Current Newsletter
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Trinity Lutheran Church
433 S. Winstead avenue
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
(252) 443-7462
Identity Statement:
With God We Can!
The Joyful Noise
NOVEMBER 2024
This month’s highlights
Sundays, November 3-24 Sunday School
9:00 am
Sundays, November 3-24 Worship
10:00 am
Sunday, November 10 Council Meeting
After worship
Tuesday, November 12 Book Group
11:00 am
Sunday, November 17 Annual Congregation Meeting and Thanksgiving Meal
After worship
Thursday, November 28 Thanksgiving
Office Closed
Saturday, November 30 Prepare Sanctuary for Advent
10:00 am
Sunday, December 1 Poinsettia Orders Due
Sunday, December 1 Gifts for Children in Foster Care are due
Sunday, December 15 Payment for Poinsettia Orders are due
Sundays, December 1-22 Sundays of Advent
Wednesdays, December 4-18 Mid-Week Advent Service
Sunday, December 15 Payment for Poinsettias due
Please read articles in the newsletter for more information about ministry opportunities offered here at
Trinity Lutheran Church during November and December.
Please accept the invitation to participate.
be safe, be kind.
Pastor: Rev. Alice Johnson-Curl
pastortlc@trinityrm.org 252-443-7462
Administrative Assistant:
officetlc@trinityrm.org 252-443-7462
From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The king will stand as a shelter from high winds, provide safe cover
in stormy weather.
Isaiah 32:2, The Message
I’m writing this letter in the last weeks of what has been a contentious national campaign cycle, looking forward to the after time when the abrasive TV and print ads stop, praying that as election results are announced there is (at least a glimmer of) civility and perhaps healing and renewal and even hope that we might work together to restore community.
Post November 5, what words will we speak to our brothers and sisters – members of our families, those with whom we share worship, folks we know, strangers – some who will find reason to celebrate their candidates being elected, others who will mourn the losses of their candidates?
Perhaps we might speak without words, instead speak with quiet presence. We can gently provide safe space for each other, especially for those who lament, who are afraid, who are unsure as their expectations and dreams have been shattered. As people called to be the presence of Christ, we can listen as they share their stories.
We remind ourselves that through times of high winds and stormy weather, whether felt in the ravages of hurricanes or vitriol of the past months, God is always the Source of shelter and safe cover. And as God’s people, we offer holy shelter and safe cover to brothers and sisters who need rescue from storms of life.
Thank you for your partnership in ministry.
You continue in my prayers.
Breathe peace,
Pastor Alice
May Your Table Be Blessed! As you gather on Thanksgiving Day and offer thanks to God for the gracious gifts of food and shelter and fellowship, please also remember our brothers and sisters who are alone and hungry and homeless, those in places where there is war, those still struggling to recover from hurricanes, those who feel there is no one to pray for them.
Please include in your prayers our members, relatives, and friends who have requested our prayers:
for people and land threatened by or recovering from recent weather events especially Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton and the flood in Spain, for our brothers and sisters who have no shelter, for all communities wounded by violence especially Ukraine and the Middle East, and for those who feel there is no one to pray for them.
If you have added a name to the prayer list, please contact
Pastor Alice and share an update regarding the person.
Names will be rotated off the list every 30 days. Thank you.
Pray for Our Troops
Words of Appreciation
Thank you to everybody who has given time and effort in assembling bulletins and newsletters in October! We are truly blessed by your partnership in ministry.
Rev. Pastor Curl and Trinity Congregation,
I want to thank you all for your kindness and thoughtfulness at this time of grief. Your friendship I will cherish always. You are in my nightly prayers. May God’s peace and blessings be with you all.
Sincerely,
A Congregation Member
Dear Beloved of Trinity,
Sending a huge hug and big thank you for the gracious kindness shown to me for Pastor’s Appreciation! Your generous gift to the spa will be used to help me relax. The pastel sketch of a Rose of Sharon is held in my heart. The card with your signatures is a gentle touch. Thank you and thank you again! I am most blessed of all pastors to be here with you! You are always in my prayers.
Breathe peace,
Pastor Alice
Love Meals A reminder that the 1st Sunday of every month is designated as Love Meals Sunday. Please bring non-perishable food items to share with folks in our community who struggle to provide food for their families. The bucket is under the side table in the Gathering Space. Thanks!
