Author: Kathy Erat

Trinity Lutheran Church

Newsletter
May 2022

1354 S. Otsego Ave. Gaylord, MI 49735 (989) 732-4816 www.trinitygaylord.com

Inside this issue

Daily Devotion	1
Birthdays & Anniversaries	2
Financial Report	2
Stephen Ministry	3
Osborn Fund	3
Cancer & Friends	3
Support for Ukraine	4
Bible Studies	4
Prayer Chain	4
Outreach Committee	4
Family Fare	5
Food Pantry	5
Kut-Ups	5
LWML	6
Letter to Members	7
Trinity Church Library	8
Church Personnel/Leaders	8
Prayer & Praises	8
Family Bowling night	9
Service Schedule	10
Church Calendar	111111111110

We live in an ever-changing world - one that, at times, just makes no sense. From natural disasters to terrorist attacks, hate crimes and unmentionable acts of violence, we get the in-depth report from every news outlet in the United States. And, we watch these special reports, trying to find some kind of reason for the craziness, some perfect explanation for why these things happen and who is responsible and how can we make a difference. And, while we will never get all the answers on this side of eternity, we know that as Christians, we are called to trust God, share His love and pray. Philippians 4:6 CSB says “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” With this passage in mind, let us pray…
Dear God,
As we face these uncertain times in our nation and the world, we ask you, Lord, to dwell among us. We are comforted by the knowledge that You alone are our Savior and Lord, and the ultimate Master of life. We trust our nation to Your loving care, Lord. Send Your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation’s leaders. Give them the wisdom to know what is right, and the courage to do it. Give us Your light and Your truth to guide us in our ways so that we may seek Your will in our lives and impact the world around us for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' Name we pray.
Amen

LOVE GOD
LOVE OTHERS
SERVE THE WORLD

NEWSLETTER
May 2022

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BIRTHDAYS

The following people have
May Birthdays:
5/4 Roger Raschke
5/4 Christopher Cox
5/8 Stacey Holzschu
5/9 Tom Trahin
5/10 Rita French
5/13 Karl Scheiterlein
5/16 Sharon Techel
5/19 Rachel Woideerski
5/20 Mischa Beyers
5/20 Mark Hull
5/20 Sharon Kato
5/21 Marge Kunisch
5/24 Sharon Kato
5/24 Dolores Mouch
5/26 Harold Armstrong
Happy Birthday !!!!!!

ANNIVERSARIES

The following people have May wedding anniversaries:
5/14 Harold & Nina Armstrong
4/22 Jon & Carla Elenz
5/22 Ron & Sharon Kwapis
5/28 Derrick & Rachael Woiderski
God’s blessings to all of you who celebrate your years of marriage!

FINANCIAL REPORT

The past month’s statistics report…
Date Attendance Offerings Special funds Reimbursements Total Deposit
3/27 67 $ 1,759.00 $ 45.00 $ 400.00 $ 1,804.00
4/3 76 $ 3,674.00 $ 600.00 $ $ 4,274.00
4/10 70 $ 7,195.00 $ 254.41 $ $ 7,449.41
*Mt. Hope Shared Expenses
The average weekly receipts needed to meet our 2020 budgeted expenses are $3,553.54.

NEWSLETTER
May 2022

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STEPHEN MINISTRY

WHO ARE STEPHEN MINISTERS?
The Stephen Ministers at Trinity and Mt. Hope churches are lay congregation members who have been trained to provide one-to-one Christian based care to those experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or relocation. Their meetings with their care receivers are confidential and there is no charge.
Stephen Ministers come from all walks of life, but they all share a passion for bringing Christ’s love and care to people during a time of need.
Since 1975, more than 600,000 people from more than 13,000 congregations and other organizations have been trained as Stephen Ministers. If you would like to learn more about Stephen Ministry or would like to have a Christian friend come to visit you on a regular basis, please see your Stephen Leader, Laurie Breen, or contact a pastor.

OSBORN FUND

Osborn Fund: We have a special fund called the Osborn Fund that helps provide financial assistance to members who may find themselves in some kind of need at Trinity Lutheran Church. This was created back in 1973 in loving memory of Royal Osborn, who was an Elder and active participant at Trinity. It has helped numerous people over the many years.
If you are in need: Please don't hesitate to contact our pastor or your Elder who will help you apply confidentially for assistance through this fund. Examples of assistance given in the past year include: help with rent payment, utility bills, propane gas, and car repairs.
If you are able to donate: The integrity of this fund depends upon donations from members who are able to give above and beyond their normal church offering. If you would like to give a special contribution in order to help your fellow brother or sister in Christ, this would be a good place to direct your funds. You may place your donation in an envelope at church and mark it "Osborn Fund" and place it in the offering plate. Many thanks!

