Trinity Lutheran Church of Wichita

We’ve arrived in Fort Wayne! Thank you for the incredibly kind and generous send off last Sunday. Though the day was extremely hot, there were snow-cones aplenty and no shortage of cold beer. The love and support shown to our family was overwhelming. Thank you.

As you may have already heard, we did close on our home on Thursday. The trucks are empty and gone. Boxes remain. Some progress has been made, but it still seems daunting. Everyone is happy with the house, which is certainly full of character. For example, while we were frantically directing traffic for the movers, carrying boxes from one room to the next, Micah and his cousin Luke found a secret passage that goes from a small cubby in one of the bedroom closets into the hallway bathroom, in what seems to be a built-in laundry basket. There are a couple of stained-glass windows in the house (one in my study behind my desk and the other in our master bedroom bathroom). Everyone’s favorite is the “Great Room”, where we’ll be sure to entertain anyone who happens to make the pilgrimage to FW.

To that end, I wanted to pass along our new address. Whether you’re able to visit soon, or would like to keep in touch via snail mail, we’d love to hear from you.
3770 Kirkwood Dr.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805

As you gather again tomorrow to receive the preaching of Moses and the prophets, the Apostles and your Pastor, all of whom stand in the stead and at the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, may He graciously bless you as He did Lazarus—not with the riches of this life, but with the promise of your ascension into the bosom of Abraham, which is a place in the presence of God Himself.

Peace and joy to you all in Christ our life,
-Fr. Dr. Boyle

*A brief P.S.—*
*Titles are a tricky and interesting thing. There are titles of identity and titles of duty, and sometimes they overlap. Within the Church, the one ordained is “Father” or “Reverend”. His duty may be “Pastor” or “Bishop” or “President” or “Professor.” Similarly, as a teacher of the Church, awarded a Ph.D., one is “Doctor,” but may serve as “Professor.” All that to say, while I no longer serve as your “Pastor” (though you certainly may still call me that—it’s what I’ve been for a dozen years and how you know me), I still am Father and Doctor. My students will likely call me either “Father” or “Doctor,” based on who I am, or “Professor,” for how I serve them. *

Dear Saints and Friends of Grace & Trinity,

This Sunday is
*T** The Festival of the Holy Trinity **T*

Join us at *Trinity* for
· a* Joint-Parish Bible Study *at *9:30am*
· and *Divine Service at 11:00am. *
· Then at *4pm*, come back for a *Going Away Block Party* outside Trinity.

*The Holy Trinity Reveals Himself to Sinners*
*When Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord, he cried out “Woe is me!” For the sinner cannot stand in the presence of a holy God and live (Is. 6:1-7). But God the Father lifted up His Son Jesus for us on the cross, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. This eternal life of Christ is given us according to the Holy Spirit’s good pleasure in Baptism. “Unless one is born [again] of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). To sinners in fear of death, the messengers of God place on our lips the living body and blood of Christ and speak His words of absolution, “Your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for” (Is. 6:7). Having received forgiveness and life from the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit, we join with the angels in praising the blessed Trinity, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!” (Is. 6:3). “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33–36).*

*A Note About Sunday’s Liturgy*
*You’ll notice that the Gradual is significantly longer than usual. Once a year on the Festival of the Holy Trinity we confess what has become known as the Athanasian Creed (Quicunque Vult). Though attributed to St. Athanasius, the great 4th century defender of the faith against the Arian heresy, this creed likely came about roughly a century later. Though only publicly confessed once a year, this creed is upheld in our Lutheran Confessions because it clearly teaches “that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity.” Don’t be alarmed at the use of “catholic faith.” Just as the Nicene Creed confesses “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church,” so also does the Athanasian Creed understand “universal” by “catholic.”* *You can review the creed in your hymnal (LSB 319-320).*

Isaiah 6:1-7; Romans 11:33-36; John 3:1-17 <www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+6%3A1-7%3B+Romans+11%3A33-36%3B+John+3%3A1-17&version=ESV>

*To prepare* your hearts and minds for the Sunday gathering of the faithful, here is the bulletin for Sunday <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/d4bbbe45-fec7-8128-0b4a-ad0cb149580c/2022_06_12_Holy_Trinity_Joint_Parish_Sunday.pdf>. Meditate on the readings, pray the prayers, and consider what gifts our Lord has for us this week. Also, here are the news/notes <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/daacd980-27ae-c7a7-6d1f-e467f89a46a2/6_12_22_News_Notes.pdf> and the congregation at prayer <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/4bb896a5-32d7-ba9a-0ed3-1a4e00d76ad3/2022_6_12_Trinity_Sunday.pdf> .

