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TRINITY
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
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Trinity Tidings December
2017
Volume 31, No. 12
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Welcome to our new online version of Trinity Tidings.
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Upcoming Events at Trinity:
December 1
Greening of the Church
December 3
Music Sunday
December 9
Travelers Rest Christmas Parade
December 13
Annual Children’s Christmas Pageant
December 17
Hot Dogs, Caroling & Bonfire
December 24
10:00am —
ONE WORSHIP
5:30 & 7:30pm
Worship Services
December 25 & 26
Merry Christmas!
Church Office Closed
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Music Sunday,
December 3rd
You won’t want to miss this special
Service of Lessons and Carols
on Sunday, December 3rd in the 11am service.
Come and enjoy
the musical presentation given by our
chancel choir, singers and musicians.
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Wednesday Night Live
Join us for our regularly scheduled Wednesday Night Live activities:
5:30pm WNL Dinner
6:00pm Children’s Choir
6:30pm CWE, Adult Bible Study
6:30pm Chancel Choir Practice
Wednesday Night Live December 6
Dinner Menu:
Lasagna, Salad, Bread, and Dessert
*Please note there will be no regularly scheduled WNL activities after December 6th.
WNL will resume January 10th.
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Dear Friends:
The month of December can be such a joyous time of celebration. We decorate our offices and businesses, our homes, and in some cases even our vehicles! City streets are adorned with reminders of the season. In our culture, we do love to celebrate Christmas. The secular celebration of Christmas is fun, and there is nothing inherently wrong with joining in the fun and playing along. Everyone loves to get together with friends and have a party. It is fun to see the whimsical decorations. All in all, it is a great time of year.
The spiritual anchor for this big cultural celebration is that a little over 2,000 years ago God surprised us! The surprise nature of the Messiah’s birth and ministry rattled the status quo of the world so much, that now some 20 centuries later the ripples of that surprise still wash over us. For those who believe, it is the reality of that “surprise” that makes Christmas about more than twinkling lights, delightful goodies, and good times with family and friends. It is this “surprise” that the secular world does not see or understand. The reality of God entering our world, particularly in such humble circumstances, is so stunning, so amazing, so vast in its import, that there simply are no words that measure up to the task of sharing that truth! It was a miraculous event 2,000+ years ago, and it remains so today.
It is fascinating, that in the Bible, only two of the four Gospels (Matthew and Luke) even risk trying to tell the story of God’s big “surprise.” The other two Gospels start telling Jesus’ story later in his earthly life. If we look at Matthew and Luke’s accounts and compare them side by side, it is clear that they share different details and have different agendas as they tell their respective accounts of how the Messiah arrived. Even so, they both tell the same story at its core, and they share something else that is easy to overlook because we are so familiar with the event. Both evangelists emphasize that the Messiah’s birth was a total and complete surprise to the world.
In Matthew, Joseph is stunned by his dream and the news that his son will be the one that had been so long promised. He is so stunned and surprised he willingly agrees to marry his finance` - despite the fact that her pregnancy (also no doubt a shock to this righteous man!) would normally have meant the end of their relationship. Joseph embraced the surprise!
In Luke, Mary is stunned by the message of the angel Gabriel that she will give birth to the Son of God! Yet she accepts the message and goes ahead with God’s plan. Mary embraced the surprise!
Jesus’ birth was a surprise. It was a surprise to Mary and Joseph. It was a surprise to the shepherds. It was a surprise to King Herod. It was a surprise to every Jew, from shepherds to priests. In the Messiah’s birth, God did something no one saw coming in circumstance, and at a time, no one predicted. Let me emphasize that, NO ONE saw the Messiah’s coming in the way that he did! It happened according to God’s time and God’s plan. God is free to be God! God is never constrained by our expectations, or abilities. God makes happen what God wills!
That is a word each of us needs to hear in our lives. God can and will surprise us with his presence and his will. We do not live in a “closed loop world”. This is truly “Good News” for us! So, regardless of how see the present circumstances of our world, let us be reminded that if the Messiah’s coming reveals anything for us, it is that God remains free to surprise us!
So, let us treasure and embrace what Christmas truly reveals; we are “Emmanuel”:
The Messiah has come!
God is with us! God has freely chosen to be with us. God has freely chosen to redeem us.
