The Trinity Trumpet Newsletter

From Pastor: (Please read 2 Kings 5:1-16)

There’s a story about a man who went to his doctor complaining about terrible neck pains, headaches, shortness of breath, blurred vision and recurring dizzy spells. He went and saw a doctor and unfortunately the doctor told him, “I’m afraid I have bad news for you. You only have six months to live.”

After the initial shock of the doctor’s statement wore off, and after going through denial and anger, the man decided that he would spend his remaining time enjoying himself. He quit his job, bought an expensive sports car and decided that he would purchase a dozen, fine tailored suits.

He went into the tailor’s shop to have himself fitted for these suits and shirts and the tailor took his measurements. When he measured his neck the tailor said aloud, “Neck. Size 16.”

“Wait a second,” the man said. “I’ve always been a size 14 neck, and that is what I want my shirts to be.”

The tailor replied, “But sir, the measurement calls for a size 16 neck.”

But the man was insistent and said, “I don’t care what your tape measure says. I wear a size 14 neck.”

And so, in frustration, the tailor replied: “All right, fine! I’ll do it for you. But don’t come back complaining to me when you start having terrible neck pains, headaches, blurred vision and dizzy spells!”

The cure that was needed for that man was something as simple as changing the size of his shirts. All that stood in the way was his pride and his stubbornness. And I think that we see much the same thing happen to Naaman in 2 Kings 5.

Naaman is powerful and important man, a mighty general for the nation of Syria. He has led their country to many victories and, in the process, has come into great favor with the king. He is a man who is used to being in command and used to getting his way.

But when we pick up the story in 2 kings 5, he has been struck down with leprosy – a terrible disease that in almost every society and every culture throughout history has led the afflicted into becoming an outcast.

This powerful, prestigious general suddenly has had his life pulled out from under him by this disease. He’d always been in control and now it feels like everything is out of control.

And in the middle of his situation, a young slave girl encourages him to seek the Lord by going to a prophet who is in Israel. And when Naaman comes to Elisha to receive a word from the Lord, his pride almost gets in the way of his opportunity to be made whole.

Naaman is told to go and wash in the River Jordan. This is almost like if the President went to the doctor and the receptionist told him, “The doctor says you should take two aspirin and call him in the morning.” Naaman expects something more, something bigger. There’s no chanting, no magic incantations, no fireworks – just go wash in the river? His pride is insulted.

But another servant encourages him to trust the words that were given to him, and Naaman does respond. He is washed in the river and is made whole again.

I can't help thinking of the similarities between the account Namaan and the season of the Church year we are currently in, Epiphany. Epiphany lies between the two great festival cycles of the year; Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter.

Epiphany is marked by cold weather and low church activity. The excitement of Christmas is past, the grandeur of Easter is yet to come. People are tired, cold, and wracked by the winter-time "blahs." At this time of year, we are tempted to ask with Namaan, "is this all there is....?" "Is this all there is to life?" "Is this all there is to faith?" "What difference does it all make?"

And yet, Epiphany really has an important message for us. Christ was born to die, but not only to die. He was also born to live - with us and for us. He, too, experienced the desperation of temptation, the agony of loneliness, the frustration of fruitless work as people came to benefit from His miracles but then ignored His Words.

Is this not the central message of Christianity? We could not raise ourselves to God so He had to come to us, to live for us, all of life - the good and the bad, except that He did not sin. Because we could never be holy, He became sin for us and died for us, bearing our guilt in His body to the cross.

When Zwingli and Luther argued over the real presence of Christ's body and blood in communion, one of the stumbling blocks for Zwingli was that, for him, worship was about us lifting our spirit to heaven by glorifying God. For him, the physical flesh and blood of Christ residing in bread and wine could not accomplish such a feat. "Flesh benefits nothing" he misquoted Scripture. But Luther understood that faith and worship are not about lifting ourselves to God. Rather, God stoops down to us. Luther, therefore, had no trouble accepting that Christ would deign to physically join His body, which had died upon the cross, to our bodies, through the eating and drinking of His physical body and blood in communion.

