Debate!

Had – or, I should say, took – the opportunity to watch the Presidential Candidates debate on Friday night. I’m not particularly big in politics, but as we have the privilege of deciding who leads this country, I thought it would be best to try and make as educated a choice as I can. So, even though the issues debated – the economy (and the Wall Street bailout plan) and foreign policy – are not my forte, I tuned in and actually made it through the whole 90-plus minutes of…well…propaganda.

This is not a political blog, and I’m not going to even attempt to declare a winner in the debate! I don’t know that I like John McCain a whole lot, but I also have significant issues with parts of the Democratic Party’s platform. It doesn’t make for a very easy choice. While Barak Obama may have some good things to say on the surface issues (economy, etc.), I’m not sure I could get past the moral underpinnings of the party. Our morality directly effects the decisions we make. We can say that the big issues are the economy, foreign policy, the energy crises, climate change, or whatever. But the moral issues – how we value life, marriage, family, etc. – are the basis for how we live life every day and, I believe, shape our judgment on the “big issues.”

I’m not an advocate of the “vote for the pro-life guy regardless of anything else” approach – life encompasses more than the abortion issue. But, when we go to the polls in November – and we should! – we have a responsibility to make an informed choice. That means going beyond what the candidates are saying and looking at their underlying beliefs. Can you, in good conscience, displace your morality in favor of someone who knows a thing of two that might jump-start the economy? Does your belief in a just war eclipse the need to keep the government accountable for the money and lives they spend in the name of democracy? Is our safety worth sacrificing some of the privileges – like our privacy – that we have long enjoyed in this country? These are the kinds of questions we all must ask before heading to the voting booth.

Voting our conscience means listening to that conscience – something I fear is a lost art in today’s society.

Worship Debrief – 9/27-28

We talked about anger and worshipped a God of grace this weekend. For me, this was a much needed message as I, like many people, struggle with anger. Following the Saturday night service, Darcy and I hit Anderson’s (it was thought of before Pastor’s suggestion in the message – honest!) and had a good discussion on the subject as it relates to our family. So, here are my notes on the services:

Saturday, 9/27 – 7:00pm:

• We didn’t have Matt on drums this weekend. We have grown used to them – he was missed!
• It was nice to have the more intimate/acoustic night, even with the challenge we felt making the music “move.”
• We don’t usually have the drama on Saturday nights. Having one this week was a nice touch.
• Again, we saw a bunch of new people in the congregation. This service continues to be the prime time for people to check us out!

Sunday, 9/28 – 11:15am:

• We had a full band this morning…always fun!
• Grateful to have Sue back singing with us, even if she did have a cold.
• I heard that vocals could have been a little louder…anyone else notice?
• Again, the drama was very well received. Thank you Darcy and Kim for serving in that ministry, and Karen for directing.
• “Shine, Jesus Shine” is a challenge to play without the keyboard, but the congregation was singing and it seems to be a favorite.
• I saw some VBS veterans doing the motions for “You Never Let Go.” I love seeing people get into worship!

As always, I’m relying on what you heard and saw. Please share any comments you have. We are serving you and I want to know what you are experiencing.

Soccer Dad!

I’ve already mentioned that our older boys – Caleb (9) and Samuel (7) – are on the same soccer team this year. The season only runs to the end of October, but it may well end up the best sports season we may ever have. Not only do we only have to track one schedule, but neither boy is overshadowing the other – thanks in part to playing and enjoying different positions.

Samuel is in goal. Yes, little Samuel! He’s the smallest on the team and shares the responsibilities with the largest (they are quite the comical pair!). But he is faithfully tending goal and coming up with some pretty big plays! It takes a lot for a little guy to stand up to those bigger kids rushing down on him. But then, Samuel never seems to be intimated by much…

Caleb, in previous years, preferred defense. But this year he has been in the mid-field and forward positions and is playing them aggressively! This is big step of our normally fairly reserved child! While he’s still one of the slower players, he is getting in to make plays, clear the ball, and get it up to the players who can take the shots on goal. And he has always stayed in his position well (for his age) when other kids “go for the glory.” I can see him emerging as one of the leaders on the team.

