Weekly Newsletter 12/10/20
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Trinity Presbyterian Church PC(U.S.A.)
Welcoming you to share the joy of Christ
Worshiping Together | Serving Together | Caring Together
December 10, 2020
From Pastor Chris
I want to share two generosity related items with you today: information about our annual Christmas Joy Offering and a 2021 Pledge Campaign reminder.
The Christmas Joy Offering is a Presbyterian tradition dating back to the 1930's. The funds raised during this national offering support ministry leaders: past, present, and future. All proceeds are split equally between the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families in times of crisis. Three educational institutions (Menaul School, Presbyterian Pan American School, and Stillman College) which equip communities of color received over $1.1 million in financial assistance in 2019 thanks to the Christmas Joy Offering.
To make your gift to the Christmas Joy Offering you may:
Give Online
Select "Make a One Time Gift"
Choose "Christmas Joy Offering" from the Designation drop-down menu
Enter your information and securely make a donation
Give by Mail
Send a check with Christmas Joy Offering in the memo line - or using the Christmas Joy Offering envelope in your Advent Kit - to:
Trinity Presbyterian Church
Attn: Treasurer - Christmas Joy
1900 E Barataria St
Springfield, MO 65804
This is also budgeting season at Trinity. As our leadership considers what commitments we are able to make to mission and ministry for 2021, we use pledge figures as a major part of our consideration. I want to extend a sincere thank you to the 78 families who have, to date, pledged a total of $340,000 in support of Trinity in 2021. If you have been meaning to send in your pledge card or make your pledge online, please consider doing so today. If you need a new pledge card, please contact the church office and we will be happy to mail one to you.
You may make your pledge today:
Pledge Online: https://trinityspringfieldpcusa.org/pledge
Pledge by Mail: Send you card to the church address, Attn: Treasurer - 2021 Pledge
Trinity continues to be an abundantly generous congregation. This generosity allows us to make real, meaningful impacts in our congregation and community. Thank you!
If there are ways I can be a support this week, please let me know.
Peace,
Pastor Chris
The Common Table Podcast
Our new podcast, featuring conversations with Trinity members, ministry leaders, and others in our community, is now live! Our second episode is now available, featuring a wonderful conversation with Rev. Bill Havens. To listen to the episode, and learn more about The Common Table, visit https://commontablepodcast.com
Curbside TOY (and food) Drive - December 14
Our next curbside donation drive is coming up Monday, December 14. We will continue to collect non-perishable food items to support our food pantry partner Crosslines.
In addition, Crosslines has asked us to help collect toys as part of their Christmas family outreach. Donations are behind schedule this year on toys and the need is higher than usual. Below is a list of the specific needs identified by Crosslines. Please only donate new toys in their original packaging. We must have all toy donations on Monday so they can be delivered and sorted for distribution.
If you wish to drop off donations prior to Dec 14, please contact either Pastor Chris or the church office and arrangements can be made.
Here are the specific needs identified by Crossines:
2-4 year old boys- common requests are trucks, dinosaur items, anything Paw Patrol, PJ Masks, building blocks like Duplos, etc.
5-7 year old girls- common requests are for dolls, Lego sets, craft kits, Paw Patrol is also popular in this age range
11-13 year old boys and girls- common requests are headphones, Lego sets, art kits, craft kits, anime items, and sports balls
We also need 14-18 year old boys and girls items and they have a similar wishlist to what is listed above.
Crosslines also has wishlists on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3TOAQZF0IFTA6?ref_=wl_share and Wal-Mart: https://www.walmart.com/registry/registryforgood/0b7787ea-24a5-452b-af26-3590a63bbd11/view
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Advent Study with Pastor Chris
During the season of Advent, Pastor Chris will be leading a four-part study series entitled “Peace, Justice, Joy, and Salvation.” Each session will take place via Zoom at 6:00 p.m. on the listed date. Find the participant guides at:
https://trinityspringfieldpcusa.org/study
Thursday, December 3 at 6:00 p.m.- The Gift of Peace: Swords into Plowshares
Thursday, December 10 at 6:00 p.m. - The Gift of Justice: The Peaceable Kingdom
Thursday, December 17 at 6:00 p.m. - The Gift of Joy: The Desert Shall Rejoice and Blossom
Monday, December 21 at 6:00 p.m. - The Gift of Salvation: Restored to Wholeness
Worship With Trinity
Even though the pandemic means we aren't gathered together in the same physical space, we are still worshiping together at a church family. Find our latest worship service, plus weekly resources for families, devotional links, and much more on our worship page.
