Category: General

Job Posting

Our church is searching to fill a part-time Secretarial position. The hours are anticipated to be in the range of 18-22 per week. There will be some flexibility of the work hours but they will likely occur on Tuesday to Thursday. The pay will be commensurate with experience but we will make every effort to be competitive.

Qualifications:
  • Good communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to take directions and work independently
  • A demonstrated proficiency with computers and computer software, including:
    • Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and/or 
    • Google Docs, Sheets, Gmail, etc.
  • Some experience in Website maintenance and/or Social Media
Under the supervision of the Pastor you will be asked to:
  • Monitor Email, mail and office telephone
  • Organize Sunday Worship Service materials which involves preparing and printing bulletins as well as PowerPoint presentations
  • Update the Church’s online Google Calendar(s) and volunteer schedules
  • Enter information into databases
  • Prepare documents for special services (e.g. weddings, funerals etc)
  • Compile and prepare a regular newsletter
  • Maintain Church Records
  • Assist the Pastor as otherwise required

As this is a Church-based position, it would be required that you have an understanding and appreciation of our Christian values.

Please respond to hr@trinitylcc.ca with:

  • A resume 
  • A brief statement of why you believe you would be suitable to fill this position.

Only persons selected for an interview will be contacted.

Camp Luther Annual Meeting Notice

The Camp Luther Annual meeting will take place:

  • at 3:00 pm on March 10th,
  • at Camp Luther’s Dining Hall
    9311 Shook Road, Mission, BC.   

You and your family are invited to stay for a Camp Luther Supper following the Annual Meeting.  It’s a great time to get to know the Greater Camp Luther staff, the Camp Luther family and supporters and ministry.  

Camp Luther Phone No. 1-604-826-7062 to confirm you are coming to the supper following the Annual Meeting.

Why We Follow Liturgy?

A Lutheran Church worship service is currently and historically liturgical. Below is an excellent article by Rev. David Haberstoke that describes the rationale for why liturgy is important.

WHY LITURGY?

by Rev. David Haberstoke
Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s Central Regional Pastor

This article was originally printed in the
September/October 2023 issue of The Canadian Lutheran
and is reprinted with permission

Why do Lutherans do liturgy? To answer the question, we first have to define what we mean by the word “liturgy.” It’s usually used by Lutherans in two ways: first, to mean the way in which Lutherans worship (with an orderly set of words for both pastor and parishioners rooted in Scripture). Secondly, it’s used to refer to the specific services in our hymnals.

Many pastors refer to the Divine Services in our hymnals as the “Historic Liturgy” of the Church. This distinguishes them from the tendency in recent decades to vary the text of the service from week to week (for example, in what Concordia Publishing House calls “Creative Worship”). Creative Worship is certainly liturgical in the first sense above because it is an orderly outline with responses. But when I ask why Lutherans “do liturgy,” I mean the second sense: the Historic Liturgy”—that is, the liturgies in our hymnals which Lutheran Church–Canada congregations in convention have accepted, recommended, and agreed to use. Why do we do these historic liturgies? There are many reasons but here are just a few:

