Trinity will start the Lenten season with a contemplative Ash Wednesday service in the Chapel on February 17th at 7pm.

As the God's Child mission team (Pat Courtney, Dayna Early, and Nancy and Bob Wagoner) prepares to leave for Guatemala on Tuesday, Feb. 23 for 10 days, we will commission them (and their 8 counterparts) during worship on Feb. 21. Immediately following the service, come to the Dining Room for a potluck lunch (they will provide a main dish soup--what can you bring?) and stay if you'd like to help pack the bags with donations (list in the Narthex). The team will build two houses, assist at the homeless shelter, help in the distribution of clothes and visit the malnutrition center. One of the team members will also teach the local women sewing skills.

Let Liz know if you want to join a short Lenten B&B (Bonding & Bridging) small group, starting February 17^th (Ash Wednesday).

March 21st / 12 p.m.-1 p.m. Join us for the 2010 CARE FOR KIDS Program in Trinity's sanctuary after worship. Local agencies that support children affected by homelessness, hunger, major illness, abuse/neglect, and instability in the home will share information about their agencies and the many volunteer opportunities available. The Children's Foundation of Mid-America will be one of four featured presenters. All monetary donations will go to Haiti children's relief. More details to come....

The 2009 Annual Report may now be viewed online: http://www.trinityucity.org/AnnRpt/AR2009.html

- Rev. Dr. Daniel Anderson-Little, Pastor

The season of Lent is the 40 days that precedes Easter. It's funny in a way-Lent remembers a period of Jesus' life that comes right at the beginning of his ministry (his temptation in the wilderness), and yet it sets us up for the very end of his life and ministry (his crucifixion and resurrection).

Lent is traditionally a time of introspection and penitence. It is during Lent that we often give things up, we deny ourselves. But Lent is not only to be thought of as a time of austerity, but as a time of beginnings. The word Lent comes from an old German word meaning springtime. The liturgical season is named for the season in nature.

Think about springtime: it is a time more of potential than full expression; it is a time of lengthening days and warmer weather, but is also dreary with rain and can become unexpectedly cold. It is a season of unexpected delights-crocuses pushing up through the last vestiges of snow and birds returning to nest.

My invitation to you this year is to approach Lent as a time of new beginnings and renewal. Instead of simply giving up something for Lent (and I recommend that as well-fasting, even for part of a day, can be a powerful spiritual experience), I also invite you to plow new ground in your life. Try some new routines-exercise for your body, new prayer experiences for your spirit, new ways of tending to your relationships at home, at work, or at church. These new beginnings can get us ready for the what is truly new-the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God's "Yes" in the midst of the world's "no."

Here are a number of ways that you can approach Lent as a time of renewal and beginnings:

Ash Wednesday service, February 17 at 7 p.m. This service is a quiet time of meditation, imposition of ashes, and communion. A powerful way to remind us that the Holy Spirit is stirring in our lives.

Adult Education, March 7-March 28 - Creeds and Confessions of the Church. The creeds and confessions are powerful statements of what our church believes. They both challenge and inform. At the end of the class we will try to find our own words to express our faith.

Prayer Partners - the entire season of Lent. We will begin a new Prayer Partner season at the beginning of Lent. This is a great way to get into a new prayer routine and to pray with another person. This is ideal for both the experienced and novice prayer.

Worship - the entire season of Lent - sometimes it is the most familiar that helps us discover what is new in our lives.

As we move ever closer to the season of Lent, our thoughts are naturally drawn to Jesus' journey to the cross and on to the victory of resurrection. This holy season especially lends itself to prayer-prayers for others and for the world. We can walk with Jesus through the season of Lent, using his words as a guide to prayer. The Lenten Prayer Partners will begin on Ash Wednesday, February 17, and all Trinity members and friends are invited to become a prayer partner during the season of Lent. Each person will join in partnership with another person to pray and meditate daily for one another through April 1, Maundy Thursday. Are you interested in being a prayer partner, in having a prayer partner? To join in this enriching experience, call or email Dan Anderson-Little, dan_tpc@swbell.net, or Julie March, juliammc@sbcglobal.net, or talk to Liz Nelson in the church office. As we walk through this season of Lent together, may we pray with all our being, and so be drawn closer to Christ and to our neighbor.

