Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

10/16/2026

Announcements

1. Adult Choir- Adult Choir will practice on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM. We are in need of additional choir members to continue sharing our gift of music during worship. All are welcome! No experience is necessary, just a willingness to sing and serve. Without additional members, we may not be able to continue our choir ministry. Please consider joining us and helping keep the music alive in our church!

2. Nomination forms - for Congregation Council and various committees are printed on the bulletin insert. Fill out the form to place names of candidates for consideration and put it in the offering basket. Please turn them in soon so that the nominating committee will be able to meet before the annual meeting. Nominations can also be phoned in to the church office.

3. Pastor Fitch - Pastor Fitch will begin preaching next Sunday!

4. Installation - Pastor Fitch’s Installation ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 3:00p.m. All are welcome to attend.

5. Contact Information - please update your contact information on the side table in the narthex. We are updating addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses to help improve church communication. We appreciate your help!

6. 75+ Dinner - The 75+ Dinner is scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 11:45 a.m.. Sign-up sheet is on the board in the Narthex or call the church office at: (724) 445 - 3574. Please have your reservation in by Monday, October 26th !

7. Women’s Bible Study - meets on Mondays at 7 p.m. The book we will be using is "Psalms: An All-In-One Study on God's Song Book" by Tracy Sumner. It is available on either christianbook.com or Amazon. If anyone has questions, they can either text Laura at (724) 525-0261, or email at [email protected]. We will be on Study 17 - Psalm 57 (p.107) this week.

8. All Saints’ Day - Sunday, November 1 - On All Saints’ Sunday we will especially remember those from our congregation that have died in the past year. We will also remember by name those who have had an impact on our lives and have gone on to be with the Saints of all time. Include the names of the individuals you would like to have remembered on the bulletin insert and place it in the offering basket.

10/16/2026

The Heart of the Matter
Friday, October 16, 2026

This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.

[Jesus said to the Pharisees,] “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21b)

The Pharisees thought they had Jesus in a trap. They ask Him whether or not they should pay taxes to Caesar. It’s a loaded question; by asking it, they put Him in a tight spot.

But Jesus asks a question of His own in response: Whose likeness and inscription is on the denarius? (the coin for taxes). And they say, well, it’s Caesar’s. (See Matthew 22:17-21.) Then Jesus drops these famous words: “Therefore, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

With these words, Jesus doesn’t just give an answer about taxes. He gets to the heart of the matter. And the heart of the matter is our relationship with God. All of us, each and every one of us, at times find ourselves in tight spots and no doubt we don’t always react as we wish we would. Maybe it’s with anger or frustration or simply silence. You fall into a trap—and sometimes it’s of your own making.

This is why Jesus came. Not just to escape the trap laid by the Pharisees in this particular moment recorded by Matthew. He came in order to free you and me from the ultimate trap—to pull us out of the tightest of spots: the trap made by our sin. And far worse than any scheming of humans is the conniving of Satan, our ancient enemy.

St. Augustine, a great teacher from the early church, says that Satan, the devil, thought that he had Jesus in the ultimate trap … when he had Him on the cross. “Now I’ve got him once and for all,” Satan thought. But Augustine uses a delightful phrase. He says that the cross was “the devil’s mousetrap.”

The devil’s mousetrap. Just when the devil thought that he had Jesus right where he wanted Him—it turned out that the trap went the other way. And now the devil himself was caught, because Christ was sprung from the ultimate trap of death. He broke out of the grave, and now having escaped from that trap, He frees you and me, not only from the tight spots that we might find ourselves in day to day—in hard talks, tricky interactions, and sticky wickets of all kinds—He frees you from the most fearsome traps of sin, death, and hell. Jesus, by His death and resurrection, has delivered you and me from them all.

When we fail and when we fall—as we all do—He still lifts us up. You can be sure of that. It’s why we can enter into our day-to-day life with boldness and confidence, prepared to provide a winsome witness even when we find ourselves in tight spots. In those moment, we know right where to go: to the heart of the matter.

WE PRAY: Blessed Jesus, we give You thanks for delivering us from the ultimate traps of sin, death, and Satan. Give us courage and boldness to bear witness to You. Amen.

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10/15/2026

One Single Request

Thursday, October 15, 2026 (St. Luke)

Note to readers: This is an alternate reading from the Three Year Lectionary, and may not match up with the readings your church uses this Sunday.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to go. And He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.”’ (Luke 10:1-9)

If you’re like me, you’re used to getting prayer requests. People at church ask you to pray for them; there’s probably a list in the bulletin. You may have friends and family who call you and ask you to pray. And because you love them, you pray.

But what about Jesus? It wasn’t till last year that I realized He had a prayer request for us too—as far as I can tell, the only one He ever asked of us. It’s this: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

This sounds like the kind of thing Jesus would ask, doesn’t it? Because the one thing He wants most is for as many human beings as possible to be saved—reconciled to God, set free from evil, brought into God’s family as His own dear children. Because He loves us, and He wants us home! But how will this happen? Jesus is planning to suffer and die a painful, shameful death on a cross to make it happen—and then He will break the power of death by coming alive again for all of us.

