! !!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! A Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America JANUARY 2015 Holy Trinity Lutheran Church !1409 South Eighth Avenue, East MISSION STATEMENT Newton, IA 50208 Kenneth H. Ahntholz, D.Min., BCC, Pastor (515) 720-0172, (641) 792-1683 [email protected] www.htlchurch.com Holy Trinity is a caring community that shares the love of Jesus through worship, learning and service. CHILDREN!TELL!STORY!ON!CHRISTMAS!EVE! ! The!choirs!of!angels!singing!in!celebration!of!the!Birth!of! Jesus!on!Christmas!Eve!at!Holy!Trinity!included!90!voices.!! This! might! possibly! be! the! largest! Christmas! Eve! attendance!during!the!past!four!Christmases.!!Pastor!Ken! feels!it!was!an!exciting!experience!for!families,!who!don’t! typically! worship! together,! along! with! the! people! who! worship!regularly!at!Holy!Trinity.!!!!! Nativity:!! !Qaitlyn!!McComb,! Leo!Ahntholz,!! Jana!Sevenbergen,! Jeanea!McComb,! Lily!Ahntholz,! Presley!Arnold! ! The! young! people,! who! led! the! worship,! presented! the! traditional! Christmas! story! and! facilitated! the! details! regarding!the!service,!made!an!impressive!witness!to!our! shared!faith.!!The!worship!was!a!shared!service!with!our! friends! from! Newton! Seventh! Day! Adventist! congregation.! ! ! Children! who! had! a! part! in! the! service! included:! ! Dalton! and! Devon! Wolf;! Carolyn,! Joshua! and! Sam! Kimmel;! Jeanea! and! Qaitlyn! McComb;! Blake,! Haley! and! Jana! Sevenbergen;! Presley! Arnold;! Chris! and! Alex! VerHeul;! Charlie! and! Ian! Bennett;! and! Lily! and! Leo! Ahntholz.! ! Thank!you!to!everyone!to!helped!fill!Holy!Trinity!with! hearts,!hands,!bodies!and!voices!to!celebrate!the!Birth!of! Jesus.!!Thank!you!also!to!the!musicians!who!shared!their! gifts.! ! ! ! ! “Your!little!ones,!dear!Lord,!are!we,! !!And!come!your!lowly!bed!to!see;! !!Enlighten!every!soul!and!mind,! !!!That!we!the!way!to!you!may!find.”!!(ELW!286)!! ! ! Above:!!Pastor!Ken!and!son,!Lars,!share!trumpet!music!on!“Joy!to!the!World.”! ! ! ! JANUARY!!WOMEN’S!! STUDY!EXPLORES!! REPENTANCE!AND! FORGIVENESS! ! ! ! ! David,!as!King!of!the!Israelites,!committed!gave!sins!against! Bathsheba!and!her!husband,!Uriah!the!Hittite,!and!against! God.! ! ! David! was! anointed! king! as! Saul’s! successor.! ! War! with! the! Philistines! and! contention! over! the! throne! followed.!!However,!David!proved!himself!a!strong!warrior! and! wily! leader.! ! He! prevailed! over! his! rivals! and! was! anointed!king!of!Israel!by!all!the!tribal!elders.!!!His!military! victories!serve!as!a!frame!in!2!Samuel!around!the!story!of! his!act!of!adultery!with!Bathsheba,!which!!David!committed! after! arranging! for! the! death! of! her! husband.! ! David! then! chastised! the! men! for! letting! Uriah! fall! into! harm’s! way,! deflecting!David’s!guilt!onto!others.!! ! The! study! asks! participants! to! look! at! two! things:! ! Is! everyone! capable! of! David’s! depth! of! sin,! and! does! God! hand! out! specialized! punishments! still! today.! ! David’s! actions! are! a! reminder! of! times! when! behavior! can! be! governed! by! jealousy,! greed! or! anger.! ! Theologians! have! debated! for! centuries! the! question! of! specialized! punishment.! ! The! Bible! warns! that! “we! will! reap! what! we! have! sown”! (Gal.! 6:7)—that! our! actions! can! have! consequences,! every! even! very! damaging! consequences,! beyond!our!control.!!! ! The! biblical! account! of! David! and! Bathsheba! shows! how! both! everyday! people! and! mighty! leaders! are! capable! of! terrible!sins,!but!also!of!repentance!and!forgiveness.!!! ! All! women! and! men! are! invited! to! take! part! in! the! study! which!will!take!place!at!St.!Andrew!Lutheran!Church,!Sully,!! Thursday,! January! 