There are two things this Lent I want us to focus on.

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1 There s a strange and funny quirk in our calendar this year. Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent falls on February 14: Valentine s Day. After that, Easter Sunday falls on wait for it April 1: April Fools Day! No, I m not making this up. However, we could rightfully say that during this Lent and Easter, we ll be extra loving fools for Christ! This calendar anomaly has got me thinking more about the heart. When it comes to our hearts, two words come to mind: reconciliation and transformation. Reconciliation or to be reconciled is coming to terms with someone with whom we re estranged. It s about humility, confession, asking for and offering forgiveness, and coming together. Transformation is about change changes of attitude, direction, and values. One leads to the other. When we re reconciled to someone, transformation happens within everyone. One of the most important Bible verses that captures reconciliation and transformation is 2 Corinthians 5:17-18: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation is come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gives us the ministry of reconciliation There are two things this Lent I want us to focus on. First, I ll be sharing a series of Lenten sermons called Rehabbing Our Hearts. With the opioid drug crisis our nation and community is facing, we are hearing more about recovery and rehab. And I think there are biblical lessons about rehab and recovery for us all to learn. We need to come to grips with our sin and shortcomings, confess it, accept God s program of rehabilitation, and move towards freedom and life-lasting transformation in Christ. Second, we have been given a new ministry venture to embrace. Through our partnership with the Lighthouse Shelter, we have an opportunity to participate in The Open Table. The Open Table is a yearlong commitment we make to form a table of about 8-12 people to partner with a person transitioning out of homelessness. The Open Table calls this person a brother or sister. Each week for a year, we encourage the brother or sister, help them work through their goals, and champion them in significant life changes they are making to be restored to a whole, productive, independent life. Most often we give things away to our homeless neighbors, and we don t see the results. Through The Open Table, we develop long-lasting relationships built on love, trust, respect, and cooperation with a homeless neighbor. The result is life-changing transformation in a brother or sister and in us, too. Nicole and Erik Berg have stepped up to lead our effort to put together table groups with The Open Table. Please pray for them, encourage them, and pray about dedicating a year of your life to bless a brother or sister. I believe this is one of the greatest ministry opportunities God has given to Trinity in many years. (continued on page 4)

2 February 2018 page 2 The Trinity Lamplighter is published monthly by Trinity United Methodist Church 1300 West Street Annapolis, MD Church Office Phone trinity.church@verizon.net Website Church Staff Rev. Chris Owens Pastor Blairlee Owens Office Manager How Can We Assist You? Prayer Chain...There is always someone who will pray for you. If you would like to place someone on the Prayer Chain, please call the church office ( ) or Cindy Sawyer at ( ) or hmclsawyer@yahoo.com. Do you like to pray, especially with others? Join Pastor Chris on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 am in the Sanctuary for a time of prayer for members of our church family and the community, and our church. Holding each other up in prayer is an essential part of our discipleship. Please come and support the life of Christ s church. Jane Daugherty Director of Music Wanda Lee Custodian Karen Jung-Yeon Yim Organist/Accompanist The Women s Bible Study meets every other Friday at 9:30 am in Room 209. We are currently studying the book of John. Check the church calendar for which Friday s we are meeting in February. On Sunday February 4 immediately after worship, we will be holding an informational meeting in Room 209 about The Open Table, a new ministry with our homeless neighbors we hope to begin soon. The Open Table surrounds a homeless neighbor, whom we call a brother or sister, with a year-long supportive group of friends (us!), who will work with them to bring lasting transformation towards a more stable and whole life. Nicole and Erik Berg, our Open Table Mission Directors will be on hand to tell us more about The Open Table to and to answer our questions. Hope to see you there!

3 February 2018 page 3 Serving in Worship February 2018 Thank you for serving in this important ministry in the life of the church. If you are unable to fulfill your scheduled duties, kindly switch with someone and notify the church office. Date Greeter(s) Liturgist Usher Captain Acolyte February 4 Becky Oaksmith Pam Hanna Bill Finagin Genevieve Robertson February 11 Marilyn Harrison Charlie Deale Bill Finagin Noah Busch February 18 Pat Wagner George Lewis Bill Busch Rebecca Sawyer February 25 Penny Ericsen Craig Miller Bill Busch Steven Busch American Leprosy Missions is a global organization serving Christ by curing and caring for people suffering from leprosy, and by working to end this ancient disease in our time and exists to serve as a channel of Christ s love to persons affected by leprosy and related diseases, helping them to be healed in body and spirit and restored to lives of dignity and hope. Leprosy is a germ, or bacteria, called Mycobacterium leprae. It causes an infection that affects the skin, destroys nerves and can also cause problems in the eyes and nose. It is a disease that disables and isolates people. It destroys nerves and can cause deformities and blindness. It robs people of dignity and hope. Children affected by leprosy often suffer the most. Every day, 50 girls and boys around the world are diagnosed with leprosy. Many more will remain undiagnosed due to stigma, fear and lack of medical expertise. But, leprosy can be cured, If it s detected early, suffering and disabilities can be prevented. Please pray for the ministry of the American Leprosy Missions and for the people affected by leprosy and related diseases that we serve around the world. Donating just $30 will cure a child helping to find, diagnose, and get medicine to those who need it. If you would like to make a donation, place it in the Offering plate marked American Leprosy Missions. Lets help transform people with leprosy from social outcasts to thriving men, women, and children of God. Way to go church! In January 2018, we collected $418. Each well costs $1,800. We need to collect $ to fully fund Well #31.The money collected provides a source of clean and safe drinking water. Be sure to look at the pictures of the wells that Trinity UMC has funded up to this point. The pictures are on the wall in the hallway between the Sanctuary and Room 209. Remember to bring your coins to church every third Sunday so we can get closer to funding our next well.

