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
September 9, 2017

What We Believe

Our beliefs are demonstrated through practices of joyful worship and faithful service in the daily life of congregation members. As Lutherans, we believe in the Triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God created and loves all of creation — the earth and the seas and all of the world’s inhabitants. We believe that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, transforms lives through his death on the cross and his new life, and we trust that God’s Spirit is active in the world. As a young man, Martin Luther came to realize that a merciful God justifies us by faith to make us free. Our sins are forgiven and we are made righteous through his boundless mercy and grace. He wrote that faith is God’s work in us, that it changes us and makes us to be born anew of God. It is a living, busy, active, mighty thing. Justification is an unmerited gift from God granted to all who exercise faith. Even faith itself is seen as a gift of God, created in the hearts of Christians by the work of the Holy Spirit through the Word and Baptism. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), of which Trinity is a […]
August 8, 2017

Building Use Policy

The facilities of Trinity Lutheran Church (TLC) are primarily for worship, meditation and spiritual healing, Christian education, service to the community, and fellowship. TLC members, ministries, and teams may arrange to use rooms, furniture, and equipment for ministry programs and events (such as meetings, bible study, VBS, receptions, coffee hours, yard sales, festivals/bazaars, etc).  Such events are planned in advance through ministries and teams, and scheduled through the Activities Coordinator.  Dates for events occurring that were not anticipated during the planning process should be reserved through the church office for referral to the Activities Coordinator to avoid scheduling conflicts.  Specific guidelines for use of church are outlined in paragraph II(E) below. Church facilities may also be used (at the discretion of the senior pastor) by church members and associate members for other purposes, such as weddings and receptions, funerals, showers, and socials.  The facilities may also be used, for a suggested donation, by non-members (nonprofit organizations, etc.) provided an application is submitted and approved by Council. The TLC facility may not be used for commercial (concerned with or engaged in commerce) or political purposes (does not participate in, or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition […]
July 31, 2017

Council Updates

The Council met on April 20, 2021 An agenda was developed for the Congregational Meeting to be held May 23rd at 11:30 am during the worship service in the church sanctuary. Pastor David’s MWF writings online in the next few weeks will be explaining the ideas for mission and development at Trinity that will be presented at that time. The budget will be drawn up the last week of April. A survey will be given to the congregation to determine what times are preferred for worship and what types of worship services are preferred. A mission plan will be developed. We continue to investigate how to use current technology in services so that there is audible clarity for both the online worshippers and those who attend in person. We will be discussing 5 assumptions that no longer work in the church. Parallel development ideas include those already underway: audio-visual upgrades, Train Enthusiast’s Club, Girl Scout Troop, Music Performance Development, and 501C 3 status for the Food and Clothing Banks. Potential ideas for mission development include: El Salvador service for lapsed & liturgical folks, gay & lesbian service, police and fire chaplaincy, internet  Bible Study and gaming clubs. The concept for […]
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 […]
November 18, 2016

TLC Food Bank

Trinity’s Food Pantry is currently open on  Thursdays from 11:00am to 1:45pm and on Saturday from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.