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Weekly Update - April 15
The resurrected Christ, greeting the disciples. (Set available here.)

Easter people

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

How were your Easter celebrations this year? Subdued, perhaps. A little lonelier than usual? Fewer dishes to wash, a quieter house. We were grateful for the sunshine and spent some time outside, hiding and finding eggs again and again. I made it to the grocery store on Monday morning for the first time in two weeks, so our Easter dinner was Monday evening, and we hope to dye eggs with Wade sometime this week.

Our delays in Easter activities are equal parts a) the disadvantage of being a double-clergy family during the busiest church week of the year, and b) this whole global pandemic thing. But really, at least on the church calendar, our Easter celebrations have just begun! 

Much like our celebration of Christmas begins on December 25, our celebration of Easter begins on Easter Day and extends for fifty days, until the Day of Pentecost (May 31 this year). During these 50 days (ten days longer than the 40 day fast of Lent!) we continue to proclaim "Alleluia!" and decorate our sanctuary with the white paraments of festival days.

Even beyond these 50 days of Easter celebrations, however, we remember that, in fact, every Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection! We are an Easter people, and it is the crucified and risen Lord who is at the center of our worship and our life together.

What does it mean to be an Easter people? A few things: It's about rejoicing. Our Easter proclamation is "Alleluia!" which means "Praise God!" ("Hallelujah" is Hebrew, and "Alleluia" is the Greek variant). We praise God for raising Jesus, and for the promise that we will be raised as well. We praise God for the promise that Jesus will seek us out and be with us always.

It's also a little bit defiant. We say, in the words of 1 Corinthians 15:55, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" Death is defeated and it is God who is victorious. Life wins! Love wins! We are not afraid of death, because we know that not even death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Freed from this fear, we are free to love and serve our neighbors. We share the good news of God's never-failing love, and the promise of resurrection and abundant life even now.

How might you continue to celebrate the joy of Easter this week? 

With hope,
Pastor Kerri

Last Sunday's Sermon
Sunday Worship
 
Join us online, via Zoom or Facebook Live, or on the phone for worship on Sundays at 9am. Recordings of previous worship services are available on our Facebook page (no sign-in required).

Computer/Tablet/Smartphone - Click the link or copy/paste into your browser: https://zoom.us/j/666319181?pwd=YjhXSE5rZ2hPaUg1SlIzMUNMNVI2dz09 or open the Zoom app and enter Meeting ID 666 319 181 and password 123456

Phone - dial 929-205-6099. When prompted, dial in the Meeting ID: 666 319 181 and password: 123456
 
This week's bulletin

Dial-a-Hymn with Valerie

Valerie Stipcak, our organist, has offered a “dial-a-hymn” service for anyone who would wish it! On Sundays between 11am and noon, you may call Valerie at 724-388-1038 to request a hymn, which she will play over the phone for you. If she doesn’t answer, leave a message and she’ll call back.

Offering

Thank you for your faithful and generous giving even in these uncertain times! Checks may be mailed to the church (please include your regular offering envelope if possible - it helps counting go more quickly), or you may wish to set up automatic bill pay through your bank.

Online giving is now available through tithe.ly -
https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/1485207. This platform is very convenient, but does include a small transaction fee (covered either by the giver or by Trinity). For this reason, mailed checks or bill pay options may be preferred for regular givers.

Please contact Rod Gunderson (Treasurer) or Cindy Workman (Financial Secretary) if you have questions.

Bible Storytime

Join Pastor Kerri and Wade on Trinity's Facebook page on Thursdays at 10:30am for a story and songs together. Here's last week's video.

Christ in Our Home devotion book

Paper copies of the April/May/June Christ in Our Home devotion book are available to be mailed to you; please contact the office to request one. 

Alternatively, Augsburg Fortress is offering complimentary email subscriptions at this time, sign up here.

In Our Prayers
To add a name to the prayer list, contact Pastor Kerri or the office.
 
Katy Cimino, Kolbe Cunningham, the family & friends of Joanne (Linda Ruth's sister), the Richter-Harris family, Carol Ritenour, Melva Roland, Dick Shawley

Daily Bible Readings

Wednesday, April 15
     Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
     Joshua 3:1-17
     Matthew 28:1-10
Thursday, April 16
     Psalm 16
     Song of Solomon 2:8-15
     Colossians 4:2-5
Friday, April 17
     Psalm 16
     Song of Solomon 5:9-6:3
     1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Saturday, April 18
     Psalm 16
     Song of Solomon 8:6-7
     John 20:11-20
Sunday, April 19 - Second Sunday of Easter
     Acts 2:14a, 22-32
     1 Peter 1:3-9
     John 20:19-31
Monday, April 20
     Psalm 114
     Judges 6:36-40
     1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Tuesday, April 21
     Psalm 114
     Jonah 1:1-17
     1 Corinthians 15:19-28

To reach Pastor Kerri, call or text 724-603-5589, or email her at rev.kerri.clark@gmail.com
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