Vol. 19, No. 1 January 1, 2017

January Worship Opportunities to Start the New Year!Almost every household

in America has some sort of device for watching movies on their TV. Movies are more than great entertainment, they also portray issues that are relevant in our culture. As one reflects on what they have watched, an appropriate question for the follower of Jesus would be: “What does God have to say about that?”

With the start of 2017, the Modern Worship Service will have some changes to the sermon format. Throughout the year, there will be times when the sermon series in this service will be different from the sermon in the Sanctuary. Several sermon series have been planned based on the themes expressed in movies.

The first movie series will be based on the Pixar movie, Inside Out. The animated movie is the story about a girl named, Riley, which gives the viewer an inside picture about five of her different emotions. Riley, is a happy, hockey-loving 11-year-old Midwestern girl, but her world turns upside-down when she and her parents move to San Francisco. Riley’s emotions — led by Joy — try to guide her through this difficult, life-changing event. However, the stress of the move brings Sadness to the forefront. When Joy and Sadness are inadvertently swept into the far reaches of Riley’s mind, the only emotions left in Headquarters take over the influence of her behavior.

In this series, Pastor Dorn will be exploring God’s gift of emotions, including: What’s the right place of emotions in our lives? Can we be too emotional? Can we be not emotional enough? Is it wrong to stuff our emotions down deep inside? Conversely, is it wrong to just let them all hang out?

The Inside Out series begins on Sunday January 8th at 11:00 with the emotion, Joy. The second week of the series looks at the emotion, Sadness. The three-week-series ends with a look at all of the emotions in the movie, Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness.

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Po-Boy Sandwiches for Super Bowl Sunday The Ladies Circle will again be making Po-Boy Sandwiches to

take home for your lunch or gathering on Sunday, February 5. Make your plans early because Wednesday, February 1, is the deadline to order those sandwiches. Order forms will be available in the foyer, narthex, or gym later in January or you may call Lynn Bedner at 713.668.3977 or Ethelene Marshall at 713.849.9266 to place your order. The sandwiches may be picked up in the Mary & Martha Fellowship Hall after worship services or Bible Class on Sunday, February 5.

Net proceeds of this fund-raiser will help provide for various ministries supported by the Ladies Circle. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

Dag CalafellKim Davis (Vice Chair)

Delvin DennisPastor Michael Dorn

Bill Fischer (Elder)Bo Hopmann

Dan Krueger (Elder)Steve Maynard (Chair/Elder)

Jean Minsch (Secretary)Joshua Rodriguez (Elder)

Brad Vieselmeyer

2017 GOVERNING BOARD

Minutes of the Governing Board are available to our members at the

Welcome Center.

Calling Singers, Ringers and Instrumentalists

Rehearsals for Trinity’s musical groups resume on Wednesday, January 11. We’d love to have additional musicians join our groups.

Rehearsal times and locations are:Woodwinds - Wednesday, January 11 at 5:15 p.m. in the Band RoomBrass - Wednesday, January 11 at 5:15 p.m. in the Choir LoftHandbells - Wednesday, January 11 at 6:15 p.m. in Room 205Choir - Wednesday, January 11 at 7:15 p.m. in the Choir LoftIf you have questions or need additional information, contact Dottie Burroughs

at dottie.buroughs@lhnlions.org for Woodwinds or Mary Voigt at mvoigt@trinitydt.org for Brass, Handbells or Choir.

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Ladies Circle Ministries - January 5The monthly meeting of Ladies Circle Ministries will be held in Room 205 at 10 a.m. on

January 5th. Refreshments, with a time for fellowship, will be available at 9:30 a.m. Our Christian Growth program for the day will be a DVD recording of a “Morning

Devotion” presented on Channel 13 many years ago which featured the Soul Seekers and (a much younger) Pastor Black. Come and see how many of these former teenagers you can still recognize. All are welcome. For additional information, please call Ethelene Marshall, president, at 713.849.9266.

Additional dates to remember: Wednesday, January 18, 10:30 a.m. - Devotion at Highland Park Care Center, 2714 Morrison St.Sunday, February 5 - “Po-Boy Sale”

Volunteer Training with POBLOWe are excited to announce that we

are moving forward with developing an International Friendship Center (IFC) at Trinity in partnership with POBLO! POBLO is an LCMS mission organization which engages multi-cultural communities by means of establishing IFCs at local churches. Below is an explanation from POBLO’s website:

“IFCs provide a safe and welcoming environment for local immigrant and refugee populations. Many new Americans face difficult language and cultural barriers and experience social isolation. These centers provide opportunities for volunteers to share the love of Jesus through friendship and hospitality. Volunteers serve by teaching English, sewing, and computer classes and hosting social activities, giving recent immigrants and refugees opportunities to socialize with others while learning practical skills. By meeting people’s physical and social needs, IFCs are opening up the doors to share the Gospel message with immigrant and refugee communities.”

At this time, we are planning to start English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at Trinity as the first goal of this ministry at our church. Are you interested in participating in this ministry? Our first step is to participate in volunteer training offered by POBLO.

POBLO Volunteer TrainingSaturday, January 28th 9:00am- 2:00pm Lunch providedChrist Memorial Lutheran Church 14200 Memorial Dr., Houston 77079RSVP to Alanna at alannabree@sbcglobal.net or 832.331.8320We are hopeful we will have completed our preparation for this ministry with plans to welcome our first

guests into the program in March. Please pray for this ministry that it may grow according to God’s will and that we will be able to boldly

share Jesus with all those who need His loving mercy. Please pray for POBLO’s leaders and missionaries that they are encouraged in their work. Also pray that those in our congregation will joyfully support our ministries in the ways they are being called.

For more information about POBLO, visit www.poblo.org. For more information about this ministry at Trinity, contact Alanna Bree at 832.331.8320, or Rachel Calafell at 832.389.8998.