8! at! 10! a.m.! ! Extra! copies! of! the! study! material!are!available.!! THANK YOU Thank you to the members of Holy Trinity for the Christmas gift of $585 and for the ministry support we receive throughout the year from the members of Holy Trinity. Your generosity in remembering us with this gift and for your support are deeply appreciated. Pastor Ken and Lois ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!MOVIE!NIGHT!! !!!!!!!!!!!JANUARY!25!! ! !!CENTERS!ON!!! !!!!!!!!!!!MARTIN!LUTHER! ! ! ! ! “Martin! Luther”,! the! fullglength! blackgandgwhite! movie! released! more! than! 50! years! ago,! will! be! shown! at! Holy! Trinity! Sunday! evening,! January! 25.! ! A! soup! supper! will! precede! the! movie! presentation.! ! Members! of! St.! Andrew’s!Lutheran!Church,!Sully,!will!join!Holy!Trinity!for! this!special!event.! ! This! past! fall! a! group! from! both! St.! Andrew’s! and! Holy! Trinity! gathered! Wednesday! evenings! to! learn! about! the! “Roots! of! the! Reformation.”! ! As! the! study! concluded,! interest! was! expressed! in! seeing! the! classic! “Martin! Luther”!film.! ! NOTE:!!The!January!Lutheran!magazine!has!a!section! devoted!to!“10!Things!You!Thought!You!Knew!about! Martin!Luther.”! ! CONGREGATION TO WORSHIP DURING WINTER MONTHS IN FELLOWSHIP HALL ! During! January,! February! and! until! the! weather! warms,! worship! will! held! in! the! fellowship! hall.! ! Holy! Trinity’s! electric! bills! reach! $1,000/month! during! the! cold! winter! months,! compared! to! approximately! $200/month! during! summer.! ! Approximately! 35! people! worship! at! Holy! Trinity! weekly,! and!often!one!Sunday!during!the!winter!season!seems!to! need!canceling!because!of!weather.!!It!seems!like!a!better! stewardship! of! Holy! Trinity’s! money! to! heat! one! room! rather!than!two!during!those!months.! ! Other! alternative! was! to! maintain! worship! in! the! Sanctuary!and!eliminate!the!fellowship!time.!!That!choice! wasn’t!popular!either!with!the!Congregation!Council.! ! Holy! Trinity! learned! last! spring,! by! necessity,! when! the! building!was!vandalized,!that!worshipers!can!be!comfortg able! in! the! fellowship! hall.! ! Worship! this! winter! will! provide!another!opportunity!to!test!that!idea.! A!NEW!YEAR’S!PRAYER!FOR!2015! ! DATE!SET!FOR! !CONGREGATIONAL! MEETING!!!! ! May!God!make!your!year!a!happy!one:! !ggNot!by!healing!you!from!all!sorrow!and!pain,!but!by!!! !!!!!!!strengthening!you!to!bear!it!as!it!comes! ggNot!by!making!your!path!easy,!but!by!making!you!sturdy! !!!!!!!to!travel!any!path,! ggNot!by!taking!hardships!from!you,!but!by!taking!fear!! !!!!!!!from!your!heart,! ggNot!by!granting!you!unbroken!sunshine,!but!by!keeping!! !!!!!!!your!face!bright!even!in!the!shadows,! ggNot!by!making!your!life!always!pleasant,!but!by!showing!! !!!!!!!you!when!people!and!their!causes!need!you!most!and!! !!!!!!!by!making!you!anxious!to!be!there!to!help.! God’s!love,!peace,!hope!and!joy!to!you!and!yours!in!the! days!ahead.! ! It! may! be! a! relatively! short! Annual! Meeting! this! year! when!the!voting!members!of!Holy!Trinity!meet!Sunday,! January!18.! ! The!budget! for!2015!is!the!main!item!of!business.!!The! Congregation! Council! is! recommending! that! the! $500/month!mission!contribution!be!designated!for!the! parking!lot!upgrade!until!such!time!as!the!parking!lot!is! completed.! ! Once! completed,! the! $500/month! will! again! be! designated! for! a! mission! outreach! project,! usually! within! the! community.! This! past! year! $400! of! the! $500! each! month! was! added! to! the! Parking! Lot! Fund.! ! ! The! budget! will! also! reflect! a! $1,500! annual! increase! in! Pastor! Ahntholz’s! compensation.! ! The! $1,500—per! his! request—will! be! added! to! his! ELCA! Pension!contribution.! BIRTHDAYS!AND!WEDDING!ANNIVERSARIES!! ! ! ! !!