We live in a world where a lot of what faces us is entirely out of our control.

On a personal level, we have been taught all our lives that we are to be responsible and take ownership of our lives. Yet, we can get news from a doctor that we have been attacked by some disease of an unknown origin, and it may be life-threatening or will at least require a massive change in the way we live. Or, we may have money invested in the stock market, and, while we can ask our brokers to move it around, we have no control over whether the market will go up or down, whether we will gain or lose. Or, events may happen in our children’s lives which will greatly affect us, but over which we have no say.

On a larger scale, we are citizens of our country. As such, we are required to pay taxes. But, what the Congress and the President do with our tax dollars may have little or nothing to do with what we would like to see done. Our nation, to which we pay those tax dollars, is involved in war. Many now say that, regardless of the person being President, we will have to remain in Iraq for at least another decade. Is that where we wanted to spend our tax dollars?

As rugged American individualists, these things are more than just a tad annoying! We’re free citizens. We have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” right? Shouldn’t we be in charge of our own destiny?

Ah, the conundrums of life!

For the Christian this is more than a conundrum, an annoying quirk. We confess our Creed each week, stating that we believe in an almighty God. Does that not suggest that God is in control? We celebrate in this month the festivals of All Saints, Thanksgiving, and Christ the King. Saints past and present have been martyred. How does one give thanks to an almighty God who reigns through Christ when it looks like chaos reigns, if not out and out murder and violence?

It is instructive to re-examine these festivals. Start with Christ the King. The lesson from Luke is the account of Jesus on the cross, being mocked and ridiculed by religious officials and one of the bandits crucified with him.

Jesus’ world, like ours, was full of pain and anguish. It was not a pretty place where all things worked out well. But, to the bandit who turned to Jesus asking for mercy, Jesus responded by noting that in the cross all the brokenness of the world was undone and paradise was restored–that very day!

What saints of all time have grasped and passed on to us is that, when our world is out of control, when what happens in our world seeks to destroy our lives and all that we find important, we then know a God who on the cross entered into the mess of our world and conquered. When the world had done its worst, he rose victoriously over the very death the world inflicted on him.

When doctors can do no more, when our political structures are unable to fix our world, God’s reigning from a cross and an empty tomb gives us a way to live with hope. We have a God who has entered into our messy world to go beyond what the world can offer. Where the world offers death and destruction, God in Jesus offers life and hope.

With that hope we can face our world and not let it defeat us. So, with the saints of all time, we rejoice and give thanks because Christ reigns!

Pastor Paul

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Trinity Preaching Schedule

11/1	All Saints Day at Beacon
11/4	Andrew Potsko
11/11	David Reinke
11/18	Paul Winterstein
11/21	Paul Winterstein Thanksgiving Eve
11/25	Andrew Potsko
12/2	David Lund
12/9	Paul Winterstein
12/16	Paul Gossman
12/23	Paul Stone
12/24	Andrew Potsko Christmas Eve
12/25	Andrew Potsko Christmas Day
12/30	Andrew Potsko

From the Church Office
Don’t forget that the end of Daylight Savings has changed to November. The date to fall back is November 4th, which means your editor may finally get to church on time on November 5th.

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The 96th annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival will be simulcast live in high-definition and cinema surround sound from Skoglund Center Auditorium on the campus of St. Olaf College on Sunday, December 2, at a movie theatre near you.  Go to www.stolaf.edu/christmasfest for tickets and all event details.

Choir Schedule

11/4	No rehearsal
11/11	Rehearsal—all
11/18	Rehearsal—all
11/21	Sing for Thanksgiving Eve service
11/25	No rehearsal
12/2	Rehearsal—all
12/5	Sing for joint Advent service at Trinity
12/9	Rehearsal—all
12/16	Rehearsal—all
12/23	Rehearsal—all
12/24	Sing for Christmas Eve service

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Community News

I’m sure many of you have your own stories of Confirmation. My parents told me immediately after I was confirmed that, on their day of confirmation, they were whipped with scourges if they did not give the correct answer while the congregation looked on … at least that’s what their experience sounded like when they retold their story. But, they did mention how, at the end of the ritual, the right of passage, if you will, that congregation was posed a question: “Do any of you see a reason why any one of these candidates should not be confirmed?”

What power was held on the lips of each member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Hazelton, Pennsylvania?! It seemed to be the dreaded question every teenager standing before the congregation feared. Would there be a dark soul in that church who would force them to repeat the course? Would they have to slavishly memorize a plethora of Bible verses? They didn’t remember anyone was in fact denied their confirmation. But, the threat was enough to cast fear into those adolescent catechumens.

However, now that I’m starting confirmation with Paul, I forgot about one question that 15 years ago I didn’t think much of. Now I can’t seem to forget it: “Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?”

We were publicly announcing to the whole church that we would rather die holding fast to the faith than giving it up for life. What a commitment?! Now, consider Christ’s confirmation … two-thousand years ago; he made his confirmation on the cross.

