July, 2005

Worship as Invitation: Communion
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 31 2005 9:55 AM CDT
July 31, 2005 sermon by Paul Devine [more]
Is God Big Enough?
[The Main Point - By Michael Main]
Sat, Jul 30 2005 10:24 PM CDT
[The Main Point - By Michael Main] Is God big enough to love me if I see Him differently than you?
Is God big enough to forgive me...and then forgive me again?
Is God big enough to heal anything?
Is God big enough that I can bring Him any problem?
Is God big enough to solve those problems no matter how big or small they may be?
Is God big enough to love me?
Is God big enough to inspire me to service so as to make it easier for others to worship Him?
Is God big enough to accept those people who don't serve or worship Him at all?
Is God big enough to accept people with lifestyles I consider sinful?
Is God big enough to accept people who refer to Him as "Her?"
Is God big enough to forgive people who profit off His name?
Is God big enough to accept churches where people only sing hymns?
Is God big enough to accept churches where people sing no hymns at all?
Is God big enough to accept people who don't accept churches?
Is God big enough to forgive me for judging others?
Is God big enough to love people who worship him differently than I do?
Is God big enough to love people who believe only the King James Bible is the true word of the Lord?
Is God big enough to accept people who sometimes express doubts...even doubts about Him?
Is God big enough to change me?
Is God big enough to forgive me for doubting how big He is?
Is God big enough to love sinners?
Is God big enough to accept homosexuals in church without question?
Is God big enough to share my pain?
Is God big enough to accept my anger?
Is God big enough to love the unbeliever?
Is God big enough to love people who drag Him into political debates?
Is God big enough to forgive the believer who can't forgive?
Is God big enough to forgive the believer who can't forgive God?
Is God big enough to accept people who curse?
Is God big enough to love politicians?
Is God big enough to allow people to curse to be saved?
Is God big enough to accept the mentally ill?
Is God big enough to forgive killers?
Is God big enough to change the entire world?
Is God big enough to use methods I may not understand to reach the unreached?
Is God big enough that I can bring Him any problem?
Is God big enough to understand when I don't understand?
Is God big enough to forgive me for my disbelief? [Link] [more]
The Christian Paradox
[Harpers]
Fri, Jul 29 2005 10:37 PM CDT
[Harpers] Only 40 percent of Americans can name more than four of the Ten Commandments, and a scant half can cite any of the four authors of the Gospels. Twelve percent believe Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. This failure to recall the specifics of our Christian heritage may be further evidence of our nation's educational decline, but it probably doesn't matter all that much in spiritual or political terms. Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin's wisdom not biblical; it's counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans - most American Christians - are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly up. [Link] [more]
A listening prayer
[Real Live Preacher - The Christian Century]
Fri, Jul 29 2005 9:25 PM CDT
[Real Live Preacher - The Christian Century] This is prayer. You do not have to speak. Do not let anyone tell you that you must speak. You may speak if you wish, or you may simply listen in the darkness.

Listening is good. Listening pries open the secret places in our hearts where we guard our vulnerability from the dangers of the world. Listening brings layers of sound; it allows you to journey far away and then return to yourself. [Link] [more]
Multiculturalism, Church Transformation and the Missional Church
[PC(USA) Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase]
Fri, Jul 29 2005 5:53 AM CDT
[PC(USA) Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase] Several years ago our denomination set a goal to be ten percent "racial ethnic" or "persons of color" by the end of 2005, and twenty percent by the year 2010. We have made significant progress toward this year's goal, though we still have a long way to go, and it isn't clear that we will hit the target this year. As I've traveled this year, I've become convinced that our real focus shouldn't be so much to create a culturally and racially diverse denomination, but instead to create churches that are intentionally multi-cultural. Many of our small churches in rural, suburban, and urban areas are discovering that their neighborhoods are becoming far more diverse than they are, and that their own renewal and hope for the future is tied up in their ability to make their worship and fellowship a place that genuinely welcomes God's "Pentecost" church of all nations. [Link] [more]
Holy Listening: An Indigo Girl - and dad - talk about music as the mediator between God and our souls
[Sojourners]
Thu, Jul 28 2005 10:23 PM CDT
[Sojourners] Music is a powerful source of transformation that can connect us with the deepest parts of ourselves - and each other. Two musicians who know a lot about this are Don Saliers, a professor of theology and worship at Emory University, and his daughter, Emily Saliers, half of the folk-rock duo Indigo Girls. The two, who met with Sojourners in Washington, D.C., this spring, are co-authors of A Song to Sing, A Life to Live: Reflections on Music as Spiritual Practice. They have a lot to say about the spiritual dimensions of music, and about how music offers both hope and healing. [Link] [more]
The Religious Left Fights Back
[Van Jones: AlterNet]
Thu, Jul 28 2005 7:43 AM CDT
[Van Jones: AlterNet] It is still commonplace to hear so-called radicals stereotyping all religious people as stupid dupes -- and spitting out the word "Christian" as if it were an insult or the name of a disease. I thought progressives were supposed to be the standard-bearers of tolerance and inclusion.

The last time U.S progressives captured the national debate and transformed politics, people of faith were at the center of the movement, not stuck in its closet. [Link] [more]
Desert aid workers face felony charges for transporting border-crossers
[PC(USA)]
Wed, Jul 27 2005 5:25 PM CDT
[PC(USA)] Daniel Strauss and Shanti Sellz, both 23, face felony charges in connection with their July 9 arrest 25 miles from the border. The aid workers from the group No More Deaths were stopped by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Arivaca, AZ, with three illegal immigrants in their vehicle. They were taking the immigrants to a doctor.

