TRINITARIAN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (United Church of Christ) 72 Elm Street North Andover, Massachusetts 01845

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1 TRINITARIAN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (United Church of Christ) 72 Elm Street North Andover, Massachusetts Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 33 LAWRENCE, Ma Address Service Requested Scout Can and Bottle Drive: January 5th Service Time Moving to 10 am! Annual Meeting: January 27th Family Game Night: February 2nd Scout Sunday: February 3rd ********************************** ******************************** Pastor, Rev. Debra Adams Moderator, Sarah Dunlap Music Director, Christopher Wood Administrative Secretary, Dorothy Taylor Handbell Choir Director, Bev Valle Sexton, Doug Beach ********************************** ********************************

2 The Trinitarian Times Trinitarian Congregational Church, UCC 72 Elm St. North Andover, MA Dear Church, January 2019 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7b) When I was a teenager, we had a tradition of putting all our opened gifts back under the tree to be admired while taking only one at a time for closer examination. One year, I received a long-awaited gift of a watch. Later that day, long after all the scattered fragments of wrapping paper, bows and ribbons had been discarded and the gifts were neatly placed back under the tree for admiration, I noticed the watch was missing. We searched everywhere until my dad decided it would be worth a look in the trash bag. And sure enough, there it was! In the chaos and melee, it was snatched up with the boxes and paper and stuffed in the bag. I was in such a hurry to unwrap and admire, that I didn t give due respect to the gift itself. I hope this never happens to my most priceless of gifts, the Christ child. In our post-christmas haste of returning gifts, storing decorations and bringing the house back to its regular state of being, we risk losing sight of the precious gift of peace, joy, love, and hope that we ve been given. This amazing Christmas present is exactly the right gift to bring into the New Year. As both guide and fellow traveler, Jesus is ready to walk with us by keeping our focus on God as we travel. If we take purposeful steps to determine the right path, we will be ready to begin our journey in haste. I m so grateful to be with you at this particular moment in Trinitarian s history. I m so intrigued with how we might map out the next leg of our journey together. Let us chart the course and walk confidently together! New Year blessings to you and yours, IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH!!!! Beginning on January 6 th 2019 worship services will 10AM. The Diaconate unanimously voted the time change at the December 20 th meeting. Everyone can hit the snooze alarm one more time or linger over that first cup of coffee before joining us in worship. Church Office hours : Monday through Wednesday, 9 to 12:30, Thursday 12:30-4, Friday 9-12:30

3 Come one, come all to the 2019 Annual Meeting!!!! It will be on January 27, 2019 immediately after the service in Carvell Hall. We will be having a potluck luncheon to enjoy while the business of the church is conducted. It is a great opportunity to hear the 2018 year in review and look ahead to 2019!! Scholarship applications are now being accepted Trinitarian Church Scholarship The scholarship is open to graduating high school students who are confirmed and have participated in the life/activities of the church. The amount of the scholarship varies from year to year. Apply on the church website natrinitarian.org/about-us/trinitarian-churchscholarship/ or pick up a copy in the office. Return completed applications to the Trinitarian Congregational Church Office Applications are due by March 31st Join us Jan.13th for Missions Sunday! Intruder Response Training On January 24 th at 7 pm (which is a Thursday evening), Lt Eric (EJ) Foulds from the North Andover Police Department will be conducting a seminar on The Civilian Response to an Active Shooter/Violent Intruder Event. In these times it is a sad but true reality that places of business, shopping malls, houses of worship and many other venues can no longer be considered safe. This should be an enlightening and an engaging evening. Invite your friends, co-workers and anyone interested in this timely topic. Watch the bulletin for more information. Join Us for Food, Fun and Games on February 2 nd Your deacons have cooked up a Family Games Night at TCC for Saturday, February 2 nd, from 6-9 pm, in Carvell Hall. We invite you to bring your favorite chili or chowder to share, as well as any board or card games you like to play. We ll provide drinks, crackers, cornbread, chips and desserts. After we enjoy a hearty winter dinner, the games will begin! You ll also get to judge the chilis and chowders, with a prize awarded to the recipe receiving the most #1 votes. If you don t drive at night, and would like to participate, please contact Pam Foote (pfoote@comcast.net or ) regarding a ride. All ages are welcome! Mark your calendars, then watch for a sign-up sheet in the Davis Room after the holidays and more upcoming fellowship events in Suggestions are always appreciated.

