The Trinity Tidings - Trinity Lutheran Church

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The Trinity Tidings
Trinity Lutheran Church
217 Brackenridge SW, Sleepy Eye, MN
Phone: 507-794-5051 Fax: 507-794-5052
E-Mail: trinity@sleepyeyetel.net Web: www.trinitysleepyeye.org
Vol. 47
January 2014
No. 1
Sunday Worship 8:00 and 10:30 am
Education Hour 9:15 am
STAFF
Pastor Keith Ainsley
Home: 507-794-5641
Cell: 507-766-3383
Parish Administrative
Secretary
Darlene Brummund
Home: 507-794-4483
Financial Secretary
Pat Stevermer
Home: 507-794-7112
Youth Director
Elizabeth Kolbe
Organist / Sr. Choir Director
Mary Mulry
Home: 794-3768
Custodian
Marian Johnson
Home: 507-794-3474
In This Issue
Pastor Keith’s Page… 2-3
Daily Bible Readings… 4
Welca…
4
Stewardship
5
Youth and
Sunday School News… 6-7
This & That…
8
Parish Report…
9
Worship Assistants… 10
Calendar…
11
Trinity’s Mission Statement
We are a community where Jesus is Lord: our mission is to invite, welcome,
nurture, and equip all people to be disciples in His name.
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Pastor Keith Ainsley
What’s the One Resolution that Can Determine
Whether or Not You Are Successful in Life?
And Three Tips to Attain It
Dear Partners,
Happy New Year to you and your kin! It is that time when we leave the past year’s successful activities
and promises, missed dates and shortcomings and wipe the slate clean to begin anew and fresh.
So, what’s the one thing that can determine whether or not you’ll be successful—not only in this New
Year—but in your life?
Charles Duhigg in his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, says
self-discipline trumped I.Q. in students’ academic performance and better predicted which students
would improve their grades over the course of the school year…“Self-discipline has a bigger effect on
academic performance than does intellectual talent.”
Conscientiousness is the fundamental personality trait most closely tied to self-control and it tracks
with nearly every type of success across one’s lifespan—such as: Money and job satisfaction; Landing
a job; Long marriage; Healthier life; higher probability of longevity; higher workplace success; better
grades in school; and staying out of jail.
I’m not about to say here or anywhere else that I am the most conscientious person. I have my
impulsive moments and lack of self-control too. But neither am I very worried that I’m going to end-up
on skid-row living out of a cardboard box. The point is—unlike one’s I.Q. self-control can be increased
in one’s life. So, how do you do that?
“…the very true beginning of wisdom is the true desire of discipline…”–Wisdom of Solomon 6:17
Willpower is like energy—using it burns it up. Thus, it requires replenishing. Anything that involves self
-control draws on that one willpower fuel source. For example: dieting takes energy away from your
ability to hold your tongue in a conversation—and vice versa.
And here’s a tip: Offer someone something that will be tempting for them that they can say “no” to.
Their resisting the urge uses up their willpower, leaving them with less willpower to fight further
persuasion. It’s like a muscle; exerting willpower makes your self-control ability stronger over time.
There are many ways to do this—and here are three of them:
(1) Use willpower to build willpower.
Just a little practice every day can increase self-control. And when you improve self-control in just one
area of your life, it has a way of spreading to other areas of your life too.
Those who entered a fitness program not only got fitter, but also got more schoolwork done. People in
a money-management program saved more money, but also got better at other things, like doing
physical workouts more often, cutting-down on impulsive spending, and more diligent studying.
Exercising self-control in one area improved other areas of life.
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2) Automate your behavior.
When something is a habit, you no longer make decisions or even think about it. Hardly any willpower
is used. That means: The more you make something habitual, the less self-control you burn. And even
more, you can improve your self-control by planning.
