CarrolltonTLC

CarrolltonTLC Trinity Lutheran Church in Carrollton, Ohio. ELCA affiliated.

Through our Lutheran belief in Justification by grace through faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit and God's love, we endeavor to lift high the cross of Jesus Christ by Word and Sacrament.

08/16/2026

12th Sunday after Pentecost, 8/16/2026
Isaiah 56:1,6-8; Psalm 67:1-7; Romans 11:1-2,29-32; Matthew 15:10-28

Grace to you and peace from God our Heavenly Father and Christ Jesus our hope, Amen.

“What might it look like for our communities to provide healing at the same places where the hurt occurred?” (Prof. Joel B. Kemp, Atlanta, GA) Judah had been devastated when the Babylonians invaded, destroyed much of the infrastructure, killed many of its citizens, and finally took many of the elite and intellectuals into exile into Babylon. The land, the way of life they once knew, had changed and would remain that way for years. Only after King Cyrus of Persia and his armies defeated the Babylonians and allowed the exiled people to return could any kind of healing begin to happen. Life was not the same as it once was. The nation wasn’t the same. The Temple needed rebuilt. It would take time in order to bring back some kind of normalcy.
Not everyone went into exile — many had remained behind, surviving as best they could under the foreign oppression. There were others living nearby who also worshipped God, but were considered unclean by those born of the promise. When the return of the exiles began to happen, the outsiders wanted to help rebuild what was lost and destroyed, especially the Temple. They, however, were looked down upon and their help was rejected. They were children of the same God but they were considered unequal to those who returned from exile. They were foreigners, therefore had to stay at “arms length.” The exiled determined who could and could not be considered true children of God/ true believers.
Isaiah tells the exiled as well as those who remained, “and the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, … these I will bring to my holy mt. and make them joyful in my house of prayer. For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. And thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel: ‘I will gather others to them besides those already gathered,’ ”
“Isaiah makes it clear that God owns all religious and cultic paraphernalia that is the basis for admission into the nation. God controls admission because God owns and sustains the community. Isaiah announces not only that foreigners are welcome in the political entity of Judah, but also they can participate in the cultic life of the nation. The vision of a new nation and revitalized religious life requires that God’s house be a “house of prayer for all peoples.” “This new nation consists of all dispossessed who pledge loyalty/love to the Lord and obey his commandments. Isaiah’s vision of an inclusive community founded upon loyalty to God and ethical conduct is considered a precursor to the vision of the kingdom of God revealed in the New Testament. …Membership in God’s movement and community is not determined by national affiliation or geographical origins. Membership in God’s community is open for ‘all peoples.’ “ (Prof. Kemp)
No matter what criteria we establish to determine who is and who is not allowed into God’s presence, if God wants them in, God will bring them in. No matter the excuse for the criteria created, are we truly doing it to protect God or our own comfort? Are we sure we know who really should be here? God knows who He wants. God knows who needs His presence and community. We need to stop and listen more to what God is telling us, we just might be surprised. So, it does not matter the culture, the language, the financial status, or whatever criteria we establish, God’s criteria is what matters. May we open our hearts and arms to those God sends our way. They are, afterall, our sisters and brothers in God.
The peace of God that’s beyond our understanding (will) keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.

We are hoping for good weather, but we are prepared for rain just in case.
08/14/2026

We are hoping for good weather, but we are prepared for rain just in case.

The church picnic and Delaney’s confirmation is happening this Sunday at 11:00am rain or shine. We can’t wait!!
08/14/2026

The church picnic and Delaney’s confirmation is happening this Sunday at 11:00am rain or shine. We can’t wait!!