  1. Because they are solid and unchanging in a world which is constantly changing. 
    Scholars, of course, would point out that the liturgy has changed over time. But generally, this change has been gradual, with changes and additions made bit by bit over the centuries. Divine Service Settings 1 and 2 in the Lutheran Service Book represented a departure from this slow and gradual
    process when they were introduced nearly fifty years ago, because they introduced a lot of change all at once. But even they follow the general outline of the older Setting 3. Once learned, Settings 1 and 2 also become a solid and stable thing you can hold onto in an ever-changing world. 
  2. It is Scriptural. 
    Almost all of the words in the liturgy are straight out of the Bible or are a summary of things in the Bible. I remember being shocked in my teen years reading 1 John and realizing that those words we say in Setting 1—“If we say we have no sin…”—were straight out the Bible.
  3. Repetition is the key to learning. 
    You learn, grow to understand, and remember the things you repeat regularly. Repeating things together until they are learned by heart is the best way to serve the aged, the very young, and the parent with a crying child in service. It keeps us all together supporting each other as no other technology can.
  4. It is orderly. 
    St. Paul says of worship that things need to be done in good order, “for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Order is something that young people raised in our present world of endless variety are drawn to and are actively seeking. Order gives them an anchor, a stable thing to connect to and root their lives in (Hebrews 6:19).
  5. It teaches the most important things you need to know. 
    The core teachings and practices of the Christian faith are included in the liturgy. From the very first Easter Sunday, Christians have always gathered for God’s Word, prayer, and the Lord’s Supper (e.g., John 20; Acts 2:42; 20:7). From there, the liturgy developed by adding the most important things we need to know. For example, when the creeds were written to clarify who our Triune God is and what He does, they were then added to the weekly liturgy so that we would learn them by heart.
  6. It connects us to the whole church throughout the ages. 
    When we use the liturgy handed down to us, we are being truly democratic and inclusive in that we are allowing the whole Church throughout the ages to have a say in how we do things! Not that it’s about voting; it’s about the teaching of Scripture and how all the saints of all the ages have handed this blessed faith on to us. We worship in the same patterns and traditions they used and passed on. We sing the very songs of the saints who have gone before and of heaven itself. Most canticles we sing in the liturgy are songs of the angels (the Gloria and Sanctus) or of the saints in Scripture (Kyrie, Agnus Dei, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis, Benedictus, and so on.) 
  7. It is evangelistic. 
    “Evangelistic” simply means Gospel, and the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16)! When a pastor fails to preach the Gospel with clarity, the liturgy does. I have heard sermons that were all Law and no Gospel, and left us in dread of our sins. But then the Offertory (“Create in Me” – Psalm 51) immediately followed, applying the balm of God’s forgiveness to our hurting hearts, pointing us to Jesus. Pointing sinners to Jesus is true evangelism!

The SEW and SEWS are back at it!

We are continuing with our SEW and SEWS group here at Trinity in 2024 and beginning work on more hygiene kits.

Come and join us for sewing and fellowship, bringing your sewing machines as able, or just yourself to help us sew these kits for girls 12-14 yrs old . They are urgently needed in many countries

First meeting JANUARY 24, 10-12, coffee/tea and snack provided.
So come and join us!
Darlene and Lucille

Celebrating the Birth of Christ

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

December 24, 2023 – 7:00 pm

AS WE GATHER
On Christmas, the grace of God appeared bringing salvation for all people in the person of Jesus. The angelic proclamation to the shepherds of Bethlehem was “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11). This Jesus is the Child on whose shoulders the government rests. He is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. For this gift of grace called Jesus, let all people rejoice and sing, “Glory to God, now and forever!”

BIBLE READINGS

Isaiah 9:2-7 (NIV)

Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)

Luke 2:1-20 (NIV)

The Final “little Easter”

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

December 24, 2023

AS WE GATHER
The final Sunday of Advent is the last “little Easter” before the Church celebrates the birth of the Savior at Christmas. As an angel shared the good news of Jesus’ resurrection, so the angel Gabriel shares with Mary the good news of the Savior’s coming birth. God has promised to be present with His people, and now that presence is fully “in person” in the person of Jesus. The presence of God among and for His people is certain and everlasting. His kingdom endures forever and ever!

BIBLE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT READING: 2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16
(A house that lasts forever is promised.)

EPISTLE READING: Romans 16:25–27
(Glory is ascribed to God forever.)

HOLY GOSPEL READING: Luke 1:26-38
(John the Baptist announces the coming of Jesus)

Don’t Worry; Be Happy

THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

December 17, 2023

AS WE GATHER ~ The unknown always leads to fear and anxiety.  We spend so much of our lives waiting in fear of the unknown, painting dark pictures of an imposing future. St. Paul reminds God’s Advent people that we know the future—the future is Jesus Christ. The same Jesus who was born of the virgin in human flesh and blood to secure forgiveness and salvation for us will return in glory to complete His new creation. The divine blessings from the Word and Table of the Lord unite us and call us to fervent joy; the gifts of God initiate, nourish, and sustain that joy, refreshing our weary hearts with forgiveness, life, and hope. As God’s Advent people, we lay down our fears in order to retain the holy joy of Christ—both now as He comes in the means of grace and in expectation of His coming again that we might dwell with Him for all eternity.

BIBLE READINGS

OLD TESTAMENT READING: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
(The prophet proclaims the day of God’s favor and the promise of joy in the marriage supper of the Lamb which is to come.)

EPISTLE READING: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
(Rejoice, pray, and give thanks in all things for this is God’s will.)

HOLY GOSPEL: John 1:6-8, 19-28
(John the Baptist points to the One who is to come, of whom he is not worthy to untie His sandals.)

