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This Week Though we sometimes doubt and often resist God’s desire to protect and save us, our God persists. In holy baptism, God’s people have been called and gathered into a God-initiated relationship that will endure. Lent provides the church with a time and a tradition in which to seek the face of the Lord again. Lent provides another occasion to behold the God of our salvation in the face of the Blessed One who “comes in the name of the Lord.” Readings: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Psalm 27, Philippians 3:17--4:1, Luke 13:31-35 We also have a new newsletter this week - read it here.  Last year's Lenten Devotional is up on the blog - right here. And Pastor Tom is blogging a little more than usual during lent - here it is! Spring Cleaning We had a great Spring Cleaning on Monday.  Special thanks to our volunteer leaders: Erika, Marge, Charles, Alicia, Roxanna, Mary, Rene. We had a great time working with student volunteers from Loyola Academy, Christo Rey, St Ignacious, and Christ the King! Thank you Bishop Miller! We had a great time with Bishop Miller on Wednesday, discussing transformations and changes that we experience in and outside of the church. If you would like to see more photos from the evening there are some right here. Join us next Wednesday as we continue our Lenten discussions,  Be Transformed by the Renewing of your Minds, The Servant Church: Building up the Body of Christ.

Sunday: Worship 10:30 am Monday: Office Closed Tuesday: Lectio Divinia 9 am, God's Closet 5-7, Books to Prisoners 5-9 Wednesday: Bible Study 6 pm Friday - God's Closet 10-noon, Office Hours 10-Noon, AA 8:00 Last Saturday of Each Month - 7pm Ben's Movie Night Last Sunday of Each Month - 9:15am The Lutheran Magazine Discussion Group Check out some of the groups who meet or perform in our space: The Bridge, Bridgeport Alliance, The Glint, LGBT Neighbors in Bridgeport, Midwest Books to Prisoners, The Group Project, Windy City Opera, and more! 2/25/2016    7 p m Bridgeport Alliance 2/27/2016    6pm Ben's Movie Night 2/29/2016    Bow Tie Affair 3/1/2016    Camp Registration Deadline 3/13/2016    Daylight Saving Time begins 3/15/2016    Election Day 3/20/2016    Seder 3/24/2016    Maundy Thursday 3/25/2016    Easter Egg Decorating 3/25/2016    Good Friday 3/26/2016    Ben's Movie Night 3/27/2016    Easter Sunday Did you know, First Trinity is a member of Concordia Cemetery? If you have news for the benefit of the community, please send it to welcome@firsttrinitychicago.com

E-News!

On the anniversary of September 11, we continue to pray for peace. Today (Friday) we will hold a memorial to celebrate the life of our brother, Walter Riley, in the chapel at noon. Walter was a regular at God's Closet, and often came to worship on Sundays.  This Sunday This Sunday we will be joined by guest preacher, Bishop Wayne Miller.  Bishop Miller is about to embark on a sabbatical, the first of his career.  We'll also welcome Rocky Torres to the family through baptism.  After worship we'll have a potluck meal, featuring homemade brats (by James Ravnic).  It's going to be a great day and one you don't want to miss!  Worship starts at 10:30. Oh!  And we're moving back to the sanctuary!  We could use some help getting it ready on Friday.  Anytime between 10-4. Three weeks ago we heard John’s gospel’s version of Peter’s confession of faith. This week we hear Mark’s version, when Peter says, “You are the Messiah.” In John, the stumbling block is Jesus’ invitation to eat his flesh, given for the life of the world. In Mark too the scandal has to do with Jesus’ words about his own coming death, and here Peter himself stumbles over Jesus’ words. But Jesus is anointed (the meaning of “messiah”) in Mark only on the way to the cross (14:3); so we are anointed in baptism with the sign of the cross. Readings and Psalm: Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 116:1-9, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38  The flier for the anniversary celebration is below.  There are three things we currently need for the event: 1 - If you know a business or organization who would want to sponsor the event or donate a raffle prize, please contact welcome@firsttrinitychicago.com or share this link. 2 - We also need volunteers to help the day of the event and for tasks such as distributing fliers, picking up donations, and decorating. 3 - We need to know where to send the invites!  If you know former members, friends, or students we would like to have their address or email to invite them to the anniversary.   A new Bible Study, Luther's Greatest Hits, starts October 26. Leading up to Reformation Day, and our 150th Anniversary, join us for the month of October as we read from works by Martin Luther. "Martin Luther's Greatest Hits." Tuesdays 7-8:30 in October. You know you'll love it. And.. our mural made the news.  Read it here! Cool Community Event Alert: The Bridge Opens Fall Season with Mac Wellman's The Hyacinth Macaw, Sept.18-Oct. 4 Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30pm The Bridge, 643 W. 31st Street

