Trinity United Methodist ChurchTallahassee, Florida

Because of God’s love for us through Jesus Christ, we exist to worship, grow and serve.Volume 42, Number 10, November, 2015

RPlan Prepare ImplementS S

SeaSon of StewardShip Schedule

Nov. 1 – All Saints Sunday: We remember and give thanksNov. 8 – Why We Are HereNov. 15 – Where We Are GoingNov. 22 – Celebration Sunday!

• One church service only at 10:30 a.m. • NO Sunday School • Bring your tithes, offerings and 2016 commitment cards.• Fried Chicken Feast and Celebration immediately following service• Bring your favorite side dish or salad and/or dessert to share

After a full year of congregational work , we are ready to take the next step toward Trinity’s future! On October 20, 2015, Church Council, Trinity leaders representing all work areas of the church, approved our 2016-2021 strategic plan: “Visioning…For Tomorrow’s Harvest.” Trinity has a rich history of 191 years. We have completed the road map to guide our next steps of worship, growth and service.

RImproved staffing with: • A new Director of Children’s Ministries • Rex Adams moving from halftime to fulltime Communications Director • Pastor Hynes moving to lead Adult ministries

R Leadership training opportunities

R Expanded Lay Academy offerings for parents

R A task force to develop ideas for increasing prayer at Trinity

R New ways and times to worship

R Improved and expanded fellowship opportunities

R Women’s Ministry improvements

R New partnerships across the community

R And much more…

Last August, 200 initiatives - ideas for specific actions and plans, were submitted by Trinity membership. A sub-committee of the Visioning Leadership

Team invested many hours, condensing and refining those ideas into 82 actionable items to be accomplished in Phase I, during years 1-3 of the Visioning Plan, and Phase II, during years 3-5.

Each of us, working together, will be the key to success for this thorough plan. It is a living document and will continue to develop over the next five years, 2016-2021.

Lawton Langford and Paula Smith will co-chair the Implementation Team. A leader will be identified for each of the three goal areas: worship, growth and service. Each initiative will have a Champion (chairman), with an implementation committee. Would you like to help? Join us in this prayer:

Gracious, loving Lord, give us courage. Open our hearts and minds to the presence of your Holy Spirit, guiding our lives. Remind us, your love surrounds us. Comfort us, with the power of your presence. Helps us step forward in faithfulness. Remove our doubt. Lead us to be your faithful body, serving as your hands and feet. Amen.

PREPARE – As the end of 2015 approaches, we begin our Season of Stewardship. “Visioning… for Tomorrow’s Harvest” is our road map to the future. Stewardship builds that road. Time, talent AND treasure are required. Your investment determines the success

of many initiatives before us.Come celebrate and enjoy the fellowship

o f a d e l i c i o u s S u n d a y m e a l together with our church family.

To whom much is given, much is expected. Let us all join together in praise, worship and fellowship.

Dear Friends,There is no limit to what God’s people

can do when they have a passionate vision for tomorrow!

One hundred ninety one years ago a small group of people gathered in a home. Together they had a vision of establishing a Methodist church in Tallahassee. They diligently worked to make their vision a reality…and today you and I are the recipients of that vision!

At the beginning of our Methodist movement, John Wesley encouraged his followers not to go halfway, not to be almost a Christian, but to go all the way, to be altogether a Christian. By that he meant believers whose lives are characterized by faith and hope and love.

Faith…trusting in God’s promises, presence, and provision.

Hope…believing that today and tomorrow is more beautiful than all our yesterdays.

Love…experiencing the fulfillment that can only be known in faithful community.

As we continue to celebrate our history—the faith, hope and love of our ancestors, I want us to consider our future and how we might work with God and with each other in order to make that future a reality.

You will soon receive a pledge card in the mail inviting you to make a commitment “for tomorrow’s harvest” at Trinity. Please do not fill out the card too quickly. Please…please…take time to listen to what God may be inviting you to do. And maybe for the first time. Maybe more than you ever have before. But all because you want to be a part of a growing, vibrant, difference-making ministry.

