Trinity Connections
Your Weekly Update - January 19, 2022
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Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)
Most of us have had times when we’ve grown impatient and have become disheartened because it felt like we we’re missing out on the promise of God’s abundant love. Facing difficulties, we yearn for a God that will break into our lives like a superhero to make things right. But as we see in our Gospel reading this week, that’s not often how God works.
In Sunday’s sermon, we dug into the story about Jesus’ first miracle at a wedding in Cana— a miracle that we might say is minor. But if we look more closely at the miracle and how Jesus does it, we see that it points to some important truths about God and our relationship with God and each other.
Key Points:
- Jesus doesn’t really do anything in the story. He tells the servants what to do, the servants do what he says, and suddenly what used to be water is now wine. There’s no flashy display. It just suddenly … is.
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Jesus makes so much of the very best wine to show us the fullness of God’s extravagant and abundant love. And that wine is given to ordinary people, living their ordinary lives, because God gives abundantly to everyone, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem to the rest of the world.
- The servants (who do the heavy lifting of carrying all that water and wine) are the only ones who really know and see what happens. But this sign of God’s abundant love doesn’t seem to change anything for the servants afterward. They probably went right back to serving without being able to participate in the wedding festivities themselves.
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But just because their outward circumstances didn’t change, that doesn’t mean they weren’t changed. God does God’s thing in God’s own way, and God is at work in the world in ways we can’t guess at or imagine.
- The beauty of the miracle of turning water into wine is that the servants get to participate in the miracle. The servants, unseen by the wedding guests, are the ones who make it happen.
- Meeting with God, even a meeting as brief as that of the servants and Jesus in this story, reminds us of who we are as children of God, which then nudges us into action. And it’s those actions, both big and small, that help bring that new life and new beginnings into the world.
- Just like the servants in the story, we get to participate in God’s work in the world, bringing God’s abundant love into the world, in both big and small ways.
For Your Reflection:
- Where in your life have you encountered God’s abundant and extravagant love for you? Who are the people in your life who have shown you the love of God, perhaps when you felt you didn’t deserve it?
- Where have you shown God’s love to others in your life? Did those experiences change you? If so, how?
- Where in the world do you see the need for God’s abundant love? Where might the Holy Spirit be calling you to show God’s love to the world?
My prayer for all of us this week is that we take time to feel the presence and love of God in our lives. May we pause just long enough to acknowledge the overflowing, abundant love that God has for us, our neighbors, and all of creation. May the Spirit open our eyes to see where we can share that love with the world, as well as where others share that love with us.
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Cancer Support Group Meets This Friday
Trinity's cancer support group meets this Friday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. in the Youth Room. If you or loved ones are dealing with cancer, please don't face it alone. We are here to support you! If you have any questions or want to learn more, please contact Linda Holtebeck at 715-412-1269.
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Annual Meeting 9:30am on Sunday, Jan. 30 |
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Mark your calendars for our annual congregational meeting, which will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 30. We will still have our 8 a.m. worship service, online as well as in person, and there will be Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. during the annual meeting.
At the annual meeting, we will vote on new leadership, consider the budget for 2022, vote on adopting proposed changes to our constitution and bylaws, and focus on other important business of the church.
The meeting will take place in the sanctuary. You can also join us via Zoom at tiny.cc/TLC22Meet or by calling 312-626-6799 and entering (Meeting ID) 825 1539 1610 and (Passcode) 025519. (If you call into the meeting by phone, you will unfortunately be unable to vote since we are using a ballot system that will only be available to those attending in person or via a video device.)
In advance of the meeting, Trinity's 2021 annual report is available in the Koinonia Room, outside the church office, or on our website at tiny.cc/TLC21Report.
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Constitution and Bylaws Updates |
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Souper Bowl of Caring
Trinity will once again participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring. From now until Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 13, you can bring cans of soup, other nonperishable food items, and monetary gifts to support the Waupaca Area Food Pantry. Food donations can be placed in the grocery cart by the main doors at Trinity.
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Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive coming soon! |
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Trinity will once again become a collection site for new hygiene and cleaning items to benefit local crisis agencies through The Family Radio’s annual Help for the Homeless hygiene drive, Feb. 13-March 6. You may also make a financial donation to Trinity for the purchase of supplies. Please note “Help for the Homeless” on the memo line.
Supplying these items to local shelters will help them direct their limited funds to providing qualified staff, counseling, food, and shelter to those they serve. Most urgently needed items are laundry soap, kitchen-size trash bags, shampoo, cleaning supplies, diapers, toilet tissue, and feminine care products. Your donations will remain in this community. These items are especially needed because Food Share (formerly Food Stamps) does not cover the cost of non-food items such as soap and diapers.
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Pastors Host ELCA Social Statement Discussion |
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Join Pastor Andy and Pastor Erin at 11 a.m. on Sundays through Feb. 20, to learn more about the ELCA's newest social statement, entitled "Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action." You can attend in person in the Multipurpose Room or on Zoom at tiny.cc/SocialStatement22.
Trinity is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and social statements are a way that we connect our faith with the world in which we live. Whether you can attend one session or all six, you are welcome as we learn more together about what it means to live out our faith and work for justice in the world. |
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Temporary Change to Trinity's Protective Protocols |
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With the extremely sharp rise in COVID-19 cases threatening to overwhelm our area's health-care system, Trinity's Church Council voted to return to making masks mandatory for everyone age 4 and up in the church building through Sunday, Jan. 30. While this is not what anyone had hoped for, this short-term measure is a way to care for our neighbors, especially those working in the health-care field.
Please remember:
- Trinity will continue to provide masks, including N95 respirators for optimal protection. We invite anyone interested to join those who have helped cover the cost with special donations.
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People should only attend in-person activities if they are feeling well. We urge you to stay home if you are feeling ill or have any symptoms of a virus. We also recommend that people who are unvaccinated or otherwise vulnerable to serious illness attend worship and other church activities virtually until the spike in COVID cases subsides.
- People are likewise urged to contact the church if they or family members test positive for COVID-19 after taking part in in-person church activities.
Trinity's Health Committee also strongly encourages vaccinations and boosters, particularly in the face of the Omicron variant. We recognize the serious public-health concerns that the pandemic presents, and we implore our church community to continue taking the safety of others into account while acting respectfully toward one another. Christ's commandment to love others as God loves us continues to guide us, and necessary changes to protocols will always be under consideration as circumstances change.
Trinity's leaders deeply appreciate your patience and cooperation with our congregation's protective policies. We continue to hold our church family, our surrounding area, and God's entire world in our prayers.
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Find Devotions and Other At-Home Resources |
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Trinity's website has a wealth of material, including links to devotion sites, on the At-Home Resources page.
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Worship in Person or at Home |
Join us for worship in person at Trinity, 206 E. Badger St., Sundays at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School at 9:30 a.m.; Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m.; and at 6 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month though February. Masking while inside the church building is required for everyone ages 4 and up.
Video worship services are LIVE on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on Trinity's YouTube channel.
You can listen to Trinity Time at 9:30 a.m. Sundays on Lakes 92.7 FM, WDUX.
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Please consider making your offerings to Trinity as follows:
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In person: Offer your gifts as you enter the sanctuary for worship.
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By mail: Send checks to Trinity Lutheran Church at 206 E. Badger St., Waupaca, WI 54981.
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By drop-off: Deposit offerings in the secure box just inside the south door nearest the church office. The office is open Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
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Online: Click the "Give Now" button below.
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Trinity Lutheran Church, Waupaca, Wis.
715-258-7688
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