trinitylutheranchurch

To remember and recall the activities from Share the Joy during the 2010 Olympics... articles, schedules and recorded webcasts can be viewed and accessed from this page.

October 15, 2010 — What was it like to volunteer at the Olympics? Two ladies from Ontario share their experience of visiting the West Coast and volunteering at Trinity Lutheran! Click here to read their article from the LWML-C's Tapestry magazine. (PDF file. Article re-published with permission.)

If you haven't had the opportunity yet, please check out the sermons presented during the Olympics. Four full services were video webcast and may be viewed in the Recorded Webcasts in the "Archives from 2010 Olympics" section of the web site. The services include: Ash Wednesday Feb 17, Sunday Feb 21, Lenten Service Feb 24, and Sunday Feb 28. Sermons messages were delivered by Rev Dr Glenn Schaeffer; Lutheran Church Canada's President Robert Bugbee; Trinity's pastor Rev Dr Steven Harold; and LCC's ABC District President Rev Don Schiemann.

As a result of outreach efforts during the Olympics, Trinity Lutheran is featured in several articles in The Canadian Lutheran. See us on pages 20, 21 and 24 of the March/April edition!

A letter of thanks was received from The Gideons for a display they had at Trinity during the 2010 Olympics Share The Joy activities. It reads as follows:

When the Georgian Olympian Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed in a training accident on the luge course at Whistler on the first day of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, Lutheran Church Canada's ABC District President Rev Don Schiemann fully appreciated the pain and grief the parents and family must be going through. Rev Schiemann's own son, a young RCMP officer, was killed in March 2005 along with three other officers. Rev Schiemann is sharing the grief and hope he experienced when his son died through an article he wrote to reach out to Nodar's family. Nodar was a devout Orthodox Christian. Click here to read the article.

Trinity has hundreds of pins remembering the four RCMP officers that were slain in 2005, and volunteers are giving them to visitors to the Games and those who stop by and come into the church. Rev Schiemann will also be delivering the sermon at Trinity at the 11am worship service on Sunday, Feb 28, the Closing Day for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Check out the blog for the 2010 Olympics!  Roving reporters will give a daily update of their experiences.  They will be in and around the Vancouver/Richmond area following the on-the-ground action surrounding the Games and the activities at several churches including Trinity Lutheran in Richmond and Bethlehem Lutheran in Vancouver.  Go to alive@2010

Thursday evening (Feb 25) we enjoyed listening to two individuals: Kelti Malone as she sang a series of songs she has written, and then Mark Washington of the BC Lions as he gave an inspirational talk on "Going for Gold – Once You Win the Prize... Is That All There Is?"  For more information about each person please go to Kelti's website or see Mark's bio and a brief look at his life as a Christian Sports Pro. The concert was webcast and recorded. The recording turned out great! Go to Recorded Webcasts to listen... and enjoy!

An Olympic sized thank you to all our bakers who contributed their time and expertise to our Olympic Kitchen. With its success, we've received requests for a Trinity Olympic Cookbook, which will be available in late April...

We are excited!

The world is coming and we are only 1 km (see map)  from the Richmond Olympic Oval and right across the street from the biggest party happening during the Games... The Richmond O-Zone! Sixty acres of entertainment. 175,000 to 400,000 visitors expected over 17 days! An amazing opportunity to show our Christian Hospitality and welcome all visitors and neighbours!

Our church building will be open from 9am to 11pm from February 12th to 28th. There will be worship services every day, Christian concerts and other entertainment on many evenings, pin trading, an internet cafe, a big screen, and lots of opportunity to mix and mingle!

So whether you want a quiet moment to pause and rest in the sanctuary, or want to engage in lively conversation with others, our church building is open for you!

Everyone welcome!

Come and share the joy!

(Click on the Live Webcast link on the left for a daily schedule of worship times and concerts that will be broadcast in February.  A complete schedule of all Share the Joy activities and times is also online!)

It was unbelievable. It's 9:30pm on February 9th and we just got home from a major traffic jam as thousands and thousands were coming and going from the Richmond O-Zone. We watched as Rick Hansen took the Olympic Torch into the O-Zone, through an entrance right across the street from the church and proceeded to light the cauldron in front of tens of thousands of cheering people (we couldn't see the cauldron because of the fence, but we certainly heard the crowd!).

The church parking lot was open for Free Parking, and many took the opportunity to touch an Official Olympic Torch that was on hand at the church and had their picture taken holding it. The parking lot filled to capacity and each visiting car received a pocket guide.  Hot chocolate and coffee was offered and people looked at our outdoor displays, and kids had balloon animals made for them. After the torch entered the O-Zone, many came in to use the washrooms and took a peek to admire our 20 foot high-definition big screen before leaving.  (A 20' screen is same size as sixteen 60" TV's stacked side by side!) 

My family had to leave before the festivities at the O-Zone had ended. We live 8.5km from the church as the crow flies. When we got home, the fireworks in the O-Zone had started and they sounded like they were in our backyard!  Guess I'll find out tomorrow if any of the windows in the church cracked.

This is going to be an amazing two-and-a-half weeks! So many people to witness the Joy we have in Christ and to welcome into that Joy!

If you would like to "Share the Joy" of Jesus, please sign up now! We still need more volunteers throughout the 2010 Winter Olympics. Most positions are indoors.

Volunteers can choose shifts at four different time slots during the day.  

Volunteers can select from the following roles: Host, Parking Attendant, Janitorial, Pin Trading, Internet Cafe, and Baking.

If you would like to help out, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  (preferred method) or phone the church office at 604-278-5766. A free T-Shirt will be given to volunteers that do three or more 4-hour shifts!

There is a brief orientation at the start of each shift. 

If you are unable to volunteer, you are still invited to come and Share the Joy. As a visitor, there will be lots to see and do!