Trinity HighlightsThe Newsletter of Trinity Lutheran Church

700 S. Fourth St., Pekin, IL 61554

309-346-1391 ~ www.trinitypekin.com

Rev. Simeon Raddatz, Pastor773-634-0082January, 2019

November

Attendance Report2017 2018Average Attendance98 113Average Sunday School Attn. 60 57Average Communion Attn. 33 51

November

Financial ReportNovember YTD YTD BudgetIncome: $20,201 $235,458 $224,430Expense: $19,445 $215,857 $230,961Surplus (Deficit)$956 $19,601

In November, gifts to the Lord’swork at once again exceededexpenses. It should be noted thatexpenses are roughly $15K underbudget. The majority of this isdue to less than expected GoodShepherd expense and less thanbudgeted Trustees expenses. There are a couple of majorTrustee projects that need to betaken care of in the 2019 budgetyear that will require dipping intoreserves accumulated in the pastthree years.

Trinity Endowment Fund

Trinity’s Endowment Fund wasstarted in 2001 by the VotersAssembly as a separate perpetualfund to provide financial supportto the Church’s ministry beyond

what Trinity’s regular budget canaccomplish. Only earnings fromthe fund may be spent and thereis approximately $23,000 inunspent earnings at this time.

The Church Council approved adistribution in the amount of$1,000 to Christian CivicOutreach to be paid with unspentearnings.

If you are aware of a charitableorganization that could benefitfrom a gift from the EndowmentFund, please inform PastorRaddatz or myself.Let us give thanks to the Lord forhis continued blessings!!! Rob FornoffChairman - Board of Finance

The Concordia Society

The Concordia SocietyChristmas Potluck was held onThursday, December 13 at 12:00p.m. Fourteen members andvisitors were present. The GSLSChime Choir presented theprogram. The next ConcordiaSociety meeting will be onThursday, January 10, 2019 at1:30 p.m. Loretta Harms will bethe devotion leader and thehostess. New members andvisitors are always welcome.

Voter’s Assembly

Meeting

The Voter’s Assembly Meetingwill be Thursday, January 10at 7:00 p.m. All communicantmembers of the congregation, 18years of age and older, areencouraged to attend. This is anexcellent time to be brought up-to-date on what is going on hereat Trinity.

November Sunday

School

Perfect Attendance

Emily & Hunter AntonNolan Dunn

Alice & Jo GramlichAlyssa & Lauren Hand

Tamara KossoKate Maple

Emma & Kylea SeidellEdith & Ella Spaeth

Shut-in of the Month

Some members cannot attendchurch and it is important that weremember them in our thoughtsand especially our prayers. During the month please pray forthem and send them a card.

Our January shut-in of the monthis:

Betty Woith902 Amanda St.Pekin, IL 61554

Be Imitators of Jesus

God created man andannounced His creation to be“very good” (Genesis 1:31),but, because of self-will andpride, Adam and Eve sinned,causing man to be separatedfrom God. To bridge thatseparation, God rescued uswith the greatest gift of all:His very own Son. In Christ,God speaks to us, reaches outto us with forgiveness, andreceives us into fellowship. All we have has been freelygiven to us, not because ofwho we are or what we do,but because of Whose we are. Through faith, we see God’sredemptive grace in Jesus,and we are motivated to liveour lives for Him (Eph. 2:8-10).

In Jesus, we see theattributes of God. InHebrews 1:3-4 we read,“[The Son] is the radiance ofthe glory of God and theexact imprint of His nature,and He upholds the universeby the word of His power. After making purification forsins, He sat down at the righthand of the Majesty on high,having become as muchsuperior to angels as thename He has inherited ismore excellent than theirs.” God the Father has revealedthe light of His glory in HisSon, Jesus. As true man,Jesus lived the life of a perfectsteward for the glory of HisHeavenly Father. Just asJesus put aside his owninterests and desires— “Notas I will, but as You will”—(Matthew 26:39), we are

called to be obedientthrough faith to God’s waysrather than the ways of theworld and our own natures. As God’s stewards, we alsoreceive joy andencouragement in knowingthat we are obedientlyserving the Lord.

Jesus is always to be ourpreeminent model for ourlives as stewards. We havea Savior Who lived theperfect life in our places. With an attitude of gratitudeand joy in what God inChrist has done for us, weread and adopt the ApostlePaul’s admonition, “Beimitators of me, as I am ofChrist” (1 Corinthians11:1). Through the workingof the Holy Spirit, our goalis to “Put to death,therefore, what is earthly inyou” (Colossians 3:5). ByGod’s grace, we fix our eyeson Jesus, Who is the“founder and perfecter ofour faith” (Hebrews 12:2). To that end, we shouldsaturate our minds with thetruths in God’s Word ratherthan the teachings of theworld. “Thanks be to Godfor His inexpressible gift!”(2 Corinthians 9:15).

Empowered by Jesus

Jesus said, “Abide in Me,and I in you. As the branchcannot bear fruit by itself,unless it abides in the vine,neither can you, unless youabide in Me. I am the Vine;you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and Iin him, he it is that bears

much fruit; for apart from Meyou can do nothing” (John15:4-5). In Jesus’ illustration,we are the branches, and He isthe Vine. As branches on theVine, we are totally dependenton Christ, the true Vine. We,as branches, are to bear fruit.

The Apostle Paul explainedto the Galatians what that fruitis: “The fruit of the Spirit islove, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness, andself-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Deeds done in faith arethe fruit of faith resulting ingood works. This fruit will beevident in the lives ofChristians as a natural outcomeof Christ living in us. Weminister to the needs of othersas Jesus, the Vine, did duringHis life on earth. We feed thehungry, give water to thethirsty, entertain the stranger,clothe the naked, and visit thesick and the prisoner (Matt.25:37-39), all in the name ofChrist. In serving others, webear much fruit and glorifyGod through our lives (John15:8). We are not saved by thefruit we bear, but we have beencreated by God andempowered by Him to bearfruit.

