Worship

“We gather as Spirit-filled people to connect to God and one another through Word and Sacrament”

²³ But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John 4:23-24

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  Colossians 3:16

²⁸ Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.  Hebrews 12:28-29

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens!
² Praise him for his mighty deeds;
    praise him according to his excellent greatness!

³ Praise him with trumpet sound;
    praise him with lute and harp!
⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dance;
    praise him with strings and pipe!
⁵ Praise him with sounding cymbals;
    praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!  Psalm 150

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is a 172 year old Lutheran congregation that is steeped in the rich tradition of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod while keeping up with the relevance of the modern age.  Our building is over 150 years old and houses a very famous organ built in Hamburg by Von Beckrath organ company.  The organ was installed in the sanctuary in the 1950’s and is concerned one of the top 20 organs for tone in North America.

Trinity offers 3 different styles of worship at 10 am each Sunday morning.  The first Sunday of each month is an all contemporary music service.  We sing contemporary music using the screens in the sanctuary for the words and order of worship.  The second and fourth Sundays of the month are a blended style of worship.  We sing hymns using the organ as well as contemporary music.  We use liturgy and offer communion on these Sundays.  The third Sunday of the month is an all traditional service.  We use more formal liturgy and all the singing is with the organ using hymns from the hymnal.

We work to stream all of our services live on Facebook and are working toward offering them on other platforms as well.  If you have any questions regarding worship, please call the church office at (216) 281-1700.

T.I.P.

(Truth Instructing People)

“As Spirit-filled people we deepen our connection with God and one another by delving into Scripture and applying it to our life”

⁴ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Romans 15:4

¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.  2 Timothy 2:15

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Joshua 1:8

²⁸ My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! 

Psalm 119:28

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  Psalm 119:105

³ Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. 

Revelation 1:3

My son, do not forget my teaching,
    but let your heart keep my commandments,
² for length of days and years of life
    and peace they will add to you.

³ Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ So you will find favor and good success
    in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.  Proverbs 3:1-6

Adult Bible Study

Trinity’s Adult Bible Study takes place on Sunday mornings from 9-9:45 a.m. It is led by our elder, Rick Myers. All are welcome to attend as we prepare our hearts for worship at 10 a.m.  Each Sunday we delve into the scripture readings for worship to prepare our hearts for the service.

Tuesday Bible Study

Trinity’s Tuesday Bible Study meets at 1 p.m. each Tuesday.  Because they meet during the day, during the week, most of the participants are retired.  They get their materials from the LWML website.  Their current study is a four part series consisting of The Lord is the Spirit, Veils and Mirrors and Wonderful Transformation.  The group spends time in fellowship as well as studying the scriptures.  If you would like more information about this ministry, please contact the church office at (216) 281-1700.   

Sunday School: 10:15 – 11:00 a.m. Sunday mornings

Children’s Sunday School is offered for all school-aged children, 12 years old and under. Following the children’s message during the 10:00 AM service, the children will be guided to the Sunday School room by our dedicated volunteers. At the conclusion of the service, they will return to the sanctuary to reunite with their families and loved ones.

Each week, the program includes singing, a Bible lesson, and a creative activity such as coloring or crafts, designed to engage children in a fun and meaningful way while nurturing their spiritual growth.  All of our Sunday School teachers have undergone a background check.  

T.A.P Team

(Trinity Assisting People)

“As a Spirit-filled bridge, we connect others to God by serving the needs of our community”

²¹ Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.  Proverbs 14:21

³¹ Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.  Proverbs 14:31

¹¹ And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”  Luke 3:11

¹⁶ By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. ¹⁷ But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? ¹⁸ Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.  1 John 3:16-18

³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’  Matthew 25:35-40

² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2

Trinity’s T.A.P. Team feeds over 250 people every month through our weekly Sunday, and once monthly Saturday community free meals.  In the fall starting in November we also open our community center to those in need of a warm place to stay for a few hours, along with  a breakfast and lunch service.  When these folks leave they are given a sack lunch to provide sustenance for a later time.  We also offer clothing, blankets, shoes, tents, sleeping bags, coats and hygiene products to these same folks. We have recently partnered with the Cleveland Health Department to offer Mobile clinics  to our clients on a quarterly basis.  We could not do this without a lot of volunteer help.  Our volunteers come from folks in our congregation and their friends.  The volunteer process is simple, donate supplies ie: clothing-food-sleepings bags etc, your time to help serve and clean up -3 hrs per meal, or money to help purchase needed items.  You can “softly” get involved by being a part of our monthly newsletter-this tells you what we need, where and when we need it.  Simply ask to be added to the email list on our attendance sheets or call the church office and leave us that information.  We do not use any church funds, we operate on donations and we do quarterly raffle baskets to raise funds.

