"An Inconvenient Truth," Al Gore's fascinating documentary on global warming, will be shown at Trinity on Sunday, October 8, at 7 p.m. The film screening is free and open to the public. A discussion will follow.

One year later... and survivors of Hurricane Katrina continue to rebuild their lives and redefine their understanding of home and community. Members and friends of Trinity are invited to partner with the survivors and others in this endeavor. We have two trips in the works:

November 4 - 10, 2006 - Joint Mission Trip to New Orleans with Church of the Master, Omaha, Nebraska

Trinity has been invited to join Church of the Master (CMA) from Omaha, Nebraska, on a mission trip to New Orleans. (CMA is the church that former Trinity member Mike Osborn now attends.)

The group from CMA will arrive in St. Louis late on Friday, November 3, and will stay at the church overnight before continuing on to New Orleans on Saturday morning on a bus owned by CMA. In New Orleans, the mission group will be staying at the First Presbyterian Church (FPC) and working from there.

The church has four or five rooms used for dorm rooms, five showers and a fellowship. It has tools aplenty, a nice kitchen and a washer and dryer. Some of you may remember seeing pictures of the FPC New Orleans and its pastor, Cliff Nunn, taken when our group visited there last year.

Your cost: approximately $125 per person for transportation, room and board.

January 1 - 6, 2007 - Trinity Mission Trip to New Orleans

In the wake of Katrina, the historic St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church (SCAPC) created a program called RHINO (Rebuilding Hope In New Orleans). We'll travel to New Orleans on New Year's Day (Monday)to work with RHINO in New Orleans and return on the following Saturday, January 6.

Volunteers will share a house converted to a dormitory adjacent to SCAPC in the historic New Orleans Garden District and will drive to the worksite daily. We're not certain if we'll be doing demolition-yes, amazingly, demolition is still going on-or construction. If we do construction, the intention is to work with Habitat for Humanity who will teach us the required skills and supply some of the tools.

Your cost: approximately $125 per person for transportation, room and board.

Please contact Diane O'Brien at dobrien@eden.edu or 314-993-0396 ASAP if you would like to participate - spaces are going fast!

9:30 Worship

• Nursery and Preschool children welcomed to their classrooms for the morning
• Children Pre-K and up begin the morning in worship with adults
• Bulletin indicates when children Pre-K through 4^th grade go to Thicket to begin class time

10:40 Fellowship

• Refreshments are available in the narthex and outside the Weems Chapel
• Confirmation Class has fellowship in their classroom
• Children pre-K through 4^th go to the Thicket

11:00 Education-Learning Circles

• Adult Education-Weems Chapel
• High School, Confirmation, grades 5-6 in their classrooms
• Thicket Children: music class and choice time

11:50 Family Pick-Up

See you next week! Go in peace.

A New Season of Worship, Learning, and Fellowship
Our Church Family Creates
Circles of Peace

After worship on September 10th, first graders through senior adults are invited to the Dining Hall for an intergenerational peace education session led by Dr. Jim and Kathy McGinnis. Infants through Kindergarten remain in their classrooms. Jim is the founder of the Institute for Peace and Justice, and he and Kathy serve as the Institute's directors.

Jim and Kathy will be leading us to examine how to make peace with ourselves, within our families, within our church family, as well as how our church family can make peace with the world and those we share it with. Jim and Kathy will highlight how to make peace through mutual respect, living with feelings, finding harmony with each other, listening, caring, and learning how to promote peace in the face of violence.

Following the education session, we will celebrate the beginning of the 2006-07 Christian Education year with ice cream sundaes. Everyone is invited to attend!

Dr. Daniel Anderson-Little, Pastor

Welcome back to all who have been traveling! I hope everyone had a good summer which included time for relaxation and refreshment.

