Services

All church services have been cancelled until further notice. You can hear a service every Sunday on The Lutheran Hour by tuning into 970 AM radio at 7:30 a.m. or 104.9 FM radio at 7:00 p.m. The Lutheran Hour’s services are also available on their website: https://www.lhm.org/

Readings and Sermon for October 18, 2020

Prayer of the Day – Sovereign God, raise your throne in our hearts. Created by you, let us live in your image; created for you, let us act for our glory; redeemed by you, let us give you what is yours, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

First Reading – Isaiah 45:1-7

Psalm – Psalm 96:1-9 [10-13]

Second Reading – 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Gospel – Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon – In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. The text for this 29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time is taken from Matthew 22:15-22. “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (vs. 17) This is a trick question. We hear so many of them in politics and during debates. Questions are not always asked in a responsible manner. For example, it is fair to ask the president how he formulated his views and actions on the situation in Syria and Turkey. But it would be unfair to ask, “Mr. President, why did you desert an ally and support a dictatorial thug?” That’s a “gotcha question”: One that is posed in such a way that it is impossible to answer directly. Here’s another one for any husband. “Tell me, sir, have you stopped beating your wife? Please answer yes or no.” There is no way to answer such questions without getting yourself in trouble.

In this Gospel for today, the Pharisees try to lay a trap for Jesus, much like a person who asks you if you have stopped beating your spouse. They try to get him to make a declaration about paying taxes, a choice they think will bring him into conflict with either the Roman government or the parties rebelling against the empire. Jesus gets into trouble whether he says yes, or no. Jesus sees through their malice and flips the choice back to them. He gets a coin, brings out that the head of Caesar is one it, and eventually says “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” In a political debate today, people love to see an opponent get trapped with a question. But this Gospel goes beyond revealing that Jesus was a tough person to manipulate. It also challenges us to discover what it means to give to God the things that belong to God.

There is no specific tax that we can pay to God, unless you live in Germany. If you declare yourself a member of a Lutheran or a Catholic Church there, you automatically have a percentage of your salary taken out and given to that Church. In the U.S., we give freely to our church. So what are the things that are God’s?

First of all we should give to the Church out of faith and love for God. God sent His only Son to suffer and die on the cross. He then rose from the dead for our forgiveness. I believe that having faith in this is why we give for the support of the Church. The Church continues to spread the Good News of the love and mercy of God in Jesus Christ thanks to those who have supported it in the past.

Ultimately, the wealth of the Church can never be found in money. The denarius coin has the image of the emperor on it, so it should naturally be given to the emperor. But the wealth of the Church is found in every person who bears the image of God, every single child of God. We are to give ourselves completely to God, in all that we say and do. Whenever we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, care for the sick and visit those who are in prison, we are really helping him.

The Pharisees wanted to hear from Jesus a specific ruling on taxes, a ruling that would cause Jesus to stumble. Jesus said for them to give the emperor his pathetic little emperor coins. And then, more importantly, give “to God the things that are God’s.” Give God the gift of your whole self.

Everything we own is a gift from God. Even our husband or wife, children, and grandchildren are God’s blessings to us. If you really believe this, then giving to the church will come easy. Being thankful to God for our blessing will make us WANT to give to the Church.

When the Pharisees heard Jesus’ answer “they were amazed; and they left him and went away.” I think they also may have been a little ticked off at Jesus, as they usually are. But we do not have to slip away quietly when giving to the church is mentioned. As people who see the image of God in ourselves and others, we can make an effort to give more of ourselves every day. When we give to God the things that are God’s, we return to God everything that belongs to God, all our time, effort, and love. In the Name of the Father, Son + and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Bible verses to help combat fear and give us peace:

Psalm 56:3-4

Isaiah 35:3-4

Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 60:1-2

Matthew 6:25-34

Matthew 14:25-33

Mark 4:35-41

Luke 8:22-25

John 14:27

Philippians 4:6-7

2 Timothy 1:7

The Genesis of Trinity

In the beginning…

On June 28, 1958 the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod sent Pastor Elwood E. Mather, Jr. to investigate the possibility of establishing a congregation in New Milford. He was to become Trinity’s first Pastor. Immanuel Lutheran Church in Danbury, a mission-minded congregation where many New Milford Lutherans worshiped, gave Mather its full support in helping him gather disciples for this new venture.