Epiphany reminds us of the same thing. The wonder of Christmas and Easter are glorious indeed. But God works just as powerfully throughout the "blah" seasons of the year in His everyday means of grace. Just as He could use the muddy waters of the Jordan to heal, He uses the simply means of Word, water and wine to strengthen our faith in Him - always. This is the great love of God, that He loves us not only when our praise is glorious and our hearts are joyful. He loves us and blesses us with His means of grace just as much when our wits are dull and our praises stumble. For our God is a God who loves in every season and circumstance.

Therefore, in this season of Epiphany, we praise and thank god for His marvelous and unwavering love - at all times!

Please join our Youth for our Mystery Dinner fundraiser. What is a mystery dinner? Well, if we told you it wouldn't be a mystery. But we can tell you it is a lot of fun. So join us after Church on Febuary 20th for some laughs and a good meal. Cost: Free Will donation.

75th Anniversary: Trinity celebrated our 75th anniversary this last year. Our celebration was held in two parts. In July we enjoyed a hog roast/VBS kickoff picnic. In September we held a special service of thanksgiving and a dinner. We know many of our friends were unable to attend but you can find pictures of the events at our Flickr page and an abbreviated version of the "Memories of Trinity" video shown after the dinner below. We, once again, thank all who made this celebration special.

Thank you especially to all who helped donate to our special thanksgiving mission offering. With a little help from Thrivent we reached our goal of $3000.00 for Camp Io-Dis-E-CA

Sacred Head Now Wounded: Lent begins March 9th this year. The season of Lent is marched by penitential reflection of the Lord's Passion and prayerful anticipation of His victory over the grave. To help us in our Lenten meditation this year, our Lenten services will center on the theme, "Sacred Head Now Wounded," based on the hymn of the same name. Translated from the Latin into German in 1656 by Paul Gerhardt and then into English in 1830, this hymn is one of the most powerful and best loved of all the Lenten hymns. We will consider the wounds we inflict upon our Lord through our acts of betrayal, apathy, denial and mockery. Yet the ultimate message is one of healing and joy as we proclaim the good news that in Jesus' wounds we have forgiveness and eternal life. Lenten Services begin Ash Wednesday at 7:00 and will continue every Wednesday until Holy Week. For more information see our Seasonal Resources page.

Throughout the week we have several opportunities for adult Bible study.

To Look Forward To: In April Concordia Publishing is releasing a Bible Study series based on 52 favorite hymns. "Best-Loved Hymns of the Church" examines the biblical foundation and the compelling stories behind the creation of 52 Christian hymns found in most denominational and armed service hymnals today. Loaded with marvelous evangelical and scriptural truths, these hymns draw us to praise our gracious Savior and Redeemer. Each study will begin by listening to the hymn beautifully and professionally played on the Schlicker pipe organ in Kramer Chapel at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. There will also be a coordinated devotional book for those who wish to order it. We will begin using this series for Sunday morning adult Bible study after Easter.

Sunday mornings at 8:45: A wise and powerful king. A magnificent temple and palace. Moral weakness and spiritual corruption. The splitting of a dynasty. Weak and ineffective rulers. Attempts at reform. National ruin and regret. Foreign invasion. And then? This story is not the creation of a brilliant writer of contemporary fiction, it is the true record of God's Old Testament people, a record inspired by the Holy Spirit. 1st and 2nd Kings are two books of the Bible often overlooked. Yet they are important for understanding the prophets and their predictions of the coming Savior. As we study the books of 1st and 2nd Kings, we will see:

how the world can allure us away from heavenly blessings;
how God goes to great lengths to redeem His people;
that in spite of their disobedience, God keeps His promises through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Wednesday Evening 6:00PM: Using the Catechism, Bible, Lutheranism 101 and Christ Have Mercy by Rev Harrison, we are reviewing the basics of our Christians faith from a uniquely Lutheran perspective. Have your forgotten what you learned in confirmation class? Do you remember what you learned but sometimes wonder how it applies to life today? Join us for this in-depth review of the principles and application of our faith.

Thursday Morning Men's Bible Study: Real Men. Real Stories. Real Savior. Men, take this journey together through "Blessed Is the Man" to discover how Christ your Savior builds your character and integrity through His Word. You will read real stories from other men sharing how they deal with the realities of daily life and the challenges and opportunities they face. This study on selected Psalms will help you live out the greatest adventure every man is given: a life rooted in God’s Word and anchored in blessings of Christ. Join us at the South HyVee deli at 6:30 am for breakfast, fellowship and study.

Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca: The snow continues to pile higher . As this is written, temperatures are below zero, so it’s a great time to think about summer! Registrations for the 2011 are now open. Now is the time to register to reserve your place in the fun-filled week of your choice at camp this summer . The summer theme is “Living and Active.”

The Word of God is living and active… (Hebrews 4:12)

The Word of God always accomplishes what it is sent to do. When God speaks He creates, as in Genesis. The saving Gospel message of Jesus living, dying, and rising for the sins of the world is brought to us by the Word of God and calls all to repentance, delivers forgiveness, and creates faith in their hearts. Using the same Word, God keeps one’s heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Truly the Word of God is Living and Active!

Campers will enjoy all-camp games like Eagles’ Nest and Dare Base, feast on fabulous food, slide down the 70-foot long “Io-Dis-E-Ca Highway”, ride horses, climb the tower , play the life-sized Foosball game, canoe, and much more. It will be another great summer at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca! You may register by mail (pick up a form at the Church), by phone, or online at www.campiodiseca.org.

Summer Staff: Are you a college student interested in an exciting, challenging, and memory-filled summer as a camp counselor? We are now accepting applications for our 2011 summer staff. In addition to our counselors, we will employ several students who are interested in serving as support staff. These individuals will receive counselor training, live on camp, and participate in all camp activities as they serve in a variety of support positions. Students interesting in working at camp as a counselor or in a support position should contact Daniel Sanchez for more information at Daniel@campiodiseca.org.

Be sure to check out the new Q and A on our Resources page: "What about Free Will?"

Announcing: A Day of Theological Reflection
February 19th
9:30 AM to 2:30 PM with
Rev. Joel Biermann, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis
at Saint John's Lutheran Church, Marengo
"Living in the Two Kinds of Righteousness"

We have new sign-up lists for Altar Guild duties, Ushers and Greeters. Please sign up for your turn to help make our church a friendly, beautiful and welcoming place of worship.



