T r i n i t y L u t h e r a n C h u r c h & S c h o o l 3 0 0 B r o a d S t r e e t M e n a s h a , W I 5 4 9 5 2 C H A N G E S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D

Our Mission Statement:

Trinity, Menasha is a fellowship of Lutheran Christians be-ing empowered by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God and His Sacraments to encourage, refresh, and strengthen both adults and children in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, while sharing His love with those who do not yet know their Lord and Savior.

January 2017 Newsletter

Trinity Lutheran Church & School

300 Broad Street, Menasha, WI 54952 (920) 722-2662 Church (920) 725-1715 School

www.trinitymenasha.com

December 2016

Newsletter

Important Dates:

1-2 No School-Offices Closed

1-3 Voter’s Meeting

1-7 Pizza Sales begin

1-10 Pastor’s Circuit

Meeting

1-14 Organ Soup Sale Begins

1-16 Pastor Billings at Symposium

1-21 Trinity’s Family Game Night

1-22 National Lutheran Schools Week Begins

1-23 SOUP-R-BOWL

1-24 School Open House

1-24 Perkins Dine Out

1-26 Alpha 1-27 No School-

Offices Closed 1-28 Officer

Orientation

Pastoral Staff

Rev. Steven S. Billings, Senior Pastor

Rev. Keith E. GeRue,

Principal/Assoc. Pastor

Worship Times: Saturdays at 5pm

Sundays at 9am

Thursdays at 6:30pm

(summer only)

Trinity’s Prayer Time Every Monday evening at 6:30pm in the

Narthex. Join us!

Happy New Year from Pastor Billings, Pastor GeRue and

the entire Trinity Lutheran Church & School staff!

Thank you to everyone that supported our SCRIP program in 2016. Without you we would not be able to give back to our Church & School in support of God’s work! May God, bless you in 2017, as we look forward to another great year of SCRIP sales! -Your SCRIP Team

You Are Invited…to Alpha Sunday! On Sunday, January 15th join us for sub sandwiches af-ter the worship service to learn more about Alpha! Meet in the Large Fellowship Hall. Contact Barb Sexmith at (920) 427-6763 for more info.

7th & 8th grade Pizza Sales Begin on Saturday, January 7th

through Sunday, January 15th. Sales will take place in the

Narthex & School Office. Many varieties to

choose from. All proceeds to benefit future class

trips. Talk to a student & order yours today!

Trinity’s Off Broad Street Players 15th Annual Dinner Theatre Ken Ludwig’s “The Game’s Afoot”

It is December 1936 & Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this house of tricks & mirrors quickly turn dangerous. Then it’s up to Gillette, as he assumes the persona of his beloved Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears.

Travel back to the 1930’s & enjoy our elegant, traditional Christmas Buffet! Trinity Lutheran Church & School

300 Broad Street – Menasha

March 17th – 19th, 2017

2017 brings Trinity’s 160th Anniversary as well as 500 years of the Reformation

Trinity’s 160th Anniversary History Book Update We are on our way to gathering information for the book. Our Day School students have submitted art work and writings. Now we need the congregations input. While you’re looking out at the cold, please share your memories about Trinity. You don’t have to be a writer, just a couple of lines about: a stained-glass window that is special to you, a Pastor or teacher from your past,

remembering the move from the Chute Street church, a school activity, something special about the grand piano or organ, maybe special photographs, or artwork. Submit your writings by email to anniversary@trinitymenasha.com A box will be available in the Narthex to collect your writings, artwork, or photos. Please sign your submissions. We will withhold your name if you wish to be anonymous BUT we will not accept any anonymous submissions. Helpers are needed to assemble, proof read and organize the incoming information. Please contact any member of the committee if you wish to be involved with any aspect of the project. History Book Committee: Dan Emery (920) 379-7985, Elaine Weinig (920) 470-9090, Pastor GeRue (920) 725-1715 or Pastor Billings (920) 722-2662. May God bless this anniversary celebration!

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

January is National Blood Donor Month -Mary Howden, Parish Nurse Please Consider Donating Blood

Find a convenient blood drive near you. You don't need a special reason to give blood. You just need your own reason. Some of us give blood because a friend asked us. Some know that a family member or a friend might need blood someday. Some believe it is the right thing to do.

Whatever your reason, the need is constant and your donation is important for maintaining a healthy and reliable blood supply. You'll feel good knowing you've helped change a life!

2017 National Lutheran Schools Week - PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION

Whereas, Scripture exhorts and reminds us to “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock” (Is. 26:4); and Whereas, All Lutheran education finds its beginning and its end in that same Rock, Jesus Christ; and Whereas, This unique educational model, grounded in Christ, is and will be even more needed and important in a culture that increasingly leads children and young adults toward chaos and confusion, rather than toward the order and peace that come from Him; and Whereas, Lutheran education directs young people to their heavenly Father, Who loves them on account of Christ, while simultaneously offering them thorough instruction in how to discern the world around them through a distinctly Lutheran lens; and Whereas, The Lord has seen fit to bless schools and children with teachers, pastors and church workers who encourage and assist students to think broadly and boldly, both academically and theologically, for the students’ benefit as well as for the sake of the world and the Church; and Whereas, Finding their mutual foundation in the Rock, teacher, student and parent learn together to make a faithful confession of Christ, while also discovering the joy inherent in His gifts of science and math, English and history, art and music through rigorous scholastic study; and Whereas, Teaching and learning – being both a thinking and speaking student of Christ’s Word as well as of academia – remains an LCMS mission priority, with Lutheran educators who continue to ground children in the Rock while encouraging them to be lifelong learners; therefore, be it Resolved, That Jan. 22-28, 2017 be officially proclaimed as National Lutheran Schools Week in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison

President, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

You are invited to the Alpha Preview Dinner! Got Questions about life?

Try Alpha

Alpha is an opportunity to explore life and the Christian faith in a friendly, open, and informal environment.

Thursday, January 26th at 6pm

Large Fellowship Hall at Trinity Lutheran Church 300 Broad St, Menasha

Are you, or is someone you know looking for answers to your spiritual questions?

Are you tired of just going through the motions in your spiritual life?

Do you want to connect with others on a deeper more meaningful level?

Is there more to life than this?

Connect with others, and enjoy a free home-cooked meal. Then watch a fascinating video. Participate in discussions.

No pressure. No judgement. No Follow up. No Charge.

RSVP by Monday, January 23rd

alpha@trinitymenasha.com or 920-427-6763

Please help! We have a sign-up sheet in the Narthex to help cook a meal, make desserts, set up

or tear down!

1/1 CISKE, Stan & Johanna (17) 1/1 THOMAS, Craig & Jill (48) 1/11 JOERNDT, David & Mae (48) 1/16 ZIRPEL, Randy & Renee (19)

1/2 BAEHMAN, Duane

1/3 KROES, Nick

PEOTTER, Georgina

1/4 MEIDAM, Kenneth

1/6 GROSHEK, Joseph

KRAUSE, Judith

1/9 HENKEL, Blaine

HENSON, Sara

VOIGT, Doris

1/12 ELLIOTT, Charlotte

VOIGT, Roger

1/13 NIELSEN, Bart

1/14 TSCHIRGI, Joyce

WOLTER, James

1/15 BROWN, Riley

MADER, Margaret

1/16 HERTZIGER, Tammy

1/17 MEIDAM, Helen

REUNING, Alexandra

1/18 BRADLEY, Randy

1/21 GEHRT, Randolph

1/22 WALDBURGER, Jolene

1/23 ZACHEK, Matthew

1/24 MODERSON, Michael

1/26 KAMPRATH, Ashlee

KONWINSKI, Chester

WOODBURN, Daniel

1/27 BOSS, Cari

DANIELS, Cody

1/28 SANDERS, Evie

1/29 ROSS, Jean

1/30 NIELSEN, Ethan

RALEIGH, Sharon

An invitation for every woman who feels she isn’t godly enough … isn’t loving enough … isn’t doing enough… Please consider coming to the Monday Night Women’s Bible Study as we begin a new study:

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World-Finding Intimacy with GOD in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver

Join us on Monday, January 9th at 6:30pm in Trinity’s School Library. Our study meets on the 2nd & 4th Monday of each month. Hope you can come! Questions, please call Juliet Colby at (920) 729-0927.