4 February 2018 page 4 (continued from page 4) Reconciliation and transformation How will you be newly reconciled to God and transformed this Lent? In what ways do you want to be reconciled and transformed? What are you most hopeful for? What changes are you most afraid of? Let us each take God s invitation to be reconciled and transformed through worship and important, life-changing, life-saving ministry. Yours in Christ, Pastor Chris Germantown Elementary needs our help. Every Thursday afternoon, we re looking for someone to deliver 25 pieces of fruit to the school by 2:00 pm. We will donate a different extra item each month. The sign-up sheet is available in the church office. Please provide your name and contact information for the date(s) you will be able to deliver the items to Germantown. Thank you to those who have already signed up to donate fruit and toiletries. If you have any questions, please contact Pam Hanna at (410) or phanna1353@verizon.net. Winter Relief Trinity will be hosting Winter Relief guests again February 26-March 5, We are ok on supplies. Monetary donations are always welcome. Please drop off donations in the Church Office. Would you like to learn how to knit? Interested in making a sweater for a child in need? Join our Crafts for Christ group that meets every other Wednesday of each month from 1:00 pm 3:00 pm in Room 209. Interested in learning to make beautiful stained glass projects? If so, come to the Youth Room at our new day and time, every Monday from 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. (new time starting November 6 to design and make a beautiful work of art. No previous experience required. Every second Saturday of the month at 7:00 pm, come to Room 209 for a fun-filled evening of fellowship and dominoes. Hope to see you there.

5 February 2018 page 5 Your Trustees have been busy with various church repairs including the heating system and several 2018 upgrade projects you might like to know about. Have you noticed the new tile flooring installed in the elevator by Jim Day? Youth Room walls are being painted and ceiling tiles will be replaced before new vinyl flooring is installed. New flooring is also planned for the Locust Street hallway and Room 209. Fortunately, a major donation is making it feasible to move ahead with most of the flooring but additional funds are needed for associated materials like paint, baseboards and ceiling tile, even though a lot of the work is being done by volunteers to minimize cost. For questions, comments, or offers of assistance, please see chairman Mike Williams, or any of the other Trustees including Claire Hayward, Becky Oaksmith, Jim Day, Charlie Deale, and John Henry, and Jerry Kulasik. The Worship Committee would like to thank everyone who helped to take the Christmas decorations down and packed away in the attic for another year. Trinity is blessed with devoted and faithful members. God is good! February 18 Time in the Wilderness Mark 1:9-15 February 25 The Intervention Mark 8:31-38 March 4 Getting Into the Program Exodus 20:1-17 March 11 God s Recovery Plan John 3:14-21 March 18 A Promise for Better Things Jeremiah 31:31-34 March 25 Our Most Humble King Mark 11:1-11

6 February 2018 page 6 February 3 Anne Wilson February 6 Pat Linthicum February 7 Kitty Cawood February 9 Debbie Chambers February 9 Barbara Salvatore February 11 Diane Gilligan February 18 Don & Martha Defibaugh February 19 Jack & Sylvia Spencer Please note: If your birthday or anniversary is in February and is not listed, please let the office know so we can update our database. Thank you. February 19 Cathleen Morris February 23 Tracy Alexander February 23 Rod Jaroszek February 23 Pat Wagner February 25 Pete Salvatore February 28 Claire Hayward February 28 Wanda Palmer Our Ash Wednesday Service will be held on Wednesday, February 14 at 7:30 pm at Calvary UMC, 301 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD. Stay tuned to the bulletin and our website for more information. Please come and join the United Methodist Women for a Spring Celebration on March 10th at 10:00 am in Room 209. Our speaker for this event will be Nicole Berg who will share with us about The Open Table, a new ministry with our homeless neighbors we hope to begin soon. We would love to have you join our monthly Circle meeting. The Faith Circle meets on the third Tuesday at 7:00 pm, usually at the Church. This month we will meet at the home of Susan Beall. Please come share in the fellowship. We would love to see you there.

7 February 2018 _page 7 Beautify our Sanctuary, enhance our worship experience, and honor a loved one by donating flowers to the altar on Sunday morning. A donation of $20 will provide a beautiful arrangement and you may dedicate them to someone or give them To the Glory of God. Please enclose cash or a check payable to Trinity UMC in the amount of $20, mark it Flower Dedication, and include the Sunday you want to dedicate the flowers. Place in the offering plate or mail/deliver to the church office. Trinity United Methodist Church 1300 West Street Annapolis, MD I would like to dedicate the flowers on Sunday Your Name: Your Phone Number: Person you want to dedicate flowers to (please write in memory of or in honor of ) and print the dedication below:

8 Trinity United Methodist Church 1300 West Street Annapolis, MD Phone: (410) Fax: (410) Website: Facebook: Trinity United Methodist Church Annapolis, MD Instagram: trinityumcannapolis **Change Service Requested** Upcoming Church Events Sunday, February 4 Communion Sunday Wednesday, February 14 Ash Wednesday Service at Calvary UMC 7:30 pm Monday, February 19 President s Day Church Office Closed Tuesday, February 20 March Lamplighter deadline Monday, February 26 Monday, March 5 Winter Relief