TRINITY NEWS
Volume XLVIlI, Issue 2 ~ February 25, 2025
The Pastor’s Paragraphs…
Recently, I engaged in a major assault on the accumulated clutter in my spare bedroom. The embarrassment of exhuming boxes and bins full of neglected craft supplies, clothes that haven’t fit in 15 years, and camping equipment I will never use again was more than balanced by the sheer delight of unearthing treasures I didn’t remember I had. One such treasure was the Aerogarden.
I vaguely remember my brother giving me the 3-pod hydrophonic Aerogarden for Christmas 2021. Since then, the company has gone out of business, probably because they relied on repeat customers and too many people like me forgot they had Aerogardens. Nonetheless, I belatedly decided to honor my brother’s thoughtfulness by putting my Aerogarden together and seeing if the notoriously unreliable seeds (another reason the company went out of business) would germinate.
Waiting for seeds to germinate is only slightly more interesting than watching grass grow and paint dry. I have spent the last week obsessively checking on my pods, resisting (mostly) the temptation to remove the plastic greenhouse caps. (Macgyvered by me, since my kit didn’t contain any. Yet another clue as to the company’s demise.) Curly parsley, dill and basil seeds, locked somewhere in a peat substrate, have proven utterly insensible to my impatience after three years of abject neglect.
One week later, the basil is coming up. No indication that either the dill or the parsley are on its heels, but I don’t care. Pesto is in my future! And besides, in the dead of winter, new growth popping up anywhere is cause for celebration. It’s a little reminder that all things are seasonal and spring is always riding winter’s coattails.
It seems like Easter is a long way off and yet we will be a month into Lent by the next newsletter. This Lent, we will join our Green Team for a six-week sojourn into the natural world through the parables of Jesus. 13.5 billion years before any human ever thought to put chisel to stone, creation itself declared the glory of God and Jesus frequently drew upon nature’s wisdom to teach about the kingdom of heaven on earth.
Is there hope for this beautiful, sad planet of ours? A resurrection people cries, “Yes!” This Lent, listen deeply to the wise old world, the teachings of Jesus, and fellow followers of Christ as we ponder, pray, and discuss our way into a deeper appreciation of creation, a deeper commitment to its care, and a deeper faith in the redeeming goodness of God and humankind. Don’t give up for Lent – dig in, instead!
Adult Spiritual Formation
Lenten Studies ~ More information to come!
MARCH
BIRTHDAYS
3/4 Dean Kruse
3/8 Ella Jack
3/8 Barb Gallaher
3/9 Annie Kruse
3/10 Dru McLuen
3/13 Travis Pinamonte
3/16 Thomas Roush
3/16 Renee Little
3/16 Karen Weinman
3/17 Lucy Kruse
3/17 Sam Weinman
3/17 Ashley Ackerson
3/20 Jayne Tabor Moline
3/21 Axel Kruse
3/21 Mickie Riebhoff
3/21 Jonah Sturtz
3/21 Joshua Blakely
3/21 Nicki Endriss
3/22 Dianne Richardson
3/23 Sarah Griffith
3/26 Joel Herr
3/26 Kelly Shaw
3/28 Brad Sturtz
3/28 Casey Coghlan
3/29 Abbi Henle
3/29 Hadley Van Dam
3/29 Brett Van Dam
3/30 Christy Tinder
IN OUR PRAYERS
John & Bev Anderson for strength and healing.
Ann Looker, Rebecca Swainey’s daughter, for a full recovery.
AREA CARE CENTERS
Westview Care Center
John & Bev Anderson
Sandy Newell
CIA MARCH SCHEDULE
(CHRISTIANS IN ACTION)
3/5 – No Youth – Ash Wednesday service at 7 pm
3/12 – Discussion Night. Snack – ??
3/19 – No Youth – Spring Break
3/26 – Progressive Dinner starting at 6 pm. Appetizer – ?? Main Course – ?? Dessert – Jack Family
“Give, and it will all be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
Please call or text Van Dams with any questions at (515)689-2797.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ash Wednesday is March 5. Please join us at 7 pm for a special worship service of meditation and reflection with the Lord’s Supper and Imposition of Ashes, led by the 2025 Confirmation Class.
Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 9. Remember to move your clocks forward one hour.
Martha Morning PW Circle will meet on Wednesday, March 12 in the Fellowship Hall at 9:15 am. Our hostess will be Carol Ford, and Susan Tinder will give the lesson “Economic Climate Justice.” Please plan to join us for fellowship and learning. All are welcome.
Digital Hymnal – Perhaps you noticed a small change during the February 16 worship service. For the first time, the hymns shown on the screens included the music notes as well as the lyrics. This is because Trinity recently purchased a new digital hymnal using memorial funds honoring Jan Tinder. The digital hymnal is a way to obtain the most recently published Presbyterian hymnal, “Glory to God”, in an eco-friendly manner and at a much lower cost than hardbound copies.
What does this mean to you?
- First, we need your feedback as we experiment with the format. Most songs give the option of showing words alone, words with only the melody line, or words with all the harmony lines. Which option is the most user-friendly from where you’re sitting?