There are some exciting developments in worship this Fall. The first is a Schedule Adjustment for Sunday mornings. Worship will continue to start at 9:30 am, but we are now planning for worship to last one hour and ten minutes. This adjustment was proposed by a Worship Task Force that examined our worship life and concluded that worship often felt rushed. Adding ten minutes gives us a little more time for things that matter to us in worship - praise, prayer, silence, and reflection. Paul and I will work hard not just to add ten more rushed minutes to our service, but to give ourselves a little more time each week to experience God's presence. Additionally, we will ask Minutes for Mission presenters to keep them brief and to the point. The Worship Task Force also recommended more time for fellowship between worship and education. Our fellowship time will now extend until 11:00 a.m. at which time education will begin. We hope that this will allow members more time to connect with each other and deepen friendships.
Trinity has a rich tradition of worship; we hope that this adjustment will enable us to enhance that part of our ministry. Please give your feedback to me, Paul or a member of the Worship and Music Commission as we review this change in coming months.

Worship Theme - This Fall our theme in worship will be The Church's Witness in the World. We will explore how the church is called to be a voice for justice, peace, and love in the world. On World Communion Sunday, October 1, we will explore the rich and various ways Christians around the world worship God and celebrate the Sacrament of Communion. On Reformation Sunday, October 29, our guest preacher will be Dr. Philip Wickeri of San Francisco Theological Seminary. Dr. Wickeri teaches evangelism and mission with a particular interest in mission in the context of globalization and pluralism. On other Sundays throughout the Fall we will consider the church's role in a time of war, terrorism and Christian witness, and other issues of social justice.

The Return of the Pipe Organ - Sometime this Fall, the Scholin Pipe Organ will return. We believe that the final stage of work will begin in September, which will probably mean that we will worship for a week or two in the Dining Room - watch for details.

Christian Education Gathering In Day

After worship, first graders through senior adults are invited to the Dining Hall for an intergenerational peace education session led by Dr. Jim and Kathy McGinnis. Jim is the founder of the Institute for Peace and Justice, and he and Kathy serve as the Institute's directors.

Jim and Kathy will be leading us to examine how to make peace with ourselves, within our families, within our church family, as well as how our church family can make peace with the world and those we share it with. Jim and Kathy will highlight how to make peace through mutual respect, living with feelings, finding harmony with each other, listening, caring, and learning how to promote peace in the face of violence.

Following the education session, we will celebrate the beginning of the 2006-07 Christian Education year with ice cream sundaes. Everyone is invited to attend!

Paul Vasile, Minister of Music

I am looking forward to a wonderful year of music! So much has been planned - I'm excited to give you a sneak preview of what's to come.

• ­This Fall, we begin a partnership with the Community Music School of Webster Groves! Rooms throughout the church will be used for Kindermusik classes (birth through 6 years) and private music instruction during the week. We are hopeful that this will introduce many people from the community to Trinity.
• ­We begin our second annual Reverberations Concert Series. All of the events are still free; we've added more concerts and have included an even wider range of performers and musical styles.
  
  The first concert on Sunday, November 12 at 4 p.m. will feature Tom Zajac, a multi-instrumentalist widely praised for his versatility and stylish playing. He'll be joined by the Kingsbury Ensemble, one of the Midwest's premiere early music groups. The concert will feature works for recorder, sackbut and baroque bagpipes, performed exclusively on period instruments, combining respect for historical style and scholarship with exciting musicianship and flair.
• ­ Our Casavant organ returns! Carroll Hanson and his wife have been hard at work throughout the summer, cleaning the instrument and reinstalling many of the pipes. In mid-September, the repaired parts and the console additions will be shipped back and reinstalled over several weeks. The instrument should be heard in worship sometime in November. I will play a rededicatory recital on Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m.
• ­ On December 3, the First Sunday of Advent, the Trinity Choir and chamber orchestra will present J.S. Bach's cantata, Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (Savior of the Nations Come) in worship.

Looking even farther ahead, Trinity will host C. Michael Hawn from Perkins Seminary in Dallas, TX the weekend of April 28 and 29, 2007. He is a leading expert in global hymnody and is both an inspiring speaker and musician. He'll lead a Saturday workshop, preach on Sunday morning, and help us to reflect on how singing connects us to God, to each other, and to believers around the world.

Join In!

It is my deepest hope that we will fill our church with great music - sung by choirs, played by the organ, offered in concerts and services, including students, professionals and amateurs, connecting to old and young, ranging from classical to the blues and back again. As this joyful noise spills out the windows and doors, let it be loving witness to the living Christ and draw many more people to see what God is doing in our midst!

