“Come, let us return to the Lord … He will heal us … He
will revive us.”
Trinity
Lutheran
Church
2018
Pastor Mark Schulze
208-432-2544
Elder on Duty:
Dan Krieger-208-670-1673
Susan Vineyard
EEC Director 208-825-5054
Heather Moreno, Secretary
208-825-5277
trinityeden@gmail.com
Friday’s —8am-1pm
Nancy Brune, Newsletter
jnbrune4321@gmail.com
Nancy Staffen:
Sunday School Superintendent
nancy.staffen@yahoo.com
Trinity now has its very own web site.
You can check it out at
www.trinitylutheraneden.org
Our newsletter, calendar, events and
pictures can all be found there. A
link can be sent to your e-mail if you
email us at:
Trinityeden@gmail.com
Check us out on facebook
The
Sharing God’s Love and Grace by our Words and Actions
Harveste Worship:
Sunday Schedule:
Fellowship:
9:00 am
10:15 am
r
Sunday School 10:30 am
Communion: 1st & 3rd Sunday
On December 19 the preschool children celebrated Jesus's birthday by
singing for their families and sharing a potluck meal with their families. 
Many thanks to Krista and Doug Huettig for making sure the ham was
prepared, the drinks made, and the food was out on the tables.  Thanks
to Ruth Olson for the beautiful birthday cake for Jesus.  I was blessed
to attend and spend time with the children and their families.
I would like to thank Rose Crider and Irene Staffen for stepping in and
helping Sara during the month of December.
I hope to return to the classroom in January but will have to follow the
doctor's advice.
The children will return to preschool on Wednesday, January 3.  They
will learn about the letter O and about Epiphany when the wise men go
in search of the baby Jesus. 
Other letters for the month will be G, H,and E. 
We will learn about Jesus as a young boy, Jesus' Baptism and the calling
of the first disciples. 
In math we will learn to write the numbers and recognize numbers to 10
and learn to count groups to match the numbers.
The children have learned so much and are so willing to share what they
know.  We are truly blessed to have this ministry at Trinity.  If you
know of any children that may want to join us either this year or next
year let myself or Pastor know so we can begin planning for next year.
In Christ's Service, Sue Vineyard
This year marked the 101st Christmas celebrated by our congregation.
I have no doubt those early Christmas services were different experiences than ours was this year. I can imagine the smaller intimate
setting of that first church building set in a snow covered field with a line of carts and buggies out front. I wonder what it was like for the
many who had to bounce across the cart paths for many miles behind or on a horse to get to church. I can picture a freshly sawn tree
decorating the interior of the church (if such a thing were allowed inside in the early days) as people gathered to sing carols to the sounds of
a small pump organ.
I don’t know how many of you think those sort of nostalgic thoughts about those early worship times here at Trinity, but I for one think it
would be interesting to experience one of those early worship services. The whole experience of getting to church, worshipping at that time,
and the way of life people experienced is so far outside my own frame of reference that it is a little difficult to really imagine.
No doubt, they would have a difficult time picturing our worship today too. I wonder if some of those first worshippers could have
imagined our gym or the general shape of our building. Could they have thought that one day we would turn the orientation of our Sanctuary
180 degrees? Surely they could have never imagined the day when our organist was a paper sized device that we plug into our organ, or that
we would eschew the bulletin or hymnal for the visibility, ease, and accessibility of a projector and computerized service.
Would they have anticipated that our school and preschool would eventually reach well over 500 students in our valley over 55-plus years of
operation? Would they have pictured our colorful bus or believed that we would be a part of one of the largest Hispanic outreach programs in
the Northwest District of the LCMS? Would they have imagined the lives of so many in our valley and around our world be changed
temporally and eternally by the generosity and loving servant-hearts of the people that have called this congregation home for the last 100
years?
I like to think they would have hoped their small country congregation would do great things in its service to God…maybe they wouldn't
have imagined what those great things would be…but I like to think they would have dreamed big.
Over the last year, I have had the opportunity to ask several of you where you think God will take Trinity in the next 100 years. I have
enjoyed and appreciated your introspective and thoughtful answers. We talked about possible growth in our community. We talked about our
changing relationship with the surrounding communities of Twin Falls and Kimberly especially. We talked about the way our own
community has developed over the last 20 years and the possibilities for change and growth in the future. And, most importantly, we talked
about how we at Trinity might position ourselves to be impactful, share the Gospel, and be the hands of feet in our changing community,
whatever those changes might be, in the next 100 years.
One of my favorite Bible passages is this one from 2 Samuel 7:

4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a
house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving
about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of
Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you
shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be
prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will
make you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.