The church through the centuries has viewed "Israel" in various ways. Some of the ways that Christians have viewed Israel have been demeaning for Jewish people and led to terrible consequences. Some Christian views of Israel continue to have significant political implications today. Other ways of viewing Israel have potential to contribute to dialogue and cooperation between Christians and Jews. This course will explore some of the ways "Israel" has been understood by Christians through the centuries. The class will meet from February 7- 28 at 9:30a.m. in the Chapel and will be taught by Dr. John K. Bracke, Martha McCall Egan Professor of Biblical Studies, Eden Theological Seminary.

Over the past three years, Bob and Nancy Wagoner have helped Trinity build a growing relationship with God's Child, a wonderful mission to and with homeless families in Guatemala. Each time they have gone, members of the church have strengthened the mission by collecting and sending necessary items for poor families in Guatemala. As the Wagoners and other Trinity members get ready to go to Guatemala again, we again have the opportunity to "go with them."

On Tuesday, February 23, the St. Louis Service Team of the God's Child Project will depart for a 10-day mission work experience in Antigua, Guatemala. The 13 members of the team from several St. Louis churches will build two houses, assist at the homeless shelter, help in the distribution of clothes and visit the malnutrition center. One of the team members will also teach the local women sewing skills. This mission project has been supported by members of the Trinity congregation for the past several years. This year Pat Courtney, Dayna Early, and Nancy and Bob Wagoner will be making the trip.

On Sunday, February 21, you will have an opportunity to participate in preparation for the trip. The team will be commissioned during the morning worship service. After the worship service, we will share in a communal pot-luck meal and then those that so wish can assist the team in a "packing party". Each of the team members will take two suitcases with them to Guatemala. One will contain their personal items and the second will be packed with contributed items (up to 50 pounds) for the children and families of Guatemala.

Between now and the 21^st, the following items (identified by the God's Child Project as being specifically needed) can be contributed and collected in the area under the weaving in the dining room:

• Items for the malnutrition center (infants and small children):
• Soap
• Shampoo
• Diapers (especially small/newborn/preemie size)
• Items for the God's Child school children:
• Clothing
• Rulers, pencils, sharpeners, crayons
• Scissors, erasers, ball point pens (no pads of paper - too heavy)
• Personal products - toothbrushes/paste, wash cloths, combs, etc
• Sewing supplies for the mothers:
• Pinking shears, thread, hand sewing needles, straight pins
• Cloth/plastic tape measures, small/medium size buttons
• Embroidery thread and needles
• Colorful yarn and crochet hooks (sizes f, g, or h)
• Items for the clinic:
• Bandages, sterile tape, gauze
• Vitamins, non-prescription medicine/samples

In addition, monetary contributions are always welcome. The team will purchase supplies to build bunk-beds and provide bedding for each home (approx. $250 each). On the day that the homes are turned over, gifts of household staples are also purchased and supplied to the families. Monetary gifts are preferred in cash or a check made out to Trinity Presbyterian Church (with God's Child in the memo line), so that the check can be cashed and taken to Guatemala and converted to the local currency (Quetzal). A letter that can be used for a 2010 tax deductions will be supplied for contributions as desired.

After lunch on the 21^st, the contributed items will be weighed and packed. Old light-weight (soft-sided) suitcases (preferably on wheels) would also be appreciated to transport these items to Guatemala. These suitcases are normally left in Antigua and not returned to St. Louis.

- Lynn Reid

I bet many in our congregation are feeling as I am watching the tragic images coming from Haiti. We feel helpless and want to roll up our sleeves and do something to ease the pain and suffering.

Looking at the Presbyterian Diaster Relief website, there are suggestions for assembling kits that would be handed out to people during mission work in Haiti. I think this would be a perfect project for Trinity. Think of the response to our Advent bag project and the cookie drive this year. This project would be like a combination of the two.

There are seven items in the hygiene kit (hand towel, washcloth, soap, toothbrush, bandaids, etc.), which are then put into a gallon ziplock. You can sign up to bring items by email or in the Narthex. We will assemble the kits together, and maybe even raise some funds (including what we would need for postage to mail the kits).

