TRINITY NEWS
Volume XLVII, Issue 6 ~ June 25, 2024
The Pastor’s Paragraphs…
By the time you read this, you will have affirmed God’s election of your Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). It’s a threshold you can pin a date to. It affirms that the congregation is moving in a certain direction. But I hope that some of you, at least, can see our progress over the last year. I hope you can appreciate how God is working among and through you, how your thinking has begun to shift, and how your faith is maturing in new ways.
Resist the temptation to rest on your laurels and simply mark time until the next pastor steps in. There’s no way to know how long it will take for God to reveal that match. Once revealed, it will take months, if not years, for the new pastor to settle in fully. Do not pin all your hopes and expectations on the person in that position! The vitality of the church resides in the quality of its love for and commitment to following the Risen Christ. If that were not so, the early church would have dissolved as soon as Jesus ascended.
What does church vitality look like? Your Session has spent a month discussing that very question using the Strategic Task Force Report as their guide. Suffice to say that every measure of congregational health depends, not upon the pastor or people planning and implementing programs, missions, and worship, but upon the people who participate.
What is the quality of your participation in the life of this congregation? Are you a sideline sitter? Are you a burned-out overdoer? Do you show up with enthusiasm? Do you know when to say no so you can maintain your enthusiasm? Do you encourage and thank people personally? Do you complain and criticize from the cheap seats?
The most hardworking pastor and most gifted staff in the world are only as good as the congregational culture they’re working in. Keep growing and healing yours! You got a great start with the Sailboat Church conversations. We have more opportunities ahead. I pray that God inspires and energizes all of you to keep showing up, keep speaking up, keep praying, and keep listening for the Spirit. We’re still sailing – anchors aweigh!
TRANSITION REPORT
Watch this space for updates.
JULY
BIRTHDAYS
7/1 Adrian Hutton
7/4 Katelyn Porter
7/5 Ruby Adamson
7/5 RJ Olsen
7/12 Matthew Henning
7/14 Jim Scheurenbrand
7/15 Scott Grissom
7/15 Aaron Tinder
7/17 Calvin Johnson
7/19 Cora Griffith
7/23 Jim Shanks
7/23 Deanne Herr
7/24 Reed Robbins
7/27 Mary Jack
7/27 DeVere Adamson
7/27 Joan Lucas
7/28 Kirk Waggie
7/30 Barb Yearous
IN OUR PRAYERS
Dawn Dixon for energy and strength.
John & Bev Anderson for strength and healing.
AREA CARE CENTERS
Westview Care Center
John & Bev Anderson
Sandy Newell
Joan Lucas
The Village Care Center
Dawn Dixon
CIA SUMMER SCHEDULE
(CHRISTIANS IN ACTION)
* Attend Trinity Tunes & Treats at 4:30 pm on July 14 and August 18
*Worktrip Sunday/Worktrip Closing Lunch on June 23
*Summer Closing Gathering from 3-7 pm on August 3 at Van Dams
*CIA Kick-off from 6:30-8 pm on August 28
Questions? Call or text Van Dams at (515)689-2797.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The church office will be closed on Thursday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. May this day be a symbol of peace, prosperity and happiness in your lives.
Wendy will be out of the office June 28 through July 5. Be aware that office hours will vary during this time. Thank you to Chari Kruse for filing in on Mondays and Fridays during this time!
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. On Sunday, July 21, Rev. Judy Winkelpleck will lead worship.
Per Capita Demystified! In Christ, congregations are bound to one another just as individual Christians are bound to one another. The apostle Paul expected his churches to financially assist one another (see Romans 15:25-28; I Corinthians 16:1–4; II Corinthians 8:1–9:15; Acts 11:27–30), as well as hold them in prayer and welcome their members into their own fellowship.
We Presbyterians pride ourselves on being connectional. “Connectional” means valuing relationships outside our own congregation, especially with other Presbyterian ministries. Per capita monies support structures in our denomination that benefit Christ’s work well beyond our walls. Per capita monies help match congregations with pastors, provide pastors with continuing education, and provide opportunities for elders, deacons, and church volunteers to build leadership skills and spiritual competencies.