Let us live in joyful anticipation! Let us embrace the “surprise!”
Merry Christmas,
Marc
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Parents, I cannot believe that it is already December and we are jumping into the Christmas season at YWE.
December is going to be a busy but very fun month for the youth at Trinity, and I am excited to experience Christmas with them. Our last regular YWE of the fall semester will be December 3rd where we will finish up our studies of Romans and 1&2 Corinthians.
The Travelers Rest Christmas parade is on December 9th, and we will have a float in the parade! The two dates that I have down to decorate and set up the float are Wednesday on the 6th before Wednesday night activities and on Friday the 8th to finish. If you can make it to either of these dates we would love to have anyone help.
On December 10th we will have our YWE Christmas party from 5-8pm. It will be a fun night filled with a gift exchange, music, a Christmas dinner, and cookie decorating. The middle and high school girls are invited to bake cookies at the church the afternoon before the party.
I cannot thank you all enough for giving me the opportunity to minister to the youth here at Trinity. It has truly been a wonderful experience, and one that I will cherish forever.
Hannah Smoak
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All youth, Grades 6—12,
are invited
Sunday, December 10th
5-8pm in McKinney Hall
Please bring a pair of socks
for a gift exchange.
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Christmas is quickly approaching and we have a few more days to shop for our Angel Tree gifts.
All gifts for the Angel Tree must be brought to the church by Sunday, December 3rd.
A special holiday thank you to all our church Angels!
You will have brought Christmas Joy to so many children! They will have excitement in their eyes when they see gifts on Christmas morning.
I would also like to thank Polly Reece for her guidance and assistance in helping me chair the mission efforts this year. Also, thank you to Lucy Hammack for her wonderful assistance in preparing all the angels and organizing for distribution!
Cathy Ronald
Mission Committee
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Christmas Eve Morning:
ONE WORSHIP at 10:00am
“Christmas Unplugged”
A relaxed service welcoming the arrival of the Christ Child.
(Wear your Ugly Christmas Sweaters!)
*No small groups Christmas Eve morning.
Christmas Eve Worship:
5:30pm—A family service welcoming everyone of all ages. Please come “as you are” for a joyful celebration!
7:30pm—A more traditional worship experience for all, including a celebration of the Lord’s Supper
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From the Director of Music Ministry...
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Winter is coming! With it comes our Advent All Music Sunday, December 3rd, for our 9am and 11am Services. Our chancel choir ranks have already been swelled by members joining us for this special season along with Furmanites old and new. Our 9am service will follow a similar format as last year’s, combining musical and video elements for a multimedia celebration of the Advent of Christ.
Our handbell choir has returned! They will be performing again at our 11am service on December 10. If you are interested in participating, please talk with Lisa Barksdale.
Our Annual Children’s Christmas Pageant is December 13. Please join us for dinner 5:30pm with musical entertainment by the Charlie Brown Trio, followed by the performance at 6:30pm. Cookies and cocoa will follow.
What’s Christmas without a little caroling? Our annual caroling night in the Travelers Rest community is
December 17. Hot dogs etc. at 5:30pm, followed by a hay ride and singing in our neighborhood.
Eric Barnhart
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Christmas Pageant Rehearsal Times
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Music practice for the Christmas pageant is at 6 PM on Wednesdays. The schedule is as follows:
Dec. 6 6 PM Full rehearsal
Dec. 10 11 AM Kids sing in 11 AM worship
12 PM Full rehearsal and pizza lunch
Dec. 13 Pageant Day!
5:30 PM Dinner
6:30 PM Performance
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Annual Children's Christmas Pageant
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Trinity's Annual Christmas Pageant
Wednesday, December 13th
*Dinner at 5:30pm
Pageant at 6:30pm with
Cookies and Hot Cocoa to follow
*Tickets will be on sale in the Narthex before
and after services on Sunday, December 3 and 10.
Cost: $11 for adults (ages 13 and up)
$5 for children (ages 5 to 12)
Menu: Roasted Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Macaroni & Cheese, Rolls & Butter, Cranberry Sauce, Salad, Tea & Coffee
For more information please contact Nancy Thompson, 864-908-6993; or Leslie Weikle, 864-346-9933 or Lpedwards@hotmail.com.
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Trinity Youth Basketball Season 2017-2018
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Trinity’s Basketball Schedule for December:
Come and support Trinity’s youth during this season’s basketball games!
