We all know what Christmas is-no one in our culture could miss it with the shopping frenzy that begins the day after Thanksgiving, all the ads and Christmas specials on TV, and then we have a federal holiday for it as well. As Christians, we also know what Christmas is: it's the day we celebrate God becoming human in Jesus Christ. It is one of the most profound understandings of our faith and therefore it is one of the most important celebrations of the year. But what about the seasons that sandwich Christmas-what about Advent and Epiphany? While many in the church know what these are, many outside of the church do not.

Advent is the season that leads us to Christmas. Traditionally it was a time of penance and mourning. Christians used to fast (from meat and other rich foods) during Advent only to break their fast on the Feast Day of the Nativity also known as Christmas. Advent has traditionally been a dark and brooding time-a time when we recall the ways that our world in need in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. We read prophetic passages from the Old Testament that not only acknowledge that we live in harsh times, but also promise God's coming Redeemer. One of the ways we move to the promise of Christmas is by lighting candles on an Advent wreath-each candle brings more light into the Sanctuary and into our lives until the Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve.

This year at Trinity, our worship theme that will carry us from Advent to Epiphany is Jesus Christ, Light of the World. In Advent we will focus on four global issues that cause so many people in our local community and around the world to "walk in darkness." On November 29, the first Sunday of Advent, our theme will be HIV/AIDS which coincides with World AIDS Day on December 1. Not only will we mourn the devastation that HIV/AIDS has caused in the lives of so many in our country and around the world and pray for those afflicted by this dreadful disease, we will also remember those who have died by displaying two panels from AIDS Memorial Quilt. These quilt panels will serve as a part of our Advent/Christmas decorations for the month of December. On December 6 our theme will be Terrorism and our guest preacher will be the Rev. Dr. Damayanthi Niles. Damayanthi's sermon will be her reflection on the terrorist attack that took place in Mumbai, India one year ago. On December 13 our topic will be Homelessness. We will focus not only on the problem, but on how we are called to respond. On December 20 our topic is Hunger. On that day we will collect our annual Food Pantry offering.

These are all serious and sobering topics-the very kind of topics that we need to give voice to in Advent. But these will not be depressing or discouraging services-for while we focus on the gloomy clouds that shadow our world in Advent, we also look forward to Christmas when Jesus, the Light of World is born.

Our Christmas Eve celebration happens in two lessons and carol services, one at 5:00 p.m. and the other at 11:00 p.m. The 5:00 service is our "no-shushing" service and has proved to be popular with families with small children. Both services are appropriate for people of all ages-and these are great services to invite friends to.

Our Jesus Christ, Light of the World celebration will not end on Christmas Eve, but we will carry that theme through to Epiphany. The word "epiphany" means revealing of God-and it follows the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Traditionally the story of Wise Men is read that day as we celebrate the light and life of Jesus Christ being revealed to all the world. We will have a celebration of light on January 3.

As a kid, Christmas was always one of my favorite holidays of the year. I loved the music, the presents, the family and the food. Our church year gives us a great opportunity for us to discover new meaning of the Nativity as we move our way to Bethlehem in Advent and as we linger with the Wise Men on Epiphany.

Sunday, 11/29

10:30 a.m. Worship - First Sunday of Advent; THEME: HIV/AIDS Featured

scripture: Preacher: Rev. Julie March

Tuesday, 12/1

Presbyterian Women Christmas dinner gathering, 6:30 p.m., Dining Room

Sunday, 12/6

10:30 a.m. Worship - Second Sunday of Advent. THEME: Terrorism, Celebration of Holy Communion. Preacher: Rev. Dr. Damayanthi Niles.

Saturday, 12/12

St. Louis Baroque: Christmas Music from Colonial Mexico, Sanctuary, 7:30 p.m., $15/$10 (seniors and students). St. Louis Baroque presents a holiday concert featuring Christmas cantatas and songs from colonial Mexico. The concert will feature vocalists Nancy Bristol, Jessica Heuser and Samantha Swanson singing duets and trios celebrating the nativity story. The instrumental ensemble includes baroque violins and baroque guitar and includes William Bauer and Celina Boldrey, baroque violins and Jeffrey Noonan, baroque guitar and theorbo.

Sunday, 12/13

10:30 a.m. Worship - Third Sunday of Advent. THEME: Homelessness, Preacher: Dan Anderson-Little.

Sunday, 12/20

10:30 a.m. Worship - Fourth Sunday of Advent. THEME: Hunger.

Christmas Cookie Fellowship after Worship - Congregational refreshment time while packaging and delivering cookies that day to local homeless and social service programs. (more information...)

Monday, 12/21

OASIS Older Adult Band holiday concert, 6 p.m., Dining Room, Free

10^th Annual Worldwide Winter Solstice Chant for Peace. Participate in a 1 hour chant for peace (worldwide the chant is 24 hours), coordinated by the House of Mica Peace/Sound Cham ber community in New York. Songs & chants from various traditions around the world. Chapel: 7:30-9pm.

Thursday, 12/24

Christmas Eve Family Service (No-Shushing), 5:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of Lessons & Carols, 11:00 p.m.

- Sharon Christopher, Stacy Shupe, Karen Coletti

Sunday, December 20, will be a special day of celebration as we enlarge our traditional Advent Candlelight Coffee Hour to include sharing with our neighbors in the community. Here is the plan:

• We will bring our cookies for sharing to Weems Chapel before worship Sunday morning.
• Following worship we will enjoy cookies and coffee and fellowship in the chapel, along with
• Assembling cookies into festive bags, and then
• Take our giveaway cookies to designated agencies and shut-ins.

There will be much to do - baking, assembling, delivering, visiting, as we share this Fourth Advent Sunday. Watch for more details and mark your calendars now!

On Monday, December 21, at 7:30 p.m., participate in the 10^th Annual Worldwide Winter Solstice Chant for Peace. This one-hour chant for peace is coordinated by the House of Mica Peace/Sound Chamber community in New York. Songs and chants from various traditions around the world. No experience necessary. Weems Chapel, 7:30-9 p.m..

