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October 2020 |
When You Give To Trinity. . . One Village One Family One Congregation One Family was created in Denver in 2006 to assist homeless families in obtaining
affordable housing and learning self-sufficiency. A business, church, or other organization could form a
group to support a family. Each group needed to raise $1500 to $2000 for the family’s first month’s rent
and deposit and meet with the families once a month for six months to help them with managing
personal finances and learning any other life skills they needed to be successful.
When the program was introduced in Fort Collins the name was changed to One Village One Family to
reflect that it was open to secular groups as well as churches. In 2012, Plymouth Congregational
Church mentored successfully mentored two families in a pilot program. In 2018, Sharon Johnson
organized a team at Trinity to mentor a family with three young children under the direction of
Homeward Alliance. The team members still talk about the close bond they developed with the family
and how they helped them achieve financial stability. A second family was mentored the following year
under Nancy Harrison.
When you give to Trinity, you give to One Village One Family
Trinity Lutheran Church A welcoming faith community living together in God’s love to
share the joy of Jesus Christ.
October 2020 Volume 23, No. 10
October 2020 | 2
TLC book Group Racism and women’s suffrage will be the topics of the first two
books of the fall for the TLC Book Group. On Monday, October 5,
at 9:30 am the group will meet via Zoom to discuss theologian
James Cone’s study of the two most emotionally charged symbols
of the African American community: The Cross and the Lynching
Tree. In November we delve into the history of the women’s
suffrage movement (appropriate for election month) by looking at
the lives of nineteen activists in Why They Marched: Untold
Stories of the Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote by
Susan Ware. Join our Zoom meetings HERE.
Meeting ID: 853 5822 1885 | Password: 662888
Questions? Call Nadine Hunt at 970-825-3730.
Check out page 12 (the back page) of this publication to see
the book schedule for November-February.
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
301 E. Stuart Street Fort Collins, CO 80525
www.trinitylutheranfc.org
Facebook: /TLCfortcollins
Phone: (970) 482-1226 Fax: (970) 482-0817
Preschool: (970) 221-9852 After Hours Emergency:
(970)-400-7252
OFFICE HOURS MON-THURS 9 am–3 pm
WORSHIP TIMES SATURDAY: 5 PM
SUNDAY: 10:30 AM
Senior Pastor Rick Reiten
Education & Family Minister Katie Kline
Office Administrator Deana Andrist
Financial Manager Debbie Schwartz
Director of Communications Amanda Backsen
Director of Choirs Paul Falk
Church Musician Carrie Hansen
Saturday Worship Coordinators Greg Schairer & Jodie Burgoon
A/V Techician Joshua Moore
TLC Preschool Director Brenda Harju
Young Adults! Every 2
nd & 4
th Monday - October 12 & 26 at 7 pm
Click HERE to join via Zoom
Meeting ID: 817 1273 8613 | Passcode: 025862 Calling all young adults! There is no age limit, if you feel young at
heart, this includes you, truly! This is a time to be together, build
community with games, fellowship, and study because community
matters and because having friends your age matters. This is a
safe space to explore your faith and develop local friendships.
Bring your own drink and snacks and join us either via zoom
or on the south lawn at Trinity.
Cans Around the Church Food Drive The three congregations are joining together in a drive to collect
food and other essentials for the Food Bank for Larimer County
and the Little Pantry. Look for the big Larimer County Food Bank
truck that will be on site to accept donations, on Sunday, October
4 from 11 am-5 pm, also members from the Joint Social Justice
team will be present 11 am-1 pm (StPE), 1-3 (MoM) and 3-5 pm
(TLC) to receive your donations. Items from the following list are
welcome: Peanut Butter, Whole Grain Pasta, Brown Rice, Canned
Meets (Tuna & Chicken in Water), Whole Grain Oats, Cereal (Low
Sugar), Canned Fruits, Beans, Lentils, Nuts, Seeds, Dried Fruits,
Granola Bars, Protein Bars, Boxed Foods, Baby Wipes, Baby
Diapers and Check Donations (no ca$h please). NO GLASS
CONTAINERS PLEASE!
