Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Ankeny, IA

  • Home
    • Church Calendar
    • Mission Partners
    • Council
    • Staff
    • Governing Documents
    • Building Use
    • Employment
    • Mobile App
    • Realm Tips
  • Worship
    • Worship
    • Welcome Card
    • Devotions
    • Music Ministries >
      • Adult Choir Schedule & Resources
    • Baptism
    • Weddings
    • Prayer Requests
    • Flowers
    • Serve
  • Learn
    • Children's Ministry
    • Middle School Ministry
    • High School Ministry
    • Adult Learning
    • Grace Notes
  • GIVE
    • Give
    • Capital Campaign
    • Memorials
  • Participate
    • Sign Up
    • Small Groups
    • Calendar
    • Email News
  • WELCOME
    • Welcome
    • I want to Join
    • Our Mission
    • How We Worship
    • What to Expect
    • Contact Us
  • Food Pantry
  • Home
    • Church Calendar
    • Mission Partners
    • Council
    • Staff
    • Governing Documents
    • Building Use
    • Employment
    • Mobile App
    • Realm Tips
  • Worship
    • Worship
    • Welcome Card
    • Devotions
    • Music Ministries >
      • Adult Choir Schedule & Resources
    • Baptism
    • Weddings
    • Prayer Requests
    • Flowers
    • Serve
  • Learn
    • Children's Ministry
    • Middle School Ministry
    • High School Ministry
    • Adult Learning
    • Grace Notes
  • GIVE
    • Give
    • Capital Campaign
    • Memorials
  • Participate
    • Sign Up
    • Small Groups
    • Calendar
    • Email News
  • WELCOME
    • Welcome
    • I want to Join
    • Our Mission
    • How We Worship
    • What to Expect
    • Contact Us
  • Food Pantry

The Beloved community

5/27/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
This coming Sunday the Church observes the Festival of the Holy Trinity – The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Grasping the meaning and essence of the Trinity is not an easy task. In fact, it is ultimately impossible for it is the attempt at trying to express the deepest mystery of a God who is as close as your breath and as distant as the farthest galaxy; as intimate as your most inner thought and as transcendent as time itself. When the Athanasian Creed teaches, “We worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being,” I find myself over my head and out of my depth.

On the other hand, there is a way of thinking about the Trinity that is accessible, and even essential to our daily living. The key is to see the essence of the Trinity as a story of love. “The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (the name of our God) is the most concise way known to tell the story of God revealed in Jesus Christ. On the cross, the Son died, the Father wept, and the love between them reached into the world as the power of the Spirit. In the resurrection, the Son rose to join the Father and the love between them reached into the world as the Spirit bearing hope.

The Holy Trinity is love – a relationship of such perfected unity and self-giving to the other that the three are truly one. The Holy Trinity is the source of love that makes all unity and relationships possible. Without love, there is no creation. Without love, there is no redemption of a broken world. Without love, there is no hope, no future. The Holy Trinity is The Original Beloved Community.

This core of love that stands at the center of the Church is what makes the Body of Christ, the people of God, the priesthood of all believers a holy thing. As the Trinity is The Beloved Community, in love it calls together beloved people to be a beloved community for the sake of one another and the world.

Imagine what the love of the Holy Trinity could do to recreate this world. Each day we see the evidence of violence, brutality, blame, division all around us. We seem to become ever more creative in ways to separate ourselves from our neighbors. The logical conclusion of always dividing and subdividing is hatred and evil. Imagine how we address that process in the name of the Holy Trinity – with love, reconciliation, peace, forgiveness. Imagine the impact of a beloved community alive and active in the middle of this city at this moment in time. Then stop imaging and become part of that community, part of this congregation. Let love bind us all together to be an expression of the Trinity’s divine love together.

In the coming weeks we are going to explore the call we have received to be The Beloved Community in this place, at this time. I invite you to find your place in this beloved community for the sake of your community, your nation, your family, your soul. Why? Because, as we declare on Holy Trinity Sunday, “Our God is Love and love will overcome!”

In love and hope,
​Tim Olson, Lead Pastor
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    ​Categories

    All
    Learning
    Outreach
    Spiritual Transformation
    Stewardship
    Worship

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019

    RSS Feed

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
A congregation of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
517 SW Des Moines St.
Ankeny, IA 50023
Phone: 515-964-4348
Office hours: M-Th 9:00 am-3:00 pm

Worship Schedule:
Sundays at 8:30 and 10:00 am
Livestream on Sundays at 10:00 am on YouTube

Picture
Picture
Privacy Terms

Subscribe to News
Realm
download our app
Calendar