Letter sent to Trinity members and friends last week.

“We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.” (2 Cor. 8:1-2)

Dear Partners in Ministry,                                                                               July 9 , 2020

Thank you for joining the members of Trinity Lutheran Church in doing God’s work. Your incredible generosity during the past few months is captured so well in those verses from II Corinthians above. Here are some ways ministry has continued during the past three months.

We continued to worship together via Facebook Live or YouTube. Our members who cannot join us in that way have been sent bulletins and sermons through the postal service. Although it may not feel like it while sitting in your home, the cumulative effect of these efforts means worship attendance has stayed quite steady. Rest assured that long after we are back to in-person worship, online worship will continue.

Kevin Mills completed his three years of Confirmation classes and will celebrate Affirmation of Baptism this fall. Olivia, Michael, Sophia and James (Edith Hannett’s grandchildren) were baptized June 21. We welcomed three new members June 14 and will welcome five more members July 12 during Zoom fellowship time.

Our congregation founded Trinity New Hope Inc. five years ago and even though it is a separate nonprofit organization, it is closely affiliated with the church through the board, donors, geography, and staff. TNH is financially stable enough to take out an improvement loan which is paying for new insulation, vinyl siding, windows, soffits, and fascia for all 16 homes. (We are lifting up this partnership, but please note that TNH and the congregation remain separate legal entities. Therefore, this loan is unrelated to church finances.)

Although our church council cannot yet commit to a date for when in-person worship will resume, we do not think it will be before Sept. 13 (Rally Sunday). We are watching the numbers and our COVID-19 Task Force is working on protocols so that when we do worship in-person, we will do so as safely as possible.

Right now, there are several things we feel we can do safely. Pastor Meggan and our youth will enjoy some of Nampa’s trails July 11. Al-Anon began meeting in our building with protocols beginning July 2. Our sanctuary will be available for family or individual prayer time (by appointment) Sunday afternoon, July 12.

With gratitude,

Pastor Meggan Manlove