This is the whole reason He came into the world. When Jesus dies, He will be like a seed, planted in the grave—a seed that rises into new life and produces a huge harvest. And that harvest includes you and me—everybody who trusts in Jesus and receives new life from the Holy Spirit.

But for them to believe, someone has to tell them about Jesus! And that’s why Jesus asks us to pray. He needs as many people as possible to go and spread the Good News—as many harvesters as He can find! And so He calls us—and He tells us to pray for more help.

WE PRAY: Dear Father, please call many more harvesters into Your fields, that as many people as possible may be saved through Your Son Jesus. Amen.

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10/14/2026

10/14/2026

Final Affairs
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 (St. Luke)

Note to readers: This is an alternate reading from the Three Year Lectionary, and may not match up with the readings your church uses this Sunday.

But as for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing. Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:5-18)

At the end of 2 Timothy, we can see Paul wrapping up his final affairs in this life. He knows he’s likely to die soon. There are only a handful of things he wants before the Lord calls him home—which will be by martyrdom.

And what a mix of things it is! Paul thinks first of the people he loves. How he misses Timothy! For at least one of his co-workers in the mission has deserted him and Christ both, or so it seems. Three others are away, probably for better reasons. Luke is with Paul, which is a comfort, but he still urges Timothy to come as well—and to bring Mark, too. Apparently they’ve buried the hatchet, and now Paul is glad to have him serving with him. That’s not the case with Alexander, however, and he warns Timothy against him.

And then the things—Paul doesn’t need much, at the end of his life, but he’d appreciate an extra cloak and the books and parchments he left in Troas. That’s it.

Because Paul’s mind is fixed on what comes next—when he is finally with Jesus, in His kingdom, with the Lord he loves. Paul has no doubt of where he’s going, because Jesus loved him and gave His life for him on the cross—and yes, and rose from the dead so that Paul would have everlasting life. And Jesus did this for us as well. We, too, are sure of what will happen to us—because Jesus has promised, and we believe Him. We will be with Him forever in His kingdom. And what more could we ask?

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, when my last days come, bring me to You! Amen.

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10/13/2026

The Way of Holiness

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Note to readers: This is an alternate reading from the Three Year Lectionary, and may not match up with the readings your church uses this Sunday.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. (Isaiah 35:5-8)

The prophet Isaiah is describing what it will be like for God’s people on the day He brings them home from exile. They will rejoice and be happy. No disabilities will stop them from coming home. Even in the desert they will find abundant water, more than enough for everybody. And best of all, there will be a highway for them to travel on, so they can’t possibly get lost. It will carry them safely, all the way home.

Isaiah is talking about more than just the physical return of God’s people to their own land. He’s talking about us. Because we, too, have been in exile—far away from our Father’s kingdom, living among strangers who care nothing for Jesus or for love, mercy, and forgiveness. We know we don’t belong in this world, ruled by the cruel and greedy, who oppress others and take whatever they want without shame. How we long to be home!

But it’s a long trip, and we are weak. We know that we are so often blind and deaf to God’s voice. We have trouble walking in His ways. And how will we even find those ways? What will keep us going till we reach home?

Jesus will. Jesus is the One who says to us, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6b). When we walk on His highway home to God, we will never get lost. Jesus will guide us every step. And He will do more than that—He will heal us of our spiritual blindness and deafness, and give us the ability to follow Him gladly. He will provide us with what we need to eat and drink along the way—His own body and blood for our food and drink. And He will go on doing this, gladly, till we make it home to His arms.

Why would Jesus do such a thing for us? You know the answer. He loves us! He was born into this world for no other reason but to rescue us and bring us home to God. He lay down His life on the cross to destroy the powers of evil and to bring us home to God as His own forgiven children, with hearts made new. And He rose from the dead to become the Source of everlasting life for all of us—the living water that will keep us alive even through the dryest deserts.

Jesus is our Way, and He is bringing us safely home. Praise God!

WE PRAY: Dear Father, thank You for sending Your Son as our Savior. Keep us safely on His Way forever. Amen.

10/12/2026

With Thanksgiving
Monday, October 12, 2026

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth; He makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. (Psalm 147:7-9)
People who follow the religious belief of deism believe that God created the world but then backed away from His creation to let it run on its own. According to deists, God generally does not involve Himself in the daily life of the world or its people. In opposition to this false idea about God and His work, Holy Scripture tells us the truth about our Creator. God has not abandoned the world and the people He created.
Our Creator is very involved in the daily life of His creation. He sustains the world and all of its creatures. God sets the clouds in the sky as He prepares to send rain on the thirsty earth. He makes the grass grow to feed livestock and wild animals. He provides food for wild birds and beasts. He causes springs of water to “gush forth in the valleys,” to “give drink to every beast of the field” (Psalm 104:10b, 11b). God sends rain and “the earth is satisfied” with His loving work (Psalm 104:13b). Through His care for creation, God testifies to His own power and glory: “He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17). Although many people like to imagine that they are free from such divine oversight and care, they are not. God “gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:25b-26).
God’s love for the world and the people He made extends far beyond the provision of crops and rain. Although in sinful pride people reject their Creator’s love and refuse to acknowledge His majesty, God reached down in mercy to save the people He created and loves. He sent His Son, our Lord Jesus, to suffer and die on the cross and by His death to reconcile the world to Himself. God calls on all people to repent and believe the good news of Jesus’ saving work. God’s care for His creation becomes a lesson about His love for us, love that will continue into eternity: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26).