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Dinner, Caroling & Bonfire
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All Trinity church family and friends are welcome to a special gathering on
Sunday evening, December 17th.
Come join us for hotdogs and caroling followed by a bonfire with s’mores—the fun begins at 5:30pm.
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Travelers Rest Christmas Parade
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Trinity’s youth group will participate in the
Travelers Rest Christmas Parade
with their own float on
Saturday morning, December 9th at 10am.
Our decorating days will be:
4:30pm, Wednesday, Dec. 6th, before Wednesday night
events and 4:30pm, Friday, December 8th, at the church.
Come out and enjoy this community
Christmas celebration with us!
For more information,
contact Hannah Smoak at 864-834-9897.
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Small Groups For Everyone!
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Sunday Adults:
Fellowship Class:
Focus - Rotates study of the books of the Bible with Christian books and studies that enrich our lives. Format- Combination of lecture with interactive discussion, all in a relaxed environment. Leadership changes annually with a rotation of teachers from our class. During this Advent season, the Fellowship Class is studying
The Names of Jesus
, by Walter Brueggemann.
Christianity and Contemporary Issues:
Focus - Discussions relate the messages contained in Scripture passages to current headlines. Format - lecture and interactive. Facilitators – Mary Pace, Annette Taylor and class members.
Spirituality
(Starting in January): Focus- Spirituality as the experience of God in our daily lives. We will discuss the use of Spirituality in the history of our Christian faith and how we can incorporate it into our daily modern lives. Format - interactive/ casual and experiential. Group Facilitator – Jim Capobianco
Trinity Class:
First Sunday School Class created at Trinity and has been active ever since. Focus- Study of the Bible with the help of the Standard Lesson Commentary.
Format - lecture and interactive with class discussion strongly encouraged. Teachers - Beauford Williams, Fred Moehlenbrock and class members.
Sunday Youth:
Sunday Children:
6th-12th Grades—Hannah Smoak CWE 4K-1st Grade—Robin Blakemore, Joanna
Newcomer, Leslie Weikle
CWE 2nd-5th Grades—Allen Clark, Eric Smith
Tuesday Morning Women:
Rachel Bible Study
meets weekly at 10:00 a.m. A lesson is presented by one of the participants taking turns each week. Facilitator - Nancy Simonton
Wednesday Night Live Small Groups
CWE 1
st
– 5
th
Grades
:
Led by Hannah Smoak and youth assistants.
Childcare is available through 5K.
Adult Bible Study
:
A seminar style format encouraging discussion. Meets in the Thorpe Building. Led by Rev. Mason.
Thursday Morning Men
Men’s Fellowship
meets Thursday mornings at 7:15 a.m. for a biscuit and coffee breakfast, a devotional, followed by a program. Programs include guest speakers from the community as well as members of the group. Facilitator - John Burns
Monthly Groups
Miriam Ladies Group
meets one Sunday afternoon per month at different members’ homes.
Naomi Ladies Group
meets on the 4th Thursday of the month at 3:00 p.m. at members' homes. They also study a selected series which is moderated by one of the class members.
Facilitator - Esther King
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If you are planning to make a stock gift to the church, please contact your broker by December 15th to allow processing time before year-end. For more information,
please contact Janie Burton, Treasurer at: 864-979-0830 or jburton115@att.net.
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November Session Meeting Minutes
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Members Present: Sherry Ogletree, Annette Taylor, Dennis Tavernetti, Jeff Burton, Mary Pace, Justin Mullis, Bob Lewis, Thomas Barksdale and Latain Bireley.
Excused: Lawrence Garabedian, Olin Blanton, Stan Coleman
Opening Prayer and Devotional: After opening with prayer, Marc Mason gave a devotional from Psalm 100 on which he discussed giving thanks.
Declaration of Quorum: A quorum was present.
Pastor’s Report and Housekeeping Details: Marc Mason gave an update on members who are sick, in the hospital, and recovering.
The Lord’s Supper was celebrated on November 5, 2017.
Monthly Budget Report: Mary Pace reported that for the month of October, the Operating account receipts were $33,071 while the expenses were $39,019. The Building Fund account had receipts of $14,015. Sherry Ogletree made the motion to approve the reports and Jeff Burton gave the second. The motion passed.
