1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

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A Congregation of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
JANUARY 2015
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
!1409 South Eighth Avenue, East
MISSION STATEMENT
Newton, IA 50208
Kenneth H. Ahntholz, D.Min., BCC, Pastor
(515) 720-0172, (641) 792-1683
pastor@htlchurch.com
www.htlchurch.com
Holy Trinity is a caring community that shares
the love of Jesus through worship, learning
and service.
CHILDREN!TELL!STORY!ON!CHRISTMAS!EVE!
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The!choirs!of!angels!singing!in!celebration!of!the!Birth!of!
Jesus!on!Christmas!Eve!at!Holy!Trinity!included!90!voices.!!
This! might! possibly! be! the! largest! Christmas! Eve!
attendance!during!the!past!four!Christmases.!!Pastor!Ken!
feels!it!was!an!exciting!experience!for!families,!who!don’t!
typically! worship! together,! along! with! the! people! who!
worship!regularly!at!Holy!Trinity.!!!!!
Nativity:!!
!Qaitlyn!!McComb,!
Leo!Ahntholz,!!
Jana!Sevenbergen,!
Jeanea!McComb,!
Lily!Ahntholz,!
Presley!Arnold!
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The! young! people,! who! led! the! worship,! presented! the!
traditional! Christmas! story! and! facilitated! the! details!
regarding!the!service,!made!an!impressive!witness!to!our!
shared!faith.!!The!worship!was!a!shared!service!with!our!
friends! from! Newton! Seventh! Day! Adventist!
congregation.! ! ! Children! who! had! a! part! in! the! service!
included:! ! Dalton! and! Devon! Wolf;! Carolyn,! Joshua! and!
Sam! Kimmel;! Jeanea! and! Qaitlyn! McComb;! Blake,! Haley!
and! Jana! Sevenbergen;! Presley! Arnold;! Chris! and! Alex!
VerHeul;! Charlie! and! Ian! Bennett;! and! Lily! and! Leo!
Ahntholz.!
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Thank!you!to!everyone!to!helped!fill!Holy!Trinity!with!
hearts,!hands,!bodies!and!voices!to!celebrate!the!Birth!of!
Jesus.!!Thank!you!also!to!the!musicians!who!shared!their!
gifts.!
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“Your!little!ones,!dear!Lord,!are!we,!
!!And!come!your!lowly!bed!to!see;!
!!Enlighten!every!soul!and!mind,!
!!!That!we!the!way!to!you!may!find.”!!(ELW!286)!!
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Above:!!Pastor!Ken!and!son,!Lars,!share!trumpet!music!on!“Joy!to!the!World.”!
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JANUARY!!WOMEN’S!!
STUDY!EXPLORES!!
REPENTANCE!AND!
FORGIVENESS!
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David,!as!King!of!the!Israelites,!committed!gave!sins!against!
Bathsheba!and!her!husband,!Uriah!the!Hittite,!and!against!
God.! ! ! David! was! anointed! king! as! Saul’s! successor.! ! War!
with! the! Philistines! and! contention! over! the! throne!
followed.!!However,!David!proved!himself!a!strong!warrior!
and! wily! leader.! ! He! prevailed! over! his! rivals! and! was!
anointed!king!of!Israel!by!all!the!tribal!elders.!!!His!military!
victories!serve!as!a!frame!in!2!Samuel!around!the!story!of!
his!act!of!adultery!with!Bathsheba,!which!!David!committed!
after! arranging! for! the! death! of! her! husband.! ! David! then!
chastised! the! men! for! letting! Uriah! fall! into! harm’s! way,!
deflecting!David’s!guilt!onto!others.!!
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The! study! asks! participants! to! look! at! two! things:! ! Is!
everyone! capable! of! David’s! depth! of! sin,! and! does! God!
hand! out! specialized! punishments! still! today.! ! David’s!
actions! are! a! reminder! of! times! when! behavior! can! be!
governed! by! jealousy,! greed! or! anger.! ! Theologians! have!
debated! for! centuries! the! question! of! specialized!
punishment.! ! The! Bible! warns! that! “we! will! reap! what! we!
have! sown”! (Gal.! 6:7)—that! our! actions! can! have!
consequences,! every! even! very! damaging! consequences,!
beyond!our!control.!!!
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The! biblical! account! of! David! and! Bathsheba! shows! how!
both! everyday! people! and! mighty! leaders! are! capable! of!
terrible!sins,!but!also!of!repentance!and!forgiveness.!!!
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All! women! and! men! are! invited! to! take! part! in! the! study!
which!will!take!place!at!St.!Andrew!Lutheran!Church,!Sully,!!