With God We Can! The 12th season of this canning/freezing ministry has ended. This year 764 quarts of produce were shared with Peacemakers and the Salvation Army. While this is not as much as most years, please remember that August brought severe loss to the zucchini and squash crops. And still, the work of the hands of all who are partners in this ministry helped feed many of our brothers and sisters in Rocky Mount. Thank you for your participation and support of this amazing ministry. This congregation continues to be a faithful witness of our identity statement – With God We Can!
Sunday School classes are available for all ages. Classes meet at 9:00 am. Come and be part of this opportunity of learning ang growing together. There’s room for everyone! Thanks!
Book Group meets on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 11:00 am. Come and join this time of great conversation! Looking forward, we have
November 12: The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote
December 10: Old Christmas by Washington Irving
All are welcome.
Lutheran Disaster Response
Recovery Update from Hurricane Helene
A BIG thank you to everybody who helped provide and prepare clean-up buckets and children’s comfort kits! On Thursday, October 31, 2024, our contribution of 6 buckets and 7 kits was picked up to be delivered to Good Shepherd, Raleigh, which along with the many other buckets and kits from our conference, will be taken to the LDR site in Western North Carolina. Please consider contributing a monetary gift in support of Lutheran Disaster Response to help provide immediate relief, such as water, clothing, gift cards, tarps and other needs. Since many hurricanes also require a long-term response, Lutheran Disaster Response provides support on the long road to recovery with disaster case management, construction management, unmet needs, and emotional and spiritual care. Write checks payable to Trinity Lutheran Church with LDR in the memo line. 100% of contributions go to direct service. Please keep our brothers and sisters who still try to recover and those who assist them in your prayers. Thank you.
Christ the King worship will be celebrated on Sunday, November 24, 2024. This is the traditional end of the Church year. Come and join in praising the King of Kings! Thank you.
On Thursday, November 28, 2024, the office will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving.
Please mark your calendar
for these ministry opportunities
Christmas Poinsettias A form is available on the back cover of the newsletter (and available to the right of the Newsletter page on the website) for your use to order poinsettias to adorn the chancel on the Christmas Eve. Please submit completed forms to the church office by Sunday, November 24, 2024. Payment is due by Sunday, December 15, 2024. Thank you!
Decorating the Sanctuary On Saturday, November 30, 2024 everyone is invited to gather at 10:00 am to help prepare the Sanctuary for Advent and Christmas – decorate the Chrismon tree; place candles and greens in the Sanctuary windows; prepare the Advent wreath; change paraments. For more information, please talk with a council member or call the church office (252-443-7462). Those interested in participating are asked to sign up by Sunday, November 24; a sign-up sheet is available on the table in the Gathering Space. Thanks!
Trinity Will Sponsor Five Children in Foster Care with Christmas Gifts. The gift cards are available on the table in the Gathering Space. Please remember to attach the gift cards to wrapped presents. Gifts are due by Sunday, December 1, 2024. Please talk with Pastor Alice for more information. Thank you for your generous partnership in this ministry.
Annual Christmas Caroling! On Saturday, December 7, 2024, we will offer this cherished tradition of singing carols to several of our shut-ins. Details are not available at this time. Watch the bulletin and December newsletter for more information. As any who’ve participated in this ministry can tell you, the greater blessing comes to the carolers!
Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24, 2024 Our worship service will gather in the Sanctuary at 7:00 pm to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This worship service will use favourite hymns as liturgy. Holy Communion will be celebrated, and a Litany of Blessing of the Children will be shared. Candles will be lit, and the congregation will process outside to declare Glory to God with the whole cosmos for the Holy Child of Bethlehem. Come and worship the Child in the Manger! Invite someone to share this holy time.
Important Messages from
NC Synod Bishop Smith
and NC Synod Council President Haywood
Chronos & Kairos
The Greek chronos and kairos both translate into English as “time.” You may guess that chronos has to do with chronological time, measured in minutes, hours, days, months, years. Chronos dictates that in January my primary health insurance becomes Medicare simply because I reach my 65th birthday.
Kairos, in contrast, is qualitative rather than quantitative. Kairos is spiritual time, intuition time, and I simply describe spirituality as paying attention. Kairos is discerned by listening to your life and life around you. Kairos leads couples to have a child despite protests of chronos. Rarely are we “ready” for kairos, yet if we pay attention it’s more compelling than chronos.
Chronos says that the bishop of an ELCA synod serves a six-year term. Kairos says life happens. I’d be lying if I said having cancer hasn’t changed some of my life and priority perspectives. And six grandchildren, two of whom are moving to Portugal next summer. Meanwhile, the church and its needs in leadership are changing at light speed. I’ve always prayed to have the good sense to know in myself, if not through others, when it is time. Kairos tells me it’s time to shift focus and aptitude and passion toward new adventures, new callings, new ways of serving God through my family and the church.