08/09/2026

11th Sunday after Pentecost, 8/9/2026
1 Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33

Grace to you and peace from God our Heavenly Father and Christ Jesus our Savior, Amen.
Can one be afraid and still have faith? I say, “Yes.” Fear acts as our alert system. The problem, however, is that too many times it shows its prominence in us. Humans always want to be in control of ourselves and every situation we encounter. We don’t like feeling as if we have no control. Fear is a way we tell ourselves to stay away from whatever it is that seems unsafe to us, that might take control from us.
A SGT told me during training simulating leaving a plane by parachute going down a very steep wire to the ground, “Your body is telling you something.” I said, “Yeah. It says not to leave this place.” I also said, “If you want me out the door, you will have to push me.” He did. I prayed hard and said, “I’m going to die” the whole way down. Later a chaplain instructor presented me with a special coin in front of all of my classmates since I faced my fear and accomplished the task. I didn’t want the coin, just to go back to the barracks.
That is one of many situations in my life in which fear got the better of me. I had it while training to be a firefighter. I had it when I joined the Navy and the Army. I have it now sometimes when my PTSD activates. Some of my fear has been manageable while others have paralyzed me (I can’t think straight or even get my body to move as it should). My faith in God and Christ has remained through all that.
Elijah, the disciples, and Peter all displayed fear even as they had faith in God. Elijah was the instrument God used to wipe out all of the priests of Queen Jezabel’s religion prior to today’s story. He ran away and hid in a cave afraid when the queen threatened his life. God came to him, asked a question, then showed him why he should not be afraid, as well as where to find God. Jesus told the disciples not to be afraid, in the midst of a storm, when they saw him walking on water. Peter asked to come to Jesus and Jesus said he could. In the midst of the walk on water, Peter lost his confidence, became afraid, and began to sink. Jesus lifted him up out of the water and took him back to the boat.
Each had been in situations where they witnessed the power and majesty of God in the face of those who tried to challenge it. They had faith and had fear inside them. Their fear was real. My fear is real. Your fear is real. It doesn’t matter how big or small one’s fear is, it takes hold of us to try to get us to hold onto control or to get control back when we feel it was taken from us. The lack of confidence allowed fear to arise in the men in both cases; it does the same to us.
We are children of God. We are siblings to the Son. We are also human with limitations, such as fear that rises to the top when we can’t comprehend a situation or when something wants to take us out of our comfort zones. We like our comfort. It is what we think we can control. In essence, we like being in the bubble of our making. In the 1970s, John Travolta did a movie about a boy with a rare syndrome prone to be susceptible to all kinds of diseases (his immune system was very compromised). He had to live his life in a protective bubble. All of this was done for his safety. What started out as a safe measure became a prison. Fear does this to us.
We profess, “God is with us/Emmanuel.” And yet, the human side tries to tell us otherwise. It takes control when it convinces us that it is true. It is then that God steps in to calm us and fill us with His peace. God comes to us in the silence of a gentle hand of another who reaches out to guide us out of harm or to hold us in comfort. God comes to us in the silence of our prayers reminding us who we are and where our strength comes from. The world is scary, but God is here always. God won’t let the world win. We mean too much to God to let us be taken over by that which tries to tear down our relationship with God.
Fear is and always will be a part of us — it’s our alert system. We need to try to not let it become our master (as hard as it is not to do). When the storms of life rage, may we remember we are not alone; God is with us and will bring us back into His peace. “Let me hear what God will speak, for He will speak peace to His people, to his faithful, to those who turn to Him in their hearts. Surely His salvation is at hand for those that fear(believe in) Him, that His glory may dwell in our land/us.”
The peace of God that’s beyond our understanding (will) keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.

08/03/2026

Please join the family of Dorothy Bailey this Saturday at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church to celebrate her life.

08/02/2026

10th Sunday after Pentecost, 8/2/2026
Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21

