What is important to the People of Trinity, as discovered through the LIFT process: fostering active involvement

offering unconditional support

willingness to invest ourselves

being/becoming excited about our faith

making people feel welcome and accepted

Contact Information 815-692-3682 (church)

815-848-5884 (pastor’s cell) email: FairburyTLC@gmail.com website: www.FairburyTLC.com

Trinity Council Heather Masters, President Liz Freeland Dave Wiley, Vice-President Dawn Kestner Katie Ricketts, Secretary Cathy Wiley Debbie Brandt, Treasurer Sue Deaton

Pastor Tom Krieger Jane Righter

Scroll down for Newsletter pages 2-9

The Trinity Trumpet

February 2020

Trinity Lutheran Church 100 West Cherry St. Fairbury, IL 61739

Sunday School 9am

Worship 10am

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2

9 church cleaning day

10 Worship

3

9 Sewing

4

4 Fairview Haven

5 6

5 addiction recovery

7 8

9

9 Sunday School

10 Worship

11 Ann Mtg rain date

1:30-3:30 Confirma-

tion @ Forrest

10

9 Sewing

11 12

7 Council meeting

13

1:30 WELCA in hall

H: Liz Freeland

LL: Pastor Tom

5 addiction recovery

14 15

16

10 Worship

17

9 Sewing

18 19 20

5 addiction recovery

21 22

23

10 Worship

Sunday School ice

skating @ Pepsi Ice

Rink

1:30-3:30 Conf. @

Forrest

24

9 Sewing

7 Community Welfare

Clearing House @

Faith Fellowship

25

4:30-7 Grilled pork

loin dinner @ 1st

Presbyterian Church

26

7 Worship @ TLC

27

5 addiction recovery

28 29

February 2020

Pastor’s Report of January 26, 2020

“God equips the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ”

Ephesians 4:12

Our congregations’ primary purpose is building for Jesus.

At this Annual Mtg, what will disciples at Immanuel discern about offering the option of our

age appropriate PrayGround for Jesus’ children?

At this Annual Mtg, Trinity will consider a similar use in its space.

What will our “building” (v.) (n.) look like?

When Paul wrote to a building group of disciples at Ephesus, he reminded them that not he,

but we, are equipped by God to share the good news. The foundation of that building is

Jesus himself who sent out the disciples to all the places he himself intended to go, to all the

people who had yet to receive the good news. Jesus sent the disciples out in Luke 9, Luke

10, Matthew 10, and at the end of Matthew 28 Jesus sends disciples out to do the same,

even after he is gone. Believing and sharing the good news of Christ crucified (as Paul puts

it) and all that it means, is what disciples do; it is what the Church does. In the book of Acts,

we hear how the disciples began figuring out how to do this together. The Church is always

figuring out how to do this…

The Invitational Christian, by Dave Daubert, was recommended reading for the Evangelism

workshop hosted last year by St. John Lutheran Church, Anchor (attended by about 60

persons from ecumenical congregations throughout the area). The book provides readers

with the opportunity to ponder and discuss our calling, our identity, and consider best

practices for sharing Christ with others.

We look for ways to keep sharing Christ in our own context. Our councils considered each

congregation “building” in a one-time congregational book club (1 book, 8 short chapters)

during the 5 Sundays of March/Lent based upon The Invitational Christian. The worship each

Sunday would be briefer, in order that some of our hour could also be used sharing together

in the Reflections for Discussion at the end of each chapter; that discussion in turn would

suggest what each congregation deemed helpful in our efforts to share the good news with

others.

But why Sundays? Why not Wednesday night, or after worship? Sundays are the one time

we are all together. We are all disciples, gifted and called. Like the shepherds at Bethlehem,

worshiping God and sharing that good news with others is what we are here to do and to be.

The council of Trinity has accepted this invitation (the schedule for the 2020 Lenten Sundays is

on the website www.fairburytlc.com, and will be in an upcoming newsletter); books will be

distributed soon. The council of Immanuel has declined.