JANUARY WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

Trinity’s Game Night Saturday, January 21, 2017 Approx. 6:30pm Pizza & beverages will be provided by your Board of Outreach

DID YOU KNOW? We still have a Consignment account (#302) at

Bumblepuppy in Appleton? Thank you to everyone that has been taking their unwanted items there for consignment to Trinity! We have discovered they receive donations from people that do not wish to deal with consignment & they graciously add those items to our account for profit. Please remember…… Bumblepuppy when browsing & when cleaning out your unwanted items. If you have any questions about what they take or you want to schedule a drop-off, call (920) 213-0927.

Duracell AA batteries are needed for both Pastor’s Microphone Headsets. If you can help, please drop off your donation in the Church Office. Thank you!

-To the men that continue to keep Trinity’s sidewalks and entry ways clear of snow & ice. We are very blessed to have you!

-To everyone that helped prepare our

Sanctuary & worship services for the Christmas season.

- To the congregation for supporting the

Ladies Aid/LWML Cookie & Candy Sale. We were blessed with a huge profit of $1,164.70. These funds will be used for numerous missions as well as Church & School projects.

-To the ladies & gentlemen that helped with the Huntley Brown concert. What a huge success! It would not have been possible without YOU!

January 2017

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1-New Year’s Day 9am Worship 10:30 Ed Hour

2

No School-

Offices Closed

3 6:30am Ladies Bible

Classes Resume 9am Men’s Mtc

6:30pm Voter’s Mtg Board Mtgs

4 8:45am Chapel

10:30am Adult Bible 5pm Confirmation

7pm Choir

5 6am Men’s Bible

4:30pm BB vs W. Bloomfield

6 Popcorn Friday

7 Pizza Sale Begins

5pm Worship

8-Baptism of Our Lord 9am Worship

Pizza Sale 10:30 Ed Hour

9 Pastor’s Day Off

Sewing Day 6:30pm Prayer Time 6:30pm Ladies Bible

10 6:30am Ladies Bible Pastor’s Circuit Mtg 6:30pm Brd of Dir

11 8:45am Chapel

10:30am Adult Bible 5pm Confirmation

5pm PTLS Mtg 7pm Choir

12 6am Men’s Bible

9:30am Admin Mtg 4:30pm BB at

St. John’s, Berlin

13 14 9am Food Pantry

9am Conscious Discipline Organ Soup Sale

Pizza Sale 5pm Worship

15-2nd Sunday after the Epiphany

9am Worship Organ Soup Sale

Pizza Sale 10:30 Ed Hour

16 Pastor’s Day Off

Sewing Day 6:30pm Prayer Time

17 6:30am Ladies Bible

4:30pm BB at All Saints, Berlin

6:30pm Ladies Aid

18 8:45am Chapel

10:30am Adult Bible 5pm Confirmation

7pm Choir

19 6am Men’s Bible

4:30pm BB at Celebration

20 3:30pm Pizza making

21 9am Conscious Discipline

Organ Soup Sale 5pm Worship

6:30pm GAME NIGHT

22-3rd Sunday after the Epiphany

9am Worship Organ Soup Sale

10:30 Ed Hour

23 Pastor’s Day Off

Sewing Day 5pm SOUP-R-BOWL 6:30pm Prayer Time 6:30pm Ladies Bible

24 6:30am Ladies Bible

4pm Open House 4:30am BB vs

Trinity, Oshkosh 5pm Perkins Dine Out

25 8:45am Chapel

10:30am Adult Bible 5pm Confirmation

7pm Choir

26 6am Men’s Bible

6pm Alpha

27

No School-

Offices Closed

28 9am Food Pantry

10am Officer Orientation Organ Soup Sale

5pm Worship

29-4th Sunday after the Epiphany

9am Worship Organ Soup Sale

10:30 Ed Hour

30 Pastor’s Day Off

Sewing Day 6:30pm Prayer Time

31 6:30am Ladies Bible

4:30pm BB at Manawa

Tr in ity Lutheran Church & School

300 Broad Street

Menasha, WI 54952

Pastor Billings at Symposium

NATIONAL LUTHERAN SCHOOLS WEEK

JANuaRY 2017 TriNiTy LC – MENashA CrOSswORd

ACROSS

1. Trinity will continue

our ____ to many and

various charities, families,

individuals, ….

