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Grant Eckhart will be our guest preacher on Sunday, December 3. He is an Alumnus of The Ohio State University and Trinity Lutheran Seminary. He has been serving Jacob’s Porch, your Lutheran Campus Ministry in Central Ohio, for over a decade. Grant is married to Tammy and they have two young children, Grayson and Tobias.

For more information on how to connect a student to Jacob’s Porch or on how to give to the ministry, please go to www.jacobsporch.com for more information.

A brief congregational meeting for the purpose of electing council members and hearing council’s property project proposal will be held on Sunday, December 10 immediately following worship. See you there!

Invite your friends and family to join us for any of our worship opportunities on Sunday, December 24:

• 10:00 am – 4^th Sunday in Advent Worship with Communion
• 4:00 pm – Family Candlelight Christmas Eve Service with special music by children
• 8:00 pm – Candlelight Christmas Eve Service with Communion and Choir
• 11:00 pm – Candlelight Christmas Eve Service with Communion

Advent is a time of waiting for the birth of the Christ Child.  This year, Advent Talk Cards will be available for all to use between now and Christmas to foster thoughtful reflection and a deeper relationship with Jesus.  A daily photo card with a Bible verse or question about Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love will allow you and your household to prepare your hearts and minds for Jesus’ birth.  Be sure to pick up your set of Advent Talk Cards at the worship resource table on Sunday.  The same Advent Talk Cards (as well as daily devotions) will be available digitally at www.engagedbygrace.org/at-home-devotion.

Thank you so much for all your support!

I wanted to let you know that we had 22 churches that helped support Lutheran Social Services Food Pantries financially, by donating bags of food, and volunteering. I am very pleased to share that over 3,000 families were served at the LSS Food Pantry Thankfull Holiday Distributions across 10 counties. I am also thrilled to share that 1925 bags were collected from churches!! That is more than half of the total bag distribution—well done to all!

Again, thank you so much for supporting the LSS Food Pantries Thankfull Holiday!

Grace and peace,

Benjamin Powers
Congregational Relations Manager
Lutheran Social Services

Holy Trinity is once again partnering with Boulevard Presbyterian Church for the Community Christmas Box project by donating 90 dozen cookies.  In recent years, families have decorated pre-cut frozen cookie dough.  While you are still welcome to make that kind of cookie, homemade cookies of any kind are welcomed.  Please package your cookies in boxes or containers so they can easily be transported and then divided at Boulevard Presbyterian to create festive plates for seniors in need.  Be sure to have your cookies on the table in Holy Trinity’s church sacristy (the room near the parking lot doors just outside of the sanctuary) before noon on Friday, December 15th.  Please sign up on the clipboard at the Collection & Signup Corner in the Gathering Space or on this SignUp Genius indicating the number of dozens of cookies you can bring. Thank you for your ministry to make the Christmas season special for those in need.

by Elizabeth Sammons with love from Neighbor to Neighbor

Black Women of the Old West, Read Until You Understand, and Troublemaker are books that I’ve read myself or seen as books of note.  This literature intends to expand our awareness, theology and/or acceptance of diverse viewpoints. We on Neighbor-to-Neighbor hope you’ll discover how these writings from various generations embrace what it means to be human and to walk in spirit. …

Black Women of the Old West by William Katz
This book traces how African American women challenged white bigotry, labored to create new lives, and ultimately helped to transform sparse frontier settlements into thriving western states. It reveals how these pioneers brought culture to the early communities from Ohio, Kansas, and Texas to Oklahoma, Nevada, and California. For grades 4-7. 1995.

Read Until You Understand by Farah Griffin
The author reflects on her love of the majestic power of words and Black life, culture, and community. She shares her discoveries through the works of figures like Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Toni Morrison, Romare Bearden, and others. Available in audio. 2021.

Troublemaker by John Cho
The first night of rioting in the wake of the Rodney King verdict, Jordan’s father leaves to check on the family store, spurring twelve-year-old Jordan and his friends to embark on a dangerous journey through South Central and Koreatown to come to his aid, encountering the racism within their community as they go. For grades 5-8. 2022.

Twice in Psalm 24, the gates are commanded to lift up their heads. Why? So that the King of Glory may come in. During this Advent Season, we are reminded of just who it was who came to Earth, born of a woman in a lowly stable. He is the King of Glory! He is the One we honor and proclaim! He is the One due our allegiance and our service. Open your gates! Let the King of Glory come in! For more information about stewardship, please contact Max Buban at maxmbuban82@gmail.com.

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