Regular Activities: Sunday: Worship 10:30 am Monday: Office Closed Tuesday: Lectio Divinia 9 am, God's Closet 5-7, Books to Prisoners 5-9, Bible Study 7 pm Wednesday - Yoga 7 pm Friday - God's Closet 10-noon, Office Hours 10-Noon, AA 8:00 Last Saturday of Each Month - 7pm Ben's Movie Night Last Sunday of Each Month - 9:15am The Lutheran Magazine Discussion Group Check out some of the groups who meet or perform in our space: The Bridge, Bridgeport Alliance, The Glint, LGBT Neighbors in Bridgeport, Midwest Books to Prisoners, The Group Project, Windy City Opera, and more! If you have news for the benefit of the community, please send it to welcome@firsttrinitychicago.com   Coming Up: Sep 13 - Bishop Miller preaching Oct 11 - Rev. Ronald Nitz preaching Oct 4 - St Francis Day Oct 25 - Reformation Sunday Nov 1 - Anniversary Celebration Nov 22 - Christ the King Sunday Nov 26 - Thanksgiving Day Nov 29 - December 24 - Advent Dec 24 - 7pm Candlelight Service, Lessons & Carols Dec 25 - 10:30 Christmas Day Worship & Brunch Dec31-NewYear'sEve * as part of our  year-long 150th anniversary celebration we have invited the bishop and former pastors to preach Did you know, First Trinity is a member of Concordia Cemetery?

Letter from the Presiding Bishop

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, The hard but undeniable fact of deeply embedded racism in American society has come to the fore in painful ways this past year through high-profile occurrences of racial discrimination, hatred and violence – including racially motivated killings. As Lutheran Christians, what should be our response and witness? As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, how are we called to confront the sin of racism? We need to talk and we need to listen, but we also need to act. As one important step in this process, I invite you to join me and William B. Horne II, an ELCA lay leader and member of the ELCA Church Council, for a live webcast conversation on the complexity and implications of racism on Thursday, Aug. 6, at 8 p.m. (CDT). Through our church’s social statement – “Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture” – the ELCA collectively has expressed its calling to confront racism and advocate for justice and fairness for all people. You can read this social statement here. In addition, I have made several public statements on behalf of the church recently on this subject. Those statements are available here. God’s intention for all humanity is that we see the intrinsic worth, dignity and value of all people. Racism undermines the promise of community and fractures authentic relationships with one another. As Christians, though, we live in the conviction that the church has been gathered together in the joyful freedom of the reign of God announced by and embodied in Jesus. That reign has not come in its fullness, but the message of God’s “yes” to the world breaks down all dividing walls as we live into that promise. I urge you to deepen your involvement in and commitment to this important work to which we all are called. I believe our live webcast on this topic on Aug. 6 is one useful way for us to pursue this together, and I hope you will view and take part in it. You may read more about this webcast at www.ELCA.org/webcast, where a link to the live webcast will be embedded. A live stream also will be available at www.Facebook.com/Lutherans. Twitter hashtag is #ELCAConfrontRacism. If you would like to submit a question to be considered during the live webcast, please send it to livinglutheran@elca.org and provide your name and your congregation’s name, city and state. Join me for this important conversation. Your Sister in Christ, The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

New Church Rising

The first of a series from the Metropolitan Chicago Synod and Bishop Wayne N. Miller. The bishop examines the current state of the church, and his vision for the future.


New Church Rising from bthecaus on Vimeo.

A letter from the bishop

Pentecost Sunday and Burgers with the Bishop

Some photos from Sunday's worship and cookout.  Enjoy! 

E-Newsletter - Fourth Sunday in Easter

This week at First Trinity

Good Shepherd Sunday / Mothers Day / Fourth Sunday in Easter

Sisters and Brothers, Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

SUNDAY!
As we move into a beautiful weekend, a reminder that, in addition to it being Good Shepherd Sunday, this Sunday is also Mother's Day. We'll also be remembering some of the early Mothers of Christianity, Saints Perpetua and Felicity. A reminder of the radical and religious origins of this holiday can be found at this link, among other places!  We have flowers for all the mothers at worship AND Roxy and Cassie will be making pancakes for coffee hour after worship!

Sunday evening, we will carpool at 5:30 to South Loop Campus Ministry to deliver sandwiches to our homeless sisters and brothers! Feel free to join us!

Bishop's Visit
Mark your calendars! Bishop Miller will be preaching for worship 10:30AM, Pentecost Sunday, June 8. We will grill out and hang out after worship! If you are interested in being baptized or installed as a new member that day, please let me know this Sunday at worship, and we will prepare!

Liberation Theology - Learn About It!
(And live it!) Drew will be leading us, starting Tuesday, in a study on Liberation Theology for Armchair Theologians. Certainly this is a passion for Drew, and being in a class with him brings the topic to life in an exciting and engaging way. There will also be food! See you there!

God's Peace This Weekend!

Rev. Thomas R. Gaulke

 'Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις θεῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας. Epi ges !