Trinity Lutheran Church, Pekin, IL

09/02/2026

Greetings fellow Christians,

September Trinity Events

Next Wednesday, September 9
3:30 p.m. - Confirmation
5:00 p.m. - Bell Choir - Anyone is welcome to join the bell choir!
6:00 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal - Come join us to sing praises to our Lord!

Sunday, September 20
9:00 a.m. - Special service to commemorate Trinity’s 85th Anniversary!
10:15 a.m. - Voter's Assembly, during the Sunday School Hour. All communicant members of the congregation, 18 years of age and older, are encouraged to attend. This is an excellent time to be brought up-to-date on what is going on at Trinity. There will still be Sunday School for the children to attend.

Friday, September 25
6:00 p.m. - Trinity’s Wiener Roast - Hot dogs, buns, chips, drinks and table service will be provided. Items to Bring: Please bring a dish to share, lawn chairs and wiener sticks. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board so we can plan on how much food to have on hand.September Trinity Events

09/02/2026

Mid-Week Stewardship Thought

How Much to Give?
“How much should I give?” we ask ourselves. Unfortunately, from our selfish perspective, we may really be asking: “How little can I give and still call it a gift?” Giving is not something that comes naturally to most of us. By nature, we are selfish people who are interested only in the accumulation of more and more things or faithless people, worried about having enough for ourselves for our own comfort and enjoyment. Without an intimate trusting relationship with Jesus, our giving is nominal at best.

In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul used the giving of the Macedonians as a model for the people in Corinth as the Corinthians considered their gifts to the distressed Christians in Jerusalem. The Macedonians pleaded for the privilege of sharing. They did not know the people in Jerusalem personally, but they wanted to help fellow believers. The Macedonians gave sacrificially beyond their ability. They didn’t give their leftovers or what they could afford. They gave to the extent that it impacted their lifestyle.

As we spend time in God’s Word and participate regularly in the Sacraments, God will grant us hearts that plead for the opportunity to give.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be eager to use my gifts and resources to extend Your kingdom. Amen.

Blessings on your journey as a steward!

09/02/2026

08/26/2026

Greetings fellow Christians,

Rally Day - This Sunday, August 30 - During the Sunday School Hour
Join us for Rally Day! Breakfast will be served.

GSLS Marigold Float
One of our favorite times of the year is right around the corner, and GSLS needs your help to make their float festival-ready! Whether you're crafty, creative, or just looking for a fun way to get involved, they would love to have you help decorate their float. No artistic experience is needed - just a willingness to pitch in and have fun! If you're interested, please reach out to GSLS at 309-347-2020 and they will connect you with the volunteer leading the decorating team.

08/19/2026

Mid-Week Stewardship Thought

Love Motivates Our Giving
Love is what motivated God to give. He didn’t give leftovers; He gave His best. He gave us what we needed - His own Son.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Through faith, we begin to understand God’s tremendous love for us, and we are compelled to share with others the love of God that fills our hearts. The more fully we understand how richly God has blessed us, the deeper will be our love and gratitude to Him and the greater will be our desire to respond in giving of what we have to offer, whether it be monetary gifts, our time, efforts, and abilities.

Prayer: Lord, I know that by nature I am a selfish and greedy person. Help me to overcome my selfishness and become the generous person You want me to be. I pray that You will grant me a generous and loving heart so I can be an instrument of generosity. I thank You for Your Word and Your constant love for me. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen.

Blessings on your stewardship journey!

08/19/2026

Greetings fellow Christians,

Rally Day - Sunday, August 30 - During the Sunday School Hour
Join us for Rally Day! Breakfast will be served.

Good Shepherd Lutheran School News
Marigold Float
One of our favorite times of the year is right around the corner, and GSLS needs your help to make their float festival-ready! Whether you're crafty, creative, or just looking for a fun way to get involved, they would love to have you help decorate their float. No artistic experience is needed - just a willingness to pitch in and have fun! If you're interested, please reach out to GSLS at 309-347-2020 and they will connect you with the volunteer leading the decorating team.