A soup/chili lunch is scheduled for February 7 after church. There will be a loose offering and the proceeds will go for mailing the kits, with the extra money raised sent to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Following the lunch, we will assemble the kits. If we can donate 2,000 cookies, we can assemble dozens and dozens of kits. I would think that we could do a least one hundred kits.

We will need people to organize and promote collecting the items and putting the kits together on that Sunday, as well as people to help shop, set-up, cook, serve and clean-up at the lunch. Please let me or Liz know if you are interesting in pitching in.

- Do Kirk

I have been smothered with good wishes and love from all of you...thank you, thank you, thank you. There are few side effects from my little stroke, thanks to all the prayers, and I can talk, thank God!!! What would everyone do if I couldn't talk?! God is good, (Dan would add) all the time.

Have you been interested in trying a B&B, but not able to commit to a full 12 weeks? Are you missing the deep spiritual thinking, discussion and bonding with interesting people? Well, the Equipping Ministry Team is going to run a special, six-week round of B&B's (Bonding and Bridging small groups) leading up to Easter.

The session will begin the week of February 15 and we will finish up the week of March 22, the week before Holy Week. If you've participated before, or expressed interest but been unable to commit, please let us know your availability and we will put together some dynamic groups. Check out our B&B blog to get an idea of what we do at http://www.trinityucity.org/bandb and sign up now for a terrific opportunity to grow in faith together through study, sharing and serving. Contact Dave Nelson (camra.Dave@gmail.com) or Julie March (juliammc@sbcglobal.net) for more information and to join a B&B group.

- Stacey and Chris Carman

Thank you to all the Winger Food Pantry volunteers and donors during 2009. This year the food pantry is still in need of a couple Wednesday volunteers to staff the food pantry during our open hours and someone to order and pick up food from Shop and Save in order to keep the pantry stocked. We also need someone to help load Boy Scout food once in February and once in March from the STL Food Bank (a commitment of about 45 minutes) and a few volunteers to sort the food once it is delivered to the pantry. Please contact Stacey if you are available at carmans@swbell.net.

Unemployment concerns are touching many of us either directly or with family or friends. Trinity is opening its doors to a local organization so St. Louis workers can learn about trends and positions in this challenging time. Trinity is providing space once a month (the third Wednesday from 9-11 a.m.) for BounceBack St. Louis meetings between February and July 2010. Sponsored by an RCGA (St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association) grant, they provide inservices, employment information and networking for professionals (especially related to IT, health care and environmental jobs) who are unemployed or in career transition. Anyone can attend-it's free. There are other meeting locations and topics in Fenton and Clayton. Share this information with friends! The first meeting at Trinity will be Wednesday, February 17 in the Dining Room. For more details, see http://bouncebackstl.net.

Trinity's intrepid bell choir needs four additional bell ringers for the Spring semester. Rehearsals are presently on Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 7:00. Anyone interested, with or without experience, is welcome. Please contact Bill Wade, Minister of Music - Organist at church or email drwewade@gmail.com.

- Matt Schindler, Chair, Corporate Affairs Committee

The 2010 budget is now available. Session wrestled with many budgetary issues in 2009, and the 2010 budget reflects some difficult decisions. Cuts were made in personnel, as Session works to reduce the budget deficit and bring the income and expenses into line. At the same time, the budget also reflects the desire in the congregation for more mission at Trinity. You can talk with any member of Session if you have any questions about the 2010 budget. (Current members of Session include Margy Brown, John Pfeifer, Rick Jeter, Tom Serfass, George Philips, Pat Gibbons, Lynn Reid, Sharon Christopher, Luise Hoffman, Dayna Early, Matt Schindler, Bill Cahoon, Stacy Shupe and Cheryl Evans.)

The Annual Report can be found in the Narthex or on the church's website .and the budget is in the Narthex.