4. in January there are

seven days which are

designated as National

Lutheran ____ Week

6. the angel told Mary and

Joseph to name their Son

this name

9. I AM

12. the sound cows make

13. 6 January, the 12th

day

of Christmas, AND the

season of the Church we

have just begun

17. IF there were a couple

getting married, Pastor

Billings would say,

“Repeat after, me: with

this ring, I thee ___...”

19. ___ of St. Paul is

celebrated on 25 January

20. “___ to the Lord, the

Almighty”

21. early January the

church gets ____ed from

all Advent/Christmas

things

22. another word for

“beginning” (of the

calendar year)

23. the sound cats make

25. those guys who

brought Jesus gold,

incense and myrrh

29. see 21 across

30. a main hymn of this

season, “O ___, How Fair

and Bright”

31. wear warm socks

when outside doing

8down to protect these…

32. a theme of this season

DOWN

1. our Christmas tree did

this, so we had to put it

outside on 6 January and

begin the next season

6. you might do this while

doing 8down

7. oh, isn’t it beautiful? ☺

8. when it’s done 7down,

grab your plastic flat thing

and go wild…

10. there are rehearsals for

this meal treat, coming in

March…

14. wear gloves and/or

mittens during this month!

Protect your ___!

15. the program to raise

money for the church by

money spent at various

stores (using coupons

from the stores)

16. at the beginning of the

year some new elders,

ushers, other board

members begin their

term(s)

24. the season of the year

– snow, ice, cold

26. the third party of God

28. the women of Trinity

NEVER stop doing this! ..

..even after Christmas…

34. this shines a bit in

January

1 2 3

4 5

6 7 8 9 10

11

12 13 14 15 16

17

18 19

20

21 22

23 24

25 26 27

28 29

30

31

32 33 34

rdwc 12/19/16

35

Special Descriptions A. After playing outside in the cold, nice hot drinks to warm us up include hot chocolate and 27down 2down.

B. Near the end of the month, Trinity’s version of a food-football-finale-festival… …. 5down – R – 3down!

C. 1 January: 33across Day; 1 January – the naming and 11down of Jesus

D. Friends of the 35across 5down 18down …. … .. give up? Ok . Translation: Buddies of that keyboard-

thing, liquid dinner, trading. ☺ {please contribute to both sides – donating and purchasing

