All Members, Winter Residents, Family and Friends,
Greetings on this Monday 3-18-2024!
Susan has asked me to ask “who took the stand that the Trinity Tots Tuition Box sat on in the Narthex? Did it break? Did someone move it? It was there yesterday, but gone today. If you know the whereabouts of this missing stand contact Susan!
Lent is beginning to wrap up. This week “John” will be crossexamined for our midweek service. This will be followed by out final Soup and Sandwich dinner for this Lenten Season. Service starts at 4:00PM.
Sunday is Palm Sunday and we are going to be keeping with the series Christ on Trial. On Sunday Mary Magdala will be crossexamined as we start Holy Week.
On Maundy Thursday we continue our Trial as “Simon Peter” will be crossexamined. This service at 4:00PM will have Holy Communion and the stripping of the Altar. This observance that we have is a solemn and moving time for all who attend.
On Good Friday there will be a summary of the Christ on Trial witnesses as the trial come to a close. You will not want to miss the summary statement. This service will also be a 4:00PM.
Easter Sunday there will be an Easter Breakfast starting at 8:15AM in the Trinity Life Center.
Easter Sunday Service will begin at 10:00AM. And again there will be a special return guest to share some important information about Christ! So we pray that our attendance continues to stay strong throughout the remainder of Lenten Season!
Since the Sunday sermons are not the traditional type of sermons I am not including them with the weekly Trinity Tidings!
Please do not forget to turn in your “Steps of Faith” folders before you head north. We realize that we got these out a little late this year, but if you have been setting aside $5.00 or $10.00 aweek for the twenty week you will have either $100.00 or $200.00 to turn into the church. These monies will assist us in doing some extra things here at Trinity throughout the year. If you do not have a Steps of Faith folder and still want to support this effort, just take and envelope and mark on it Steps of Faith with you name or envelope number along with either a $100.00 check or a $200.00 check. We thank you in advace for your continued support of Trinity and our special projects.
Trinity Tots Baskets Galore is going strong. Make sure you get your tickets for the basket you are interested in winning. The tickets are $1.00 a ticket and can be purchased from any Trinity Tots parent, the church office or from Susan. This is a primary fundraiser for the Trinity Tots program.
If you would like to view the Obituary for Helen I. Norris, please ctrl. click on the link below. We are currently updating the Obit but you can read it later today. I had to update a few items that I made a mistake with when writing.
Obituary | Helen I Norris | Scott Seawinds Funeral Home & Crematory (scottfuneralservices.com)
There will be a “Celebration of Life” memorial service on Saturday April 13th, 2024 at 2:00PM here at Trinity Lutheran Church, 25 Lakeview Street, Lake Placid, Florida 33852. In lieu of flowes please make a donation to either Trinity Tots Scholarship Fund, or to the Trinity Lutheran Church Memorial Fund. Thank you in advance.
Below is an article from “Sparkly Gems from the Greek” by Rick Renner. I thought this was an iteresting article as we move toward Holy Week and the Garden of Gethsemane.
Who Was the Naked Boy In the Garden of Gethsemane?
And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. -Mark 14:51-52
Just about the time Jesus was finished healing the ear of the servant of the high priest named Malchus, the Gospel of Mark tells us a naked young man was found in the Garden of Gethsemane. Mark 15:51,52 says, "And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: and he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked."
Who was this young man? Why was he following Jesus? Why was he naked? Why was he draped in a linen cloth instead of wearing normal clothes? And why was the Holy Spirit so careful to include this unique story in Mark's account of the Gospel? What is the significance of this event?
The key to identifying this young man lies in the "linen cloth" he had lightly draped about his body. The particular Greek word that is used for this "linen cloth" is used in only one other event in the New Testament - to depict the "linen cloth" in which the body of Jesus was wrapped for burial (see >Matthew 27:59, Mark 15:46, and Luke 23:53). Thus, the only reference we have for this kind of cloth in the New Testament is that of a burial shroud used for covering a dead body in the grave.
Some scholars have tried to say this naked young man was Mark himself. They assume that when Mark heard about Jesus' arrest, he quickly jumped out of bed and dashed to the Garden of Gethsemane. But the Garden was remotely located, and no one could have run there so quickly. It is simply a physical impossibility.
Others have speculated that Mark threw off his clothes in an attempt to shock and distract the soldiers so Jesus could escape. This idea is preposterous. Others have tried with similar vain attempts to assert that this naked young man was the apostle John. But why would John be walking naked in the Garden of Gethsemane?
As I said, the answer to this naked young man's identity lies in the cloth he had wrapped around his body. You see, when a body was prepared for burial, it was washed, ceremonially cleaned, and buried naked in a linen cloth exactly like the one described here in the Gospel of Mark. Furthermore, the Garden of Gethsemane was situated on the side of the Mount of Olives. Toward the base of that mount is a heavily populated cemetery, with many of its graves going back to the time of Jesus.
When Jesus said, "I AM," the power that was released was so tremendous that it knocked the soldiers backward (see April 8). But evidently it also caused a rumbling in the local cemetery! When that blast of power was released, a young boy, draped in a linen burial cloth in accordance with the tradition of that time, crawled out from his tomb - raised from the dead!
The reason he "followed" Jesus was to get a glimpse of the One who had resurrected him. The word "followed" means to continuously follow. This tells us that this resurrected young man trailed the soldiers as they took Jesus through the Garden on the way to His trial. When the soldiers discovered the young man who was following Jesus, they tried to apprehend him. But when they reached out to grab him, he broke free from their grip and fled, leaving the linen cloth in their possession.
Today, I want you to reflect again on the amazing power that was active at the time of Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. He later told Pilate, "…Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above..." (John 19:11). Indeed, there was so much power present that no one could have withstood Jesus had He chosen to resist. Jesus was not taken by the will of man; He was delivered by the will of the Father.
Think how marvelous it is that Jesus freely gave His life for you and me! So much power was at work in Him even at the time of His arrest that no one had sufficient power to forcibly take Him. The only reason Jesus was taken was that He chose to willingly lay down His life for you and for me. So take a little time today to stop and thank Him for being so willing to go to the Cross to take your sin on Himself!
Have a great week everyone!
Rev. Richard A. Norris
Trinity Lutheran Church
25 Lakeview Street
Lake Placid, Florida 33852
863-441-4168
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