SOCIAL MINISTRIES We want to thank all of you, again, for the school supplies, socks, underwear, and sweatpants. Due to generous donations, we were also able to purchase shoes. Many children come to school with nothing and these items helped them a lot. We will continue to collect food items for the Help Food Warehouse through December. We have lists of suggested items you may take. You can leave your donations in the plastic tubs located in the narthex, and we will be happy to deliver them. Thank you for your continued support, your generosity is greatly appreciated. We hope you and your family will have a Happy Thanksgiving. THANK YOU FROM ST. HELENS ELEMENTARY Dear Trinity Lutheran, Thank you for always keeping our kids in mind. We appreciate the bottoms that were brought in. They will be helpful with our littles. Thank you, St. Helens Elementary Superstar Staff TLC WOMEN’S GROUP On October 10th, we delivered 10 bags of cold- weather clothes to the women’s shelter, and on the 14 th we gathered and made fall pumpkin crafts. The TLC women’s group activities will continue on the second Fridays at 1:30 at church. On 11/14 we will be doing a winter craft. On 12/12 there will be a Carol sing and cookie exchange, along with a white elephant exchange. CHURCH DECORATING We will be decorating the church for the holiday season on November 30 if you would like to join us! TLC LADIES BIBLE STUDY The fourth Friday TLC women’s Bible/Book study will be on vacation November and December due to its close dates to Thanksgiving and Christmas. We will resume January 23, 2026. ALL SAINTS We celebrate All Saints Day the 1 st Sunday in November. This year we honor the saints on Sunday, Nov. 2 nd , join us. LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF 10 quilts were sent to Lutheran World Relief on Wednesday, 10/22. Many thanks to all workers. God’s work continues to all the world. -Noma MEMORIAL SERVICE Please keep the family of Brian Price in your thoughts and prayers with his passing. A memorial service is planned for November 6, at 1 PM here at Trinity. NOVEMBER OFFICE HOURS Nikki will be in the office on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 AM – 5 PM in November, and out of the office the week of Thanksgiving. PC will be in from 9AM- Noon that week. THANK YOU FROM FAMILY PROMISE Dear Trinity Volunteers, We want to thank you for bringing dinners in October. What a blessing you all are to our families. Thank you for always believing in, and supporting our mission – That every child deserves a home. We are so glad you were able to come to our bingo fundraiser and truly hope you enjoyed it. Thank you so much! FPCC Staff From the Pastor I was watching a few services of Luther Seminary chapel a while ago. Some were the usual, more classic services with piano or pipe organ. One worship service was led by a Bluegrass band, and the next day's service was led by a small worship band consisting of a guitar, bass, and piano. The latter group played a few of what some would call “modern worship songs.” As I watch the service, I wonder how many people at that service or watching via the net said to themselves, “What is happening to our seminaries when such music is allowed?” It struck me as ironic that we fight to keep the old music, but we are rarely concerned about our core theology. In contrast, Luther reached back into history to bring back the old theology, while at the same time updating the music into the popular music of his time. It reminded me of the quote that I used in a sermon a while ago from Luther’s Lectures on Romans. Nor does it belong to the new law to build such and such churches and to adorn them thus and so and to sing in them in one way or another. Nor are organs, altar decorations, chalices, or pictures required, and whatever else we now find in the houses of worship. Finally, it is not necessary that priests and monks wear tonsures and that they walk about in special habits as they did in the old law. All these things are mere shadows and tokens of reality; indeed, they are childish things. On the contrary, every day is a holiday, every kind of food is permitted, every place is sacred, every time is suitable for fasting, every garment is allowed. Everything is free as long as there is practiced in it moderation and love and whatever else the apostle teaches. Many false apostles have preached against this liberty which the apostle proclaims. They tried to induce the people to observe all those laws as if they were necessary to salvation. But the apostle opposed them with amazing zeal. (Luther: Lectures on Romans 381) Music is great, and different music moves different people. To Luther, music was important “…next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise….” Accord to his book, Te Duem: The Church and Music, Worship professor Dr. Paul Westermeyer gives four insights to regards to Luther’s theology of music. 1. Music is a gift of God’s good creation. 2. Music bears the Word of God. 3. Music joins praise to proclamation. 4. Music awakens by the Gospel (-J.F.). Westermeyer writes: The good news of Christ’s great deliverance tunes the heart to sing. Luther stated, “For God has cheered our hearts and minds through His dear Son, whom He gave for us to redeem us from sin, death and the devil. He who believes this earnestly cannot be quiet about it. But he must gladly and willingly sing.” Christ has purchased a great salvation for His people and those who have come to experience it are compelled (i.e., Gospel-driven) to sing! Luther taught that the Gospel gives rise to strong, powerful affections for Christ or as he put it, an explosion in the soul. And it is music that gives sounding form to this explosion! “The good news of Christ’s great deliverance tunes the heart to sing.” Music, for Luther, in whatever form, plays a valuable role in aiding the believer to give joyful expression for and delight in the victory of Christ’s great salvation. Blessings: Pastor Craig

Choir begins September 7 Practice begins at 8:00