Trinity Financial Report November-16

General Fund Checking & Savings

Weekly Income

Date

Gen. Fund

Offerings Matching Funds

School

Transfers BOTR Other Income Total Income

11/7/16 $14,331.53 $1,972.97 $4,035.73 $20,340.23

11/14/16 $10,986.26 $406.31 $287.31 $760.00 $12,439.88

11/21/16 $10,681.19 $200.00 $327.27 $20,406.81 $31,615.27

11/28/16 $10,031.53 $12.50 $308.80 $0.12 $10,352.95

Total $46,030.51 $618.81 $2,896.35 $25,202.66 $74,748.33

Weekly Expenses

Date Regular Bills Thrivent Match Memorial Fund BOTR

Other

Accts/Misc

Expenses Total Expenses

11/7/16 $2,509.77 $2,509.77

11/14/16 $27,060.80 $7,414.10 $34,474.90

11/21/16 $21,883.29 $21,883.29

11/28/16 $19,870.69 $19,870.69

Total $71,324.55 $7,414.10 $78,738.65

Beginning Balance - General Fund $16,628.64 less $50 Oct. error

Income for Nov. 2016 $74,748.33

Expenses for Nov. 2016 $78,738.65 less $335 Oct. error

Ending Balance - General Fund $12,253.32

Offering/Matching Funds YTD $378,566.95

Expenses YTD $366,846.78

BOTR Income YTD $17,247.53

BOTR Expenses YTD $37,770.50

Mortgage Balance $1,265,640.93

LCEF Steward Acct - Endowment Holding $2,210.33

Endowment Funds Account $18,091.71

Memorial Fund Account $14,224.13

RBC Account $26,006.81

Beginning Balance - Restricted Accounts $68,100.96

Income for Nov. 2016 $11,661.00

Expenses for Nov. 2016 $15,031.24

Ending Balance -Restricted Funds $64,730.72

Debts Repay Balance $16,540.89

Past Due Bills $15,000.00

CATECHETICAL COMMENTSA Series

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

This month we take up the Fourth Commandment:

Honor your father and mother.

What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or angerour parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love andcherish them.

And question 48 asks: “Who are parents and other authorities?”

The answer given probably goes farther than many people realize, for it encompasses morethan just our immediate biological ancestors:

Parents are fathers, mothers, and guardians; other authorities are all those whom Godhas placed over us at home, in government, at school, at the place where we work, andin the church.

Oh, the list we could make of all to whom this commandment refers!

Fathers, mothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, pastors, bus drivers, police,firefighters, governors, congressmen, mayors, magistrates, and on and on. Simply put,anyone and everyone whom God has placed in positions of authority over us. We oweeach and every one of them respect, honor, and obedience according to the FourthCommandment.

So often we treat our parents, policemen, government officials, pastors, etc., with suchregrettable disdain. We must remember that these are people whom God has given us for ourbenefit.

Luther has much to say to say about this in the Large Catechism, especially concerningpastors and princes (government). Then as now people seemed to disregard their leaders,though in his day people had little control over who governed them.

In our day many people seem to think that if they did not vote for the current governmentthey owe little or nothing to their leaders. This is not true! We owe allegiance to ourgovernment whether we voted for the elected leaders or not. Our leaders need our prayers! And so do our pastors!

Please pray for us, that we may be God’s servants, even as our elected leaders are God’sservants. And may God lead our elected officials to realize the solemn responsibility that istheirs to govern as God would have them govern.

Humbly in His service,Rev. Steven S. BillingsSenior Pastor

From the School Start the New Year off on the right foot

The Blessedness of Sins Forgiven

Have you wronged anyone recently? Have you said unkind things? Have you hurt someone or neglected

them? Then read what Psalm 32 has to say for you:

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones grew old

Through my groaning all the day long.

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah

I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I have not hidden.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You. —Psalm 32:1-6

David contemplates the blessedness of being a forgiven sinner. God justifies us, declaring us righteous

for Jesus’ sake, by not imputing our iniquity to us. It has been imputed to Christ, and His righteousness has been

imputed to us as a gift of God’s grace. Unbelief and impenitence are characterized by silence: a refusal to

acknowledge one’s sin and one’s need for God’s mercy. We waste away spiritually when we refuse to believe

what God’s Word says. Faith and repentance are characterized by confession: “I acknowledge my sin to You,

and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the

iniquity of my sin.” This is the reason why Christians pray: with God there is forgiveness of sins, and all our

prayers ascend to God by grace alone on the basis of the merits of our Savior. We hide ourselves in the

righteousness of Christ. His mercy instructs us and guides us into all truth. Unbelief is stubborn and headstrong,

like a horse or mule, and will not heed the call to confess one’s sin and believe the Gospel. The wicked are

those who will not trust in the Lord. The righteous are those whose sins are forgiven. The Lord’s promise is of

supreme comfort to the penitent sinner: “He who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him” (vs. 10).

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.”

In Christ, Pastor GeRue

What’s happening around The School. January 3 School Resumes

January 5 Basketball at Home against West Bloomfield

January 12 Basketball at St. John, Berlin

January 14 9-3 Conscious Discipline Training

January 17 Basketball at Home against All Saints, Berlin

January 19 Basketball at Celebration, Appleton

January 20 Hoops For Heart

January 21 9-3 Conscious Discipline Training

Lutheran Schools Week January 22 – 29 Watch for more details to come.