It is really just fun to see them holding their own, not only in respect to each other, but also contributing to the team more than just being an extra body. The games can be intense, but they are also fun. And it makes me a proud daddy to see them playing well!

Transforming Worship – “…to the Pew!”

In the continuing exploration of a vision for worship, we have come to the pinnacle of our time at First Trinity. Yes, our education hour is fantastic! But it is our worship services that touch practically all who enter our doors. Once our Parking Lot and Host Teams have done their jobs and you are seated in the pew, what should you expect?

First Trinity has a history of being a pioneer in addition to its rich history as a Lutheran Church. Our worship services must reflect that history and mindset while remaining relevant to our constantly changing culture. We also need to uphold our mission to “Transform our world one life at a time by the power of God’s living word.” To these ends, we are committed to vibrant and varied worship services. So, as the Communications Team and EMT begin working on our “Branding“, let me suggest some subtle changes to the way we “brand” our worship services:

Heritage Sunset (Sat. 5:30pm) and Heritage Sunrise (Sun. 8:45am) Worship:

Worship set in the rich heritage and traditions of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Each aspect of the service is rooted in scripture and timelessly stands in the life of our denomination. We share a worship experience with countless others across hundreds of years, giving proof that God is relevant and the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

A.C.T.S. Encounter (Sun. 11:15am):

Worship through our A.C.T.S. (Attract, Care, Transform, Serve) Ministry model, with a flow of worship that draws you into God’s presence, lifts you to His throne, transforms you with His word, and sends you out into the mission field to do His work. A family friendly service at the traditional worship hour, the A.C.T.S. Encounter blends traditional liturgies with modern worship music for a unique and diverse experience that retains its Lutheran roots.

The Gate (Sat. 7:00pm)

The evolution of our current Saturday contemporary service, The Gate is a new experience to foster connections with God, the church, and others. Set in a coffeehouse style, The Gate offers a casual atmosphere to visit and explore God, the church, and/or…well…anything. The same message, worship by in-house or local bands, prayer corners, communion altars, lattes, pastries, and people all in one place – come and get connected at The Gate!

There is more to come, but tell me what you think so far…

Prepare to Worship September 27-28

Don’t be angry with me – but I think the secret is out that we can have a temper. In this day of road-rage, cyber-rage, rage-against-the-machine, and rage-against-anything-else-we-can-think-of, Pastor chose to look this week at “Getting Past Anger”. Did you know that it is not a sin to be angry? But anger can easily lead to sin and give the devil a foothold in our lives. God’s word is clear that we must not let that happen. I expect this week to really hit home in my life.

This weekend’s scriptures are:

Old Testament: Proverbs 16: 29-33
New Testament: Ephesians 4: 25-32
Gospel: Matthew 5: 21-26

In addition to the great music planned for this weekend (see below), our Drama Team will be back in action at all four services. The skit is entitled “Practice What You Preach,” featuring Kim Gordon and Darcy Fesmire and directed by our drama coordinator, Karen Cassidy.

After missing last Sunday’s service, I look forward to worshipping with all of you. Think about the where, when, and how you struggle with anger and come this weekend expecting God to move and work miracles in your life! If you have an answer to the where/when/how question you can share, leave it in the comments and let it be food for thought for the rest of us.

*Sunday: September 28

Gathering:    Grace Like Rain
Opening:       Open The Eyes of My Heart
                       Shine, Jesus, Shine
Offering:       Sanctuary
Closing:         You Never Let Go
Sending:        Your Grace is Enough
* Saturday’s music is the same, minus “Grace Like Rain”

Worship Debrief – 9/20-21

This weekend’s Worship Debrief will be short(er), as I was not present for the 11:15 service on Sunday this week. My cousin – who lives in Halifax, N.S. – was in Toronto for the weekend and I haven’t seen her in nine years since my brother’s wedding. The whole thing is quite the story (for another time!), but I ended up in a Toronto park, on the lake, with my parents and brother’s family to spend a little time with her.

