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Bringing the love of Christ to the DeLand community!
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Reverend Dale Golden, Senior Pastor
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Greetings!
“…give thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20)
As we approach cornucopias, pumpkin pie, and family gatherings it is not difficult to be in an attitude of thanksgiving. My mind wanders to my lovely wife, our beautiful home, our amazing and talented children and NINE grandchildren whom we hold in our hearts! The harvest is in and we have an opportunity to gather at the table eating good food and enjoying each other’s company. “Give thanks to God?” No problem! We delight in offering thanks to God for we have so much to be thankful for!
Well, that might be the chorus but there are several verses to our life’s song that we may not be so quick in giving God thanks for. We enjoy the good, but what about the bad and the ugly stuff in life? I would rather not think about that, but Ephesians 5:20 calls us to give thanks “at all times for everything.” Everything, Lord, we might be asking?
In this Pauline letter to the capital city church of Asia Minor (either written by Paul or a follower, however clearly theologically anchored in Paul’s style), the people are reminded to be thankful. You see, there are two phrases that may trouble us: 1) at all times and 2) everything. What was Paul’s purpose for wording thanksgiving in this way?
I must admit that I don’t have a thankful heart for the evil, injustice and rejection that we experience in this world. I am not thankful for those who enjoy division caused from terrorism and distain for those times I experienced rejection. I’m not a fan of failure. I shriek at anger. The good, yes. The bad or ugly, no.
The writer of Ephesians calls us to “not cease in giving thanks [for others]” (1:15). Later the writers tells us, “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up” (4:29). Is it possible that God, through the writer of Ephesians, is calling us into a habit of being thankful regardless of our present circumstances?
To have gray hair (or no hair) is a reminder that we have grown not only in wisdom but we have been blessed with many years. The pain in our joints reminds us that God blesses us with a fruitful life. Questioning young hearts reminds seasoned folks there is still a quest for the blessing of knowledge, and youth have the energy to pursue it! The unclothed, unfed or homeless are an opportunity God gave to all of us to share from our abundance. Anger, hostility and violence are other opportunities to be peacemakers for the glory of Jesus Christ.
During this season of Thanksgiving, look for ways to build relationships in mutual love and unity. Find ways to give thanks for all things at every opportunity. November is the season of Thanksgiving; let us be thankful people always and everywhere.
Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 6:23-24)
Your humble servant in Christ Jesus,
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Pastor Dale
"The Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace." -
Numbers 6:22-26
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SERMON SERIES FOR THE MONTH
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A SPIRITUALITY OF FUNDING MINISTRY
“Fundraising is as spiritual as giving a sermon, entering a time of prayer, visiting the sick, or feeding the hungry!” ~ Henri Nouwen
November 5 - 1st Sunday of the Stewardship Campaign
"Be bold, fruitful and totally in love!"
Gen 1:28, Eph 3:20, and 1 Cor 13:8
November 12 - 2nd Sunday of the Stewardship Campaign
"Joyful giving is not begging!"
Mal 3:10, Matt 6:21, Mark 12:41-44, and Phillipians 4:13-20
November 19 - Judges 4:1-7
November 26 - Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
MOST WORSHIP SERVICES ARE NOW BEING VIDEO RECORDED AND POSTED TO
YOUTUBE
. PLEASE VISIT AND SUBSCRIBE TO TRINITY'S
YOUTUBE
CHANNEL TO CATCH UP ON THOSE SERVICES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED. TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT THE CHURCH OFFICE.
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1 Ruth Packer
2 Billy Austin
2 Harriet Bolin
2 Carolyn Ward
5 Don Mogk
9 Beth Cushing
9 Frank Ford
9 Miro Pamoukov
10 Bill Churms
10 Lori Ebanks
11 Bob Sollien
13 Becky Hurlbert
14 Kathy Vergara
15 Sean Robbins
16 Rev. Howard Leach
16 Karen Robbins
20 Karen Averill
21 Jennifer Panda
24 Madison Huntoon
25 Robby Ward
26 Maia Carr
27 Carol Dennis
29 Sue Atkinson
29 Carolyn Harner
30 Jim Armstrong
30 Emily Eunice
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To call, write or send a member a card or email, contact the church office to request an updated
"People Directory."
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15 Marshall & Alice Dubberly
65 yrs
16 Don & Jan Mogk
60 yrs
16 Vern & Jackie Westlake
60 yrs
21 Jerry & Peggy Ferrara
48 yrs
24 Vern & Carolyn Linder
16 yrs
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FOR ALL THE SAINTS WHO FROM THEIR LABOURS REST
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LET US TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER AND REFLECT...