- Liz Nelson, Church Administrator & Worrier

I just wanted you all to know that God was at Trinity last month. It took me a while to get out of my own way and recognize God, of course. I rushed into the church a bit before 7:30 p.m. on Monday, December 21, excited to take part in the international chant for peace being held in our chapel. I had promised the chanter I would come a bit early to make sure the room and temperature were to her liking-I had to make sure the vibe was right! Unfortunately, the vibe at that moment also included the final few minutes of a forte trumpet lesson just down the hall, and the strains of Christmas music coming up from the basement as the older adult OASIS band held their holiday concert for 75 people...which was supposed to be ending right then. I also heard a few hand bells ringing in the sanctuary as Bill and Mike set up for a bell rehearsal.

What a cacophony of sound! And at first it worried me. I'm the church calendar-keeper and a people pleaser and I was imagining all the things that might go wrong with four different musical gatherings happening at the same time. My carefully-coordinated schedule was now off and beyond my control: the peace chanters were gathering quietly in the chapel as the trumpet finished and the band played on....and on...and on. Turns out you can hear every note from the basement while sitting on the Chapel floor.

I could've let my expectations and anxieties ruin my chanting experience as I cringed every time our circle of 30 visitors to Trinity paused between chants and the strains of a slightly off-kilter "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" or "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" wafted up to us as the band went 30 minutes longer than planned. But that wasn't God's plan for me. I breathed deeply, looked around and realized that no one else was fazed ("This is a slightly strange vibration," whispered one lady next to me, but that was all).

Then I relaxed and was filled with an acute joy that I was sitting in God's house with God's people who were making joyful noises in all their different ways. Each was supposed to be there...their notes did not always work well together... but what a sound! (That sounds like my perfect description of Trinity, by the way-many voices and personalities who ALL belong here to make their "notes" of praise. The notes will never fit together in perfect harmony, but how boring would that be?! After all, God loves all the heart-felt expression we offer. That's the kind of church I want to belong to-full of the noisy dissonance of joyful worship in all its messy diversity.)

And I was proud to be a member of a welcoming place that allowed space for all these expressions-joy, yearning, celebration, perseverance, hope and dedication. At 7:27 p.m. that night, with trumpet, voice, bells and band, God was present at Trinity. I'm glad I took the time to notice. Take time in 2010 to pause and notice where God is present for you.

Let yourself in for a treat. Log onto Shanthi Philips' blog about her experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, in southern Africa. - http://shanthiphilips.blogspot.com.

After arriving in Africa, Shanthi relished her CBT [Community Based Training.] "CBT finished up on December 22nd. It was all in all, incredible. Like i'm sure i said, my host family was wonderful. my host mom taught me to cook basotho foods, clean, do laundry... pretty much everything i would ever need to know to live on my own. The neighborhood kids came to play with me and taught me every game and dance they knew.

On December 12 she reported: "we found out our sites today! i'm going to be living in the Berea district. its relatively close to the capital. I'm on a school compound...with electricity, running water, and a flush toilet!!!...the school i will be teaching at is so so nice. its on a mission (its a catholic school). the school has a basketball court, science labs, home ec kitchens, wood work shops, a huge auditorium with a speaker system and projector...i'm not sure if this all sounds that great to you all, but you should see the condition of most schools here. its usually just a few classrooms with desks that the kids crowd around. I got one of the nicest schools here i think. and the school is right next to the convent. the sisters all are so sweet...Also, there is a clinic on the mission, which does a lot of hiv/aids education and testing and also obgyn work....The school has dormitories for around 100 students, all of whom are orphans. the school takes care of their school fees and provides food and shelter for them."

Shanthi has also seen another side of Lesotho: [January 12] " I just got back from visiting Maputsoe with Haley and Rory, 2 PCVs who live near me. Maputsoe is a dirty, busy town, right near the border of South Africa. You can actually see Ficksburg, SA from Maputsoe. There are industrial buildings, shops, and just tiny tin shacks side by side lining the main road in Maputsoe. There are tons of kombis and taxis going down the road, shouting to see if they can give you a ride. Intermittently as you walk along the road, you get a whiff of god knows what, either from a latrine or from a restaurant. The "sidewalks" are littered with trash..."

School classes have now begun for Shanthi and her math students. Don't miss her sharing in her mission!

Youth Lock-In for the Confirmation Class

Saturday, February 27 (8 p.m.) - Sunday, February 28 (after worship). Go to www.trinityyouthonline.com.