Decide ahead of time how you will respond when your willpower is taxed and you’ll be more likely to
default to that. When your willpower is drained and you’re without a plan in your mind, you’re more
likely to succumb to temptation. One way to protect yourself is to form ‘if-then’ plans. ‘If’ I completed
one assignment, ‘then’ I will immediately begin the next, etc.
3) Per-commit to good behavior.
Daniel Akst, author of We Have Met the Enemy: Self-Control in an Age of Excess, explains how we can
use “precommitment devices” to control desire.
You’re probably already using precommitment devices in your life in some way or another.
Like, asking your spouse or friend on the way to the restaurant to not let you order a dessert when
you get there. My wife and I try to agree upon sharing a single order together.
Or for instance, if you are enslaved to your credit card, one woman reported her placing her credit card
in a container of water in the freezer requiring a “cooling-off” period—or—perhaps it’s a warming-up
time before she can use it again. So, go ahead, give a friend $500 and tell that person to keep it if you
don’t follow through on your goals!
Need more willpower for the day? Just making decisions burns up willpower. Thus, if you can
reduce the number and difficulty of decisions you make, you will be conserving your willpower.
Need to quickly replenish willpower? Eat something—it’s that simple. A study showed kids who
skip breakfast misbehave more than kids who eat their Wheaties, etc.
Indeed, we are not machines. The goal here is not to turn you into one, but rather, to get us to pay
attention to a powerful human element that underlies self-control: Willpower.
Willpower improves relationships and relationships improve willpower. Roy Baumeister, a leading
expert on self-control and author of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength shares an
example of how ‘heart’ is more important than ‘muscle’ as he says:
…self-control is not selfish. Willpower enables us to get along with others and override impulses
that are based on personal short-term interest. It’s the same lesson that Navy SEAL
commandos learn during their famous Hell Week test of continual running, swimming, crawling,
and shivering that they must endure on less than five hours’ sleep. At least ¾ of the candidates
in each SEAL class typically fail to complete training, and the survivors aren’t necessarily the
ones with the most muscles, according to Eric Greitens, a SEAL officer. In recalling the fellow
survivors of his Hell Week, he points out their one common quality: “They had the ability to step
outside of their own pain, put aside their own fear, and ask: How can I help the guy next to me?
They had more than the ‘fist’ of courage and physical strength. They also had a heart large
enough to think about others.”
So when Jesus commands us to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ it has more to do with ‘heart’ than
white-knuckle obedience. And it’s that ‘heart” that will give you the willpower to do what Jesus
commands.
May 2014 bring you more ‘heart’ in Christ Jesus as you become the human being God intended!
PEACE!
Pastor Keith
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Week of January 5
Su
Matthew 2:1-12
M
Ephesians 3:14-21
Tu
Ephesians 4:7,11-16
W
Luke 13:31-35
Th
Acts 9:1-9
F
Acts 9:10-19a
Sa
Acts 9:9b-31
Week of January 12
Su
Matthew 3:13-17
M
Acts 10:44-48
Tu
Acts 8:4-13
W
Matthew 12:15-21
Th
Galatians 1:6-12
F
Acts 1:1-5
Sa
Luke 5:1-11
The Ninth Triennial Gathering will be in Charlotte, North Carolina
July 24-27, 2014. It is not too late to get in on the early bird registration fee. Until January 6, it is $325 and thereafter it goes to $350.
Week of January 19
Su
John 1:29-42
M
Acts 8:26-40
Tu
Hebrews 10:1-4
W
Matthew 9:14-17
Th
Galatians 1:11-24
F
Galatians 2:1-10
Sa
Luke 5:27-32
“Of many generations” is the theme so it is time to ask mothers,
daughters, sisters, and friends to join you at this inspiring event. It is
filled with worship services, inspirational speakers, service events and
workshops. Plus a time to meet other Christian women from around
the country and world and renew acquaintances if you have attended
in the past. Between 75 and 100 women from Southwest Minnesota
have been attending the gatherings since they began in 1987.
Week of January 25
Su
Matthew 4:12-23
M
Ephesians 5:6-14
Tu
Philippians 2:12-18
W
Luke 1:67-79
Th
1 Peter 3:8-12
F
1 Timothy 5:17-24
Sa
John 13:31-35
Remember that our local Women of the ELCA group has been putting
away funds each year to help defray the cost for our members. There
is ample time to register but those going will probably be looking into
flights in the next couple of months and it would be great to all go at
the same time.
Cut this out and use as a bookmark in your Bible. Remember
to read your love letter from
God each and every day.
Please Join in the Fun and Fellowship!
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During the year many appeals are presented for congregations to provide financial aid. Periodically, these groups
will be highlighted. Since these appeals are not in the operating budget, all gifts are over and above our regular
giving. The following information is from the ELCA web site:
Lutheran Disaster Response
Lutheran Disaster Response brings God’s hope, healing and renewal to people whose lives have been disrupted
by disasters in the United States and around the world. When the dust settles and the headlines change, we stay to
provide ongoing assistance to those in need.
How We Work
We are a church that is a catalyst, convener and bridge builder. Lutheran Disaster Response collaborates with
other disaster response organizations and religious entities in the United States and around the world. This enables the greatest stewardship of resources and maximum impact of response. We are a welcome partner because
we respect the perspectives and strengths of others.
We recognize that every disaster is local. Because of this, we believe every response needs to be rooted in the
community; we work to accompany that community from immediate relief through long-term recovery. In our
international work we partner closely with companion churches and other Lutheran and ecumenical relief agencies to make sure local needs are being addressed and met. In the United States, we work through our extensive
affiliate network and other partners to address these same concerns.
Lutheran Disaster Response strives to help the church continue to be church in the midst of disaster — following
Christ’s call to bring hope and healing to our neighbor in need. Some key areas of work include:
Providing emotional and spiritual care for people who have been affected by a disaster and for leaders who
respond to a disaster
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Coordinating volunteers through our local affiliates

Assisting refugees in a holistic way by meeting the varied needs of the community
Promoting disaster risk-reduction by helping communities build their assets thereby reducing the effects of
likely disasters
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Providing long-term recovery efforts by addressing the unmet needs months or even years after a disaster
strikes
Our Impact
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Lutheran Disaster Response would not exist if it were not for the thousands, if not millions, of people who make
an impact by getting involved. Whether efforts are financial support, volunteering or helping to prepare communities for disasters, lives and livelihoods are improved.
Your gifts have gone to disasters related to typhoons, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding as well as humanitarian crises. Nearly $100 was forwarded from Trinity for gifts that were given. Other gifts may have been sent by individuals direct to Lutheran Disaster Response.
For tithes and offerings to be included on your 2013 giving statement, please have them to the church office by
January 6 if you will be gone for the holidays. Thank you.
Board of Stewardship
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Sunday School resumes
January 5th.
Let’s start the New Year with
Fellowship, Learning,
and Fun.
Good News Bearers will resume on Wednesday,
January 8th. It will be held on “the early out”
Wednesdays of the month. All third through
sixth graders are invited to come from 2:15 to
3:45 pm and enjoy snacks, Bible stories, and
fun!
SSPAM
(Second Sunday Pizza and A Movie)
Come Join Us Every Second Sunday
for Pizza and A Movie in the Beito’s
Basement (900 1st Avenue S.)!
All 5th-8th Graders are Invited from
5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. for Pizza,
Movies, and Games.
On January 19th, we’ll meet at noon
in the Fellowship Hall for Pizza, and
then it’s off for a day of sledding.
You may contact Sarah Lendt at
320 979-0687 for any questions.
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The Board of Social Ministry
would like to thank you,
members of Trinity, for your generosity during
the months of November and December. Thank
you for your continued support of the food
shelf with donations of money and groceries.
