Announcements & Newsletter

UKRAINE RIBBON PINS AVAILABLE There is a display in the Lobby.  Please take a pin and make a donation to help the Red Cross in Ukraine (cash please). This is sponsored by Nataliya Gryb who works in the New Milford Post Office.  Our member Susan Cheloudakis made ribbons and is a fellow worker.

PRAYERS AND SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE The Ukrainian Lutheran Church and surrounding Eastern European partners are providing resources and accepting refugees fleeing war. They are expecting up to 4 million refugees from Ukraine being received by 5 surrounding countries. Please continue to pray for all those impacted. If you would like to donate by mail, make your check out to “The LCMS,” and write “Ukraine Relief” in the memo line. Mail to: The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, P.O. Box 66861, St. Louis, MO 63166-6861. (or donate online)  https://www.lcms.org/ukraine

Trinity Tidings April / May 2023

Dear Members and Friends of Trinity,

This past week I received a call from a pastor in Middletown, Connecticut asking if I would help a woman whose van broke down in New Milford. She was a homeless traveler trying to make it back to Kansas. The pastor and parish had helped her have the van fixed once already, but evidently not good enough. I and other pastors in town arranged to have her stay at the Red Carpet Inn and paid for the tow and fix the van. I brought her hot meals and prayed with her. To make the situation worse, her 14-year-old Golden Retriever died during their trip. She was so full of gratitude to me and others who helped. I pray that she makes it back to Kansas where, she said, she will never leave again.

At times in life, we also may find ourselves in situations where we need the help of others. It isn’t showing weakness to ask for help. We are like lambs in need of a shepherd. We all like sheep have gone astray at one time or another. I would hope that if the time ever came, someone would help me if I needed assistance financially or otherwise. We never know what the future brings. This was a type of epiphany experience for me. No matter how old we get, we can learn something new every day.

In a few days we will once again celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord. We are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. We will rise again one day when Christ calls us to be in the new life. Something tells me that I will be seeing the lady from Kansas again in the new life where there is no suffering and there are no tears. In the meantime, we all have our individual lives to live in helping others who may need assistance. Each of us serve God and man in our own way. It can be by using our talents or possessions. But the best return is a grateful, joyful heart. That’s the greatest gift.

I hope that you can join us at Trinity in receiving the Blessed Sacrament at one of our Holy Week services and on Easter Sunday. It’s always a cheerful time of year. Spring is here which adds happiness now that the winter is gone. For Christians, we have the bonus of knowing that because Christ has Risen from the dead, we too will rise and live forever and ever.

Have a Blessed Easter Sunday!

Pastor Christian Bunzel

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 1 – Holy Eucharist 5:00 p.m. with Blessing of the Palms

PALM SUNDAY April 2 – Holy Eucharist 10:30 a.m. Blessing of the Palms

HOLY THURSDAY April 6 – Holy Eucharist 6:00 p.m. (The Last Supper)

GOOD FRIDAY April 7 – Tenebrae Service of Darkness 6:00 p.m.

EASTER SUNDAY April 9 – High Festival Eucharist 10:30 a.m.

EASTER PLANTS – Thank you to those who donated spring plants to grace the Chancel. Please take your plant after the service to beautify your home and garden. There will be a LIST OF NAMES AND THE PLANTS given on the window of the Parish Secretary’s office as a reminder of which plant type you ordered.

BIRTHDAYS

Patrick Delzell: April 7th, Dotty Franck: April 29th (Dotty will be 90 years old. May God continue to be with her and comfort her and her family.) Sherry Olmsted: April 6th, Kathy Gold: April 13th, Michael Gold: April 24th, Mark Haglund: April 27th, Anna Belden, Great Niece of Pastor: May 6th (6 years old), Richard Brunhuber: May 14th, Pastor Bunzel: May 29th.

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY – Joanne and Richard Bunzel: April 6, 1974. Congratulations on 49 years!

FUNERALS – Donald Lishman (October 3, 1953 – March 17, 2023) the Cousin of Randy Weimar.  The Celebration of Life service was at Grace Covenant Church in East Stroudsburg, PA on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the Faith.”  Our deepest sympathy to Randy, Laura, Ben, and the Family.

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY – Our beloved Trinity Lutheran Church, New Milford, celebrates her 65th Anniversary this year. An event may be in the future to observe this milestone. Praise God for His blessings upon our parish for these many years.

THANK YOUS

  • To our Treasurer, Roger Arguello for mailing out the 2022 Financial statements to the parishioners. This is in gratitude for the donations of all and for income tax purposes. If you would like to have a box of Offering Envelopes, please see Cathy McGrath or Pastor.
  • To our Trustee, Randy Weimar for his work around the church. Soon we will switch from heat to the air-conditioning system! If you would like to assist in lawn mowing, please see or call Randy at 860-355-9774. That would be a great help!
  • To Daniel Krizan for donating the wine for the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
  • To Christine Wharton for sprucing up the Pedestal Planter at the main entrance to the Lobby with Daffodils, Pansies, and other spring flowers. The Crocuses are beginning to pop up already.
  • To Cathy McGrath for donating and keeping our Trinity Lutheran Church, New Milford, Connecticut website up to date with events, service times, and pictures for the Church Year season. Many beautiful nature and flower scenes.
  • To ALL who made contributions to our TRINITY UNCOVERS SPRING display in the Lobby. You may still take a snowflake from the display and put it in an envelope with your donation. The goal is $3,000.00. This was a great help to pay the very high fuel bills we had this winter. At least we saved on snowplowing this year. The only snowflakes we saw this year were the ones on the Lobby display. Praise The Lord!
  • To Sunny Harris for her beautiful solos during the year. She will be singing on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.
  • To the ALTAR GUILD for their dedicated service in setting up the Holy Communion every Sunday and on Holy days. They also change the Eternal Light each week, put the flower arrangements on the shelves, change candles, and all from the heart with love. Our newest member is Laura Weimar. Welcome to the team!
  • To Sherry Olmsted for decorating the large Lobby Bulletin Board with the title “THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.” She painted beautiful scenes in watercolor on hymn music sheets, which coincide with the hymn theme. “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” is one of the eight works of art. What great talent. Many people view the biblical messages from the groups who use the building during the week.

NEW BANNERS – are on the Chancel walls. One for Palm Sunday and one for Good Friday. They are “Praise Banners, Inc.”

CONFIRMATION DAY – is Sunday, May 28th. At 10:30 a.m. (The Feast of Pentecost)bsite: https://www.wfsb.com/weather/closings/