Why Attend Trinity Lutheran School?
- families strengthened,
- troubled lives comforted,
- students encouraged to prepare for professional church work,
- humble service rendered,
- and lives built on the foundation of God’ Word.
Self Control
Trinity Lutheran School – Making Known the Love of Christ
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is … Self Control. (Galatians 5:22,23)
We can all think of someone else who needs to exercise some self control: the child at the next table at the restaurant, the driver on the expressway, and the coworker who eats three donuts in the break room. We may even say that if we were in their situations, we would certainly be able to control our actions.
At Trinity Lutheran School, we teach children to make good and wise choices and urge students to exhibit self control. We may say:
• Control your anger. Show love.
• Control your tongue. Be kind.
• Control your use of time. Use your God-given abilities.
• Control your silliness. Have enjoy life.
The child may then ask, “Why is self control so important?” What would your answer be?
Our lives are filled with choices. We need to exhibit self control in our decision making. Some decisions don’t involve right or wrong: hamburger or hot dog, Disney World or Sea World, poodle or dalmatian. However, many decisions have a spiritual, moral dimension: church or sleep, generosity or selfishness, mercy or revenge. How can we possibly make God-pleasing decisions or teach our children to exhibit self control?
In the book of Titus, the apostle Paul gives Titus directions as to how the new Christians on the island of Crete should live. These directions are also for you and the students of our school.
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)
Since we are saved by Jesus, we will live self-controlled lives filled with good works. The words to the people of Crete should also remind us of Ephesians 2:10: “ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Paul’s letter to Titus has specific instructions for people of all ages as they follow the teachings (doctrine) of God’s Word. Notice how a self-controlled life is a life filled with good works.
“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. (Titus 2:1-8)
May all people see the love of Christ in what we do and say. May Trinity Lutheran School continue to be a place where children learn of the love of Christ which leads to a self-controlled life filled with good works.
Mr. Becker.
“The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.” Titus 3:8
Gentleness
Trinity Lutheran School – Making Known the Love of Christ
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is … Gentleness. (Galatians 5:22,23)
The love of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is made known to us through His gentleness. In our human state we have physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Not only do we have needs, we have weaknesses and problems. Jesus comes to us and says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29) Notice that! Jesus describes himself as gentle. In Matthew 12 Jesus heals a man’s withered hand to fulfill the words of Isaiah which state that God’s beloved servant (Jesus) will not break a bruised reed or quench a faintly burning wick. (Isaiah 42:3) Jesus lovingly and gently cares for those in need.
The children of our school begin 
each day with needs, weaknesses, and problems of sinful, human nature and of a fallen world. Their parents and teachers care deeply for these precious lambs of God. How can we best care for these children? Only with the strength and gentleness of Christ. Jesus, our Shepherd, is the model for our gentle care of children, His lambs.
I am Jesus’ little lamb,
Ever glad at heart I am;
For my Shepherd gently guides me,
Knows my need, and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same,
Even calls me by my name.
Day by day, at home, away,
Jesus is my Staff and Stay.
When I hunger, Jesus feeds me,
Into pleasant pastures leads me;
When I thirst, He bids me go
Where the quiet waters flow.
Who so happy as I am,
Even now the Shepherd’s lamb?
And when my short life is ended,
By His angel host attended,
He shall fold me to His breast,
There within His arms to rest.
Trinity Lutheran Church and School, under God’ grace, has been providing this care to children and families for 157 years. Please join in the “We’re There: We Care” campaign so that the love of Jesus and His gentleness may continue to be shared with His lambs for many years to come.
May the gentleness of Christ fill your lives.
Mr. Becker.
Let us pray: Jesus, Savior, wash away all that has been wrong today. Help me every day to be good and gentle more like thee. Amen
Goodness of God
The fruit of the Spirit is … Goodness.