This year, Trinity's Advent book of reflections is a compilation of highlights from years past. In an effort to save costs, we will send books to all out of town members and those receiving Advent bags. A pile will be in the Narthex for your taking. It is already available on the church website.

At some point we have all wondered why attendance at mainline churches, even theologically and socially progressive churches such as our own, has been slowly and inexorably declining. We are concerned; we are worried; but we don't really understand. If people are indeed spiritual, why aren't they religious? Join us as we explore this topic. We will use emergent pastor Dan Kimball's DVD educational series, "They Like Jesus but not the Church," as the jumping off point for our discussion and exploration of the "spiritual but not religious" phenomenon. Led by members Lisa Bernhard and Diane O'Brien. December 6-December 20, 9:30 a.m., Chapel.

Rapid Re-housing. The non-profit organization Employment Connection is implementing the Rapid Re-Housing Program, a St. Louis County program funded by HUD. This program assists individuals who are currently homeless in securing housing by providing rental, utility, and security deposit assistance. The program does not provide funds for furniture or household products, and clients usually have nothing when they are placed in housing. For this reason, Rapid Re-Housing clients are in need of donations (furniture, household products, and toiletries). We hope the Trinity congregation can help Rapid Re-Housing clients fill their homes with basic belongings and items. Check your bulletins, newsletters and emails for requests as needs arise!

University City schools update. Rev. Bill Lorenz and a small group of Trinity members have begun talking with University City school officials and principals about ways in which Trinity volunteers can help strengthen the district. Stay tuned for ways you can participate in activities or volunteer opportunities.

CROP update. We raised $1,085 for CROP at Trinity, beating our goal of $1000, but not quite reaching the $1,900 we donated last year. The money goes to help feed the hungry in the St. Louis area.

Food pantry/turkey update. A note from Stacey Carman: GOBBLE!! GOBBLE!! THANK YOU TRINTY MEMBERS!!! Because of your generous donations, we were able to hand out 89 turkeys, 50 bags of stuffing and cranberry sauce and 44 sets of our regular bagged food. We also handed out 50+ bags of Sara Lee bread that was donated by the daughter of a couple who are members. Thank you all for helping make the holidays a little brighter for families in need. Our numbers in the past 6 weeks have increased dramatically so donations are welcome more than ever.

Habitat for Humanity. See below!

- Patrick Gibbons

We finished Sheronda Tate's home with some landscaping work on Saturday, October 24. The home was dedicated and she received her keys, a bible, and a homeowners manual Wednesday, October 14. She moved in shortly after that, with her mother and her 4-year old son. Sheronda prepared delicious food-homemade pizza and stuffed shells-for a housewarming party on Saturday, October 24. Members of the sponsoring churches brought food, drinks, and gifts. We Trinity members gave her a $50 gift card to use as she continues furnishing her home.

I have a great picture of Sheronda, standing with two new friends at her back door, which she was painting that day. Sheronda is wearing the blue shirt, identifying her as a home buyer. Wendy, standing next to her, bought her Habitat house in the Jefferson-Vander-Lou neighborhood about one mile further north, in 2004 or 2006, I am not sure which. Sandy, sitting, bought her Habitat house in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood in 2001. They both volunteer Saturdays to give back to others as their volunteers gave to them. Wendy has come almost every Saturday this year. (see the picture in the the .PDF version of the Trinity News)

- Brian Muegge, Stewardship Chair

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This congregation heard the Call to Stewardship and answered "Here We Are Lord"! At last count, 92 pledges have been turned in, totaling more than $260,000 committed for 2010. This is a great start to our campaign, especially in these trying times. It's particularly exciting that we have more than a dozen new pledges from members or friends of the church - our ministry and spiritual community is growing as we speak! The Session is working hard to eliminate the budget deficit and expand mission efforts, and increased pledging is essential to achieve that goal and help their planning. We are on target to exceed the number of pledgers and total amount pledged compared to 2009, but to make this goal a reality we need everyone's support.

If you haven't renewed your pledge yet, or if you are considering making a pledge for the first time, please do so now. Simply contact Linde Baechle, our Financial Administrator, by calling or sending her an email with your name and the amount of your pledge (beckjeffries@yahoo.com). If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with anyone on the Stewardship committee (Jenn Clodi, Sarah Hotaling, Brian Muegge, Rob Peglar, Larry Pontious, Evan Reid).

- Keith and Ann Fischer

On a recent trip to New York and Boston we had great visits with former Trinity members Paul Vasile and Dawn and Jim Mahoney. Paul is thriving in New York City with its rich musical and social resources. Dawn and Jim live a block from the beach in a beautiful part of New Hampshire in a house they are renovating (rebuilding?). All said to give their greetings to people at Trinity. (see the .PDF version of the Trinity News for pictures)

We would like to welcome Ed and Christine Chen into the Trinity family. Christine is a pediatrician at Mercy Pediatrics at St. Johns. Ed, currently a family practitioner at a St. Johns clinic in Crestwood will be moving to their new office in Kirkwood. Ed and Christine went to medical school at Saint Louis University. Christine discovered Trinity during medical school when looking for a church home and then introduced Ed to Trinity. Both enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere, the diversity and Pastor Dan. During their residencies, they spent a month in Botswana working at a clinic for children with HIV. After a year in San Antonio for residencies, they returned to St. Louis and to Trinity. Both Ed and Christine enjoy the outdoors, mountain biking, hiking, and running two marathons together. They live in Kirkwood with their dog, Billie, and a cat named Nirk.