January 22 School Students sings at 9 am service at Trinity

January 23 Soup- R- Bowl

January 24 Basketball at Home against Trinity, Oshkosh

January 29 School Students sings at 9 am service at Peace, Neenah

January 31 Basketball at St. Paul, Manawa

February 9 Basketball at Home against Valley Christian Oshkosh

6th – 8th graders are selling Pizza’s until January 15

What an exciting time to be a servant in the LORD’s harvest.

Thanks for being a part of the Trinity family.

Faithfully Serving Our Lord– January 2017

Senior Pastor: Rev. Steven S. Billings, Assoc. Pastor/Principal: Rev. Keith E. GeRue

Elders of the Month: 5pm Tom Harrmann, 9am Lee Weinig

Worship Date/Time

Acolyte on Duty

Communion Assistants

Greeters

Lectors

Ushering Crew

Jan 1 9am A. Hopfensperger Weinig/Reinke Jan Bathke Pastor Billings/GeRue Diesch/Maynard

Jan 7 5pm 8 9am

Ashlee Kamprath Harrmann/Nickolai Weinig/Kamprath

Sharon Raleigh Lynn Olson

Deb Bartelme Tim Reuning

Harrmann Reinke/Weinig

Jan 14 9am 15 5pm

Josiah Nielsen Harrmann/Guiley

Weinig/Bathke Adamovich/Gehrt

D & R Collingwood Karen Riske

C. Hopfensperger Maynard

Wray/Sexmith

Jan 21 9am 22 5pm

Abby Reuning Harrmann/Henkel

Weinig/Drum Jean Zeinert

Wendler/Sexmith Juliet Colby

Joshua Bailey Colby

Zirpel/Pomerenke

Jan 28 5pm 29 9am

Alex Reuning Harrmann/Buksyk

Weinig/Buksyk JoAnn Schultz

Jan Bathke Roger Voigt Larry Olsen

Voigt Diesch/Maynard

Getting to Know You: Rita Wilke

Rita was born in Appleton WI. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph’s Church in Appleton. She graduated from high school and worked jobs at Riverside Paper, St.

Elizabeth’s Hospital, Theda Clark and Maritz Marketing Research. She married Duaine Wilke (deceased) in 1983 and together they have eight children (Wayne, Luann, David,

Debra, Jeff, Julia, Daniel, Shelley; step-children, Vicki, David, Doug and Tricia). Rita also has 40 grandchildren! She became a member of Trinity through her husband and has been a faithful member

for 33 years. Rita’s favorite bible verse is Psalm 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”.

Classes for Adult Confirmation The classes are for those wishing to become members of

Trinity, Menasha or for those that wish to have a refresher of the Catechism. Classes will begin after worship on

Sun, Jan 8th at 10:30am with Pastor Billings in the Large Fellowship Hall. Please call Renee in the office to register

at (920) 722-2662.

Church Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:10am to 3pm

Missed Worship? Visit our website: www.trinitymenasha.com “Like” Us on Facebook

Our next meeting is Jan 17th at 6:30pm in the Small Hall. The evening to consist of Bible study, various fund disbursement, & discussion for the April 22nd Zone Spring Rally held at Trinity. All ladies are invited to attend. Our mission is to assist the ladies of Trinity in their relationship with their Lord so that we are able to use our God given gifts in the ministry to the people of the world. We take time for fellowship, getting to know & learn from each other. Sewing for World Relief & area shelters is every Monday at 9am in the Small Hall. Contact Dottie at (920) 991-2705 for more info on any Ladies Aid events.