October 2020 | 3
Special Congregational Meeting for Katie Exciting Update! Many of you know that our Family Minister Katie Kline, has been part of the candidacy
process to be a rostered leader in the church. When we called her last year, it was to the role of
Deacon, though Katie was still working on the approval from our synod. The time has
come! She has been approved to be ordained as Deacon, assigned to Rocky
Mountain Synod, and now needs to be called (again?) to Trinity.
Please join us following worship, on Sunday, October 11 at 11:30 am following
worship, via Zoom, for a special congregational meeting for the purpose of voting
on Katie Kline to be Deacon at Trinity. This change has no impact on her work,
salary, expectations – but is an affirmation of where God has called her, and where
God is calling her as a leader in the larger Church. Thanks be to God for Katie Kline,
and for our co-laboring together in the gospel.
Reverend Rick’s Reflections Leading into Unchartered Territory Never did I think that a book would be so fitting, as Canoeing the Mountains has been during this
pandemic. The book was recommended to me two years ago by a colleague, and I dismissed it! Only to
return to the recommendation, read it multiple times, purchase copies for council and staff, and
recommend it to others. It is no novel, but as church leadership goes, it is incredibly deep and relevant
to our time.
Basically, the book uses the story of Lewis and Clark exploring the West, as an analogy to Church
Leadership. When the Corps of Discovery reached the Rocky Mountains, they were about to enter
‘unchartered territory’. (Note: The West was already explored and chartered by Native Americans, and
home to over 50 tribes.) The group knew how to canoe, it is how they explored the East. They believed
they could take a river from Montana/Idaho to reach the Pacific. The mountains stood in their way. They
traded canoes for horses and hiked their way through the mountains.
This is where we are as a church as well – entering undiscovered territory. We are not able to do
church the same as before – from worship to ministry committees to partnerships – we are forever
changed. There are some things that will feel normalized, but how that happens, when that happens, is
not yet determined. But this also opens us up to some exciting new opportunities and challenges.
We stand at the precipice. We can keep canoeing, keep doing church as we always have, or we can
trade in one tool for another, in order to move forward on this journey. We have no idea what lies
ahead, through Covid time or after, but we have learned skills along the way that will be useful for
ministry in 2021 and beyond.
Though we may feel isolated, we are better connected than before.
Though worship and meetings are on computer, God’s reach is further than ever before.
Though we are fatigued by Zoom, we still get community, we still share communion, we are
still in this together.
Know that your leaders, council and staff, are leading in the small things, so that when the unexpected
happens (and is happening!) we will be able to lead off the map and into the unknown. Strengthened,
accompanied by the One who knows a thing or two about leading through unexplored areas of faith.
God has been there before. God will be there again. God is with us now, showing our church its
mission in a new and changing world.
Thanks be to God. Pastor Rick
October 2020 | 4
Jane & Mark Remmers 10/1
Judy & Keith Titus 10/2 Duane & Marianne Weinmeister-Ehrlich 10/2
Kristina & Bradley Brown 10/4
Ginger & Leonard Russ 10/4
Georgia Lee & Jim Laird 10/16
Gayle & Lee Currie 10/16
Vicki Volbrecht & James Prater 10/30
Anniversaries
Birthdays
Mid-Day Prayer on Wednesdays from 12-1 pm “There are few times when the noon office is celebrated in the average parish church setting,
and yet midday is one of the primary times of prayer in the Church day.”
Since we are not able to gather for worship in person on Saturday and Sunday, we are inviting you to
share a time of Mid-Day Prayer, in the sanctuary, from Noon to 1pm on Wednesdays, starting
September 30. This will be a time of personal prayer and contemplative reflection, and prayer
resources will be available if needed.
We will still be limited participation (10 people at a time) per our building policy. For the safety of others,
you are required to wear a mask, and to sit distanced apart, unless you are with your own family unit.
We realize that during this time we are church in a new way, but excited to try some new opportunities,
and still we thank you for your grace and understanding. We are grateful for your resilience, as God
continues to walk beside us into tomorrow.