TRIENNIUM Summer Trip:

Youth, entering 9th -12th grades this fall:

Are you interested in going to Triennium, a Presbyterian youth conference with over 6,000 teenagers? It will be at Purdue University in Indiana from July 20-25. Talk to Dawn Fleishman, Director of Christian Education, for more information.

Liz Nelson, Church Administrator

• 80 - hand towels (approximately
• 16" x 28", no fingertip or bath towels)
• 60 - washcloths
• 60 - wide-tooth combs
• 80 - nail clippers (no metal files or emery boards)
• 10 - bars of soap (bath size in wrapper)
• 50 - toothbrushes (in original packaging)
• about 300? - Band-Aids® or other adhesive bandage strips
• 60+ -- 1-gallon ziplock bags with zipper closure

And if you cannot get out to shop, we will accept cash and checks and do the shopping for you!

REMEMBER:

"Tailgate" with Trinity! Before the Superbowl on Sunday, Feb. 7^th, please plan to stay after worship for a chili and soup lunch and a time of fellowship as we assemble your donated items into hygiene kits for PC (USA)'s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program. The funds from a freewill donation for the lunch will cover shipping costs, with the remainder to be sent directly for Haiti relief.

If you want to help with the meal or the project on Feb. 7th please send me an email (and thanks to those who have already volunteered!).

"Tailgate" with Trinity! Before the Superbowl on Sunday, Feb. 7^th, please plan to stay after worship for a chili and soup lunch and a time of fellowship as we assemble your donated items into hygiene kits for PC (USA)'s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program. The funds from a freewill donation for the lunch will cover shipping costs, with the remainder to be sent directly for Haiti relief.

As we have done for years with our Advent Bags, please sign up In the Narthex (or via email) to bring a certain amount of the following items. Our goal is to assemble 100 bags, but we donated over 2,000 cookies recently - who knows WHAT we can do for our brothers and sisters in Haiti!:

Hygiene Kit

• 1 - hand towel (approximately
• 16" x 28", no fingertip or bath towels)
• 1 - washcloth
• 1 - wide-tooth comb
• 1 - nail clipper (no metal files or emery boards)
• 1 - bar of soap (bath size in wrapper)
• 1 - toothbrush (in original packaging)
• 6 - Band-Aids or other adhesive bandage strips
• 1 - one - gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure

Please do not add toothpaste. Toothpaste which has an extended expiration date will be added to Hygiene Kit shipments by PDA just prior to shipment. Seal all items in a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure.

What You Can Do:

• Sign up and bring items on the list between now and Sunday, Feb. 7^th (before church)
• Leave the items on the designated table in the Dining Room
• Or write a check to Trinity Presbyterian Church with "Haiti kits" in the memo line and send or bring it to church by Wednesday Feb. 3^rd so items can be purchased by Sunday the 7^th. Funds for shipping costs of the kits can come in as last as Sunday the 7^th
• Bring your appetite for a chili and soup lunch. A freewill offering will be taken
• Bring the whole family! Invite friends!

Questions: Lynn Reid (lmtreid@sbcglobal.net), Liz Nelson (tpcucity@swbell.net)

We will be hosting 5 months of meetings for Bounce Back St. Louis (Feb - June) on the Third Wednesday of each month, 9-11am. This is a networking gathering and presentation series to help those in job transition. Free. Invite anyone who might be interested. For more information: www.bouncebackstl.net.

Please join us in the Chapel following Worship next Sunday, Jan. 31^st., for an extended Fellowship Hour and art sale.We will honor our own Tom Wilhite who is offering his own paintings for sale to benefit our Chancel Flower Fund. There will be bountiful refreshments to enjoy while you peruse and purchase his paintings. Perhaps you have noticed that, during Worship, the Communion Table often is without the blessing of God's colorful flowers. It is the Green Team's and Worship and Music's hope that we will be able to purchase new silk seasonal floral arrangements for the Chancel. All proceeds from the art sale will be used for this purpose. Checks can be made payable to Trinity Presbyterian Church. This is an opportunity to help beautify our Chancel during future worship, to have an extended time of fellowship with friends and acquaintances, augment your own art collection, and/or perhaps obtain a lovely gift for that special Valentine.

