May 2023

Trinity Lutheran Church

Villa Park, IL

Always Growing in Christ

The Lion's Roar

Amos 3:8

"The lion has roared; who will not fear?

The Lord GOD has spoken; who can but prophesy?”

But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40)

The National Convention

Order is an important concept in the Bible. God prescribes ways for things to be done decently and in order from the selection of a priest to the formation of a congregation. He tells us how to reconcile differences and how to seek forgiveness when we have offended. He wants everything in the Church to be done decently and in order. More important than who is right and who is wrong is that things be done decently and in order because we don’t always know for sure this side of heaven who’s right and who’s wrong! All we can do is do our best to determine whose position is closer to Scripture. We can always seek forgiveness later if we turn out to be wrong as long as we have followed the process to the best of our ability. For those reasons, we have a convention of the church every three years and the next one will be in Milwaukee, July 29- August 3, 2023.

The convention is important for things in the Church to be done decently and in order. The LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) has always been concerned that the lay people of the Church as well as the clergy are equally represented when we make decisions as a church body. So, every congregation gets one lay vote and one clergy vote for Bishop (or President as many refer to him). At Trinity I am your clergy vote and Scott Golz is your lay vote. This is to ensure that power is always balanced between laity and clergy. All of the national and district boards and committees also require equal lay and clergy representation. For other things that will be voted on our Chicago Circuit get’s one lay vote and one clergy vote. One of the English District pastors from Chicagoland and a lay person from a congregation that is not the same as the pastor’s congregation represents us in Milwaukee.

At the convention our delegates will hear reports on our fellowship endeavors and it is very exciting that we will be declaring altar pulpit fellowship with three or four new church bodies this summer. It may seem as though the LCMS is not in fellowship with anyone but that is only because many of the Lutherans in this country are very liberal and do not believe that the Word of God is inerrant. They have decided that some of the parts of the Word of God can be left out or ignored so that they ordain women and recognize transsexualism and homosexualism as normal and God-pleasing lifestyles. While the LCMS would love to be able to ignore parts of God’s Word that make us uncomfortable or cause human dissension, we believe that the Word of God must be upheld in its entirety no matter how difficult it is to do so. After all, Jesus warned us in the Gospels that He would cause families to turn on one another because He is offensive in His teaching of the truth.

At the convention as well, our delegates will hear reports from our mission endeavors around the world. The LCMS is highly involved in countries all over the world proclaiming the Word of God. You can read all about our mission work at LCMS.org. There will also be theological presentations from the CTCR which is the Commission of Theology and Church Relations. This is the Commission of pastors and laymen who address theological questions and questions of fellowship. So, for instance, they just published a document called “A Chaste and Descent Life,” which is a paper on human sexuality and how we can better minister to people who are living in sexually aberrant ways. They also will be recommending altar-pulpit fellowship with the Lutheran Church in Ukraine this summer.

Beyond all of that, our delegates will have the opportunity to hear our Bishop, President Matt Harrison speak and preach and they will enjoy some amazing worship with thousands of other Lutherans gathered in Milwaukee. I wish that all of us could attend the convention. I have represented our area twice and both times were times of enrichment and faith growth as I had the privilege of helping to shape the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in the 21^st century.

Three Major Church Festivals

in May and June

Ascension Thursday, May 18
We celebrate our Lord’s bodily return to heaven and await his return at the Second Coming. Worship at 7:00 pm will feature a hymn sing that traces Christ’s life on earth.
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. - Mark 16:19

Pentecost Sunday, May 28
The church year contains three major festivals to celebrate the Trinity: Christmas, the Father’s gift of His son; Easter, the resurrection of the Son; and Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit to establish the
Church.

The Pentecost services on Sunday will include individual candles that you will place with those of the other worshippers to signify the community of the Church. We also encourage everyone to wear read for Pentecost.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit . . . . - Acts 2:1-4a

Trinity Sunday, June 4
The “octave” of Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, celebrated as the eighth day of Pentecost. The three major festivals (Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost) are traditionally celebrated over a period of several days.
On Trinity Sunday, we recite the Athanasian Creed, a Christian statement of belief that focuses on the doctrine of the Trinity.

The Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:
the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;
the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite;
the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.
And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal . . . - from the Athanasian Creed

Golf Outing

August 5, 2023

We need sponsors! Please grab a copy of
Pastor's letter & the sign-up sheets in the Narthex. Also, if your company matches donations, consider
making a donation & asking them to match. Golf Outing & dinner is $55. Dinner only is $15. Direct any questions to Margaret. Thanks!

Voter's Congregational Meeting

Sunday, June 11, 2023

11:45 am

Trinity Center

Elections will be held for:
Executive Director, Treasurer, Board Evangelism, Parish Fellowship, Human Care, and Youth.

Anyone interested in serving in any of these positions, please contact the following current board members: Scott Golz, Marna Rundgren, Carol Boettger, Donna Hueser, Paul Varno.

Wednesday Fellowship Group Potluck

May 17, 2023

11:00 am

Trinity Center

They won't meet again until the Fall. A sign-up sheet is
posted in the Narthex on the WFG bulletin board next to the Ushers Closet. All are welcome!

Stewardship

This quarter's bill to sponsor is Music Maintenance (approx. $200/mo). These funds will cover the costs associated with piano & organ tuning. As you can, please consider sponsoring one of these bills above & beyond your normal giving. Sponsor-a-Bill contributions help keep our budget on track & reduce the need for end-of-year pleas to meet the budget.

Follow Him in Generosity

Our Savior calls us to follow Him in generosity. “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:15). We cannot give our lives for the salvation of the world, of course. Praise God, that job’s already done! But with hearts full of thanksgiving for what Jesus has given us, we can follow His example of generous giving. And Jesus’ generosity is not merely an example. Our Lord also commands us to act according to our gifts: “The one who contributes, [let him give] in generosity” (Rom. 12:8).

So, when we bring offerings to the Lord, we should strive to heed His command and follow the pattern He has established for us. Jesus did not give us leftovers. He gave His best. We should not give leftovers, either, but the first and best of what He has given us. Jesus did not give as an afterthought — He gave according to the plan of salvation God established from the foundation of the world. So, when it comes to our own offerings, we should make a thoughtful plan to give generously, in proportion to the way He has blessed us. Like the Macedonian Christians, who gave according to their ability, and even beyond their ability (2 Cor. 8:3), we should honor the Lord by giving a generous portion of the income that God provides us.

We should also give freely, just as Jesus gave freely for us. There is no compulsion involved in our works of love and our offerings to the Lord. We do not give grudgingly, but willingly and cheerfully, each “as he has decided in his heart,” as the Lord says (2 Cor. 9:7). There is no New Testament ceremonial law involved here. Rather, we are free to give as generously as our Savior has given for us!

In the same way, our Lord teaches us to give generously out of our love for Him and for our neighbor. Jesus shows us that genuine love is always love “indeed” (1 John 3:18). It is love that sees our neighbor in need and gives generously to help him. It is love that hears the Word of the Lord and does what it says. If we truly love, we give generously. If we give without love, our giving is not truly following Jesus.

Finally, we follow Jesus in generosity when we support His Gospel ministry and other works of mercy. The people of Israel gave generously to construct and support the operation of the tabernacle, for that was the place where the Lord received the Old Testament sacrifices, through which He bestowed the forgiveness of sins on His people. So, they gave abundantly, so abundantly they had to be told to stop giving! (Ex. 36:5–6). In the same way, we should bring generous offerings to support the Lord’s work. We support our congregations in the preaching of His Word, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, which bestow His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation, and we take care of those who are poor and needy.

Our Savior calls us to follow His example in generous giving. Let us then, with thankful hearts, rededicate ourselves to following Him in generosity.

Worship Services

Saturdays 4:30 pm

Sundays 8 am & 10:30 am

Save the Date

June 24th - Outreach Table at Villa Park Summerfest 11 am-5 pm

June 15 - Third Thursdays 7 pm

July 20 - Third Thursdays 7 pm

August 17 - Third Thursdays 7 pm

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