Phillip Chapman 10/2
Christopher Mize 10/2
Douglas Prebel 10/2
Paul Schairer 10/3
Donna Palmer 10/4
Caley Faulkner 10/6
Luann Schilling 10/6
Deana Andrist 10/13
Richard Deering 10/14
Edward Fadness 10/19
Rachel Fairbairn 10/20
Judith Titus 10/23
Gloria Weiderspon 10/23
Erin Sprain 10/24
Joleen Fairbairn 10/25
Henrietta Richardson 10/27
Wendy Gebhardt 10/28
Anne Jackson 10/28
Carolyn Funk 10/30
Cherlyn Gorsky 10/30
Celebrate the Season of Creation 2020 During Adult Forum Check out the "Season of Creation Prayer Service" that was held September 16 via Zoom/Facebook. It
was put together by the Rocky Mountain Synod Creation Care Team with the message given by Brad
Abbott. Click https://www.facebook.com/rmselca/videos/324519388874255 to view the video.
The ecumenical Season of Creation for 2020 lasts until October 4 (Feast day of St. Francis). This year's
theme, “Jubilee for the Earth”, invites us to consider the integral relationship between rest for the earth
and ecological, economic, social and public ways of living. This particular year, the need for just and
sustainable systems has been revealed by the far-reaching effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Trinity will be using materials from multiple sources to celebrate, and study our call to care for creation
during Adult Forums on Sundays at 9-10:10 am via Zoom through October 4. Click HERE to join
Meeting ID: 894 3735 9149 | Passcode: 408538. We will explore questions about our
relationship to creation and the many concerns that humanity is facing. So, please join in the
conversation around this vitally important aspect of our Christian journey!
October 2020 | 5
There are so many who are the heart, hands & feet of God Thank someone who has lived out their faith by sharing their gifts and made a difference in the
church OR community, please email Amanda, [email protected].
What a weekend! We (a collective we) all want to offer up PROFOUND GRATITUDE to Trinity
Lutheran Church for opening up your space to us with such hospitality. The community loved the
concept of a just market, and people are already asking when the next one will be. In the end, we
served over 200 cars (and bike and pedestrian units) that came through the Trinity parking lot. Like we
said in the promotion, it wasn't just a market it was a just market ... and the message was felt and
received. ~ ISAAC: Interfaith Solidarity and Accompaniment Coalition of Northern Colorado
Faster Pastors, Out Running Hunger!! Thank you, Trinity, for the support and prayers for the Faster
Pastor team in 2020. We ran real miles, in our own neighborhoods and communities, raising awareness
for ELCA World Hunger. Our team of 10 ran 165 miles (in 26 hours!). Though I missed running in the
mountains, completing 19.6 miles along the Poudre Trail, from Greeley to Windsor, was a pretty nice
consolation route. A special thank you to the Trust Fund as well, who has supported financially this
endeavor the past 3 years. We are grateful to have this resource at Trinity, and I encourage you to make
requests and to set up legacy gifts for the Trinity Endowment. Trust continues to help provide funding for
community projects, beyond what the church can do alone! ~ Pastor Rick Reiten
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Trinity congregation, Thank you all for your generosity and
good will for the Homeward Alliance Family Fair. The donations poured in on Wednesday at Trinity.
Your response is AMAZING!!! Thank you, Katie, for setting up the “Drive By” donation event,
responding to a simple announcement and making it bloom, helping pack bags after Wednesday night
service, and (I heard) attending Saturdays Family Fair and passing out hygiene bags and clothing to
families. Thank you, Pastor Rick, for helping with the “Drive By”, sharing your sense of joy, visiting with
congregation members, and helping pack the entire backend of my car. Thank you, Lisa Dunworth, for
setting this event up with Homeward Alliance, your inspiration, and getting us into the Murphy Center
after hours to pack bags. With the donations from Trinity we were …as Lisa stated… “up to our armpits
in donations” and able to pack 75 bags of personal hygiene items for families. I think that was 50% of
the total bags passed out on Sat. We did supplement a few items towards the end of our packing with
items that had been donated from other groups. We did not want to send those last few bags out
packed with multiple shampoos, lotions and toothpaste but no toothbrushes or laundry soap. ~ God is
Good, Barbara Dunworth
October 2020 | 6
4 9 am Adult Forum
10 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship Africa &
Anti Racism Cans Around the Church
Food Drive
5 9:30 am Book Group
6 pm Property
6 7:30 am Men’s Breakfast