Thursday,! January! 8! at! 10! a.m.! ! Extra! copies! of! the! study!
material!are!available.!!
THANK YOU
Thank you to the members of Holy Trinity
for the Christmas gift of $585 and for the
ministry support we receive throughout the
year from the members of Holy Trinity.
Your generosity in remembering us with this
gift and for your support are deeply
appreciated.
Pastor Ken and Lois
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!!MOVIE!NIGHT!!
!!!!!!!!!!!JANUARY!25!!
!
!!CENTERS!ON!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!MARTIN!LUTHER!
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“Martin! Luther”,! the! fullglength! blackgandgwhite! movie!
released! more! than! 50! years! ago,! will! be! shown! at! Holy!
Trinity! Sunday! evening,! January! 25.! ! A! soup! supper! will!
precede! the! movie! presentation.! ! Members! of! St.!
Andrew’s!Lutheran!Church,!Sully,!will!join!Holy!Trinity!for!
this!special!event.!
!
This! past! fall! a! group! from! both! St.! Andrew’s! and! Holy!
Trinity! gathered! Wednesday! evenings! to! learn! about! the!
“Roots! of! the! Reformation.”! ! As! the! study! concluded,!
interest! was! expressed! in! seeing! the! classic! “Martin!
Luther”!film.!
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NOTE:!!The!January!Lutheran!magazine!has!a!section!
devoted!to!“10!Things!You!Thought!You!Knew!about!
Martin!Luther.”!
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CONGREGATION
TO WORSHIP
DURING WINTER MONTHS
IN FELLOWSHIP HALL
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During! January,! February! and! until! the! weather! warms,!
worship! will! held! in! the! fellowship! hall.! ! Holy! Trinity’s!
electric! bills! reach! $1,000/month! during! the! cold! winter!
months,! compared! to! approximately! $200/month! during!
summer.!
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Approximately! 35! people! worship! at! Holy! Trinity! weekly,!
and!often!one!Sunday!during!the!winter!season!seems!to!
need!canceling!because!of!weather.!!It!seems!like!a!better!
stewardship! of! Holy! Trinity’s! money! to! heat! one! room!
rather!than!two!during!those!months.!
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Other! alternative! was! to! maintain! worship! in! the!
Sanctuary!and!eliminate!the!fellowship!time.!!That!choice!
wasn’t!popular!either!with!the!Congregation!Council.!
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Holy! Trinity! learned! last! spring,! by! necessity,! when! the!
building!was!vandalized,!that!worshipers!can!be!comfortg
able! in! the! fellowship! hall.! ! Worship! this! winter! will!
provide!another!opportunity!to!test!that!idea.!
A!NEW!YEAR’S!PRAYER!FOR!2015!
!
DATE!SET!FOR!
!CONGREGATIONAL!
MEETING!!!!
!
May!God!make!your!year!a!happy!one:!
!ggNot!by!healing!you!from!all!sorrow!and!pain,!but!by!!!
!!!!!!!strengthening!you!to!bear!it!as!it!comes!
ggNot!by!making!your!path!easy,!but!by!making!you!sturdy!
!!!!!!!to!travel!any!path,!
ggNot!by!taking!hardships!from!you,!but!by!taking!fear!!
!!!!!!!from!your!heart,!
ggNot!by!granting!you!unbroken!sunshine,!but!by!keeping!!
!!!!!!!your!face!bright!even!in!the!shadows,!
ggNot!by!making!your!life!always!pleasant,!but!by!showing!!
!!!!!!!you!when!people!and!their!causes!need!you!most!and!!
!!!!!!!by!making!you!anxious!to!be!there!to!help.!
God’s!love,!peace,!hope!and!joy!to!you!and!yours!in!the!
days!ahead.!
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It! may! be! a! relatively! short! Annual! Meeting! this! year!
when!the!voting!members!of!Holy!Trinity!meet!Sunday,!
January!18.!
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The!budget! for!2015!is!the!main!item!of!business.!!The!
Congregation! Council! is! recommending! that! the!
$500/month!mission!contribution!be!designated!for!the!
parking!lot!upgrade!until!such!time!as!the!parking!lot!is!
completed.! ! Once! completed,! the! $500/month! will!
again! be! designated! for! a! mission! outreach! project,!
usually! within! the! community.! This! past! year! $400! of!
the! $500! each! month! was! added! to! the! Parking! Lot!
Fund.! ! ! The! budget! will! also! reflect! a! $1,500! annual!
increase! in! Pastor! Ahntholz’s! compensation.! ! The!
$1,500—per! his! request—will! be! added! to! his! ELCA!
Pension!contribution.!