Succinctly put, I no longer feel that I will be the best leader for this synod through the chronos-appointed summer of 2027. I feel it. I perceive it. I’ve been sensing it, especially since my return from sabbatical this past March.
So I’ve been in touch with ELCA Presiding Bishop Eaton and NC Synod Vice President Diana Haywood and I’ve indicated to them my intention to retire at the end of July 2025. Announcing now gives synod staff a chance to focus their own discernment and gives synod leadership time to plan for a bishop’s election at our late May 2025 synod assembly. After much prayer around that possibility and pull, I feel at peace that summer 2025 is the time, the kairos.
I am grateful for all we have done and are doing and will yet do together these coming nine months of gestation for the Spirit’s revelation and the start of a new bishop. I commit to working fully on behalf of this synod while still in my charge and toward whatever transition in this office the Holy Spirit already has in mind.
Speaking of which, see VP Haywood’s letter below outlining some of the chronos accompanying this synod’s kairos toward that end.
Walking with you,
Bishop Tim Smith, NC Synod ELCA
Dear Partners in Ministry,
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ!
The North Carolina Synod, ELCA, is truly blessed to have the strong, effective, and devoted leadership of Bishop Tim Smith. For nearly 10 years, we have had the opportunity to work and walk in ministry together. Bishop Smith has announced that he will retire at the end of July 2025. On behalf of a grateful synod, I extend heartfelt thanks and deep appreciation to Bishop Smith for his energy, vision, ministry, and his faithful, committed, and wise leadership.
The upcoming 7-9 months promise to be busy for the entire synod:
· Bishop Smith and the synod office staff will continue with normal responsibilities, the usual full schedule, and additional responsibilities related to the transition. They will remain attentive to core values—Jesus, Generosity, Relationship, and Reconciliation—and to working with congregations. Bishop Smith will continue the process of implementing a more intentional pursuit of alternative funding streams for the synod.
· The Synod Council will appoint a Transition Team. This team will be responsible for collaborating with the Synod Council and the Office of the Presiding Bishop to assure thoughtful planning and attention to details related to the transition to a new bishop. This includes reviewing, identifying, and facilitating matters related to closure with the outgoing Bishop and preparation for an incoming synodical bishop.
· While plans for the 2025 Synod Assembly are underway, changes will be made to include special consideration for the bishop’s election process. Electing a bishop is a very important responsibility in the life of a synod and is a key responsibility of the Synod Assembly. The Synod Council has announced the date and site for the 2025 Assembly.
The 2025 NC Synod Assembly will be held on May 29-31, Koury Convention Center/Sheraton in Greensboro
· The Synod Council is responsible for ensuring that the process for nominating and electing a bishop is competently and fairly handled and that it is consistent with our governing documents. To accomplish this, the Synod Council will:
1. Appoint a Bishop’s Election Committee with responsibility for the processes related to the election of a synod bishop. This committee ensures that voting procedures, timelines, and processes are thoughtfully planned in advance of the assembly and followed during the assembly. The Bishop’s Election Committee is not synonymous with the Elections Committee of the Synod Assembly and has no responsibility for other elections during the assembly.
2. Provide opportunities for conversation, explanation of process, and general information sharing prior to the Synod Assembly.
· The NC Synod uses ecclesiastical balloting for the election of the bishop. To assure understanding, a detailed explanation of “ecclesiastical balloting” will be made available. It is important to note that ecclesiastical balloting precludes publicly identifying names/candidates prior to balloting and that, constitutionally, all pastors on the ELCA roster are eligible for election:
†S8.11. The bishop shall be elected by the Synod Assembly. The bishop shall be a minister of Word and Sacrament of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
S9.04. The bishop shall be elected by the Synod Assembly by ecclesiastical ballot.
· During the upcoming months, please expect updates regarding special celebrations to honor the ministry and leadership of Bishop Smith and a service of installation for the newly-elected bishop. Information will be shared via the Synod e-News and on the synod website.
· Four members of the bishop’s staff—Pastor CeCee Mills, Pastor Cassie Overcash, Pastor Alfredo Oviedo, and Pastor Phil Tonnesen—serve in calls that are co-terminus with the bishop. Pastor Danielle DeNise, who is called by the ELCA to be our synod’s Director for Evangelical Mission, also serves in a co-terminus call with the bishop. Their resignations will be effective at the end of Bishop Smith’s term. Normally, other staff members who are not serving as assistants to the bishop can be expected to continue into a new bishop’s term.