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The Trinity Trumpet Newsletter From Pastor: (Please read 2 Kings 5:1-16) There’s a story about a man who went to his doctor complaining about terrible neck pains, headaches, shortness of breath, blurred vision and recurring dizzy spells. He went and saw a doctor and unfortunately the doctor told him, “I’m afraid I have bad news for you. You only have six months to live.” After the initial shock of the doctor’s statement wore off, and after going through denial and anger, the man decided that he would spend his remaining time enjoying himself. He quit his job, bought an expensive sports car and decided that he would purchase a dozen, fine tailored suits. He went into the tailor’s shop to have himself fitted for these suits and shirts and the tailor took his measurements. When he measured his neck the tailor said aloud, “Neck. Size 16.” “Wait a second,” the man said. “I’ve always been a size 14 neck, and that is what I want my shirts to be.” The tailor replied, “But sir, the measurement calls for a size 16 neck.” But the man was insistent and said, “I don’t care what your tape measure says. I wear a size 14 neck.” And so, in frustration, the tailor replied: “All right, fine! I’ll do it for you. But don’t come back complaining to me when you start having terrible neck pains, headaches, blurred vision and dizzy spells!” The cure that was needed for that man was something as simple as changing the size of his shirts. All that stood in the way was his pride and his stubbornness. And I think that we see much the same thing happen to Naaman in 2 Kings 5. Naaman is powerful and important man, a mighty general for the nation of Syria. He has led their country to many victories and, in the process, has come into great favor with the king. He is a man who is used to being in command and used to getting his way. But when we pick up the story in 2 kings 5, he has been struck down with leprosy – a terrible disease that in almost every society and every culture throughout history has led the afflicted into becoming an outcast. This powerful, prestigious general suddenly has had his life pulled out from under him by this disease. He’d always been in control and now it feels like everything is out of control. And in the middle of his situation, a young slave girl encourages him to seek the Lord by going to a prophet who is in Israel. And when Naaman comes to Elisha to receive a word from the Lord, his pride almost gets in the way of his opportunity to be made whole. Naaman is told to go and wash in the River Jordan. This is almost like if the President went to the doctor and the receptionist told him, “The doctor says you should take two aspirin and call him in the morning.” Naaman expects something more, something bigger. There’s no chanting, no magic incantations, no fireworks – just go wash in the river? His pride is insulted. But another servant encourages him to trust the words that were given to him, and Naaman does respond. He is washed in the river and is made whole again. I can't help thinking of the similarities between the account Namaan and the season of the Church year we are currently in, Epiphany. Epiphany lies between the two great festival cycles of the year; Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. Epiphany is marked by cold weather and low church activity. The excitement of Christmas is past, the grandeur of Easter is yet to come. People are tired, cold, and wracked by the winter-time "blahs." At this time of year, we are tempted to ask with Namaan, "is this all there is....?" "Is this all there is to life?" "Is this all there is to faith?" "What difference does it all make?" And yet, Epiphany really has an important message for us. Christ was born to die, but not only to die. He was also born to live - with us and for us. He, too, experienced the desperation of temptation, the agony of loneliness, the frustration of fruitless work as people came to benefit from His miracles but then ignored His Words. Is this not the central message of Christianity? We could not raise ourselves to God so He had to come to us, to live for us, all of life - the good and the bad, except that He did not sin. Because we could never be holy, He became sin for us and died for us, bearing our guilt in His body to the cross. When Zwingli and Luther argued over the real presence of Christ's body and blood in communion, one of the stumbling blocks for Zwingli was that, for him, worship was about us lifting our spirit to heaven by glorifying God. For him, the physical flesh and blood of Christ residing in bread and wine could not accomplish such a feat. "Flesh benefits nothing" he misquoted Scripture. But Luther understood that faith and worship are not about lifting ourselves to God. Rather, God stoops down to us. Luther, therefore, had no trouble accepting that Christ would deign to physically join His body, which had died upon the cross, to our bodies, through the eating and drinking of His physical body and blood in communion. Epiphany reminds us of the same thing. The wonder of Christmas and Easter are glorious indeed. But God works just as powerfully throughout the "blah" seasons of the year in His everyday means of grace. Just as He could use the muddy waters of the Jordan to heal, He uses the simply means of Word, water and wine to strengthen our faith in Him - always. This is the great love of God, that He loves us not only when our praise is glorious and our hearts are joyful. He loves us and blesses us with His means of grace just as much when our wits are dull and our praises stumble. For our God is a God who loves in every season and circumstance. Therefore, in this season of Epiphany, we praise and thank god for His marvelous and unwavering love - at all times! Please join our Youth for our Mystery Dinner fundraiser. What is a mystery dinner? Well, if we told you it wouldn't be a mystery. But we can tell you it is a lot of fun. So join us after Church on Febuary 20th for some laughs and a good meal. Cost: Free Will donation. 