2023 12 03 Trinity Newsletter

This is the First Sunday in Advent and the beginning of a new Church Year of grace. Our Church Year counts time differently than the secular calendar. We are tied to the fullness of time in which God sent His one and only Son into the womb of the virgin, born to save us. The First Sunday in Advent is the Sunday on or closest to November 30 (St. Andrew’s Day). 

Today, we begin a journey not simply to the manger but the familiar journey that takes us to the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb. It is not merely a remembrance of what took place so long ago but also preparation for what is to come—our Lord’s return in glory to lay claim to His Church for all eternity. Encouraged by the Spirit, we devote ourselves to faithfully keeping what God has made known to us and showing forth our living faith in words and acts of repentance and holy living. But each Advent is a reminder that we are one step further from Bethlehem and one year closer to our Lord’s coming again.

Sunday’s Readings

FIRST READING:

Isaiah 64:1–9

Oh, that You would rend
the heavens and come down

EPISTLE READING

1 Corinthians 1:3–9 

He will sustain you to the end

HOLY GOSPEL

Mark 13:24-37

Stay awake and keep

prepared for Christ’s coming

A Prayer for Advent

O come, Emmanuel, Jesus, our Lord.  Be our constant source of hope.  As this Advent marks a new Church Year, we humbly pray for those around the globe who are hostile to Christianity, who do not know You yet as Savior and Lord, or who have erred from faith in You.  Shine the light of Your love into their hearts, as well as ours.  By Your Word, grace us all with Your presence.  Amen.  

©Portals of Prayer October – December 2018

A Note from Kim

Dear TLC Congregation;

Thank you so much for your patience and support during my role as your church secretary. I have enjoyed our many conversations and loved that we could laugh together and share life stories.

I am so appreciative of all the notes, calls, emails and well wishes I have received and hope that in some way I was able to relay how important you are to me, so THANK YOU! 

This next phase in my life is going to be exciting and may require wearing sweatpants everyday?  I will keep you posted! 

See you – Kim

Our Calendars

Visit our website at TrinityLCC.ca

Christmas Party – Sydney Church of Christ

Our Christmas program and banquet are on Saturday, December 16th!

The Program

  • 4:30 p.m. in the sanctuary

Dinner

  • 6:00 p.m. in the gym

Tickets will be on sale in the Narthex after Sunday Service December 3 & 10

  • Adults $30.00
  • Children $15.00
  • 5 & under Free

Trinity LWML-C

There is no regular meeting in December.

Office Help!

With Kim’s recent retirement, the Elders would like to hear from any of the members who might be interested in providing some assistance in the Church office starting December 1. 

Please contact Eric, Lorne or John.

Week of Prayer

… for Christian Unity 2024 will run January 18-25. 

The theme this year is from the Gospel of Luke 10-27

You shall love your
neighbour as yourself.” 

More details coming soon…

Abbotsford
Food Bank

Archway Food Bank

  • 3,000 people helped per month
  • 80% of Food Bank guests make less than $18,000 per year.
  • Approximately 1.3 million dollars’ worth of food is distributed every year.
  • 1 in 20 children enrolled in elementary school goes without food over the weekend.

There are 3 large baskets located in the back of the church Narthex for all who wish to contribute.  When these baskets are full, the AFB picks up your donations for distribution.

Thank you for your generosity.

You make a world of difference

Sunday School

Sunday School at Trinity is in full swing. It takes place every Sunday morning, starting right after the children’s message,

All children from K to grade 7/8 are welcome. Teens are invited to come and help out.  

Please contact Hella Beckmann if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.

Prayer Pal Party

All ladies are welcome to attend the Prayer Pal Party next Sunday, December 10th following the church service. 

Our program will start at 11:40 am in the sanctuary with a skit and devotion, and move to the gym for lunch and gift exchange, ending about 1:30 pm. 

Invitations have been put in Prayer Pal’s mailboxes with the details. If you’re not a Prayer Pal, or want to become one, please contact Marj Temple. You may sign up for next year at the close of the party.

Please bring a small gift for your Prayer Pal, or to exchange. Please bring a small plate of Christmas baking to share. A light lunch will be provided, and an offering will be taken for the Abbotsford Food Bank.

The Friday 5 -

… will be available in your church mailbox, Sunday, December 10th. 

However, please consider asking Susan about the pre-authorized debit program (PAD). This method of donating makes it easier for you, and helps your council better manage our programs and church maintenance.