When Cathy Smith asked us to sponsor Ed and Christine, Christine's name sounded very familiar to me but it took a bit to place her as we had not met at Trinity. I soon figured out that she was the doctor in our pediatrician's office that had treated our daughter Mia a couple weeks before. We were very pleased with her care. We welcome Ed and Christine and encourage each of you to get to know them better too.
- Matt & Christy Schindler

I'd like to introduce to you the Brown family - Dana, Scott and Franki. Their home was warm and inviting, with glowing jack-o-lanterns awaiting my arrival on a damp, dreary October evening. We spent some time getting to know each other and playing with Franki before her bedtime. Dana has a degree in Social Work and currently works for Magellan Health Services in Earth City. She was born in Ohio but moved to St. Louis when she was a toddler. Her father lives in Ballwin, but her mother passed away a few years ago. Scott is employed at the Polsinelli, Shughart law firm in Clayton. He is originally from New Jersey, moving here in the mid-'90's. Scott's extended family is located in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Franki currently attends pre-school at Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis, and would love to one day have a puppy which she intends to name Buttercup. One look into Franki's big, bright eyes and your heart will surely melt. (Please take a moment to ask her on what special day her birthday happens to fall!) The family hobbies include papercrafting, bowling and visiting area parks to discover the joys of each new playground. Taking life just one day at a time is this young family's motto; spending time together is their greatest pleasure. While Dana's religious background was initially shaped by the Catholic Church, Scott has always been a Presbyterian. They have been seeking a church home for more than two years, and were drawn to Trinity's love of diversity. In time, they hope to find their own personal niche here. Please join me in welcoming this lovely family into Trinity's midst and ministry.
- Elaine Pontious

My path has been crossing with Kim Seip for the past three years, in school settings and as neighbors on Trinity Ave., and I welcome her and her two kids to Trinity. Kim grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from UCLA. She lived in Washington D.C. and Nashville before coming to the St. Louis area in 2000 with her husband, Fred. Kim was a teacher prior to starting her family and enjoys gardening her large garden, golfing, and travel. She describes Fred as a "recovering Catholic" and rare church goer, but hopes that the warm welcome she has felt at Trinity will make him consider attending. Fred is an IT consultant who went to Southwestern University in Texas and Vanderbilt Business School. Connor, 9, is in third grade at Captain School in Clayton and loves karate. Shelby, 7, is in second grade at Delmar Harvard (she and Karl are in the same class), was adopted five years ago from Ukraine and is an excellent golfer. They found out about Trinity from us Nelsons and Joan Wysession and decided to join Trinity because of the warm, welcoming atmosphere, great music and wonderful people. Before moving to University City three and a half years ago, they were active in New Hope Presbyterian church.

Please join me in welcoming Kim, Connor and Shelby to Trinity. - Liz Nelson

On Sunday, November 8, the Trinity congregation held a sending ceremony for Shanthi Philips as she begins a 27-month tour with Peace Corps in the African country of Lesotho. Shanthi will teach math at a high school in the mountainous African nation. This will be a quite a change from her work as a actuary that she has done for the past three years. Please keep Shanthi in your prayers as she serves on this extended mission trip. If you want to keep up with Shanthi you can read her blog at http://shanthiphilips.blogspot.com.

Shanthi said her aspirations are to do something fulfilling with her time, to make a difference in someone's life, to help others who have not had the same opportunities that she has in her life, to do something she can be proud of and that others can be proud of her for, to gain experiences and learn things she can use for the rest of my life. "I want to have an adventure. I want to learn how other people in the world live, and relate to them on a personal level. I want this experience to shape who I am and make me a better person."

- Julie March, Minister of Equipping

It's hard to imagine an individual more active and involved in the life of Trinity Presbyterian Church than David Nelson. As a Trinity member for eight years, Dave has answered the call to serve God and God's people in a multitude of ways. Many of you know Dave as a gourmet cook extraordinaire, but his skills and passions show up in many other areas as well.

A great deal of Dave's time, energy and service has been put into Equipping Ministry, a Trinity ministry that seeks to draw Trinity members closer together in prayer, fellowship, study and service and to reach out to the surrounding community and the world. Dave was a member of the team who studied the staffing and mission of Trinity and discerned that Equipping Ministry was a promising new venture for Trinity and its members. Dave continues to be very active in Equipping Ministry by serving on the Equipping Ministry Team, working on Equipping projects, planning the new small group initiative called B&B's (Bonding and Bridging), and serving as a liaison for one of our first B&B groups. Dave also administers the blog for the B&B small group ministry, has helped organize mission fairs for the congregation and brought green practices to Trinity.

Dave serves as a teacher of our children in our Spiritual Growth program, is a current member of the Session, heads up the Peace Prayer Team, and has organized, cooked and served at many of Trinity fellowship events, such as the Maundy Thursday dinner and the church picnic. Dave was a founding member of Trinity's Welcoming Team, and a current member of the Evangelism and Welcoming Commission, and has also served on and chaired the Personnel Commission. Dave is also active in the community volunteering in many capacities at Delmar-Harvard elementary school which his children attend. As a husband and father, Dave is married to Trinity Church Administrator, Liz Nelson, and their children Karl and Julia are also very involved at Trinity.

The very essence of Equipping Ministry is love and service for God and for others, and these gifts are from God. The Apostle Paul wrote the members of the Ephesian Church: "The gifts Jesus gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ." God continues to pour out these gifts on us, and Dave Nelson's ministry at Trinity Presbyterian Church inspires us all to reach out and use our own gifts for ministry.

- Liz Nelson, Church Administrator; members of the BrowN Baggers

Why should the adults have all the fun? Bonding and Bridging small groups (B & Bs) have been running for adults since early summer. But a few months ago, Minister of Music Vicki Carmichael and member Karen Coletti decided to create a Bonding & Bridging small group experience for 3^rd through 6^th graders. They gather three weeks per month after worship for a time of food ("BnB" for them stands for BrowN Baggers), music, improv games and art. They have sung and played chimes in worship and have prayer partners. To them, bridging and bonding are ways they learn to love other people.

Vicki shared with me the results of one of their discussions about what "bridging" and "bonding" means to them:

• Ways in which we can bond with others: Bonding occurs when we appreciate what is similar about ourselves and others (e.g., a bond over liking the same type of music or sports). Bonding is done by spending time together, talking with each other, helping each other, forgiving each other, and including and inviting each other.
• Ways in which we can bridge to others: Bridging is necessary to help us appreciate what is different between ourselves and others (finding ways to cooperate when we don't share experience or have similar opinions). We bridge by communicating, making an effort to understand our differences, helping each other, forgiving each other, inviting and including others, communicating our feelings, needs and wants honestly, and being kind and respectful.
• We also asked ourselves the question, "What would the world be like if everyone loved each other?" We thought these things might be true in that kind of world: No one would be hungry, there wouldn't be any war, and no one would be lonely/friendless.