Presbyterian church leaders in Arizona were instrumental in helping form the Tucson, AZ-based No More Deaths movement. For the past two summers, the group has provided food, water and basic medical care to illegal immigrants crossing from Mexico into the United States through Arizona's treacherous desert borderlands. [Link] [more]
PresbyAction Alert: Stop US Torture
[PC(USA) - Washington Office]
Wed, Jul 27 2005 5:07 PM CDT
[PC(USA) - Washington Office] The PC(USA) Washington Office urges you to ask your senators to support the McCain amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006. Amendment #1557 provides a clear directive to the military that torture is an unacceptable technique to use for intelligence gathering anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstances. [Link] [more]
Ellie's Run
[Guideposts For Kids]
Wed, Jul 27 2005 7:23 AM CDT
[Guideposts For Kids] Ellie Ambrose, 10, of Nashville Tennessee raised more than $17,000 to build a school in Africa by creating Ellie's Run For Africa--a 5K race and family fun day. [Link] [more]
First-Time Flyer
[Bill's 'Faith Matters' Weblog]
Tue, Jul 26 2005 10:14 PM CDT
[Bill's 'Faith Matters' Weblog] "It later struck me that he was experiencing what many visitors to faith communities go through. They often have little clue what is happening and they get not much help from people around them who can't imagine that they don't know the Lord's Prayer in a church or the sequence of prayers in a mosque.

The task of people of faith is to be welcoming, but we can't do that well unless we can imagine ourselves as first-time visitors and anticipate the many questions visitors will have." [Link] [more]
Dawn Mahoney
[Trinity]
Tue, Jul 26 2005 8:54 AM CDT
We rejoice with former Trinity member Dawn Mahoney, who has found a fulfilling new job with an AIDS service organization in Portsmouth, NH.
Network of Spiritual Progressives
[Witherspoon Society]
Tue, Jul 26 2005 8:47 AM CDT
[Witherspoon Society] More than 1200 people came together for four days last week for a unique gathering in Berkeley, California. Jews and Christians, Muslims and Hindus, theological liberals and evangelicals, and lots more - all were drawn by an invitation to shape a positive progressive response to the conservatives' success in making faith and values something on which they seem to claim a monopoly. [Link] [more]
Worship As Invitation: Prayers of the People
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 24 2005 9:59 AM CDT
July 24, 2005 sermon by Diane O'Brien [more]
1,100 at conference envision a multi-hued, multicultural PC(USA)
[PC(USA)]
Fri, Jul 22 2005 9:06 PM CDT
[PC(USA)] The four-day symposium at Columbia University in mid-July brought together church members and clergy, representatives of middle governing bodies and others interested in or engaged in church transformation and multicultural ministry. All were there to exchange ideas, share experiences, attend workshops, listen to expert speakers, network with colleagues and come together in worship. [Link] [more]
Worship As Invitation: Affirmation of Faith
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 17 2005 9:43 AM CDT
July 17, 2005 sermon by Dr. Daniel R. Anderson-Little [more]
Justice Sunday II called 'Sacrilegious' by Interfaith Alliance President
[Interfaith Alliance]
Sat, Jul 16 2005 6:13 PM CDT
[Interfaith Alliance] "Right now, the most serious threats to the fundamental rights and liberties in our nation are not coming from a lack of God's interest but from a small group of religious right leaders who have assumed the mantle of national religious authorities and seek to impose on the whole nation and its constitution their particular views on religion, the courts, politics, and justice. One can only wonder about the sincerity of the prayerful plea, "God save the United States and this Honorable Court" when members of the religious right have disparaged certain members of the Supreme Court and some even have prayed for the demise of these members." [Link] [more]
Faith Walk at Ground Zero
[PC(USA) Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase]
Sat, Jul 16 2005 6:08 PM CDT
[PC(USA) Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase] Yesterday, I went to church. As moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly, I go to a church almost every day, but this wasn't just any church.

This was St. Paul's Chapel in New York City, the oldest public building that has been continuously in use on the island of Manhattan. This was George Washington's first stop after his inauguration on April 30, 1789. St. Paul's also has the distinction of being immediately across the street from Ground Zero where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once soared well over one hundred stories in the air.

St. Paul's became a place of hospitality and care for the recovery workers who worked to clear away the rubble and debris that reached twenty stories up and sank seven more into the ground. I've been in a lot of historic churches over time, and in general they tend to resemble museums far more than houses of worship. Not this one. [Link] [more]
Big-box ethics
[PC(USA)]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 9:06 PM CDT
[PC(USA)] Two ethics-oriented financial-management companies with investments in large-scale stores such as Wal-Mart have issued guidelines intended to minimize the community opposition that often arises against new "big box" retail outlets. [Link] [more]
A prayer for an end to world's 'worst' crisis
[FaithStreams]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 9:03 PM CDT
[FaithStreams] From July 15 to 17, thousands of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim congregations will hold worship services, offer sermons and homilies, and engage in prayer for the people of Darfur, in western Sudan. Some 400,000 people in that region of Africa's largest country have died amid conflict over the past two years, and more than 2.5 million remain displaced and in danger. [Link] [more]
The Word is Very Near to You
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:16 PM CDT
Trinity members are in for a significant experience in preaching while I am gone on vacation this summer. Rather than bring outside preachers in, the persons who will preach in my absence are all from Trinity. Diane O'Brien, Paul Devine, and Paul Vasile will preach on July 24, July 31, and August 7. They will all continue our theme for the summer Worship as Invitation. Diane will preach on Prayers of the People, Paul Devine on Communion, and Paul Vasile on Hymns. This move to lay preachers is an exciting trend for us. Trinity Presbyterian Church is greatly blessed with members who have a gift and calling to share their faith with others. These three services will one way for that to happen. In the book of Deuteronomy (30:14) we read these words: The word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe. The word of God is not only close to each one of us because God has put God's word in our heart, but it is close to us because the saints around us have a word to share as well. I encourage every member to come to worship on these Sundays, not only to support the ministers in our midst, but because hearing each other share our faith is one of the most profound ways to grow in faith.
Fellowship Retreat
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:14 PM CDT
Been wondering for the last few years how to break the ice with that nice couple who sit in the next pew every Sunday? Wishing you had a bit more to say to folks as you exit through the aisle after the service? Come and get to know Trinity people better at a retreat. Join our congregation for a quick, fun, relaxed, get-to-know-you retreat at Mound Ridge. Kathie Cahoon, Suzanne Trotter, or Christie Thompson would love to help you register in the Narthex after worship on Sunday July 17.
Trinity Gathering
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:14 PM CDT
Join our Trinity friends at the Whitaker Music Festival on Wednesday, July 20, at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Trinity member, Connie Torretta, is performing with her group, Fairchild, one of St. Louis' best-loved hometown bands. The concert is on the Linnean House lawn and entrance to the garden is free after 5:00. Bring a picnic if you like and join us on the Linnean House lawn. The concert begins at 7:00. Please RSVP to Janet Hoyne, 569-0988, so we know how much space to save.
Trinity Peacemakers Need Your Stuff!
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:13 PM CDT