So…with that in mind, here we go!

Saturday, 9/20 – 7:00pm:

• The evening started with refreshments to celebrate the installation of Sue Brese, our Director of Traditional Worship.
• We had a great, slightly larger than normal crowd that was enjoying and getting into the worship.
• Jacob – our former sound technician – was home from college for the weekend visiting. It was great to see him!
• From where I was, the band was sounding pretty good and had energy. It was nice to hear Matt as he took the lead on “Rescue.”
• I got to worship with my family…sort of. Darcy and the two older boys were at the service – they are normally not with me – and I enjoyed having them there.

Sunday, 9/21 – 11:15am:

• The park by Lake Ontario that we were at in Toronto was very nice. Great fall weather up there – in contrast to the misty rain we had in Tonawanda, NY!
• Saw lots of swans, many going “butt-up” and sticking their heads under water…almost like Ostrich’s of the sea. It was rather comical to me.
• Oh yeah…worship. As I said before, I wasn’t there so please tell me what it was like. I was with the band as they were warming up and it sounded like there were pretty tight this morning with a good mix. I’m hoping that carried through into worship.

Tell me what you saw and heard – I look forward to your feedback!

Samuel’s Pizza Night

After 15 years of marriage and 9-plus years of children, we have finally decided to make Fridays our family night. You would think that would be something we would have started much, much sooner – especially with all the time I’m away from home working both at Northtown and the church. But as many of you know, these things only happen when they are planned and some effort is put into them. So, we are putting in the effort…now.

Tonight was Samuel’s Pizza Night. He was taking off something Caleb did a few years ago when Caleb go to be the “waiter” and got to take charge of dinner. Tonight, and with the help of his mother, Samuel ordered and brought home pizza, wings, and chicken fingers for the family. He then read the recipe for his mother to make chocolate chip cookies, and we had chocolate chip cookie sundaes (some of us using Keebler waffle bowls ) for desert. The only hitch in the evening was that I had to pick up my parents at the airport at 5:45 as they returned from a vacation. Still it was a great night and a reminder of why we need to set aside time to be together as a family. It was also a great experience for Samuel to plan and see what it takes to get a meal ready, even if it’s ordered out.

If you have stories of family nights or great ideas for family activities, please feel free to share them. Every family ends up with a gem tucked away somewhere – why not share it?

Transforming Worship – “From the Parking Lot…”

I’m getting really excited about the new Host Team we rolled out this past weekend in worship. Under the guidance of Sue Steege, this team is designed to “create a comfortable environment during our weekend worship experiences so that all who worship feel welcomed and connected to Jesus.” (Pastor Whited – First Trinity e-news, September 17, 2008) From the Parking Lot Greeters and the Information Center Staff, to the Inside Greeters and Ushers, we are committed to touching lives and affecting people’s worship experience before they even reach the pew.

This is such a vital part of any worship vision we could craft. Why? Well, let’s face it: Our worship experience really begins when the alarm clock goes off (or not!) on Sunday morning. Everything that happens from then until the first note is played – either by the organ or the band – comes with us into worship. Thus, the opening minutes of worship become time to unwind rather than preparing for worship.

Our Host Team will work to help you unwind just a little easier…and sooner! But since we’re talking vision here, let’s let our imagination run wild a little. We keep hearing that we need to resolve the parking situation at the church. It is very obvious that we do not have enough – and the problem seems insurmountable. But if we look at it from a different angle, the problem can become a blessing.

Imagine having attendants that walk Glenalby and Glenhurst streets in addition to attendants in our two lots. Communicating with walkie-talkies, they know where space is available and can direct parking both in the lots AND on the streets, ensuring that driveways are not blocked and the parking is efficient. Now, imagine that you are arriving on a wet and rainy (or snowy!) day and you forgot your umbrella because your alarm really did not go off and you left late. If one of these attendants produced an umbrella for you to walk up to the church, it would make your day! Couple that with the Host Team waiting for you at the door, and you could be ready to worship before you ever set foot into the building.