Plan to stay after worship for a congregational meeting to receive the Annual Report, the Pastor's Terms of Call and to concur with the Session's decision to have a capital campaign to fund a new elevator.

- Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

THANK YOU for your generous gifts of compassion. As of Thursday, January 14, 2010, $109,000 had been received in donations for Haiti. Your generosity has enabled Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to increase the amount of funds sent to Haiti response to $209,000. PDA has committed to providing at least $500,000 towards the response.

Funds are being used to help with basic humanitarian relief efforts of providing temporary shelter, food and health assistance. Funds are also being used to provide water and sanitation engineers, and equipment to construct water purification systems. Resources for building latrines are also being provided, as the sanitation situation is critical. PDA will be supporting communities in the long struggle to rebuild from this disaster - the worst earthquake to strike Haiti in 200 years.

As God's people, we are called to stand in the "GAP"-Give, Act, Pray.

Give - Financial support for relief efforts can be designated to DR000064. Gifts can be made online, by phone at (800) 872-3283, or by check. Gifts by check may be given through your local Presbyterian congregation or mailed to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburg, PA 15264-3700. Please include the designated giving account number on your check.

Act - Make Gift of the Heart kits. Congregations and individuals can assembly hygiene kits and baby kits. Instructions are on the PDA Web site. Advocate for Temporary Protected Status for Haitians. Information can be found on the Presbyterian Washington Office Web site. Stay informed. Visit the PDA Web site for answers to frequently asked questions and for resources to aid in discussions.

A reproducible bulletin insert is available for download [pdf] to help in your interpretation and PDA also encourages you to use the hymn "In Haiti, There is Anguish," written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette.

Pray - You can join with others in lifting up the people of Haiti and those seeking to provide aid in this critical time.

- Dr. Daniel Anderson-Little, Pastor

This past year as we discerned what is most important to us as a congregation, one response was heard over and over: "Mission, mission, mission." As we dug deeper to understand what this actually meant, we learned that members of Trinity don't just want our church to support mission with our dollars, but members want to be directly involved in making a difference in people's lives. There are four mission opportunities that I would like to lift up for members to be involved in 2010.

Winger Food Pantry - The Trinity Food Pantry has been a dynamic ministry for more than 30 years. Each week we provide for dozens of people who live near our church. This year we gave away nearly 100 Thanksgiving turkeys. The Food Pantry is in constant need of Trinity members to help out. We need baggers, shoppers, people to distribute food on Wednesdays. If you want to get involved, please contact Stacey Carman at: carmans@swbell.net. Additionally, your generous donations of food and cash to the Pantry help keep it well-stocked.

God's Child - 2010 will be the fourth year that a mission team from Trinity will go to Guatemala to work build a home with the God's Child project. Bob and Nancy Wagoner, Pat Courtney, and Dayna Early are already signed up to go on a trip that will leave on February 23 and return on March 4. If you are interested in going, please contact Bob at STLWags@aol.com. If you are interested in going and need financial aid in order to go, please speak with me. I have a vision that over the next couple of years that dozens of Trinity will be able to participate in this life-changing ministry (life-changing for both the participants and for the family that receives the new house). If you are interested in going to Guatemala with God's Child at a later date, please let Bob or me know so we can start a roster of interested members.

Presbyterian Children's Services (PCS)- In December, a group of interested members met with a representative of PCS. At that meeting, we learned that PCS has both a broad ministry (adoption and foster services, residential care for troubled youth, mentoring, tutoring, and on and on) and needs a wide array of gifts and talents to support them. It is my feeling that Trinity and PCS are a great match as mission partners. We are currently forming a liaison team to work with PCS to plan ways for Trinity to be involved with children in need in our area. If you are interested in working with PCS, please let me know.

Interfaith Ministry to Support University City Schools - The Rev. Bill Lorenz is hard at work putting together an ecumenical coalition of churches and synagogues to help support U. City Schools. Once this project is up and running, we will need a wide variety of tutors, mentors, and monitors to help out in local schools. It is Bill's vision to have strong representation from the Protestant, Catholic, African American and Jewish communities in U. City. If you are interested in knowing more about this emerging project and how you can be involved, please contact Bill.

