Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
4118 Avenue R + Brooklyn, NY 11234 + (718)
375-8184
The Rev. Dr. Kipp W. Zimmermann, Pastor
Living the Joy! Proclaiming the Gospel of the Risen Christ!
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Living the Joy! Proclaiming the Gospel of the Risen Christ!
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Adult On-Line Bible Study & Wednesday Evening Bible Study Basketball at Flea Market Vendor Application
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Questions about faith and life! What is a Lutheran? We Lutherans have come to have the name of the great reformer of the church. What makes us Lutheran, however, is not the name, but the teachings that we follow as contained in the Augsburg Confession of 1530 and the other writings of the reformers as contained in the Book of Concord. What are the teachings that we follow? We believe that though there is one God, we have come to experience that God as Father, +Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that God’s fullest revelation of himself is seen in Jesus Christ, who is God in human form, born of the Virgin Mary through the divine intervention of God. We believe that in Jesus God has mysteriously come to dwell both God eternal while yet mortal. We believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah who has come to save the world. We believe that Jesus accomplished our salvation in his selfless acceptance of the cross. We believe that Jesus rose from the dead and that God has promised to raise us also. We believe that God has given us all things freely and lovingly and that we have them through faith in Jesus. There is nothing that we can do earn them, but we have received everything by grace through faith in Jesus. We believe that humans are sinful. For us that means that all people are naturally inclined away from God in rebellion. Our human tendency is to love our selves more than God or others. Do you believe in the Bible? We believe that the Bible, both old and new testaments is given by God as a revelation of his will and his intervention into the human world to create it and to save it. We believe that the Holy Spirit moved in the lives of ordinary people and inspired them to record their experience of God’s intervention in the world. We believe that the Bible is the word of God because it gives testimony to the true Word of God, identified in the Gospel of John, Jesus Christ. Do you have Sacraments? We Lutherans have two sacraments: Holy Baptism, and Holy Communion. We believe that these two are sacraments because they contain the promise of God to forgive us and give us eternal life; because they are commanded by Jesus; and because they have attached some common element, either water in Baptism or bread and wine in communion. We practice other rites in our church. We have confession of our sins every Sunday; we have confirmation in the 8th grade; we honor marriage and perform marriages in church; we ordain our pastors; and we have anointing both for healing and at the end of our life. We consider all of these important; however, we don’t call them sacraments. We believe that in Holy Baptism we receive a new life in the promise of God – forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. We believe that in Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit; that we are admitted as members of the church; and that we become disciples of Jesus sent out make other disciples and to change the world. We believe in Holy Communion that we receive with the bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ and with them the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. Who is welcome to take communion at Holy Trinity? We believe that Jesus extends the invitation to join him at the table, therefore, anyone who has been baptized, received their first communion, and who comes here expecting to receive the Lord’s body and blood is welcome at the table. When do you give First Communion? Once a year we offer instruction in November for those children over the second grade whose parents want them to receive communion. Should pareants wish for their children to receive communion earlier, they may approach the pastor to seek an exception. Our First Communion Sunday is always the First Sunday in Advent. When do you do Confirmation? We give confirmation in the 8th grade. Our expectation is that everyone wishing to be confirmed will attend Sunday School through both 7th and 8th Grade. In the 8th grade the pastor teaches them in a second class on Tuesday afternoon. Confirmation Sunday is on Pentecost Sunday. Why should I join a congregation? There is only one good reason to join a congregation – because you believe what we believe and because you want to join in the work of the congregation in being disciples of Jesus Christ. We are here to do the work of being witnesses to the mighty acts of God in our lives. We are working to bring God’s justice and love to the world. Do you want to join us in doing that? Everyone is welcome. How is the work of the congregation funded? Every Lutheran congregation is an independent unit knit together with other church through participation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The contributions of the members support the work of the congregation, its pastor, and all operating expenses. God has always called upon people to return generously what God has first given them. Our congregation receives no outside subsidy. How might I join Holy Trinity Lutheran Church? The first step is come and worship with us. Come and learn what we we’re about. Second, speak to the pastor and join an Adult Membership Class. This will give you four weeks to explore our faith and life together. The class will prepare you with everything you need to make an informed decision about our congregation. If you are already a Lutheran we can arrange a transfer from your former congregation or your can simply Reaffirm you Baptism. If you are a Christian of another denomination, the Adult Membership Class will help instruct you for membership.
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Musical Selection is provided from the
Lutheran Book of Worship
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