A unique worship service will be created for each congregation in March. Sermons and an

extended children's time will be built up around the themes in The Invitational Christian for

Trinity. Sermons will also be prepared for Immanuel using the regular scriptures. This, and the

usual planning for Wednesday night Lenten services, will take more time than usual.

Finally, I have had the privilege of serving Trinity for just over 18 years now, and Immanuel for

over 3½ years. Each congregation is autonomous, and often is not aware of what the other

is doing (both newsletters are published on the afore mentioned website). Since beginning

at Immanuel in May 2016, there have been 11 funerals through Immanuel and 32 funerals

through Trinity. There have been 5 weddings through Immanuel and 10 weddings through

Trinity. This spring we will share the additional Lent and Holy Week services for the fourth time.

And June 30 our 3-year contract concludes (the pastor is called to Trinity; both parties in

contract with Immanuel).

After these Annual Mtgs our new councils will soon be meeting together to discuss what to

do beginning July 1 (in 2017 CSIS Bishop John Roth gave us 3 paths to choose from). The

councils will offer a proposal to vote upon at a Special Mtg of the Congregation (tba). The

opportunity before both congregations affords you the time to discern if this is the right

arrangement, or if it is time for a change. May the Holy Spirit be your guide.

As we follow Jesus and the promptings of the Spirit, may we continue to keep the question

before us: What will our “building” (v.) (n.) look like?

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”

Psalm 127:1

Beloved children of God! Some of God’s younger children

welcoming Gerry & Helen as new members of Trinity. We are

all witnesses to what God does in Christ Jesus.

cccc

Prayer Concerns

for those receiving nursing home care, and their families and friends:

Evenglow, Pontiac: Betty Niesmann; Fairview Haven, Fairbury: Phyllis Eilers, Ronald Gentes,

Joy Zimmerman; Good Samaritan Home, Pontiac: Joey Harding

for healing/health concerns:

Nancy Brandt, Mitch Cool, Michelle Curl, Emma Rose Davis, Colin Decker, Don Denkins, Kelly

Deterding, Dave Fehr, Kristen Fox, Dennis Johnson, Dick Johnson, Cal Koenig, Sandy Lerdal, Abby

Maurer, Pete McGhee, Wilbur Moody, Edie Moulton, Elyssa Phillips, Vicki Phillips, Jessica Rathbun,

Randy Rich, Robert Ruff, Doug Tollensdorf, Tanner Vaupel, Dana Vermilya, Tom White

2020 Spring Preschool Screenings

Infants, Toddlers & Preschoolers (Birth to 5 years)

Parents of all birth to 5 year olds within the Livingston County Special Services Unit Co-op are

invited and encouraged to have their children screened. Areas screened include vision, hearing,

speech and language, learning, motor & social-emotional. Parents should call the school where

their child may attend (from 2 weeks prior to 3 days before the screening date) for more

information about location and to schedule an appointment. Appointments will be filed starting

with the first day offered and first available time.

School Date Phone

Prairie Central West #8 (Fairbury) February 4 and 5 815-945-2971

Dwight #232 February 11 815-584-6278 or

815-584-6254

Woodland #5 February 18 815-672-2909 Ext. 3

Prairie Central East #8 (Chatsworth) Feb. 20 & 21 815-635-3555

Saunemin #438 February 25 815-832-4421

Odell #435 March 5 815-998-2272

Tri-Point #6J (Cullom, Kempton, Piper City) March 12 815-253-6299 Ext. 100

Flanagan #74, Cornell #426, Graymont #425 April 7 815-796-2261

Trinity Lutheran Church Council Minutes from January 8, 2020.

Present: Jane Righter, Dawn Kestner, Dave Wiley, Pastor Tom, Liz Freeland, Cathy Wiley,

Heather Masters, and Katie Ricketts

Absent: Sue Deaton

Heather called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.

