Trinity Lutheran Church November 2022 Newsletter

Newsletter Archive

November 2022

Trinity Lutheran Church

Villa Park, IL

Always Growing in Christ

lions_roar

The Lion's Roar

Amos 3:8
"The lion has roared; who will not fear? 
The Lord GOD has spoken; who can but prophesy?”

And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. Ezekiel 22:30

Stand in the Breach!

           The prophet Ezekiel, in chapter 22, lists many things that are going wrong among God’s people.  That’s nothing new. There are always many things going wrong among God’s people but the most important thing in that whole chapter is in verse 30. God is looking for someone to stand in the breach for His people. So, imagine for a moment that you are living in a walled city and the most terrifying army in the world is camped outside your city gates.  You’re feeling pretty good because you have massive walls between them and you as well as a fortified gate. You can sleep at night even though you know that death and destruction are right outside. 

            I don’t know about you, but that makes me think about my life.  I am like one of those Judeans sleeping in relative safety behind the walls. Oh, I know there is bad stuff out there in the world, people denying God, people living as though God did not matter, people making decisions that don’t even include a thought about God much less have any concern about God’s approval of their lives.  But all of that seems far away on the other side of the wall. It’s easy to just live your life as a “good person” and not worry too much about what God thinks. 

            But here’s the thing. The wall has been breached and the angry hordes are pouring in. What is a metaphor for us was the reality for Ezekiel. The wall of Jerusalem had been breached and the Babylonians were pouring in like ants at a picnic. We had a nice wall in the middle part of last century. Almost everyone we knew was Christian. Almost everyone we knew went to church. Even people who didn’t go to church all that often knew and agreed that it was important.  But then the walls were breached. People began to question why church was important and apparently no one had an answer that was good enough because they stopped coming. Then, after a generation of not being fed Word and Sacrament on a regular basis, their children began to ask why God is important. That is the question being asked today.  Why is your God important?  Why is He more important than someone else’s god?  Can’t we all have whatever god makes us happy? And God is asking, “Who will stand in the breach?”

            I think it starts with family.  If you were sitting with your family and noticed a venomous snake coming through the window behind your family member’s back, you would do something.  You would pull them away from the window or kill the serpent or at the very least scream!  If a member of your family is not receiving regular Word and Sacrament from the Lord’s house, DO SOMETHING!  Stand in the breach! Don’t let their faith just waste away and quietly die. They need to eat!  I think that sometimes we have confused standing in the breach with being the sin police.  If your family is like mine, every single one of them are sinners! I could spend the rest of my life documenting and addressing all their sins. But God never called me to be a sin policeman. He called me to be a farmer. I’m supposed to plant and water His seed. I’ll be the first to admit that it is easy to forget this, especially when people are waving their flagrant sin in your face and saying, “Nanner! Nanner! Nanner! I’ll do whatever I want.” But that is between them and God just as our sin is between us and God. Our call is to stand in the breach for them, to try to block as much of the enemies’ flaming arrows as we can with our own bodies, and try to get them to eat because only eating will strengthen them so that they are able to fight back themselves.  To go back to the venomous snake example, if you saw that snake, you wouldn’t have a discussion with your family member about how they really chose the wrong seat and if they had been on time, and could have sat elsewhere, they wouldn’t be about to die. You would just grab them and pull them out of the way or if it was someone who you really loved, you might jump between them and the snake and take the bite yourself. What you would not do is quietly walk out of the room and hope for the best.

            You and I have to be the ones to stand in the breach for our loved ones who are spiritually starving to death.  We have to find a way to lure them to the table to eat. God welcomes them to His table any way they are. We don’t worry about what sins they have committed or are committing. First, we feed them. Then, as they eat and their faith grows, we will see the sin diminish even as it diminishes in our lives as our faith grows. That’s just the way the Holy Spirit works. The bigger He gets, the less room there is for sin. Stand in the breach. That’s it. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.

Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, November 12

4:00 PM - Pre-Service Music

4:30 pm - Festival Worship

6:00 PM - Anniversary Banquet

We will celebrate the 40th "birthday" of our Zimmer pipe organ, followed by Trinity's anniversary banquet.

The half-hour recital will feature a “sonic tour” of Trinity’s organ and the worship service will also showcase our fine instrument.

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The recital features Steven Wente,Distinguished Professor of Music and Organist to the Chapel at Concordia Chicago.

For further information, contact Mary Stahlke 708-552-1271

Banquet Tickets Will be available at the door only; however, please RSVP by Wednesday, November 9th.

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Voter's Congregational Meeting

Sunday, November 13th

After the 10:30 service

In the Trinity Center

Please plan to attend this meeting.

Veterans to Be Honored

On Sunday, November 13th, please join us after each service for cake, coffee and ice-cream as our way of saying thank you to our Veterans. Our Veterans will be recognized, both retired and active military personnel.

Wednesday Fellowship Group

Wednesday, November 16

Following Paster Allyn's Bible Study 

Trinity Center

A potluck luncheon will be held. To attend, please add your name to the sign up sheet in the Narthex located next to the Usher's Closet. Questions? Contact Donna Heuser or Deb Long.

Thanksgiving Bake Sale

November 19-20

Trinity Center

Dorcas Thanksgiving bake sale Fundraiser will be held Nov. 19-20 in the Trinity center.
All funds raised will benefit the “Outreach House “ in Lombard. The outreach house Helps its clients with clothing,  food, and financial difficulties. Visit www.theoutreachhouse.org
for more information.


Take a break from holiday baking and support the Dorcas guild fundraiser.

Thanksgiving Service

Wednesday, November 23 at 7 pm.

Please join us the evening before Thanksgiving for service.

Giving Tuesday

Tuesday, November 29

Once again, Trinity is participating in Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving each year and it encourages participants to support their favorite non-profit organization.

This year we hope that you will help support Trinity Lutheran Church.

Facebook provides matching funds for some donations. Last year we earned $407.50 in matches. This goes fast so get your donations in early! 

Non-Facebook donations should be sent to Margaret via envelope or eOffering giving.

While we appreciate any monetary donations, please keep in mind that there are so many ways to give to Trinity, especially appreciated are your time and talents.
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Advent & Christmas Worship Schedule

Advent Services

Wednesdays @ 7 pm on November 30, December 7, 14, 

Please join the “Hanging of the Greens” on Wed, Nov 30th immediately after the 7:00 pm worship service.

Christmas Eve

December 24th at noon and 7:00 p.m.

Christmas Day

December 25th at 10 a.m.

New Year's Eve 

December 31 at 7 p.m.

ADVENT DINNERS

WEDNESDAYS, November 30, December 7, 14 @ 5:30 - 6:30 pm

During Advent, the youth will host family dinners before worship. If you'd like to prepare some food to contribute there is a sign-up in the Narthex.

Worship Services

Saturdays 4:30 pm

Sundays 8 am & 10:30 am

Save the Date

November 23 - Young Adult Dinner

December 10 - Santa Breakfast - 9-11 am; Santa Paws 11:30 am

December 21 - Wednesday Fellowship Group (Pizza & Christmas Fun)
February 22, 2023 - Ash Wednesday

February 22, March 1, 8 15, 22, 29, April 5 - Lent Services & Soup Suppers

April 9 - Easter Services & Breakfast

May - Trivia Night

Mid August - Golf Outing & Shirt Sales

More Information

Each month you will receive a newsletter from Trinity in your email.  If you have any upcoming news, events, photos or other information to share, please email Marna Rundgren @ marnarundgren@gmail.com


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