Holy Trinity’s next opportunity to serve breakfast at First English is Sunday, July 28.  We love new faces!  Join us at First English, 1015 E. Main Street, at 7:30 am to cook and serve breakfast to our neighbors and friends.  No previous experience is necessary!  As always, donations of fresh fruit and baked goods are welcome.  Please contact Becky Warnement for more information.

Saturday, August 3 at 5:00 pm is Holy Trinity’s next opportunity to serve dinner at the Y-Family Center.  Volunteers are needed during the summer months to help with meal preparation, set tables, and serve guests.  All volunteers must wear hairnets (provided by the center) or you can bring a favorite ball cap from home.

This is a wonderful service project for families and friends.  My family will be there!  Parents are not required to attend with their kids.  If carpooling would be helpful, we can depart from the church at 4:45 pm or else please meet at the center by 5:00 pm. The Y-Center is located at 900 Harvey Court, Columbus 43219.  If you can help with the dinner, or if you need to carpool, please let me know. Thank you!  Danielle Gonsiska

Many thanks to everyone that contributed treats, distributed them, or helped with Holy Trinity’s 4^thof July hospitality during the Upper Arlington parade.  We received donations of $272 which will go to the Fisher-Nightingale House at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.  Fisher Houses offer physical and emotional support to servicemen and servicewomen, providing the opportunity for military families to stay together and support each other when a loved one is undergoing medical treatment at a military hospital. For more information on Fisher Houses, go to https://www.fisherhouse.org/(national) or https://www.fnhi.org/(Dayton).

Beacons’ LWR In-gathering deadline is coming soon.  Please consider compiling a kit, contributing soap bars or a quilt/blanket for distribution by Lutheran World Relief.  Summer days are a great time for focusing on giving to others who are in need.  Look for a collection bin beneath the table at the Collection and Sign-up table to place your donations.

Holy Trinity endowed the Artmobile to work with underprivileged children as part of its community engagement outreach donations. Recently Kathleen Murphy visited the program that was held at the Columbus Early Learning Center on Columbus’ east side, not far from First English. The Artmobile was working with three- and four-year-olds on identifying and making art about Ohio animals. Kathleen took some pictures of the program in action and the program director, Tobi Furman, shared some photos as well.  You can see the enthusiasm in the children’s artwork as well as their faces.  Church members should feel proud to be able to make this happen for little kids.    – Kathleen Murphy

First English member Mike Padgett and Holy Trinity member Sara Neikirk will join us during worship on Sunday, July 28 to share recent news about exciting things happening at First English.  The church has received a Disabilities Grant from the ELCA to focus on cognitive disabilities resulting from the stress produced by poverty, violence and addiction.  Mike and Sara will share information about two new programs being planned at First English this summer and how Holy Trinity can be involved.

The St. Augustine Bell Choir comprised of 16 youth and director Matthias Eichhorn from Gotha, Germany will be playing in worship and offering a concert on Sunday, July 14 at 4:00 pm.  As part of their tour through Ohio, Holy Trinity will be hosting them on Saturday and Sunday nights, July 13 and 14.

The choir was founded in 1987 through the efforts of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Dayton.  To make the founding possible, money was raised from Lutheran handbell choirs throughout the United States for the purchase of the gift set of Malmark handbells.  Permission was requested of and granted by the East German government in order that Epiphany could transport the bells across the Iron Curtain.  Matthias Eichhorn, then 8 years old, was one of the original ringers.

In the ensuing years, the choir has developed a wonderful reputation for musical excellence and was chosen by the State of Thuringia to be its representative at the World’s Fair—Hanover 2000.  The congregation now has six bell choirs involving over 100 ringers.

The St. Augustine Lutheran Church was built as an Augustinian Monastery in 1331.  It early allied itself with the teachings of fellow Augustinian—Martin Luther.  In fact, it is documented that Martin Luther preached in the Gotha church on four occasions.

St. Augustine Lutheran has long been known for its music.  One of its best-known directors of music was Johann Pachelbel, yes, that Pachelbel, the composer of Canon in D.

The congregation is best known in recent history for the lead role it played in the peaceful revolution in the fall of 1989 when Eastern Germany overthrew the Communist regime and later reunited with Western Germany to become the Germany we know today.

Gotha lies between Erfurt (where Luther was a university student, a monk and later ordained as a priest) and Eisenach (where Luther attended elementary school and was later given safe-keeping in near-by Wartburg Castle.)

Beacons’Bars of Soap Projectbrought in 361 bars of soap last year that were packed and sent to Lutheran World Relief. Those in need in the US and around the world were pleased to have this essential item.  Let’s do it again this year!  Donations can be dropped off at the Sign-up table at the Collection & Sign-up Corner in the Gathering Place.

Beacons’ Bars of Soap Project brought in 361 bars of soap last year that were packed and sent to Lutheran World Relief. Those in need in the US and around the world were pleased to have this essential item.  Let’s do it again this year!  Donations can be dropped off at the Sign-up table at the Collection & Sign-up Corner in the Gathering Place.

The Bible focus for Vacation Bible School next month is the parable of the sower and the seed.  A primary activity within that week of fun and learning will be a new pizza vegetable and herb garden along the south side of the church.  After planting this summer, we’ll enjoy the harvest at a congregational grilled pizza party in the fall.  Then we’ll plant again for fall vegetables.  If you enjoy gardening and would like to help support this new ministry, please contact Mandy Richards or sign-up at the Collection and Sign-up Corner in the Gathering Space.  An organizational meeting will be conducted on Sunday, May 19 at 9:30 am.