Inside this issue:

Dear Brothers and Sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ,

It is September and that means it is time to get back to school. Welcome back Trinity Lutheran School students and teachers! It also means that vacations are over and that it is time to get back to work. Put that together and apply it to our congregation and you will notice a dual focus on learning and labor in the Lord. Our 2004-2005 school theme passage focuses on the source of our learning, namely, the word of God. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105). Also, St. Paul reminds us that there is meaning to our labor. "Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord in not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58).
This learning and labor in the Lord is directly related to stewardship. "Christian stewardship is the free and joyous activity of the child of God and of God's family, the church, in managing all of life and life's resources for God's purposes" (Biblical Stewardship Principles, LCMS, p.1). This means that God has entrusted us to manage the time, talents, and treasures that He has graciously given us to serve others in real and tangible ways.

This year's stewardship program is entitled, "The Steward Asks…" As any student knows, you can learn a lot by asking questions. In this and upcoming newsletters, as well as weekly bulletin inserts, a lot of questions will be asked. We will ask and answer questions like: