As we enter Advent and journey to Christmas, I’d like to share the following poem by Macrina Wiederkehr:

    Our autumned hearts stand waiting
    For God’s gracious gift.
    Someone is coming whose sandals
    we are not worthy to carry.
    Prepare the way of the Lord!

    But how do we prepare the way for a King
    Who is not of this world?
    Crowns, red carpets and flowing robes
    He desires not at all.

    Our ungospelled hearts try to hide
    Embarrassed at our slowness to respond
    To such a gift.

    Poor, cluttered hearts
    Starving for the emptiness
    That makes fullness possible
    Prepare the way of the Lord!
    It is so little that God asks of us.
    Give some evidence that you mean to reform.
    Wear lights in your hearts
    Instead of on your trees.

    Our autumned hearts stand waiting
    For God’s gracious gift.
    Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
    Gospel up our lives with your presence
    And we’ll wear lights in our hearts
    Instead of on our trees.

Decorate your hearts, your minds, and your very souls with the love of God in the good news of Christ’s Coming. Come, Lord Jesus, Come! He does ‘Gospel-up’ our lives. He is present to us in Word and Sacrament. I look forward to seeing the hearts lighted up with the Good News of the Coming Christ! I know that it will illuminate my own life.

Advent Blessings, Christmas Wonder!
Pastor Don Schatz

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Trinity’s been Mugged!
Coffee/Tea mugs with the Church logo, mission statement and address are now available for $5 each. Look for the mugs in the Church Narthex.

Chapel and Pizza!
On Friday, December 9th at 12 PM Trinity will host Concordia Lutheran School for Chapel in our Sanctuary. Trinity members are invited to attend. Concordia will treat to pizza in the Fellowship Hall downstairs and Chapel will follow. Plan to come! If you know you will attend, let Pastor Don know to help Concordia order enough Pizza!

Tree Decorating Party
On Friday, December 9th at 6 PM there will be a potluck dinner and tree decorating party at the church. All are welcome. This is always an enjoyable way to start the Christmas season with your church family. Please let Pastor Don know if you are able to participate. However, if you discover at the last minute that you can attend, PLEASE just show up. There is always plenty of fun and food to go around.

Collections
Helen Chyz will be in charge of Toys for Tots this year. The collection bin will be out in the narathex starting the Sunday after Thanksgiving; we will collect toys through Sunday, December 18th. We will be asking for new, unwrapped toys for kids of all ages.

Used cell-phones & printer cartridges are being recycled for a fundraiser for Concordia Lutheran School. Concordia is also collecting General Mills Box Tops and Campbells Soup labels.

Hygiene Kits for the Compass Center need:(for men) toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, shampoo, Q-tips, foot powder, soap, shaving cream, razor, deodorant, comb, towels, nail clippers; (for women) toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, shampoo, Q-tips, conditioner, soap, lotion, razor, deodorant, comb, towels, hair brush, nail file.

CPTCSA & Trinity
During the month of December, envelopes will be made available to contribute to the First Annual Church-based Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse in Manila and Davao.  In early November, we circulated a letter from Lois Engelrecht  that provided details and invited Trinity to partner with the Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse (CPTCSA) and the Faith Trust Institute to contribute to this international event.

For more information about the event, please contact Lois at ljengelbrecht@hotmail.com or see Mary Hansen.

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Chancel Carpet
Thank you to Karl Brunner, Chris Sherman, Ruth Patterson, Pastor Don and Mark Meyer, who helped put the chancel together after the carpet installation. And to everyone who participated in the carpet removal, thanks to your help this was completed in only ten minutes! The carpet has been installed, and it took 90 square yards at $22. How about buying a square or a number of squares to help pay for it? We've requested Thrivent matching funds as well. The sooner we get the carpet paid for, we can start on the kitchen and being able to use the new range.

The Parsonage
A big belated thank you goes out to all those who helped get the parsonage ready for Andrew to move in. Those who made it all happen in short order were Lois Schatz, Connie Colgan, Debbie Ruppert, Joanne Welty, Chris Sherman, Jon Petersen, Dick and Elaine Lootens, Allison and Bob Stotler and Ruth Patterson. Thank you to Mary Hansen for donating a brand new refrigerator for the parsonage. Andrew Potsko has done a great job pruning, removing bushes and in general fixing up the yard in front of the parsonage, and Ruth Patterson gets the credit for hauling it all away to the dump.

