Engaged by Grace Weekly March 7 – 14, 2021
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In Sure and Certain Hope of the Resurrection
Thursday Faith Enrichment for March
In the weeks leading up to our celebration of the resurrection at Easter and as part of the planning for a memorial garden and possibly a columbarium at church, Pastor Steve will invite consideration and conversation around the ways we are church at the time of death. You may join the presentation and dialog via Zoom on Thursdays in March, 4, 11, 18 and 25 at 7:30pm using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5931525374
These will be the weekly topics:
March 4: Funeral, Memorial Service or Celebration of Life
March 11: Embalming, Cremation or Natural Burial
March 18: Memorial Gardens
March. 25: Columbariums
Grab Your Walking Shoes
Walk in the Park with Prayers Returns!
Now that Holy Trinity has resumed in-person activities and the weather has cleared, we are resuming this monthly recreational event for all ages. At the appointed locations below, each walk is designed to last for an hour on a surface suited for everyone. Then any who want to walk longer often do. Please contact the host for each walk for any questions or directions.
4:30pm, Sunday, March 14
Glacier Ridge Loop
9801 Hyland-Croy Rd
Plain City, OH 43064
Host: Vicar Sara (513-581-6006)
4:30pm, Sunday, April 11
Homestead Park
4675 Cosgray Rd
Hilliard, OH 43026
Host: Pastor Steve (614-579-8128)
4:30pm, Sunday, May 16
Inniswoods Metro Garden
940 S Hempstead Rd
Westerville, OH 43081
Host: Pastor Steve (614-579-8128)
Racial Justice Book Dialogue
Following our wonderful winter discussion of “Dear Church,” we’ve decided to turn to literature for our next book dialogue on Toni Morrison’s 1987 novel “Beloved.”
We will meet on Monday, April 12, at 7pm by Zoom.
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, but a thousand words can create more than a picture. Cleveland native Toni Morrison creates a tableau of life in the African American community in her best-selling novel “Beloved.” Set in rural Ohio during the period immediately following the Civil War, this chronicle of slavery and its aftermath traces the life of Sethe, a former slave. Sethe has a secret in her past so horrific that it has alienated the community, driven off her two sons, isolated her surviving daughter, and threatened her new, loving relationship with Paul D., also a former slave.
Elizabeth Sammons as our church novelist is honored to lead discussion of this novel both as a mighty work of literature, and a portrayal of moral issues confronted by the enslaved community. Please join us!
In-Person Worship Resumes
9:30am, Sundays
Since the Franklin County Board of Health lifted its Stay-at-Home pandemic advisory, Holy Trinity has resumed in-person worship with a single service at 9:30am on Sundays. Since pivoting in November to online worship only, we’ve built a regular following of more than 100 views at the same time each week. We hope to maintain and even extend that sense of community with everyone worshiping at the same time whether at church, at home or on the road. We have a safe-distanced seating capacity in the sanctuary of 100 persons, and we’ll add another worship time once we approach that number of worshippers.
We celebrate Holy Communion on Sunday mornings now that the community is gathered together. We also serve communion in the parking lot after each service for any who would like to drive up to receive it that way.
All other Holy Trinity ministry groups can decide for themselves whether to meet in-person or remotely going forward. Please contact Pastor Steve with any questions about getting access to the building. The same pandemic-safe protocols for facial coverings and safe distance continue to apply for all activities at the church.
Easter Flowers
Holy Trinity will beautify the sanctuary with Easter lilies and spring flowers on Easter morning, Sunday, April 4. If you would like to purchase a potted flower for the display, please contact the church office via email at laura.hudson@engagedbygrace.org, phone 614-486-9433, or sign up at the Collection & Signup Corner in the Gathering Place. The cost is $8.
Midweek Good News in Lent
Jesus Brings God’s Kingdom Near our Outreach Partners
10:30am Wednesdays, February 24 – March 24
For our midweek Lenten reflections in 2021, each of these five Outreach Partners will share a Daily Dose of Good News about the work Jesus is doing to bring near God’s kingdom through their ministry, even during these days of pandemic:
- First English Lutheran Church
- Habitat for Humanity
- Jacob’s Porch
- Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio
- Trinity Lutheran Seminary
Wrapped in a service of confession, prayers and music, in-person and online at 10:30am on Wednesdays during Lent, we will present a 5-10 minute video message from a different Outreach Partner each week, celebrating the ministry we share together with them in their particular context. The service will be available to stream from the website after that at any point throughout the day.
Staff is also interested to know whether anyone would be interested to worship in-person at 7:00pm on Wednesdays, and if so, is prepared to present a second service at that time as well. Please register your interest with Laura, Josh, Vicar Sara or Pastor Steve.
Stewardship Corner – March 7, 2021
Stewardship is the expression of our desire as Christians to contribute to the mission and ministry of the church. As we grow spiritually, we understand that serving and giving are important parts of our Christian life. God calls us to give of ourselves through our time, talents, and treasures. Through the sharing of our resources with those less fortunate, we are showing our support and love for them and giving glory to God. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). For more information about stewardship, please contact Max Buban.
Worship Service March 7, 2021 – 9:30am
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About this blog
Welcome to my running online dialog on matters of our life together in faith community at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church—where the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord engages each of us and, in turn, sends us out to engage others with that grace as well. I look forward to learning and growing together.
- Pastor Steve Wachtman
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America News
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