TRINITY NEWS
Volume XLVII, Issue 7 ~ July 23, 2024
The Pastor’s Paragraphs…
It’s said that we see what we focus on. It’s equally true that what we focus on determines what we do not see. What we do and do not see has a lot to do with what we do and do not slow down for.
Consider the story of Moses’ burning bush. Moses led his flock into territory that, unless sheep eat dirt, doesn’t exactly qualify as good pasture. In that arid, treeless expanse, any kind of bush would stand out like a sore thumb. Moses noticing it wasn’t a problem. But turning aside to take a good look and really see? That was genuinely miraculous.
We won’t know what God moments we miss by racing through life. And maybe, in some respects, ignorance is bliss. If the rest of the Exodus story is any indication, there were certainly days Moses kicked himself for not just sticking with the sheep. Then, as now, encounters with the living God had an unnerving way of upturning our lives.
In An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor tells a story from her youth about taking out the garbage when she passed a scruffy little spot in the yard fantastically transformed by sunlight: “It was like a door to another world. I had to go through it. I knew that if I did, then I would become golden too. But first I had to ditch the [trash] bag.” Ditch it she did, but in the brief meantime, the magical light shifted just enough to return the spot to its former shabbiness. “The garden was no longer on fire… While I made [my task] my first priority, the fire moved on in search of someone who would stop what she was doing, take off her shoes, and say, ‘Here am I.’”
I once had a burning bush encounter while watching a yellowjacket drink from a water droplet on a marigold leaf. In that moment, I sensed God’s love for that scarily weird animal and I haven’t feared wasps since. This is good, because my work eventually took me to a part of the country where the 747-sized cicada killers—not to mention the barge-sized cicadas—would have sent me screaming back home had it not been for that quiet time with a thirsty bug.
What burning bushes and bears and secret gardens do we miss because we move through life too fast to see, let alone savor, such wonders? Maybe burning bushes happen all the time for those willing to turn aside long enough to truly see what matters to God.
Sections of this article appeared in The Christian Century, September 2023, p.24
TRANSITION REPORT
On Sunday, June 23, you all elected your Pastor Nominating Committee. Congratulations, Trinity! The Pastor Nominating Committee is: Laura Avitt; Maurice Dyer, Ranae Fagan; Sue Kimball; Mark Koskamp; Heather Roush; Tom Westbrook; and Mark Wilson.
On Wednesday, July 17, the PNC, Session, and Pastor Macc met with Executive Presbyter, Rev. Ian McMullen, for a brief orientation. Pastor Ian excused Session and Pastor Macc, and then trained the PNC on the pastor nominating process.
Trinity remains in transition. Session and Pastor Macc still have policies and procedures to update and decisions to make about new and ongoing ministries. But the process of finding the next pastor is now entirely in the PNC’s hands. You can expect updates on the process as progress is made.
Please pray for the PNC and all of our congregational leaders as we enter this next phase of the transition process. And please stay active in congregational life!
AUGUST
BIRTHDAYS
8/2 Michael Kleene
8/2 Keith Davies
8/2 Laura Avitt
8/6 Harper Johnson
8/6 Margaret Blair
8/6 Anja Waugh
8/7 John Hansen
8/7 John Overton
8/8 Alan Core
8/8 Christina Shanks
8/9 Jerry Sones
8/9 Betty Crawford
8/10 Joe Scheurenbrand
8/13 Kevin McCombs
8/13 Bailey Lanning
8/14 Adam Scheurenbrand
8/14 Susan Wilson
8/16 Juanita Ott
8/16 Tom Westbrook
8/19 Kylie Tinder
8/20 Bergen Kleene
8/21 Marilyn Wood
8/23 James Bowers
8/23 Jim McClymond
8/23 Scott Moline
8/24 Geri Bartlett
8/27 Al Farris
8/28 Sue Kimball
8/28 Sinikka Waugh
IN OUR PRAYERS
Dawn Dixon for energy and strength.
John & Bev Anderson for strength and healing.
The family of Bob Guilford who passed away on July 17.
AREA CARE CENTERS
Westview Care Center
John & Bev Anderson
Sandy Newell
Joan Lucas
The Village Care Center
Dawn Dixon
CIA AUGUST SCHEDULE
(CHRISTIANS IN ACTION)
August 3 – End of Summer Gathering at Van Dams from 3-7 pm
August 28 – Kick-Off Night from 6:30-8 pm
Questions? Call or text Van Dam’s at 515-689-2797.