· Congregations are responsible for electing voting members for the 2025 Synod Assembly. These individuals will have the important role of participating in the election or call process for the new bishop of the NC Synod. Please elect your congregation’s voting members as early as possible to allow the time needed to review the materials and resources that will be provided regarding the election. Voting members elected well in advance of spring conference meetings will be better positioned to be well-informed at the time of the assembly.
· Guided by the Holy Spirit, all of us in the NC Synod are encouraged to be in a time of discernment, prayer, and Bible study as we reflect on the synod’s ministry priorities and the leadership gifts and abilities needed by the next bishop.
Again, this is a very special year. It will be busy and exciting. I look forward to serving with you as we journey together in ministry. I will keep you, your ministries, and your congregations in prayer and ask that you please pray for Bishop Smith and his family, our synod staff, and the Synod Council.
The Lord be with you,
Vice President, Synod Council
NC Synod, ELCA
Congregation Council
October 13, 2024 meeting
Cluster Reports
Worship Cluster
October
· October 18th- St. Luke- Service of Prayer for Healing – 12 noon and 7:00pm
· Sunday October 27th Reformation (red)
November
· November 3rd- All Saints Sunday (white)
· November 24th- Christ the King (white)
Faith Growing Cluster
Stewardship
The preparation for the Stewardship is in full swing. Jesse Lewis, the Executive Director of Peacemakers was our guest speaker at our kickoff event on Sunday, September 8th. We are now receiving yard sale donations in Resurrection Hall under the large yard sale sign. Much planning is underway for a bake sale at the yard sale. There were beautiful bookmarks at the kickoff meeting which were made by Joan and shared with all.
Remember that the yard sale is on October 5th, 2024 from 7 am to 1 pm. We need your donations! We are not including the following in our yard sale: Adult clothing, DVDs, broken electronics, TVs or books. Children’s clothes are needed.
Help will be needed as we prepare for the big event. If you have any questions or want to volunteer (we will need lots of help on setup, working at the sale, picking up items, and collecting the money) please the church office.
Christian Education
Sunday School resumed on September 8th, 2024. A member of the congregation is once again leading the adult Sunday School as they examine the trials and challenges of the early Church following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. As the Holy Spirit guides them, they will have to make their way through trials and persecution. What of all their Jewish traditions? Do they spread the Gospel to the Gentiles? How do they tell others their Jesus stories? And what is our Jesus story? We are developing our story and will refine and practice it more each week.
The children’s Sunday school is continuing with helping all of us to tell our Jesus stories. What can we learn from the apostles as they told their stories to everyone they met?
Caretaking Cluster
Family Life
· coordinate yard/bake sale
· per discussion with leaders of this ministry, plan to stay with serving after-worship fellowship refreshments on the first Sunday unless there is a celebration to observe on a different Sunday; will still celebrate birthdays and anniversaries; folks have signed up to host through the end of 2024;
· annual congregation Thanksgiving dinner, after worship/before the annual business meeting on Sunday, November 17, 2024; turkey and beverages will be supplied; a sign-up sheet will be available on the table in the Gathering Space to bring sides and desserts
· tentative conversation about resuming Shrove Tuesday pancake supper; more info later
Finance
· see separate report from treasurer
· audit team has completed 2022 and 2023 audits and is preparing their formal report
Property
· mowing ends with first frost
· need to discuss with property team leader a time for our fall clean-up
· still waiting for a start date for outside repairs; as a reminder, our property team leader has contacted the person who’s done work at Trinity before about doing the outside repairs; he said he’s able to do that kind of work and expects to stay within the same bid from the other contractor (@$3000.000) provided no unexpected “surprises” are found once the wall is opened; hopes to begins in next couple weeks.
Invitation Cluster
Evangelism
· YouTube and Facebook continue to be updated on a weekly basis.
Social Ministry
· Love Meals Sunday is the 1st Sunday of every month.
· With God We Can! is in full swing! Corn, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash and much more! Cutting, freezing, canning, the beat goes on!
TLC
· The Book Group continues each month. See separate articles and bulletins on titles and times.
Prayer for Thanksgiving Day
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we humbly thank you for your goodness to us and to all that you have made. We praise you for your creation, for keeping us and all things in your care, and for all the blessings of life. Above all we bless you for your immeasurable love in redeeming the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies that with thankful hearts we praise you, not only with our lips but in our lives, by giving ourselves to your service and by living in your gifts of holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all worship and praise, now and forever. Amen.