Keep in mind, this is just a vision – not a plan. But let your imagination get fired up. If God is starting to work on you, please comment and we’ll go from there. For more immediate action, the Host Team is still in need of more volunteers. Please contact Sue Steege if God is placing a burden on you to help!

Prepare to Worship September 20-21

We continue this week to learn how to get past temptation in our life. Where as last week gave us an overview on the subject – showing us how to find the pattern of temptation in our lives and helping us evaluate our vulnerability – this week promises some practical help for those times when temptation in upon us. Scriptures are:

Old Testament: Psalm 50: 1-15
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 10: 3-7
Gospel: Matthew 26: 36-46

The music this Sunday looks like a “Back to the Classics” weekend with long-standing songs from the bands repertoire like “I Will Call Upon the Lord,” “Poured Out and Broken,” and “Leave Your Heart with Me.” The complete song list for each service can be found below. As always on the 1st and 3rd weekends of the month (1st Saturday only at the 7pm Contemorary), we will come to the Lord’s Table in the Sacrament of Holy Communion in all services.

We look forward to worshipping with you this weekend. May God start even now to prepare your heart to meet with Him and grow from the experience.

Saturday: September 20

Opening:  ”Come, Now is the Time”; “The Wonderful Cross”
Prayer:  “The Heart of Worship”
Closing:  “Rescue”; “Forever”

Sunday: September 20

Gathering:  “I Will Call Upon the Lord”
Opening:  “The Wonderful Cross”; “The Heart of Worship”
Communion:  “Poured Out and Broken”; “Humble Thyself”;
                         “Leave Your Heart with Me”
Offering:  “Rescue”
Closing:  “You Are My All in All”
Sending:  “I Believe in Jesus”

7 Years in Ministry!!!

Today marks my seventh anniversary at First Trinity and the start of my eighth year of ministry with this congregation. As we look ahead to what the next year may hold, I thought it might be fun to reflect on the past seven years and see what God’s done.

• My official start date was Sunday, Sept. 16, 2001, but I came on Tuesday, Sept. 11 to sit in on the band’s rehearsal. Due to the terrorist attacks that day, the band did not practice to leave the sanctuary open for prayer. So, I got to lift up the all those affected to the Lord in my new church home.
• Incidentally, Darcy was auditioning for the Promise Theater production of “Following Yonder Star” downstairs that same night.
• The band in 2001 was seven people, including the sound guy!
• There was one contemporary service in 2001, largely fashioned after the traditional service.
• We began projecting lyrics in 2002 at the 11:15 service.
• A second band was added in Jan. 2002 with an alternating schedule.
• The A.C.T.S format was adopted in Sept 2004 for the 11:15 Sunday service.
• Our media booth for sound and projection control was built in 2005.
• The 7pm Saturday service was added in October 2005 and included the addition of a third band.
• We began using drama in all worship services regularly in 2006.

Currently in worship:

• We have two weekend contemporary services: 7pm Saturday, 11:15 Sunday.
• The worship bands total 12 active members in three bands, with a total involvement of 24 since Sept. 2001.
• Our sound team is now four persons, with a total involvement of seven since Sept. 2001.
• Our projection team operates in all four weekend services with numerous volunteers.
• Our drama team pulls from a list of approximately 12-15 persons to support Pastor’s message in all services.

I certainly cannot take credit for all that’s been done – that goes to the leadership team and all the volunteers who devote their time to serving God and this congregation. But I can celebrate the accomplishments! Looking back, it’s been a very eventful seven years and we continue to see the worship ministry grow and push forward under God’s direction. It’s exciting to contemplate where God will take our worship in the next seven years. Now, if we can just make the sabbath year commanded by scripture work…