Author Archive

Showing Our Pride

Posted on: June 20th, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church

On Wednesday, June 19th, Trillium members and friends from the neighbourhood gathered on the front yard to take part in the pride painting of the steps. It’s become an annual celebration, a way for the church to welcome the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Timelapse of the 2023 painting of the steps.

The event successfully raised funds in support of OK2BME, an organization that provides essential support services to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. This organization was selected by Trillium’s youth group, which pledged to match donations with a grant from the Renewal Fund aimed at assisting organizations in serving the broader community.

Children painting rainbow colours on the front steps at Trillium.

Welcoming the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has been a priority for Trillium. The youth and confirmation classes of the Trillium have played a large part in leading these efforts, writing the Welcome Statement back in 2022:

"We embrace all those who have ever felt excluded by the Church because of age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ability, economic circumstance, or family status.

Whether you are two-spirited, gay, straight, queer, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, cisgender, intersex, questioning, gender fluid, asexual, pansexual or ally, whatever your country of origin or ancestry; whether you are a believer, a doubter or a seeker, in Christ's love, we welcome you.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, may we co-conspire with those within and beyond our community to usher in God's kingdom of justice and peace."

Read the full welcome statement.

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this happen! Check out the full album of photos from the event on our Facebook page.

Footpaths in Canada Lutheran Magazine

Posted on: June 3rd, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church

Have you spotted Trillium in the April/May edition of Canada Lutheran? The ELCIC heard about Footpaths and asked us to share more about our program.

You can find a copy of the magazine by the office at Trillium or online with a subscription. Check out the story on page 28! 

Farewell Luncheon for Pastor Elina and Pastor Ed

Posted on: May 21st, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church

A farewell luncheon will be held on Sunday, June 16, 2024 after the worship service. Please plan to join us to send Pastor Elina and Pastor Ed off on their retirement. Pastor Elina’s extended family from overseas will be joining us as well. Food will be provided. While their last Sunday at Trillium is Sunday, June 30, 2024, the official farewell will be the luncheon on Sunday, June 16, 2024.

Starting this Sunday, there will also be an opportunity for people to contribute farewell gifts for Pastor Elina and Pastor Ed if they wish.

Special envelopes will be in the bulletins this Sunday and will also be available in the building. You can also bring a donation into the office during regular business hours or mail it in if you are unable to attend our services. If you do so, please indicate that the funds are for Pastor Elina’s and Pastor Ed’s Retirement.

We look forward to seeing you at the luncheon on Sunday, June 16th!

Food4Kids Lenten Project

Posted on: April 5th, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church

Thanks to your generosity, Trillium collected 136 cans of soup during Lent in support of Food4Kids Waterloo Region which receives, packages, and distributes 1,000 food packages weekly through donations, and volunteers drive the food to schools and homes.

St. John’s Nursery School also helped to collect over 30 cans of soup and will be delivering the soup to Food4Kids later this week.

St. Mark’s Place Grand Opening

Posted on: March 19th, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church

St. Mark’s Place held a well-attended open house on Thursday, March 7 for donors and supporters of the Indwell project to transform the church into affordable and supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. The event featured speeches by key partners in the project, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, cake to celebrate and public tours of the renovated spaces.

Trillium has been hard at work to help welcome the new residents to their new homes. Back in November, 84 quilts were delivered to the Indwell staff at St. Mark’s Place as part of the “43 Quilts in 43 Days” project led by the Quilting group at Trillium.

A special mention to the 11 churches who responded to Trillium’s call for quilts, some from over 2 hours away. Due to their generosity, Trillium almost doubled the original goal of quilts. This meant that each resident who arrived at St. Mark’s Place not only got a quilt but could choose which one they would like for their room.

Photo by Pastor Ed

43 Hygiene Kits and 2 Pantry Kits were also assembled by Trillium members and delivered as welcome gifts to the residents, in addition to the quilts. The Trillium Knitting Circle also partnered with another knitting group from the neighbourhood to send 49 knitted hats to St. Mark’s Place this past February.

Photos by Pastor Elina

An enormous thank you to Pastor Elina and Marlene Lennox for their leadership in this process, along with staff, volunteers, youth, friends and neighbours, who gave their time and talents weekly to help ensure the residents feel welcome and supported by their community. See St. Mark’s Place featured on 100 Huntley Street below:

Interested in helping in our outreach activities? We are currently collecting gently used books and games for the St. Mark’s Place common room. There will be a bin set out each Sunday or you can
drop off items to Monica in the office at Trillium during the week.

Also, consider joining our Knitting Circle or Quilting Group…no experience required!

The Knitting Circle meets every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in the Parlour.

The Quilting Group meets on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. in the Coach House.

All are welcome!

Black History Month Worship Service

Posted on: February 14th, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church

Join us for our Black History Month worship on Sunday, February 25th. Worship in person with us on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. or tune in to our live stream on YouTube.

Pancake Supper – February 13, 2024

Posted on: February 8th, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church

Holy Saviour Anglican has invited Trillium to join them for their Shrove Tuesday pancake supper at WK Mennonite Church. Look for the sign-up sheet at Coffee Hour this Sunday after church or email tricia@holy-saviour.on.ca.

When

Tuesday, February 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where

WKUM gym (15 George St., Waterloo)

Cost

$8 per person or $25 per family (pay at the door) 

See the original event posting here.

Soup and Speaker Series

Posted on: February 6th, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church

The annual “Soup and Speaker Series” returns on February 21. Each Wednesday in Lent, a community meal of soup will be served at a local church with a speaker presentation to follow. The theme is “Spiritual Practices As Self-Care”, and features speakers associated with the Centre for Action and Contemplation, the Canadian Community for Christian Meditation, the Kanata Centre for Worship and Global Song (Martin Luther University College) and pastors and leaders from our local congregations.

Trillium will be hosting the series on Wednesday, February 28. As the host congregation, please come and support the event by attending the soup supper at 6 p.m. which will be followed by devotions and a “Spiritual Practices with Children” presentation by Rebekah Ludolph.

Plan to take part and make this your Lenten practice this year!

Spiritual Practices as Self Care event poster.

Worship Band Service – February 11th, 2024

Posted on: February 1st, 2024 by Trillium Lutheran Church
Photo by Elina Salonen

The worship band will be leading us in music at our service on February 11th. We thank them for sharing their wonderful gifts with us yet again!

Join us in person for worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. at Trillium or tune in to our live stream on YouTube.