Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland — who are we and what are we about? We are followers of Jesus. Jesus — who cared for the marginalized, ate with sinners, and touched the untouchable. We are pilgrims on a journey of faith. We do not possess all the answers. We recognize that we have been blessed in so many ways, but we are never blessed in isolation. We are blessed to be a blessing to others.
Therefore, we support more than 36 nonprofits on Whidbey Island and across the globe. We provide rent-free and utility free office space to Helping Hand. This Fall 32 students will go to college, community college, or trade school on TLC Scholarships. All told we will be providing $180,000 in scholarships for the academic year 2021-2022.
Of those 32 students, 17 are TLC members and 15 have no affiliation with the church. Blessed to be a blessing.
I wanted to share two thank you notes from non-TLC students. Thank you all for supporting the work and outreach of your church.
Pastor Jim
Dear Endowment Fund Committee:
Thank you for the generous Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Fund in the amount of $7,000. I am very pleased and appreciative to learn that I was selected as the recipient of this scholarship award. Words simply cannot express the depth of my gratitude.
I will be attending Washington State University in the fall. I am currently enrolled in the WSU Honors college and the Voland College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. I will be pursuing a major in Electrical Engineering. Along with my major, I will be participating in the USAF ROTC with the goal of commissioning in the Air Force as an officer upon graduation. Thanks to your generous scholarship, I am now one step closer to achieving my goals.
Coming from our small school district, the opportunities for awards are limited, so I am very proud of the ones that I have earned. I was named outstanding student at South Whidbey High School, and I am also proud to have been named captain of my tennis team. I will also be receiving my Eagle Scout, which has been a goal of mine since I was a tiger scout 13 years ago. The award I am most proud to have received was the CTE student of the year at my high school. For the past two years I worked very closely with our tech teacher. I spent this time learning how to run the sound, lighting, and live-stream systems. The mentoring I received was of the highest caliber and I will always strive to live up to the potential Mr. Greene saw in me.
By awarding me the Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, you have reduced my financial burden, which allows me to focus on my schoolwork and ROTC without as much worry with how I am going to pay for school. I hope one day that I will also be able to help recent high school graduates reach their goals in higher education by assisting them in the same way you are helping me. Thank you so very much for your generosity.
Sincerely,
Ian Maddux
Dear Trinity Lutheran Church:
I am sending this letter as a sincere thank you for your generous donation towards my college education. This scholarship has enormously lightened my load and will allow me to pursue my education on a deeper level. The other recipients of the Terry Lee Otey Scholarship and I are thoroughly thankful for the impact the Trinity Lutheran Church has made on upcoming college-bound kids. Hearing that I was selected to receive the scholarship filled me with great relief, and I thank you for the time, energy, and funds that went into this year’s scholarships.
In the fall, I plan on majoring in biology to be on track for PA school. I have always had an immense curiosity about the medical field as well as caring for others. This education path will allow me to feel content knowing that I will be alleviating others’ pain. Along with my biology major, I plan on minoring in psychology. Mental health is such an essential part of life that is often neglected in the medical field. By minoring in psychology, I hope to grasp a better understanding of people and their mental health in order to provide better care. Your scholarship will make my future career path more attainable and help me be one step closer to making a difference in life.
This organization’s generosity has been vital to so many young students and has inspired me to take steps to give back to my community. With the funds from the Terry Lee Otey Scholarship, I will work hard in my intended major with the hope that one day I will be in the position to give back to my community and make a difference just as the Trinity Lutheran Church has.
Best regards
Leanne Robbins