Spirit Wear Shop Open
The GSLS Spirit Wear shop is officially open and there are lots of great options for students, parents, and staff. Marigold Deadline: Order your spirit wear by August 24 to help ensure it arrives in time for the Marigold Festival.
Shop GSLS Spirit Wear here:

Online ordering for GSLS 2026 ends on Mon, Aug 24, 2026 (11:59 PM CDT)

08/12/2026

Mid-Week Stewardship Thought

Giving Proportionately
A woman tried to teach her son the meaning of proportionate giving. She took ten pennies from her son’s bank and laid them in a row. The mother said, “These are your ten pennies.” She then put one penny aside and said, “This is for Jesus.” The boy looked at the nine pennies, then at the one. He looked up at his mother, and glancing at the one lonely penny, said, “Poor Jesus.” From the observation of this boy, we can begin to realize how little God asks of us as we consider all the gifts He showers on us every day.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You as a humble and grateful steward who seeks to honor You through my giving. Help me to hold onto my earthly possessions loosely. Grant me a generous heart so I willingly and cheerfully give freely to You. In Your precious name, I pray. Amen.

Blessings on your stewardship journey!

08/12/2026

Greetings fellow Christians,

Rally Day - Sunday, August 30 - During the Sunday School Hour
Join us for Rally Day! Breakfast will be served.

Good Shepherd Lutheran School News
Volunteer Opportunity
Good Shepherd is looking for ways to get more involved with our community. Last year they volunteered to run concessions at a Pekin High School basketball game. This is an easy and fun way to support our community and our local high school, as well as spread the word about Good Shepherd. They need 15 volunteers to run concessions at a home football game. Before they reach out to the high school, they need an idea of how many volunteers they could get. Please fill out the following link if this is something you are interested in helping with: https://forms.gle/9LmhgeTHRk6ifHieA

Marigold Float
One of our favorite times of the year is right around the corner, and GSLS needs your help to make their float festival-ready! Whether you're crafty, creative, or just looking for a fun way to get involved, they would love to have you help decorate their float. No artistic experience is needed - just a willingness to pitch in and have fun! If you're interested, please reach out to GSLS at 309-347-2020 and they will connect you with the volunteer leading the decorating team.

Spirit Wear Shop Open
The GSLS Spirit Wear shop is officially open and there are lots of great options for students, parents, and staff. Marigold Deadline: Order your spirit wear by August 24 to help ensure it arrives in time for the Marigold Festival.
Shop GSLS Spirit Wear here: https://gslspekin.itemorder.

08/05/2026

Greetings fellow Christians,

Rally Day - Sunday, August 30 - During the Sunday School Hour
Join us for Rally Day! Breakfast will be served. Nativity Set pieces will be given out and Milestone Ministry gifts will also be given out.

Good Shepherd Lutheran School News
Volunteer Opportunity
Good Shepherd is looking for ways to get more involved with our community. Last year they volunteered to run concessions at a Pekin High School basketball game. This is an easy and fun way to support our community and our local high school, as well as spread the word about Good Shepherd. They need 15 volunteers to run concessions at a home football game. Before they reach out to the high school, they need an idea of how many volunteers they could get. Please fill out the following link if this is something you are interested in helping with: https://forms.gle/9LmhgeTHRk6ifHieA

Marigold Float
One of our favorite times of the year is right around the corner, and GSLS needs your help to make their float festival-ready! Whether you're crafty, creative, or just looking for a fun way to get involved, they would love to have you help decorate their float. No artistic experience is needed - just a willingness to pitch in and have fun! If you're interested, please reach out GSLS at 309-347-2020 and they will connect you with the volunteer leading the decorating team.

Good Shepherd is looking at different ways to get involved in our community. We are looking for volunteers to help with concessions at Pekin High School football game this fall. We do need 15 volunteers, this is an awesome way to not only support our community, but also to spread the word about Good...

08/05/2026

Mid-Week Stewardship Thought

The Wise Use of Our Time
“Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Time, as well as other areas of life, is affected by God’s principle of sowing and reaping. If we spend our time unproductively, we will not reap the rewards in the same way had we invested our time wisely. If we sow little, we will reap little. The seeds we sow will determine our harvest. The would-be athlete who spends no time building up his body finds himself on the bench, if he’s chosen for the team at all. The aspiring musician who spends no time practicing her instrument is not the one who earns the solo performance.

Christians who spends time in the Word of God and taking part in the Sacraments during regular worship discovers that their faith carries them through the valleys of life. Christians know this is time well spent.

Prayer: Dear good and gracious Heavenly Father, although I fail to give You the time that You deserve, You always give me Your time. I thank You for Your willingness to listen to my prayers and to answer according to Your will. Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness to me and all people. Help me to use my time in the reading and studying of Your Word. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Blessings on your stewardship journey!