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TLS Welcomes New Enrollment and Marketing Coordinator

With much excitement, we welcome Tammy Wiederhold, as the new Enrollment and Marketing Coordinator at Trinity Downtown Lutheran School. Ms. Wiederhold grew up in Lexington, TX and in her early years attended Immanuel Lutheran School in Giddings, TX. She graduated from Lexington High School and received a Bachelors of Science in Communications from Tarleton State University, with an emphasis in Public Relations and Event Management. Her background is in office and event management. We are very happy to have her as a part of the Trinity family and are excited to see how God will use Tammy in the rebuilding process of Trinity Downtown.

Parents Night OutFriday, January 13, 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Hello parents, do you need an evening without kids? Maybe get some personal errands done. Meet up with friends that you haven’t seen in a while. Or just do some shopping, or watch a movie without cartoon characters.

Well, look no further than Trinity Lutheran School. We are offering a monthly parent night out. Our parent night out is the second Friday of each month. It is open for all age groups 6 weeks to 8th grade. You’ll feel great about dropping them off at our safe and secure school. We will provide dinner, entertainment, games and more.

The fees for children under two are $40. The fee for children two and older are $35. There is also a family discount of $10.

Open to the public. Invite your friends and family to join you on date night and bring their kids, too. Emergency contact information will be required for all visiting children.

Payment is required to be made at sign up and is non-refundable. May be cancelled due to low sign up. Call 832.301.3100 to RSVP.

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“A Night on Broadway”Trinity Lutheran School Gala and Auction

On Saturday, February 18, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. Trinity Lutheran School will hold its Gala and Auction, “A Night on Broadway” at the Pelazzio. We hope you’ll join us in making this year’s auction the most successful yet!

For those who supported us in the past, we want to thank you and we hope you will continue to support us this year for yet another successful Gala.

Trinity Lutheran School is a private, Christian school that offers learning opportunities for infants through 8th grade. Our mission is to inspire and empower students with a Christ-centered education. Through dynamic instruction in all academic areas, we will help our students develop their God-given talents.

Your contributions will help ensure Trinity Lutheran School’s continuing success. Specifically, the funds raised will go toward the following goals:

• Empower our teachers (including our enrichment teachers) by providing each class, infants through 8th

grade, a discretionary spending resource of $750. Teachers will use these funds to tailor and improve their lessons and classrooms each year.

• Enable our school and extended care programs to instill confidence, spark curiosity, and provide comfort to our students by funding upgraded playground areas that will enrich pre-school, after-school, and summer programs. The Gala funds will also be used to kick-start the fundraising to completely renovate our playground area as sufficient funding occurs.

• Enable our school to continue to enrich the lives of our students by keeping up with the latest technology.To help us ensure the continued success of Trinity Lutheran School, please consider being a Gala sponsor

or contributing an item to our auction. We are looking for auction items that will create interest, excitement and excellent bids. We would love to give away a trip to New York City and would like to have a donation for a two or three night stay in a hotel in NYC. Sponsors and auction items will be featured in the event’s program and will be described on displays at the event, offering maximum exposure for your goods and services. If you are willing to sponsor, donate, or help Trinity’s “A Night on Broadway” Gala, please contact alatham@trinitydt.org or ksmits@trinitydt.org.

Finally, we need your presence and your prayers. Please plan on attending the Gala on Saturday, February 18, 2017 at the Pelazzio and keep this endeavor in your daily prayers. To purchase tickets, pleaes visit qtego.net/qlink/trinitydt. If you’d like more information, please email us at alatham@trinitydt.org or ksmits@trinitydt.org. The Lord has great things in store for Trinity, and we’re glad to be part of it. We hope that you will join us! Thank you for your consideration and support.

Sincerely,Antoinette Latham and Kristin SmitsGala Auction Chairs 2017

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BOARD OF ELDERS - CONTACT INFORMATIONBill Fischer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bfisch@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .713 .827 .8664Dan Krueger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dwkrueger5@yahoo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .901 .258 .4029Steve Maynard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . smaynard@durwoodgreene.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281 .799 .9600Joshua Rodriguez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . joshrodriguez@hotmail.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .713 .861 .4046

Carolina Creek Christian Summer Camp 2017for Children in Grades K-12

Trinity will be attending Carolina Creek Christian Summer Camp the week of June 11 - 17, 2017. Campers in grades K-5th will attend The Wild and grades 6th - 12th will attend Creekside. If the Trinity Bus is available the children are welcome to ride from Trinity to Carolina Creek and back.

Trinity children have attended Summer Camp at Carolina Creek for the past 7 years. The Administration at Carolina Creek Christian Camp has blessed us with a discounted rate of $460 per camper. The rate on their online site is $780 for the same week our children will attend.

Last summer we had 30 children and 2 chaperones (Angela and James Avant) attend. We were blessed last summer to meet another church group from the East Texas area that had 75 kids attending. Our children made new friends and had a wonderful time worshiping Jesus.

Registration opened in October. We have 25 children registered: 10 for Creek Side (6th-12th) and 15 for The Wild (K-5th). Please consider registering your child(ren), nephew, niece or grandchild by February so we can make sure we have room for them to attend. To register visit www.trinitydt.org and select Grow-Youth Ministries-Carolina Creek - complete the form and make payment.

What is taught at Carolina Creek Christian Camp? • “The Wild is a totally unique camp that is specifically designed to minister to children in grades K-5.

Throughout the entire day, the Bible is integrated into everything they do and the counselors teach, model, and discuss Biblical principles.

• The Creekside summer camp program is available for campers finishing grades 6th -12th. The Creekside staff is dedicated to providing a high energy and safe summer camp experience, where the Bible is integrated into everything that they do. Throughout the day, the counselors teach, model, and discuss Biblical principles.”