https://trinityspringfieldpcusa.org/worship
Carla's Corner
I love making music, but what I love more than making music is being able to sit and listen to truly gifted musicians share their talent. Recording our advent music has been a treat for me, and this Sunday is more of the same. I am so fortunate to have good friends (including my husband) who are truly gifted in the art of making music and this Sunday you will hear a brass quintet made up of my friends, who also are some of the best brass musicians around. I hope you enjoy our Trinity Brass Quintet this week!
Christmas Ornament Craft Bags
By this time next week, all of our kids & friends will have a little Christmas ornament craft bag delivered to their home. It will include several ornaments from Julie Thomas, Sarah Muegge and Karen Cavicchia. The bag will contain everything needed to make these wonderful little ornaments. We will have some angels, a sleigh, stars, and who knows what else! I will be posting the "how to" instructional video on our Facebook page and our church YouTube channel. I will also email a link to all of our parents once I have the instructional video ready. I want to thank Julie, Sarah and Karen for their craftiness and helping out with this project!
Rare Breed Christmas Eve Delivery: We Need Your Help, Trinity!
Every 4th Friday of the month four of our Trinity Kid Families make 10 bagged meals each, to equal 40 meals for Rare Breed (homeless youth in Springfield.) Because Rare Breed is closed on Christmas, we are delivering on Christmas Eve. Besides our normal bagged lunches, we wanted to give something extra special this month: 40 Christmas Bags. I contacted Ellen Herbig, the director and she gave me a list of some smaller items that could go in the bags. Our goal is to get 40 each of the following items: 40 Hot hands/hot feet, 40 warm wool socks, 40 deodorants, 40 Chapsticks, 40 hand lotions, 40 earbuds, 40 $5 gift cards to Kum N Go or a fast food restaurant. AND if any of our Trinity kids and family would like to put some special notes in the Christmas Bags that would be great! We will also be giving Ellen the profits from our Trinity Mask sale when we deliver the Christmas Bags/Lunches on December 24th. Stephen Kane is getting that total for us and we so appreciate the generosity of you, our Trinity family, as many of you gave extra during the mask sale for this mission! You can drop off anything at church, in my office on or before December 23rd.
Christmas Eve Service & Our Youth/Children
I'm so excited about our Christmas Eve service at Trinity. When I mailed our December Newsletter to all of our kids, I included a verse for each to say from the Traditional Luke passage that is always read on Christmas Eve. Parents are to take a video of their son/daughter saying their verse and text/email it to me. I will then put it together. So this year, Trinity, our youth and children will be reciting the Christ Story at our virtual service! You will not want to miss it!
Bored? Well I Have A Job For You!
You know what I like so much about Trinity? You all are doers! Even in a pandemic, you still are doers and in a safe way. For instance, a while back we started a little youth project making plarn mats for the homeless. A plarn mat is made from plastic bags and keeps a barrier between the cold ground and a person. This was inspired by our friends at The Venues, so we thought we would help out. Well, our youth were able to work on plarn mats twice, but between school and a pandemic we haven't made a lot of progress and I have a MILLION bags in my office just waiting to be cut up and made into plarn! PLUS, I know we have some of you who could crochet the plarn into mats. So, if you are bored and looking for something to do that could help some folks in need, let me know! Actually, feel free to stop by and pick up plastic bags from my office. I will include a link to a video that gives a great demonstration of how to make plarn and crochet the mats. They say each mat requires about 500 bags. The bags need to be Wal-mart size or bigger and the more colorful the better. Really thick plastic bags, such as the Aldi bags, are really hard to crochet with, so the thin plastic Wal-mart type are the best. Here is the link for directions on how to cut the plastic bags to make the plarn and how to crochet them! https://youtu.be/yr_WHW_tGSE
Urgent Need at Crosslines
Trinity is still working at Crosslines the third Friday of each month. The pandemic has taken a toll on our volunteers, who work from 8:30 - noon. Also, the church that volunteered to work the afternoon shift (11:30 - 1:45) is no longer serving. We have been asked if we can supply workers for that shift. We've barely been able to supply workers, and need help! There is no contact with clients - just between our workers, who are wearing masks. Your temperature is taken on arrival, so the risk is rather low. If you would be willing to help out with either shift, please contact Cynthia Oliver (cyncola@sbcglobal.net). Our next day to serve is November 20. Thanks!
