Trinity Blog

Confirmation class 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Trinity teaches confirmation as a combined class with Trinity Lutheran Church in Oakland and Immanuel Lutheran Church in Alameda. We have a total of eight students. Currently we are studying the Apostles' Creed.

The third article of the creed is about the Holy Spirit. We memorized the fruits of the spirit that are listed in Galatians chapter 5 using the attached song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J1mqpLXnCc&feature=related

Still Cleaning Up After Hurricane Ike

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

One year ago Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast of Texas. Although not as many lives were lost as were taken by Hurricane Katrina a few years before, there was more property damage. Lutheran Disaster Response arrived in Houston and Galveston to help those who could not afford to put their lives back in order.

On October 26, five Lutherans from the East Bay (four from Trinity Lutheran Church in Alameda and one from Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Berkeley) traveled to Houston to volunteer their time and effort in the rebuilding efforts. Sam Arriola, Pastor David Bringman, John Kofranek, Tana Moschetti, and Marilyn Ohm-Smith (pictured) have been spending their days:

finishing dry wall
texturing walls and ceilings
priming and painting
repairing damaged flooring
and serving Christ by serving those in need

One of the homes we have been repairing is in NE Houston and belongs to Maria who lives with her two grandchildren. Maria speaks little English (and we don't speak very much Spanish) but she wants to work along side of us and be as helpful as possible. She continues to work after we leave for the day and sometimes this means we have to undo what she did the previous evening. We are pleasant to one another and smile a great deal.

Our team leader is a 30 year old woman named Kim. In spite of the frustrations and obstacles that come from working with volunteers and never having enough money or time, Kim remains positive, enthusiastic, and is a joy to work with.

We have had the joy of seeing a home rebuilding project completed. We hope to complete Maria's house by the end of the week.

Pastro Dave Bringman

Faith Communities Gathering

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

On Sunday, October 11, I participated in Faith Communities: Coming Out, Coming Together, a gathering in support of our gay, Lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning brothers and sisters. We began with a “faith walk� from First Congregational Church to Kofman Auditorium, where we gathered on the steps and on the plaza in front of the building. The area was decorated with colorful banners representing various faith communities. On the left side was a stained glass “Table of Tears� created by Donna Ivery, a disabled Methodist clergyperson. The table featured portraits of people excluded at various times for biblical reasons, and the hope and healing of the Holy Spirit.

At least one hundred people, representing many faith traditions, were gathered in the plaza, including Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists. Buddhists, Unitarians, and members of Temple Israel, the Native American community and other spiritual groups. Also present were members of the School Board and school administration and several Alameda teachers, who were celebrating the Board’s recent decision to allow teaching of acceptance of nontraditional families.

Prayers from the various traditions were offered, and several speakers talked of acceptance and rejection in their communities. An interfaith choir, in which I took part, sang songs of joy, hope and love. Native American drums added to the joyful sound.

It was a most joyful and inspiring afternoon, and I was happy to have been a part of it.

Alameda CROP Walk

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

FIRST ANNUAL ALAMEDA CROP WALK

Trinity Lutheran Church is one of the organizing groups of the first annual Alameda CROP Hunger Walk. CROP stands for "Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty". There are over 2,000 CROP Hunger walks in the US each year.

We walk 3 miles to raise awareness of hunger in the world, and raise money to fight poverty.

CROP Hunger Walks help fight hunger and poverty around the world, including the United States. More than 840 million people in the world are malnourished.

25% of the amount raised in the Alameda CROP Walk benefits the Alameda Food Bank (http://www.alamedafoodbank.org/). The Alameda Food Bank currently serves around 5,000 people in Alameda, about 7% of the population. 75% goes to Church World Services (http://tiny.cc/cDJXj) for international projects.

The Walk starts at 10AM at Upper Washington Park Corner of 8th and Central Alameda. Registration at 9:30AM.

To register or give a donation, go to http://tiny.cc/cDJXj

Look for "Team Trinity".