These young people have insight from which we can all learn. They will continue to explore how to live out and share these ideas with each other, with the church family, and with others in the world through their group activities and projects. If you have kids interested in joining this BnB group, please talk to Vicki or Karen.

- Nancy and Bob Wagoner

As was mentioned during a recent Sunday service, members of Trinity will again be participating as part of a mission service team to Guatemala under the auspices of The God's Child Project. The inter-denominational team is currently being formed and will include members of multiple St. Louis churches who have been before, as well as those who will participate for the first time. The dates of the 2010 trip are Tuesday, February 23 through Thursday, March 4.

During the 10 days in Antigua, the old capital of Guatemala, the team will be building simple homes (no previous building experience required !) for families whose children are involved with the educational programs provided by the project. In addition to the building effort (supervised by local foremen who know all the details about what to build and how to build it), team members will also have the opportunity to experience other aspects of The God's Child Project, including clothing distribution, the homeless shelter, and the malnutrition center. Living with local families as well helps to provide each participant with a more complete picture of life in this struggling Central American country.

If you have any interest in making this exceptional journey, any of the Trinity participants (Pat Courtney, Dayna Early, Nancy and Bob Wagoner) would be glad to answer any questions you may have. I think all would describe this trip providing service to our Guatemalan brothers and sisters as truly a "life-changing" experience! If you feel "the call", please don't hesitate to inquire....you won't regret it. For those who want to support the project but don't feel able to make the trip, we will notify you of potential items that can be donated that we can take with us for distribution to the families.

- Dan Anderson-Little

Many of you are aware that in May, Trinity Presbyterian Church launched a new worship service called The Commons. This service is an effort to share the love of Jesus Christ and the values of Trinity Church with folks who connect with a style of worship different from that offered at our Sunday morning service.

The service, largely run by a planning team of members and friends of Trinity, has helped us explore alternative ways to structure a worship service and connect with people who are looking for something less traditional. As the service recently reached the six month point, the planning team assessed how the service was going and whether the goals for the service were being met.

As the team went through the process of assessment and reflection, the members identified many things that were rich and fulfilling. We also identified areas where change and new directions are needed. Because we have had such profound and enriching experiences through the planning and participation aspects of this service, we are firmly committed to moving forward with the service, though perhaps in a new direction. We feel that we have already accomplished something both difficult and exhilarating- the creation and completion of phase one of building a new worship experience. We are now at the point where we think some redirection, with an increased emphasis on spreading the reach of the service, is not only wise, but vital. We are therefore taking a short sabbatical from the weekly hosting of the Commons, so that we have the time, focus, and energy to shepherd The Commons into its next phase. We hope that this time off is brief and that we will reemerge with a service whose appeal and reach are broad.

I am thrilled at the vision, faith and hard work that the planning team has poured into this effort. This ministry has two important dynamics that I believe are important to everything we are currently doing and will be doing at Trinity in the future. One, the group tried something new. We often want to know if something is going to be a success before we try it. The planning group, with no guarantee of success and few resources (other than passion and hard work) decided to try their idea out. The future of church will be built on such experiments.

The second dynamic that the group adopted was one of ongoing assessment and renovation. Rather than continuing without reflection, the planning group examined its goals, its work and its vision and critically evaluated how well all of them matched up. When it was clear that some refinements were needed, they made the hard decision to suspend the service temporarily, in the belief that this was necessary for the desired growth of the service. It would have been far easier to maintain the status quo or call it quits. But, this group is composed of people who are not only dedicated but stubborn, so please support them and this effort during this transitional period. For this effort to be successful and reach those beyond our purple doors, the love, prayers, and full-throated support of the entire Trinity community will be needed.

Please continue to pray for The Commons Planning Team. We have a lot of work ahead and trust that God will get us where we need to be. (Members of The Commons Planning Team are Lisa Bernhard, Diane O'Brien, Jim Person, Kate Shoemaker, Paul Devine, Barb Rand, Daniel Anderson-Little, Connie Toretta and Dan Rubright.)

(Click here for Advent calendar)

Mondays, 12/14, 12/28 - Genesis House Bible Study, 1 pm, Youth Lounge

Tuesdays - Presbyterian Women, 11am, Dining Room

Wednesdays - 1-4 pm, Winger Food Pantry, Dining Room

Thursdays - Trinity Choir rehearsal, Choir Rm. 7pm-9:20pm

Thursdays - Bell Choir rehearsal, Choir Rm., 5:30-6:45pm

Sundays, 12/6, 12/13, 12/20 - kid small (BrowNBag) group, 11:45am-12:45pm, Rm. 206

Sundays, 12/13, 12/27 - Wild with Words writing group, 6:30 pm, Chapel

Tuesday, 12/1- Presbyterian Women's Christmas dinner 6pm, Dining Rm. Bring a salad or dessert to share & white elephant gift to exchange.