One of the ongoing themes of 2010 at Trinity will be "Mission, mission, mission." There are many exciting ways to get involved in sharing God's love with our community and with the wider world.

- Liz Nelson, with information from Pat Gibbons, Elder and SHED Volunteer

Trinity Church is a founding member of SHED (Safe Homes for the Elderly and Disabled), a cooperative venture of several churches in the central area of Greater St. Louis. SHED's mission is to help elderly and disabled persons to live safely, comfortably and independently by providing home maintenance services. Volunteers can perform minor building repairs, house cleaning, yard work and other jobs that do not require special tools or skills. Charter members of SHED, which form the Founding Council, are: Us, Baptist Church of the Holy Communion, Christ the King Catholic Parish, First Presbyterian Church, Mt. Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, St. James Lutheran Church, Trinity Presbyterian Church, and University United Methodist Church. A group from Trinity ventured out last month to provide mowing, raking, hedge trimming, and some gutter cleaning for a grateful elderly lady on Purdue in University City. Pat Gibbons, a representative from Trinity, will alert the congregation of future opportunities to get out into the neighborhood and help a few hours at a time. Check out SHED's website at: www.shedvolunteers.org and contact Pat with questions: pcg@wuphys.wustl.edu.

-Dr. Bill Wade, Minister of Music, Organist, CAGO

You are invited to the St. Louis Handbell Festival on Sunday evening, January 31, 2010, at 7:00 PM at Manchester United Methodist Church. The church is located at 129 Woods Mill Rd. Manchester, MO 63011 ( Web Address: http://www.manchesterumc.org). This concert will be presented by the combined efforts of:

Trinity Presbyterian Handbell Choir (Bill Wade, conducting)

Vesper Bell Choir of Manchester United Methodist Church (Sherry Boland, conducting)

Handbell Choir of Kirkwood United Methodist (Dolan Bayless, conducting)

St. Louis Archdiocesan Handbell Choir (Karen Romeri and Max Tenny, conducting)

Gateway Ringers (Charles Peery, conducting)

Handbell Ensemble of St. John's Lutheran Church, Arnold, MO (Burnell Hackman, conducting)

Music will include combined choir selections with organ, percussion, and brass and each choir will also present a solo selection. There will be a reception following the concert. This will be the first time the Trinity Handbell Choir has participated in a mass ringing event and would love to have the support encouragement of your attendance at the concert. Please, come support your dedicated choir members for this concert of resounding joy! Please contact Bill Wade (drwewade@gmail.com) or Vicki Carmichael (VCarmichael44@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

Plan to stay after worship on Sunday, January 24th for a quick congregational meeting for the purpose of receiving the Annual Report and approving the pastors' terms of call.

-Liz Nelson & Group Members

- Liz Nelson , Church Administrator & Building Manager

The decision was recently made by the Session and Personnel to cut back on some staff work hours as we tackle our budget deficit. Our Building and Grounds Caretaker, Birty Hodgson, will move from 5 days to 4 days starting in January and will be working Mondays through Thursdays. This will allow him to accomplish the cleaning and maintenance duties core to his position and will allow congregation and staff to step up and take care of details on Sunday mornings.

The good news is that we have proven ourselves flexible and generous in our response to this need when he was injured for 3 months last year and have been more personally responsible for set ups, clean ups and sanctuary tidying for a few years now. It will take some time, and surely a few mishaps, as we tweak our Sunday morning routines, so we ask for your feedback, but also your patience. I will present opportunities for you to offer different kinds of help shortly and I am creating a binder of "how to" and "where are" information and for our various Sunday needs.

- Rev. Julie March, Associate Minister of Equipping

New B&B small groups for fellowship, study and service will begin again soon in 2010. B&B's for spiritual growth through faith and service are small groups dedicated to bonding and bridging Trinity members and friends as they grow in faith together, and provides a sanctuary where we go to be sustained and refreshed for our travels and work in the world.

The B&B Charter declares, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17). B&B's connect people to God, regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey, and to one another through the study of Scripture, prayer and shared work. Through B&B's, spiritual growth becomes a reality.