The Trinity Choir invites singers of all voice parts to join in singing for weekly services. We are especially needing tenors and basses!! We have a great time rehearsing, socializing and contributing beautiful music in worship. Rehearsals are at 7:15 on Thursday evenings. Our first rehearsal is August 31.

The Handbell Choir invites experienced and new ringers to play in the group. Our rehearsal schedule is flexible, including groups of 5 or 6 rehearsals throughout the year rather than a weekly commitment. Rehearsals are held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings.

The Sunday Morning Singers invites children from grade 3 through 6 to sing in worship throughout the year. We will rehearse from 11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. on Sunday, immediately after Sunday School. Our first rehearsal is Sunday, September 17.

Instrumentalists of all ages and ability levels are welcome to share their musical gifts in worship. Simply speak with me and we can find a place for you!

Do Kirk

Collection Area Located in the Dining Room

"I can't do great things, but I can do small things with great love" - Mother Theresa

What can you bring?

• School supplies - paper, pencils, etc.
• Backpacks - new or gently used
• Stuffed animals
• Children's Underwear
• Old eyeglasses
• Food pantry items

Children's Charities (our very own Spirit and Charlotte) supply ABUSE SHELTERS with these items. This is not a September back-to-school ministry - this is all year around! When a child comes into an emergency shelter, usually at night, concerned adults try to have items just for children during this traumatic time. Imagine: clean underwear represents hope!

Lions Club of America program - Doctors rework our old glasses for persons around the world. The gift of NEW EYES. A gift that goes on giving: my throw-away glasses give another person sight!

Food Pantry is always in need of the more expensive items -peanut butter, canned meat meals, and powdered milk.

Added Bonus: Trinity's TAKE A BOOK CLUB. Help yourself to fun paperbacks. Mysteries, Romances, etc. No returning - no time schedule or deadline

Keep & Enjoy!

Stacy Shupe

Community swathed in snow-capped mountains, pine trees, and waterfalls. Joy clapping hands in rhythm to the holy hilarity that bounds its way into the village. A child holding the chalice for the pastor, so she can experience her time at the table. Eyes glistening with tears as the hands of strangers-no-longer reach out to simply be with, while 400 voices pray Taiz chants in support. With these images, I present to you Holden.

Holden Village is a Lutheran retreat center tucked away in the upper Cascade Mountains of Washington state. It started as a copper mining village in 1937. After the mine closed in 1957, the village was donated to the Lutheran church, which molded it into a place for rest and renewal. I have journeyed to Holden three times in the past four years. Each time I have stayed a month, volunteering in the kitchen in return for room, board, and a month of hiking, rest, and profound community.

There are no roads leading to Holden. To get to there, villagers must find their way to Chelan, where we board a boat that takes us up the snakelike Lake Chelan and drops us off three hours later at Lucerne. There, a school bus waits to take us 11 miles up the mountains to the village, gaining 2100 feet. Once there, villagers have no television, phone, or Internet access.

For me, community is the heart of Holden. Community is formed at Holden through conversation at communal meals and while sharing ice cream after evening vespers. It is formed while sharing perspectives during sessions on politics, social justice issues, the environment, art, or geology. Most of all, community is formed through singing, praying, dancing, and listening together during daily worship.

I will leave you with one of my favorite Holden memories from this year. I took about 15 children ages 6-10 to a quiet place by the rushing Railroad Creek, along with one teenager and three other adults. I explained that I wanted them to sit and listen - to nature, to life, to God. I wanted them to listen for as long as they could without speaking or writing. Once they had listened to their fullest, they could write or draw any observations in their journal. The only stipulation was that they were silent the entire time and did not disturb others, including the adults. Everyone dispersed to find a special place to be, and together - yet individually - we listened. For almost 45 minutes, everyone was still, nobody spoke, and we each heard the voice of God. We all wished we had time to stay longer, as we reflected together on how we could bring this time of stillness and listening into our lives "down lake." Maya spoke of the poem she had written: "I was listening to the creek, and the poem just came to me." If we take time to be still and listen, I believe this can happen for us all.

I would love to share more stories and thoughts about Holden with any of you - feel free to stop me and ask.