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Charlie Cropper
December 2016
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Walt Shearin
December 2016
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Louisa Stewart
March 2017
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Raymond Fletcher
June 2017
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Brian Medendorp
July 2017
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NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE
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LOOKING AT THE PRACTICE OF OPEN COMMUNION AS A
"FRESH EXPRESSION"
OF GOD'S LOVE FOR US
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Christ's table, where we celebrate communion with one another, is
open to everyone.
Click on this link to learn new and fresh ways to share this meaningful practice with ALL who are seeking Him. (It may not be where you would expect!)
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FROM UM DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES
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What would happen if we stopped fixing our churches and started seeing the people Christ called us to reach?
Discipleship Ministries believes that for too long The United Methodist Church has looked for
a quick fix to help guide our discipleship efforts. Remember, we are called to be
in relationship with the communities that surround our churches. We are called to
recapture a spirit of movement. We must shift our thinking from fixing churches to true discipleship.
Discipleship Ministries has created a video campaign called
#SeeAllThePeople to start a new conversation about intentional discipleship. Click
HERE to view
"Let Me Show You" the latest video from
#SeeAllThePeople.
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How much do you know about the Bible?
Saul offered David his elder daughter for a wife if he would fight valiantly for him. What was his motive?
Find out the correct answer to this week's
Bible Quiz
!
What’s a 3-letter word for “Old Testament city”?
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AN UPDATE FROM BISHOP CARTER
Bishop Carter held regional gatherings in September in three locations across the state. Ten members from Trinity attended, along with over 700 other United Methodists.
Attendees were invited to submit questions in writing. A video has been designed as a compilation of the various questions and answers from the three sites that were recorded, plus Bishop Carter’s presentation on
Growing in Our Trust of God
.
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"
The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."
Over the years, I have found people want to be part of something bigger than themselves and want to learn and grow as members of the family of Jesus Christ. We can do that in a United Methodist 101 class as transformed disciples.
The
United Methodist 101 Class
is a fun and exciting journey for members and non-members alike. We will discuss our history, what we believe as United Methodist and the future of our church. If it has been a while since you explored your “United Methodist” roots and you wish to learn more, come to the class. This class also leads to membership if you have a desire to become a disciple of Jesus as a new member of Trinity and the United Methodist Church. We will all learn and grow together as disciples.
The class consists of four weekly sessions of one hour in duration. We will skip Thanksgiving week and resume the end of November:
· November 8, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
· November 15, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
· November 29, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
· December 6, 6:00-7:00 p.m.
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Poinsettia Orders
Now Being Taken
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This year's Christmas poinsettias will be red and wrapped in gold foil. The cost of each one is $8 and payment is due at the time of order. Please fill out the reservation form found in weekly bulletins. Orders with payment may be placed in the offering plate or delivered/mailed to the church office.
Sunday, November 12th is the deadline date to get in your order.
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Stetson Wesley House
Lunch Crunch
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Thanks to all who baked cookies for Wesley House's
Lunch Crunch at Stetson last month. If you'd like to supply home-baked treats for the next Lunch Crunch, please deliver individually-wrapped or bagged treats to the church kitchen
by 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 14.
Cindy Fox
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ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL UPDATE
It has been decided that future meetings of the Church Council will be held on the fourth Tuesday of every month, with some exceptions around holidays. The next council meeting will be held on
Tuesday, November 28th at 6 p.m. in the Wesley Room. As always, members of Trinity may attend any council meeting.
Barbara Bradley, Council Secretary
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PASTOR DALE'S WEEKLY BLOG
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For those who are looking for a deeper insight into some of Pastor Dale's teachings and leadings, he has created a weekly blog which can be viewed anytime on the church website. Click
HERE
to read his latest blog! And, to get an email notice about new blogs being posted on the website, click on the red button below to sign up or contact Lori Jones in the church office for assistance.
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A NEW MISSION & OUTREACH TEAM IS BEING FORMED. CONTACT PASTOR DALE TO LEARN MORE!
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The Trustees last met on October 11. Our September meeting was cancelled due to hurricane Irma. We hope that everyone has recovered from the hurricane and that all are getting back to normal.
Here are highlights of work that has been done:
- Reviewed the 2018 budget and discussed maintenance and operation options and expenses.
- Selected a contractor and oversaw the installation of a new roof at the Parsonage. (Donations are still being accepted.)
- Removed brush piles from the hurricane on the Parsonage grounds. (Thank you Dale, Joleen, and Dave Griffis. The Parsonage is looking good!)