Do the lazy hazy days of summer have you down - don't despair...clean a closet - clean a chest of drawers or - go shopping.

Trinity Peacemakers need your stuff

Backpacks

School supplies

Children's underwear - all sizes

For children in abuse shelters distributed by Children's Services. All old glasses - the gift of new eyes collected and distributed by the Lions Club of America! Needed children's shoes boys and girls sizes 3-13 - like new! The Trinity children are collecting shoes for children in Baghdad Iraq to be distributed by American troops stationed there.

God loves a cheerful giver

Shelves have been added to our contribution area for a swap/give away spot...

Books, games, puzzles

How it works

Bring your paperbacks and put on the shelves. Help yourself to other books, etc. Put your name and a comment about the book inside the cover (if you want).

No keeping track - no rules - just sharing and giving away!

Contribution and Book station in the church dining room. You can't miss it!

Mission Trip Memories: Finding Home
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:06 PM CDT

- Barb Rand

It seemed a simple theme - "Finding Home." But a week of discovery truly reinforced the complexity of the concept of home. It is where the heart is...where I am safe...where my family and friends are...the roof providing shelter over my head. These are only some of the definitions of home - most of them what you could expect. But on this mission trip 14 of us explored home through scripture, music, individual reflection and small group activities and discussions with the following themes: Where is Home, What is Home, Our Spiritual Home, Finding Home - Finding Self, Finding Home in Others.

We developed the mission statement and physical plans for the "perfect" church as defined by consensus in small groups. We created individual 'spirit creatures' from clay and each creature was enhanced by all members of the group demonstrating the impact of relationships as we grow into who we are meant to be. Finally we closed our work week with a bonfire service in which each of us were blessed by the others as our spiritual gifts were named out loud. We built a home together and carry it forward in thought and action.
Mission Trip Memories: Rafting
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:05 PM CDT

- Zach Roman

The day after we arrived in Leadville we went rafting . Hanna was sick, so Barb stayed behind with her. That made 12 of us who went rafting. Janet purchased suits for us and we all put them on with a splash top over it then a life jacket over that. We were split up into 3 rafts with 4 of us in each with a guide. We put in on an easy part of the Arkansas River and then worked our way down. In the easy part at the beginning we practiced paddling as a group forward and backward so to avoid rocks. From thence forward we went through a series of rapids (in no particular order) Zoom Flume, Toilet Bowl, Big Drop, 7 steps, Last Chance, Raft Ripper, and Widow Maker. Trough all of those rapids, James Kelton was the only one to fall out of the raft (he fell out at Last chance), but he was saved quickly. All in all everyone had a great time while rafting, especially James because he loved falling out! For me personally this was very fun and I will remember it forever because it was my first rafting trip ever.
Mission Trip Memories: Soup Kitchen
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:04 PM CDT

- Brian Min

On Tuesday June 14th, Janet, Claire, Hanna, Kate and I volunteered to work at a local church and help them with a soup kitchen. Amy Lufkin, who spear-headed the operation, greeted us with a friendly smile and took us to the chapel/dining room and explained their mission. "We want to give them a place to come and eat a warm, home-cooked meal without having a bible shoved down their throat." All in all it was a very satisfying experience and what really made it amazing was the personal level on which Amy and another helper, Scott, talked to the people who came in. They knew everyone's name and were close friends with most. I had an enjoyable time there.
Mission Trip Memories: "Bastante"
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:03 PM CDT

- Sarah Grant

I had mixed emotions before going on my last Trinity mission trip. I was psyched and at the same time sad to know this would be the end of my mission trips. Now that we're at the closing of our trip, I know I ended my senior high experiences with an amazing trip to Leadville.

My favorite day in Leadville was the day I was able to help out at the soup kitchen. Before lunch was served, the soup kitchen coordinators took us over to their new project, a community center. This project was started by a young girl named Jessie who wanted to give her peers a place to go and hang out and also to make it a multi-cultural environment. Her main ideas for the building were to give people a place to do art (the building included an art gallery), garden, and become a single community. A group was able to get money together to buy a historic, but vacant market. They redid the entire building with modern dcor, but old carved wood. The building was also environmentally friendly. They only use water to heat the building instead of gas, and the lighting will soon be powered by a small solar panel. People can come in free of charge to get a bite to eat, talk out their problems, do artwork, or even do their laundry. This just goes to show what one person can do for a community. Jessie called the center "Bastante," which means enough. The coordinators said she picked this to mean they are giving enough to help people stand on their own and to mean enough, as in we're putting a stop to our problems. The center was absolutely gorgeous and would be giving a home to many. I only hope I'll be able to return someday when it is fully up and running. It gives me hope that some of my own visions for our communities can come true.

