I am writing to make clarification on a prior article I had submitted to your paper that was published on Feb. 22.
Over the years, I have taken on the role of publicity coordinator and most recently the social ministry chairperson for my church, Trinity Lutheran here in Westbrook. I always try to keep the community informed of the many projects our church does to help others. My latest article I submitted was for a talent show fundraiser for the Mission Possible Teen Center. It was brought to my attention that my choice of the words “admission” and “suggested donation” inferred we were charging the public to come into our “house of worship” to attend the talent show. My intentions were focused on the idea of raising money that in turn would be donated to Mission Possible. With it, a matching grant of up to $400 from Thrivent, a Lutheran financial Fortune 500 Company, would raise some funds for the Mission Possible Teen Center.
In hindsight after looking up the definition of admission, “the act of admitting or allowing to enter, right to enter; access, the price required or paid for entering; an entrance fee,” I must apologize and clarify that I used the wrong words “admission” or “suggested donation” in my submitted article.
Trinity Lutheran church has never charged a fee for any public events nor do they ever intend to. Our doors are open to all and never at a monetary price. A “free will offering” would have been the more appropriate wording to use. It is with much regret that the interpretation has caused some mixed feelings and I must clarify this publicly and not misrepresent Trinity Lutheran Church.
Brenda Orach
Social Ministry Chairperson
Trinity Lutheran Church
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