- Finished making improvements to the south parking lot to accommodate Easterseals buses and to ensure proper drainage.
- Spread a new layer of mulch over the Easterseals playground.
- Cut down and removed several large broken branches that were caught in the trees above the playground after the storm.
- Cleaned up debris around the church and playground after Irma. (Thank you Conya Hartman.)
The elevator malfunctioned one Sunday last month. The Fire Dept. responded quickly and remedied the situation. Meanwhile, the elevator company had also been called by the occupant and they, too, responded.
If this should happen again, first try to get the attention of the ushers. Then, if unsuccessful, call 911
.
Thanks to all for another successful Fall Festival. The trustees wish everyone a safe and blessed Florida autumn!
Charlie Daniels, Chair
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FALL FESTIVAL A HUGE SUCCESS!
To date, the amount received from our
Fall Festival is now $12,004, which has passed last year's receipts. Thank you to everyone who helped make the event so successful. We are grateful and blessed to have such a caring and giving congregation!
Conya Hartman and Karen Robbins, Festival Chairs
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Did you know that we have started a new page in Trinity's history book? With the vote to proceed with the church building plans and the purchase of the Plymouth Avenue property, we are definitely on a new page and path. Now, more than ever, ensuring that we are capturing every step, every decision -
on both paper and video - becomes vitally important!
The future of our church is going to depend on relaying
stories about its people – not just about events or buildings. For that reason, we are going to create a new
"History Video" over the next few months. This video will feature stories of our history, our ministries, and our people - as told by current members.
Want to help? Can you suggest a few people that we should interview? Give me a call or send me an email and let's get this important project into action. Don Brunning has agreed to shoot the video, but WE must create a storyboard that will instruct him on who we should feature, what settings, what stories, what events, etc.
I would love to have help and input on this project. If you would like to get involved, please contact me at
lloydthomascunningham@gmail.com or call the church office for my number.
Thanks and God bless!
Tom Cunningham, Historian
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no later than November 15.
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THANKSGIVING OFFERING
The offering collected on Sunday, November 19 will go to
UMCOR for its hurricane relief/recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and other affected Carribbean islands. Please mark your checks with UMCOR in the memo line. You also can designate your contribution using our online giving program. Click
HERE to access.
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LOVE TO SING? YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE CHANCEL CHOIR AS WE PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS!
CANDLELIGHT CONCERT
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
Sunday, Nov 5 Rehearsal 3-5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov 12 Rehearsal 3-5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov 19 Rehearsal 3-5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov 26 Rehearsal 3-5 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec 6 Rehearsal 7-9 p.m.
Sunday, Dec 10 Rehearsal 3-5 p.m.
*Tuesday, Dec 12: *Extra, if needed 7-9 p.m.
Thursday, Dec 14: Final Rehearsal 7-9 p.m.
Friday, Dec 15: Concert 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec 16: Concert 7 p.m.
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SCHOOL-CHURCH PARTNERSHIPS
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Last month, the team hosted a church-wide pot-luck dinner for all
Easterseals children, their families and staff. It was a special way to show our love and dedication to this important program. Plans are to host another dinner in the near future, as well as ensuring all families and staff are included in more church events.
We continue to encourage Trinity members to apply to be a volunteer and/or mentor at
Citrus Grove. Please know you do not have to take the mentor training to be a volunteer. Simply go online to complete the volunteer application or visit the school to ask the volunteer coordinator for assistance.
For members who are specifically interested in mentoring a child, we will be hosting a mentor training will be held at the church on Tuesday, November 7th beginning at 11 am in the Wesley Room. The training will last an hour. Have questions? Feel free to call, text or email me.
Leslie LaRue, chair
386.748.8501
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BUILDING COMMITTEE UPDATE
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Trinity's congregation approved the preliminary plans, preliminary cost estimate and preliminary financial plan at the church conference on September 24. There was a meeting of members of the kitchen committee, members of the building committee and our architect on October 10. The building committee will have one more meeting with the architect, prior to releasing him to start on the detailed building plans. We want to explore the
tilt wall construction method
with him and have further discussions about the kitchen.
Alex Ford, chair
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Click
HERE
to view our new church building plans!
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Ways to Help Trinity Grow!
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As December quickly approaches, we begin to reflect upon the many blessings bestowed upon us in 2017. The end of the year provides a great opportunity to thank God for these blessings by making a
special gift to Trinity.