I am not asking you to give so we can keep the lights on. I am not asking you to give in order to maintain a beautiful facility—though being a good steward of our facility is part of our

mission. I am not asking you to give simply to pay overhead. I want you to give because you believe that giving is one of the ways we grow in faith and knowledge and love of God. Generous giving is one of the ways we follow Jesus. I want you to give because you trust that by our generosity we are able to bring more people into the work and family. Depending on your faithfulness, we hope to hire a full time Children’s Director, build our youth ministry, expand our adult ministry, develop a Stephen Ministry, grow our mission outreach (locally and globally), develop a more comprehensive social media outreach, and much, much more!

On Sunday, November 22nd, we will bring our commitment cards to the altar. I hope by that Sunday each of you will have prayerfully—prayerfully—considered your giving. I hope you will be as faithful, and as hopeful, and as loving as God is calling YOU to be as we dream and work “for tomorrow’s harvest.” If we each do that, and we all do that, then there are no limits to what we can do together.

I don’t tell you enough what a joy and privilege it is to be one of the pastors of this great church!

Thank you! And always remember how much….

You are loved,

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Trinity received the following gifts fromSeptember 24 —October 20, 2015:

Gifts to Trinity

By E. Wayne CurrySenior Pastor

In memory of Kitty Funderburk by Nancy Kerce, Led & Oberley Brown, Margie Smith, John and Jenny Bryant.

In memory of Mary and Jackie Marchant by Carol Ann Marchant.

In memory of Grover Rivers, Jr. by Charles & Linda Yates, Led & Oberley Brown, Dot Jean Green, Charles & Carol Long, Payne Midyette, Mary P. Peacock, Otis & Jimmie Beck, John & Elizabeth Alford, Mike & Judy Pate, Connie Alford, John & Mary Leslie Olson, Monna Bryant, Richard and Felton Little, Julian and Betty Proctor, Margaret Black.

In memory of Kirkland O’Steen by John & Pat Willis.

In memory of Drane Smith by Donie Ann Henderson, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Darnell.

As much as our Trinity family loves to eat (or so someone told us), we must have bunches of recipes among us! And by submitting your recipe to the Florida Conference, we can bring in money for hungry families at Hope Community. We can do this!

Just go to the link below to find out how you can show off your expertise and win some money for Trinity!

With your recipes, we can give our Community—“Hope.”

h t t p : / / w w w . f l u m c . o r g /recipecontestrules

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Music News for NovemberMark RepaskyMusic Director

Trinity’s Christmas CDMany will remember Trinity’s Healing

Hearts CD. It was distributed nine years ago, and proved to be quite meaningful and much appreciated by many in our congregation. That CD was sometimes given to other acquaintances, especially if they were facing a life crisis. Occasionally, in succeeding years, someone would mention, “wouldn’t it be nice for Trinity musicians to do something like that for the Advent/Christmas season?” And so we have!

The CD is titled “Christmas at Trinity” and

includes music for Advent and Christmas. A wide range of musicians and Trinity music groups are on the CD. Chancel Choir has several selections including

two pieces recorded with the orchestra that accompanied our Chancel Choir at the 11 o’clock worship service on March 22. Circle of Friends Praise Band has two selections. Most other groups have one selection each: Youth Choir, NETkids Omega Choir, Trinity Ringers, Jubilation Bells, Heavenly Chimes, Pans of Praise and Sacred Pans. There is even a selection by our Madrigal Singers and by our Men’s Ensemble! We have wonderful solo musicians at Trinity, and have included presentations by Carol Marchant (piano), Sue Parsons (flute), Viktor Billa (organ) and Yuliia Billa, (voice). Rev. Curry has recorded a greeting at the beginning of the CD. Some of the well-known Advent/Christmas music on this CD: Joy to the World, We Three Kings, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, Drummer Boy, What Child is This, Deck the Halls, Silent Night, and O Come All Ye Faithful.