CANCER & FRIENDS SUPPORT GROUP

Cancer & Friends the forth Tuesday of each month at 5:30pm in Trinity’s Fellowship Hall. Please remember this support group is not just for cancer patients it is also for family, friends, cargivers, and etc. For more information You can call or contact Elaine Raschke by email elaineraschke@gmail.com , you can also call or text at 989-350-4391.
Some of our upcoming speakers are Jake from OCCOA Finance Advisor, May 24th Wanita Morrison-Cheboygan Cancer Center, June 28th Dona Wishart OCCOA, July 26th Karen Darner Essential oils—Christmas in July, Wanda from OCCOA Food presentation hands on, and other presenters.
WE ARE HERE FOR EACH OTHER

NEWSLETTER
May 2022

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SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

The LCMS Office of International Mission is currently working with five partner churches to help refugees from this conflict. To support the people of Ukraine, please pray for them. If you desire to contribute to their needs, there are three ways to donate: Text LCMSUKRAINE to 41-444; Give online; or call 888.930.4438.

BIBLE STUDIES

Sunday morning bible study with Dr. Tom Beach is at 10:30 am after the church service.
Wednesday morning bible study w/Rev. Ken Bernthal is at
10 am in the fellowship hall.

PRAYER CHAIN

Stay In Touch: Here easy ways that you can stay in touch with what's going on at church if you're not already! Trinity has a Prayer Chain email that includes special requests from our members. This is a great way to support one another in holy prayer. Please email Elaine in the office if you're interested in being on these email lists.
If you interested in having the prayers phoned to you please let Elaine know. This is mainly for those who are not on the computer.

OUTREACH COMMITTEE

The Board of Outreach has some Committee openings, if you feel you would like to help please come to the meeting on June 1st at 1pm., in the library or fellowship hall. We will explain what all Outreach does. If you are interested please contact Elaine in the office or Jennifer Martin. Please take the time to pray about this and see if this is one way God is leading you.
Look forward to seeing you there.

NEWSLETTER
May 2022

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FAMILY FARE

The total count as of this newsletter is 116,606. We need only 33,394 more points. Ask friends and family to contribute their Family Fare sales receipts to you, bring them in and let's meet our goal of 150,000 this year.

FOOD PANTRY

A collection box for non-perishable foods is in the Fellowship Hall. Trinity will be working the pantry on Friday, May 6, from 11:45 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. at the United Way building. The list is on the wall across from the office. Five workers are needed each day. Please sign up.
TEFAP remember that there will be a food giveaway on March 17th at Otsego County United Way parking lot 116 E. First St. from 10am to 1pm.

KUT-UPS

Mark your calendars as Kut-Ups will meet again on Monday, May 2nd and the 16th. We meet from 10:00 a.m. till about 2:00 p.m. and enjoy lunch at noon . We do not meet during the summer months but there are squares to sew into tops if you wish to sew at home. Even if you don't sew, you could help by ironing, designing the blocks, or tying the finished quilt. Trinity ladies have not only donated quilts to Lutheran World Relief, but we also give some to our local hospital for end of life patients. Your help is appreciated.

NEWSLETTER
May 2022

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LWML NEWS

LWML SPRING RALLY
Please sign up for the Spring LWML Rally by May 1 so we can let them know how many to plan for. Also, indicate if you would like to carpool from church. We will be meeting at church at 8:40. LWML ZONE RALLY is at Mt. Hope, Grayling on Saturday, May 7, 10am. Ann Hume of God’s Children Haiti will be the guest speaker. Ann has a great story and is worth hearing. Ladies, mark the date on your calendars, and watch our church bulletins for further details.
Hope we see you all there
LWML WOMEN FOR CHRIST ELECTION OF OFFICERS is coming up in May. Trinity’s LWML group offices elected this year are Treasurer and Vice President. This takes place in May. If you are interested in running for one of these offices, please let Carla Elenz know, phone 989-390-1305.
LWML SUMMER POP-UP CRAFT SALES: LWML plans to have occasional mini craft sales this summer. With short notice we will set up a few canopies in the front yard and offer our crafts for sale, with the profits designated for missions, both locally and throughout the world. Dates have yet to be determined. So crafters, please get thinking about what handmade items you can prepare in advance for us to sell. We welcome and appreciate your donations.
The LWML April meeting included some dessert wine sampling. It was fun and interesting!
A couple weeks ago, we made an appeal for everyone to donate $1 towards mites to reach our mite goal for this biennium and to help celebrate LWML's 80th birthday. You all responded and we met our goal of $80 (and a little more). Here is what 80 dollars looks like. Praise the Lord!

