It’s time to continue our Christmas ornament making.  We’ll meet this Thursday, October 19 at 7:30 pm at the home of Noelle Fox and work in the wood shop.  (Please dress accordingly.)  If you have any scissors, please bring them.

For a printable PDF version of this week’s newsletter, please click Engaged Weekly 101517

We will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation at a festival on Reformation Sunday, October 29.  After an all-congregation breakfast at 9:00 am, we will worship together at 10:00 with brass and all choirs, including an anthem by guests of our German partner congregation whose Pastor Christian Heydenreich will be preaching for us that day!  Red is the color of the day, so plan to wear your red as well, as together we give glory to God for the grace that has been reforming the church in its mission to Christ’s love for the world over the last 500 years.

Here is the agenda of activities that our German Partner Hospitality Team is planning for our guests during their visit from Tuesday, October 24 through Wednesday, November 1.  Please indicate on the All Good Gifts card Ministry Opportunity B or at the Ministry Sign-up Table for any activities you would like to share with the group:

Wednesday, October 25

Chapel worship service and visit to Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Capital University, followed by hiking in the Hocking Hills and dinner at Mill Creek BBQ.

Thursday, October 26

Youth attend class at school while adults visit the art museum and German Village, followed by potluck supper and pumpkin carving at church with choirs, Lutherland Pilgrimage alumni, and all others who want to participate.

Friday, October 27

Amish country visit with lunch at Malabar Farms.

Saturday, October 28

Tailgating and Skull Session at Ohio State followed by OSU v. Penn State Watch Party at church.

Sunday, October 29

Reformation festival breakfast and worship at church with afternoon hayride and organ concert followed by optional Youth Group Meeting or Reformation worship at Wittenberg in the evening.

Monday, October 30

Bicycling tour of OSU, Capitol Building, COSI, and lunch at Valters at the Maennerchor.

Tuesday, October 31

Visit the Columbus Zoo and shop at Polaris, followed by Trick-r-Treat activities with host families.

The Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Ohio State is hosting “Reformation and Remembrance”, a two-day symposium to commemorate the 500^th anniversary of Martin Luther’s 95 theses. The symposium brings together a group of world-class scholars to consider the important roles of memory and remembrance in Reformation religious culture, and it coincides with the University’s Rare Books & Manuscripts Library’s exhibition, “Publish or Perish”, highlighting the important role the technology of print played during the Reformation. The event takes place from October 20 – 21 at Thompson Library on Ohio State’s campus and is free and open to the public. More information can be found at https://cmrs.osu.edu/reformation-and-remembrance.

The Apostle Paul prayed, “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16). God’s glorious riches includes God’s gifts of Word and Sacrament through which God’s spirit works to nurture us in faith so that we might be strengthened with God’s power to do the tasks that God has called us to do: to serve others and share with them our resources, both of ourselves and our finances. For more information on stewardship, contact Max Buban.

Thank you to our Holy Trinity family for all of the love and support over the course of the last year. We are so grateful for your unceasing prayers and for the delicious meals many of you provided after we brought Ella Jane home. We look forward to raising her in this wonderful congregation!  – Erik, Elizabeth & Ella Jane Yassenoff

In the parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:18-23), Jesus describes people who hear the word but are beset by thorns. Thorns represent “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth.” The seed (God’s Word) thrown among the thorns grows for a while but never really thrives. This kind of hearer of the Word is still too concerned about material things and the problems of this life. These listeners or people have a difficult time trusting God for all of their needs. The focus is on obtaining more material things for their security and happiness. Money and things are their gods. Their fulfillment is found in their riches. Only by God’s help can we overcome the “deceitfulness of wealth”. For more information on stewardship, contact Max Buban.

For a printable PDF version of this week’s newsletter, please click Engaged Weekly 100117.