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!! ! !! !!!!!!!!!!! ! There!will!be!no!Congregation!Council!election!this!year,! as!no!one!is!completing!a!term!of!service.!!This!resulted! from! changing! the! congregation’s! Constitution! and! Bylaws! at! the! meeting! earlier! this! year! which! allows! council! persons! to! serve! up! to! three! twogyear! terms,! rather!than!two!threegyear!terms!of!office.! Happy!Birthday!to:! ! Jan.!!10!!Devon!Wof! ! ! !18!!Jack!Strobel! ! !!!!!!!!!25!!Dianne!Clemon! Wedding!Anniversaries!! ! Jan.!10!!Phil!and!Peg!Troyke! ! !!!!!!!!!15!!Ethan!and!Lisa!Nasalroad! ! ! ! The!usual!team!reports!summarizing!2014!and!goals!for! 2015!will!also!be!available.!!Those!reports,!long!with!any! other! organizational! reports,! should! be! email! to! Lois! Ahntholz!as!soon!as!possible!to:[email protected]! BISHOP PLANS TO BE AT HOLY TRINITY IN JANUARY ! A!potluck!lunch!is!planned!following!worship!on!January! 18.! ! The! alternate! date! for! the! meeting! is! Sunday,! January!25.!!All!voting!members!should!plan!to!attend. ! ! ! ! Michael! Burk,! Bishop! of! the! Southeastern! Iowa! Synod! of! the!Evangelical!Lutheran!Church!in!America,!will!preach!at! Holy!Trinity’s!10:15!service!January!25.!!He!has!also!been! invited!to!meet!with!the!Adult!Forum!at!9!that!morning.! ! The!visit!is!related!to!the!Bishop’s!goal!for!someone!from! the! Bishop’s! office! to! visit! and! preach! in! all! the! congregations!of!the!Southeastern!Iowa!Synod!each!year.! ! Bishop! Burk! is! no! stranger! to! Holy! Trinity,! as! he! served! Holy! Trinity! as! an! interim! pastor! for! about! six! weeks! following!Pastor!Jerry!Egel’s!pastorate.!!He!is!in!his!second! sixgyear!term!as!Bishop!of!the!Southeastern!Iowa!Synod.! ! ! ! ! CHRISTMAS!CAROLING!EVENT!ENJOYABLE! ! About! 26! children,! young! adults! and! adults! shared! Christmas! music! at! the! homes! of! members! of! Holy! Trinity!Dec.!15.!! One!group! caroled! on!the!west!side! of! the!City!of!Newton;!the!other!group!sang!to!members!of! Holy!Trinity!on!the!east!side.! ! Upon! returning! to! the! church! building,! they! enjoyed! chili! and! chicken! wild! rice! soup,! relishes,! cheese! and! crackers,!hot!chocolate!and!cider.! ! The! practice! was! revived! this! year! and! was! done! replacing! the! Wednesday! evening! Youth! Discipleship! class! December! 15.! ! It! was! a! fun! evening! for! the! intergenerational!group.! ! ! ! By!Bill!Bennett,!Jr.! In! December! members! of! Holy! Trinity! gave! $417! in! benevolence! to! ELCA! Mission! Support,! and! members! donated!$350!to!ELCA!World!Hunger.! ! About! 80! people! attended! the! Free! Community! Meal!! December!14.!!Donations!totaling!$71.39!were!received;! $90! was! spent! from! the! fund! towards! the! purchase! of! the! ham! that! was! served.!! Also! in! December,! $200! was! given! to! the! Newton! Salvation! Army! Food! Pantry! from! the!accumulated!funds!donated!at!the!meals.!!The!menu! for!the!meal!on January!11!will!be!ham!and!potato!soup,! chili,!bread,!fruit!and!brownies.! ! The! loose! offering! from! the! Christmas! Eve! service! provided! $209! for! the! “Feeding! America”! Backpack! Program.!! The! pilot! program,! through! the! Newton! School! District,! provides! weekend! food! for! 20! students! each! at! Thomas! Jefferson! and! Aurora! Heights! schools.!! Students! are! identified! by! principals/teachers;! need! is! incomegbased.! ! Food! is! supplied! by! the! Food! Bank! of! Iowa.! ! Holy! Trinity! will! volunteer! to! package! food! January! 10! at! St.! Luke’s! UMC,! 501! East! 19th! Street,! North,! at! 9:30! a.m.! ! A! sheet! is! posted! requesting! volunteers!(eight!adults/older!children).! ! The! parking! lot! fund! totals! $11,199.29.! Approximately! $16,000!is!needed.! ! ! WORSHIP!ATTENDANCE!FOR!DECEMBER! ! !!!2013! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!2014! !Dec.!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!42!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Nov.!30!!!!!!!!33! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!8!!!!!!!!!!30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dec.!!!8!!!!!!!!!28! !!!!!!!!!!!!15!!!!!!!!!!48!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!14!!!!!!!!52! !!!!!!!!!!!!22!!!!!!!!Snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!21!!!!!!!!39! !!!!!!!!!!!!24!!!!!!!!!!61!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!24!!!!!!!!90! !!!!!!!!!!!!29!!!!!!!!!!39!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!28!!!!!!!!32! !!!!!!!!!!!!! "Worship!changes! the!worshiper!into! the!image!of! the! One! worshiped."!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!gggJohn!Hayford! ! ! ! ! Thank you for faithful service: REMEMBER! !!!!IN!PRAYER! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Persons!Who!Are!Struggling!With!Illness:! Bert! Vermillion,! Mary! Jemison! (Midge! Wilson’s! sister),! Regina!Black! (Judy! Anderson’s! friend),! Joyce!Sabel,! Sarah! Coy! (Mom! of! Blake! Sevenbergen’s! friend),! Joan! Mason,! Esther! Stevens,! Michelle! Jacobs! (Vicky! Bennett’s! cousin),! Beverly!Havener!(Midge!Wilson’s!cousin),!Dean!Ward!(Phil! and! Peg! Troyke’s! friend),! Janet! Kimmel,! Peg! Troyke,! and! Evelyn!Davis.! Residents!of!Care!Facilities!and!HomeFBound:! Nathan!Meyer,!Ellen!Onnen,!Clarice!Thompson,!and!Irene! Kingery! Military!Families:! ggMary!Gorball’s!grandson,!Michael!Gorball,!serving!in!!! !!Okinawa!!!(wife:!!Kerry;!sons:!!Luke,!Jacob!and!Isaac)! ggMary!Gorball’s!grandson,!Daniel,!stationed!with!the!! !!!Marines!in!Quantico,!VA! ggPastor!Ken!and!Lois’!granddaughter,!Natasha!Martinez,!! !!!serving!with!the!U.S.!!Army!Reserves! College!Students:! ggDalton!and!Devon!Wolf,!students!at!Des!Moines!Area!! !!!Community!College!(DMACC),!!Newton!campus! ggIan!and!Charlie!Bennett,!students!at!Grand!View!! !!!University,!Des!Moines! ggKatie!Ranard,!student!at!Iowa!State!University!(ISU)! ! Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) 1409 South Eighth Avenue, East Newton, IA 50208 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! WEEKLY!WORSHIP!AT!HTLC:! Sunday!!10:15!a.m.!!Worship!with!Holy!Communion!! WEEKLY!EDUCATION!OPPORTUNITIES!(! Sundays!!!!9!a.m.!!Adult!Forum!(The!Means!of!Grace)! Wednesdays!!5:30g7!p.m.!!Youth!Discipleship!Education! Alice!Ladd! and!Midge!Wilson! are!concluding! their!terms! of!service!with!Holy!Trinity’s!Memorial!Committee.!!They! also! have! chosen! to! no! longer! facilitate! funeral! lunches.! Their! dedicated! service,! which! spans! several! years! on! both!committees,!is!greatly!appreciated.! ! According! to! the! Team! responsibilities! for! Holy! Trinity,! which!were!approved!at!the!congregation’s!2012!Annual! Meeting,!responsibility! for!funeral! receptions!falls!under! the!Hospitality!and!Fellowship!Team.!!! ! The! Congregation! Council! is! making! arrangements! to! have! people! designated! for! both! the! Memorial! and! History!Team!and!people!who!will!facilitate!funeral!lunch! receptions.!!Virginia!Bunse,!Council!Member,!is!currently! working! with! filling! the! Memorial! and! History! Team! ! positions.! Marilyn! Butler! and! Lois! Ahntholz! will! cog ! facilitate! funeral! lunches,! under! jurisdiction! of! the! ! Hospitality!and!Fellowship!Team.! !! !If! there! are! people! who! are! interested! and! willing! to! serve! on! the! Memorial! and! History! Team—or! on! any! of! the!other!teams—contact!the!Council!person!who!is!the! liaison!for!each!respective!team.!!Information!about!each! of!the!teams!is!included!in!the!Congregation!Directory.! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
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