Trinity Talk...A Weekly Newsletter

Trinity Talk

November 27, 2011

First Sunday in Advent

SEMO Food Bank This Saturday

Please join us this Saturday, December 3, for our next SEMO Food Pantry. Yes, it’s only been two weeks since the last one but with the holidays this is the only weekend available.  We need a few folks at 7:00 a.m. to set up tables and greet our guests and lots more folks about 8:00 a.m. to unload the truck and pass out the food items.  We hope you can join us.  See Susan with questions.

Hanging of the Greens

What’s that, you ask?  It’s a special time of decorating our sanctuary for Advent.  We will have special readings and music as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. Join us on Sunday, December 4 at our 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. worship services.  One of our fall small groups made chrismons, which are religious symbols for the Christmas tree.  We thank the members of Jan Aslin’s small group for adding these new symbols for this Christmas season.  It will be a holy time of offering these gifts for the coming of the Christ Child.

Christmas Cards Needed by December 11

The UMW is again sponsoring Christmas cards for the homebound and others.  There are lists of names on the table in the foyer or see below.  We need your cards by Sunday, December 11.  There will be a basket in the hallway.

                                        TRINITY CHRISTMAS CARD LIST

                                                          Please seal lightly

Gorty Aslin                          Bob Blair                 Kurt Dumey                 John Gandt   

Charless Glass                   Greg Hall                Anson Knoderer          Imogene Montgomery          Colleen Phillips                   Murlin Phillips         Linda Talley                 Mildred Unger

Marilea Vickroy                   Larry Watson          Fred Wethington

Children and Youth Christmas Program

Trinity kids and youth will sing wonderful songs of the Christmas season on Sunday evening, December 18 at 6:00 p.m.  We will also share some conversation and snacks afterward the program.  We hope you can join us.

Would You Consider?

We had another great SEMO Food Bank on Saturday.  We served 180 families representing 508 people.  One young woman quietly asked me if we helped families at Christmas with gifts for children.  She said she asked at another food pantry and was told to check with us.  She has 3 children, ages 13 and 3 year old twins, all girls. I asked her what the girls needed and she said clothes and toys, but more clothes.  I have their sizes.  If you would like to help this young mother and her children, perhaps a Sunday school class, would you please contact me?  Thank you for your generosity...

United Methodist Women Christmas Party

The UMW will host their annual Christmas party at Hickory Log in Dexter on December 14 at 11:00 a.m.  It’s a fun time of great food and conversation.  See Frances Moore or Pastor Susan for more information.  We hope you can join us!

Continued on back

TUMC Girls Christmas Party

The TUMC Girls Christmas party is December 14 and all ladies of the church and friends are invited.  The catered meal is $14.  Please pay Jan Aslin or Pat Snider by Dec. 7.  Questions, see Cathy Chasteen or Annette Lumsden.  Remember our special gift exchange after dinner, a Christmas ornament or Christmas item of $10.00.   Don’t forget to wrap it or “bag it” extravagantly!

Would You Send A Birthday Card?

From Rosemary: George Ashley's birthday is Monday, November 28.  He will be 92 years old.  Mr. Ashley is the one who has given so much to Trinity.  Since we have had the building programs for our buildings here on the hill, he was given thousands of dollars to our funds.  If you care to send him a card, his mailing address is:

     Mr. George Ashley

     Terrace  House #11 H

     3131 Maple Avenue

     Dallas, TX 75201

Food Ministry Items for November and December

The food ministry items for the Assembly of God Food Pantry for November and December are items for a holiday meal.  Many families are struggling financially and they will be able to have a great holiday meal with our offering.  Thank you for your generosity!

Need a Great Gift for Christmas?

A RADA knife order will be placed the first week in December.  The order sheets will be picked up on Friday, December2.  There are catalogs in the fellowship hall, in the teacher’s workrooms at school and Rosemary Walker has one to lend.  Please look them over for Christmas gifts and for items for snacks, soups, dips and desserts for the holiday season.  They also make great stocking stuffers.  The United Methodist Women use the proceeds from the orders for their mission work.  Call Rosemary at 568-3425 with questions or orders.

Trinity Events This Week

Wednesday   No JOY worship service for December.

Saturday       SEMO Mobile Food Bank

PRAYER CONCERNS AND PRAISE REPORTS

Kitty Welch-Sister of Roy Ward who is critically ill.

Elaine Hutchison-Grandma of Jera, Lindsay, McKayla and Ethan, who has stage 4 cancer.

Gladys Spikes-Mother of Heather Sifford who has been diagnosed with cancer, stage 4.

Charlotte Clark-Mom of Jill Gibbs who has early stages of breast cancer and will have surgery on Wednesday and treatments to follow.

Julie Dodd- She has a rare neck condition and will see a thoracic specialist on Wednesday.

Gary Rhine-Melissa Blair’s dad who has a serious infection at the site of his surgery in May and is now home.

Mildred Unger-She is now at home and just so happy!

Robert King-Friend of Stephanie Monroe who has terminal cancer.