To learn more, click
HERE to read the full article on different ways to support our church and your family. And, for more information on planned giving and the different ways you can
leave a legacy to Trinity, contact Anita Campbell or Pastor Dale.
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Our two October events:
Pumpkin Family Fun Night and
Trunk or Treat were both very successful! Thank you to everyone who helped to make it so by donating candy, preparing the dinner, setting up, taking down and cleaning up, promoting and sharing the events on Facebook, decorating their cars, dressing in costume, taking pictures and bathing everything in prayer!
Middle School Youth will have a
Lock-In & Mystery Trip on Friday, November 10th. We will meet at the church at 5:00 p.m. to go somewhere special. (
It's a mystery, remember!) Then we will come back to the church and spend the night. Students should picked up by 10:00 a.m. on the following Saturday morning.
High School/College Youth are enjoying their
Bible Study & Fellowship on Wednesday nights from 6:00-7:15 p.m.
Elementary School Children attending Sunday School will be going to a local nursing home this month (date TBA) to share cards that they have made. This outing will coincide with a study on the many different ways we can show God's love to everyone, especially those who can't get to church anymore.
Our Youth helpers and Sunday School teachers are all thankful for the children of Trinity and their parents and guardians who bring them to church. We are all blessed to play a role in their Christian education!
Lori Hansard, Children & Family Ministry Coordinator
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GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP
Every second Thursday of the month, a bereavement counselor from
Halifax Hospice
comes to Trinity to conduct a grief support group. If you, a friend or neighbor recently lost a loved one and feel the need to seek support from caring individuals who have gone through all of what you are experiencing, plan now to attend.
The next support group gathering will be on
November 9th at 3:00 p.m.
For more information, call Debra Wood at (386) 747-8804 or email her at
dwood52@bellsouth.net.
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STEWARDSHIP UPDATE
To celebrate and lift up everyone who will make a financial commitment to our Stewardship campaign, both the
Kitchen
and
Finance
teams will host a
Stewardship Sunday Brunch
on Commitment Sunday, November 12, during the fellowship hour (9:30-10:30 a.m.). The cost will be by donation. Check worship bulletins for more information
and to sign up
or call the church office for details.
Steve Roland and Buster Hunt, chairs
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Sunday School Classes Designed For You!
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THE DISCUSSION CLASS
For more information, contact
Steve Roland
, class leader.
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NOT YOUR MOMMA'S SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS
For more information, contact
Cindy Fox
, class leader.
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THE FRIENDSHIP CLASS
For more information, contact
Don Taylor
, class leader.
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BRING A FRIEND AND JOIN US
FOR THE NEXT YOUNG AT HEART LUNCHEON!
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The next
Young At Heart
Luncheon will be held on
Tuesday, November 14 at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall
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This month's theme will be
Thanksgiving
and our program speaker will be Wayne Carter,
MainStreet DeLand
's Executive Director. Wayne will be presenting information on how MainStreet applied for and won a national competition naming our town as having the number one,
"Best Main Street in America!"
Plan now to invite your neighbors and friends (who do not attend Trinity) and join us! The member who brings the most guests wins a prize. The cost of the lunch is $7 per person.
Reservations
with payment
are now requested in advance
. Fill out a form inserted in worship bulletins and send to the Church Office with your check no later than Friday, November 10th at noon. Reservations can also be made by emailing
Anita
or
John Campbell. (We'll collect, not to worry!)
MENU
Turkey and dressing
Mashed potatoes with gravy
Green Beans
Cranberry Salad
Hot rolls
Pumpkin Delight
Make your plans
today to join us!
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During our six months in England, we have come to the decision that our wonderful season of life as
snowbirds
in DeLand (we have been coming since 2009) is ending. We have returned in order to put our house on the market. Obviously, we don’t know how long this will take, but we are disengaging from commitments so that we can move quickly, if necessary.
It has not been an easy decision but the pull of family commitments: a new grandchild, a new building project in the UK, and seeking the Lord to discern His will for our lives have led us to believe that the time is right to let go of this phase of our lives so we can step forward into whatever the Lord has for us in the future.
We also must offer our resignation from our joint role as Evangelism Chairs. We were encouraged, when speaking with Pastor Dale, that we seem to share a common vision of Evangelism. It is for
everyone
in the church and should be a part of
every ministry
, for the reason we do anything should be so that we
make disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world
.
Helen and Mark Jackson, Co-Chairs
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GOD HAS ASKED US TO GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN - PLEASE JOIN WITH US ON THE JOURNEY!
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306 W. Wisconsin Avenue,
DeLand, Florida 32720
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