Do Kirk

The "Fabric of Faith" scrapbook is slowly being dismantled! Pictures and notations have been removed. The effort to create this visual history was a labor of love that took over 6 months.

Where: The dining room, displayed on the podium in front of the weaving

Why: I wish I knew!

Who: ???

The scrapbook has been put away until further notice. Please return the materials the church office or contact the office with any information. Help us solve the mystery! ---Do

Things are happening all around: Closets cleaned... classrooms painted... library and hallway re-arranged and cleaned... Liz and Linde housecleaning... art gallery being created... Kingsland entrance getting painted... yea! And the most important task: shredding old files-yuck! Thank you to all helpers. You wouldn't believe how many persons do the not-noticed nitty-gritty in our church home. If you are the kind of person willing to do these kinds of tasks, as well as periodic office help, please sign up on the "Trinity Helpers" list posted in the office!

Christian Caregiving: Practical Life Issues on Aging and Relating will be a 5-week series:

• September 17th - Dr. Edward Morley, Director of Geriatric Medicine at St. Louis University Medical Center will speak on "graceful aging."
• September 24th - Ronald Wolf from the Missouri Ombudsman Program on Eldercare will share information on long-term care and the standards to look for when considering placement.
• October 1 - Trinity member Terry Crow will give us a perspective on some of the legal and financial factors to consider.
• October 8 and 15 - Trinity member Liz Nelson will take us through Caregiving 101 and share lots of practical information on community resources and how we can help others.

These sessions, open to all, will provide valuable information and discussion opportunities. Join the sessions in the chapel during education hour following worship.

Betty Burnett

"Students who drop out of school are much more likely to face unemployment, poverty and incarceration than those who stick it out. They will earn $7,000 a year less than their friends who graduate. They will earn $1 million less in their lifetime than their friends who get a bachelor's degree. They will stay on public assistance longer, pay fewer taxes, and have poorer health care. The benefits of education are dramatic and the failure of education is even more dramatic and devastating."

The MCU assembly in January heard those stirring words from Spirit Sorensen. The Mid-County Cluster established a public education task force and determined to do something to improve the dropout rate in mid-county schools, notably in University City and Maplewood-Richmond Heights. But what? We researched the issue from several angles:

• Would better early childhood education help young kids enjoy school more and feel more motivated to learn?
• Would stronger parental involvement programs help keep students in school?
• Is there something the community could do to encourage kids to get a diploma?
• Are innovative programs available that would inspire children to learn and use that learning in positive ways?
• Is middle-school the danger point where kids turn from schooling to anti-social behavior?

It is time to put all these ideas together into a single issue that we can support and that will make a significant difference in our community.

Sunday, September 24 - 3 p.m.
University United Methodist Church

Trinity and the other congregations of the Mid-County MCU cluster will decide what comes next. Your support for this important Trinity outreach is essential!

Pastor Emeritus Don Weems and Ann Weems celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on August 18, 2006. Best wishes to Don and Ann and their family!

This is a list of Trinity Members who need our prayers. If you would like to be added to the prayer list or know of a member in need of prayer, please call the church office, 314-725-3840.

The office continues to be open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Liz Nelson, Church Administrator, is in Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Linde Baechle, Financial Administrator, is in Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Voicemail will be checked each office day, but emails to the main tpcucity@swbell.net address will only be checked on Liz's office days.

In September look for the opportunity to update/correct your personal information for a new Church Directory.

Thank You in advance to Cathy Smith, who will put next month's edition of Trinity News together. Please send her any information you would like to have included at cathypen@aol.com. You can also leave articles in the Trinity News mail slot in the church office. Just call Cathy (725-0586) to let her know that there is something for her to pick up. Deadline for October edition: September 15, 2006. Submit your articles, questions, and suggestions to the Church Office or to Cathy Smith at cathypen@aol.com.

The Search Committee that is seeking both a new Minister of Christian Education and a new Minister of Equipping is excited to announce that Karen Coletti has been hired as Trinity Presbyterian Church's Minister of Christian Education. Karen has served as our Interim Director of Christian Education for the past year and has done a superb job. The Search Committee is actively seeking a Minister of Equipping and hopes to hire a person soon.