Grace to you and peace from God our Heavenly Father and Christ Jesus our comforter and provider, Amen.
Dogs are amazing. They always “hunger” for attention and affection, as well as food. Most want to be petted constantly without stopping. Both my daughters’ dogs are like that. As soon as I walk in the door, they excitedly come to me so I can give them the attention they crave and to comfort them through constant petting. Of course, if someone else appears with food, then all bets are off and the better choice for the dogs is the one with the food. If they look sad enough maybe they will get some of the food. Either way, they never seem satisfied — they always want more.
Today, we hear a story concerning food and those to be fed by it. Matthew has a very large crowd of people tracking down and finding Jesus, because they “hunger” for his attention. Prior to today’s reading, Jesus had just healed many in the area, as well as had been told of the death of John while in prison. Even though he went off to be alone to rest and to grieve, people still sought him out. They were “hungry” for what he had to offer.
This story of the feeding of 5 thousand+ has Jesus take a meager amount of a few bread loaves and some fish, bless them, and then has the disciples distribute to those gathered in that place. We call it a miracle since out of a little lots were provided to the people with much more left over. Jesus’ deeply centered compassion for the people is what the story is about. Without his opening of his heart to the people, there would be no story/miracle.
The more people heard about Jesus, his teachings, and his miracles, the more they wanted to seek him out and be near him. They also hoped they could get a little piece of the miracles for themselves. In one gospel story, after Jesus fed some people, they wanted him to be their king; he went off to an isolated place. As Jesus noted, they only wanted more bread and he happened to be the one that provided it for them at that given moment.
Life was difficult. People living under the oppression of the Romans lived in extreme poverty with a large food shortage — food/ products of the harvest were used to pay taxes, which were high. And too many times their livestock and harvest were confiscated in order to feed their oppressors. It was not an easy time for the people. The people were hungry, so they wanted the food Jesus could provide. They were also “hungry” for recognition as persons/children of God. They were “hungry” for peace and justice. They were “hungry” for better lives for themselves, their families, and their nation. They wanted to be released from their sufferings. They wanted to be cared for and cared about. Sound familiar?
Our world, today, is no different. There are starving people all over the world, including in our own backyards. There are agencies that do their best to provide the food so many need to survive. We are blessed to have some within our own area that we also try to help as best we can. Unfortunately, other programs have either been severely cut in funding and resourcing or completely gotten rid of in a time when so many could use the assistance those programs provided. Providing for those in need should never be a political thing — it is part of our calling as children of God reaching out to all of our brothers and sisters whoever they are and wherever they are.
People also “hunger” for peace. People “hunger” for stability for themselves and their families. People “hunger” for the ability to not have to live day by day trying to decide whether food, medicine, bills should take priority when they are struggling to make ends meet. People “hunger” for compassion, comfort, and strength when they are hurting. People “hunger” for recognition and respect. People “hunger” for God to make a difference in their lives.
The world is “hungry,” shall we do our part to help feed it? Even though we say there is not enough, Jesus says otherwise. “Out of a little, there is much.” “From the few, many can be served.” “We have nothing here but 5 loaves and 2 fish. … all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, 12 baskets full. And those who ate were about 5,000 men, besides women and children. ” So don’t tell Jesus there is not enough; that just challenges him to prove us wrong, and he will as he always has done. It may not be easy, but it’s not impossible, either. Jesus’ compassion can be ours as well. Let’s share it!
The peace of God that’s beyond all of our understanding (will) keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.

07/26/2026

We can’t wait to see everyone August 16th at 11:00am at the Liber residence for the Trinity Lutheran Church picnic. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be provided. Please bring a covered dish to share.
We are also excited to share that Delaney Liber will be confirmed during the service that day.
We hope everyone will be able to join us.