Thank you for all of the hats, scarves, gloves
and mittens collected by the Thanks giving tree
in November and donated to the elementary
school for children who come to school
needing warm clothes to wear when playing
outdoors. Finally, thank you for participating in
the ELCA Malaria Campaign in December
with your gift of money. Working together with
other ELCA churches and international
organizations every contribution brings us one
step closer to containing malaria in Africa by
2015.
We look forward to 2014 and opportunities to
extend God’s care to the world through our
commitment of time and talents.
TO ALL PERSONS
WRITING FOR THE
ANNUAL REPORT
Because we would like
to have the reports
available to the people
before the Annual Meeting, Sunday,
January 26th, it is necessary to have all
reports in the office no later than
January 10th . If you can submit them
via email, it would be appreciated.
Thank You
Volunteers Needed:
Altar Guild is seeking additional
members.
There will be a meeting in the
Friendship room on Tuesday, January 21st at
5:00 pm. Duties include light cleaning, setting
up & cleaning up following communion
services, handling floral arrangements and
other similar weekly tasks.
For more information, please contact Donna
Augustin or leave your name and number in
church office. Thank you.
“If
you want to be holy, be kind.”
—Frederick Buechner
***
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too
great a burden to bear.”
—Martin Luther King Jr.
***
“It gives me a deep, comforting sense that
‘things seen are temporal and things unseen
are eternal.’”
—Helen Keller
Our Services are broadcast on Channel 8 each
Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. and again at 7:00 p.m.
Share the Good News with those who are unable
to join us in person!
Newsletter Deadline:
The next issue of Tidings will
be in mailboxes February 1.
Please have items for the
newsletter to Darlene by 1 p.m.
January 20th . Thank you.
DECEMBER
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Attendance
And
Offerings
Sunday Services
Date
Attendance
12/1
173
12/8
211
12/15
282
12/22
184
12/29
69
Date
Offering
Week of…
12/1
$7300.90
12/8
$6287.65
12/15
$6561.75
12/22
$6030.11
12/29
Not Yet Available
Welcome Project $302,726.84
WE EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT
My thanks to Trinity Church for the nice SYMPATHY to the family and friends
of Ginny DeWell. We pray they will be
poinsettia and for the visit with Cindy.
sustained and comforted by the
Trudy Schroeder
I would like to thank Trinity for the presence of Christ and God’s promise
beautiful Christmas plant I received. of salvation and eternal life. God bless
OraDell Fischer
the memory of Ginny DeWell.
Dear Trinity Lutheran Church Family,
Thank you for the pretty red poinsettia.
I spent a week at my son, David’s , and
came home with a very bad cold.
The flower has brought much cheer
during those days and I will continue to
appreciate your thoughtfulness as I look
at it each day.
Blessings to all, Loretta Tostenrud
Thank you so much for my Poinsettia
plant. You make my day very special.
I hope you have a Blessed Christmas.
Marge Kramer
OUR HEARTFELT SYMPATHY to
Larry Krenz and his family in the loss
of his brother, Pat Krenz. We pray the
Krenz family will be sustained and
comforted by our Lord’s promises of
salvation and eternal life. God bless the
memory of Pat Krenz.
WE EXPRESS OUR SYMPATHIES
to the family and friends of Jerel Olson.
We pray they will be sustained and
comforted by the presence of Christ and
God’s promise of salvation and eternal
life. God bless the memory of Jerel
Olson.
OUR HEARTFELT SYMPATHY to
Sue Bruggeman and her family in the
loss of her father, Marv Manthei. We
pray the Manthei family will be
sustained and comforted by our Lord’s
A heartfelt Thank You to both promises of salvation and eternal life.
of our choirs. Your dedication God bless the memory of Marv
to providing music that Manthei.
e nha nc e s
our
W ors hi p OUR HEARTFELT SYMPATHY to
Services is a blessing to all.
Kathy Haala and her family in the loss
Send an email to the church office at trinity@sleepyeyetel.net and let
Darlene know you want your newsletter via email !!
TRINITY IS NOW ON FACEBOOK ~~ CHECK IT OUT!!