For more information about Carolina Creek Christian Camp please visit the website www.carolinacreek.org. They have an Open House for all families in May. Parents and children have an opportunity to see the camp and enjoy all the activities campers will enjoy during their summer camp stay.

If you have any questions, please contact Angela Avant at 713.229.2963 or aavant@trinitydt.org.

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Great Marriage! Class Starts February 2nd! Getting married in 2017? Wanting to grow in your Marriage?Trinity’s Great Marriage! Class is designed to get you ready or to take your marriage and relationship

deeper in your love and appreciation of one another. Classes meet on Thursday nights starting February 2nd from 6—9 p.m. for 6 consecutive sessions in Room 124. Email Pastor David at dleeland@trinitydt.org to register for Great Marriage!

Bring supper or a snack with you to class. Our Thursday Meeting Dates are:February 2nd 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. February 23rd 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. February 9th 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. March 2nd 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.February 16th 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. March 9th 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Great Marriage! consists of: � Bible Studies on Grace, Agape Love, the challenges to marriage, the

one-flesh union of marriage (and more!) � Developing your prayer and devotional life � Prepare/Enrich online inventory � Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts DVD series � Communication skills training from PREP (Prevention and Relationship

Enhancement Program) � The Five Stages of Marriage and The Apprenticeship of Marriage � Roles, Expectations and Finances � Brain Research and Gender differences and a whole lot more!

Great Marriage! is packed with interactive discussions, couple communication exercises and opportunities to share and learn together.

Great Marriage! is a recognized provider of premarital preparation by the State of Texas, Twogether In Texas Program. Each couple preparing for their great marriage that completes this class receives a certificate that gives them a discount at the Harris County Office when they go to get their Marriage License.

[Jesus said,] 4 “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” [Matthew 19:4-6; ESV]

May yours be a Great Marriage filled with the abundant blessings of love and grace from our Lord Jesus Christ. To God be all the glory!

Thank you, Shoppers!A big “Thank You” to all who did some early shopping at the Ladies

Circle Bazaar back in November.Thanks to your support at this event and throughout the year,

the ladies had the privilege at their December meeting of voting to give generous contributions to: Trinity’s Home Treasury; Houston Lutherans For Life; LINC-Houston for Pastor Walter Dube’s Chaplaincy Ministry at MDAnderson Cancer Center; LINC-Houston for its city-wide ministry; Trinity Lutheran School Scholarship Fund; Lutheran Braille Workers; Harms-Behnken Fund for mission trips; Star of Hope Ministry; Trinity’s Distress Fund; and Trinity’s Homeless Ministry.

Join us in thanking God for enabling us to give these contributions and pray for His blessings on these ministries.

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A New Beginning “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the

Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1-4).

The Bible has a great deal to say about beginnings. In John, it says “in the beginning was the Word.” The key here is to start with Jesus. To start with His Word. Through God’s grace and mercy, He has promised us a new beginning that will endure for eternity. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (Il Corinthians 5:17).

The New Year can bring a mixed bag of emotions and memories for all of us. Some may have just experienced the best year ever and look forward to an even greater one ahead while others may have just trudged through one deep struggle after another. Whether you’ve just walked through the greatest year of your life, or you’re incredibly glad to see this one finally over, this truth still rings clear amidst it all: You are not alone. Ever. Our God is a “with us” God. On the heels of the celebration of the birth of our King, that reminder carries us right into a fresh, new start. He is Immanuel, God with us. And though things and people around us shift and change, our God never changes. “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Do you have a plan for growing closer to God in 2017? Many wonder how they can begin growing closer to God or get closer to His plan for their life. Here are a few examples of spiritual goals you might try to help bring you closer to God and to those you love:

1. Meet with God before anyone else. Do you have a plan, first thing in the morning, to meet with God before anyone else? It’s one way of prioritizing Him above anything and anyone. It’s also a way of making sure you’re at your best, emotionally, by the time you start interacting with your family.

2. Get into God’s Word every day. If you’ve owned a Bible for years but have never read the entire book, now is a great time to start. There are several good resources available to help you read through the Bible in a year. Try reading it in a different translation than you are accustomed to. You can join Pastor David Leeland’s team on Sunday mornings in Room 209 for Bible Class on “Reading Your Bible in One Year.” This class is designed to encourage and support you in your journey through the scriptures.

3. Participate in a small-group Bible study. You might find a small-group Bible study to share experiences with and grow in your faith. Trinity has several Bible study opportunities to choose from. There is a Women’s Bible study on both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, a Sonrise Bible study on Thursday mornings, and a 20’s and 30’s Group Bible study on the 2nd and 4th Fridays off site. The times and locations for each of these opportunities are listed in the Trinity Today.

4. Record your blessings and answered prayers. Keep a “blessing box” or “prayer journal” in which you record blessings that come your way throughout the year, or a journal where you write out your prayer requests and record the answers as they come. You will begin to see how God is working in and around your life and begin to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” ( l Thessalonians 5:18).

As a reminder, Trinity’s new Stephen Ministry Training Class starts January 10, 2017. If you feel God is leading you to join in this great ministry to serve Him, please connect with Pastor David Leeland. To register for this class call: 281.798.4089 or send an email to: dleeland@trinitydt.org.

Lord Jesus, we come to You in this brand new year with a desire to move forward, not backward. Last year is gone, with all the foolish mistakes we’ve made. We are eager to put the past behind and press forward to loving You, knowing You, serving You, and making Your name known in this new year. You gave everything for us, so we could have a new beginning - every day of every year. Thank You for making

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us Your children. Forgive us for ignoring Your voice at times, for pursuing our own pleasures, and for letting our priorities slip. Help us to put You first in our life. Help us to replace fear with faith, knowing You are always with us. Set our feet on the right path this year, and grant us the wisdom so that we can make good choices that will honor You. Let us see others like You see them, as precious ones that You created. As the calendar turns another page in this new year, help us to live our lives for You.

