Services

All church services are 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., 104.9 FM radio at 7:00 p.m., and by visiting The Lutheran Hour’s website: https://www.lhm.org/

5^th Sunday after Pentecost

Prayer of the Day – You are great, O God, and greatly to be praised. You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. Grant that we may believe in you, call upon you, know you, and serve you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

First Reading – Zechariah 9:9-12

Psalm – Psalm 145:8-14

Second Reading – Romans 7:15-25

Gospel – Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Sermon – In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The text for this 5^th Sunday after Pentecost is taken from Matthew 11:28. “Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

This verse is very appropriate for us today as we continue to deal with the corona virus and the unrest in our country. The virus is bad enough, and now we have to hear about the protests, mob violence, and more killings. Many, especially among older adults, are tired of hearing this on T.V. Most involved in the protests are younger or middle aged people. And there is nothing wrong with that. But the majority of young adults in the United States are oblivious to it all. Just take a look at the crowds at the beaches. You’ve seen the clips from the news. They are at crowded beaches caring little about the spread of the virus or any protest marches. As I look back on my youth in 1964, I was no different. I figured that was an adult issue and I went about my business. Nothing wrong with that either. You should enjoy your young life. Different age categories treat things differently.

Many people are tired of listening to the news and they are getting tired of hearing so much whining and complaining. This is where God has a message for all of us, young and old alike. I personally do not thrive on living a life full of drama. I have always enjoyed peace and quiet. When my brothers and sister and I would be doing the crazy things that little kids do, I can still hear my mother saying, “Would you please give me some peace and quiet?” Maybe that’s why so many retired folks end up moving to Florida for their golden years! The kids can visit but “let’s not overdo it, O.K.?”

Besides politics and social issues, we find other ways that life weighs us down. This verse is often used at funerals. Perhaps you’ve had a loved one leave this planet, pass into Life, and go on to heaven. They may have suffered from illness at the end of their lives. Thus we have the verse. “Come unto me, all who are burdened and weary, and I will give you rest.” They finally have that rest with God, which they waited for.

People of all ages who deal with a nagging illness also get tired. They get physically and mentally tired. There are so many pills to take that you have to organize the pills. We get “sick” of the doctor visits. Sickness is one of the most difficult things in life. However, with all of the hurt that people experience they can still trudge through life with a smile. That’s where our bible verse for today comes into action. If you have peace in your heart and know where you are going, life can get better.

Jesus will not always take all our burdens away from us. He gives us the resources to keep going. Suffering can bring Christians closer to God. There is not much worse than being sick. No amount of money can make it go away. So what do you have left? Jesus’ promise of resurrection sustains us even in the deepest of our struggles. Jesus heals the pain in our souls and gives us peace and quiet. Even if you have good health, there is too much noise in this world. People would do better to set back for a spell and sit in a quiet place and meditate, pray, or simply be quiet. No noise, no static, no drama. Turn off all devices.

Place your burdens and yokes on Christ. He died for us and took on our sins. We should trade the yokes that seem to hold us back for Jesus’ yoke that redeems our efforts. With Jesus’ yoke, we in the family and in the Church together, sharing the load and sustaining each other. Perhaps those in our country on all sides would do well if they took this advice. We have a God of peace and love. We have a resurrected Son of God in Jesus Christ who promised to take those who believe in him to eternal life. We rejoice also that we can take our burdens to Jesus, who offers us rest. While you are living here, may God bless you with peace and quiet! God grant us this faith, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

HAVE A SAFE INDEPENDENCE DAY

AND

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

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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