Wednesday, 12/2 - Session meeting, 7 pm, Chapel

Monday, 12/7 - Facilities Meeting, 9am, library

Tuesday, 12/8- Deacons potluck, 6 pm, Roman house (verify with Joanne)

Saturday, 12/12 - Confirmation class @ Trinity, 5-7:15 pm

Thursday, 12/17-Festival Choir Messiah selections rehearsal, 7pm-9:20pm

Thursday, 12/24 - choir call time 10:15 p.m. for 11:00 worship service

Ongoing Mission: Rapid Re-housing - Trinity has partnered with this organization to provide household items needed for families moving from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Needed: Appliances, kitchen items, linens, toiletries, furniture. Questions & coordination: Liz Nelson and Emily Ehrhart (wife of member Brian Jeter): brjeter@gmail.com

• Person to pick up food from the STL Area Food Bank in Earth City and deliver it to church about every 2 to 3 months. (not Boy Scout food) Food is preordered by Stacey and will not be large quantities.
• Person to travel to STL Area Food Bank in Earth City to help Stacey load 50 cases of Boy Scout food once a month - Nov. - March. A typical trip includes arrival at the STLAFB around 10:00 a.m. with loading taking about 20 minutes.
• In 2010: Shoppers, Baggers, Wednesday workers, Boy Scout food sorters

Please contact Stacey with your questions: carmans@swbell.net

• 13 people responded quickly to the call for help gathering & bagging bread donations for the food pantry;
• About 12 kids are attending confirmation class & The Commons
• Fair Shares (local food co-op) is now donating a share to a food pantry family 2 times a month;
• a woman delivers apples from her orchard each week to the food pantry families

Continue to get involved & also pray for these God-sightings!

The food pantry is holding monthly competitions. THIS MONTH: How much stuffing and cranberry sauce can we donate for the food pantry during November?

Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis (MCCGSL) is holding a World AIDS' Day worship service Tuesday, Dec. 1st, 7pm at 1919 S. Broadway. This will be an interfaith and interagency worship remembering the lives that we have lost to HIV/AIDS; honoring the lives of those who live with this life-threatening illness; and raising awareness.

Rev. Julie March is leading a retreat for the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy in early December, and all Trinity women are welcome to attend. Mound Ridge Camp & Conference Center, 6 pm, Friday, December 4 - noon on Sunday, December 6. Contact Julie at juliammc@sbcgloblal.net for information and to register for the retreat.

This congregation heard the Call to Stewardship and answered "Here We Are Lord"! At last count, 92 pledges have been turned in, totaling more than $260,000 committed for 2010. This is a great start to our campaign, especially in these trying times. It's particularly exciting that we have more than a dozen new pledges from members or friends of the church - our ministry and spiritual community is growing as we speak! The Session is working hard to eliminate the budget deficit and expand mission efforts, and increased pledging is essential to achieve that goal and help their planning. We are on target to exceed the number of pledgers and total amount pledged compared to 2009, but to make this goal a reality we need everyone's support. If you haven't renewed your pledge yet, or if you are considering making a pledge for the first time, please do so now. Simply contact Linde Baechle, our Financial Administrator, by calling the office or sending her an email with your name and the amount of your pledge (beckjeffries@yahoo.com). If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to speak with anyone on the Stewardship committee (Jenn Clodi, Sarah Hotaling, Brian Muegge, Rob Peglar, Larry Pontious, Evan Reid).

We've partnered with this organization to help provide furnishings and necessities for people moving from homelessness into homes. Check the Narthex and magnetic board by the elevator for items needed. Donations can be stored in the room next to the food pantry. Arrangements can be made for larger donations to be picked up.

...will be held at 6pm on Tuesday, Dec. 1^st in the dining room. Please bring a salad or dessert, as well as a "white elephant" gift to exchange. We can't guarantee the quality of the gift, but promise lots of laughs, fellowship and food. Women of all ages are welcome.

If you like singing, but are unable to make the weekly commitment to Trinity choir rehearsals and services, here is your opportunity during Advent!

Want to sing some of Handel's Messiah during Advent? Then I've got the perfect opportunity for you!! Trinity Choir would like to invite you to join them in singing during worship on December 20th. We'll do two choral pieces from the Christmas portion of The Messiah that day-- "O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion" and "And the Glory of the Lord."

Come to rehearsal at 7:00 PM on Thursday Dec. 17th and again in the morning on Sunday Dec. 20th at 9:30 AM. All are welcome! Contact Vicki or Bill with any questions (office: 314-725-3840)

Dr. Dan Anderson-Little

Pr. Linda Anderson-Little
St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Clayton, MO
Bishop's Convocation; Evening Worship
Personal Testimony-November 4, 2009

John 1:1-5, 14

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being
4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it....
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

The Word of the Lord.

Thank you to Janice for the invitation to share with you where God has been showing up in my life. I am truly grateful to be here-and I don't just mean here in Osage Beach, but I am so thankful to be here-alive.

My name is Linda Anderson-Little and I am privileged to be the pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Clayton, a first-ring St. Louis suburb. --First a little about me--I was ordained in 1989 and these have been the best 30 years of my life (!) My first call was to an urban church in Detroit-part of the Detroit Lutheran Coalition. Then my husband, Dan, a 6th generation Presbyterian pastor received a call to Kansas City. I served St. Mark's Lutheran church in Kansas City -just 3 miles from Dan's congregation. I served there for 4 years and then resigned and stayed home 9 years while our 3 children were small. We moved to St. Louis 10 years ago, where Dan serves as pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in University City. In 2005, when our youngest entered 1st grade, I started the process to return to the clergy roster and was called to serve St. Mark's in Clayton in Oct., 2006, again just 3 miles from where Dan serves, in Oct. 2006. When asked how God shows up in my life-having 2 congregations for Dan and I within a few miles of each other so we can stay somewhat sane and connected is a big one, because only God can work things out like that--twice!

Two years ago this month, just a year after starting at my current call, I was diagnosed with breast cancer-My kids were still young-Leah in 3rd grade, Jacob in 5th grade, Daniel in 8th grade. I can truly say this was the most painful and difficult experience of my life and it was also one in which I was profoundly blessed-beyond measure.

The most difficult time for me came during chemo treatment-especially after my 2nd treatment in January 2008. I experienced a dark night of the soul like nothing I have ever known. The doctor said that some people receive a chemo treatment on Friday and are back to work on Monday. Well, I don't know who these bionic people are, but that was not me. I not only couldn't work, I was plastered to the bed; I couldn't take care of my family. I was on disability for 8 ½ months. I missed Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Synod Assembly, 2 weddings and Vacation Bible School (well, maybe missing VBS was a perk!).

I have a type A, compulsive personality and it seemed my cancer had the same characteristics-it was an overachiever in every way.