*Those Serving* *at Trinity today…*
*Counters: The Schneiders *
*Greeters: The Pattersons *
*Ushers: Ron Rooker & *
* Dave Norris *
*Altar Guild: The Pattersons *
*Elder: Scott Smith*
*Prayer Requests…*
· For Pr. Metzger, enduring and recovering from a recent stint with COVID
· For Dave Norris’ about-to-be-96-yr-old uncle, Willard Welch, diagnosed with COVID
· For safe travel for the Boyles
· For the Lord to provide a new Senior Pastor

*Coming up this week…*
· *Today: *
o *9am *Matins, Grace
o *4-5pm* Private Absolution, Trinity
· *Saturday: *
o *9am *Call Committee Mtg., Trinity
· *Sunday (6/12): **The Festival of the Holy Trinity*
o *9:30am *Joint-Parish Bible Study, Trinity
o *11am *Joint-Parish Divine Service, Trinity
o *4pm *Going Away Block-Party, Trinity
· *Tuesday: **Commemoration of Elijah*
o *7pm *Trinity Council Mtg., Trinity
· *Wednesday*:
o *7pm *Evening Prayer, Trinity
· *Saturday: *
o *9:30am *LWML, Trinity
· *Sunday (6/19): **Trinity I*
o *8am *Divine Service, Grace
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Grace
o *11am *Divine Service, Trinity
o *4pm *Going Away Block-Party, Trinity

*Looking Ahead…*
· *June 12*: Festival of the Holy Trinity – This will be my final Sunday here. We’ll have a Joint-Parish Sunday *at Trinity* with a *9:30am Bible Study, 11am Divine Service*. Please join us if you’re able!
o There’s also a going away, block party at *Trinity at 4pm* that afternoon. Join us!
· *July 9*: Kyle Nelson Ordination – If you’re able to make the trip (about 3.5 hours), please join us for Kyle’s ordination & installation as Pastor of First Lutheran Church, Chickasha, OK.

*Other Things…*
· *Call List Review: *We have received our list of possible candidates for the Senior Pastor call. Packets of their personal information are available at both Grace and Trinity for review for three weeks. You may review them at Trinity during the secretary’s hours and at Grace on Tuesday from 9-11am or on Wednesday from 6-8pm. Because of the confidential information contained, these are not to be copied or distributed outside of the congregation. Please do not contact any of the men on the list or remove the packets from the church. Blank paper will be available for you to take notes (please don’t mark in the packets themselves). The process will go most smoothly and quickly if you are able to familiarize yourselves with the information. Of course, each of these men has been trained, examined, and approved for service within the Lord’s Church. Therefore, remember that while you are free to choose one—and may prefer one over another—each will be a fitting candidate for service here and requires your prayer and obedience in Christ (Heb 13:17). *Call Committee reminder: Mtg. tomorrow (6/11) at 9am at Trinity.*
· *The Athanasian Creed: *Almost a year ago I was on “Concord Matters <www.kfuo.org/2021/03/23/concord-matters-032321-worshipfully-confessing-the-athanasian-creed/>”, an internet radio program that discussed this creed. Enjoy!
· *Article On the Hall of Men:* You might enjoy this short write-up <www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2022/5/19/pizza-beer-and-guys-talking-books-lessons-from-the-hall-of-men-on-the-kansas-plains> on the work of EDI and the books we read. I make a short cameo in it as well. Enjoy!
· *Continuing Ed Class in Albuquerque, NM:* “Pastoral Care in an After-Word World” – July 25-29, 2021, at Grace Lutheran Church, Albuquerque with Rev. Dr. Gregory Schulz. For more info and to register: www.ctsfw.edu/ctsfw-events/continuing-education/albuquerque-nm/ <d.docs.live.net/b55af45fcb37779c/Pastor%20Boyle/Grace%20and%20Trinity/Weekly%20Update/www.ctsfw.edu/ctsfw-events/continuing-education/albuquerque-nm/>

This is our final “Weekly Update”. May our Lord continue to strengthen you all with His grace and Spirit unto life everlasting.

Peace to you all in Christ our Life,
-Pastor