Pastor Page Valentine s Day 2018 February 14 is Valentine's Day (also Ash Wednesday), and florists, card companies, and chocolatiers are thrilled. I've been to all of them already for the sake of my Valentine. And if there's somebody really special to your heart and you haven't gone yet, I'd recommend you make a last-minute dash to one or more of them. The truth is, however, that most of us let ourselves off too easily with our professions of love. Our culture doesn't know much about love. We probably use the word too often and practice the virtue too seldom. Although Valentine's Day is hardly a Christian holiday, love is the central Christian virtue. Jesus said that God's will for humans boils down to this: Love God, and love one another. Loving God means getting to know him. Not just knowing about Him, mind you, but knowing Him. Some of the meanest people I've ever met knew a lot "about" God from studying the Bible and going to church services. But what they knew seemed to be for the sake of arguing. Winning at verbal fisticuffs. Proving themselves right and everyone else wrong. Beating people up with Bible facts. Knowing God, on the other hand, is about spending time with him. Letting some of Him "rub off on" you. Picking up His attitudes and habits. There is precious little credibility for the person who says "I love God!" and turns right around to insult, take advantage of, or abuse someone created in his image. Loving one another means caring! Valentine's Day is focused on romantic love, and that's a wonderful form of love. Heavenly, in fact. But even romantic love, if genuine, begins in simple caring. Concern for his welfare. Wanting to do good things for her. Being moved to help when they are in some sort of distress. Most of us seem to have reduced love to mushiness. Or, perhaps more commonly still, lust. Thieves, racists, liars, stingy people, people who cheat on their mates, adults who abuse children their fundamental sin is against love. They violate their basic link with humanity by refusing to care that they are exploiting, hurting, or otherwise diminishing the well-being of another. Want to find out if you really know the meaning of love? Then read Paul's beautiful love poem at 1 Corinthians 13 and insert your name for the word "love" when you see it: John is patient, Carrie is kind, Evan isn't jealous, and so on. Continued on p. 2 ~1~
Seems like everybody is looking for love these days, once you discover it in God as The Source, you can get over the selfish quest to find love and be that rare soul who knows how to give it away. It is the essence of your humanity. Remember God is the author of love and demonstrated love by giving us His Son Jesus to be our loving, obedient sacrifice---wow--- what greater love than a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). Think about it, Pastor Jamie Men s Lenten Breakfast Schedule 7:00a.m Breakfast 8:00a.m Worship Feb 17 Christ Church, 3601 Washington Ave, Evansville-812 476 4919 Feb 24 Zion Lippe/Immanuel, 9000 Copperline Road-812 985 2437 Mar 3 Bethlehem UCC, 6400 Oak Hill Road, Evansville-812 867 2497 Father-Son Breakfast Mar 10 Zoar UCC, 4600 Church Road-812 963 3749 Memorial Breakfast Mar 17 Zion Henderson, 437 First Street, Henderson-270 315 9028 Communion Breakfast Mar 24 Bethel UCC, 3209 N. Green River Road, Evansville-812 473 0135 Please call the host church if you wish to attend. Dear Church Council, I would like to thank the Church Council for the monetary gift I received from the Church at Christmas. It was truly an unexpected surprise! Your thoughtfulness and generosity are very much appreciated and will always be remembered. Thank you and God Bless, Linda Hellenberg I would like to thank everyone for the cards, thoughts and prayers I received from my knee surgery. Dottie Funkhouser Boy Scout Sunday Feb. 11 10:10 Boy Scout Troop #375 will lead us in the Scout Candle Ceremony prior to worship and then lead worship by serving as greeters, acolytes, liturgists, and ushers. All members who are or have been part of the scouting experience are invited to wear uniforms and/or pins as is appropriate. Gordon Vogel is Trinity UCC s liaison to the troop. There will be a reception and coffee hour after worship. Hostesses: Brenda Schroeder and Dottie Funkhouser ~2~
~3~