~ Andrew Potsko

Fundraising for Chapel on the Ave

In an effort to develop a wider base of financial support for the Chapel on the Ave, I decided to contact all of the congregations in the Puget Sound area. That project is now almost complete. Congregations from Edmonds to Sea-Tac, Seattle to Bellevue and Renton have all been contacted. On November 13th, I will be meeting with the Mt. Baker Circuit and meeting all of the pastors from Everett to the Canadian border. That will be the last 13 congregations. All together, 40 congregations, with a Sunday attendance of 5500, will have been contacted.

I received positive feed-back from the pastors, most of whom were not aware the NW District had decided to stop funding any Student Ministry.

Please keep this effort in your prayers!

~ Dick Lootens

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I quote Pastor Don, 2005: “How do you make the decisions about your resources?” The question is too personal.

I want to go deep, and not off on some God Story. God Stories have no real relevance. Telling some stories of some Youth is then worth telling. Still, with what Pastor Don assumed this was, what was Ministry in TRINITY, I want to Clarify what LIGHT ON THE HILL MINISTRIES is and is not. This gets personal and deep.

I saw God using what I have, the Motivational as well as the Spiritual Gifts we all have been given. As Pastor Don stated, I reach out to the Homeless Youth. I also reach out to my neighbor. The Homeless Youth are not only on Capitol Hill. They are also found at either Westlake or the UW Ave, more aggressive and not seeking help.

I will tell you of a Young Adult I met in a Clinic. I knew this person from the walks I take. It seems natural to reach out. It’s called prompting of God. Anyhow, I talk to this person. I learn he has the same condition as I. Only, he is out on the street. All the years I have gone to this Clinic, I only saw folks with a guardian or a care giver, maybe a social worker. Never anyone alone and on the Street.

I thought the plan was to achieve an Apartment and Job. As Pastor Don said, the Youth I meet get a Social Security Check like me. Then, there is something called a GAU welfare program. The youth I encounter blow the check on Chemical Substances the first of the month. It never occurred to me I could be on a porch or a doorway. I had gone to a Christian Agency for help. I was not pregnant or using drugs. I was turned away. The era was that of, if you had a well-known last name, you said nothing. Or, the parents had the absolute final word. You had no out, but had to take the abuse. Christians also told me to pray. Then, there were intuitions where I could have been placed.

I saw God use a couple when there was no agency, when you did not talk of the things at home. The Motivational and Spiritual Gifts placed into action. A Home, a Spot, I could crash. It was not exactly the prompting of God. Yet, it was resources they had. An ear just to listen. A place to hang. I still can call and see the Ministry begin there. The resources God had given them: an open door, an ear, not anything we all do not have.

I get a check, and I recycle what God has given. What Pastor asked went much deeper.

I was one of those young adults who was hyperactive, epileptic, wired different. We see them in our schools. This couple let me hang out when no one else did. A hyperactive with the wiring not understood. That door was open. God kept on prompting me; I was not getting it. I was truly not understanding!

Yep, I was called. But, I kept at a distance the organized church. Somehow I learned to use the Motivational and Spiritual Gifts. But, I got it when I saw the young adult in the clinic.

I can write a check. Pay the Bill. I did not sell the meds I was on to find escape from home. Being wired different helped. Being prompted by the Spirit. Watching unexpected Blessings. The pain is deep. To realize how close I was to being on the street. To hear well.

Concerned Christians tell me to Pray. It was the resources this couple used. The listening and time out with them. So, God hammered how much I could do, if I hear and head the prompting. Deep, when we do not step across the familiar cozy comfort zone.

It seemed all too common to say hello, to be awakened to the reality. Most folks do not just hear the prompting. Or, just do not know the resources that to me was common sense.

I will not ask you what you do with what God has given you. I felt you needed to hear that God brought me to Trinity. God had some idea in mind. How I came on board was God.

If you want God stories, have a Drink with me. We’ll talk of Jesus and the cool promptings.

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Meyer Minutes
I was reading the article on the front page of the Seattle Times this Sunday in tears. It was a story about an 11-year-old girl who is working through Cancer. I thought about the families that are part of our community and know that there are many things that are going on in all of their lives. Some issues are subtle, and others are “huge,” but all are important. I truly appreciate the fact that we all can offer these events or issues to God and to each other because of our community.

There is a prayer group designed just to pray for each other in this place, and alumni, parents, and church members take part in this process. I invite all of you to join this prayer chain by sending me an email. Participation is key for all of us in the process. Please take part in our parent resource library, sign up for Love and Logic, sign up for next year’s golf tournament, or simply help in the classroom. All of these are ministries for everyone to participate.

In Him,
Dave

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In 1978, the charter members of Seattle Lutheran High School had a dream. That dream began as a promise to educate the children of Seattle in the faith. Out of that promise, a desire grew to help students grow physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.