This year’s per capita offering is $50 per member. Make checks payable to Trinity United Presbyterian Church. Note “per capita” on your check and include names of any members on whose behalf you are making the offering. Thank you!
Register now for the Iowa Presbyterians Gathering! Iowa Presbyterians Gathering 2024 – Presbytery of Des Moines (dmpresbytery.org)
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; and Tricia Dylan Thomas, Director of Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation.
BUDGET UPDATE May 31, 2024
GENERAL OPERATING FUND
Beginning balance $ 112,333.32
Revenue 16,648.16
Expenses (27,203.39)
Ending balance $ 101,778.09
RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE $ 72,915.19
Highlights from the May 29 Session Meeting
- Commission on Ministry (COM) liaison Rev. Kip Harris and representative Marcia McAdoo joined the meeting to hold an exit interview for the retirement of Rev. David Endriss.
- Strategic Task Force meetings are going well with follow-up overview provided each week by Pastor Macc.
- TEST summer fundraising was approved for June 1 through August 31.
- Approval to provide 8 days of lunch and snacks to 10-15 youth for summer WeLIFT program. Up to $600 will be used from SWAT funds.
- The following deacons have completed training to serve communion to members at home: Beth Leuwerke, Lisa Coffey, Heather Roush, Nicki Endriss, Bill Hopkins, Geri Bartlett and Barb Moul.
- A Congregational Meeting will be held on June 23 following worship to vote on two changes to the Bylaws and to affirm the election of candidates to serve on the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). The proposed slate of candidates are: Laura Avitt, Maurice Dyer, Ranae Fagan, Sue Kimball, Mark Koskamp, Heather Roush, Tom Westbrook and Mark Wilson.
- Recognition of Members – Barb Yearous and her grandson Patrick, Betty Dyer, Pastor Macc and to the many who answered the call to action to help Rev. Jessica Paulsen and her church family in Corning.
BUILDING BIBLICAL LITERACY: SUNDAY SCHOOL STORIES FOR GROWNUPS
June 30, July 7, 14, and 28
6/30 He Said, She Said: Adam and Eve and What’s Really Going On (Genesis 2-3)
7/7 Sin Lurks: Justice and Mercy Inextricable (Genesis 3-4)
7/14 The Flood…and Then What Happened: You Don’t Know This One as Well as You Think You Do (Genesis 6-9)
7/21 TBA
7/28 Ancient Animosities: Scripture Coopted (Genesis 10) – and – Persistent Babble: New Millennium, Same Story (Genesis 11) [Part 5 of “The Crisis in Gaza” series]
Open Table Needs Your Help!
For six years Trinity has partnered with First United Methodist Church (FUMC) to serve Open Table, a free meal open to anyone in the community. We at Trinity are responsible for the second Tuesday of each month, while FUMC covers the remaining Tuesdays. Things have changed drastically since we first began. In March of 2018, the total number of meals served was 69 with all diners eating together in the dining hall. Today, most meals are drive-up/carry-out, although a few prefer and have returned to dining in. Over the last four months (March, April, May, and June) the number of meals served has jumped from 147-190 to 257-283. Even that first figure is a huge leap from the original 69 in 2018. With the increase in demand comes an obvious increase in groceries and an increase in costs. Our grocery bill in March was $176.66. This last meal on June 11 cost $558.31. We are doing our best to keep costs down and people are still getting a nutritious meal for under $2. For the previously indicated months, March through June, the costs per individual meal were $1.20, $1.60, $1.83 and $1.97 consecutively. These figures demonstrate a steady increase in costs. Consequently, as you can imagine, the Open Table account has taken a huge hit and is becoming very quickly depleted. Please, if you are a regular or even a sometimes contributor to Open Table, won’t you consider giving an additional donation? If you have never given to Open Table, won’t you consider doing so now?
“…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me…Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.” (Matthew verses 35 and 40)
Trinity Tunes & Treats Summer 2024
Join us for the 2nd concert of the summer on Sunday, July 14. Our own Gary Richardson and his son Mike Richardson, IHS band director, along with high school youth 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 in the Fellowship Hall
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