Friends of the Pipe Organ Soup Sale begins Sat, Jan 14th & runs every weekend through Sun, Feb 12th. Pick up fresh soup & bread. Funds to go toward regular organ tunings & maintenance during the year

Willkommen zu Trinity Lutherische Kirche

Did you know? In 2017, Trinity, Menasha will celebrate its 160th Anniversary! It’s the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. Martin Luther never intended to start a new church, just a re-examination of some of the church practices. But here we are today, 500 years later, a Lutheran church. We will be looking for your input for a book project to commemorate Trinity (written, artistic, photographic, editing, assembly & more). We would like you to personally plug into this getting a little creative or maybe a little sentimental. Do you have a favorite memory of Trinity that could be put in a sentence or two? Have you or would you like to do something artistically with the windows or some other inspirational part of Trinity? Our Day School students are creating & writing about stained glass pictures to be put in the book. There will be many opportunities to tell stories and express your feelings about Trinity and its history. If you have questions, contact: Dan Emery, Elaine Weinig, Pastor Billings or Pastor GeRue.

~Items for Weekly Bulletin must be submitted to the Church Office before 10am on Wednesdays~

~Items for Monthly Newsletter must be submitted to the Church Office before the 15th of the month~

We will no longer collect any stamps for missions. With the changes in stamps & what is now acceptable it is no longer productive for us. Thank you to those who have diligently saved stamps throughout the years. -Trinity’s Ladies Aid

Trinity Congregational Statistics

New Members/Transfers In: Elizabeth Bahrns transfer from Zion Lutheran, Beleville, IL

Transfers Out/Released: None

Baptisms: Blake & Logan Van Handel, sons of Samuel & Allison (Thomas) Van Handel

Weddings: None

Members Who Have Passed: None

If you would like Pastoral care, please call the Church Office at (920) 722-2662.

TRINITY IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING: Campbell’s Soup Labels, Old Cell phones,

Postage Stamps TRINITY IS ACCEPTING:

Box Tops for Education, Kwik Trip Milk Caps & Bag Tops, Coke Caps, Ink & Toner Cartridges, Aluminum Cans, Blankets/Sheets/Material.

Trinity’s Food Pantry Meets the 2nd & 4th Saturday of the month at 9am. If you or someone you know needs our pantry, please contact Marc & Sandy Guiley at (920) 969-0475. We appreciate all monetary and food donations that are given to us, to help those in our community.

Matters of Importance to Congregation If you would like to make an

announcement to the congregation, please contact the Church Office at least

two weeks in advance for approval by the Pastors. Thank you!

Voter’s Meeting-for the election of new officers & directors will be Tues, Jan 3rd at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary. New Officer Orientation- will be Sat, Jan 28th at 10am in the Small Fellowship Hall. Questions, please call Blaine Henkel, Congregation President at (920) 725-0694.

The Newsletter of Amanda Groshek

Tidings from Taiwan

Greetings!

There’s been a lot of exciting things going on here in Taiwan this past month (and will continue to be

through the beginning of January)! At the end of November, CELA and the kindergarten hosted

Thanksgiving feasts for the students. The kindergarten Thanksgiving activities also included a skit put on

by the teachers depicting the first Thanksgiving. The Americans also hosted their annual BIG

Thanksgiving dinner at the Practice Hotel. December 1st, some of the American teachers helped to lead J1

(seventh grade) chapel – singing songs, reading Bible verses, and performing a skit – talking about how

God makes all things new. And now, we’re transitioning into Christmas activities. At school, alongside

their regular work, the students have been making Christmas cards to be handed out to local nursing

home residents. In O.S.F, we’ve also started talking about Christmas and preparing to go caroling in a few

weeks.

As always, I hope this newsletter finds you well. Merry Christmas! 聖誕快樂!

Peace, Amanda

December 2016

You Make All Things New – J1 Chapel

Once or twice a semester the American teachers are asked to

lead a J1 Chapel. This semester, we were asked to lead one at

the beginning of the December. One of the fun things for me

with helping out with J1 Chapel is that several of the students

are ones that were my E6/CE6 students last year!

We looked at 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in

Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;

behold, all things have become new." Because of the variety of

English levels, we try to at least make sure the slides in the

PowerPoint are bilingual. We sang songs including, “Trading My

Sorrows” and watching a video of the song “You Make Beautiful

Things.” There was also a skit. At the beginning of the skit, we all

had problems: anger, fear, loneliness, feeling not good enough,

and hopeless. But Jesus had a conversation with each

individual, offering to take their bad feelings, reminding each

person that God loves them and made them special. When

each person handed their negative feelings over to Jesus, He

replaced them with good things. God makes all things new.