May you have a blessed, new beginning in Him in 2017!

Linda Gray, Stephen Minister

Prayers and Promises by Pastor David Leeland

Happy New Year! Our congregation’s focusing on LIVE! from our WORSHIP! GROW! LIVE! emphasis in life and ministry. 2017 is LIVE!

LIVE is all about loving and serving others with the saving love of Jesus Christ! It’s about joining Jesus in what He is already doing in our community! It’s about awesome opportunities to go on a Mission Trip to Tanzania in June. And it’s all about Jesus in you and me making a difference through us in our family circles, friendships and workplaces.

There have been several Scriptures rolling around in my heart and mind lately that speak to all of us living out our faith in Jesus. Here’s one of them:

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. [Ephesians 2:4-10; ESV]

I hope you see, hear and receive the word, “Grace!” Our faith life and relationship with Jesus is all about His grace in us and strong through us! Our faith response in receiving Jesus is pure grace at work in our hearts and our faith response in serving others in Jesus is pure grace at work in the love we share and the words we say.

No one can manufacture or produce a God-pleasing good work out of his or her own efforts! It is all, from first to last, from beginning to the end, grace at work in us and grace at work through us by the power of the Holy Spirit in Word and Sacraments.

Therefore, I want to encourage all of us to be in the Word in daily reading, study and prayer, and to be in the Word on Sundays in one of our many Bible Classes. Our power and strength to love and serve others flows out of our relationship with Jesus in His Word and without the Word, we lose the strength and motivation to serve.

So let’s make 2017 a great year in living out our faith as we go deeper with Jesus in His Word! May His Gospel Word be so strong in you and me that we find ourselves sharing Jesus naturally out of the abundance of His grace in our hearts!

Lord Jesus, let the abundance of Your love and grace fill our hearts and flow out of lives in service to others to the Father’s glory. Amen.

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Be in the WordAdult Bible Classes - Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

“Defending Your Faith in the World” - Led by Justin Schilke’s Team - Room 206Around every corner, it seems like we, as Christians, are under attack: in politics, at the workplace, and even in the home. In this study, we’ll look at how we are attacked based on current issues in the world, and how we as faithful Christians can address them using natural law and Scripture to witness to others and protect our consciences.

“Faith Discovery” - Led by Pastor Michael Dorn - Room 123Class for individuals desiring membership at Trinity.

“Galatians” - Led by Pastor Paul Dorn’s Team - Room 234“The Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Galatians: a book of the New Testament which explains in no uncertain terms that it matters what we believe and do. It addresses the issue of our freedom and responsibility as Christians. It’s a book that Luther, in so many words, once described as his “beloved.”

“God at Work” - Led by Jim Cleary’s Team - Room 233Work can be a daily grind — a hard monotonous set of thankless tasks. Given the enormous amount of time we spend working, it would be good to know God’s callings for us. This will be a discussion-oriented class.

“Lutheran Confessions: A Study of the Augsburg Confession” - Led by Christian Messa’s and Josh Rodriguez’s Team - Room 211

This 13-part study from Concordia Publishing House will examine what it means to be Lutheran. We invite you to join us as we take an in-depth look at Lutheran doctrine.

“Reading Your Bible In One Year” - Led by Pastor Leeland’s Team - Room 209This Bible class is designed to support and encourage you in your journey through the Scriptures. It will be a spiritual journey from Genesis to Revelation! Through your daily readings, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will meet you in His Word. You will get to know Him and our Heavenly Father in deeper ways by the powerful working of the Holy Spirit through the Word!

“Study of the Book of Acts” - Led by Bill Fischer’s Team - Room 201ACTS is the story of how the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ grew from a small group of uneducated people hiding from the Jewish religious leaders and spread throughout the Western world into Rome, the center of that world. As told by Luke it begins with Peter at Pentecost and then follows the travels of the reformed Pharisee, Saul/Paul.

Kids Bible Time/Youth Bible Classes - Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

Age 3 through 3rd grade meet in Kids Park (Mary/Martha Hall in basement) for opening Pre-K (ages 3 and 4) - Basement Nursery Room 6th-7th Grade - Room 208, 2nd floorK - 3rd Grade - Basement 8th Grade Confirmation - Room 1244th-5th Grade - Room 207, 2nd floor 9th-12th Grade - Underground Student Center (basement)

Adult Midweek Bible Studies

Tuesday Women’s Bible Study - “Gospel of St. Luke”Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. - Room 205 - Women’s Bible Study led by Audrey Black Wednesday Women’s Bible Study - “A Work in Progress”Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. - Gathering Space - Women’s Bible Study led by Jan Case

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Wednesday Women’s Bible Study - “The Armor of God”Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. - Education Center Library - Women’s Bible Study led by Mary Oliver (Class will resume January 11.)Sonrise Bible StudyThursdays at 6:30 a.m. - Room 124 - Led by Pastor BlackTnT - 20s and 30s Group Bible StudyCurrent Study: “Walking with God in the Desert” - Meets 2nd and 4th Fridays at 7:30 p.m. - off site. Contact Rachel and Dag Calafell at rachel.calafell@gmail.com or 832.389.8998 for more information.

Congratulations to Vivian Rodriguez, Early Childhood Center Teacher of the Month!

Trinity ArchivesRecent donations to Trinity’s archives collection has included newspaper

articles, certificates, school photographs, vintage church photographs, books, church directories, commemorative plates, church publications and related memorabilia. Sincere thanks to Pam Buenker, Lucile Finn, Martha Gehring, Soo Jung, Wayne Leverkuhn, Estate of Margaret Roehm, Pat Sacaris, Alice Scherer and anonymous donors. Thanks also to Elizabeth Dorn for identifying students in archive’s photographs. All donations to the archives collection are appreciated and valued. Contact Ruth Stoerkel for any questions regarding the archives.