From the Creation Care Committee
Old magazines to get rid of? Extra junk mail in the recycle bin?
The City of Springfield is challenging residents to recycle 100 tons of paper between Nov 15 and December 17, 2020. A normal month is 80 tons, so dig into the garage or basement and get rid of old files, magazines, things that need to be shredded, and take them to one of the city’s recycling centers. Just the incentive you need to get rid of some “2020 stuff” to start fresh for a better 2021!! Here is a link to the city’s Facebook announcement:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=368975127860755
December Birthdays at Trinity
Take a moment to say a prayer of thanks for these members of our Trinity family this month
Dec 2 Mike White
Dec 2 Ilace Mears
Dec 6 Phil Cain
Dec 8 Max Perryman
Dec 14 Eltjen Flikkema
Dec 14 Mary Erin Miller
Dec 17 Marce Payne
Dec 17 Linda Daniel
Dec 20 Todd Morriss
Dec 25 Pete Leonard
Dec 26 Steve Kane
Dec 30 Eva Martin
Dec 30 Eva Payne
If you would like to be included in our birthday list, please be sure to update your records with the church office before your birthday occurs. You may call or email your information.
Remaining Connected During Social Distancing
Even though we aren’t together for in-person worship, there is still a lot happening with your Trinity family right now. To see the latest, and how you can get involved in safe ways, visit our News & Updates page on the church website: https://trinityspringfieldpcusa.org/news
Sunday School Classes
The Fall 2020 schedule of classes can be found on the Trinity Website.
The Lectionary Class meets via Zoom at 9:30 a.m. on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month.
The Salt and Topical Discussion Classes meet via Zoom from 10:15 - 11:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings.
Resources
· Participate in our Financial Life
Contacting Pastor Chris
I want to be the best support I can for you. Here is how to get in touch:
· The easiest way is by email: cmiller@trinityspringfieldpcusa.org
· I am also available by phone or text at 816.805.2742
· I am in the office most days, Monday through Thursday. I am currently holding personal meetings / counseling sessions outside under the covered Trinity entrance. Call or email to schedule a time for us to meet.
· NOTE ABOUT FRIDAYS: I take Friday as my Sabbath day to focus on my family. I try to not reply to email, phone, or text. However, if there is an urgent pastoral issue, please contact Deacon Sharon Marsh at 417.880.5988/smarsh43@icloud.com or Deacon Greg Redfern at 417.225.2435/jredfern1313@gmail.com and they will make any necessary arrangements. If you have an immediate need to speak with a pastor and it is a Friday or Chris isn’t in town, you may call Rev. Bill Havens at 417.350.4507.
Prayer Concerns
If you or someone you love want to be included on the prayer list, please let the office know. (Always get permission before submitting information.) Also, when you want your name removed from the prayer list (or an update added), please let the office know at 417-450-2544 or office@trinityspringfieldpcusa.org.
For Marcie Payne, on the passing of her friend Marge Daniel
For Jeanne, Mary Erin Miller's mother, as she continues treatment and evaluation for pancreatic cancer.
For Teresa Olsen's brother, Craig, who lives in a care facility and has been diagnosed with Covid-19.
For friends of David and Susan Hart who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Brenda Havens continues to face health challenges and appreciates your continued prayers.
For Lori Becker as she undergoes medical care.
For Chris Plate and his family, as he continues medical treatment.
For Charlotte Dugan, as she receives medical care.
QUICK NOTES
TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.)
P.O. Box 3486, Springfield, MO 65808-3486 | 1900 E. Barataria Street | 417-450-2544 | office@trinityspringfieldpcusa.org
Learn more about Trinity Presbyterian Church at http://TrinitySpringfieldPCUSA.org
Be sure to follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/trinitypcusaspmo/
Learn more about the denomination at http://www.pcusa.org