07/26/2026

Pentecost, 7/26/2026
1 Kings 3:5-12; Psalm 119:129-136; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Grace to you and peace from God our Heavenly Father and Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior, Amen.
Today is the day after “Christmas in July.” Every year, building up to Christmas, someone asks another, “What do you want for Christmas?” Santa especially asks this of every child that comes to see him. In the now classic movie, The Polar Express,” the story revolves around a boy trying to figure out what Christmas is all about, as well as who Santa is. Many his age believe, but he struggles to do the same. His parents encourage it and the community encourages it. He is skeptical. He wants proof. Even when a magic train picks him up, along with many other kids, and takes them to the North Pole, his skepticism remains. Only towards the end, prior to Santa’s departure from the North Pole and after his adventure with his new friends, does the boy finally realize that he does believe; Santa just happened to be right behind him when he says he does believe. It is at this point, Santa chooses this boy to receive the 1st Christmas gift and asks him what he would like. The request is simple — a bell that fell off the reins of a reindeer. Nothing grand but something that became more precious to the boy over the years.
God asks Solomon, a new young king, what He could give him. It is strange that God approaches and asks Solomon rather than Solomon approaching God to say what he wanted. A man never destined to be king, yet became one after his father, David, passed. Solomon’s answer was surprising for a man in his position. It was a simple request; a discerning heart/listening heart to dismiss justice fairly and to rule the people in fairness. He wanted a way to properly serve the people of God while at the same time remembering who gave him the blessing. He didn’t want what others in his position would have wanted, which I think surprised God. The gift requested was about others and not about his own selfish greed.
History records that Solomon, as he grew older, became a very wealthy king with lots of wealth, wives, concubines, property. He was blessed with more than his original request. All of this on top of the wisdom blessed to him by God. We also know that like his father, he too would fall in disfavor with God. Yet, in this young age, God saw something in Solomon that He wanted to favor him.
“Solomon’s humility can be a powerful example to us today. He clearly saw himself when he began to consider what God had done for him. We can also learn this humility by reflecting on what God has done/does for us and by cultivating a spirit of openness to instruction in our study of God’s Word. Growing in wisdom often includes going beyond what one expects God to do and being willing to be surprised by what God is actually doing.
Solomon’s request was guided by what would help him fulfill the role God gave him. Solomon’s focus on how he could serve God’s people and fulfill his calling can be a guide for us today, especially in how to pray.” (Prof. Diana Abernethy, Montgomery, AL)
We are who we are and have what we have because of a God who loves us. We have a God who reaches out to us. We have a God who extends a hand for us to grasp and pull us onto dry ground when it seems we are drowning in this big world of ours. We have a God who loves us so much that He asks,”What can I give you?” and wants to give to us. Out of God’s abundance, there is enough for us to receive and to share with those around us. God is for us and we should therefore be for God — now and always.
The peace of God that’s beyond our understanding (will) keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.

03/21/2026

From the Pastor, April 2026

As I write this article, the addition to our house is almost complete. There are just a few things left before it is finished and we can move our bedroom downstairs to our new room, as well as move our washer and dryer to the new laundry room from the basement. It has been a long process. It will be so good when it is finally finished.

I imagine as the people of the Exodus neared the promised land, they were anxious and so ready to cross the river and go home. They had been through a lot in their long history since their ancestors moved to Egypt to escape a severe drought. At first the people of God were welcomed by the Egyptians. As time wore on, the hospitality of the hosts of the land grew tired of the people of God. There then came a ruler who decided the foreigners needed to be enslaved, and so they lived many years in slavery.

I imagine as time wore on, the older generations of Israel began to hope for the day in which they could return to the land of their ancestors — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. At the same time, I can see younger generations considering the hopes of the older ones as mere dreams/fantasies. They could only see the misery of their lives and saw no way to get out of their situation. They felt trapped. Eventually, they remembered God, and cried out to God for deliverance. God heard and responded by providing a new leader — Moses.

The eventual voyage out of Egypt and slavery did happen. The journey the people had to make, following Moses, was long and arduous. No one expected the trip to take years instead of days. They were tested during that long journey. Sometimes they lost it, got upset with Moses and God, and even thought of returning to Egypt. Yet through it all God never wavered in caring and providing for the people. God also had to teach them a lesson and disciplined them at times, as any parent has to do to their misbehaving children. The journey finally came to an end and a new life in the promised land began. God brought them home.

The journey through life is similar. We, like those people of the Exodus, have our moments of grumbling, complaining, getting angry at God and His representatives, and disobedience. Through whatever we experience, God is with us. As we go through this Easter season, may we remember that we are not alone. No matter how long our journeys take, one day we will finally go home to an eternal home/a new promise. We will be welcomed by God and Christ ready to wrap their loving arms around us. On that day, a new part of life will begin. As I have had to be reminded during this build at our home, so must we all be patient. The day will come in due time. Peace, Pr A

03/08/2026

Palm Sunday Service is March 29TH
Baptism of Macey Elizabeth Walters

Maundy Thursday Service will be April 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity-Carrollton

Good Friday Service will be April 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at Trinity-Magnolia

Easter Sunday April 5th

Address

275 N Lisbon Street
Carrollton, OH
44615

Opening Hours

8:30am - 10am

Telephone

+13306274840

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