2017 Altar Flower ChartThe 2017 Trinity Altar Flower

Chart is now available at the Welcome Center in the foyer. Remember loved ones and special occasions by

reserving the dates. When reserving a date, please include a contact telephone

number. Either one or two arrangements can be placed at the Altar. Suggestions for vendors can be provided by the church office.

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Reducing Your Risk of StrokeDon’t Wait for It to Happen to You

I hope this information is a good review for all of you and that you and your doctor can form a treatment plan to reduce your risk of stroke. We all need to know about stroke because stroke can happen to anyone. A “stroke restricts the flow of blood to the brain and in the brain can disable or even kill you” as most of you know. There are two (2) kinds of stroke:

• Ischemic: A blood vessel leading to the brain or in the brain becomes narrowed or blocked cutting off blood flow, which is the most common type. This type accounts for approximately 88% of all strokes

• Hemorrhagic: A blood vessel in or near the brain bursts, causing bleeding and stopping the oxygen supply to the surrounding areas of the brain.

There is some good news – we can prevent most strokes by controlling the risks, the largest one being high blood pressure, which I’m sure most people know. When you work with your health care team, you can learn what the risks are, how to reduce them through life-style changes, and what to do when you have symptoms of stroke (which will be shared in later articles).

So what are the chances of having a stroke? Learning and knowing the risk factors can assist you and your doctor make up a plan to reduce your chances of having a stroke. So, what is a risk factor? Risk factors are the things that make you more likely to have a health problem. High blood pressure is a greater risk factor for stroke when you are older than age 50. The quiz below will assist you to learn your risk factors for stroke, and, of course, the more “yes” answers you have, the higher your risk and the more potential dangers you will encounter. Check if your “answer” is “yes”:

� Do you smoke? � Do you have high blood pressure? � Do you have high cholesterol? � Do you have atrial fibrillation? � Do you have diabetes? � Are you African-American? � Are you older than 50? � Are you overweight? � Do you walk or exercise fewer

than three (3) times a week? � Do you often eat greasy, fried, or

salty foods? � Do you have more than two (2) alcoholic drinks a day? � Have your mother, father, sister, brother, or grandparent had a stroke before age 55; or your mother or

sister had a heart attack before age 65? � Have you been told that you have carotid artery disease, or have had a stroke or TIA (transient ischemic

attack); or have a disease of the leg arteries, a high red blood cell count or sickle cell anemia?Discuss your “yes” answers with your physician. Be a champion of your own health and discuss your

“yes” answers with your physician immediately! Hopefully, you have or your physician is already keeping watch.

SOURCE: “American Stroke Association” (A division of American Heart Association).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!May all your lives abound in blessings in 2017 and may weekly worship, daily Bible study

and daily prayer continue to be or become an important aspect of your lives!Julie Bertrand, R.N.

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Mighty Acts – Trinity Lutheran School and Early Childhood Center

Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5

Since 1879 thousands of children have entered the doors of Trinity Lutheran School. Faced with an ever-changing world and chaotic times, the ability to offer whole-child, Christ-centered education – quality academics, fine arts and sports, and in-depth knowledge of God’s Word and His plan for creation through Jesus Christ – is a beacon of hope for parents and children alike.

The school was off to a strong start with the theme for the 2016-2017 school year from Habakkuk Believe . . . And Be Utterly Amazed! The first amazing occurrence was the addition of 12 new students that directly resulted from spring and summer outreach efforts. Our new head of school, Matt Meier, is joined by an enthusiastic, loving staff, including the new full-time Enrollment and Marketing Coordinator, Tammy Wiederhold.

Weekly chapels have been especially enjoyable and meaningful this year focusing on the core message Jesus is the Rock. The school year began with enthusiastic participation in the Tiger Prowl, a boosterthon fundraising effort to help support athletics, new uniforms, etc., and included Early Childhood children for the first time. Due to participation this year in a six-man soccer league, the school was able to host its first soccer games on-site.

A successful book fair was held this fall. At the annual Trunks ‘n’ Treats event in October, the Early Childhood center hosted tours, and the art barn was used to host some of the event activities. The school presented the Advent evening worship service on December 14th with

a program entitled Light of the World. Additionally, the fifth through eighth grades are actively raising funds for a trip to Washington, D.C. And mark your calendars for the annual school gala, A Night on Broadway, which will take place on February 18, 2017 at the Pelazzio.

The Early Childhood Center, led by Dawn Melody, currently has more than 100 children enrolled in infants through Pre-K, providing a safe, educational, Christ-centered early childhood experience. The center provides daily experiences that enrich and foster each child’s spiritual, cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. Children have opportunities to explore their creative side, develop problem solving skills and strengthen personal interaction skills through hands-on experiences. Knowing each child is a special creation of God, the programs help them develop a positive self-concept through a balance of self-directed and teacher-directed activities.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the school and early childhood center as foundational missions of Trinity Lutheran Church, and your support of the Mighty Acts capital campaign, allowing us to continue making mortgage payments on our beautiful school building.

Inspiring and empowering students with a Christ-centered education since 1879.

14 - Trinity Today

Tanzania Mission Trip, June 18-29, 2017This coming June 18-29, 2017, Trinity’s

Senior Pastor, Michael Dorn, is going to Tanzania on a Gospel Mission Trip and he wants you to join him in this awesome opportunity to live out your faith in sharing the saving love of Jesus Christ with all people now!