Diaconate Report: The Deacons are overseeing the Wednesday Night supper and that is going well. They are also very pleased, and busy, with the basketball programs that are being held in the gym.
Membership Update: As of November 16, 2017, the church has 477 members, of which 462 are resident and 15 are non-resident.
Clerk Report: Approval was asked for the minutes of the Stated Session meeting October 12, 2017. Dennis Tavernetti made the motion to accept the minutes and Latain Bireley gave the second. The motion passed.
Communications: None
Old Business: Speaking for the Ad Hoc Financial Review Committee, Sherry Ogletree reported that a plaque in honor of Mary McKinney has been donated, and will hang in McKinney Hall. The dedication and presentation of the plaque will be after the One Worship Service on January 28. Paula Marsh has placed a display in the gym giving basketball families and visitors the opportunity to contribute to the building fund.
New Business: Latain Bireley gave a report from her attendance at the Stated Foothills Presbytery Meeting. Annette Taylor proposed the creation of an Ad-Hoc Restructure Committee to begin in 2018 for the purpose of studying the structure of standing committees and their responsibilities for both the Session and Diaconate. Sherry Ogletree made the motion to accept the recommendation, and Mary Pace seconded. The motion passed.
Committee Reports
Benevolence & Mission: The Christmas Angel Tree gifts are due to the church on December 3. Dennis and Mae Tavernetti attended the Thornwell Luncheon and gave a report of how Thornwell’s mission and ministry has expanded far beyond an orphanage.
Discipleship: Annette Taylor reported that the Sunday morning small group attendance continues to be strong. A survey will be sent out to all parents and grandparents with children or youth at Trinity for the purpose of updating our database of information and to gain insight on our programming.
Finance & Stewardship: Mary Pace reports that the Stewardship campaign has wrapped up. Budget requests from standing committees are being processed for 2018.
Long-Range Planning: No report.
Personnel & Administration: Sherry Ogletree reported that an introductory letter from the new DCEY, Terri Luzynski will go out to all members next week. She will begin ministry Jan.1, 2018.
Property & Grounds: The large parking lots spaces have been relined, and the committee plans to also reline the parking spaces in the smaller parking facing Watson Road in the near future, as weather permits.
Spiritual Development & Evangelism: Justin Mullis reported that the Prayer Vigil will be held on Friday, November 17, 2017 from 12-6PM. The day will be divided into ½ hour blocks. Advent devotionals are available in the Narthex.
Worship: Latain Birely said the greening of the church will take place on December 1, 2017. The Lay liturgist program will begin on November 19 during the 11:00 service. The committee recommended a “One Worship Sunday” for the morning of Christmas Eve. The motion passed unanimously. Christmas Eve worship will be at 5:30 & 7:30pm. The committee recommended the following schedule of “One Worship Sundays” for 2018: 1/28, 5/6, 8/26, 11/4. The motion passed unanimously.
Motion to Adjourn: Bob Lewis made the motion to adjourn with prayer. Justin Mullis gave the second and the motion passed. Marc Mason closed the meeting with prayer at 8:40p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Fred Moehlenbrock, Clerk Marc Mason, Moderator
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North Greenville Crisis Ministry
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Thank you for your continued support for this ministry.
Their current needs include:
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Gently used blankets and coats
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Canned mixed vegetables
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Canned tomatoes
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Canned soup
Please place donations in the shopping cart in McKinney Hall.
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Sermon Audio Files Now Available
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To access Sermon Audio on the website:
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.
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2 Tish Alford
Don Willoughby
4
Dave Thompson
Zack Allison
Katie Allison
10
Katherine Christie
11
Tammie Frierson
16 Mark Chapman
17 Lauren Hamberg
24 Andrew Zix
25 Justin Mullis
Alan Waldrep
28 Cathy Williams
Kendall Silvers
29 Kelly Stribling
Gordon Taylor
30
Sam Stribling
31
Kelley Stokes
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Updated Trinity Presbyterian Church Member Directories
are available in the Narthex. Please take one per family.
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Newsletter Deadline: The deadline for newsletter information is the 25th of each month. Please send all information to the church office (834-9897). If you are able, please E-mail info to Trinity@trinitytr.org
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Church Office Hours
9:00a.m. to 1:00p.m. Monday through Friday
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