In August 1958 a planning meeting was held at the old firehouse on Church Street. It was attended by about 20 people. Half of those attending were employees of Kimberly Clark and were Lutherans from Neenah, Wisconsin. They and the four out of five families from New Milford who attended Immanuel in Danbury were the nucleus of what became Trinity Lutheran Church in New Milford. Our first services were held at the VFW Hall. At this meeting the name “Trinity” was chosen as the name of this new Lutheran church. Henry Wolter served as our first President in 1958 and again in 1959 and 1964. He was a member until 1972 when he moved to Vermont, returning to Trinity in 1992 until he and his wife Bertha returned again to Vermont in 1994. His burial service was celebrated at Trinity in June of 1995. Bertha later resided at The Lutheran Home of Southbury.

Since the hall wasn’t always available on Saturday evenings, the few ladies who served as the Altar Guild often had to set up the altar for services on Sunday morning. We had a homemade altar and cross made by some of the men of the church and our first fair- linen was given to us by the Altar Guild of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bristol, Connecticut. The flowers for the altar were usually garden flowers from the members’ gardens. One week, we went into the field next to Helen Lillis’ home and picked Black-eyed Susans and Daisies for the altar since no garden flowers were available – they looked beautiful.

The first service of the new Trinity was held on September 21, 1958 at the VFW Hall on Route 202. 160 people attended and heard Pastor Mather say, in part, “This will not be a place where morality will be settled and sin left unmentioned. Nor will it be an organization that promises culture and social programs in themselves. Nor yet a social club. No, this is for all people and will be a house of God, to make men wise unto salvation through faith.”

That following Sunday, September 28, 1958 Trinity’s Sunday School was established to obey Christ’s call to “Suffer the little children to come unto me,” a tremendous outreach with the Gospel. 25 children attended. Members acted as Sunday School teachers and the Bible Class was held in the home of Cliff Heintz who lived adjacent to the VFW Hall. This day also saw another Trinity first, the Baptism of Patrick Wayne Sharkey.

Pastor Mather would drive around New Milford during the week, especially on Monday mornings which was wash day, and where he saw children’s clothes on the line (this was before most people had dryers), he stopped in and asked about their church affiliation and invited the children to Sunday School. If no car was available, he arranged for one of the members to pick up the children. Practically everyone who had a car was picking up children each Sunday.

111 people attended Trinity’s first Thanksgiving service held on November 27, 1958.

In 1958, when George Pratt, Jr. made the land where our church presently stands available to us, we were all enthused and ready to buy it; however, no money was available in the treasury. Reverend Bernard Jansen of Immanuel in Danbury visited some members in New Milford and through his efforts two of our families loaned the money to our church to buy the property. They took the money from their savings accounts and loaned it to the church interest free. So we now owned a piece of property – thanks to them.

On December 12, 1958 the Building Committee completed the purchase of the 4.843 acre “Old Fairgrounds,” where our church building now stands for a total cost of $14,800.

On February 7, 1959 Trinity’s Mary-Martha Society was formed. We met in the various homes of the ladies. We were always involved in a project to help the church – sales, suppers, etc.

Charter membership was celebrated on May 24, 1959 when 104 members gathered together to sign the charter. Among those who signed that document of faith were Evelyn Buss, Reinhard Cushman, Ella Cushman, Elizabeth Hipp, Emma Krenkcl, and Martin Ruopp.

One week later, on May 31, 1959, the first Communion service was celebrated at Trinity.

On September 17, 1959 the first choir rehearsal was held using a newly-purchased used piano. Rehearsals were held in the home of Helen Hargrave, on Mountain View Terrace, who was Organist and Choir Director at that time. It was reported that they “made a joyful noise unto the Lord.”

The six young people of Trinity’s first Confirmation class was received into membership on April 10, 1960.

Pastor Mather was installed as Trinity’s first Pastor at a service held at John Pettibone School on May 1, 1960. Members and guests from Bridgeport, Danbury, Bethel, and Trumbull, Connecticut and Walden and Jamaica, New York totaled 325.

In January 1961 a Voters Assembly of Trinity voted to become self-supporting, thereby eliminating Synod subsidy.

