Holy Trinity’s next opportunity to serve breakfast at First English is Sunday, May 26.  We love new faces!  Join us at First English, 1015 E. Main Street, at 7:45 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.

Holy Trinity will provide our hamburger and hot dog meal for the families at the YWCA Family Center on Saturday, June 1. You may help by serving food or by making a donation for purchasing the food.  If you make a monetary donation, please make checks payable to Holy Trinity and mark the check or envelope for the Y-Center.  If you’d like to help serve, please meet at the Y-Center (900 Harvey Ct., Columbus, 43219) by 5:00 pm.  Please contact Chris Pryor or Danielle Gonsiska if you have questions.

Concert and Hosting

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.  As part of their tour through Ohio, Holy Trinity will be hosting them on Saturday and Sunday nights, July 13 and 14.  If you would be available to host two or more guests, please sign-up at the Collection and Sign-up Corner in the Gathering Space or contact the church office.

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.)

On Sunday, May 26 at 9:30 am, Dr. Donald G. Luck will wrap up our exploration of the world of religious pluralism and a Lutheran response to it.  He will first compare the present situation with past Christian responses.  Then he will speak out of his experience as a participant in Buddhist/Christian dialogue. Finally he will reflect on the official ELCA policy statement: A Declaration of Inter-Religious Commitment.

The Rev. Dr. Donald G. Luck is Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology of Trinity Lutheran Seminary where he taught for twenty years.  A native New Yorker, he received his basic theological training at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.  After graduate studies at the University of Edinburgh he was ordained and served as a pastor in Metropolitan New York for seven years before entering full-time studies at Union Theological Seminary from which he received the degrees of STM (Master of Sacred Theology) and PhD.  He attended inter-religious conferences in Madras (now called Chennai) India, Hong Kong, Kyoto and Purdue and became a member of the Society for Buddhist/Christian Studies when it was founded in 1987.

Our Bars of Soap Project request last year brought in 361 bars 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!  Bars of soap can be dropped off at the Collection & Signup Corner in the Gathering Place.
Beacons will meet next on Wednesday, June 5 at 9:00 am.  Please join us and work on our many projects that also help many in need locally and abroad.  We have fun, too, so join us.  You may adjust the time that suits you, and we will be happy to see you. Please mark your calendars.  Thank you!

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.

With less than a month to go until staff training begins, Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Ohio is still in need of eight more summer staff to work with summer youth camp programs.  They are especially in need of male staff and a program coordinator.  Do you know someone with the gifts needed to serve on camp staff?  LOMO is looking for college-aged people who have a faith in Jesus, love working with children, portray leadership skills, can work in a team, and know how to have fun!  Reports have shown that working in a summer staff setting helps prepare young adults for success in their future careers and in life.  To find out more or to apply, go to https://www.lomocamps.org/employment.

Thanks to all who contributed to the collection of eyeglasses for VOSH to use in third world nations. We were able to provide 76 pairs of regular and colored glasses plus cases and a few separate lenses. The box on the sign up table stays there year-round and you can place your old glasses in there at any time. Again, thanks for this support for your brothers and sisters in need of visual help.

Sunday Adult Forum Topic for March 24, 31 and April 7

For the sake of understanding more fully the faith of our Muslim neighbors and exploring any opportunities we might have for connecting with them as people of faith living in the same country, we continue our consideration of the DVD series entitled Discover Islam.  Using discussion guides provided by the ELCA and theologians from the Lutheran seminary in Chicago, last week we considered the topic of Faith and History, looking into the origins of Islam.  This week we’ll consider the topic: Islam in America and next week, Islam and Christian relations.

For those who might be interested to learn a little bit about Islam for themselves, PBS published the documentary Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet which you can stream at this website.  The full-length video is found at the second link on that page.  https://www.upf.tv/films/muhammad-legacy-of-a-prophet/watch/#streaming

These events are being moderated by Pastor Steve who would be glad to address any questions or suggestions that you might have.