WE PRAY: Lord God, each day You care for me and for all of creation. I will praise You with songs of thanksgiving! Amen.

10/11/2026

Worship

10/09/2026

Announcements

1. Adult Choir- Adult Choir will practice on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM. We are in need of additional choir members to continue sharing our gift of music during worship. All are welcome! No experience is necessary, just a willingness to sing and serve. Without additional members, we may not be able to continue our choir ministry. Please consider joining us and helping keep the music alive in our church!

2. Christmas in Chicora - Holy Trinity will be a passport stop for Christmas in Chicora on Friday, November 20 and Saturday, November 21, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. We are looking for craft vendors if you know anyone who might be interested! Please share with friends!
For more information, you can contact Laura Kepple and Darlene Walker. [email protected] 724-525-0261(Laura); [email protected] 724-525-6344 (Darlene)

3. Greeter Program - Please sign up to be part of our Greeter Program. People coming through our doors for the first time, would welcome a smiling face and a “good morning.” Individuals or families can perform this much needed ministry. Please sign-up on the board in the narthex.

4. Women’s Bible Study - meets on Mondays at 7 p.m. The book we will be using is "Psalms: An All-In-One Study on God's Song Book" by Tracy Sumner. It is available on either christianbook.com or Amazon. If anyone has questions, they can either text Laura at (724) 525-0261, or email at [email protected]. We will be on Study 16 - Psalm 56 (p.101) this week.

5. Contact Information - please update your contact information on the side table in the narthex. We are updating addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses to help improve church communication. We appreciate your help!

6. 75+ Dinner - The 75+ Dinner is scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 11:45 a.m.. Sign-up sheet is on the board in the Narthex or call the church office at: (724) 445 - 3574. Please have your reservation in by Monday, October 26th !

7. All Saints’ Day - Sunday, November 1 - On All Saints’ Sunday we will especially remember those from our congregation that have died in the past year. We will also remember by name those who have had an impact on our lives and have gone on to be with the Saints of all time. Include the names of the individuals you would like to have remembered on the bulletin insert and place it in the offering basket.

10/09/2026

Covered
Friday, October 9, 2026

This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.

[Jesus was saying,] “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:11-14)

It may be my least favorite of all the stories Jesus told. This king represents God, right? So, why couldn’t Jesus have Him say, “Friend, what happened, did the dry cleaner lose your suit? No problem! Here, have one of Mine.” Jesus told other stories like that. Think of the shamed son who slouches back home expecting to be disowned but then gets the best robe from his father (see Luke 15:11-32). I love that story! But this story, the one about wedding feast, Jesus told it for a different purpose.

It’s more like the story about The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Anderson, the one about the ruler who never went anywhere except to show off his new clothes, and some shrewd tailors from out of town promise to make him a suit crafted from such sophisticated cloth that it could not be seen by anyone who was unfit for his station or else intolerably stupid. So, when the emperor paraded around in his new clothes, everyone praised him for the clothing they were too ashamed to admit they couldn’t see. It took a little child to tell the truth. And when everyone started whispering, “He hasn’t got on anything at all,” the Emperor’s flesh crept, for it seemed to him they were right. “But all the same,” he thought, “the procession has started and must go on.” So, he held his head higher and took even greater trouble to show off his suit which wasn’t there at all.

Jesus’ story, likewise, is a warning about how we can fool ourselves into thinking we can cover ourselves with accomplishments and titles and in-group identities. But God can see right through it. Jesus had exposed the religious people of His day who tried to cover themselves with their own righteousness. Jesus exposed them, not to shame them, but to offer the cover of real honor and true belonging as His followers. Jesus was speaking as the Son of God, the Creator who put on our human frame. But the religious leaders thought He was an imposter. They had Him stripped naked and crucified. He endured this shame so that He could fulfill God’s promise to cover us with “garments of salvation” and “a robe of righteousness” (see Isaiah 61:10).

The warning of this parable for us is not that God might kick you out of His kingdom if you’re not dressed fancy enough. The warning is that if you insist on stitching together your own cover, then you won’t be content with the humble robe Jesus offers. But you and I can’t save ourselves from our shame. When Adam and Eve tried to hide behind fig leaves they had stitched together, God provided them with more durable clothing—genuine leather—animal skins—the first animal sacrifice—a sign of the greater sacrifice to come (see Genesis 3:21). Jesus is even better than leather, more breathable, too. He rose from the dead to be your cover. And when you put Him on, when God looks at you, He doesn’t see through you. He sees Jesus.

WE PRAY: Thank You, Father, for covering me with a robe of righteousness in Jesus. Amen.