(Trinity Lutheran (ELCA) Sleepy Eye MN)
THE TRINITY TIDINGS NEWSLETTER IS NOW ALSO POSTED ON
WWW.SLEEPYEYEONLINE.COM
WATCH THIS SITE FOR COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS.
WORSHIP SERVICES ON OUR WEBSITE-TRINITY@SLEEPYEYE.ORG
of her grandmother, Sylvia Denn. We
pray the Denn family will be sustained
and comforted by our Lord’s promises
of salvation and eternal life. God bless
the memory of Sylvia Denn.
Please remember to inform the church
office of any address or phone number
changes to insure you keep receiving
your monthly copy of the Tidings and to
help keep our records up to date.
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January: Donna Augustin, Shirley Cannon
Sunday 8:00 a.m.
Sunday 10:30 a.m.
Acolytes
1/5
Courtney Dittbenner
1/12 Lauren Klein
1/19 Colin Butenhoff
1/26 Isaac Fink
Readers
1/5
Karen Dauer
1/12 Doug Domeier
1/19 Paul Dunn
1/26 Diane Evers
Sound Techs
1/5
Russ Sorensen
1/12 John Hirschbock
1/19 Russ Sorensen
1/26 Zeke Gehrke
Communion Assistants
1/5
Harold & Bonnie Pettis
1/19 Linda Schueler
Jerry VanRockel
January Ushers
Lee, Katie, & Ashlee
Johnson
January Greeters
Mary & Gerry VanRoekel
Acolytes
1/5
Hannah Schroepfer
1/12 Sarah Dunn
1/19 Savana Kirchner
1/26 Isaac Nelson
Readers
1/5
Rex Beech
1/12 Tracee Fromm
1/19 Jim Hutchins
1/26 Zeke Gehrke
Sound Techs
1/5
Sue Pedersen
1/12 Bryan Sellner
1/19 Zeke Gehrke
1/26 Sue Pedersen
Communion Assistants
1/5
Tracee Fromm,
Donna Augustin
1/19 Sue Pedersen
Larry Baumgardt
January Ushers
Larry & Sherry Baumgardt
Jane Hurley
January Greeters
Jim Hutchins
Sunday 8:00 a.m.
Sunday 10:30 a.m.
Acolytes
2/2
Colin Hillmer
2/9
Palmer Hittesdorf
2/16 Mariah Miller
2/23 Brianna Polesky
Readers
2/2
Fred Dauer
2/9
Lee Johnson
2/16 Bonnie Pettis
2/23 Linda Schueler
Sound Techs
2/2
John Hirschbock
2/9
Zeke Gehrke
2/16 John Hirschbock
2/23 Zeke Gehrke
Communion Assistants
2/2
Fred and Karen Dauer
2/16 Lee Johnson and
Donna Augustin
February Ushers
Mark Beito,
Brian & Brandon Polesky
February Greeters
Don and Rosanne Wall
Acolytes
2/2
Macy Schenk
2/9
Hunter rose
2/16 Caleb Christiansen
2/23 Hannah Schroepfer
Readers
2/2
Neil Neidt
2/9
Ron Kleven
2/16
Larry Baumgardt
2/23 Jim Hutchins
Sound Techs
2/2
Sue Pedersen
2/9
Bryan Sellner
2/16 Sue Pedersen
2/23 Bryan Sellner
Communion Assistants
2/2
Rex & Judy Beech
2/16 Larry Baumgardt,
Tracee Fromm
February Ushers
Shane Laffen
More information later
February Greeters
Phillip Jensen
Group Three will be the next servers.
Group Three Co-chairs are
Kathy Bergs and Sandy Brinkman
Group three listing is in the narthex.
Thank you all for your labors toward further
fellowship and service in our Lord’s name.
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TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
217 Brackenridge SW
Sleepy Eye, MN 56085
Return Service requested
non profit
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 22
Sleepy Eye, MN
56085