4 Important Informational Meetings Scheduled The Board of Trustees, after careful thought and discussion, will be making a recommendation to the Congregation to sell the Parsonage in early Some of the points behind their recommendation include: they no longer want to bear the burden of being landlords; when it is not inhabited by an employee of the church it can no longer fall under the umbrella of a church structure which makes it subject to a sizeable real estate tax; and the trend with Pastors seeking a full time position at a church wanting to live in a Parsonage is on the decline. You will be receiving an informational letter in the mail outlining these points in further detail. There will be two informational sessions that will be held in conjunction with coffee hour to answer questions. The meetings will be held on January 13 th and January 20 th. A formal vote will be taken at the Annual Meeting which is scheduled for the 27 th of January. This is a major decision in the life of the church. It is key that you become informed and ready to vote on the 27 th. "SOX" CAMPAIGN We often take little things like socks for granted. Some of us collect fun and colorful socks for fun, just because we like them. There are millions of less fortunate people living in the streets across the United States who don't have a single pair of clean socks, yet many of us have a whole drawer dedicated to just socks. With winter here, let s be mindful of those who don't have sock drawers. Our on-going mission is to collect white athletic socks, men s and women s, in all sizes, to donate to local agencies. Give when you are able! THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A GREATER NEED FOR LOVE Arrange meet-and-greets for local policymakers with neighbors to discuss collective concerns. Inclement Weather Cancellation Policy Winter is here and with it comes unpredictable snow fall and poor driving conditions. Sunday worship service cancellations will be announced on TV (WBZ) and (WSBK). They will no longer be announced on the radio. You can also see cancellations on CBSBoston.com. What can you do to support Trinitarian Congregational Church (UCC)? Here are a few ideas! - Like our page on Facebook and have your kids or grands like us, (If you are on Facebook, you can like and share our posts, as well.) - Forward our s to your friends. - Invite a friend to worship Just a few ideas so you can help get the word out about our programs. And they don t cost a thing!

5 Message from Missions Instead of a Shoebox Ministry this year, we sent a donation to help pay for refreshments at a Christmas party for the Happy Hands/Manos Felices at both Stadium Courts and Hancock Courts. Just a reminder that the Warmth Tree will still be up after the New Year anything warm, especially for children, is always much appreciated. Items will be delivered to Communities Together. The Food Pantry items for January are peanut butter and jelly, and for February soups. Any and all donations are always welcome for those who have trouble stretching their dollars. Missions has sent money to a school in Colombia to help rebuild the school structures. More news about this project later! SAVE THE DATE! Pastor Debra will be installed on February 10th at 2pm. Plan on being here for this important event. Have you signed up to host Coffee Hour or to Greet? Start the New Year off by helping make our Sunday mornings warm and friendly for visitors! There are sign up sheets in the Davis Room. December 16th s Special Visitor! We had a very special surprise visitor on Dec. 16th: a descendant of George and Harriet Davis, who sponsored our church building, attended the service and stayed for coffee hour. Catherine was in the area visiting family. She graciously answered our questions and posed for a photo with the portraits of her ancestors. Our Nursing Home Ministry is once again bringing comfort and worship to local facilities. We visit Prescott House, The Meadows at Edgewood Retirement Community, and the Sutton Hill Center. These are monthly visits on Tuesdays at 2 pm. If you are available, check with the deacons and come worship with residents who can t get out to worship with us on Sundays. Service Opportunities at TCC Worship Service Videographer - We are looking for volunteers who can shoot video of our Sunday worship services and work with the local cable channel to have our services broadcast. Training is provided. Perfect for middle school and high school students looking for leadership/service hours! Sound System Operator - We are in need of individuals who have a working knowledge of our sanctuary sound system. Having more than one person would be very beneficial. Training is provided. Perfect for middle school and high school students looking for leadership/service hours!

6 You Can Do Yoga, Honest! Maybe you think you need to be young and limber to do yoga, but you don t have to bend into a pretzel shape to enjoy the benefits of stretching. The wonderful instructors and the great group at our Friday Night Yoga class will help you achieve stress relief and help you strengthen your body for the marathon of holidays ahead. Drop in any Friday at 5:30 pm, bring a mat and $10. TCC Book Club The next meeting of the TCC Book Club will be January 18th at 7:30 pm at the home of Bev Valle. The book will be Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan. Contact the office or Bev Valle for more information. Sunday Flower Arrangements The cost of flower arrangements for Sunday morning will be going up this year to $45. This price includes delivery. Contact the office at or offices@natrinitarian.org if you would like to give flowers on any Sunday. Stewardship Nugget Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others. Barbara Bush TROOP 87 NEWS Drop off your for-deposit cans and bottles at the Troop 87 Can and Bottle Drive Saturday, Jan. 5th! Proceeds will go to programs and trips for the Scouts. And then join us on Feb. 3rd for Scout Sunday, when the Scouts will lead us in worship and host coffee hour. Please wear your nametags. If you prefer, you can have yours on a string rather than a clip on. Let Dorothy know if you need a string or if you need a new nametag. It s a small request, but it is something we can all do to make visitors feel more welcome.