Trinity’s Mission Ministry Action Team is the leadership team for this Summer’s Mission Trip. Three of the members of the Mission MAT have previously gone on Mission Trips to Tanzania in 2014, 2015, and 2016. They are Dr. Alanna Bree, Karen Schescke and Sherry Johnson and have shared with the congregation the wonderful things God is doing in the name of Jesus Christ.

Specifically for the trip in June, we will be partnering with e3 Partners under the leadership of Keith Screws to connect with two remnant Lutheran congregations in the Tanga Region, Kaloyo Lutheran Church and Vunda Mission Lutheran Church. These two churches were started over 125 years ago by missionaries from Germany. The Tanga Region is over 99% Muslim and these two congregations with their pastors have been praying for a Lutheran congregation from the U.S. to partner with in reaching the people with the Gospel light of Christ. And, we can be that congregation! We will be working to support these churches with community transformation efforts, including digging water wells and establishing preschool programs at each of the churches, as well as evangelism of the local communities.

Keith Screws, missionary and Director of e3 Partners-Tanzania, will be at Trinity to share all the exciting things God is doing in this region of Tanzania. Keith will share with our School at a special chapel on Friday morning, January 13th. He will be at Trinity on Sunday, January 15th, for Mission Sunday where we will be taking a special offering to support this work. Keith will be speaking in all of the services, and will be meeting with anyone interested in learning more about our plans with e3 Partners during the Sunday School Hour. He will also be sharing more information about our June 18th-29th Mission Trip to Tanga, Tanzania.

Is our Lord Jesus Christ calling you to missions and to June’s Mission Trip to Tanzania? Is our LORD calling 10 or 20 or even 30 of us to go? Are you one of them whose heart rises at the thought of sharing Jesus where the light of Christ has never shone?

Please pray, and pray, and pray some more! And take that step of faith on a journey and an adventure that will change your life forever when you step out and share Jesus this June!

You can find more information and sign up for the trip at: http://e3partners.org/trip/tanga-tanzania-tz17h/1172.

Lord Jesus, stir our hearts by Your Holy Spirit and move us to respond to Your Gospel Call to “Go and make disciples!” Give us Your Spirit of love and courage, of joy and grace! Give us hearts filled with love for You and a hunger to see so many be touched and blessed with You. Motivate and move us in mission to the Father’s glory. This we pray in Your strong name, Jesus. Amen.

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Dr. Alanna Bree on Medical Mission Trip, January 20th-31st!Dr. Alanna Bree will be returning to Tanzania in early 2017.

The trip is planned for January 20-31, 2017. She will be involved in providing pediatric dermatology care, along with a team of other medical professionals, for children in special needs centers and orphanages, especially those with albinism. Albinism is a genetic condition that causes children to be born without pigment in their skin, hair and eyes which leads to skin cancers and visual impairment. There is much misconception and false information about persons with albinism (PWA) in Tanzania where up to 1 in 2,000 people are affected by this condition. Unfortunately, due to lack of education about the need for sun protection and the limited number of physicians available to treat their skin cancers, less than 10% of those with albinism will live until 30 years of age and less than 2% will survive until the age of 40. Sadly, many children with albinism are placed in orphanages in an effort to protect them. This is because their body parts are thought to have special powers by local witch doctors. Tragically in their communities, they are hunted, mutilated and even murdered with trafficking of their body parts. Thankfully due to the passionate work of many, there has been some progress in improving their situation, but unfortunately these children are often forgotten and forsaken. This trip will allow the team to not only treat their physical needs with medications for their skin problems and surgery for their skin cancers, but it will also allow them to minister to the sweet souls of these children.

Please pray for God’s blessings of protection and success for this Medical Mission Trip and for the healing power of Christ to fill all that they do for the children.

Lord Jesus, bless with Your angels’ protection and with the healing power of Your grace and love that this Medical Mission Trip may be granted Your benediction to our heavenly Father’s glory in the presence and power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Special Offering for Homeless Sack Lunch Ministry on January 29th!

Once a year, Trinity takes a second offering on a Sunday to support our Homeless Sack Lunch Ministry. This ministry is carried out by a dedicated group of volunteers who greet the Homeless at Trinity’s door with a smile, a blessing, and a simple sack lunch that they often supplement with their own food donations! We average between 17,000 and as many as 20,000 sack lunches given out on a yearly basis depending on how many people in need come to our doors for assistance.

We will have this second Special Offering on Sunday, January 29th. Please put this special offering in your prayers as you participate in supporting this important ministry with your offering to the glory of God!

Would you like to get involved and become a volunteer? Please connect with Pastor Black, dblack@trinitydt.org or Rick Berg, oldhippie@gmail.com.

16 - Trinity Today

5th Grade First Communion Class Starts January 29th!Trinity’s 5th Grade First Communion Class starts Sunday, January 29th, and will meet during the 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School and Bible Class Hour in Room 214. This Class will be team led by Pastor Donald Black.Trinity’s First Communion Class takes participants through an exploration of what Scriptures teach

concerning the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper and what we Lutherans confess and believe. This is a great study that will thoroughly prepare our youth for a beneficial reception of Holy Communion.

We encourage parents to attend with their student at each session. This will serve as a foundation for their conversations during the week of what they are learning and especially give parents opportunity to share how they are personally blessed in receiving Holy Communion.

5th Grade First Communion Class meets for 8 weeks, taking two Sundays off before and after Spring Break. First Communion will be celebrated at the 6:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service in the Sanctuary on April 13th.