(Galatians 5:22,23)
When we want to know what is good, where do we look. We could look at what our family and friends do and what they recommend. We could take a national poll of popular opinion to find out what is good for us. We could believe advertisers who tell us how to fill our lives with goodness. But we know that only God is good and true goodness only comes from Him. A rich, young man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Luke 18:18-19) Jesus goes on to teach the man that to be good and to attain eternal life the man must keep the commandments perfectly. The man declared that he had kept the commandments since he was a youth. Jesus asked him to distribute his wealth to the poor, thereby forsaking his god - his wealth. The rich, young may went away sad because he could not part with his god. The bystanders then asked, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (Luke 18:26-27) Jesus Christ, true God and true man, did what was impossible for man. Jesus lived the perfectly good life. He is goodness personified.
We and the children of our school, like the young man above, are incapable of any goodness on our own. His goodness has come to us! Read Titus 3:3-8. Wow! His loving kindness saves us and His Spirit leads us and our children to do the good works the Father has planned for us. These acts of goodness make known the love of Christ and are for the benefit of others. So, when you want to know what is good for you and for others, turn to Jesus Christ. His goodness is now your goodness. Trust Him. He has your best interests at heart.
May the goodness of Christ fill your lives.
Mr. Becker.
P.S. Let your good works show the love of Christ to the people of Haiti (earthquake victims) and to Mrs. Mary Niesing (fire destroyed her belongings).
Goodness
Trinity Lutheran School – Making Known the Love of Christ
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is … Goodness. (Galatians 5:22,23)
When I want to know if something is good, I turn to Consumer Reports. For example, if I need to buy new tires for my car, I want to know which tires will be good for my car and my family. Countless commercials and advertisements will try to convince me that a particular tire from a particular company would be a very good tire for me. While that message may be based on some facts, it also contains some bias. That company wants to make money by convincing me to purchase that tire. But I regularly turn to Consumer Reports for buying advice. Consumer Reports “accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers.” In the case of tires, they test and rate hundreds of tires and then recommend which tires will be good for the consumer, me. I’ve learned to trust Consumer Reports. It seems that they have my best interests at heart. (In a year you can ask me if my new tires were good for my car and me.)
When we want to know what is good, where do we look. We could look at what our family and friends do and what they recommend. We could take a national poll of popular opinion to find out what is good for us. We could believe advertisers who tell us how to fill our lives with goodness. But we know that only God is good and true goodness only comes from Him. A rich, young man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Luke 18:18-19) Jesus goes on to teach the man that to be good and to attain eternal life the man must keep the commandments perfectly. The man declared that he had kept the commandments since he was a youth. Jesus asked him to distribute his wealth to the poor, thereby forsaking his god - his wealth. The rich, young may went away sad because he could not part with his god. The bystanders then asked, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (Luke 18:26-27) Jesus Christ, true God and true man, did what was impossible for man. Jesus lived the perfectly good life. He is goodness personified.
We and the children of our school, like the young man above, are incapable of any goodness on our own. His goodness has come to us. Read this beautiful passage from Titus.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. (Titus 3:3-8)
Wow! The goodness of Jesus has been given to us! His loving kindness saves us and His Spirit leads us and our children to do the good works the Father has planned for us. These acts of goodness make known the love of Christ and are for the benefit of others. So, when you want to know what is good for you and for others, you don’t need to turn to Consumer Reports. Turn to Jesus Christ. His goodness is now your goodness. Trust Him. He has your best interests at heart.
May the goodness of Christ fill your lives.
Mr. Becker.
Kindness
Trinity Lutheran School – Making Known the Love of Christ
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is … Kindness. (Galatians 5:22,23)
During the 2009-2010 school year, we at Trinity Lutheran School are focusing on the fruit that is born in a Christian’s life as the result of a loving Christ living within him. The fruit of the Spirit of Christ is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We see this fruit in the lives of our children. As they continue being nourished in their faith through the hearing of God’s Word at home, school, and church, their fruit will give witness to the world of the love that Jesus Christ has for all. In January, we will look specifically for kindness.
I know one person who is always kind. You could ask him day or night if he is kind. He would answer, “Yes!” He is Mr. Tom Kind. By virtue of his name, he is always “kind”. Am I always kind? Are you always kind? Are Trinity students always kind? Sadly, we must answer, “No”. Kindness is showing love to another person through benevolence, generosity, charity, sympathy, compassion, or tenderness. Kindness involves putting the other person’s needs ahead of our own. Jesus is the perfect example of kindness. Jesus saw our great need. He saw our sins, trespasses, disobedience, and evil desires. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7) Kindness is embodied in Jesus.