When we went back to the soup kitchen for lunch, I sat down at a table with an older gentleman and Barb. Before long two other men had joined us. One was named Jeff, he was 20 and the other was named Rick who was somewhere in his late 30s to early 40s. After a short period of small talk including names of hometowns and their reason for coming to Leadville, Barb and I had figured out that the two had recently met while hiking the Appalachian Trail, and Rick and possibly Jeff would soon attempt to hike the continental divide. They were two amazing travelers who had definite hippie tendencies. Rick told us that he was a journalist and his real reason for hiking the Appalachian Trail was because his friend had passed away. He said, "There's nothing like getting up in the morning and only having to think about walking north." During the nights on this journey he wrote a book on his palm pilot entitled "Dead Men Don't Hike." He is going to self publish it soon and it is available online with his other writings. Rick said that he had been battling depression and suicide, but when his friend died he knew what it did to the people left behind. Before he hikes the Continental Divide he is writing letters to publishers telling them what he is doing and asking them to promote awareness about depression as a disease. Afterwards we discussed my goals and reams for life which have been shaped by the loss of my brother, Tom. I told them of my dream of being a singer/song writer, but that I was double majoring in something I could get a paying job in. Rick stopped me and said, "Go ahead and get your double major, but always follow your bliss!" In my time of hurt and slow healing, those two men were like my brother telling me to walk off my pain, hurt, anger, and confusion and to follow my dreams because that is where your true home lies.
Mission Trip Memories: Brickwork
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 8:00 PM CDT

- James Kelton

When we arrived at our destination, Leadville, CO...we slept, but the next morning me and my partner, Griffin Devine was given the task of helping a brick layer named Jeremy. At first we both didn't want to, but then we realized that we were going to do something other than moving bricks we got into it. We were given the task of going up in the cherry picker and beating the living daylight out of bricks. Though it was extremely cold we both were happy to be doing this. At first we weren't able to get rid of a single brick while Jeremy was tearing out an entire side of the wall. We then had to mix the mortar for him. Our next task was to hand him the bricks as he put them in place. Our last task was to remove a single brick from the center of the wall and replace it with a new one, which we put the mortar in ourselves. I learned so many things that I will be able to use in life. I also learned to work with people better. And I found out that even something that looks terrible can turn out to be one of the best things in the world.
Mission Trip Memories: Jeremy
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:59 PM CDT

- Griffin Devine

Upon arriving in Leadville, Colorado I was greeted with a very imposing and intimidating project. James and I were to climb a wall and remove a slab of concrete and about three feet of bricks. However, this was not the intimidating part. The intimidating part of the project was our adult guide, mason Jeremy Booth. Jeremy was built much like a brick himself, hard, red, and square. A permanent scowl seemed to be his dominating facial feature. We were presented to Jeremy as his helpers upon which he directed us towards what is know as a cherry picker. For those who are unfamiliar with the device, it is essentially a platform connected to a machine that lifts and extends so workers can work and move around in high places. Jeremy told us to start pounding away. After several minutes of pounding I was shaking. Half from the freezing weather, half from the fact that the cherry picker was shaking back and forth in the wind. Jeremy told us that he would return in a few minutes. We sprinted inside and I added several layers of clothing. However, my hands were numb. Upon his return, Jeremy presented James and I with liners for our gloves bought at his own expense to keep our hands warm. We then went back to the wall and Jeremy instructed us to angle up as we hit. It was the first of several important lessons I would learn from Jeremy over the next two days. I learned how to mix mortar and concrete, drive a cherry picker and the feat that James and I are most proud of remove a single brick from the middle of a wall and replace it.

Jeremy was a man of few words when it came to his faith. What I saw in Jeremy was a man who worked hard, was quick with a joke or an encouraging word and wanted our relationship not to be teacher and student, but of equals working for the same common goal. Jeremy removed me from my comfort zone (what is faith other than being removed from our comfort zone) and taught me how to survive. Jeremy was on vacation for a week from Wisconsin at the time of this project visiting his parents who had asked him to do some work on the church. Throughout the two days I worked with him, he complained in a joking manner about having to work for those two days while on vacation. But over the course of the rest of the week I saw him every day doing odd jobs. What I learned from Jeremy is a lesson that he never meant to teach. Our home is so much more than where we currently are. It is made up of where we have been and what we have done. Jeremy showed me that while he lived somewhere else, his past home was just as important to preserve and protect. It struck me particularly because I will be leaving in a year to go to college. But what I know is that I have a home at Trinity and that for the rest of my life it is my responsibility to protect it. So while he may not have given me a sermon, Jeremy taught me lessons purposely and inadvertently that have changed my relationship with the establishment in which I worship God. He turned my church into my home.
Mission Trip Memories: Amy
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:58 PM CDT

- Hanna Evans

One week can change your life forever. This is true for I have indeed experienced many life changing events during my stay in Leadville, Colorado. It was not only the work and unforgetable views of the mountain skyline, but the citizens of Leadville that have made a permanent home in my heart.

While working in the Soup kitchen at St. George Episcopal Church, it was clear in all our minds that we were going to welcome a very unfamiliar group for the meal. It was not only those whom we were going to serve, but the lady who helped us through the day. Her name was Amy Lufkin. An amazing heart shines in this woman who was a head shorter than most of us coming to help. It was incredible how much strive for happiness and warmth Amy carried. Her welcoming smile towards everyone who walked through the church doors was true and loving. When asked what her purpose for the soup kitchen was for her, she replied that she wanted those who were unfortunate and with out a meal to go somewhere they were welcomed. She also added that she wanted to share the gospel not by "shoving a bible down their throats" but through her actions. This opened a new door for me and how I viewed "spreading the gospel." It is true that Amy Lufkin will be remembered and kept in our hearts for the rest of our lives.
Mission Trip Memories: Leroy
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:56 PM CDT