5:15 pm Soc/Eco Justice
11 9 am Executive Council
9 am Adult Forum 10 am Sunday School
10:30 am Worship 11:30 am Congregational
Mtg. for Katie Kline 11:45 am Faith Formation
12
7 pm Young Adults
13
4:30 pm Finance
18 9 am Adult Forum
10 am Sunday School 10:30 am Worship
11:45 am Worship & Music
19
5:30 pm Council
20
25 9 am Adult Forum
10 am Sunday School 10:30 am Shared Service
26 9:30 am Anna’s Circle
7 pm Young Adults
27
5:30 pm Joint Eco Mtg
October 2020 | 7
Assisting in Worship Prayer Leader/Lector
October 3/4 Ron Splittgerber / Paul Johnson
October 10/11 Ron Bend / Cherlyn Gorsky
October 17/18 Vicky Splittgerber / Gerry Olsen
October 24/25 Vicki Volbrecht / Nancy Harrison
October 31/Nov 1 Vicky Splittgerber /
1 9:30 am Bible Study
2
3
5 pm Saturday Praise
7
12 pm Mid Day Prayer
6:45 pm Worship
8 9:30 am Bible Study
9
10
5 pm Saturday Praise
14
12 pm Mid Day Prayer
6:45 pm Worship
15 9:30 am Bible Study
16
17
5 pm Saturday Praise
21
12 pm Mid Day Prayer
6:45 pm Worship
22 9:30 am Bible Study
23
24
5 pm Saturday Praise
28
12 pm Mid Day Prayer
6:45 pm Worship
29 9:30 am Bible Study
30
31
5 pm Saturday Praise
October 2020 | 8
Highlights from August 3 Council Minutes Finance Committee Report:
• The finance report indicated that receipts to the end of June were $216,834, with expenditures of
$214,456, resulting in a balance of $2378 year to date.
• The property maintenance line item appears to be spending at a faster rate than other ministries.
Because of COVID, a part time custodian has not been hired. Thus the cleaning service expenses
cannot be charged to salaries, but are being charged to the Property Maintenance line item.
• The second quarter benevolence to be paid out is $7990.
• The Finance Committee requested that the Council make a small revision in the Operating Reserve
formula approved at the June meeting. Using the new formula, the recommended reserves for 2020
would be from $87,050 to $130,575, slightly higher than under the previous formula.
• 2021 budget worksheets have been sent to ministry chairpersons and are due September 2nd.
Pastor’s Report
• Pastor Rick and Katie Kline discussed how the service video and communion can be safely taken to
homebound members; how small groups can work at Food Bank; a banner supporting Black Lives
Matter to be jointly created by the three partner churches; leadership development for Council
members using the book Canoeing the Mountains; and a Zoom meeting for church leaders with the
bishop
PPP Loan
• The funds received from the PPP Loan are currently designated as restricted funds. The Council
voted unanimously that TLC should use the grant portion of the PPP loan and to apply for the
forgiveness portion immediately.
Reopening Task Force:
• The Reopening Task Force does not recommend reopening the church at the end of August and will
continue to focus on reimaging the church and improving the digital platform. Our partner churches are
following similar plans.
• The pre-school has developed a reopening plan for September.
• Worship and Music will contact by letter and phone call members who are not being reached by the
digital or video services to find ways in which we can meet their needs.
Partnership Discussion & Memorial Garden:
• Trust has sent a letter to the congregation informing members of plans for St. Paul’s Episcopal to build
at their expense two new walls in the Memorial Garden for the use of their members. There is no
precedent for procedures to vote on agreements among the three churches, but it is hoped that
Council may endorse a commitment to the partnership indefinitely, even though we do not know all the
end results.
Complete minutes of Council meetings are available in the Church Office.
Shared Service October 25 at 10:30am For three years we have been sharing space with St. Paul’s Episcopal and Mary of Magdala
Ecumenical Catholic Community, which has expanded into shared ministry together, and we continue to
be grateful for this partnership. We are better together and cannot do what we do without them! This
celebration service will recognize our renewed commitment working together. Please look forward to
our shared service with our Partner Congregations! A link will be coming!
October 2020 | 9
Council President Update Hello to my fellow sisters and brothers in Christ,
As always, I hope this finds you well, safe, and positive! Who thought we would still be shut down after
this long, not I! I marvel and thank our rostered leaders, support staff, volunteers, musicians, and
technology people, who are all doing an awesome job in bring us worship, education, children time, and
fellowship opportunities. I want to especially thank you, the congregation, for your continued spiritual
and financial support. Thanks to all!