BIRTHDAYS!AND!WEDDING!ANNIVERSARIES!!
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There!will!be!no!Congregation!Council!election!this!year,!
as!no!one!is!completing!a!term!of!service.!!This!resulted!
from! changing! the! congregation’s! Constitution! and!
Bylaws! at! the! meeting! earlier! this! year! which! allows!
council! persons! to! serve! up! to! three! twogyear! terms,!
rather!than!two!threegyear!terms!of!office.!
Happy!Birthday!to:!
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Jan.!!10!!Devon!Wof!
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!18!!Jack!Strobel!
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!!!!!!!!!25!!Dianne!Clemon!
Wedding!Anniversaries!!
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Jan.!10!!Phil!and!Peg!Troyke!
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!!!!!!!!!15!!Ethan!and!Lisa!Nasalroad!
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The!usual!team!reports!summarizing!2014!and!goals!for!
2015!will!also!be!available.!!Those!reports,!long!with!any!
other! organizational! reports,! should! be! email! to! Lois!
Ahntholz!as!soon!as!possible!to:!!lois@ahntholz.com!
BISHOP PLANS
TO BE AT
HOLY TRINITY
IN JANUARY
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A!potluck!lunch!is!planned!following!worship!on!January!
18.! ! The! alternate! date! for! the! meeting! is! Sunday,!
January!25.!!All!voting!members!should!plan!to!attend.
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Michael! Burk,! Bishop! of! the! Southeastern! Iowa! Synod! of!
the!Evangelical!Lutheran!Church!in!America,!will!preach!at!
Holy!Trinity’s!10:15!service!January!25.!!He!has!also!been!
invited!to!meet!with!the!Adult!Forum!at!9!that!morning.!
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The!visit!is!related!to!the!Bishop’s!goal!for!someone!from!
the! Bishop’s! office! to! visit! and! preach! in! all! the!
congregations!of!the!Southeastern!Iowa!Synod!each!year.!
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Bishop! Burk! is! no! stranger! to! Holy! Trinity,! as! he! served!
Holy! Trinity! as! an! interim! pastor! for! about! six! weeks!
following!Pastor!Jerry!Egel’s!pastorate.!!He!is!in!his!second!
sixgyear!term!as!Bishop!of!the!Southeastern!Iowa!Synod.!
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CHRISTMAS!CAROLING!EVENT!ENJOYABLE!
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About! 26! children,! young! adults! and! adults! shared!
Christmas! music! at! the! homes! of! members! of! Holy!
Trinity!Dec.!15.!! One!group! caroled! on!the!west!side! of!
the!City!of!Newton;!the!other!group!sang!to!members!of!
Holy!Trinity!on!the!east!side.!
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Upon! returning! to! the! church! building,! they! enjoyed!
chili! and! chicken! wild! rice! soup,! relishes,! cheese! and!
crackers,!hot!chocolate!and!cider.!
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The! practice! was! revived! this! year! and! was! done!
replacing! the! Wednesday! evening! Youth! Discipleship!
class! December! 15.! ! It! was! a! fun! evening! for! the!
intergenerational!group.!
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By!Bill!Bennett,!Jr.!
In! December! members! of! Holy! Trinity! gave! $417! in!
benevolence! to! ELCA! Mission! Support,! and! members!
donated!$350!to!ELCA!World!Hunger.!
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About! 80! people! attended! the! Free! Community! Meal!!
December!14.!!Donations!totaling!$71.39!were!received;!
$90! was! spent! from! the! fund! towards! the! purchase! of!
the! ham! that! was! served.!! Also! in! December,! $200! was!
given! to! the! Newton! Salvation! Army! Food! Pantry! from!
the!accumulated!funds!donated!at!the!meals.!!The!menu!
for!the!meal!on January!11!will!be!ham!and!potato!soup,!
chili,!bread,!fruit!and!brownies.!
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The! loose! offering! from! the! Christmas! Eve! service!
provided! $209! for! the! “Feeding! America”! Backpack!
Program.!! The! pilot! program,! through! the! Newton!
School! District,! provides! weekend! food! for! 20! students!
each! at! Thomas! Jefferson! and! Aurora! Heights! schools.!!
Students! are! identified! by! principals/teachers;! need! is!
incomegbased.! ! Food! is! supplied! by! the! Food! Bank! of!
Iowa.! ! Holy! Trinity! will! volunteer! to! package! food!
January! 10! at! St.! Luke’s! UMC,! 501! East! 19th! Street,!
North,! at! 9:30! a.m.! ! A! sheet! is! posted! requesting!
volunteers!(eight!adults/older!children).!