Spiritual Life Please Pray for Solarbron The Terrace Don Heberer Geneva Holler Mary Jane Dausman Solarbron The Point Lucille Saunders Margaret Vogel West River Health, The Legacy Charles Huey Ruth Russell Good Samaritan Home Phyllis Huey Mt. Vernon Nsg. & Rehab Geraldine Allen Mark Healy Primrose Memory Care, Newburgh Mary Beth Burkett Bill Baro Naomi Bell Makenzie Brown Katelyn Culley (military) Helen DeKemper Carroll Funkhouser Dottie Funkhouser Jerry Funkhouser Debra Gregory Joe Higginbottom Amy Higgins Josett Higgins Lourana Howard Mark Hudson Neal Jackson Family of Sondra Knopfmeier Maya Luna Jim Neighbors Dorothy Niehaus Judy Schutz Anwar & Family If we have inadvertently left a name off any list, please contact the church office at 838-3805. January Averages in Attendance and Offerings Worship 99 Sunday School 35 Offering $2763.00 Weekly Need $3720.15 2017 New Members Bill Baumgart Linda Hellenberg Judi Powers Ashley Hardin Amber Grabert Don & Jeanie Ricketts Wayne McIntosh Pam Hartmann Richard Kaufman Karen Williams Sue Williams Mike Russell Feb 1 Anjali Green Feb 3 Dennis Clark Feb 3 Ty Sims Feb 5 Betty Lueder Feb 5 Carolyn Brauser Feb 6 Donald Heberer Feb 8 Richard Green Laura Kuhn Susan Bincsik Gwen Raibley Ethan Raibley Braden Bincsik Linda Walters Rev. Jamie Kent Jamilee Kent Nicole Kent 2018 New Members Ella Sims Mary Gibson Birthdays this month Feb 8 Gordon Vogel Feb 9 Geneva Holler Feb 10 Geralyn Redman Feb 15 Lucille Saunders Feb 17 Connor King Feb 22 Jaime Medley Feb 25 Don Uhde The office will be Closed Monday, February 19, 2018 for Presidents Day. ~4~
~5~
~6~
~7~
Give the Gift of Hope Blankets Plus is a special mission opportunity. 2017 was a tough year for many people around the world. There were tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, drought and famine. Many had to flee their homes and became refugees or migrants. Through your donations to the Church World Service Blankets Plus Progam: You helped feed survivors, You provided clean water and tools, You helped blanket the refugees. The 2018 Church World Service Blankets Plus Program will begin on Sunday, February 4 and culminate with dedication of our gifts on Sunday, February 25. Trinity members gave $1,041 in 2017. Trinity has generously given $17,498 over the past 21 years. Church World Service responds when disaster strikes, both here in the US and around the world. They provide shelter, food, blankets, medicines, recovery kits and counseling. CWS responds to disasters in a wholistic manner, nurturing and treating the entire person. CWS supports many disaster stricken areas around the world. Each week we will have a mission moment describing CWS programs. Consider a generous donation or a gift in memory or honor of someone. Give the Gift of Hope! River Bend Food Pantry Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Can you think of a better use for 30 pieces of silver? Thirty dimes equals $3.00. Thirty quarters equals $7.50. Thirty silver dollars equals $30.00. Donating either of these amounts will go a long way to provide food for the needy. During Lent a goal to raise $300.00 has been set for our congregation. Imagine the amount of food that could be obtained with $300.00. Please give in accordance as you have been blessed. Bring your offering to church on Easter Sunday. Special Offering envelopes will be available at the back of the church. Please designate on your regular offering envelopes Thirty Pieces of Silver. ~8~
S February 2018 Mon Tue Thu Fri Sat SUN MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 9:10 Adult Bible Study 9:10 Children SS 10:10 Worship Holy Communion 4:45 Confirmation 5. 9:00 Care Squares 6:30 Boy Scouts 6 9:00 Quilters 6:00 Boy Scouts in Library 7 6:00 Bible Study 7:00 Choir 8 9 10 11 Boy Scout Sunday 9:10 Adult Bible Study 9:10 Children SS 10:10 Worship Reception & Coffee Hour 4:45 Confirmation 12 9:00 Care Squares 6:30 Boy Scouts 7:30 AA 13 9:00 Quilters 5:00 Pancake Supper 6:30 Christian Ed 7:30 AA 14 Ash Wednesday 12:00 Worship 1:30 Spiritual Life 7:00 Worship with Holy Communion 15 Newsletter Deadline 9:00 Pence Endowment 16 17 18 9:10 Adult Bible Study 9:10 Children SS 10:10 Worship 4:45 Confirmation 19 Office Closed 9:00 Care Squares 6:30 Boy Scouts 7:00 Council 20 9:00 Quilters 7:30 AA 21 5:45 Lent Supper & Worship 7:00 Choir 22 23 24 25 9:10 Adult Bible Study 9:10 Children SS 10:10 Worship 4:45 Confirmation 26 9:00 Care Squares 27 9:00 Quilters 28 5:45 Lent Supper & Worship 7:00 Choir 6:30 Boy Scouts 7:30 AA ~9~
TRINITY TRUMPET February Vol 20 Issue 2 Trinity United Church of Christ 505 Mulberry Street Mt. Vernon, IN 47620 Tel: 812-838-3805 E mail: trinityucc1@sbcglobal.net Facebook: www.facebook.com/tucc47620 Webpage: www.mytrinityucc.com Address Services Requested THURSDAY, February 15, 2018 your notes, articles, or announcements to the office on time! Electronic submissions are especially appreciated! Trinityucc1@sbcglobal.net Pastor Page Inside This Issue www.facebook.com/tucc47620 Visit our web page: www.mytrinityucc.com Men s Lenten Breakfasts 2 Ash Wednesday Services 3 Spiritual Life 4 Lenten Services 5 Pancake Supper 6 Food Pantry Canned Vegetables Miscellaneous 7 Church World Service 8 Calendar 9 Miscellaneous 10 ~10~