Fun at the Beach

This year over 70 people gathered at the beach for worship, food and fun.  Pu’uiki beach park was the location for the Trinity Lutheran Church and School Beach Party.  After a worship service accompanied by Donn and Chris Paige and a message of thanksgiving to God for the beauty of creation we shared a meal together.  The adults were able to win the kickball game this year narrowly defeating the students in a 16-14 win.  Water balloons were flying in the water balloon toss, won this year by the Dave Wittig and Shawn Maglasang duo.  They of course also won the rest of the water balloons graciously given to them at high velocity from the “good sport” losers.  Very few left the park dry after the water gun battle.  It was a beautiful day, thank you God.  Thanks to Meredith Nichols for the great pictures.

Godspeed and A Safe Return

Our prayers go with the soldiers of the 299th Cavalry Regiment as the prepare for deployment to Kuwait.  We pray for our school secretary, May,  who is affected by this deployment as her husband left Tuesday morning.

Article in the >> Advertiser

Pennies for Patients

Alicia Aragon shared with the students after chapel today information about Leukemia and Pennies for Patients.  Students will have the opportunity to help leukemia patients and leukemia research by giving donations at Trinity.  The class that collects the most funds will be treated to a pizza party.

Letter from Iraq

Peter Cox just recently got married, congratulations!  He also sent this letter about Hawaii and Iraq, it offers insight into his experience.  With his permission, here it is:

Pastor,

Thank you for your prayers. Being apart has really been difficult, so we could use all the help we can get.  I really, really, really miss Hawaii. I believe if there is a place that God blessed as his Holy Land, it’s Hawaii, because I’m over here in the Biblical place, and it ain’t exactly what you’d call blessed. I think that a few millenia of God’s people and their neighbors ticking off the Lord has taken its toll on this place. You can tell that at some point, God was thinking, “You know what, you don’t wanna listen to me? Fine. You are now going to have the worst climate in the world, and I’m going to place a new Garden of Eden on the exact opposite side of the world just to make it as far out of reach as possible. Stop thinking that the land is important! It’s the faith! The hope! The LOVE! Not a patch of dirt!”

So, yeah, I miss Hawaii, I really miss my Trinity family, and I can’t wait to make it back to you.

God bless you all!

 

Your brother in Christ,

Peter

Beach Party August 24th

August 24th Trinity meets at the beach on the North Shore.  We get together at Pu’uiki beach park on Waialue Beach Road for worship, food and fun including a parent versus child kickball game (which the kids won last year, look out!).  I suspect that water balloons and squirt guns may be involved in other activities but we’ll have to see.

Here’s a map (click to enlarge):

Here’s some pictures from last year >> 2007 Beach Party

Former Trinity Pastor Serves in Texas

Pastor Christopher Otten will be installed as Senior Pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in McAllen, Texas this coming Sunday.  He sent Trinity an invitation to the event (see below).  God’s blessings to Chris and his family as he serves St. Paul.

Community Helpers by a Community Helper

Lanita Davidson made a presentation to the preschoolers today regarding the helpers we have in our community.  She shared about firefighters and fire prevention safety tips.  Lanita was at the same time being a community helper by blessing the preschool classes with her helpful presentation.

Trinity Fencing Team Ends Summer Break

Colin Chock began the 08-09 season at Trinity with an introductory lesson in fencing.  Many seasoned fencers were on hand to share their technique with those who were there for the first time.

Creative Preschoolers Share Creation Story

The preschool classes shared today in chapel the story of Creation.  They also sang songs, did echo prayers and guided the service.  When it comes to preschool chapels you never know what to expect since the preschoolers could do any of a number of fun things.  My favorite part of the service today was the echo prayer where the prayer was talking about our mouths and hearts and hands and how they were for God’s use but on hands instead of the child saying “and hands to do Your will” he said “and hands…to yourself.”  Also the children were lined up with posters about creation and when they were asked to lift their posters high so everyone could see it one child lifted it high above his hand facing him instead of the congregation.  Puts a smile on my face!

Journeying while sitting still

I am still experiencing the mission trip through the Alaska Mission presentation by Amy and Carol.  How amazing it is to be able to travel with them without going anywhere!  What strikes me most about their presentation is how important it is to shut things off once in awhile.  In Matthew 14:23 it says, “after sending the people away, he went up a mountain to pray by himself.  When evening came, he was there alone.”  and Mark 1:35 “In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray.”

Jesus’ acted this way because He understood distraction.  His prayer life was based on times for being alone, quiet, without distraction.  I can safely assume by His actions that Jesus wouldn’t have had His MP3 player stuck in His ears or His mobile phone handy to send a text message in the middle of His prayers.  Distraction was minimized in order to focus His mind on His Father.  Even Jesus recognized the importance of time apart.   Amy said in her presentation that her understanding of God’s presence was stronger without the city life, noise, schedule and distraction. 

I hope you can take a journey with them and follow their example both in participating in a mission trip or at least finding that distraction-less refuge to spend time in God’s presence alone.  Find a place, a time today, why not now?