The final track on the CD was recorded Sunday, March 22. The 11 a.m. service ended with the congregation and choir accompanied by orchestra, singing “Let There Be Peace on Earth”.

Some may remember hearing a shouted “Amen” immediately after the piece ended..…thought it was a fitting

way to end the CD, so we kept it. And yes, we know who shouted the “Amen”!

These CD’s are a gift from the musicians at Trinity. We have ordered 500 of them. They are free. We will begin distributing them after morning services in late

November, in the narthex of the sanctuary. Please take only one of them so there is enough for all who want one.

And Merry Christmas from the musicians at Trinity!

Viktor and Yuliia in ConcertCome to the sanctuary on Sunday,

November 8 for a 3:00 pm recital by Viktor, our new organist, and his wife Yuliia. This will be a special recital because there will be not only the traditional works written for the organ solo (J.S. Bach – “Toccata Adagio and Fuge” C Major BWV 564, C. Franck - “Pièce héroïque” in which there is the bible story about Jacob wrestling with the angel - Genesis 32:24-32), but also will be transcriptions of orchestral works (C. Saint-Saens – “Aquarium” from “Carnival of the Animals”). You will also be able to listen to some unique opera arias with the organ accompaniment (Antonín Dvořák – “Song to the Moon” from opera “Rusalka”, Jacques Offenbach - “Les Oiseaux Dans la Charmille” (Doll’s aria) from “The Tales of Hoffmann”).

This concert is being sponsored by the Tallahassee Music Guild, which over the past 50 years has provided 593 scholarships totaling $254,500. The Guild sponsors an annual Messiah Sing-Along to provide money for the scholarships. This year’s Messiah Sing-Along will be Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Faith Presbyterian Church. Everyone is invited to participate either by singing the choruses or attending as a listener.

Every Wednesday night, about 125 young adults in Tallahassee come to the Wesley Foundation at FSU and TCC to be in community together through dinner, fellowship, study, and worship. While the activities change from week to week, dinners are the staple. The weekly meals are planned, prepared, and served by a couple of members of Wesley’s student residential staff.

On September 23rd, Trinity’s Aldersgate and Just Us Gals Sunday School Classes cooked, served, and blessed the students and staff with a fun and festive taco bar! By providing one meal, it gave the kitchen staff a break, and more importantly,

allowed the students to connect with members of Trinity! After dinner the Wesley community had small groups and a discussion about the Bible led by a local retired UMC pastor.

The students and staff at Wesley would like to thank the members of the Aldersgate and Just Us Gals Sunday School Classes for cooking and serving the delicious meal! Special thanks go to Wesley’s Board Members in the classes: Chip Collette, Jimmie Duncan, and Leslie Elliott.

Did you know that when Rev. Brewster was on residential staff at FSU Wesley, he planned and cooked the weekly dinners for a year? Ask him about it!

If you would like to know more about Wesley, the weekly dinners, or how you can help, please contact Christina Pacelle (222-0251 or christina@fsuwesley.com), or visit Wesley’s website (fsuwesley.com).

Wesley Foundation dinnerChristina PacelleWesley Foundation at FSU

From left, Linda Rogers, Jimmy Duncan, Dawn Long, Rod Dugger, Nancy Duncan, and Chip Collette helped serve dinner.

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ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization)Barbara AllenLocal Missions Committee

Trinity’s Local Missions Team —Trinity Cares Spotlight

Another of the organizations your Local Missions Team supports is ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization).

ECHO’s mission is to “put faith into action by serving people in crisis and poverty.” Since 1981, ECHO has actively served our community using a small staff and a large base of volunteers. ECHO’s programs are designed to assist people to become independent, productive, and stable community members. Each year nearly

5,000 people are individually interviewed and connected with resources to assist them, either by ECHO or by referral to other resources.

In order to continue to serve our growing

community, ECHO recently moved to a new, larger facility located at 1707 South Gadsden Street across the street from Bond Community Health Clinic and the Pregnancy Help and Information Center. It is on the StarMetro route for easy access by clients.