The membership had outgrown the VFW Hall so on February 1,1961 Sunday services were moved to the Matichewan Grange Hall on Route 7. We also needed additional Sunday School space. Bible class was held in the Grange kitchen, near the ever-present coffee pot. We now could prepare the hall on Saturday evenings for our Sunday services, except when they had a Saturday event. We also held potluck suppers there.

A junior choir was started soon after moving to the Grange Hall. To make choir robes for them was quite a project for the ladies of the church. We all brought white bed sheets from our homes and cut out the robes and sewed them. Ev Buss’ mother, Mrs. Korth, who was visiting from Neenah, Wisconsin, was a great help in directing the project. The robes with their red bows looked quite nice and the children loved them.

Pastor Mather held his Confirmation instruction classes in the house of Helen Lillis, whose son, Richard was in the class. This first class also included Anthony Larson, Bruce Breening, Elizabeth and Susan Piliero, and Michael Steinmann.

A building program drive kick-off dinner was held at the VFW Hall on March 12, 1961. The motto of the building fund campaign was “Remember There Is No Burden if Everybody Lifts!”

Thirteen months later, on Palm Sunday, April 15, 1962 the official ground-breaking festivities were held. Pastor Mather led the service and First Selectman Russell Carlson attended. Although the skies were threatening, the Lord held off the rain, a sign that Trinity would persevere. Others involved in the ground breaking included the Cushmans, Reinhard and Ella, and Martin Ruopp.

On May 9, 1962 the Building Committee met to open bids for construction of the church building. A standing vote for continuation of the building program was unanimous. Excavation work was begun on August 24, 1962. The total cost eventually came to approximately $130,000.

The first church picnic was held at the Hipp Farm with picnic lunches while sitting under the large maple trees on the lawn, followed by games and contests for all.

Trinity’s first Vacation Bible School was formed in the summer of 1962 and held at John Pettibone School. The staff totaled 21; 139 children of members and 58 non-members attended for an overwhelming response of 197 children – a sign that Trinity was meeting a need for this outreach.

The Cornerstone Laying Ceremony was held on October 28, 1962. Over 200 watched as Pastor Mather put it into place and President Reinhard Cushman placed the first concrete. William Buss and the newly confirmed (that day) Confirmation Class also placed concrete. The building of Trinity’s own house of worship had begun.

When construction of our church building began, we all had to be available for various jobs to be done. Mr. Karl Kuehn, one of our oldest members, who was also retired, headed up the work force that gave the ceiling boards the first coat of stain. We saved quite a bit of money doing this. During the daytime the mothers came to the church equipped with bags of rags and rubber gloves and under Mr. Kuehn’s direction, we stained the boards. Meanwhile, the children would play on the church grounds. Mr. Kuehn would come each day with his sandwich lunch and stayed all day to direct the work. In the evenings, when the men finished work, they would take over the job. We all took pride in being able to look up at the ceiling of our completed church and to know that we had personally had a part in preparing the Lord’s House.

On March 28, 1963 more than 500 parishioners and guests attended the dedication of Trinity’s new house of worship. Church officers Martin Ruopp, Reinhard Cushman, William Hipp, Clarence Buss, Fred Christensen, and Mary Martha Society officers Elizabeth Hipp and Evelyn Buss attended and heard Pastor Mather pray “God, make the door of this building we have raised to Thee wide enough to receive all who need human love, divine love, fellowship, and our Savior’s care. Make the door of this house the gateway to Thy eternal Kingdom.” Later Pastor Mather went on to say, “This new church which today we dedicate to the uplifting of Jesus and to the glory of God has been realized through the faith, vision, and stewardship of many people…Our purpose is to strive for unity of spirit and a sense of devotion to God’s word…Savior, I follow on guided by Thee.”

Less than one year after the dedication of the new church building. Pastor Mather left Trinity; on May 24, 1964 he was installed as the Pastor of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pine Island, New York.

Later that year, on October 4,1964 the Reverend Robert E. Wolter, coming from Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Bordentown, New Jersey, was installed as Trinity’s second Pastor. (He was the nephew of member Henry Wolter, a cousin to Rep. Jeanne Garvey.)

On April 26, 1967 a building debt retirement pledge drive was organized. On June 12, 1967 the Council voted to give women the right to vote on church matters. Trinity joined the New Milford Christian Unity program in November of 1967.

Len Franck wrote The Genesis of Trinity in 1995 with the help of Elizabeth Hipp.

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