NEWSLETTER
May 2022

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LETTER TO MEMBERS

Dear Members and Friends of Trinity,
Praise God for Easter Sunday’s joyful worship as we celebrated the resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
We, the Trinity Board of Elders, want to thank the choir and their Director (Dr. Tom Beach) and our trumpeter, Rich Wagner, for their musical contribution in the service. Also, we want to thank the Altar Care for the beautification of the sanctuary. Praise be to God!
We are sending this communication to announce a change concerning the serving of Holy Communion starting on Sunday, May 1, 2022. It has been discussed for several months and finally in April’s Elders’ Meeting it was decided that we should go back to our tradition of serving Communion at the service rails. We based our decision on most restrictions being dropped and that several congregations in our synod have gone back to serving Communion at the rail for many weeks now.
We will continue to serve the alcohol and nonalcoholic individual cups only (no common cup) with the unleavened and gluten-free wafers. Concerning masks, as is the current policy we leave that up to you to decide. Also, if you do have flu-like symptoms, we encourage you to stay home until you are well.
We believe this will draw us closer together as the Body of Christ Jesus.
In His Service,
The Board of Elders Dear Members and Friends of Trinity,
The Board of Elders

NEWSLETTER
May 2022

TRINITY CHURCH LIBRARY

Our church library has a LOT of great reading material to share with you! There are biblical reference books, inspirational readings, children’s books, and interesting Christian novels with a religious dimension. Wander in, take a look at our shelves (across from the church office), and feel free to sign out a book in the red spiral binder. Please mark in the sign-out book when you return it, as well.

PRAYERS AND PRAISES

Our God is a great God! We thank and praise Him for…
Continuing care of our congregation & our pastors during our pastoral vacancy;
People who tirelessly carry on with the tasks God has given them to move our church forward in His mission;
For the opportunity to be able to openly pray to our father.
The gift of His Word to guide us along life’s path, which ultimately leads us to our eternal life with Him.
Oh Lord, you have given us so much! Please grant us one thing more—a grateful heart!.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Our policy for bad weather is to cancel all activities when the schools are closed. Worship Services are very seldom cancelled unless you are notified by email or a phone call.

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2022 Church Personnel/Leaders
Pastor Paul Schneider
Pastor Ken Bernthal
Elaine Raschke, Secretary (989) 732-4816
E-mail: secretary@trinitygaylord.com
Church Council
President Bob Erat
Vice President Tim Arner
Secretary Kathy Erat
Board of Education Nancy Ely
Board of Outreach Elaine Raschke
Jennifer Martin
Board of Properties Roger Raschke
Board of Stewardship Jack Udebrock
Treasurer Mark Mohr
Assistant Kathy Erat
Financial Secretary Joann Whitney Member at Large Jim Kunisch
Member at Large Donna Cottrell
Event/Communication Coordinator
Tina Van Til
Elders
Head Elder Tim Arner
Wally Beasinger
Asst. Head Elder Ken Mertz
Paul Schneider
Glenn Smith
Other Leaders
Stephen Ministry Laurie Breen
Sunday School Superintendent
Sharon Techel
Vacation Bible School Nancy Ely
Youth Director Dave Beyers
Staci Brown
Adventures in Faith Carla Elenz
Children’s Church Marge Kunisch
Helen VanDusen
Cancer & Friends Elaine Raschke
Choir Director Tom Beach
Organ/Piano Tom/Jean Beach
Library Laura Beach
Kut-Ups Donna Cottrell
Nehemiah Group Roger Raschke
Altar Guild Co-Chairpersons
Judi Stutzman
Karen Schneider
Ladies Guild
President Elaine Raschke
Secretary Sharon Kwapis
Treasurer Karen Schneider
LWML “Women for Christ”
President Carla Elenz
Vice President Tina Van Til
Secretary Marge Kunisch
Treasurer Kathy Erat

Family Bowling and Pizza Night

Stacey Buchinger took pictures for us. We had 39 Trinity members and friends in attendance. All ages were well represented. The pizza was delicious and the beverages were abundant! Everyone had a great time!
Nancy

We'll have another Bowling Event in the Fall.

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DATE	TIME	ELDER	USHERS	GREETERS	COFFEE SERVERS	COUNTERS	ALTAR CARE	CHILDREN’S / TALK
5/1	9:00 am	Ken / Mertz	Wally & / Pam / Beasinger	Greg & / Sharon / Techel		Ric / Francis, / Sharon / Kwapis	Linda / West	Nancy / Ely
5/8	9:00 am	Tim / Arner	Risa / Sherman, / Linda / West	Bob & / Kathy / Erat	LWML	Donna / Cottrell, / Leslie / Martin	Jeanine / Boldrey	Nancy / Ely
5/15	9:00 am	Wally / Beasinger, / Ron / Tesolin	Roger / Raschke, / Mike / Goodrich	Beyers / Family		Nancy / Ely, / Karl / Scheiterlein	Donna / Cottrell	Nancy / Ely
5/22	9:00 am	Tim / Arner	Joann & / Larry / Whitney	Appold / Family		Janet / Arner, / Kathy / Erat	Ann / Mertz	Nancy / Ely
5/29	9:00 am	Ken / Mertz	Jim & / Marge / Kunisch	John & / Judi / Stutzman		Larry / Whitney, / Wendell / Smith	Judi / Stutzman	Nancy / Ely

Jim K. Kathy E. Nancy E. Joann W. Judi S. Nancy E

April 2022 Service Schedule

(Continued from page #)