In December we all saw or heard the stories of how the Grinch and Ebenezer Scrooge were changed from their cruel, heartless ways. Their lives were then filled with many acts of selfless kindness towards others. Those stories warm our hearts. How much more will our hearts be warmed when we see the transformation that occurs in our children and in ourselves when Jesus love changes our hearts and fills our lives with acts of kindness? Think of a time when you showed kindness to another person. Didn’t that feel great? More importantly, didn’t that act of kindness bring joy to the other person and make known the love of Christ to that person?
The wisemen brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus as He made himself known to them. What does God require us to bring? The prophet Micah gives us the answer: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”(Micah 6:6-8) In 2010, may we show and love kindness — the kindness that Jesus has shown first to us.
Parents and teachers, thank you for teaching your children how to show kindness to others. Those simple acts of kindness, done without thought for self, are fruit of the Spirit of Christ.
May the kindness of Christ be yours.
Mr. Becker.
Patience
Trinity Lutheran School – Making Known the Love of Christ
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is … Patience. (Galatians 5:22,23)
A Dutch proverb states, “A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.” “We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world”, wrote Helen Keller. Margaret Thatcher is quoted as saying, “I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.”
We are asked to wait patiently for a Christmas gift or a Florida vacation. That’s hard! We wait patiently for test results from the doctor regarding our health? That’s hard! We are expected to have patience with someone who seemingly has nothing better to do than to cause us trouble. That’s hard! We want to be patient with a relative who has gone astray, lovingly waiting for the opportunity to offer forgiveness and restore a loving relationship. That’s hard!
As you can see, there are many instances in our lives when we need to be patient. How can we get the patience that we need? “I want patience, and I want it now!” If you think about it, we tell our children, our spouses, and our friends to be patient as if by our encouragement, others will magically become patient. True, others may put on the appearance of being patient, but are they truly patient? Are we truly patient? True patience is visible in our words and actions, but is born out of a quality from deep within us. How does that quality grow within us? It can’t sprout within us on its own because it is foreign to our human nature. Only when the Spirit of Christ is within us will this precious quality of patience be part of our lives. Therefore, to be truly patient, we need to look to Jesus. To have true patience in our lives, we need to be filled with Jesus and His Word and Spirit.
Patience is an expression of love, and God is love. “Love is patient and kind.” (1 Corinthians 13:4) The Lord is patient and His perfect will unfolds at the proper time to bring us sinners to repentance and eternal life. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Let’s teach our children how to wait patiently as God’s will for our lives unfolds in His perfect time. And may we remind our children that the Lord wants all people to be saved. Therefore, we all, with patient endurance, will share God’s love and life-saving Word with the world until Jesus comes again on the Last Day.
May the patience of Christ be yours.
Mr. Becker.
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; your best, your heavn’ly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. LSB 752, v. 1
Peace
Trinity Lutheran School – Making Known the Love of Christ
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is … Peace. (Galatians 5:22,23)
Who doesn’t want peace? Oh, there are some people who enjoy “stirring things up” to cause dissension and fighting, but most people want peace. Most people would like to rid the world of war, hostilities, fighting, antagonism, violence, strife, dissension, annoyance, distraction, and anxiety. Miss America desires world peace. Men and women are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Young people have joined the Peace Corps. We take vacations to get some peace. Some are urged to make peace offerings to another so that their fightings will cease. Police attempt to keep the peace. These are all attempts by man to create peace on earth. As wonderful as these efforts are, true peace only comes to earth in Jesus.
Sin creates separation between us and God. Sin separates us from each other. As long as we have life and breath, sin will continue to cause separation. Yet, Jesus came to bring peace between God and man and between us humans. The angel at the right announces “Peace on Earth” at the birth of Jesus. Jesus brings forgiveness which creates peace between God and us and with each other. His loving, atoning sacrifice brings true peace.