When we abide in Christ, theVine, we as branches will befruitful. Christ left the task ofspreading the Gospel to elevenapostles, a small number, but,empowered by the Holy Spirit,a virtual army. Through theages, Christ’s followers,strengthened by Word andSacrament, have continued toremain faithful.

Trinity’s Service Volunteers - January 2019

ACOLYTES01/06 9:00 a.m. Gage Cutting01/13 8:15 a.m. Alyssa Hand

10:45 a.m. Avery Speck01/20 8:15 a.m. Matthew Juergens

10:45 a.m. Jenna Owens01/27 8:15 a.m. Avery Speck

10:45 a.m. Alyssa Hand

BIBLE BREAKFAST HELPERS01/06 Karen Steenbergen01/13 Patty Quaye01/20 Theresa McDonough01/27 Pat Cooley & Norma Rebuffoni

COMMUNION SERVERS01/06 9:00 a.m. Bob Lutz01/13 10:45 a.m. Rob Fornoff01/20 8:15 a.m. Terry Knollenberg01/27 8:15 a.m. Bob Lutz

10:45 a.m. Scott Thompson

SCRIPTURE READERS01/06 9:00 a.m. Bob Lutz01/13 8:15 a.m. Eric Spaeth

10:45 a.m. Rob Fornoff01/20 8:15 a.m. Terry Knollenberg

10:45 a.m. Brad Juergens01/27 8:15 a.m. Owen Miller

10:45 a.m. Scott Thompson

GREETERS01/06 9:00 a.m. Brad & Kim Cordts01/13 8:15 a.m. Eric & Cori Spaeth

10:45 a.m. Betty Ingrassia & Millie Cordes01/20 8:15 a.m. Matt & Melissa Deverman

10:45 a.m. Bob & Joyce Thompson01/27 8:15 a.m. Bob & Carolyn Cordts

10:45 a.m. Mike & Sheryl Jones

USHERS01/06 9:00 a.m. B. Juergens, B. Cordts

O. Miller01/13 8:15 a.m. D. Harms, C. Whitley,

B. Schmidt10:45 a.m. M. Seidell, R. Fornoff

01/20 8:15 a.m. B. Juergens, B. Cordts, O. Miller10:45 a.m. S. Thompson

01/27 8:15 a.m. D. Harms, C. WhitleyB. Schmidt

10:45 a.m. M. Seidell, R. Fornoff

ALTAR FLOWERS01/06 Gerry & Karen Steenbergen, for their 52nd

wedding anniversary on December 31.01/13 Open01/20 Mike & Sheryl Jones, for their 23rd wedding

anniversary on January 20.01/27 Owen & Jane Miller

GREETERS & USHERS: We are in always in need ofadditional greeters and ushers for Sunday morning. Serving as a greeter for Trinity is an important part ofour outreach ministry, since it helps make a positivefirst impression of warmth and friendliness for visitors. If you are interested in serving in this way, pleasecontact the church office at 346-1391.

Annual Report Time

The deadline for reports to be included in the2018 Annual Report is Sunday, February 24. TheChurch Council members, as well as secretariesand treasurers of the various organizations, areasked to submit a report.

If you are in doubt as to whether you should writea report, please check with the church office.

January 2019Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3

7 PM CHURCH

COUNCIL

4 5 7 AM M EN’S M INISTRY

AT TRINITY

6

9 AM WORSHIP/

COM M UNION

10:30 AM S.S. & BIBLE

CLASS

11:30 AM TAKE DOW N

CHRISTM AS

DECORATIONS

77:15 PM DARTBALL AT

1ST CHRISTIAN

87 PM BOARD OF

CHRISTIAN

EDUCATION

7 PM BOARD OF

EVANG ELISM

99 AM NEWSLETTER

ASSEM BLY

4:30 PM

CONFIRM ATION

7 PM CHOIR

REHEARSAL

101:30 PM CONCORDIA

SOCIETY

7 PM VOTER’S

ASSEM BLY

M EETING

11 12

13

8:15 AM WORSHIP

9:30 AM S.S. &

BIBLE CLASS

10:45 AM WORSHIP/

COM M UNION

147:15 PM DARTBALL AT

1ST BAPTIST

156:30 PM GSLS BOARD

164:30 PM

CONFIRM ATION

7 PM CHOIR

REHEARSAL

177 PM BOARD OF

TRUSTEES

18 19

20

8:15 AM WORSHIP/

COM M UNION

9:30 AM S.S. & BIBLE

CLASS

10:45 AM WORSHIP

12 PM PRAYER

PARTNERS

217:15 PM DARTBALL VS

SAND PRARIE AT

TRINITY

22 234:30 PM

CONFIRM ATION

7 PM CHOIR

REHEARSAL

24 25 26

278:15 AM WORSHIP/

COM M UNION

9:30 AM S.S. & BIBLE

CLASS

10:45 AM WORSHIP/

COM M UNION

28 7:15 PM DARTBALL VS

1ST PRESBYTERIAN AT

TRINITY

29 309 AM NEWSLETTER

ASSEM BLY

4:30 PM

CONFIRM ATION

7 PM CHOIR

REHEARSAL

317 PM BOARD OF

ELDERS

New Year’s

Day

Epiphany

Sunday

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage Paid

Pekin, ILPermit No. 100

Trinity Lutheran Church

700 S. Fourth St.Pekin, IL 61554

(Return Service Requested)

Things happening

in January Thursday, January 10 7:00 p.m. Voter’s Assembly MeetingSunday, January 20 12:00 p.m. Prayer Partners