February 29, 2024

March Prayer Ventures

 In 1 Peter 5:6-7 we read: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” The Apostle Peter assures us that God will hear our humble, honest, and trusting prayer, made in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!   PRAYER VENTURES:  March 2024 These petitions are offered as guides to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world. Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church. 1 Women’s History Month  Give thanks for women throughout history and in our lives who have shared their gifts and leadership with the church and society, raised and cared for us, inspired us and nurtured our faith, and fought for justice, equity and inclusion. Pray for women everywhere who suffer injustice, demeaning stereotypes, violence and poverty, that they will not lose hope but will be delivered from their suffering and persecution to live freely and boldly. 2 Pray for our neighbors and siblings in Christ who […]
August 26, 2022

Micah’s Backpack

Micah’s ended the year packing and delivering 15 bags to Bester and 34 bags to Eastern .  We are so thankful for the volunteers who were able to pack and deliver the bags during the many challenges that Covid brought to the schools this year.  When the schools began with zoom in the fall, we packed and delivered the bags to the WCPS Meal Machine sites and handed the bags out to the children.  When the schools began “in session” learning, we delivered the bags to both Eastern and Bester thus using the original model of taking the bags to the schools for the weekend meals. We want to thank the following for their help this past year: Zach Repp and the Boy Scouts of Troop 10,  Sue Fiedler, Chuck and Sharon Poland, Krista Repp, Rhonda Munson, Mike and Anne Mowen, Sharon Hoppes, Scarlett Michael, Abby Angles, Pastor David,  Carol Schofield,  Kevin and Nanette Dagliano, Arleen Shuster, Betsy Norgard, Tina Stowell, Jane Drawbaugh and her confirmation students,  Rodney Nearchos, Kay Melby, Jeff Reed and Carol Brashears.   The program would not have been able to function without their dedication to feeding the children. Look for announcements this August as we begin […]
March 28, 2019

The Big Picture

The Serving Heart What do you do with eight adults and three children while they wait their turn at the Outreach Center? For many years, many years, they stood and waited in the hallway inside the Randolph Street entry way. In recent years, a waiting Room was provided with sofas, chairs, cold water, air conditioning, and privacy. More recently, reading materials were provided, as well as a large table where volunteers give away unneeded possessions after clearing closets, basements et cetera. Our guests take away items like decorations, toys, glassware, jewelry, DVDs, curtains, tools, and so on, that they can use. For the little ones, a plastic children’s table and chairs were set up, and volunteers provided toys and coloring books for the youngest. Recently the children’s toys began to disappear, apparently taken by our guests. So we posted a sign saying: “Please leave toys here so that our other guests may enjoy them,” and we replaced the toys. The next week the sign was gone and so were the toys. Our responses to this varied. Some said indignantly that it was appalling how our guests could rob a church, especially one that is helping them with food and clothing. Others said […]
June 29, 2018

Reconciling in Christ

Trinity Lutheran Church is currently in the process of looking at Reconciling Works as a vehicle for becoming a more welcoming church. What follows is a record our journey as we explore this idea.   Reconciling Works and Trinity, Newsletter Article, July 2018 I‘m sure that many of you have questions about the reconciling works ministry and perhaps some skepticism as well. Questions such as what actually is this ministry, what are we’re trying to do, what would  this mean for Trinity and for each of us personally. Our team, which has about a dozen people on it, appreciates the need and wants to be as open, candid and transparent with you as possible. What we believe is that God teaches us to love our neighbor and that many of our neighbors have been neglected by the church universal. In a nutshell, we recognize that there a need in our community, we’re having a conversation about what can do about it and we want to know if this is something Trinity can or wants to be a part of. So far, we’ve had about a half-dozen meetings over the past year.  We were asked to delay doing anything until Pastor […]
June 15, 2018

About Trinity

Trinity Lutheran Church was former in 1869, build on the first block of East Franklin Street, the current site of Pioneer Hook and Ladder Company 3. The cornerstone of the current location was set in 1909. Trinity Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.   The Organ A prominent feature of the Church is the organ, designed and built in 1996 specifically for this building, by the Schantz Organ Company of Orville, Ohio. It is a four-manual organ, meaning it has four manuals. or hand keyboards. This term distinguishes these keyboards from the keyboards played with the feet, called pedalboards. Organs usually have more than one manual; most larger organs two or three; elaborate organs may have four or more. The Schantz organ has 3,265 pipes, and 58 ranks. The term rank describes a set of organ pipes that together produce one octave of a specific timbre (timbre describes the difference between two tones, for example the difference between the same note played on a piano and on a guitar. The “Music at Trinity” concert series provides concerts for members of Trinity and the community at large. This series includes organ recitals, college and university […]
April 18, 2018

Council Covenant

The Trinity Church Council Covenant In order for the Trinity Church Council to lead the congregation well in its mission and ministry, we make these promises:   Our Promise to God We promise to pray, alone and together, to thank God, Praise God, and to ask for God’s help in our lives and in our work for Trinity Lutheran Church,
and we seek to listen and discern God’s response.   Our Promise to Each Other on the Church Council We promise to respect, care and pray for each other.
We promise to regard our time in the Trinity Church Council
as an opportunity to make an important gift to our Church.
We promise to listen with an open, nonjudgmental mind to the words and ideas
of the others in our Church and on our Church Council.
We promise to discuss, debate, dialogue, agree and disagree openly in Church Council meetings, expressing ourselves as clearly and honestly as possible,
so that we are certain that the Council understands our point of view.
We promise to support the final decision of the Trinity Church Council,
whether it reflects our view or not.
We promise to worship together often in Jesus’ name, embracing a variety of styles, hymns and spiritual songs which give […]
October 25, 2017

Web Links

Lutheran Sites Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) Delaware-Maryland Synod Area Lutheran Churches Hagerstown St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Haven Lutheran Church Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Concordia Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod)  Smithsburg Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Williamsport Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church    Miscellaneous Hagerstown Area Religious Council (HARC) Mar-Lu-Ridge Camp & Retreat Center Living Lutheran Magazine Christianity Today Magazine
October 20, 2017

Reformation 500

In the year 1517 Luther posted his 95 theses on door of the Castle Chuch in Wittenberg, Germany. Reformation Sunday falls on October 29th, which marks the 500th anniversary of the reformation.     Living Lutheran 30 more ways the Reformation still impacts ELCA leaders
November 20, 2016

TLC Clothing Closet

Trinity’s Clothing closet is currently open on Tuesdays from 11:00am to 1:45pm   “If there is among you a poor man, one of your brethren in any of the towns which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to give him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.” —Deuteronomy 15:7-8. For 25 years, our church’s members and friends have faithfully been opening their hands to fulfill the needs of the poor around the church in this town that God has given us. This is a long overdue glimpse into the labors of eight volunteers who toil unseen during each week of the year. We know the numbers of visitors grows annually and that the word has spread. In the past several years, volunteers have heard guests referring to our Clothing Bank as the “Trinity Bon Ton” and, recently, the “Randolph Street Mall” when referring to the bountiful, highly organized, outstanding variety that is offered our neighbors. When guests enter Trinity’s Clothing Bank in the order of their signup at arrival, they are asked if they have been to our Clothing Bank […]
This organization is housed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hagerstown, Maryland. There are approximately 85 tutors working with Basic Reading and English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Tutors receive a two day training workshop prior to working with students. The Literacy Council is always in need of additional tutors in both areas. Call Brenda Vanover at 301-739-4208 for more information.