75th Anniversary: Trinity celebrated our 75th anniversary this last year. Our celebration was held in two parts. In July we enjoyed a hog roast/VBS kickoff picnic. In September we held a special service of thanksgiving and a dinner. We know many of our friends were unable to attend but you can find pictures of the events at our Flickr page and an abbreviated version of the "Memories of Trinity" video shown after the dinner below. We, once again, thank all who made this celebration special. Thank you especially to all who helped donate to our special thanksgiving mission offering. With a little help from Thrivent we reached our goal of $3000.00 for Camp Io-Dis-E-CA Sacred Head Now Wounded: Lent begins March 9th this year. The season of Lent is marched by penitential reflection of the Lord's Passion and prayerful anticipation of His victory over the grave. To help us in our Lenten meditation this year, our Lenten services will center on the theme, "Sacred Head Now Wounded," based on the hymn of the same name. Translated from the Latin into German in 1656 by Paul Gerhardt and then into English in 1830, this hymn is one of the most powerful and best loved of all the Lenten hymns. We will consider the wounds we inflict upon our Lord through our acts of betrayal, apathy, denial and mockery. Yet the ultimate message is one of healing and joy as we proclaim the good news that in Jesus' wounds we have forgiveness and eternal life. Lenten Services begin Ash Wednesday at 7:00 and will continue every Wednesday until Holy Week. For more information see our Seasonal Resources page. Throughout the week we have several opportunities for adult Bible study. To Look Forward To: In April Concordia Publishing is releasing a Bible Study series based on 52 favorite hymns. "Best-Loved Hymns of the Church" examines the biblical foundation and the compelling stories behind the creation of 52 Christian hymns found in most denominational and armed service hymnals today. Loaded with marvelous evangelical and scriptural truths, these hymns draw us to praise our gracious Savior and Redeemer. Each study will begin by listening to the hymn beautifully and professionally played on the Schlicker pipe organ in Kramer Chapel at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. There will also be a coordinated devotional book for those who wish to order it. We will begin using this series for Sunday morning adult Bible study after Easter. Sunday mornings at 8:45: A wise and powerful king. A magnificent temple and palace. Moral weakness and spiritual corruption. The splitting of a dynasty. Weak and ineffective rulers. Attempts at reform. National ruin and regret. Foreign invasion. And then? This story is not the creation of a brilliant writer of contemporary fiction, it is the true record of God's Old Testament people, a record inspired by the Holy Spirit. 1st and 2nd Kings are two books of the Bible often overlooked. Yet they are important for understanding the prophets and their predictions of the coming Savior. As we study the books of 1st and 2nd Kings, we will see: how the world can allure us away from heavenly blessings; how God goes to great lengths to redeem His people; that in spite of their disobedience, God keeps His promises through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Wednesday Evening 6:00PM: Using the Catechism, Bible, Lutheranism 101 and Christ Have Mercy by Rev Harrison, we are reviewing the basics of our Christians faith from a uniquely Lutheran perspective. Have your forgotten what you learned in confirmation class? Do you remember what you learned but sometimes wonder how it applies to life today? Join us for this in-depth review of the principles and application of our faith. Thursday Morning Men's Bible Study: Real Men. Real Stories. Real Savior. Men, take this journey together through "Blessed Is the Man" to discover how Christ your Savior builds your character and integrity through His Word. You will read real stories from other men sharing how they deal with the realities of daily life and the challenges and opportunities they face. This study on selected Psalms will help you live out the greatest adventure every man is given: a life rooted in God’s Word and anchored in blessings of Christ. Join us at the South HyVee deli at 6:30 am for breakfast, fellowship and study. Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca: The snow continues to pile higher . As this is written, temperatures are below zero, so it’s a great time to think about summer! Registrations for the 2011 are now open. Now is the time to register to reserve your place in the fun-filled week of your choice at camp this summer . The summer theme is “Living and Active.” The Word of God is living and active… (Hebrews 4:12) The Word of God always accomplishes what it is sent to do. When God speaks He creates, as in Genesis. The saving Gospel message of Jesus living, dying, and rising for the sins of the world is brought to us by the Word of God and calls all to repentance, delivers forgiveness, and creates faith in their hearts. Using the same Word, God keeps one’s heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Truly the Word of God is Living and Active! Campers will enjoy all-camp games like Eagles’ Nest and Dare Base, feast on fabulous food, slide down the 70-foot long “Io-Dis-E-Ca Highway”, ride horses, climb the tower , play the life-sized Foosball game, canoe, and much more. It will be another great summer at Camp Io-Dis-E-Ca! You may register by mail (pick up a form at the Church), by phone, or online at www.campiodiseca.org. Summer Staff: Are you a college student interested in an exciting, challenging, and memory-filled summer as a camp counselor? We are now accepting applications for our 2011 summer staff. In addition to our counselors, we will employ several students who are interested in serving as support staff. These individuals will receive counselor training, live on camp, and participate in all camp activities as they serve in a variety of support positions. Students interesting in working at camp as a counselor or in a support position should contact Daniel Sanchez for more information at Daniel@campiodiseca.org. Be sure to check out the new Q and A on our Resources page: "What about Free Will?" Announcing: A Day of Theological Reflection February 19th 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM with Rev. Joel Biermann, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis at Saint John's Lutheran Church, Marengo "Living in the Two Kinds of Righteousness" We have new sign-up lists for Altar Guild duties, Ushers and Greeters. Please sign up for your turn to help make our church a friendly, beautiful and welcoming place of worship.
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The Trinity Trumpet Newsletter