• 3 cm tumor that didn't show up on any mammogram; 2 kinds of cancer, it had spread to the lymph nodes, and all of it was invasive;
• Had a double mastectomy within 2 1/2 weeks of being diagnosed.
• Most people I've met with this disease were done after 6 chemo treatments or fewer-I had 8
• A week and a half after surgery, I was hospitalized with blood clots in my lungs-still on blood thinner
• I really missed my curls and my head was always cold
• After radiation I ended up with a severe frozen shoulder that required surgery last spring

In the throes of chemo, it was hard to experience my own faith; to feel the presence of God in the hundreds of hours I spent alone in bed.

I realized how easy it is to be positive, to believe, to have hope when you feel good. When you don't have the energy to hold the phone to your ear, while you're lying down--well that's another story-I thought surely if the cancer doesn't kill me, the chemo will. I understand in a way I never have before, the lament psalms. I wrote a short lament during this dark night of the soul: Part of it reads

Don't you care, God? Does it mean nothing to you that I have served you, given blood, sweat and tears for your church, for your children? Can you ease the pain, the discomfort, the difficulty just a little bit for me? Can you not see the blood-thinning, weak, aching, lost misery of your servant? The psalmist cries with me "in Sheol who can give you praise?" (Psalm 6:5b) Indeed, in chemo hell, who can give you praise? Not me. For here, you are silent; as quiet as the pillow to which my hairless head is stuck in numbing immobility.

(Bishop Hanson said to "tell the truth," right?)

If this was the only thing going on our life, it might have felt manageable. Our life seemed like a catalog of calamity-

• My mother-in-law died 7 weeks before I was diagnosed
• 1/2-way into my treatment, my father-in-law was diagnosed with a stage 4 brain cancer;
• a week later we found out we had a $10,000 tax bill (on top of the $10,000 in medical expenses we paid out of pocket)

I was so depleted and overwhelmed, I was afraid I was losing my faith. I found it hard to pray, I couldn't feel God with me like I have at so many other times in my life.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.. full of grace and truth.

I couldn't pray, but I knew other people were, so I relied on and trusted their prayers, your prayers;

I couldn't feel the presence of God, but I could see the Word become flesh in the presence of so many people who came to help us;

Some days it was hard to believe that I would ever feel well again, but others believed it for me, and that was enough to see me through.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

God showed up a lot-more than I can recount. God showed up for me in other people-in flesh and blood and love that I could hang onto.

• My parents made multiple trips to St. Louis from TX to care for us
• Two friends-both Pastors-took precious vacation time to spend a week with me
• My two sisters each took some vacation time to stay with me;
• Libbie Reinking and Kendra Nolde-full of grace and truth-brought lunch and scripture and prayers on numerous occasions;
• Gary Voss (who filled in at St. Mark's for me) brought me Communion and personalized Psalm 27 for me, inserting "cancer cells" as the evil doers who come upon me to eat my flesh, but it is they who stumble and fall"
• Bishop Mansholt took the time to come and visit me. I confessed to him I was afraid I had a weak faith, but Jerry, you didn't seem concerned about that, and I thank you for that gift. In your suit and dress shoes, you walked along the creek with me and brought the presence of Christ.
• Each night Dan read caring bridge entries to me-website to keep people updated
• I received enough cards to wallpaper the bathroom-twice
• Both of our congregations, our neighbors, friends and families from our kids' sports' teams brought us meals every week, and gift cards for food,
• My older brother, Doug, sent me a Mother's Day card-inside was a check for $7,000. I didn't feel I could accept it, but he said I can't take chemo for you, I can't do radiation for you, but I can do this, so please let me.
• Can't say enough about my husband, Dan-he was in pain himself-about his mom's death, he was afraid for me, he was concerned about his dad's illness, yet he held our family together. He cooked, ran our kids to all their music and sports activities, coordinated help and helped me get through each day.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

We have such an incarnational faith that I experienced so profoundly--more than any other time in my life. I think sometimes we can have too individualistic an understanding of our faith experience, but we mediate, embody, and make known Christ for one another. We have faith because we are in community-the community believes and your faith is my faith-I have it only because we are Christ's body together.

It turns out I had the strongest faith I've ever had, because it was faith-not of my own narrow experience, but the Incarnational faith of others who carried me. God showed up by making clear to me that faith isn't just what I can muster on my own, but a gift you, the Incarnation of Christ, gave to me.

The first gift of the Incarnation of Jesus-was a blanket--a swaddling cloth and I received such amazing cloth that reassured me that Christ was wrapped up with me in this experience.

• Quilt- 's from St. Mark's each family made a square; congregation amazingly wonderful
• blanket from a friend of my mom's who I've never even met
• prayer shawl from a friend
• prayer poncho that I'm wearing from my cousin

The gift of the Incarnation also draws me out to find what is redemptive in the brokenness and suffering-to see where grace and truth are for me in this time

God showed up for me in learning to do nothing, to really rest, release myself from the notion that as much as I wanted to live, I am not indispensable-the congregation continues to embody Christ and bear witness to the Incarnation whether I am there or not. In fact it was while I was gone that members working with Pr. Voss got excited about joining the Partnership for Missional Church process. Our theology does not say that we, as spiritual leaders exclusively bring the presence of Christ, but that's how I behave sometimes--in my lack of Sabbath rest; in my getting caught in the perception that it's not real ministry if I, as the pastor am not the one doing it. It's much easier to let that go now. So I ask myself, how do we as a missional church, enable people to see their work in all areas of their life as the embodiment of Christ for the world? How can we become that Incarnation of the Savior for others-- whether they are sick, impoverished, live with violence or injustice-- who don't have the privilege of the kind of support and love that was showered upon me.

