Trinity Lutheran Church

Villa Park, IL

Whose Hands are on the Bat?

He threw down the bat and said “I’ll never get this!” Anyone who has worked with young children and sports, or any activity of coordination and learning, can empathize with the feelings of the coach. The more difficult and complex the activity the easier it is to get frustrated with it and lose patience. Often children think that because they have seen it on TV and it looked easy, it would be easy.

As adults we know that “easy” is often a mark of the long hours of work that it put into the activity. When the professional golfer steps up and seems to effortlessly drive it 300 years to stop within a few feet of the pin, we know the millions of swings it took to get to that point. We know it looked easy, but the truth is quite different.

When Jesus spoke in parables, he related the common things of daily living back to the Kingdom of God. The things we understand about the world around us, in order to teach us about the things that are eternal. What he taught so effortlessly is sometimes very hard for us to grasp. We think it is so easy. We can do it, no problem. And therefore we try!

We try to be Jesus, do the Jesus things, suffer the Jesus pains. And the world knocks us down, frustrates us, and leads us into all kinds of places Jesus would not have gone -- pride, greed, selfishness.

And Satan tells us to throw down the bat -- you’ll never get it right! Give up on the Lord, He has given up on you! When in fact, Christ has never given up, but longs to take your hands in his, hold the bat for you, power the swing through you, and give you all the things you will need. How it looks easy it when it is all about Christ. The Gospel is letting Christ do what he does.

The joy of a lifetime in the word and sacrament, is that you are so filled by Christ that to the new Christian it looks effortless to be kind and patient, forgiving and loving, tithing and serving. It does not seem like a great struggle, but that is only because in the being filled in word and sacrament, the Lord has His hands on ours, and he drives it all. It is the Spirits control that keeps us in control, it is the love of Christ that flows out in love for
others, it is the forgiveness of the Father which speaks forgiveness to those who have offended us.

It’s out of the park! Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

Pastor Allyn

Soup'r Chili Giveaway

Sunday, February 8th

Our Bears are out, but you can still enjoy the Super Bowl with a warm cup of soup or chili. The ladies of the Fellowship Board will be giving away free soup and chili on game day, after services. If you’d like to help out by making something, sign up in the Narthex.

Once again, Trinity is a stop on the Villa Park Cocoa Crawl. This event brings a lot of community members into our Church. If you can help out, we can always use people to talk with the "crawlers"

Congregational Survey Results are In!

February 22nd 

Following 10:30 Service

Trinity Center 

Please join us to learn about the results of the survey. Pastor Derek Mathers will present a summary of the information and explain what it indicates for the church.

Also, we have submitted all necessary paperwork at the end of last year to the District. We are
now waiting for them to give us a list of Pastoral to review. We’ll keep you informed as things
progress.

Lent & Easter Services

Lenten Services

Ash Wednesday February 18th at Noon & 7 pm

Midweek Services Wednesdays February 25, March 4, March 11, 18, 25 7 pm

Soup Suppers served beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Palm Sunday March 29th at 8 am and 10:30 am

Maundy Thursday April 2 at 7 pm

Good Friday April 3 at noon and 7 pm

Easter Services April 5 at 8 am and 10:30 am

Adopt-A-Student

Our adopt a student sent this letter:

My name is Reece Parlier, and I am currently a second-year student at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I was raised in Oswego, Illinois and was baptized in the LCMS at two months old and have been a member since! I later studied Computer Science at the University of Alabama for my undergraduate degree, although I had already been thinking about going to seminary by the end of it. About a year after graduation, I applied for the seminary and began my education here in the Summer of 2024.
Being at the seminary has been a dream come true, and it has been the greatest blessing to
learn from both the professors and the other students and to become a part of such a faithful
community here. And it has all been possible because of generous churches like yourselves! I am so very thankful for your letters and generosity already and look forward to meeting you all in the coming months.

Aside from theology and pastoral education, I have a handful of hobbies and interests,
such as biking, hiking, gardening, fishing, singing, listening to music, and going to the gym.

If you would like to send a card or note to our Adopt-A-Student his address is: Reece
Parlier – 6600 N. Clinton St. Box 244, Ft. Wayne, IN 46825.

Lenten Soup Suppers

We’re 1/2 way there to cover the kitchen for Soup Suppers this year.

Thanks to the Dart A team, Dorcas, Fellowship and Stewardship Boards for volunteering! If you’re interested in helping out there’s a flyer with information inside the children’s bulletin.

Trinity Youth Board

Dorcas Meeting & Outing

The ladies of Dorcas will meeting March 3 at 7 pm in the Trinity Center.

In addition there will be an outing to the Addison Trail Flower Show to be held March 20th at 7 pm at the Addison VFW Post 7446, 446 W. Lake St.

Enjoy a beautiful evening of flowers, fun, and support for our veterans at their Annual Flower Show!

Event Highlights Include:

Live floral arranging demo

Raffles with over 30 baskets

Bonus raffle with larger prizes

Special cancer charity raffle benefiting veterans and their families

Light refreshments

Doors Open: 6 p.m. | Show Starts: 7 p.m.

Cash only event - Tickets are $6

Come enjoy a wonderful night while giving back to those who have served our country

Worship Services

Saturdays 4:30 pm

Sundays 8 am & 10:30 am