Hannah began her ministry with Trinity’s youth group on August 1st, and we’re looking forward to getting to know her better as she serves in this new role. 

 This month we will begin updating member information for the church directory.  Our current directory pages are posted on the board in the Narthex; please take a moment to check your information and make any changes or additions needed to your name, address, phone number, cell phone number, email, etc.  The directory sheets will be posted until Sunday, August 20th.
 
Our goal is to have newly updated directories printed and available for you on Rally Day, August 27th. Please call Myriam in the church office at 834-9897 if you have any questions or need more information.

   
 We are building a new video team ministry for the 11am service and are looking for additional video team members for the 9am service.  If you have basic computer skills and would like to help out once a month, let Eric Barnhart, our music director, know. You can contact him at info@ericbarnhart.com.
 
We are completing a sound and video upgrade to the sanctuary system.  Our choir will resume its Wednesday night rehearsals on Aug 23.  Our choral director, Leah Wyman, will be returning in August as well.  

We have an AED machine near the gym for emergency defibrillation with cardiac arrest, which is used for on-the-spot emergencies.  This is an important life-saving tool which can be used by any people, especially coaches, child care workers and interested members. On Saturday, August 19, you will have another opportunity to participate in an AED/CPR Refresher Course.  This class will meet from 8:30am to 12pm (donuts and coffee provided), in the Trinity Classroom, with Chris Holiday facilitating.  Take advantage of this opportunity— space is limited; the cost of the course and books has been covered. Please let the church office know as soon as possible if you are interested or if you need more information.
 

  From the Finance and Stewardship Committees:
 
The Finance Committee has recently published Trinity Tidings articles reflecting on faith based budgeting, financial self-sufficiency, and the importance of our facilities to the life of our Church community. Historically, Trinity’s operating budget has been faith based.  We budget for a certain amount of expenditures, and have faith that contributions will allow us to spend the budgeted amount.  If contributions are higher than foreseen, more can be done or reserves can grow.  If contributions lag behind expectations, some budgeted items are left unexecuted or reserves must be used. 
 
The reality is that God guides our budget execution throughout the year, as our members with fiscal responsibility authorize expenditures, and we as members make our contributions. Our previously published article on self-sufficiency by Scott Dannemiller concluded that it is only when we realize that we are not self-sufficient, but that instead it is God’s grace that supports our financial success, that we are able to be cheerful givers.  Last month’s article concerning our facilities asked us each to consider how our lives and our Church’s mission are impacted by our buildings and our grounds. Our hope is that we are encouraged to consider in a comprehensive way all that it takes for us to be Trinity Presbyterian Church.  
 
The end of 2017 brings with it the close of our third consecutive capital campaign for the Building Fund (capital campaigns run on a three year cycle).  In May, the Finance Committee recommended and our Session approved that we not have a fourth capital campaign to support our building fund. Instead, we would seek annual commitments to our Building Fund, alongside our annual Stewardship Campaign pledge process.  The building fund is, however, being retained as a separate expense account, so we will have two pledge forms. This will allow us to designate how much we are pledging to operations (inclusive of benevolences) and how much to the building fund (monthly mortgage expense). 
 
These decisions were not taken lightly.  For newer members who are not familiar with earlier campaigns, our building loan was taken just as the 2008 economic down-turn was beginning.  This resulted in some large pledges not being able to be fulfilled due to the recession.  So, the principal in our mortgage is higher than we thought it would be at this date, and our mortgage will likely continue to be with us for some time [Of course, a few large donations could make a significant impact on the pay-off date!].  It is, therefore, logical that we keep it fresh in our minds as part of our annual pledge cycle rather than every third year as it is in capital campaign cycles. 
 
The theme for this year’s two-pronged stewardship campaign will be “On this Rock”.  You will hear more about this theme as the campaign begins in September.  For now, I would instead like to focus back on 2 Corinthians Chapter 9 that was referenced in the Dannemiller article, specifically verse 7.  “Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver [New American Standard].”  What this has said to me in the couple years I have been a member of Trinity, is that I should pray about my pledge (set my purpose), incorporate that pledge into my family’s budget (make it so that I can do as I have purposed), and then give cheerfully (or at the very least not grudgingly), because it is part of the plan that I have set for the finances that God has entrusted me with.  A budget helps me with this, but praying about my pledge considering the family budget is the crucial step.  After that, it is just a matter of setting aside the pledge money as it enters my account.  There is no weekly or monthly decision to be second-guessed (or regretted).  It is part of the plan.  Usually I am able to give cheerfully.  But, even when I realize that I spent more than I had intended on my vacation last month and I am concerned about the repercussions this month, I can make my offering to the Church matter-of-factly and pick other items that I’ll not be doing.  We ask that you give your pledges prayerful consideration as the time approaches.
 