God shows up for me in the truth that it's important to really deal with my own pain and being out of control. Luke 10:1-12-is our passage for the PMC process when Jesus sends out the 70-- he says, travel light-carry no purse, no bag, sandals. For me this means also letting go of my own baggage. At first it was hard to go into hospitals, to see people in treatment, to hear other people's medical stories. Every time I did, it felt like I was re-living my own (form of post-traumatic stress). Well, that's an occupational hazard as a pastor. God shows up for me in therapeutic process with a counselor. Completing physical treatment alone is not healing; healing is process of becoming whole and recovering emotionally and spiritually from the trauma. Like Bishop Hansen said this morning, we can't make the congregation or others our therapist--I need to heal completely so this experience can become a blessing to others. The Incarnation leads me beyond the pain into a grace and truth that I am still defined by God and this disease and the scars I carry do not define the limits of who I am or who I can become in Christ.

Finally, God shows up for me in humor. Humor is in itself Incarnational; we really need other people for it to exist-wherever 2 or 3 are gathered.

Reconstructive surgery is a two stage process. The inserted Tissue Expanders when I had my mastectomy, then they add fluid and stretch out the chest muscle. Then there's a 2nd surgery to replace the tissue expanders with the permanent implants.

Now that I have recovered from the frozen shoulder, I am having my 2nd surgery this Monday to put in the permanent implants.

All kinds of jokes have occurred to me about this process--many I can't repeat in a pulpit--

But I did think we could expand our evangelism at church with something like this:

• "things are getting bigger and better at St. Mark's" OR even better--
• "you've seen the red doors, now come see the new knockers!"

I have been healed by love-love I didn't deserve, love I couldn't earn.

Through the grace and truth embodied in these communities of love, I know myself to be incredibly, extraordinarily blessed-to have my family, to the a part of this community, and the privilege to serve this amazing, wonderful congregation (Picture) who is dressed in pink in this picture!

I am blessed beyond measure! Amen.

On Sunday November 1, the combined choirs of Trinity Presbyterian Church and Zion United Church of Christ presented "Promises of God", a cantata by Trinity member Jim Shoemaker.

A high quality recording of the concert was made, and you can listen to it at: http://www.trinityucity.org/PromisesOfGod.html.

Adult Spiritual Growth Offerings

11/1 & 11/8/09: Last 2 Sessions of Countering Pharaoh's Production-Consumption Society Today featuring Walter Brueggemann on DVD:

• Session Four: An Act of Imagination
• Session Five: On Not Doing God Any Favors

"It is a journey from slavery to covenant that we keep making over and over again... [because] Pharaoh has immense power always to draw us back into slavery." - Walter Brueggemann.

11/15/09-11/29/09: Stained glass: Colorful. Luminous. Beautiful.

For centuries, this art form not only told the Christian story to congregants, it also inspired them to believe in it. A rainbow of diaphanous colored light filled stone cathedrals, literally illuminating the good news in a way that captured the imagination. It proved tangibly, John's passage that "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it."

The first lecture on Sunday, November 15^th at 9:30 is on The Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, designed by Henri Matisse, including its stained glass and three great murals. We are blessed to have John Klein, PhD, a member of Trinity and a world renowned expert on Matisse, to lead us on a virtual journey through this masterpiece. Our second study will be a guided tour of the famous Tiffany stained glass windows at Second Presbyterian Church. The third lecture in this series, will be led by St. Louis' Stephen Frei, a descendent of Emil Frei, who now heads the family business, the Emil Frei Stained Glass Company.

Trinity's own Rev. Jane Rand was presented with the Samuel D. Press Award for outstanding Service to Eden Theological Seminary, during the Opening Convocation at Eden in September. Eden President David Greenhaw noted Jane's unstinting and faithful service to Eden through her 24 years of service on the seminary's Board of Directors. During those years, while she was Chair of Buildings and Grounds, the bell tower above the Samuel D. Press Building was repaired and restored. The Rand Rotunda, the entry to the same building, was completed as a surprise gift from their family in honor of Jane and Milton on the occasion of their 50^th wedding anniversary. Dr. Greenhaw also mentioned that he and Jane were students at Eden Seminary at the same time, and he cited her ability to organize and hold things together as a board member, as well as her love of family and of Eden Theological Seminary.

Eden's Samuel D. Press award is named for an 1883 founder of Eden Theological Seminary who believed that piety should be informed by intellectual rigor, and that we cannot separate faith from thinking. His passion for the well-being of the world became active in faith with an ecumenical vision that helped and shaped the ethos of the seminary. The first recipient of the Samuel D. Press award was theologian and professor, Dr. Walter Breuggemann, who was a member of the Eden Faculty and spoke and frequently taught at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

- Brian Muegge

By the time you read this, the 2010 Stewardship Campaign will have ended. The Stewardship Committee would like to say, "Thank you!"

• Thank you for participating in our campaign by attending the education series, listening to testimonials in worship service, and reading this column.
• Thank you for sharing your comments, beliefs, and wonderful ideas.
• Thank you for your pledge to this church-a pledge of your time, talents, and treasures to further God's good work in our congregation.
• Thank you for answering God's call, and saying "Here I am, Lord!"

If you have not turned in your pledge yet, it is not too late. Please send it directly to Linde Baechle, Trinity's financial administrator. You can leave your pledge for her in the office mailbox, or you can call her and share your pledge over the phone.

We'll share the results of the campaign in the next edition of Trinity News. In the meantime we encourage you to continue developing your spiritual discipline of Stewardship. The Presbyterian Church defines a spiritual discipline as "a broad understanding of life choices that a person makes for the purpose of entering into deeper awareness and relationship with God." In our education series and worship announcements, we encouraged the congregation to treat the pledge process as a time to grow in relationship with the Lord. We hope that as you contemplated your pledge, you made it a spiritual process through prayer, scripture reading, and conversation.

Let's all continue these habits throughout the coming months and years-it's not a spiritual discipline if we only think about Stewardship during a yearly campaign! Each time you write out a check for your pledge or drop a loose offering into the collection basket, take the time to thank God in prayer for the bounties in your life and the opportunity you have to give back. Make a commitment of time to our church and other groups doing good works in our community-giving of our God given talents is one of the greatest resources we have to share. Pray always for a generous spirit and a cheerful attitude towards giving, and pray for the wisdom to use that generosity in ways that can grow your faith.