- Kate Shoemaker

I was skeptical going into my third mission trip. The first is always exciting, the second you know what is gong on and therefore feel more comfortable, but the third? Quite honestly I wasn't very excited. The first two trips I went on were relatively the same spiritually, so by my third I thought 'what else can I learn by working for others?' My answer came in Leroy. I met Leroy while I was staining a fence and he approached me from the outside of it. The first thing he said to me was, "Do you know what the difference is between hurt and pain?" "Um, no I don't," I muttered. "Pain goes away, but once you're hurt, you're hurt forever," he answered and tears welled in his eyes. Well, after that I was intrigued. After that we carried on normal small-talk introductions and exchanged names. We said, "goodbye, nice to meet you" and he went on his way. That left me bewildered but soon escaped my mind as I attended to my fence. But Leroy came back again after also sharing time with Brian and Paul. This time he came baring gifts. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, I had taken Leroy for homeless; he was unshowered, dirty clothed, and skinny. So you wouldn't believe how surprised I was to see him again with six popsicles and six plastic roses, for each of us. He thanked us for the work we were doing and told us some of the most emotional stories I had ever heard, each time shedding tears at the end of his stories as he looked to the sky in awe. We ended up making an afternoon of it and he took us to mining sites with wonderful views and enlightened us with unbelievable stories. The day ended with us extending to him an invitation to dinner. He thanked us an uncountable amount of times but never actually accepted. I had thought for sure he wasn't coming and that the last time I would see him would be when we dropped him off at his house. He had already changed my life just by embodying the most thankful person I had ever met while also being one of the poorest. When we got back to the church we were staying at, my group tried to explain Leroy to the others, but his stories just seemed made-up and unreal when we repeated them. Although I knew I would always carry Leroy with me he was again out of my mind. But again, Leroy returned for dinner, and my mouth dropped. He was dressed in his best cowboy outfit and had brought his father along with numerous trinkets to prove his stories were true. He also brought me a drawing of his own that he had done and thanked me for the invite again with tears in his eyes.

The things I came to realize after Leroy left in his purple van with me waving goodbye on the porch, changed my faith. God had sent himself to me through Leroy. God was patient with me and sent Leroy to me three times before I understood. The third time bringing me physical proof. Leroy was a self-less embodiment of Christ. Everything Leroy was and everything Leroy said was as though they were modern day Bible characteristics and stories. I cannot put what this meant to me in words. This was the first time I felt God had directly spoken to me. Leroy was my messenger; he was my personal Jesus Christ. I had never believed others when they said they had felt the presence of God until I experienced it for myself through Leroy. The lessons he taught me and the person he was will always be with me in my heart and my faith, and has proven to me God's existence.
Mission Trip Memories: Jo
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:55 PM CDT

- Claire Santoro

When we arrived in Leadville and learned about our work projects, we were told the most about a wonderful old woman we would meet. Her name was Jo, and she had been living in Leadville since she was born around the turn of the century. She had amazing stories, we were told, and she would love to share them.

Six of us set out Monday morning for Jo's house. She wanted her windows washed - a simple task that we finished in about an hour. By ten o'clock we had cleaned up and politely invited ourselves into her house. We sat down, and she began to talk.

Jo talked about her life, from how her husband, a smelter, died young of lead poisoning, to the importance of sharing family meals. She told how she had been forced to find a job so that one of her sons wouldn't have to support her after her husband died. She laughed about how she has been selling Avon for nearly forty years to make a living, and she proudly showed us the rosaries she makes and gives to local churches. Jo talked about the challenges of modern life and patiently explained why computers and television will never compare to the joys of playing kick the can or catch in the street.

Why don't today's kids play outside every day like she used to, Jo wondered. Why don't people make something of their lives? With almost one hundred years of wisdom, Jo made her point: modern life offers a whole lot of temptation. Don't give in to it, she warned; focus on family, love, and God's message.

I was amazed by Jo's wisdom. I was also a little shocked to realize how much I have given in to the temptations Jo talked about, like materialism and my computer addiction. Even though Jo called us 'good kids' that remembered God's mission, she made me, and probably all six of us, rethink our values.

When we drove away after an hour-long chat, I knew that those windows we washed were a very small gift given in exchange for and eye-opening history lesson.
Mission Trip Memories: Cathy
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:53 PM CDT

- Maggie Schoeberlein

This mission trip to Leadville, Colorado has changed my life. The most inspirational part for me was meeting and helping Cathy. Cathy is 85 years old and has been living in Leadville for 51 years. She hadn't always liked it there, though. When she first moved to her home, she wrote a letter to her mother complaining about how bad the work was on her own. When her mother wrote back, all she said was, "You're going to have to learn someday." When Cathy read this she said that her Irish and English got stirred up and that she'd show her!!

Since our mission trip theme is "Finding Home," I asked Cathy to define home for our group. She told us that home is what you make it.
Mission Trip Memories: Serendipity
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:51 PM CDT

- Paul Devine

One of the more frustrating aspects of preparing to go on this mission trip was the lack of information about the work projects. We knew that the church need some sort of brickwork and that some homes in the area would need "repairs." But the brick work was accurately predicted to be a two day job and the "repairs" were extremely undefined. This frustration was compounded upon our arrival by last minute cancellations and an inability to reach some of our intended beneficiaries.

As with most frustrations in in my life, God supplies solutions in a most serendipitous fashion. When weather prevented us from staining a deck on Monday, I promised the home owner that we would get to that project later in the week. The extremely low humidity provided a window of opportunity the next morning and I left a message at the owner's work number to call me. The call was returned by the owner's assistant, a 66 year old widow who was attempting to remove all her siding by herself, but having some difficulty getting it done - new job #1. While picking up supplies at the local hardware store, I struck up a conversation with one of the workers. She explained that her 81 year old mother needed a fence sealed - a fence that had been built by a previous mission team. New job #2!