As many of you know, I am again a Grandmother, this time to a beautiful grandson, Jaxon Briggs
Wagner. There are many special things about Jaxon, his birth was long and hard, he was supposed to
be a girl, he was four weeks early, and he inherited his father’s cleft lip and palate. Jaxon also has
brown skin. You see, my son is also part African American and his wife is first generation from Mexico.
Both have beautiful bronze skin. Genetics can be a wonderful thing but can also have it downside.
Jaxon has a future with many surgeries, which he and his parents will handle fine. What I fear most for
Jaxon is the same discrimination that his father experienced. The fact of the matter is, people young or
old, Christian or not, will tease and discriminate against him.
Discrimination comes in many forms: color of skin, birth defects, shape and size of your body, color of
your hair, and on the list goes. These are all genetic. As I said genetics is a wonderful thing, but
sometimes our genetics makes us the object of ridicule, rejection, and discrimination. The color of our
skin is genetic, and I praise God that he adapted our skin color to tolerate the environment of our
ancestors. So, should merely the color of one’s skin make them the object of ridicule, rejection, and
discrimination. Nowhere in my biology and genetic training did I learn that color of skin is related to
intelligence, behavior, or any other traits. Why the discrimination? It makes me so sad and I do fear for
my lovely grandson.
There is discrimination in other forms also; political beliefs, theological beliefs, geographic living area,
and the list goes on and on. I hope we at Trinity will look at our faith partner sisters and brothers as just
that sisters and brothers in Christ, who need and love the space we share. They have brought so much
to the table; enthusiasm, energy, and different perspectives that we have never explored. We must
continue to be sisters and brothers in Christ and good stewards of our time, finances, and physical
space.
It is all well and good to show our support for our sisters and brothers who are black, brown, yellow,
green, purple. But we need to walk the talk and not just say what is politically correct. We need focus on
more than what is on the national news; by supporting those with disabilities, different body shapes, skin
color, theology, and you get my drift. Let us, Trinity Lutheran Church, show the world that we welcome
all no matter what differences they bring to the table.
I will share one last story, which both broke my heart but also made me so proud. When Jaxon was born
and the doctor realized Jaxon had the cleft. He then started to lecture my son and daughter in law on the
need to accept this child and love him no matter what. Joe, my very mild-mannered son, advocated for
his son. He pointed to his own lip repair and said, “it is genetics, pure and simple. You have just made
me appreciate more fully the gift I was given. I am ½ African American and I have a cleft lip and palate.
You see my parents are of German and French heritage, my parents chose me, I am adopted. Jaxon
will be loved by all, and I will advocate for him as long as he needs me.”
Blessings and love to all. Continue to live as Christ would have us live by staying healthy, happy,
welcoming, and above all; positive!
Betty Ann Petitjean-Wagner, TLC Congregational President
October 2020 | 10
Trinity's Virtual Offerings! NEW Zoom Links Zoom – So easy…even Pastor Paul can do it! New more secure Zoom logins with passwords are now
being used for all Trinity meetings. Zoom is now requiring passwords to address security issues.
Click the link and join the meeting. You do not need a ZOOM account to access the link. However, you
may first be prompted to download the software. This is safe, and you only need to do it once.
WORSHIP: (Saturday 5 pm) | (Sunday 10:30 am) | (Wednesday 6:45 pm)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89437359149?pwd=a0I1VjEwclhiK2paaEd2QXBtTmVkZz09
Meeting ID: 894 3735 9149 | Passcode: 408538
EDUCATION: Adult Forum (Sunday 9 am) | Bible Study (Thursday 9:30 am)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89437359149?pwd=a0I1VjEwclhiK2paaEd2QXBtTmVkZz09
Meeting ID: 894 3735 9149 | Passcode: 408538
CHILDREN: Sunday School (Sunday 10 am)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86920855078?pwd=SlVwcytmME9ia1BJd1pTa3ptZ3EyUT09
Meeting ID: 869 2085 5078 | Passcode: 926423
OTHER:
TLC Book Group (1st
Monday 9:30 am)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85358221885?pwd=RWx6dTEwRzIzc0xuNmtkaWFzbzZIdz09
Meeting ID: 853 58221885 | Password: 662888
Young Adults (2nd
& 4th
Monday 7 pm)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81712738613?pwd=MFNPb2xiVzNFUmNzSUVHUlJoMTZnZz09
Meeting ID: 817 1273 8613 | Passcode: 025862
Men’s Breakfast (1st
Tuesday 7:30 am)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87330615104?pwd=cGg3VEtTTERGVTdsMXFJL2o1d05yUT09
Meeting ID: 873 3061 5104 | Passcode: 128841
Don’t have a computer or internet? You can still participate fully in the zoom worship services and
other meetings offered through Zoom. Follow these steps, and if you run into problems, just ask one of
our staff or your phone tree calling person for assistance. We don’t want you to miss you. Remember,
in order to be part of the zoom call, you need to call in at the designated time.