Through donations last year, ECHO provided:

• 90,589 food units • 2,756 clothing items• 22,500 diapers • 655 furniture items• 8,460 household items • 650 bus passes

One very important program is ECHO’s 3-Day Box of Food program. Each food box contains cereal, canned vegetables, canned fruit, peanut butter, rice, soup, Ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese, canned tuna and meat, and dried milk.

Tr init y members are current ly supporting ECHO by donating macaroni and cheese that is placed in the 3-day box of food. Since Trinity began this program, more than 2,100 boxes of macaroni and cheese have been delivered to ECHO. ECHO is grateful for the macaroni and cheese and because of these donations they are able to focus their funds on other items that are not donated.

There are many o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o a s s i s t E C H O. Volunteer positions are always available, and donations of f o o d , c l o t h i n g , personal hygiene items, household items, and furniture may be dropped off at the ECHO office. F o r a d d i t i o n a l information go online at echotlh.org or call 224-3246.

Please continue to bring macaroni and cheese to the Welcome Center to support ECHO’s 3-Day Box of Food Program.

Trinity has over 40 members in their 90s! Most of these are still very active in the life at Trinity. As HEO Coordinator, I have had the privilege of getting to know many of these interesting and valuable church members. Trinity would not be such a wonderful place to worship without these members’ contributions. They still have much to offer, too: their stories can inspire and warm the hearts of others. I know because I have been inspired by them and my heart has been warmed by getting to know many of these church members. I cannot meet them all even though I try, so I invite Trinity members to meet with me and learn more about meeting these wonderful Pillars of Trinity.

I will have an opportunity to discuss The Trinity Visiting Ministry with people who are interested in learning more, after the 11 o’clock worship service

on November 15. I also invite those wonderful Trinity members who currently visit other members. Come join me

to learn and encourage others in this wonderful opportunity to share God’s love. A light lunch will be served.

HEO Corner - Learning from the Pillars of the ChurchRuthann HighHEO Coordinator

Ruthann shares a moment with Kay Morse. Sometimes, just a friendly smiling face is enough to make a difference.

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Health Wellness News for NovemberMats for the Homeless - Your Help is Needed

We have been making sleeping mats from recycled plastic shopping bags for several years now and the demand is still high. Even though The Shelter no longer needs them, they are still in great demand by the homeless who are not served by local agencies. It’s a win-win ministry – providing a warm, water-resistant sleeping mat for someone in need while helping the environment. The mats are used not only for sleeping but often to wrap in for warmth on cold days. Last year at the annual Christmas dinner, we gave away 20 mats (our entire inventory) in only 15 minutes. We currently have 20 mats on hand and need more.

Please come to our next meeting on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 10:30 a.m. in the Conference room.

We will be cutting bags and putting strips together to make the plarn (plastic yarn) that is used to crochet the mats. Please bring any mats you have completed or are working on so we can get an idea of how many we can expect to produce by the annual Christmas dinner for the homeless.

No experience needed, just a loving heart to help others as Jesus loves and helps us. For more information, contact Rose Glenn budsthorn@comcast.net or phone (850)727-8526.

Give Blood. Someone’s Life Depends on It.

We encourage you to contact the Tallahassee Donor Center at 1731 Riggins Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32308, (850) 877-7181 to donate blood. You should also know:

• The blood used in an emergency is on the shelf before an event occurs. • The number one reason people donate blood is to help others.

• The most common blood donation is whole blood, where red blood cells, platelets and plasma are collected. • Blood cannot be manufactured. • Everyday, over 40,000 blood donations are needed. • A single car accident victim can require 100 pints of blood. • The average red blood cell transfusion is 3 pints. • Over 1.6 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Many will require blood transfusions during chemotherapy treatment

• An est imated 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, yet less than 10% actually do each year. • One in seven people entering the hospital needs a blood transfusion. • Red blood cells can be stored for 42 days, but most donations are used within 3 to 5. For more information, go to www.

oneblood.org. Please note that the bloodmobile will NOT be at Trinity this year

TUFF does the Turkey Trot Thursday, Nov. 26

Our next TUFF event is the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 26. Wear your red TUFF shirt and work up

an appetite for Thanksgiving dinner. There will be a one Mile Fun Run starting at 8:00 on Thanksgiving Morning. The 5K, 10K and 15K will all start at 8:30.