The children of Trinity Lutheran School learn of Jesus’ love and experience His peace that comes through forgiveness. They then share that same love, peace and forgiveness in their lives. They are bearing the fruit of peace.
Here are some Bible passages which teach us and our students about the peace that comes through Jesus.
•“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27
•“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
•On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” John 20:19
•Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
•And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
•“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Mt 5:9
•May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2
Please continue your faithful and generous support of Trinity Lutheran School.
Mr. Becker
Rejoice
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)
Joy comes from Jesus. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” During the month of October, we at Trinity Lutheran School will focus on the joy that Jesus places in our lives and the joy we share with others.
What a pleasure it is to see joy in the lives of children. Their joy is displayed as they play with friends or when they share a birthday treat with their classmates. More importantly, their joy is exhibited when they sing “Jesus loves me, this I know” and when they confidently say, “I am going to heaven.”
I am also excited to see how a person’s love for Jesus exhibits itself in joyful giving for the benefit of others. Here is a list of some recent gifts from joyful givers:
- School supplies
- McDonald’s receipts, milk caps, and boxtops which Trinity trades in for needed school items
- Handcrafted coat rack and bookshelf
- Sponsorship of holes for Trinity’s Golf Outing
- Donation of an interactive whiteboard
- Providing funds to purchase the hamburgers and hot dogs for Grandparents’ Day
- Paying for Trinity’s internet access for one year
- Gifts to help families with their tuition payments
- Regular, faithful Sunday offerings
On October 25, we will host our second annual “That’s Amoré” spaghetti dinner from 12-2 pm. This is a great opportunity to enjoy great food, warm fellowship, and generous giving. As we come together on that day, we can make this a special opportunity to support Trinity Lutheran School. We would rather that you give generously out of joy rather than endure a pizza or candy sale. Last year about $4500 was given to Trinity through special gifts on that day. Let’s surpass that number this year in joyful response to what Jesus has done for us.
We at Trinity Lutheran School are so very thankful for these and the other gifts you have given to our children. You have brought joy to their lives and enriched their learning. We look forward to your continued joyful giving so that the love of Christ will continue to be made known to the children of our school.
Mr. Becker
Joy
Trinity Lutheran School – Making Known the Love of Christ
Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit
The fruit of the Spirit is … Joy. (Galatians 5:22,23)
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)
What reason do we have to be joyful? There is hurt, disease, poverty, accidents, and disaster all around us. True joy will not come from ourselves or this world. We are sinful, and the world is corrupt. Joy comes from Jesus. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” He has come to us through His Word and sacraments. As He comes to us, He fills us with love and joy.
What a pleasure it is to see joy in the lives of children. Their joy is displayed as they play with friends or when they share a birthday treat with their classmates. More importantly, their joy is exhibited when they sing “Jesus loves me, this I know” and when they confidently say, “I am going to heaven.”
I’ve also had the pleasure of seeing joy in the lives of the adults of Trinity. The love of Christ has brought joy to these adults. His love has lead these people to give joyfully out of their love for Jesus and their love for the children of our school. Here is a list of some recent gifts from joyful givers:
- School supplies
- McDonald’s receipts, milk caps, and boxtops which Trinity trades in for needed school items
- Handcrafted coat rack and bookshelf
- Sponsorship of holes for Trinity’s Golf Outing
- Donation of an interactive whiteboard
- Providing funds to purchase the hamburgers and hot dogs for Grandparents’ Day
- Paying for Trinity’s internet access for one year
- Gifts to help families with their tuition payments
- Regular, faithful Sunday offerings
We at Trinity Lutheran School are so very thankful for these and the other gifts you have given to our children. You have brought joy to their lives and enriched their learning. We look forward to your continued joyful giving so that the love of Christ will continue to be made known to the children of our school.
Mr. Becker
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love! Hearts unfold like flow’rs before Thee, praising Thee, their sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the gloom of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.
Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest, well-spring of the joy of living, ocean-depth of happy rest! Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, fountain-head of love divine: joyful, we Thy heav’n inherit! Joyful, we by grace are Thine! LSB #803, vv. 1, 3