I like this passage because, although it was originally authored to David when he compared the opulence of his palace to the tent of the
tabernacle and desired to build God a greater house, it is a reminder that it is not we, but God himself who will build for himself a house.
This is a reminder to me as a Pastor that though there may be many opportunities to do this or that thing in the church or as the church in our
world, and though we may at time rejoice in the blessings we perceive for the church or grieve at the losses we experience as the church, it is
always God at the helm, directing His ministry through us in our context.
My prayer as I look forward to the next year and further with Trinity, is that God might lead us all to see with eyes opened wide by His
Spirit, the opportunities he has placed and will continue to place in front of us through which he might build his house. I pray that he might
use us to bless our community in new and exciting ways, that we might be known
more and more as a place where God's love and mercy is perceived, felt, and received. And I pray that he might continue to foster in us all a
faith that seeks not only his mercy and forgiveness from the throne of grace, but also seeks to take that mercy and forgiveness out to a hurting
world…for
I have no doubt that the future will be marked by God's hand at work among us. And, I have no doubt that His hand will work in ways that
we might not ever imagine, to accomplish things we might never have dreamed, to build his church in ways we might never have planned.
One things is for sure, its going to be exciting!
This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
How was your church attendance last year?  Average,
better than average, maybe a little below?  No need to hang
your head in shame if you didn’t achieve a personal best
this year – even Pastor Mark didn’t hit 100%.
One of the great things about Trinity is that if you miss a
Sunday – God willing – it’ll still be there for you next week. We will be back on January 10th. Since Josh
Have you thought about what happens at Trinity when
Brune is gone for most of January we could
you’re gone (besides the rest of us missing out on your
fellowship)?  Big stuff, like faithful preaching of the Word really use a volunteer to ride the bus with the
and teaching of the Bible still happens on Sunday.
bus driver and also help out in the classroom.
Important stuff, like Scouts, youth group and confirmation
keep meeting. If you could spare a couple of hours for 3
Fun stuff, like preschool and King’s Kids continue to fill the
weeks we would sure appreciate your help.
halls with joyful noise.  Little things, like furnaces, water
pumps and light bulbs keep humming.  Things you might not Just let Pastor Mark know.
think of, like Pastor Mark feeding his
family, still need to be provisioned.
Our little church has a big heart and a big commitment to
our community.
It takes a bigger budget than you might think to do what
the Spirit does here.  All the doings of Trinity rely on us
faithfully blessing Trinity with our tithes, offerings and
gifts, even when life calls us elsewhere on Sunday morning.  YOUTH GROUP
Might you consider blessing Trinity with your offering
every Sunday? 
1/7 - Camp Perkins Jr. High Retreat 
Trinity can receive donations via your bank’s online bill pay No Youth Group
system and the Postal Service, in addition to the regular 1/14 - Youth Group 6:30-8
offering plate.  NEW!  You can now use your credit card at
1/21 - No Youth Group
this web address:  
donorbox.org/general-fund-28 1/28 - Youth Group 6:30-8

Let’s keep things happening at Trinity!  And, we’ll see you

next week.

Steven Huettig, Financial Secretary

Let's gather together this New Year on

    Saturday, Jan 6th @ 10 am
    Leader:  Millie Mussmann
    Hostess:  Dianne Kohtz
We will be studying the last lesson in our Bible study book.
Please join us as gather, study, pray and anticipate what projects God has in store for us this coming
year.  It is sure to be an adventure worth experiencing!
'Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.'  Psalm 37:4
Blessings on your New Year!!
 www.TrinityLutheranEden.org
#TLCinfo www.TrinityEEC.org

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TrinityEden
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TrinityEEC
KingsKids
TLC
TrinityEden@gmail.com
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208-825-5277 (Fridays 8-1)
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Matthew 28:19-20
(The Message)

Eden id 83325
1602 e 1100 s
Permit No. 007
Eden, ID 83325 Church
PAID
POSTAGE Lutheran
U. S.
Organ. Trinity
Non-Proft