As it turned out, these "add-on" projects resulted in some of the most rewarding work and provided us an opportunity to meet a man who truly made the trip for most us. God seems to provide, especially when we least expect it.
Mission Trip Memories: Campfire
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:49 PM CDT

- Ashley Bender

As a newly graduated senior, I have to admit one of the most influential moments of this year's mission trip to Leadville, Colorado was the closing ceremony. The week had already been quite emotional after learning of Janet's call to move to Sherman, Texas. The might began with a cozy campfire including toasting marshmallows and sharing laughs. As the sun set, we began listing off qualities and/or characteristics of every member of the mission team. Needless to say, the night turned extremely emotional. For one, this would be Janet's last mission trip with Trinity. Secondly, I will be leaving in the fall and this was my last mission trip. The night was extremely successful as the entire group had grown closer throughout the week.
Mission Trip Memories: The Van Ride
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:46 PM CDT

- Blair Klostermeier

To get us and our supplies to Leadville, we rented two vans. There was a white one was nicknamed "Flemish rabbit" and a red one we named "mutant pheasant." To pass the time we listened to music, played cards, read, but mostly slept. For lunch we went to Taco Bell where we purchased bouncy balls from a machine which was a great source of entertainment. For dinner our plan was to go to Applebee's but it was full and we were very hungry. Next door was a place called Carlos O'Kelly's. The name provoked many questions about the type of cuisine. Barb and I walked over through the drizzle and found out that it was Mexican food and burgers; also they could seat us quickly. After dinner and making a Wal-Mart run, we headed to where we would sleep for the night; a Protestant campus center on a small college campus in Hays, Kansas. The next morning we continued on and ate breakfast at a Village Inn. After some more driving, we crossed into he Mountain time zone and then into Colorado. As we got closer to our destination and the mountains came into view, everything became more and more beautiful. Personally, being in the mountains makes me feel closer to God because I am in the middle of one of His greatest wonders. This especially hit me at the Continental Divide, particularly because it is June and we were in snow! Tired from two long days of travel, we finally reached our destination.

A week later, our day to start coming home began with a hearty breakfast cooked for us by our leaders and cleaning the building that had been our home. We went through the Eisenhower tunnel which is over a mile long and straight through the base of a mountain. We all attempted to hold our breath through the tunnel, but none succeeded. As we got into eastern Colorado, things became pretty desolate. Finally, at 2PM we stumbled hungrily into Arby's in Limon. Finally, we arrived at First Presbyterian Church in Colby, Kansas, our resting place for the night. Instead of leaving again for dinner, we ordered pizza. The next morning after a breakfast of fruit, muffins and cold pizza, we headed back out on the road. After some fun with the walkie-talkies, we pretty much kept to our vans, and ourselves seeing that we were so tired. Oh, Kansas, why must you be so FLAT! We passed the time with Tupac, Spice Girls and sleeping until we got hungry. We calmed our munchies with a trip to Wendy's which we purchasedthe drive-thru and ate at a rest stop. Many song dedications and miles later, we had re-entered the show me state. At last things were starting to look familiar and all of a sudden we were pulling through the lions and up to church. After unloading and cleaning up a bit, our parents arrived and we got to go home.

The aspect of getting to and from a destination has always been one of my favorite parts. All the togetherness helps people get to know each other a bit better and create memories. None of us will forget Paul's makeshift mirror (or what caused him to need it), playing 20 questions with one half busted walkie-talkie, the cool stuff at gas stations, singing along to Disney songs, going through the Eisenhower tunnel or getting a song dedicated to us, however hidden the message was. I am looking forward to the vane ride next year, and what comes out of it.
Mission Trip Memories: Be Thankful For Everything
[Trinity]
Fri, Jul 15 2005 7:44 PM CDT

- Janet Chester

This mission trip was not about the type of work projects we did, but instead how we encountered God in our midst through the people we met. Leroy taught us lessons that we won't soon forget as he reminded us to be thankful for everything we have in life. God is working in marvelous ways through the soup kitchen and community center at St. George Church, with a regular attendance of about 25 people. I am reminded that when there is a vision, you can make anything happen. When there is a will there is a way!

Since this was my last Trinity mission trip, our theme, Finding Home was very relevant as I shared with the group that God is calling me to a different place at this time in my life. I will miss this group so much, for over the years they have become my home. This group has taught me...to laugh, love, not take things so seriously, to experience my faith in new ways, and much, much more! Blessings and peace, you will always remain in my heart.
Accompaniers meet Senate delegation
[PC(USA)]
Thu, Jul 14 2005 6:47 PM CDT
[PC(USA)] Washington group get first-hand look at Presbyterian work in Colombia [Link] [more]
Malawi Presbyterian church struggles with severe shortage of ministers
[PC(USA)]
Thu, Jul 14 2005 6:45 PM CDT
[PC(USA)] As apathetic and unfulfilled Presbyterians in the United States continue a steady exodus from the pews, worsening a 40-year membership decline, their counterparts in Malawi are doing the opposite - coming to the altar in droves to invite Christ into their lives. There are so many active Presbyterians in Malawi - where congregations often number more than 1,000 members - that the national church is scrambling to keep up. [Link] [more]
School Supplies for Latin American Action Team
[Trinity]
Thu, Jul 14 2005 6:42 PM CDT
A group from First Presbyterian will be leaving next week with LAAT for a trip to Plan Grande, Nicaragua. They hope to take school supplies with them. Needed are: Children and Young Adult books in Spanish, Puzzles - 250 pieces or less, Pencils, Pencil Sharpeners, Erasers, Composition books (non-spiral),and Crayons. Contact Kathie Sherman at (314) 781-7651 or nicabol@aol.com for more info. Items are needed by Sunday, July 17.
She lost her only son in the London bombings...
[Bruderhof Communities]
Thu, Jul 14 2005 6:38 PM CDT
[Bruderhof Communities] "It's time to stop and think. We cannot live in fear because we are surrounded by hatred. Look around us today. Anthony is a Nigerian, born in London, worked in London, he is a world citizen. Here today we have Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, all of us united in love for Anthony. Hatred begets only hatred. It is time to stop this vicious cycle of killing. We must all stand together, for our common humanity." [Link] [more]
Janet Chester to Take New Position
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 2:28 PM CDT

- Dr. Daniel Anderson-Little, Pastor

Janet Chester has submitted her resignation as Trinity's director of Christian Education in order to become the Director of Christian Education at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sherman, Texas. Janet's last day at Trinity will be August 5. She will continue to guide our preparations for the Fall Sunday School program and will also accompany the youth on their trip to Montreat, N.C.