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The! parking! lot! fund! totals! $11,199.29.! Approximately!
$16,000!is!needed.!
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WORSHIP!ATTENDANCE!FOR!DECEMBER!
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!!!2013! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!2014!
!Dec.!!!!!1!!!!!!!!!!42!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Nov.!30!!!!!!!!33!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!8!!!!!!!!!!30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dec.!!!8!!!!!!!!!28!
!!!!!!!!!!!!15!!!!!!!!!!48!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!14!!!!!!!!52!
!!!!!!!!!!!!22!!!!!!!!Snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!21!!!!!!!!39!
!!!!!!!!!!!!24!!!!!!!!!!61!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!24!!!!!!!!90!
!!!!!!!!!!!!29!!!!!!!!!!39!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!28!!!!!!!!32!
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"Worship!changes! the!worshiper!into! the!image!of! the! One!
worshiped."!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!gggJohn!Hayford!
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Thank you for faithful service:
REMEMBER!
!!!!IN!PRAYER!
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Persons!Who!Are!Struggling!With!Illness:!
Bert! Vermillion,! Mary! Jemison! (Midge! Wilson’s! sister),!
Regina!Black! (Judy! Anderson’s! friend),! Joyce!Sabel,! Sarah!
Coy! (Mom! of! Blake! Sevenbergen’s! friend),! Joan! Mason,!
Esther! Stevens,! Michelle! Jacobs! (Vicky! Bennett’s! cousin),!
Beverly!Havener!(Midge!Wilson’s!cousin),!Dean!Ward!(Phil!
and! Peg! Troyke’s! friend),! Janet! Kimmel,! Peg! Troyke,! and!
Evelyn!Davis.!
Residents!of!Care!Facilities!and!HomeFBound:!
Nathan!Meyer,!Ellen!Onnen,!Clarice!Thompson,!and!Irene!
Kingery!
Military!Families:!
ggMary!Gorball’s!grandson,!Michael!Gorball,!serving!in!!!
!!Okinawa!!!(wife:!!Kerry;!sons:!!Luke,!Jacob!and!Isaac)!
ggMary!Gorball’s!grandson,!Daniel,!stationed!with!the!!
!!!Marines!in!Quantico,!VA!
ggPastor!Ken!and!Lois’!granddaughter,!Natasha!Martinez,!!
!!!serving!with!the!U.S.!!Army!Reserves!
College!Students:!
ggDalton!and!Devon!Wolf,!students!at!Des!Moines!Area!!
!!!Community!College!(DMACC),!!Newton!campus!
ggIan!and!Charlie!Bennett,!students!at!Grand!View!!
!!!University,!Des!Moines!
ggKatie!Ranard,!student!at!Iowa!State!University!(ISU)!
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Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
(Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
1409 South Eighth Avenue, East
Newton, IA 50208
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WEEKLY!WORSHIP!AT!HTLC:!
Sunday!!10:15!a.m.!!Worship!with!Holy!Communion!!
WEEKLY!EDUCATION!OPPORTUNITIES!(!
Sundays!!!!9!a.m.!!Adult!Forum!(The!Means!of!Grace)!
Wednesdays!!5:30g7!p.m.!!Youth!Discipleship!Education!
Alice!Ladd! and!Midge!Wilson! are!concluding! their!terms!
of!service!with!Holy!Trinity’s!Memorial!Committee.!!They!
also! have! chosen! to! no! longer! facilitate! funeral! lunches.!
Their! dedicated! service,! which! spans! several! years! on!
both!committees,!is!greatly!appreciated.!
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According! to! the! Team! responsibilities! for! Holy! Trinity,!
which!were!approved!at!the!congregation’s!2012!Annual!
Meeting,!responsibility! for!funeral! receptions!falls!under!
the!Hospitality!and!Fellowship!Team.!!!
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The! Congregation! Council! is! making! arrangements! to!
have! people! designated! for! both! the! Memorial! and!
History!Team!and!people!who!will!facilitate!funeral!lunch!
receptions.!!Virginia!Bunse,!Council!Member,!is!currently!
working! with! filling! the! Memorial! and! History! Team!
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positions.! Marilyn! Butler! and! Lois! Ahntholz! will! cog
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facilitate! funeral! lunches,! under! jurisdiction! of! the!
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Hospitality!and!Fellowship!Team.!
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!If! there! are! people! who! are! interested! and! willing! to!
serve! on! the! Memorial! and! History! Team—or! on! any! of!
the!other!teams—contact!the!Council!person!who!is!the!
liaison!for!each!respective!team.!!Information!about!each!
of!the!teams!is!included!in!the!Congregation!Directory.!
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