Did you eat today? Do you have a warm place to sleep?  Do you have clean socks, underwear, coats and blankets? Do you know how you’ll feed/clothe/house yourself or your family? Do you have access to medical care? 

If you answered yes, then you should be thankful… Unfortunately, the people we serve can’t always say yes to even one of these items.  They are mostly Working Poor, (have jobs making less than $15,000 a year for a family of 4), but others, are homeless and/or street people.

The folks at Trinity Lutheran, through our T.A.P. Team ministries, help over 800 of these individuals every month. 

●      We are all volunteers

●      We operate through donations/Fundraisers

●      All clothing-hygiene supplies-school supplies donated

●      Food for our meals is donated

●      Our Food Bank receives food from Cleveland Food Bank and Donations

●      We distribute groceries/12 meals worth to 600+/monthly

Food Pantry

Trinity’s Food Pantry is open the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.  We receive food from the Greater Cleveland Food Bank as well as donations from the community in the for of non perishable food items and money.  Everyone who comes to the Food Pantry is asked to present either an ID or a bill with their street address on it.  They will receive groceries based on the size of their family and what is available.  To make a donation of non-perishable food items or money with which to purchase items, please call the church office at (216) 281-1700.

Clothing Ministry

Trinity’s Clothing ministry is open on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  If someone is in need of clothing or hygiene products they are welcome to browse our donated clothing which is sorted by size and gender.  Shoes are available as they are donated.  Donated clothing is sorted a couple of times a month and packed away if its off season. The ministry is also connected with other ministries that give away clothing and will share things with them as they are available.  Clothing is put out according to season.  Each person is able to receive 3 full size hygiene products which are purchased with money given to the ministry by donors as well as fund-raising efforts a couple of times a year.

Community Meal

Trinity’s Community Meal takes place the third Saturday of each month from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.  It is a hot meal program which is put on by two other Lutheran Churches in the greater Cleveland area.  They cook and bring in a hot meal and do a devotion with the people who come to partake.  Even though there are other places to get a meal on Saturdays, we regularly have a large number of people show up.  Trinity is blessed to have other churches that want to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and are willing to come to the inner city to see that happen.  If you would like to get involved in this ministry, please call the church office at (216) 281-1700.

Fence Ministry

Trinity’s fence ministry is a day to day way to get needed items in the hands those who are most insecure about food and other essentials.  The wrought iron fence in the front of the church has space to hang bags of needed items – shoes, socks, water bottles and granola bars in the summer, hygiene items – combs, toothpaste toothbrushes, soap, lotion, hand sanitizer, etc.  If you have items to give away, put them in a bag and hang them on the fence.  No need to contact anyone.  Those who have a need know to come and look and take what they need.

Community Brunch Program

Our Community Brunch program provides meals and a warm place for our most vulnerable population, the homeless.  The program operates during the cold months on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m. because there a vey few places for the homeless to go on Sundays to keep warm and get a hot meal, clothes, toiletries, blankets, etc. that are donated to us or purchased with donated funds.  Our guests are served a continental breakfast, hot lunch and are given a sack lunch of sandwiches and snacks to provide them with the needed nutrition to get through another day.  To make a donation, please call the church office at (216) 281-1700.

Sunday Lunch Program

Our Sunday Lunch Program operates during the warm months of the year.  We offer a hot meal and snacks from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. each Sunday.  We also give away clothes, hygiene items, blankets, tents, sleeping bags and any other donated items.  If you would like to make a donation or get involved in this ministry, please contact the church office at (216) 281-1700.

LWML (Lutheran Women in Mission)

LWML is an organization at the Synod, district and local level.  Their specific purpose is to support missions both nationally and internationally.  They raise money through the use of “mite boxes” which are distributed and collected by the LWML chapter in each congregation and then given to the national organization and distributed to mission projects around the world.  Our LWML group at Trinity passes out and collects mite boxes and also holds a bake sale each year to add to the funds that support mission projects.  They also have quarterly meetings at the district level where they fellowship, collect items for a specific mission project and listen to a talk by a local ministry.  To learn more about this organization contact the church at (216)281-1700 or trinityohiocity@gmail.com.

T.O.O

(Trinity’s Other Opportunities)

“As Spirit-filled people we develop relationships with one another through participating in various fellowship activities”

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  1 John 1:7

⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.  Acts 2:46-47

²⁰ For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”  Matthew 18:20

Music Near the Market

For over 25 years, Trinity has offered a free organ concert in our sanctuary on Wednesday’s from 12:15 – 12:45.  There are 2 primary people who play the concert each Wednesday, and we also have guest organists from Oberlin Conservatory and well as the choir from St. Ignatius high school who perform.  The concert is open to the public and people are encouraged to bring their lunch to eat while the music plays.  We offer refreshments in the form of cookies, coffee and water for all to enjoy while we fellowship both before and after the music.