Our Christina Education program has grown tremendously during Janet's seven years with us. Janet led us in the transformation of our education ministry: our workshop rotation Sunday School has helped faith come alive for our children in new ways and has involved large numbers of adults. We witnessed this growth on Teacher Appreciation Sunday when more than 90 people were recognized for taking part in our education ministry. Janet has also helped Trinity move forward with an emphasis on families as centers of spiritual formation.

Janet was instrumental in our efforts to include children in worship, and she has been a steadfast advocate for the full inclusion of children in every part of church life. When Janet arrived, Trinity had a strong tradition of youth mission trips. Janet built on that tradition and expanded opportunities for our youth to be involved in ministry.

While Janet will be working at Trinity until early August, Janet's last Sunday at Trinity will be July 17. We encourage you to attend worship that morning as we formally send her to her new ministry. Plans are being made for a celebratory gathering in her honor and we will publicize the details of that event as soon as they are known.

We remain committed to a strong, vital Christian Education Ministry at Trinity. In the coming month, the Session will appoint a search committee to find a new Director of Christian Education. As for the Fall, Janet leaves Trinity in strong shape for our new program year, and we appreciate her efforts to ensure a smooth transition. We will explore the appointment of an Interim Directory of Christina Education until a new Director is hired.

It is with a real sense of sadness that we send Janet to her new ministry in Texas as we will miss her gifts, her faithfulness, and her love that we have added so greatly to our common ministry. But we also send her with a deep sense of gratitude knowing that God will continue to use her gifts to build up God's Kingdom. We invite you to be in prayer for Janet as she makes this transition in her ministry and for our congregation as we seek to faithfully minister to and with all of God's children.

Habitat For Humanity Opportunity
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 1:53 PM CDT

- Pat Gibbons

Habitat for Humanity - St. Louis is building 20 homes in 2005, in Hillsdale, near the location of the four-church home Trinity co-sponsored in 2003. I will serve for my third year as a house co-leader in building one of these homes. My partner, co-leader Mkie Basco, worked on the home next to mine in 2004. His generous help then was crucial to getting my house built, so I am very pleased to be working with him.

The home is identified by Habitat as number 15, and is at 2138 Oakdale, Hillsdale, MO 63121. The sponsor organization is the St. Louis Association of Realtors.

Many of you have worked with me as one-Saturday volunteers or on Trinity-sponsored homes. Please call or email me (314-323-9908, pcg@wustl.edu) if you would like to work with me on a Saturday this summer. The first build day will be Saturday, July 9.

Help RAVEN and the Environment - Donate Your Old Cell Phone
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 1:43 PM CDT

- Melissa Kreishman

Do you have an old cell phone that you don't know what to do with? Please consider donating it to help RAVEN! Old phones can be placed in a marked collection box that will be located in the church Narthex for the next few weeks. Phones collected will be sent to RAVEN. RAVEN will then receive a donation from a partner collection agency that recycles and reuses the old cell phones. Every cell phone helps!

RAVEN is a non-violence education center that provides group-based intervention and non-violence education with men who batter and is one of the many agencies that Trinity supports through local mission giving.
Food Pantry Update
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 12:16 PM CDT

- Sandy Norkaitis

The Winger Food Pantry has had a busy almost six months so far this year. Through the end of May, 485 people received food at the pantry on Wednesdays. The volunteers have been Roberta Middlekamp, Jerry Royce, Sally Dunn, Birty Hodgson and Sandy Norkaitis. Our shoppers who ordered and shopped for all the food these past six months were Jane Gibbons and Stacy Carman. The volunteers who packed the grocery bags for us have been Joanne, Zach, and John Roman, Emily and James Kelton, Kitty Underwood, Polly Brown, Lynne Beck, Linda Brian and Brianna Min, and Kirk and Jyll Swearingen.

We were very fortunate to receive the last 40 cases of Boy Scout food in February. We also received monthly food from food drives at Southview school delivered to the church by Charlotte Landrum and Spirit Sorensen. The Girl Scouts donated over 4200 personal care items in April from their April Showers collection. Stacey, Eleanor and Maggie Carman helped sort all the items brought to church on April 16.

One of our clients, Pearlie, now brings her paper grocery bags to help us. We could use plastic grocery bags for the next three to four months if you have some to spare.

The food pantry and our clients are truly blessed by the volunteers and the people of Trinity Church for their dedication to the Winger Food Pantry.

Join in the Music!
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 12:09 PM CDT

- Paul Vasile, Minister of Music

There are still many opportunities to share in Trinity's music ministry this summer:

  • The Summer Choir will sing on July 10, July 24, and August 14. All are welcome to rehearse at 8:30 a.m. in the choir room.
  • A hymn sing will be held ten minutes before worship on July 31 and August 21. These are great opportunities to sing beloved older hymns and explore newer tunes and texts.
  • The Handbell Choir welcomes new ringers to a series of summer rehearsals. Meet in the choir room at 6:30 p.m. on June 29, July 6, July 13 and July 20 and learn how to ring! We'll also ring in worship on July 24.
  • Instrumentalists of all ages are always welcome to share their musical gifts. If you would like to play a solo or participate in worship, we will find an opportunity for you! Please speak with Paul Vasile if you are interested.
Dr. Keith Fischer Honored
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 11:58 AM CDT

On Sunday, June 5, the Evangelism Commission honored Dr. Keith Fischer for being an angel among us, for being one of God's servants who quietly and steadfastly lives his faith - one of God's chosen who continually seeks justice, loves kindness and walks humbly with his God.