To register for this class please connect with Pastor Black at dblack@trinitydt.org. Here is the Class Schedule:

¾ January 29, 2017 – Lesson 1 ¾ February 5, 2017 – Lesson 2 ¾ February 12, 2017 – Lesson 3 ¾ February 19, 2017 – Lesson 4 ¾ February 26, 2017 – Lesson 5 ¾ March 5, 2017 – Lesson 6 ¾ March 12, 2017 – Off ¾ March 13-17, 2017 – Spring Break ¾ March 19, 2017 – Off ¾ March 26, 2017 – Lesson 7 ¾ April 2, 2017 – Lesson 8 ¾ April 9, 2017 – Palm Sunday – 8th Grade Confirmation ¾ April 13, 2017 – Maundy Thursday – First Communion at 6:30 p.m. service ¾ April 16, 2017 – Easter

May our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen our youth in Word and Sacraments with His saving love and grace. Amen.

Trinity’s Foyer DisplaysDuring the past months the foyer cabinet has provided interesting

displays of Trinity member’s personal collections. Special thanks to the following members that shared their collections and for memorabilia from Trinity’s archives collection: “Confirmation” from the archives collection; “Vendor ball caps” by Lou Faszholz from his career at AMOCO and related memorabilia; “It’s a Wonderful Life” painted movie tiles from Vicki Harkrider; “Remembering Sunday School & Rally Day” from Mary Oliver displaying vintage Sunday school leaflets; “Martin Luther & Trinity’s 137th Anniversary” from the archives collection including Martin Luther commemorative plates donated by Alice Scherer; and “David Winter Cottages” from the collection of James Avant. We sincerely appreciate our members sharing their collections. If you have a collection and would like to share it, please contact Ruth Stoerkel.

Trinity Today - 17

Trinity Prays! For the New Year!Happy New Year! As we think and pray about living out our faith in 2017,

here are two Scriptures and one hymn for you to use in your devotions and prayers:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. [Psalm 37:3-6; ESV]

3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. [Proverbs 3:3-6; ESV]

With the Lord begin your task; Jesus will direct it.For His aid and counsel ask; Jesus will perfect it.

Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise, And when day is ended,In His name then close your eyes; Be to Him commended.

Let each day begin with prayer, Praise, and adoration.On the Lord cast ev’ry care; He is your salvation.

Morning, evening, and at night Jesus will be near you,Save you from the tempter’s might, With His presence cheer you.

With your Savior at your side, Foes need not alarm you;In His promises confide, And no ill can harm you.

All your trust and hope repose In the mighty Master,Who in wisdom truly knows How to stem disaster.

If your task be thus begun With the Savior’s blessing,Safely then your course will run, Toward the promise pressing,

Good will follow ev’rywhere While you here must wander;You at last the joy will share In the mansions yonder.

Thus, Lord Jesus, ev’ry task Be to You commended;May Your will be done, I ask, until life is ended.

Jesus, in Your name begun Be the day’s endeavor;Grant that it may well be done To Your praise forever.

[With the Lord Begin Your Task, Lutheran Service Book #869; Concordia Publishing House, used with permission.]

Lord Jesus, may all we do in this New Year be done in Your name, for Your Father’s glory, and be blessed and strengthened by Your Holy Spirit. So lead and guide us in Your way, You who are the Way and the Truth and the Life, our Lord Jesus. Amen.

January 18 - Lutheran Campus Ministry Hosts Lunch at U of HVolunteers needed. Come early (10:30) and help set up; come for lunch and help serve (11:30); host a table

and interact with students (11:30 - 1:30). For more information or to volunteer, contact Ruanne Kuhlmann at 713.409.5400 or ruannekuhlmann@sbcglobal.net.

18 - Trinity Today

CHURCH REPORTNovember 14 - December 18

BAPTISMSNovember 20

Ransey Daniel Renteria

December 4Violet Olivia Haggadone

NEW MEMBERS• David & Cindy Deere• Thomas & Elizabeth DeVries• Joan Fischer• Jessica Kirk• B .R . Kunze• Ben Marriott• Jimmy & Sara Melcher• Kristin Smits• Hanna Stelzer

TRANSFER OUT• Larry & Kim Wende to Trinity LCMS - Klein, TX• Bobby Gray to Shepherd of the Prairie LCMS -

Franklin, TX• Elizabeth Andricks-Vyvial to Crosspoint LCMS

- Katy, TX

RELEASED• Katrina Ridley

DEATHSDecember 3

Mary Louise HelmcampDecember 13

Noral “Buddy” Schmidt, Jr .

REVENUE UPDATEYear to Date through 12/18/16

Actual Receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,549,587Budgeted Receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,789,535

MIGHTY ACTS UPDATEYear to Date through 12/18/16

Total Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,187,934Pledged to Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,641,010

ORGAN FUND UPDATEYear to Date through 12/18/16

Total Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $400,963Remaining Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $190,991

SUNDAY SCHOOL TOTALS 1-8 H .S . Adult Total11/20 37 7 145 18911/27 30 12 140 18212/04 34 8 152 19412/11 31 8 146 18512/18 35 9 152 196Total Offering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $261 .11

SUNDAY WORSHIP ATTENDANCE 8:15 10:50 11:00 Total11/20 211 138 66 41511/27 214 129 46 38912/04 261 109 38 40812/11 256 227 41 52412/18 217 138 44 399

STAFF DIRECTORYCHURCH

713.224.0684

Senior Pastor Pastor Michael P . Dorn . . . 713 .229 .2940Director of Caring Ministries Pastor David A . Leeland . . 713 .229 .2916Visitation Pastor Pastor Donald G . Black . . 713 .229 .2917Chief Financial Officer Ron Lacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713 .229 .2970Dir . of Administration and Human Resources Trinity Garrett . . . . . . . . . . 713 .229 .2937Interim Director of Music and Worship Mary Voigt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713 .229 .2922Director of Accounting Roseann Gamez . . . . . . . . 713 .229 .2962Manager of Facilities John Valdez . . . . . . . . . . . 713 .229 .2905Communications Coordinator Pam Schroeder . . . . . . . . . 713 .229 .2944Contributions Manager Angela Avant . . . . . . . . . . . 713 .229 .2963Host Rollin Cattau . . . . . . . . . . . 713 .224 .0684

SCHOOL/TLEC832.301.3100

Head of School Matthew Meier . . . . . . . . . 832 .301 .3105Director of Early Childhood Dawn Melody . . . . . . . . . . 832 .301 .3100Enrollment and Marketing Coordinator Tammy Wiederhold . . . . . . 832 .301 .3100

Joyfully sharing Christ’s SavingLove With All People Now!