For more, check out: http://calledtogo11.blogspot.tw/2016/12/you-

make-beautiful-things.html

Above: practicing the skit

Below: A sea of J1 faces

-

“Dallas Willard says that God does not spotlight His special ones. Jesus came in a way so unobtrusive that many

missed Him. Perhaps our heroes aren’t in obvious places. Perhaps we will have to train our eyes and our hearts and

our minds to find them.” Nancy Ortberg, “Looking for God”

Contact Me:

Amanda.Groshek@lcms

intl.org

Feel free to also check

out my blog about the

daily aspects of my

missionary adventure: http://calledtogo11.blogspot.com

To support my work financially, you

may send a tax deductable gift to: The Lutheran Church – Missouri

Synod

P.O. Box 790089 St. Louis, MO. 63179-0089.

Make the check payable to LCMS

The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and on the Memo Line write:

Amanda Groshek. You can also give online by going to:

http://www.lcms.org/groshek

The First Week of Christmas – O.S.F.

The Christmas season is one of, if not, my favorite time of year with the O.S.F.

students. Over the course of three or four weeks (depending on the year), we read

the Christmas story, make Christmas cards, cut out, bake, and decorate sugar

cookies, along with going caroling. So, when the other O.S.F. leaders asked if I’d

wanted to assume leadership of the next couple weeks, I happily said, “Yes!”

This past week was a full one! We started practicing carols for when we’ll go caroling

at local businesses and some of the on-campus teachers’ houses. We also read

through and talked about the Christmas story as it appears in Luke 2:1-20. Since we

were a little crunched for time, we just read it in Chinese, although the Power Point

had the story in both Chinese and English, along with some pictures. Finally, we

decorated Christmas cards to hand out while we go caroling.

For more, check out: http://calledtogo11.blogspot.tw/2016/12/osf-christmas-activities-week-one.html

Praise and Prayers:

- Thanksgiving for all the

ways God is working in and

through my students, and the

students here at school.

- Thanksgiving for fun

Thanksgiving activities that

went off without a hitch.

- Pray that God would

continue working in the

hearts of my students to

encourage them and bring

them closer to Him

- Pray for all the

missionaries/teachers here in

Taiwan that God would use

us as His hands, feet, and

voice. And, that God would

continue to send workers out

into the field.

“Rejoice evermore”

1 Thes. 5:16

Thanksgiving

Life isn’t always perfect, but there are still oh so many things to be thankful for. This

year, I had the privilege of enjoying three different Thanksgiving feasts, along with

having some special holiday themed classes.

The CELA Thanksgiving came first. It has taken on a variety of different shapes over

the six years that I’ve been here. The week before, the students had filled out

pumpkins with things there are thankful for (family, friends, a house, Jesus, teachers,

etc). These “I am thankful for _________” pumpkins were then displayed at the feast.

For E1 and E2’s feast, I was handed a cleaver and asked to carve the turkey. Table by

table, the students lined up to come over for some turkey. (I’d never carved a turkey

before, neither had anyone else. But, we managed to clean it off pretty well… although

we also used our hands at times). The students still waiting at their tables were given

bread, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, and pumpkin soup.

The kindergarten Thanksgiving is also a lot of fun, as the English teachers (both

Taiwanese and American) put on a skit about the first Thanksgiving. The kids’ favorite

part is when everyone is running around trying to catch the turkey! This year, the

turkey even had a costume. Then we eat!

Lastly, the Americans always host a rather large Thanksgiving feast over at the

Practice Hotel on campus. This year I think 75-80 people attended! The Americans

always provide the traditional fixings (turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, etc),

and then our guests bring a dish to pass as well. It’s a fun, delicious melding of food

culture that takes the pressure off any one person to cook for so many people.

For more, check out: http://calledtogo11.blogspot.tw/2016/11/the-art-of-living-and-being-thankful.html