Did you know that saving your local Indianola Hy-Vee receipts is an easy way to support our high school youth program? For every $100,000 of receipts we turn in, they will issue a check for $350 to the HSY group. There is a collection box on the table in the atrium and a jar in the mail/copy room of the PATH making it easy to drop off your receipts. Thank you so much for your support!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Sacrament of Baptism will be celebrated for Dorothy Collie Hopkins-Sandage, granddaughter of Deacon Bill Hopkins, July 28, 2024 during worship (approx. 9:45 am).
Commissioning of the Pastor Nominating Committee July 28, 2024 during worship (after the sermon).
Pastor Macc Out O’ Here – Pastor Macc is working the Synod of Lakes and Prairies Synod School from July 18-26. She will have limited access to email, but is “on the clock” all week, so feel free to call or text. If you have a pastoral emergency while Pastor Macc is away, please contact your deacon or Wendy in the church office and they’ll put you in touch with Rev. Kip Harris.
Adult Bible Study Group – There will be no adult Bible study during the month of August. Everyone is invited to attend a meeting in August (DTBD) to discuss Bible study classes for the next program year.
Directory Update:
Alan & Denise Core
14842 Kennedy St
Indianola, IA 50125
Denise: 515-505-2652
Alan: 515-371-8577
Register now for the Iowa Presbyterians Gathering! Iowa Presbyterians Gathering 2024 – Presbytery of Des Moines (dmpresbytery.org)
Location: First Presbyterian Church of Jefferson, 208 W State Street, Jefferson IA 50129
Date: August 24, 2024 | Free Registration! | $15 requested donation for lunch
Schedule
- 9:00 Coffee Talk (social)
- 10:00 Opening Worship with Rev. Skip Shaeffer
- 11:15 Morning Workshops
- 12:15 Lunch
- 1:15 Afternoon Workshops
- 2:15 Closing Worship with the Lord’s Supper
- 3:00 Decaf Recap (social)
Presenters include Des Moines Executive Presbyters Amgad Beblawi and Ian McMullen; Rev. Erica MacCreaigh; Rev. Sara Sutter, Director of Lakeshore Center; Rev. Skip Shaeffer; and Tricia Dylan Thomas, Director of Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation
Highlights from the June 26 Session Meeting
- Review of Strategic Task Force Discussion Summary prepared by Pastor Macc.
- Approval of new Social Media Policy.
- Boundaries Training is required of all Ruling Elders and Teaching Elders. Pastor Macc and Margaret Blair attended training in Newton on June 22. The Synod has prepared a video for congregations to use and training for Session will be scheduled in September.
- Approval to replace the two boilers in the church with funds from the current budget.
- Approval for $1000 be taken from Endowment for Open Table as the cost of this mission project is increasing with the number of meals served.
- Nominating Committee reported that nominations for all positions are filled except one deacon. A Congregational Meeting be held on July 28 for the purpose of approving the nominations.
- Rev. Ian McMullen requested a joint meeting be held with Session and the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) to begin training. The meeting will take place on July 17.
- Next regular Session meeting will be moved to July 31 as Pastor Macc is away from the office in Synod School July 18-26.
- Recognition of Members – Nick & Becca Van Dam and the high school youth group for their mission trip to Tulsa, OK. Betty Dyer for coordinating Trinity Tunes & Treats. Jeanenne Glascock who is retiring as coordinator for Meals on Wheels. Marieta Grissom for her extra dedication and work for the Nominating Committee this year.
Trinity’s El Salvador Delegation
It is now 12 months until the next El Salvador delegation. It will take place between July 10-24, 2025 – dates yet to be decided for certain. As always, there will be a limited number of spaces to fill. A deposit of $100 by October 1 will be needed to hold your spot. This can also be paid at any time prior to that date. If funds are an issue for you, if you have questions, or if you’d like to have your name added to the list, please contact Betty Dyer.
Trinity Tunes & Treats Summer 2024
Join us for the last concert of the summer on Sunday, August 18. Greater Des Moines Community Band will perform for us.
4:30 pm – Ice cream sundaes will be served by Trinity middle school youth (freewill offering)
5:00 pm – Free concert outside in the shade
Bring your friends and neighbors! Everyone is welcome!
TRINITY STAFF
Transitional Pastor – Rev. Erica MacCreaigh
Office Administrator – Wendy Dowell
Children and Youth Director – Amy Fredricks
High School Youth Directors – Nick & Becca VanDam
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