- Second, we will gradually be learning some new songs. We’ll continue to sing our favorite hymns as we have all along. However, new hymnals always include a new generation of songs we can use to supplement our current repertoire. Don’t worry, we’ll go slow!
We praise God for this resource of song and give God the glory!
Open Table – On February 11, Open Table served 214 carryout and 20 dine-in for a total of 243 meals (tater tot casserole, mock Caesar salad, dinner rolls, Cutie oranges and cookies). Between those numbers and the cost of groceries, our grocery bill was one of the highest it’s ever been – $367.76. If you break that down to cost per meal it comes to $1.51 a meal. Not too bad when you think in those terms. Still, it’s a huge investment to provide the groceries. Marcia Peeler and I are looking at approaching local organizations that either donate funds, provide grants or in some way contribute to assist community services. I will share more once there is more information. Rebecca Swainey
Cancer Support Group – If you have cancer, had cancer in the past, or are a family member or friend of someone with cancer, you are invited to join a group to gain comfort and strength for the journey. Initial meeting is planned for Wednesday, March 12 at 10:45 am at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. For questions, please email goodshepherdels@gmail.com.
Budget Update January 31
GENERAL OPERATING FUND
Beginning balance $ 39,107.18
Revenue 30,986.29
Expenses (19,124.37)
Ending balance $ 50,969.10
RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE $ 64,348.39
Highlights from the January 22 Session Meeting
- Request from Hospitality to put a basket out during Fellowship Coffee for coffee donations.
- Request from A&F to add the final endowment money from 2024 ($12,800) to the pastoral housing fund.
- Review of 2025 Time & Talents results.
- Juanita Ott and Dick Tinder will serve on the Nominating Committee.
- Reimaging Finances Plan: Trinity is signed up for the Church Financial Leadership Academy. We will start action on this after Easter. The book Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate is a recommended reference and will be ordered for all Session members.
- Barb Yearous and Juanita Ott volunteered to be commissioners for the February 22 Presbytery meeting.
- Trinity members are invited to participate in the Coldest Night of the Year walk on February 22, a fundraiser to help Central Iowa Shelter and Services.
- Trinity will host the February 22 Presbytery meeting. Many volunteers are needed, a sign-up will go out.
HEAL House of Iowa
HEAL House currently is housing 7 guests, ranging in age from 3 to 53. One of our guests, a 69 year veteran, recently moved into his own apartment! We were able to find a private landlord that would accept him. One of the main barriers our guests have is finding a landlord that will accept someone who has had an eviction, felony or a not so great credit score.
Current Needs: coffee pods, sugar packets for coffee, powdered creamer for coffee, paper plates, plastic silverware, gift cards (grocery store, Wal-Mart, gas station, etc.). Items can be dropped off at HEAL House or given to Jo Byers at church anytime.
Jo Byers
From Trinity’s El Salvador Team (TEST)
Thank you, thank you, thank, so very much for all the support of the El Salvador mission since we began our fundraising at the beginning of December.
To date, we have raised the following: Fertilizer – $4,510, Food – $520, Supplies for the delegation – $500, Undesignated – $3,381.98. Total – $8,911.98
We need for 2025: Fertilizer – $4,850 – wired 1/15/25, Supplies for delegation – $500, Food – $7,200. Total – $12,550
Still needed: $3,638.02
We plan to wire food funds quarterly, so there is no immediate need, but we hope to send funds at the beginning of March, June, September and December. There will be a list of items publicized soon to be collected for the delegation. The delegation travels July 10-17 and will be taking items to our Zinc & Zacate families as we do each time we visit them. There will soon be a tub in the atrium to collect those items. If you do not want to donate items, funds will be collected if you wish to donate that way.
Again, we always appreciate all of the love and support that the Trinity family shows our Trinity Zinc and Zacate families. They regularly tell us to relay a message to our Trinity family here in Iowa about how much the love and support is appreciated that they feel from us. On January 1 a message arrived by Facebook Messenger to me from Miguel Angel of Zacate. It was not only wishing Maurice and me a Happy New Year, but it was a message of love and thanks for all the love and support that the Trinity family always shows them. They are always grateful for everything that we provide for them and thank God for us every day.
Those traveling in July will be: David Arentson, Grace Avitt, Brett Henle, Laird Jack, Owen Jack, Melina Kingkade, Tammy Kingkade, Michael Kleene, Andrew Little, Renee Little and Ross Pinamonte. What a fabulous group!
Thank you Trinity family! Betty Dyer
TRINITY STAFF
Transitional Pastor – Rev. Erica MacCreaigh
Office Administrator – Wendy Dowell
Children and Youth Director – Amy Fredricks
High School Youth Directors – Nick & Becca Van Dam
Middle School Youth Directors – Paul & Rachael Wilson
Minister of Music – Mark Koskamp
Chancel Bells & Calvin Choristers Director – Chari Kruse
Chancel Choir Accompanist – Anna Lackaff
Calvin Choristers Accompanist – Gary Richardson
Custodian – Kerry McKasson
Sunday Childcare Attendant – Glenda Richards
Financial Secretary – Betty Dyer