Allen Clark
Trinity Presbyterian Finance Committee

 

Girl’s’ Basketball Camp extended
 
For girls ages 5 thru 14 
 
Tuesday, August 8, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
 
Tuesday, August 15, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
 
Note that this will be more of an open gym time for girls basketball, as we won't do the camp skill-sets, but  we will have scrimmage games for whoever attends. For more details or if you have questions, please email Tom McCorkle (tbmcorkle@aol.com ) or call Tom’s cell 864-787-2707.  

 
Mothers’ Morning Out will resume on Tuesday, September 5th.   Mothers’ Morning Out is designed to give mothers and caregivers a break two mornings per week while knowing their children are being cared for in a safe, Christian environment. Children will learn that church is a special place for them to come and belong, and will learn Bible stories, sing, do crafts and play.
 

Registration is now open for September 2017—May 2018
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00AM-1:00PM

 
We have vacancies available for children from 6 weeks old to 4K.  Registration fee is $160, and cost per month for the first child is $160 ($135 for each additional child).                     For information, please contact program director, Julie Ramsey, at julieramzMMO@gmail.com 

Art Supplies: 
Glue sticks
washable paint
sponge brushes
wiggle eyes (self-adhesive)construction paper
crayons (chunky and regular)stickers
dot markers
colored puff balls
cotton balls
coloring books
Playdoh
tissue paper
tempera paint
magnetic letters
canvases (all sizes)

Classroom Supplies:
Clorox disinfectant wipes
diaper wipes
hand and face wipes
Sharpies
sticky notes
name labels
sippy cups
Bibs
toddler spoons
Puffs
Goldfish
batteries (AA, AAA, C, or D), paper plates
cookie sheets
Trays
freezer Ziploc bags

Manipulatives: 
Blocks
Cars
Trucks
Legos
Little People play sets
stacking toys
puzzles (maximum 48 pieces)
 
Toys: 
Dolls
battery operated preschool toys
V-tech toys
toy cell phones
Costumes
preschool books
child-size chairs (beanbag or rocking)
matchbox cars
Barbie dolls

 
Playground: :  Our playground is in sad shape.  We could use volunteers to apply Round-Up to kill the weeds.   We need a large tarp to cover our sand box. It measures 12’ by 12’.  We also would eventually love to have rubberized mulch, which would not weather.  (If you would like to donate towards this, please indicate “rubberized mulch” on the check.)  We also need more outdoor play toys (Little Tykes or any other hard plastic toys).
 

**Gently used items are gratefully accepted, as well as new items.

      *************************************************************************  
 
Julie Ramsey, Program Director, and I would like to thank all of our Trinity Volunteers who help to make our program a success. Also, a shout-out to Curtis Tharpe, who can fix anything (and does) for us!  If you have questions about our program, contact Virginia McCorkle (864-787-2713) or Julie Ramsey at  julieramz.mmo@gmail.com.  

Thanks to all of you who generously help us throughout the year!

                                                      Virginia McCorkle  

 

To access Sermon Audio on the website:
1) Go to  www.trinitytr.org
2) On the menu in the upper right hand corner between the options CALENDAR and CONTACT US you will see an option entitled MEDIA.
3) Roll your mouse over MEDIA and a menu should appear. 
4) Click SERMON AUDIO.
5)  It will take you to the iTunes website where you are now on the preview page for the Trinity Podcast. 
6) Click the blue button that reads VIEW IN iTUNES under the green Trinity logo on the left side. 
7) You will receive a prompt to open iTunes.  Or if you don’t have it, you will be prompted to download iTunes.
8)  For Windows/PC Users:  if you already have iTunes on your computer and receive a prompt to download it again, click the gray button to the left of the blue download button indicating that you already have iTunes on your computer and you wish to sign in.  
iTunes will then open to the Trinity Podcast Page.
To receive a copy of each new sermon to your iTunes every week:
When you reach the podcast page in iTunes, click SUBSCRIBE under the green Trinity logo on the left side.
To receive a copy of a particular sermon to your iTunes:
When you reach the podcast page in iTunes, scroll down the list of sermons and click “GET”
on the right hand side of the sermon you’d like to have a copy of.