- Dan Anderson-Little, Pastor

Over the past two months, I have shared my vision for the future of Trinity and the reasons why I believe we must change as a congregation. This month I want to share some very concrete examples of why I am so excited about Trinity and why I think we not only can but will meet the challenges of the coming years.

Let's face it, organizational change is hard. It takes a recognition that we need to change, and it requires innovation, energy, and time. My excitement about Trinity's future is grounded in the fact that I already see all of these factors at work.

Recognition

For the past six or seven years, the Session at Trinity has been working on deficit reduction. This effort arises out of a recognition that our current financial structure is not sustainable over the long haul. Recently I had a conversation with a church finance expert. He asked about our deficit and inquired whether it was due to too much spending or too little income. As we talked further, he shared a statistic about Presbyterian churches around the nation: the typical Presbyterian church receives $1000 per active member. This is true for Trinity, so in essence, we are typical. It is clear that our primary financial issue is overspending not poor giving. This realization is a strong endorsement of the Session's decision to move to a financial structure that enables us to live within our means. It also suggests that the Session is on the right track by asserting that if we want to maintain our current ministries, programming and staffing, we will need to grow in the spiritual discipline of stewardship and work on increasing our membership.

Innovation, Energy and Time

Growing Spiritually - I see innovation and hard work occurring in so many corners of the church. A new emphasis has arisen this year that I think is especially important. Our new Stewardship Team is not only doing an incredibly thoughtful job with this year's pledge campaign, they are helping us adopt stewardship as a year round Christian discipline. They are helping us realize the spiritual growth that will be needed for us to thrive as a congregation.

Getting Connected - Another innovation that is significant is the emerging of new small groups. Trinity has always had a handful of vital small groups (Presbyterian Women is particularly notable). This summer, the Equipping Team launched two new small groups call B&Bs. These groups have resulted in two groups also meeting this Fall. But these are not our only new small groups. The Confirmation class is experiencing a revival this year under the leadership of our Minister of Spiritual Growth Dawn Fleishman. Dawn, realizing that our old model wasn't succeeding, moved Confirmation to a once-a-month Saturday evening event. We now have 10-13 kids showing up and growing in their faith. Vicki Carmichael, our Minister of Music - Choir Director has also started a new B&B for kids which meets three Sundays a month after worship. Congregational transformation is a team sport and this new connectedness will help move into the future together.

Reaching Out - This past Spring in our discerning process we heard loud and clear that this congregation knows itself to be called to mission and outreach. Trinity has a long history of such outreach and the past couple of years has seen renewed interest and creativity in this area. Our Food Pantry involves literally dozens of our members from the youngest to the oldest. The God's Child Project has connected not only members but the whole congregation to a specific place (Guatemala) and to a specific ministry. Trinity is currently working on a new project to gather religious communities together to support the University City School District. Trinity is just finishing up working on its fourth Habitat house in eight years. These are just a few of the efforts being initiated and supported by our members.

Gathering In - Trinity is growing in its reputation as a place where people in the community can gather to learn, explore and grow. Every week hundreds of people come to Trinity to learn music, to perform music, to get counseling, to pick-up locally grown food, to discuss great literature, to exercise, to meet, to plan, to make a difference in their world. Our spirit of hospitality is widely known and groups call us seeking space knowing that we are a willing partner in healing and wholeness.

Praising God - This past year has been a challenge for our music ministry. In a move toward fiscal responsibility, the Session made the hard decision to no longer pay for soloists for the Trinity Choir. While we mourn the loss of the wonderful individuals who have found employment elsewhere, the entire music ministry has flourished in this time. New members have joined the choir. New opportunities for playing hand bells and hand chimes are being scheduled. We are exploring new expressions in making music. We are particularly blessed by the tremendous talent and faithfulness of our two Ministers of Music, Vicki Carmichael and Bill Wade. This year has also seen the development of a new worship service. I am not aware of any growing church that offers only one worship service in one style. With The Commons we have begun the work of seeking to offer a variety of worship experiences that speak to a variety of needs.

Making a Difference - What I find most exciting about all of these efforts is that they are not primarily coming from staff but from the members. The Commons, Habitat for Humanity, God's Child, the Stewardship Team, B&Bs, an expanded Trinity Choir, a whole cadre of office volunteers, and the Food Pantry are all rising on the energy and leadership of members. Yes, staff plays an important role in helping to support and resource these efforts, but this congregation has shown over and over that it not only has the skill, but the energy and passion to do whatever God calls us to do.

About a decade ago, a church consultant that I knew spoke about the enormous challenges facing churches in the 21^st Century. He said, "If you have 100 churches that need to change in order to thrive, only ten will even consider it, only five will try and only two will succeed." When I heard this assessment back then I thought, "I bet Trinity will be one of those two who succeed." Knowing what I now know and seeing what I now see, I know that I was correct.

As we make decisions about our physical building and how we use it over the next number of years, we are called to be environmentally conscious in our choices-heating and cooling, lighting, and materials for renovations and repairs. Church Administrator Liz Nelson is interested in pulling together an ad hoc "environmental stewardship consultation team" that can act as a sounding board for the Facilities Commission on an as-needed basis as it makes decisions. If you have passion for "green" living and want to help Trinity make wise choices, please consider adding your input and keeping us accountable as a member of this team. Speak with Liz in the office for more details.

As in years past, Trinity will be compiling Advent readings for the 25 days leading up to Christmas. What will be different this year, as we strive to be wise stewards of our money and supplies, is how the Advent readings will be shared. This year, we will print enough copies to send to our shut-ins and out of town members. We will have a number of copies in the narthex for visitors and members to take, but we do not plan to mail a copy to every in-town member. Instead, we will offer a link to the entire Advent Book on our website and are considering emailing a "daily reading" to our email list.

The Green Team has been considering a more simplified approach to Advent decorations this year. We are exploring some new ideas with the help of our Design Coordinator from Focus on Design by Schnucks Markets, Rhonda Lynn-Moeckel. Anyone wishing to Join the Green Team to help, please contact Luise Hoffman or Elaine Pontious.