Linda Talley-Kristine Jackson’s mom who has cancer.

Anson Knoderer-Father of Cissy Williams who has serious health concerns.

John Gandt-He is serving in Egypt, son of Don and Ginny.

Sarah White             Charlie Glass             Greg Hall              Mucuacua UMC   Military

Trinity Talk...A Weekly Newsletter

Trinity Talk

November 6, 2011

It’s Shoebox Time Again

No, not shoes that we leave at the altar (we had 91 pairs of shoes for the DFS Clothes Closet and Stoddard County Gospel Mission, thanks!).  It’s those shoeboxes that we fill with items for kids all over the world to receive through Operation Christmas Child.  Heather White leads this important ministry at Trinity and lists are available on the information table in the hallway.  We need your shoeboxes by Sunday, November 21.  Of course, Heather and her team will put boxes together for those who would rather give a cash offering.  A simple idea has now touched millions of children, again, loaves and fishes from God…and we get to be a part of another miracle…

Great Small Groups This Fall!

Thanks to everyone who made our first fall small groups such a great time of learning, food and conversation!  We thank Scott and Lina Gibbs for the delicious meals, to those who made the great desserts and cleaned up after supper.  Special thanks to Dale Williams for coordinating our small group experiences.  And we appreciate our great small group leaders  Don Rhodes, Josh Monroe, Jim Goforth, Jan Aslin, Bill Aslin, Lina Gibbs and Jill Gibbs who shared their gifts with us from landscaping to carpentry to chrismons (can’t wait to see them on the Christmas tree!) to WW II, finances and leading our youth and children.  It’s been such a great time of sharing with each other.  See everyone with our next small groups in January!

3^rd Annual Claus for a Cause

Spend a fun afternoon on Sunday, November 20 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. listening to live Christmas music from Buddy Heaton here at Trinity with crafts, snacks and pictures with Santa.  T-shirt presale is until Nov. 3.  For more information go to www.clauseforacause.blogspot.com.  All profits will be donated to 18 Fore Life and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  We also need folks to help with the event.  See Julie Dodd for more details.

Need a Great Gift for Christmas?

A RADA knife order will be placed the first week in December.  The order sheets will be picked up on Friday, December2.  There are catalogs in the fellowship hall, in the teacher’s workrooms at school and Rosemary Walker has one to lend.  Please look them over for Christmas gifts and for items for snacks, soups, dips and desserts for the holiday season.  They also make great stocking stuffers.  The United Methodist Women use the proceeds from the orders for their mission work.  Call Rosemary at 568-3425 with questions or orders.

Trinity Events This Week

Wednesday   JOY worship service at 6:00 p.m.           

November 13 Charge conference at Sikeston First at 2:30 p.m.

November 19 SEMO Food Pantry

A Light in the Window

A Light in the Window

Susan Hoyle, pastor Trinity UMC

It’s that time of year when the days are shorter and it gets dark about 5:00 p.m.  The wind has been cold these last few days and the sunshine has been a blessing.  All of a sudden we’re in the middle of fall with winter approaching much too soon.  Our thoughts turn towards keeping warm, getting the coats out and long winter nights.  When we go to bed those comforters quilts and blankets feel so good.  We can’t believe Thanksgiving is just over a week away.  We’re just not ready for all of this!

Yet, there is something that gives us comfort, even on those long, cold nights.  Something that holds meaning, even if we’ve never thought much about it.  And that something is lights.  Lights?  You know the lights we turn on in our homes or perhaps we leave them on when we’re gone somewhere.  Isn’t it comforting when we turn on the lights when we step into a dark house?  Isn’t it comforting when we drive up or walk up to our homes and we see a light all ready turned on?  When the world outside is full of darkness, the lights of our homes, our businesses, our churches, bring us a sense of peace and welcome.  And don’t we all want to feel welcome?

The lights in our homes give us that sense of comfort and there is another light that gives us more comfort than all the lights in the world.  And that light is the light of Christ. The light of Jesus shines for us to light our path, to provide us with His comfort and to illuminate the world in a way that shows us the journey He wants us to travel. 

The Christ light is revealed to us in so many ways.  It is revealed through Holy Scripture, worship, holy conversation and just in sitting with Him and sharing our day.  His light gives us strength, offers us hope and encouragement even on our darkest days.  His light welcomes us and holds us close.  His light is all we need.

The light of Christ is not only for us; it is to be shared with others.  Each time we reach out to serve, each time we share laughter, each time we offer a word of caring, His light shines through us.  We have received His light and now we are told to go into the world and let His light shine.  Without us, as Scripture tells us, how will others know about Him?  Without us, how will others know there is a light that is more comforting, welcoming and loving than any light they have ever known?  Yes, it is up to us to share His light.

How will you share the light of Christ this holiday season?  Will you invite someone to Thanksgiving dinner who has no family?  Will you share your abundance with others so they have a great Thanksgiving meal too?  Will you call someone and tell him or her how grateful you are for all they have done for you in your life?  Yes, how will the light of Christ shine through you this holiday season? 

Let your light shine…amen.