Keith not only ministers to this community of faith, within these walls, but he lives his faith outside of these walls. This ministry of his is magical - when needed, without asking he is "there" - he just appears. Many of us at Trinity who have been patients at Barnes-Jewish Hospital have seen Keith appear - and support - and care. He also gives freely of his expertise and knowledge to the people entrusted to his care as a physician. He also cares for the "least of these", the people who no one bothers to stop and help.

We are certainly blessed to have Keith as an angel among us.

Correspondence
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 11:49 AM CDT
Hi everyone,

Forgive the impersonality of this email but want you all to have this information. Most of you know I was married (!) on February 20th to Russ Tillotson, a Presbyterian minister (of the very progressive type!) whom I met at our 50th college reunion! We've just moved to our new home in West Asheville, just 1 miles from my daughter, Ellen and family. :-) Our new information:
Syl Huning Tillotson and Russ Tillotson, Sr.
122 Hudson Street
Asheville, NC 28806-3350
Phone: 828-255-5593
Trinity Church - Please keep your Newsletter coming to this new address. I TREASURE IT!! Russ too. Thanks. Syl
Nelson Ku
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 11:46 AM CDT
The sympathy of the congregation is expressed to the family of Nelson Ku who died on Monday June 20th in Atlanta. Mr. Ku was a long-time tenor soloist at Trinity.
Worship As Invitation: Proclamation of the Word
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 9:50 AM CDT
July 10, 2005 sermon by Dr. Daniel R. Anderson-Little [more]
The Spiritual Lives of Children
[Dry Bones Dance:]
Sun, Jul 10 2005 8:35 AM CDT
[Dry Bones Dance:] "Most adults just listen to children to hear themselves, as if a child couldn't possibly have anything to say worth listening to. We tell them that they should arrive at our exact destination and they must come the way we did. Too often we conquer their souls and call it salvation. What would happen if we looked at spiritual development as nurturing what is already there, rather than trying to instill something that isn't?" [Link] [more]
"Fear Not; I Am With You": Reflections on the London Blasts
[Bruderhof Communities]
Fri, Jul 8 2005 9:42 AM CDT
[Bruderhof Communities] "I have never heard so much religious language as since 9/11. But how many of us have truly stopped and tried to listen to what God is saying? Biblical history shows us that whenever we think we have the answers and try to take world events into our hands, God withdraws from us. It was only when the children of Israel realized that their own strength had come to an end, and cried out to God, that he intervened and helped them. If God led the children of Israel out of Egypt, how much more will he help us today?" [Link] [more]
"The Image of the Invisible God"
[TalkingDonkeys]
Thu, Jul 7 2005 11:06 PM CDT
[TalkingDonkeys] "In the face of a culture of death
a world of killing fields
a world of the walking dead
Christ is at the head of the resurrection parade
transforming our tears of betrayal into tears of joy
giving us dancing shoes for the resurrection party" [Link] [more]
Dr. Anderson-Little elected to Covenant Network board of directors
[Trinity]
Thu, Jul 7 2005 4:49 PM CDT
The Covenant Network Board is pleased to announce the election of the following new directors: Dan Anderson-Little, pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church, University City, MO; Janet Arbesman, Minister member of Grand Canyon Presbytery; William Calhoun, co-pastor of Montview Presbyterian Church, Denver; Kirsten Kingdon, elder at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC, and J. Herbert Nelson, pastor of Liberation Community Presbyterian Church, Memphis. [more]
World church leaders decry London bombings
[PC(USA)]
Thu, Jul 7 2005 4:24 PM CDT
[PC(USA)] World Council of Churches chief says no grievance can justify targeting civilians, 'killing innocent people' [Link] [more]
You don't have to convert people, just work with them
[David Brooks]
Thu, Jul 7 2005 4:18 PM CDT
[David Brooks] Evangelicals and liberals are finding common ground on ways to end poverty [Link] [more]
Interim Director of Christian Education Search
[Trinity]
Thu, Jul 7 2005 3:57 PM CDT

Trinity is currently searching for a half-time Interim Director of Christian Education. The position will exist until Trinity hires a permanent person; we anticipate that an interim will be needed at least until January 2006 and possibly as long as June 2006.

If you are interested in the position, please call Dan Anderson-Little as soon as possible. If you know a member of the congregation or the community who we should consider, please call Dan as well (please call Dan on his cell phone 314-581-6364). If you would like to see a copy of the Job Description, please call Karon Bilbrey (725-3840) and she will email a copy (Word file) to you.

Fairchild at the Botanical Garden
[Trinity]
Thu, Jul 7 2005 3:51 PM CDT
Join your Trinity friends at the Whitaker Music Festival on Wednesday, July 20, at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Trinity member, Connie Torretta, is performing with her group, Fairchild, one of St. Louis' best-loved hometown bands. The concert is on the Linnean House lawn and entrance to the garden is free after 5:00. Bring a picnic if you like and join us on the Linnean House lawn. The concert begins at 7:00.

Please RSVP to Janet Hoyne, 569-0988, so we know how much space to save.
Worship as Invitation: Scripture
[Trinity]
Sun, Jul 3 2005 9:48 AM CDT
July 3, 2005 sermon by Dr. Daniel R. Anderson-Little [more]
ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History
[Trinity]
Sat, Jul 2 2005 4:54 PM CDT
Twenty years ago, the organizers of the Live Aid concerts asked each of us to give some of our money to end a famine. This time, for the Live 8 concerts they are asking us to give a moment of our time to end poverty forever. Next week in Scotland the leaders of the G8, the world's richest nations, are discussing what can be done to end the kind of extreme poverty that forces nearly 1 billion people to struggle on a dollar a day. 30,000 children die every day straining to find food, clothing, shelter, and medical assistance on that tiny amount of money.

As President Bush prepares for this meeting a coalition of groups from the left and the right (especially faith-based groups) have been pressuring him to take a lead in ending poverty. TrueMajority has joined these groups under a banner known as The One Campaign to ask the President to make sure they leave with a deal that includes:
  • Debt Cancellation
  • More and Better Aid
  • Trade Justice
[more]