God created us in His image. We were created to commune with Him and with one another. It is within the passion of our creative capacity that God manifests our purpose. Celebrate the talented artists of Seattle Lutheran High School as we join together to honor their calling and honor the charter members who, thirty years ago, listened to God’s calling to begin this vital ministry. Please join us for a Taste of the Arts on Friday, November 9, from 7:00 to 10:00 pm, at St. John’s Episcopal Church on California Ave next to West Seattle High School. This community outreach event is free.

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You are invited to a morning of inspiration with storyteller Debbie Dimitre, who will portray Catharine Blaine. Catharine was a missionary, along with her husband, Rev. David Blaine, to the two-year-old village of Seattle in 1853. She opened her home as the first official school in Seattle, and she was its first teacher.

Saturday, November 17
Our Savior Lutheran Church
12509 27th Avenue NE, Seattle 98125

This special event is sponsored by Our Savior Women’s Guild.

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Freshman Preview Weekend Nov 9-10
High school juniors and seniors can explore how learning in the Concordia University community will prepare them for life and a living. Register online at www.cu-portland.edu/preview to reserve your spot.

Concordia Basketball
Come and enjoy Concordia basketball at two unprecedented events. First, the Cavalier Men’s Team takes on the Oregon University Ducks at 7:00 pm Tuesday evening, November 6, at MacArthur Court in Eugene, OR. There will be an Hors d’oeuvre reception with cash bar prior to the game at 5:30 pm at Steelhead Brew Pub (199 E 5th Ave). Tickets are $20 per person for the reception and the game. For more information, call 503-280-8550 or email alumni@cu-portland.edu.

Second, eight basketball teams from Lutheran colleges are coming to Portland, home of the Concordia University Cavaliers, on November 16-17, 2007. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is sponsoring an eight-team event that features: Augsburg College Men's Team, Concordia Nebraska Men's and Women's Teams; Pacific Lutheran Men's and Women's Teams; Texas Lutheran Women's Team; and the host Concordia Portland Men’s and Women’s Teams. Local Lutheran elementary schools, secondary schools, youth groups, congregations and Thrivent Chapters will also be involved, making this truly an exciting event for the whole community! Be sure to join us Friday, November 16, at 5:00 pm, for a joint reception with alumni and friends of CU-Portland and CU-Nebraska in the West Dining Hall, Hagen Campus Center. For more information, visit www.gocugo.com or email us at alumni@cu-portland.edu.

Cavaliers Cascade Collegiate Conference Season
Friday, November 30: Concordia Cavaliers vs. Northwest University—5520 108th Avenue NE, Kirkland, WA.The women play at 5:30 pm, and the men play at 7:30 pm.

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Saturday, December 1: Concordia Cavaliers vs. The Evergreen State College—2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, Olympia, WA.The women play at 5:30 pm, and the men play at 7:30 pm.

Last Chance to Invest in the Education of Students without a Tax Penalty
The unprecedented opportunity to use an IRA as a resource for giving expires at the end of 2007. Individuals who are at least 70 and 1/2 years of age have only a few more months to withdraw up to $100,000 from their IRA to contribute to Concordia University without a tax penalty. Gifts to Concordia University create a legacy that lasts a lifetime. To find out more, consult your IRA administrator and accountant, and then contact Andrea Bruno of the Concordia University Foundation at 503-280-8505 to hear how a withdrawal from your IRA will help transform the education of tomorrow's leaders.

Concordia University Christmas Chorale — A Service of Lesson and Carols
The Concordia University Choral and Handbell Ensembles will present the annual service of lessons and carols on Friday and Saturday evenings, December 7 and 8, at 7:00 pm, and Sunday, December 9, at 3 pm, in the sanctuary of St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, NE Dekum and NE 29th Street, next to the Concordia University campus. Admission is free. An offering will be received.

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Dear Friends:Preparations are already underway for Christmas at Columbia Lutheran Home.  I'm writing today to ask for your assistance in making Christmas merry and bright for our nursing home's 116 residents by helping us to provide them with special gifts.  Every year, our Activity Department elves are so touched by the generosity of our CLH friends.  These elves spend many hours matching just the right fit for each resident, and it seems like there is always just the right gift, thanks to our wonderful donors.  After the gifts are all matched, volunteer elves wrap them just before the Christmas parties.  It takes many days for Santa's helpers to accomplish all this work; so, we are asking that new, unwrapped gifts please be brought to Columbia Lutheran Home by Sunday, December 9.  Gifts can be dropped off seven days a week, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, at the reception desk.

The following is a list of suggestions for men and women.  Clothing and slippers should be in small to xxx-large sizes.  Large and extra large are the most needed sizes.  All items should be new and easy to launder.  Starred items would be most appreciated. Boxes or bags for gifts would be very helpful.

• colored socks & knee highs**
• slippers (boot style w/non-slip soles)**
• sweatpants**
• sweatshirts with masculine or feminine designs**
• cardigan sweaters**
• jewelry and adult hair accessories*
• shirts/blouses*
• scarves and hats
• boxed candy (regular & diabetic)
• sun catchers/adult mobiles
• small framed posters/pictures
• small coffee table picture books