Trinity Newsletter for February 20, 2025
Update on our Refugee Families
Trinity, your generosity is amazing, according to the mother of our Sudanese refugee family. The family asked that a big THANK YOU be passed to everyone—and all four PW Circles!—for providing necessities to set up their house. We moved the family into their rental house on Monday, just in time for the snow storm. You provided myriads of supplies, kitchen items, linens, furniture, gift cards, and even a couple of plastic sleds. Brentwood members also helped. (Donations in excess of our family’s need will be shared with another refugee family. If there are donations more than the remaining family can use, we will include those items in the Trinity-Brentwood garage sale this spring.) Now our family of four can start the work of settling into life in Springfield in earnest!
Our other family of four, originally from Burma, includes a delightful four-year-old who also received a plastic sled, thanks to you. He sent a thank-you voicemail to say how much he loves the snow!
THANK YOU!!
Prayer Chain
There are currently 11 people on Trinity’s Prayer Chain. Pray-ers receive text messages whenever someone requests prayer. Prayer requests can be as specific or general as the requester wants. Two people were added to the Prayer Chain after filling out Helping Hands at Trinity Connects on January 26. If you would like to be added to the Prayer Chain, please text Pastor Tom at 920-237-9840. If you would like to request prayer, please text Pastor Tom at 920-237-9840.
Contacting the Church Office
To reach Alyssa Spradlin, Director of Communication & Administrative Ministries, to communicate with the church office use this and only this email address:
Liturgists for February
Thank you to the following people for sharing their talents by serving as liturgist in the month of February.
Feb. 2 - Ilace Mears
Feb. 9 - Barbara Welch
Feb. 16 - Max Perryman
Feb. 23 - Howard Henry
If you would like to volunteer for liturgist, please contact Martha Bledsoe
Join Trinity’s Ministry of WELCOME
Trinity is a connecting community, and that starts with a warm greeting as people enter our doors. Could you welcome worshippers, pass offering plates and assist with some simple tasks such as gathering friendship pad sheets and turning out lights after church? Volunteer for as many or as few Sundays as you like. Please contact Kristin Butler, 417-414-5544.
Screen Time?
Our wonderful AV team would like to request that if you ever need anything put on the screens for any service that is held at Trinity, please let us know in advance so we can load things into the program properly. Sometimes it is very hard to load things moments before an event. Thank you for this consideration.
Lost and Found
Wondering where your pen, mug, charger, book, hat, sunglasses, or other elusive item is? Items turned into the church office will be placed in our new Lost & Found tubs, located on the shelf above the accessibility devices near the West entrance.
Wiggle Room
Everyone is welcome in the sanctuary. If you have a fussy child and would like to step out while continuing to participate in worship, please feel free to make use of our new Wiggle Room in Room 14. The room is outfitted with comfortable chairs, a changing table, a small bathroom, and a new (to us) television mounted on the wall, showing the livestream. Please note that children in the Wiggle Room must be accompanied by a grownup who brought them. Children three-and-under can be dropped off in the Nursery in Room 12.
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John Calvin Presbytery March Toolbox Event
John Calvin Presbytery is hosting the second March Toolbox Event: Discovering Joy Through Grace, Gifts, and Generosity. The event will be held at Trinity again this year with a special emphasis on the joy of worshiping through joy, generosity, and music.
We have a wonderful line-up for the event. First is a generous continental breakfast. Worship begins at 9:30 and will include scripture, music, and a keynote by Joseph Moore, a moving and consequential speaker. There will also be breakout sessions by Joseph Moore, Clayton Thomas and Sherri Finke. We added an afternoon breakout in the Chapel led by a young couple (Diane Cooke's son and wife) who are both music educators. It will be an interactive workshop helping us sing familiar and new songs of grace, joy, and generosity.
And Bambinos is catering. Worship, music, fellowship, and good food. All we need is you!
When: Saturday, March 1 from 9:00 a.m. through 2:45 p.m.
Where: Trinity Presbyterian Church in Springfield
Breakfast, snacks, and lunch will be provided.
To register go to http://www.jcpresbytery.com/opportunites--events.html, and scroll down to click on the "Practical Tools for Church Ministry" page. Registration is $50 with a $5 discount if you register by February 22. An opportunity will also be available to register at the February 22 Presbytery meeting in Aurora.
Please help us spread the word.
Hope to see you there...
The JCP Toolbox Events Planning Committee
Trinity Sunday School Classes
Sunday School opportunities for all ages. Please consider joining us in exploring our faith and learning from one another in spaces of grace and love. All classes begin at 10:15 a.m.
Children's Sunday School: We meet from 10:15-11:15 in room 10. This semester the Children's Sunday School will be studying the ministry of Jesus and stories of people he interacted with. We will have special lessons related to One Great Hour or Sharing and Easter too. The semester will conclude by learning stories about Paul and his travels.
Youth-Opportunities to Connect: In the planning stages for this year! Friends are welcome to join in activities and events as we connect with each other in and outside of Trinity.
Adult Class Offerings
Please join us in the Topical Discussions Fellowship for Sunday school:
January 26-Christian Doctrine by Guthrie, re: our Christian hope for the afterlife
February 2-Christian Doctrine by Guthrie, re: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
February 9-Examples of the Holy Spirit-Part 1
February 16-Examples of the Holy Spirit-Part 2
February 23-The Message of Jesus: Words that Changed the World by Hamilton
Part 1: The Kingdom of God Has Come Near
We meet 10:15-11:15 in Fellowship Hall, with good fellowship, coffee, and treats.
If you are not able to join our in-person class, then Tap the Link Below to join the class via Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87258976689?pwd=8qbytxuvmIuv7KfyJTbLAQ0GaYTiUQ.1
Meeting ID 872 5897 6689
Passcode 225115
January 26 through March 9, the adult class in room 17 (formerly SALT and Studying the Word) will be sharing a video and discussion series: Painting the Stars; Science, Religion and an Evolving Faith.
Celebrating the communion of science and faith, Painting the Stars explores the promise of evolutionary Christian spirituality. Featuring over a dozen leading theologians and progressive thinkers, the program includes video and guided discussion.
Video speakers include: Philip Clayton, Michael Dowd, Rachel Held Evans, Matthew Fox, Catherine Keller, Megan McKenna, Michael Morwood, Jan Phillips, Barbara Rossing, Bruce Sanguin, Bernard Brandon Scott, John Shelby Spong, Gretta Vosper.
Join us for any of our sessions. Participant reading guides will be provided.
Contact Amy Price with questions or to get a copy of the reading guide.
To join us remotely via Ring Central, use the link below!
https://v.ringcentral.com/join/501232148?pw=e591c158b387dcd1a17ec4c6d1cefb90
Four and More: This Bible study derives its name from meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays (presently meeting in person in room 17 at Trinity, and by Zoom). Anyone wanting to join can send their email address to the study leader Jane Huffstetler, and she will provide the Zoom