The 39 ClubThe 39 Club is invited to meet in the foyer following the 10:50 and 11 a.m. services on

January 15 and plan to have an Epiphany lunch at the home of Pastor and Audrey Black. Please RSVP to dgb32@att.net or 713.782.6307.

In December the group enjoyed fellowship and food at Spaghetti Western Italian Cafe and then some went Christmas caroling with the PEP Club to homebound members of Trinity congregation.

Those who are single, 39 and over, are invited to join us. For more information, contact Jean at 281.550.4752.

JANUARY 2017Trinity Lutheran Church

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30

8:15 AM Traditional Worship

9:30 AM Bible Study Hour

10:50 AM Traditional Worship

11:00 AM Modern Wor-ship (C)

12:00 PM Undecorate the Church

10:00 AM Staff Leader-ship Team Meeting

10:00 AM Women’s Bible Study

11:00 AM LFL Crochet Group

6:00 PM Houston Bronze Ensemble

9:30 AM Women’s Bible Study

5:15 PM Trinity Brass 5:15 PM Trinity Wood-

winds 6:15 PM Trinity Bells 6:30 PM Women’s Bible

Study 7:15 PM Sanctuary Choir

6:30 AM Sonrise Bible Study

5:00 PM Yanosik/Christenson Rehearsal

6:00 PM Parents’ Night Out

3:00 PM Yanosik/Chris-tenson Wedding

8:00 AM Blood Drive 8:15 AM Traditional

Worship (C) 9:30 AM Bible Study

Hour 10:50 AM Traditional

Worship (C) 11:00 AM Modern Wor-

ship 12:00 PM 39 Club

10:00 AM Staff Leader-ship Team Meeting

10:00 AM Women’s Bible Study

6:00 PM Houston Bronze Ensemble

6:00 PM Stephen Ministry

9:30 AM Women’s Bible Study

10:30 AM Ladies Circle HPCC

5:15 PM Trinity Brass 5:15 PM Trinity Wood-

winds 6:15 PM Trinity Handbells 6:30 PM Women’s Bible

Study 7:15 PM Sanctuary Choir

6:30 AM Sonrise Bible Study

6:00 PM Elders Meeting 6:30 PM Governing

Board Meeting

10:00 AM Staff Leader-ship Team Meeting

10:00 AM Women’s Bible Study

6:00 PM Houston Bronze Ensemble

9:30 AM Women’s Bible Study

5:15 PM Trinity Brass 5:15 PM Trinity Wood-

winds 6:15 PM Trinity Hand-

bells 6:30 PM Women’s Bible

Study 7:15 PM Sanctuary Choir

6:30 AM Sonrise Bible Study

6

1

31 10:00 AM Staff Leader-

ship Team Meeting

10:00 AM Women’s Bible Study

6:00 PM Houston Bronze Ensemble

3 10;00 AM Staff Leader-

ship Team Meeting

10:00 AM Women’s Bible Study

6:00 PM Stephen Ministry

6:00 PM Houston Bronze Rehearsal

2

5 6:30 AM Sonrise Bible

Study 10:00 AM Ladies Circle

Ministries Meet-ing

4

9:30 AM New Year’s Day Worship (C)

9:30 AM Women’s Bible Study

10:30 AM LC/TWC HPCC

Church Office Closed

8:15 AM Traditional Worship (C)

9:30 AM Bible Study Hour

10:50 AM Traditional Worship (C)

11:00 AM Modern Wor-ship

8:15 AM Traditional Worship

9:30 AM Bible Study Hour

10:50 AM Traditional Worship

11:00 AM Modern Wor-ship (C)

5:00 PM Villa/Esca-nilla Wedding Rehearsal

DECEMBER

S M T W T F S

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

FEBRUARY

S M T W T F S

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28

20 - Trinity Today

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH800 HOUSTON AVENUEHOUSTON, TX 77007-7792

DATED MATERIALDELIVER BY DECEMBER 31, 2016

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NON-PROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

HOUSTON, TEXASPERMIT 6364

Jesus loves:

Joyfully sharing Christ’s saving love with all people, Now!

Article submission deadline January 9th for articles to be published February 1, 2017. Submit articles to pschroeder@trinitydt.org.Contact Pam Schroeder at 713.229.2944 with any questions about this publication.

Blood Donor SundayOur first Blood Donor Sunday for 2017 will be

held January 15, 2017, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Room 214, 2nd floor. Sign-up sheets are located in the foyer, narthex and in the school hallway near the gym entrance. Our Health Cabinet will not be calling so, if you would prefer a special time please sign-up either at the church or online at www.giveblood.org and pick Trinity’s drive to set an appointment. An added bonus to signing up ahead of time is we take scheduled appointments prior to walk-ups. We look forward to a very successful drive this winter. All donors who donated in September will be eligible to give at this drive. Double red cell and combination whole blood and plasma machines will be available for those wishing to donate that way. Both count for two donations.

REMINDER!! The minimum donor age requirement to give blood is 16 years old with a parent’s permission. Weight must be 122 lbs. (still 110 lbs. for 17 and older) and in general good health.

REMEMBER: one unit of blood can save as many as three lives as it is broken down into 3 components – red blood cells, platelets and plasma.

May our Lord keep you healthy and you can continue to contribute the gift of life!