Team Registration- everyone should email Marie Bradley mbradley1716@comcast.net by Monday, Nov. 25 with your name, sex, and age so I can set up our team. You can register at the race website http://tallyturkeytrot.com/register. Register early if you want to get a race t-shirt. On race day, meet for a picture at 7:45 a.m. at the race check-in area on Esplanade Way in Southwood.

Bring blankets and non perishable food

items to donate. Contact Marie Bradley mbradley1716@comcast.net or Beth Perry BethEllenPerry@gmail.com for more information or to order a TUFF t-shirt.

For more information about the Health Wellness Ministry, please ask any team member: Jessica Bahorski, Marie Bradley; Beth Curry, Deb Danforth, Jaqui Griffith, Amy Leach, Colleen McConnell, Miriam McLarty, Jayne Mittan, Beth Perry, Nan Ritchie, Sandy Skidell or Gloria Whitaker or visit the website at www.tumct.org/serve/health-wellness-ministry/ or email bfcseries@yahoo.com.

Health Wellness Team

Health Wellness Calendar

BFC Series Exercise Classes

— Tuesdays and Thursdays —• 9:15 ~ Staying Strong• 11:00 ~ Variety Mix**

— Wednesdays —4:15 p.m. ~ Strength & Balance

6:30 p.m. ~ Power Hour

Drop in any time! Classes are in the Parlor

For more information about the Health Wellness ministry contact:Beth Curry - BFCSeries@yahoo.com

*$3 suggested donation ** Nursery by reservation only

Upcoming Events• Mats for the Homeless meets Thurs., Nov. 12 at 10:30 a.m. - Conference room• Hats for the Homeless meets Tues., Nov. 17 at 10:30 a.m. - Conference room• TUFF event Thanksgiving morning, Thurs., Nov. 26 at 7:45 a.m. - Southwood

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Lynette HalterPresident

UMW in Ministry

World Thank Offering: A Welcoming Spirit

The next meeting of UMW in Ministry will be Tuesday, November 3 in Moor Hall. The program will be “World

Thank Offering - the spontaneous giving out of love for God and people—making welcome possible!” Come and learn about this world-

wide program of UMW and its positive impact on the lives of women, children and youth in

the US and all over the globe. Everyone is invited to attend,

even if you aren’t a member of UMW in Ministry. Please call Nancy Kerce at 877-6546 for reservations. Hope to see you there.

Warm Gloves for the Homeless at Christmas

We will be giving gloves to the homeless at Trinity’s annual Christmas Dinner and need everyone’s help in collecting them. Will you please bring as many pairs of warm adult gloves as you can (small,

medium, or large men’s gloves seem to work best

as most women can use the small men’s size) to the UMW in Ministry December meeting. We will also

set up a bin in the Welcome Center and

we’d appreciate donations from the congregation any time up to Christmas Day. Thanks so much for your help.

UMW Action Team MeetingsAlpha Action Team (Circle 1): Mon, Nov. 9 at 10:00 a.m. Contact Kathi Pope, chair (mlpopejr@aol.com) for location.

Dorcas Foster Action Team: Tue, Nov. 3 at 1:00 pm in Church library. Nancy Waugh, chair.

Mary Martha Action Team: Mon, Nov. 9 at 6:00 p.m. 2104 W Randolph Cir., Julie Pararo, hostess & chair.

Sojourners Action Team: Wed, Nov. 4 at noon, Café at St. Johns. Marti Chumbler, chair.

Susanna Wesley Action Team (SWAT): Tue, Nov. 17 at 10:00 a.m., Neddy Sumners, hostess, 650 E. 6th Ave. Ph. 224-0096.

The Voice Action Team: Thu, Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m., 2107 Rankin Ave, Esther Harrison, hostess.

