Important - COVID-19 Response

Sunday Service Schedule and Procedures
Please use your God-given judgment when deciding whether or not you are ready to return. Consider your own health and the health of anyone in your household as you make that decision. Whatever you do, do it in faith and in love, trusting in God and making your decision with a clear conscience. We understand if you choose to remain home at this time. Do not let this burden your conscience. Service recordings will continue to be available on YouTube for the foreseeable future. Individual Absolution and Communion continue to be available upon request for any who are not yet comfortable returning to church.  The following is a brief sketch of Sunday morning:

Sunday Schedule

• 8:15 and 10:45 services resume on Sunday, June 7th. 
• Sunday School and Adult Bible Class will resume Sunday, August 30.

Before Each Service

• Enter through back doors from the parking lot.
• Please wear a mask upon entry until seated. Masks will be available at the door if needed. The CDC recommends wearing one when distancing is difficult. Even if you question a mask’s effectiveness, please consider others (their health and/or peace of mind) as being more significant than yourself (Php 2:3-4). “Love does not insist on its own way…” (1 Cor 13:5).
• Bulletins pre-distributed to each pew, containing the entire order of service.
• Families/individuals will sit in every third pew in order to keep distance.

During Each Service

• We will forego the sharing of the peace. 
• The Lord’s Supper will be distributed in continuous fashion. Pastor Raddatz will give direction before the service begins. 
• Before distribution Pastor and communion assistants will wash hands thoroughly. During distribution they will wear masks.

After Each Service

• Ushers will dismiss pews slowly. Please wear a mask until you are outside. 
• Offerings can be placed in the plate as you leave the nave.
• In the parsonage yard tables will be set up. If you would like, you are invited to enjoy one another’s company in the open air.

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Wednesday Evening Service Announced
The Visitation
July 2, 2020

Dearly Beloved of Trinity,

Last month I had the joy of announcing our congregation's ability to resume in person
services. Since then I have rejoiced to see many of you return to the Lord's house in order to hear God's Word and receive His Sacrament.

Some of you, my dear brothers and sisters, however, have still been unable to gather with us. Due to underlying health conditions, age, or other reasons you have remained at home. You are seeking to care for your body in order that you might continue to love and serve your family and neighbors. You do not stay away from the Lord's house because you despise God's Word. On the contrary, you love God's Word and desire to gather with the communion of saints, but you feel that more precautions are necessary to do so.

In order to provide better for your physical and spiritual care, Trinity's Board of Elders, congregational President, and Pastor Raddatz have decided to offer a temporary third service, which, God willing, will be held every Wednesday at 7pm, beginning on July 8th continuing until Pastor indicates otherwise. The following is a sketch of this service:

• A brief, 30 minute service, beginning at 7pm each Wednesday.
  
• Since it is getting dark earlier now, the service will be held in the nave without singing.
  
• Masks are required throughout, except when communion is distributed. Pastor Raddatz will wear a mask when communion is distributed.
  
• We will make an effort to maintain social distancing.
  
• Before distribution, Pastor will sanitize his hands and put on gloves. Pastor will
  commune families/individuals one at a time.
  
• Those desiring to attend will be asked to announce their intention to commune
  beforehand (either by phone, text, or email) so that Pastor Raddatz can be well-prepared for the Lord's Supper.

Please contact me with any questions about this third service . Our goal is to serve as many of God's children as possible while responsibly caring for you. May this additional service, 0 Lord, be a blessing to many. Amen.

The peace of the Lord be with you all.

In Christ Jesus' love,
Rev. Simeon Raddatz, pastor

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Click the following links to download/print copies of the letters from Pastor Raddatz:

> 5th Letter from Pastor Raddatz (6/2/2020, 3:25pm)
> 4th Letter from Pastor Raddatz (5/5/2020, 9:48am)
> 3rd Letter from Pastor Raddatz (4/1/2020, 5:08pm)
> 2nd Letter from Pastor Raddatz (3/17/2020, 11:56am)
> 1st Letter from Pastor Raddatz (3/14/2020, 9:54pm)

Updates and news are also posted on Trinity's Facebook page.

Worship Audio/Video Links

Sunday, October 25, 2020
Divine Service - The Festival of the Reformation (obs.)
Links: YouTube video | Order of Service pdf or Word file

Sunday, October 18, 2020
Matins - Twenty First Sunday after Trinity
Links: YouTube video | Order of Service pdf or Word file

Visit our Media page to find previous services and Bible studies!

Welcome

Trinity Lutheran Church is a member of the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. As Lutherans, we in the LCMS share a strong belief in the Holy Scriptures as the inspired inerrant Word of God. It is by God's grace alone, through our faith worked in us by the Holy Spirit, that we believe in Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation.

Sunday Morning Worship Schedule
This is the normal Sunday Worship Schedule unless otherwise posted.
8:15 am – Worship
9:30 am – Bible Breakfast, Sunday School & Adult Bible Class
10:45 am – Worship

Announcements

No Can Donations
We will no longer be accepting donations of aluminum cans. Thank you to all who donated in the past.

November Food Drive
During the month of November a food drive is held to benefit Christian Civic Outreach. The November food drive has been particularly important since it falls so close to the holidays. This year, due to COVID-19, we are having a cash only food drive. We will send all donations to CCO so they can purchase what they need. Simply use your Good Samaritan envelope in your offering box or mark an envelope
“food drive.”

Library Greeting Cards
There is no charge for the greeting cards located in the library. With so many shutins and homebound members we encourage you to use the cards to brighten the day of one of these members.

Daily Devotions with the Pastor
**Pastor will not hold morning Devotions until further notice.**
Join Pastor for early morning devotions - 8:00am Matins - Monday through Thursday, unless otherwise noted. In Titus 3:14 Paul writes, "And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful" (emphasis mine). So, if you can be devoted to good works, then devotion is not only hearing God's Word, reading it on your own, or joining the pastor at the church for 8am Matins (but you could join me!). Devotion to God's Word is foundational for any kind of Christian devotional life, but devotion doesn't end with hearing the Word. Devotion encompasses all of life, and it also includes the "fruit" of our encounter with God's Word.

New Church Library
Check out our new library with new books for all ages. The library is located next to the pastor’s office. There are instructions on one of the shelves on how to check out
books and return them.

Shut-in of the Month
Some members cannot attend church and it is important that we remember them in our thoughts and especially our prayers. During the month please pray for them and send them a card.

Our shut-in of the month is:
Margaret Loberg
Hallmark House Nursing Center
2501 Allentown Road, Room 126
Pekin, IL 61554

We need a lot! Mostly your help!
We are in need of ushers, especially for the 10:45 service. If you are interested in helping out at this service please contact the church office.

We are also in need of drivers to pick up members who need a ride to church. Transportation should never be the reason for someone to miss worship. Call
the church office if you can help.

Greeters are needed too! If you can greet members as they enter the sanctuary please let us know.

We need Bible Breakfast helpers for the 4th Sunday of the month and when there is a 5th Sunday of the month. Please contact the church office at 346-1391 if you can help.

2020 Flower Chart
The flower chart for 2020 is up in the narthex. Simply sign your name by the date you wish to donate altar flowers. A form will be sent to you when your date is near. Dates are chosen on a first come first serve basis. Thank you to all those who provide flowers for God’s altar during the year.

Church Office Hours

Monday - Wednesday - 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Thursday- 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Friday - Office Closed

Living Each Day as a Steward -
Click to watch the 2012 Stewardship Video