All are invited to join B&B's, where you will:

• Study, learn and pray together
• Find the joy of meaningful service together
• Increase your connection to church and community
• Find personal fellowship and spiritual growth

Two desires repeatedly expressed by the congregation are for more meaningful connections with each other, and opportunities of spiritual growth. The B&B's provide these opportunities within the familiar format of a small group ministry. Through B&B's you will:

• Form deep relationships with fellow B&B members
• Have a better understanding of Scripture that enriches spiritual growth and participation in worship
• Experience the joy of meaningful service in the name of Christ
• Increase your connection to church and community
• Increase spiritual self-awareness

Are you interested in learning more or joining a B&B at Trinity? Speak to any member of the Equipping Ministry Team (Dave Nelson, Rick Jeter or John Merker), or contact Julie March, Associate Pastor of Equipping Ministry.

Join us as we love and serve the Lord through B&B's Small Group Ministry!

- Liz Nelson - Church Administrator

Trinity Parents of Young and Old (and those who think they are so old),

Happy New year! This is such a nice long list of parents at Trinity. We are a growing group with many needs (and gifts, of course). As you set your priorities for 2010, I wanted to make sure you all knew that this fall we started a parent's group on Sunday mornings at 9:30am (during the spiritual growth/education hour), where a handful of us get together (different grouping each time, it seems!) to commiserate, unload and laugh about the ups and downs of parenting. If that sounds valuable to you, please plan to join us when you can! It's a great way to get to know each other better.

Typically, it would start up again Jan. 10, when adult ed starts, but because Harry Potter is the theme of the 4-part series that fellow parent (and teacher) Rick Hasler is going to teach January 10-31, we're going to hold off on re-starting the parent class until Feb. 7th so interested parents can attend the HP class (with their kids in grades 3+). Of course, if there are parents who are gung-ho to meet instead of going to the HP series, please let me or Dan know.

Have you seen the outline for Rick's class? Here it is:

• Jan. 10 - Who is Harry? (Kids and Adults) This class will look at the character traits of many of the main Harry Potter characters - the good, the bad, and the ugly...
• Jan. 17 - What is Magic? (Kids and Adults) What is the difference between magic and faith?
• Jan. 24 - Good vs. Evil (Kids and Adults) Is Harry Potter a story about "Good vs. Evil"? Is the bible a story of "Good vs. Evil"? What do these books have in common and how are they different?
• Jan. 31 - Should I really be letting my child read these books? (Adults only) At what age will my child be ready to read these stories? At what age will I be ready to let my child read these stories? This class will outline the major plot structures of the books and we will have a discussion of how the series changes in intensity and depth over time. We will also address the differences between the movies and the books.
  

- Dr. Daniel Anderson-Little, Pastor

At its November meeting, the Session discussed the Christmas Coffee. The Christmas Coffee is an annual fellowship event at Trinity. Over the years, various groups and committees have sponsored the event. In recent years, the event has not had a regular home. The Session discussion started out with us trying to answer the question "Who can best take this on?" As our conversation progressed, Elder Karen Coletti posed a different question: "What should this event be about?" Karen noted that while fellowship can greatly improve congregational life, what we say we really care about is mission. She then proposed a new wrinkle on this traditional event: "What if we make this a cookie give-away for others rather than a cookie social just for us?" And from that proposal, new energy emerged. Elders Stacy Shupe and Sharon Christopher jumped in and said they would help lead the effort. A buzz started to grow, not only amongst the Session, but in the congregation. On December 20 over 2,000 cookies were donated by Trinity members. We still had our cookie social, but now it was a cookie social with a purpose--to share our love and abundance not only with each other but also with those who can feel forgotten at Christmas. While we ate cookies, we also placed cookies in gift bags. The gift bags were boxed up and members delivered our abundance of cookies to the Independence Center, the VA, Gateway Homeless Services, Meals on Wheels and homebound members of the church.

Here is what I especially love about this event:
Members of the church got excited about a mission project and launched it
Other members of the church caught the vision and joined in
It was a profound merger of fellowship and mission
It was intergenerational--members of all ages baked cookies and members of all ages bagged and delivered cookies
It took an important tradition of the church and fashioned it to meet new passions
It was fun!