Boxes and boxes of shelled and candied pecans were to be delivered to Trinity at the end of October in time for every available UMW member to sort them into individual orders on Monday, Nov. 2, and picked up beginning Nov. 3 by those attending the UMW luncheon meeting.

Others ordering pecans from the Women in Ministry annual sale may pick up their orders during Lay Academy the next day and subsequent Wednesdays in Moor Hall or in the Welcome Center after each church

service on Sundays throughout November.

A few extra bags of pecans may be left over after all preordered ones are delivered. Inquiries may be made about buying these at the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings.

Judy Levy, coordinator of the sale, said approximately $4500 worth were ordered, the largest number to date. “We thank each person who bought pecans from us. They are helping support local and global missions benefiting women and children here

and around the world,” she said.Once costs are deducted, the

prroceeds from the sale will be combined with individual contributions from members of Trinity’s Women in Ministry organization to meet next year’s pledge of $5,425 to local and global missions.

UMW Pecan orders ready for pickup November 3, 4

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Youth Happenings in NovemberBlake SwansonYouth Director

A Note from Blake ...Jeremy HannaYouth Ministry Assistant

Time to order

Christmas

Trees/Wreaths

It’s time to get your Christmas tree! Watch for inserts for buying your tree in the weekly bulletins beginning November 1.Deadline for ordering will be Sunday November 22.

Pick up will be Wednesday, December 2 from 4 - 9 p.m.Funds raised will go to youth mission trips.

As we read scripture, the theme of service is one that is not touched upon lightly. Time and time again it is presented as the way we are to live our lives, the calling that each and every person who follows after Christ has. We are called to help those both near and far, and that is something that we take very seriously as a youth group. We want to be a light to others through our service and the ways we live out this important call on our lives.

Recently, a group of students spent the day working at the Madison Youth Ranch, the north campus of the United Methodist Children’s Home. They helped do some outdoor maintenance by raking leaves and cleaning up the fence

lines of the new horse pastures. It was a really warm day, but they all worked hard. The day concluded with a tour of the facilities. We are really grateful to be able to work with such great organizations.

As you may know, one of the other ways that our students serve is through the mission trips that we take in the summer. This is a great opportunity to experience different cultures and to see the many ways God is working through his people. Each year, the church comes together to do amazing things in order to help send our students on these trips. I know this year will be no exception.

With the start of November comes the beginning of our Christmas tree and

wreath sales. You will find order forms in the church bulletin and we will also send an online version. These trees are absolutely beautiful and are cut fresh in North Carolina less than 48 hours before you pick them up. Please consider buying your tree from the youth this year and pass out some forms to your friends as well. As always, we deeply appreciate all your support and all you do to help make the youth program the best it can be.

The Monthly Tidings (USPS 01 3-030) is published m

onthly but for a combined June/July issue published in June by Trinity United M

ethodist Church, 120 W. Park Ave., Tallahassee,

FL 32301. PoSTMASTer: Send address changes to the M

onthly Tidings, 120 W. Park Ave., Tallahassee, FL 32301. Periodical postage paid at Tallahassee, FL.

PerIoDICALS

PoSTAGe PAID

USPS 01 3-030TALLAH

ASSee FL

e. Wayne Curry, Senior Pastor

Jonathan Brewster, Associate Pastor

Barbara Hynes, Associate Pastor of D

iscipleshiprex Adam

s, Director of Com

munications

Trinity United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 1086Tallahassee, Florida 32302(850) 222-1120 w

ww.tum

ct.org

The talented Nairobi Chamber Chorus and their expressive director.

The Florida State University Singers opened the concert by singing from the balcony.

The Nairobi Chamber Chorus recently performed at Trinity along with the Leon High School Capital Singers, The FSU University Singers, FSU International Choir, and the Trinity Chancel Choir.

The Trinity Chancel Choir hosted the concert and participated in the finale.

FSU brought two choirs including their International Choir, above.

The Leon High School Capital Singers was led by Tabitha Peck and included two of the Trinity Youth.