Secretary’s Report: Dawn made a motion to approve the December Secretary’s report. Cathy

second. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Jane made a motion to approve the December Treasurer’s report. Dawn

second. Motion carried.

Nominating Committee: 4 seats to fill (three 3 year terms, and one 2 year term). Will be

determined at the annual meeting on Jan. 26 after worship.

2 Auditors are needed. Cathy will ask Ruth Runyon and Wayne Hammer who were nominated

by the council.

Pastor Tom made a motion to add discussing a PrayGround to the agenda of the annual meeting

on January 26. Liz second. Motion carried.

Will decide on either April 26 or May 3 for Tim Urness from ELCA Foundation to come and

speak to congregation about Planned Giving. (It will be April 26)

Lent Wednesdays evening worship will be a pulpit rotation at TLC: Feb. 26, Mar. 4, and Mar. 11,

and Immanuel will host Mar. 18, Mar. 25, and Apr. 1. Should TLC have meals

beforehand? Suggestion of 3 groups for the 3 Wednesdays: Council, Sunday School Families,

and general congregational potluck style with a sign-up sheet.

Maundy Thursday will be at Immanuel, and Good Friday will be at Trinity.

Dawn made a motion to adjourn at 8:08 p.m. with Cathy second. Motion carried.

Closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Respectfully submitted,

Katie Ricketts, Secretary

Heather Masters, President

February Birthdays 1st Joey Harding

2nd Curt Friedman

Nolan Thomas

3rd Tess Popejoy

4th Kim Barnes

6th Nick Bolliger

7th Chris Bivens

Eric Hoerner

8th Brody Norris

9th Edie Moulton

Mitch Carber

10th Kristi Aupperle

13th Ryan Masters

15th Lori Aberle

Brenda DeFries

17th Richard Sanders

Connie White

Heather Masters

18th Leslie Rolf

19th Matt Burnett

Brittany Doran

20th Delores Rath

23rd Josh Donze

24th Jim Kafer

26th Nikki Catton

Scott Steidinger

28th Heather Smith

February Anniversaries 10th Dan & Heather Masters

21st Jim & Jane Pflager

23rd Dave & Vickie Thomas

Feb. Communion Cleanup 2nd volunteer needed

9th volunteer needed

16th volunteer needed

23rd volunteer needed

26th volunteer needed

February Ushers 2nd Louis & Betty Retter, Liz Freeland,

Gerry & Helen Bayston

9th Dale Lorance, Chuck, Gail & Katie Huling

16th Wayne & Kay Hammer, J. C. Aberle, Mike

Maffett, Carl Tull

23rd Andrew Quain, Dave Wiley,

Katie Ricketts & Matt Bohm

26th Louis & Betty Retter, Liz Freeland,

Gerry & Helen Bayston

February Greeters 2nd Sue Deaton & Marlene Schuble

9th Colin & Christy Decker

16th Ruth Runyon & Aldora Hextell

23rd Judy Smith & Phyllis Gerdes

February Acolytes,Bearers

2nd Alaina Ricketts

9th Asher Popejoy

16th Caleb Decker

23rd Caden Decker

February Lay Readers 2nd Sue Deaton

9th Kay Hammer

16th Roxie Thomas

23rd Sue Deaton

February Communion Assistants 2nd Emyli Quain

9th Dawn Kestner

16th Liz Freeland

23rd Caleb Decker

26th Carl Tull

February Financial Secretaries Sue Deaton & Cathy Wiley

Trinity Lutheran Church 100 West Cherry St. Fairbury, IL 61739 (815) 692-3682 (815) 848-5884 (pastor’s cell) FairburyTLC@gmail.com

The Trinity Trumpet February 2020

Connect to Trinity:

www.FairburyTLC.com (a simple, informative, up-to-date website) The newsletter may also be found on this website.