Trinity Lutheran Church Brattleboro

Today is Sunday February 28, 2021 and it is the Second Sunday of Lent. We are still scattered but gathered for Worship Service at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brattleboro, VT. Our Lent-Easter theme is a "Season of Hope". The Gospel reading today is from Mark 8:31-38, and we wonder, What's Up With Peter? He rebukes Jesus when he does not understand the way of the cross that Jesus will travel. The gospel of Mark is about the identity of Jesus, and our identity in following Jesus. During Lent we are on a journey with Jesus as he goes to his death. As Christians we are called to move forward and trust the call. Pastor Randy ends Worship Service today with a Native American story for the children. Pastor Randall Wilburn presiding, Jeff-Herman May is assisting today, and Laura Josephs is on piano.

Join us today February 21, 2021 for Worship Service at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brattleboro, VT. Our Lent-Easter theme is "A Season of Hope". On Ash Wednesday the church began its journey toward baptismal immersion in the death and resurrection of Christ. This year, the Sundays in Lent lead us to focus on five covenants God makes in the Hebrew Scriptures and to use them as lenses through with to view baptism. First Peter connects the way God saved Noah’s family in the flood with the way God saves us through the water of baptism. The baptismal covenant is made with us individually, but the new life we are given in baptism is for the sake of the whole world. (Sundays and Seasons) Texts for Sunday, February 21, 2021 Genesis 9:8-17 Because of human sin God destroys the earth by flood, saving only Noah, his family, and the animals on the arc. Divine destruction gives way to divine commitment. God blesses humanity and establishes a covenant with all creatures. 1 Peter 3:18-22 God acts through baptism to save us from a sinful experience. This spiritual cleansing marks our new life in Christ. Mark 1:9-15 After Jesus’ baptism the spirit descended like a dove on Jesus and sustains him when he is tested by Satan so that he might proclaim the good news of God’s reign. Pastor Randall Wilburn presiding, Kris Grotz-Kuch assisting and Laura Josephs on piano.

Join us today February 17, 2021 for Ash Wednesday Worship Service at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brattleboro, VT. The spirit of Ash Wednesday is solemn, close to that of the Jewish Day of Atonement. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. The mood is penitent and reflective on the quality of our faith and life. Pastor Randy's Homily today is a series of reflective poems and prayers punctuated by moments of silent prayer. Pastor Randall Wilburn presiding, Ron Solberg assisting, and Laura Josephs on the piano, and a special performance of Beautiful Savior by Laura Josephs on violin.

Transfiguration of our Lord February 14, 2021, Trinity Lutheran Church, Brattleboro, VT. The Sundays after Epiphany began with Jesus’ baptism and end with three disciples’ vision of his transfiguration. Mark’s story of Jesus’ baptism, apparently only Jesus sees the Spirit descending and hears the words from heaven. Today we focus on transformation through the words of Don Miguel Ruiz in The Four Agreements: - Be impeccable with your Word - Don't take anything personally - Don't make assumptions - Always do your best We know that words matter, truth matters, and integrity and trust matter. Our calling as a Christian community is to live the Four Agreements. Pastor Randall Wilburn presiding, Ron Solberg assisting, Micaela Carlton Newton assisting and reading, Jeff Griffith reading, Laura Josephs on piano, and a special duet performance of 'Fall on Me' by Laura Josephs and Ron Solberg.

The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany February 7, 2021, Trinity Lutheran Church, Brattleboro, VT. This Sunday we Livestream our worship at 10:30am and hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 40, proclaiming hope to a people in exile. We have been in exile one year because of the pandemic. How do we break through the wall of exile and reach out to connect with people? God keeps his promises and calls us out of exile. Our Lent-Easter theme is A Season of Hope. Ash Wednesday, February 17 we Livestream at 11am. Our Weekly Lenten Meditations are your reflections. I am asking each of you to write your reflection upon memories, people, events, which give meaning to your Lenten-Easter experience this year. Your written response to the question: What and who have impacted you and makes this Lent-Easter meaningful? Presiding today Pastor Randall Wilburn, Jeff Herman-May and Micaela Carlton Newton assisting, Micaela Carlton Newton reading, and Laura Josephs on piano, and a special duet performance by Laura Josephs and Ron Solberg singing 'Hallelujah'.

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany January 31, 2021, Trinity Lutheran Church, Brattleboro, VT In Deuteronomy God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses, who will speak for God; in Psalm 111 God shows the people the power of God’s works. For the church these are ways of pointing to the unique authority people sensed in Jesus’ actions and words. We encounter that authority in God’s word, around which we gather, the word that prevails over any lesser spirit that would claim power over us, freeing us to follow Jesus. Sundays and Seasons Texts for Sunday, January 31, 2021 Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Today’s reading is part of a longer discourse in Deuteronomy, an updating of the law for the Israelite community as the people wait to enter the promised land. Here Moses assures the people that God will continue to guide them through prophets who will proclaim the divine word. 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Paul is concerned about the way some Corinthian Christians use their freedom in Christ as license to engage in non-Christian behavior that sets a damaging example to other, impressionable believers. Christians have a responsibility to each other that their behavior does not cause another to sin. Mark 1:21-28 Forces that would bring death and disease have taken hold of a man, yet they recognize Jesus and know what his power means for them. Jesus commands these forces to leave and people are amazed at his authority.

Third Sunday after Epiphany January 24, 2021 As we continue through the time after Epiphany, stories of the call to discipleship show us the implications of our baptismal calling to show Christ to the world. Jesus begins proclaiming the good news and calling people to repentance right after John the Baptist is arrested for preaching in a similar way. Knowing that John was later executed, we see at the very outset the cost of discipleship. Still, the two sets of brothers leave everything they have known and worked for all their lives to follow Jesus and fish for people. Sundays and Seasons Texts for Sunday, January 24, 2021 Jonah 3:1-5,10 The Book of Jonah tells of a reluctant prophet who is given a one-sentence message: Nineveh will be destroyed in forty days. To Jonah’s dismay, the people of Nineveh repent. The point of the story is to get the reader to wrestle with the question “On whom should God have mercy?” 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Paul wants Christians to live in the present in fervent anticipation of God’s future, which even now has dawned through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Mark 1:14-20 Before Jesus calls his first disciples, he proclaims a message that becomes known as “the gospel” or good news from God. God is ready to rule our lives. Those who realize this will respond with repentance and faith.

Second Sunday after Epiphany January 17, 2021 All the baptized have a calling in God’s world. God calls not just pastors and deacons but also the youngest child, like Samuel. The story of the calling of Nathanael plays with the idea of place. Nathanael initially dismisses Jesus because he comes from Nazareth. But where we come from isn’t important; its where—or rather whom—we come to. Jesus refers to Jacob, who had a vision in a place he called “the house of God, and ...the gate of heaven” (Gen. 28:17). Jesus says he himself is the place where Nathanael will meet God. Sundays and Seasons Texts for Sunday, January 17, 2021 1 Samuel 3:1-20 At a time when visions are rare and unexpected, the Lord comes to Samuel and calls him to speak the divine word. Though just a boy, Samuel responds to God obediently, as Eli the priest has taught him to respond. This marks the beginning of Samuel’s prophetic ministry. John 1:43-51 In John’s gospel, Jesus’ ministry begins with the call of disciples, who then bring others to Jesus. Philip’s friend Nathaneal moves from skepticism to faith when he accepts the invitation to “Come and see.”