1. Call (346) 248-7799 (this is a long distance number, so you need to have ability to call long distance.
2. “Enter the Meeting ID then press #”.
3. “Please enter your user ID followed by #”. You can skip this step simply by pressing pound.
4. Enter the passcode (all meetings now require a passcode, it will be listed with the link). Once you
have entered the passcode, you will be in the zoom call.
This is where you can access each weekend worship service!
https://vimeo.com/trinitylutheranfc.
October 2020 | 11
Prayer for Non Violence As we are daily exposed to conflict and violence in our nation, and as we ourselves get caught up in our
own "righteous" anger", we are called to remember that we follow a non-violent Christ and are
encouraged to pray always in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. In thinking about this, our
three-community Social Justice group has committed to pray intentionally for the alleviation of the
violence in our country. We invite anyone and everyone to pause, in whatever manner you choose, and
pray with us on Fridays at noon starting September 4.
Suggested starting points could be one of the following from "Out of the Silence" - Jim Cotter Prayer
Book
Creator God, faithful to your covenant with the earth,
steady our hearts and wills in times of great turbulence,
that we may indeed fulfil your purpose for us
as heralds of your just and lasting peace. (Jim Cotter Prayer Book)
Life-giver, Pain-bearer, Love-maker, source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all, loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too severe to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen
August Year-To-Date
28,695$ 254,954$
2,300 22,997
30,995 277,950
26,290 212,549
7,354 54,862
19,762
Total Expenditures: 33,644$ 287,173$
Receipts less Expenditures: (2,649)$ (9,223)$
2020 Ministry Fund Plan for the month of August
and for year-to-date as of August 2020
1) Thank you for your continued financial giving! With your 2nd quarter
offerings, we again financially supported the benevolent ministries-beyond
our wall-as listed in your 2nd quarter Contribution Statement Letter.
Offerings
Receipts:
1) Benevolence/Gifts (Synod, Sky Ranch, etc.)
Ministries
Operating and Support
Expenditures:
Total Receipts:
1) Building Use
October 2020 | 12
TRINITY LUTHERAN 301 E. Stuart St. Fort Collins, CO 80525 (970) 482-1226
TLC Book Group Schedule for 2020-2021 November: Why They Marched: Untold Stories of the Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote by
Susan Ware. Non-fiction. Ware tells the story of women's fight for suffrage through the lives of 19
activists, most of whom have been overlooked. Through their stories she provides a fresh account of a
significant moment of political mobilization in American history. An appropriate book for election month!
288 pages.
December: The Plague by Albert Camus. Fiction. The Nobel prize-winning Albert Camus, who died in
1960, could not have known how grimly current his existentialist novel of epidemic and death would
remain. Written in 1947 and set in Algeria, The Plague is a powerful study of human life and its
meaning in the face of a deadly virus that sweeps through the city. 320 pages
January: Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the U.S.
by Lenny Duncan. Non-fiction. Formerly incarcerated, formerly homeless, and formerly unchurched, the
author is now an ELCA pastor who believes that our denomination’s lack of vitality is because of its lack
of diversity. 151pages.
February: Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker. Non-fiction.
Don and Mimi Galvin were raising a family of twelve children in Colorado Springs. By the mid-1970s,
six of the boys were diagnosed as schizophrenic. How could all this happen to one family? The Galvins
became one of the first families to be studied by the National Institutes of Mental Health. 377 pages
To see the full Schedule go to Trinity’s website at
http://www.trinitylutheranfc.org/trinity-book-group.html