The Church
Bob Heckel deserves a big thank you for keeping the lawn and yard in pristine condition all summer and fall. Karl Brunner has been wonderful about stepping in to fix things around the church when we've requested it. Allison Stotler used her talents to tape and spackle the elevator entrance wall after Ruth Patterson did the wall board. All these and the efforts of those who help at the work parties keep the church building looking good, and it is much appreciated.

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The last few months have been exciting to see. The new student lounge is looking great, the Bible Study has been engaging and the worship renewing. There have been so many changes in the last few months.I never imagined when I graduated from Trinity Lutheran College in June, where God might lead me next. Serving as the Director of Student Ministries on Capitol Hill and The U-District never crossed my mind, but in this place I have felt God’s hand of providence. From the first moment I met the gregarious group of the First Friday Fellowship, to receiving a beautiful arrangement of rakes to take care of the parsonage yard, and to the storytelling around the table after worship at the Chapel, I have been blessed. I have found a new community here: Christ-Centered, compassionate, and generous.

I pray that the students who I see each day would come to experience what I have in these past few months. And that their lives would be changed by Christ in you and Christ in me.

Andrew Potsko,
Director of Student Ministries

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The Christmas Program will be December 15th in our school gym at 6:30pm, with juice and cookies to follow the program.

Trinity will be collecting an offering for the staff at Concordia with an extra envelope during December.

Please think about Scrip when you are making your Christmas shopping list. We have the perfect present for many.... Gift Cards!

It is time for the Kids Christmas Sale. This is a much anticipated annual event. Early in December, the students go shopping for family and close relatives. Gifts are wrapped and labeled so kids truly have “surprises” for Christmas gift giving.If you would like to donate items to the store, we are asking for new and used items (so long as they are in great shape) such as ornaments, candles, mugs, jewelry, toys, books, soaps and creams, decorative plates and bowls, ties, stationary, napkins and placemats and similar gift items.We set up a store where we price these items so that they are affordable to every student.We do this to teach children to think about others and experience the joy of giving. Plus, it’s fun and the kids really look forward to it! Items can be brought to the Concordia school office beginning immediately. The sale will be held on December 13; so, items need to be brought in by December 12.

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Let’s pray for Mike Vashi, in King County jail. He’s a good kid. I met Mike selling the ‘Real Change’ newspaper. On March 15 Mike got into trouble.  A guy invited Mike and another homeless guy over. Drinking was involved and there was a stabbing. The case will go to trial next month. Pastor Clemens from Lutheran Ministry Services has visited with Mike in the King County Jail. That’s been real positive. Like so many of the homeless, Mike is a young adult with no family ties. I talked with Mike a lot on 15th. I had spent time on the porch where he stayed. I have written to him weekly, encouraging him to go to Bible Study. I might have to sit through the trial.

Then, you have those who use you. I sit at ‘Jack in the Box’ and share over coffee. So many of the kids I talk to do not want to change. I hear excuse after excuse of ‘self medicating.’ I find my days linger about this way. I see a girl often who calls. She got herself into rehab. Now out of rehab. Has a job. But needs your prayers; she has other issues besides. She is trying, so that’s great. There are not a lot of young adults in the neighborhood. I go and see who may be around. I feel it’s the presence, being visible, that counts. I can be reached. There are not a lot of folks who can just be visible.

Debbie Ruppert,
Light on the Hill Minister

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Interested in becoming a foster parent?
Lutheran Community Services Foster Care programs provide foster care for young children 0-9 years old and refugee and immigrant children of all ages. Are you interested in learning more about becoming a foster care parent? For additional information, call 206/694-5713.

Lutheran Night at the Sonics!
Lutheran Community Services Northwest and the Sonics have teamed up to celebrate Lutheran Night at Key Arena. Come watch Ray Allen and the Sonics take on the New Jersey Nets, Sat., Jan.28 @ 7 p.m. For more information call Shawn Corkery, 206/694-5705 or email at scorkery@lcsnw.org

Online Auction
Lutheran Community Services needs your help. We are participating in a nationwide online auction with Lutheran Services in America called Trading Graces. The event will be held on eBay February 26 – March 8, 2006. If you have an item to donate or would like more information, call Mary Mills, 206/694-5702.

LIRS information
We encourage your congregation to apply for grants available through Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service (LIRS). These grants offer financial assistance to Lutheran congregations to encourage the development of new services for and with immigrants and refugees.

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