two days later was admitted to St. Mary Medical Center, then transferred to the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Medical Center for additional testing, where she learned she had cancer. She died shortly thereafter.
Nadine was born in Tacoma, Washington, the first of nine children, on July 17, 1944. She graduated from Stadium High School, and attended Tacoma Community College (Business Administration), Tacoma Vocational Technical Institute (Stenography), and Urban League Training Center (Highway Construction). She moved to Long Beach in 1984, working first at Gemco, then at Thrifty Drugs (later Rite Aid) for more than 20 years. Nadine met her husband Roland Johnson while she was working at Thrifty and he was working as a computer technician at The Press-Telegram. The couple married in Las Vegas in 1996. She shared the love of his children Damon Johnson and Danikka Johnson and played a vital role in their lives.
After her retirement from Rite Aid, Nadine was able to devote more time to activities at Trinity—Saturday Outreach, Trinity Choir, Bible Study, Council, and Discipling Committee, to name a few. She was always giving people rides to somewhere they wanted to go. We knew of her love of butterflies and of anything with pictures of butterflies. We loved her sense of humor and her smile. She enjoyed reading, music, and exercise. To everyone she met–at the grocery store, at the hospital, at Trinity, or wherever—she said, “Have a blessed day.” Nadine was a blessing to all who came in contact with her. We miss her.

20th Annual
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Interfaith Celebration
Sunday, January 15, 2012
3:00 p.m.
Gospel Memorial Church of God in Christ
1480 Atlantic Avenue Long Beach, CA 90813

Multi-Religious & Multi-Cultural Celebration
with lively music and inspirational messages
Sponsored by: Long Beach Ministerial Alliance, Long Beach
Religious Leaders Association, NAACP, and
South Coast Interfaith Council

A Gift from F&M Bank

Once again this Christmas time, Trinity received a gift from Farmers and Merchants (F&M) Bank, where we have our checking and savings accounts. This year we received a check for $800. The only requirement specified by F&M Bank is that we use this gift to make a difference in the Long Beach community. We’re certain we’re not the only non-profit to receive a gift from F&M. We thank the leaders of F&M for their generosity.
- Marilyn Bohl, Financial Secretary

Prayer for Others

Prayer changes things. One kind of prayer is intercessory prayer - one or more persons pray for another person. Pray for healing for: Jentry Breit, John Carroll, Robert & Tammy Cleghorn, Ivan Costa, Ella DeWeiss, Emil Deutscher, Amy Lee & Tim Duprey, Bryan Gaffney, Bill Harter, George Liesenberg, Perry Moore, Jr., Pastor Vince Negron, Larry Rice, Joyce Riley, Patsy Sampson, Martha Seeley, Aaron & Gabriela Slaight, Lou Taft, Louise Villarreal, and Darryl Williams, Sr. Pray for peace and comfort for: Jayne Elizabeth Beall and Joan Hancock. Pray for protection for: Garrett Bloomberg, Rebekah Dedafoe, Kenneth Gary, Michael Rankin, Michael Whitaker, Darryl Williams and Raphael Winslow. Pray for guidance for: Pastor Joshua Ebener, Bishop Mark Hanson, and Bishop Dean Nelson. Pray for strength for: Joanne and James Crutcher, Connie Martinez, and Jeff Williams.

Choir Notes

Sincere thanks for the numerous manicure items and the card signed by so many of you that I received this Christmas time. Since extensive piano playing is hard on the fingernails, I shall soon put many of the items to good use. Thanks also to Trinity’s committed choir members who practiced many times to present through singing the message of Christ’s coming. Thanks to Joan Hancock for providing accompaniment Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. How thrilling it was when so many participated in Christmas caroling! Thanks to Kathy and Fenton Glendening, Wallace Johnson, and Jim Young for the chili supper waiting for us when we returned from caroling. Happy New Year to you all!
-- Arline Walter, Trinity Choir Director

Studying Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

The 27 books of the New Testament of the Bible are often grouped as: 4 gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), 1 history (Acts), 13 Pauline epistles (Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon), 8 general epistles (Hebrews, James, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John, Jude), and 1 prophecy (Revelation). In our bible study now, we’re focusing on the Pauline epistles, which were written by Paul or in the style of Paul’s writings.
As Paul heard news (good and bad) of the new Christian congregations in areas he had visited, he wrote letters to guide them and their leaders in their particular situations. We’ve turned our attention first to Paul’s letter to the new Christians at Philippi. The first theme that’s emerged from our study is the theme of Community. We’ve read and discussed what it means to be a community, what some of the benefits and challenges of functioning as a community are, and how our own congregation functions as a community.
We encourage everyone to come Sundays, 9:00 a.m., or Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. The new year is a great time to focus more on God’s Word. You’ll be glad you did.

New Member Class

Anyone interested in becoming a member of Trinity is invited to attend a class for new members taught by Pastor Josh, beginning in late January. The class will meet 3-4 times at dates and times that work for all members of the group. Please contact Pastor Josh at your first convenience at 562 437-4002 if you are interested in becoming a member.

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
-- Philippians 4:8

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- The Editorial Staff of Trinity Trumpeter
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