A NOTE FROM OUR PASTORAL CARE TEAM

Greetings! At the March 31 st farewell service for pastor Dale’s retirement, there was a portion where he handed nine symbols of pastoral ministry to varying leaders. The Bible was handed to the Lay Leader, a pitcher of water to an Altar Guild member, a globe to the Outreach chairperson, the budget and keys to the chairs of Finance and Trustees, and so on. As each was presented, there was a reminder of the ministry that item represented, and a congregational response. The liturgy asked those leaders to ”hold them in trust until you offer them to your new pastor.” The first Sunday the new pastor is here, these items will be presented to them to signify the beginning of that person’s pastoral leadership. While a retirement is the catalyst for this change, it is also the resource for the interim coverage. Retired pastors John Campbell, Dan Casselberry, and I will share the preaching and pastoral care during this period. In general, whoever preaches will also provide pastoral care for the following week. In addition, I will serve as the “coordinating pastor” for general administration. The power of the shared ministry was visible as Trinity leaders stood before the congregation holding these varied symbols. Significantly, the items were not handed to those three of us who will be sharing the interim pastoral leadership. We will offer our best preaching and care, oversight and encouragement. Together, we will assist Trinity’s leaders as they, and we, each serve in our varying roles. Trusting God in the journey, Beth Fogle-Miller Retired UMC clergy

WORSHIP SERVICES FOR THE MONTH

During this time of transition, three of Trinity's retired clergy will be conducting all worship services and special Easter events. As we begin in April, it seems fitting that we look to the prophet Isaiah for words of comfort meant to build our confidence and trust in God. To a people who have been in exile for generations, God's prophet speaks a word of hope and encouragement. Even though God has done powerful things in the past, they are not to focus on what was. God is now doing a new thing, and can be trusted to make a way home for them. April 7 - Making a Way in the Wilderness Rev. Fogle-Miller will present the message based on Isaiah 43:16-21 April 14 - Passion Palm Sunday The Chancel Choir, Praise Team and other Trinity members will perform a dramatic musical titled "Were You There?" which incorporates monologues of those who encountered Jesus during His life and ministry. The singers/actors will share their stories as lyrical music lines accompany their “testimonies”. The characters will be the same for both services, but the music will be contemporary in nature for the 8:30 service and traditional for the 11:00 service. The characters include witnesses in the crowd on Palm Sunday, two Disciples John and Peter, James, a high priest, Pilate, Simon of Cyrene, a Centurion Guard, and Mary Magdalene. Come hear their encounters with Jesus during the last week of His life and ministry. April 18 - Maundy Thursday We will hold a Tenebrae Service of Shadows in the Sanctuary beginning at 7 p.m. Communion will be served. April 19 - Good Friday Trinity will host a public walk through the Stations of the Cross on our property located at 1290 W. Plymouth Avenue from 5-7 p.m. Communion will be served at the end of the walk for those who want to partake. Assistance will be available for those with mobility issues. April 20 - Good Saturday An Easter Eggstravaganza will be held on the grounds of our new property (1290 West Plymouth Avenue). Our Children & Youth Ministry Team is coordinating. There will be games, as well as a traditional hunt. The event is open to the public. April 21 - Easter Sunday When our hopes have been extinguished, when we've reached the end of our rope, when grief overwhelms us, there is unexpected good news for us. Before we could see any evidence, God's power overturned even death and provided new life. And God's power still does. Jesus lives, and shows up in unanticipated ways and places, and gives us hope. "While it was still dark, the Son had risen" is the title of the message to be presented by Rev. Beth Fogle-Miller at our Easter Sunrise Service to take place on Trinity's Plymouth Avenue property beginning at 6:30 a.m. This event is open to all and attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs. Rev. John Campbell will conduct both the 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services. The title of the message is "It’s Sunday: SURPRISE!" based on Luke 24:1-12. Trinity Youth will serve brunch in the Fellowship Hall between services. Contributions will be accepted and used to defray costs of their camp and mission trips this summer. April 28 - 2nd Sunday of Easter Rev. Dan Casselberry will bring the message based on John 20:19-31.

HELP US SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS!

LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE, PLEASE? In order to build Trinity's presence on social media, we are asking our readers who are on Facebook to engage with us. We have created several Easter events that we hope you will not only "like" but share (by posting on your News Feed), attend (by clicking on the " Going" button), comment (by writing your testimony or words of encouragement) and invite your FB friends (by clicking on the "Invite your friends" button).

MISSED CHURCH? VIEW OUR SERVICES ON YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK! All of our worship services are being recorded then uploaded to our Facebook page (late service) and our YouTube channel (early service). If you are not a YouTube subscriber, you must subscribe to that service first, then search for our channel and click on the "Subscribe" button. We would love to have you join us! Click on this LINK! to go straight there.

APRIL CALENDAR Click HERE to view/print the Church Calendar

BIRTHDAYS 2 Dick Brunning 3 Chris Fuller 4 Linda McCormick 6 Rebecca Agnew 6 Susan Largen 8 Betty Decker 11 Marilyn Thomas 13 Gwen Clifton 13 David Moor 13 Wilda Westervelt 14 Debra Wood 16 Don Brunning 19 Bill Adams 19 Hansel Bland 19 Pat Wallace 20 Dave Gibbons 20 Trisha Bishop 23 Patricia Umberger 24 Lee Packer 25 Sadie Labchuk 26 Betty Hamilton 27 Isabelle Adams STAY IN TOUCH WITH US! If your contact information (name, mailing address, telephone number, email address) has changed, please notify the church. You can call the office at (386) 734-4425 or email Lori Jones, the office manager at officemgr@trinitydeland.org. To call, write or send a member a card or email, contact the church office to request an updated "People Directory."

ANNIVERSARIES  17 John & Anita Campbell 15 yrs 20 Paul & Lori Ebanks 28 yrs 20 Don & Lucy Halavin 51 yrs 24 Don & April Brunning 20 yrs 26 Travis & Ashley Dunne 5 yrs 28 David & Susan Eunice 34 yrs The church Calendar of Events is always available for viewing and can be accessed anytime - 24/7. Visit http://www.trinitydeland.org/events to view and print. To submit corrections, changes or new entries, send the information to Lori Jones in the church office. Trinity Today, our monthly newsletter, is distributed by email. Current and older issues can be viewed on the church website http://www.trinitydeland.org/newsletter. Printed copies are available for pickup in the Narthex. If you need to have a newsletter mailed to you, contact the church office. Want to receive our PhoneVites? (A weekly phone call to let you know what is happening at Trinity.) If so, call the Church Office to sign up.

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN RECEIVING OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND OTHER EMAILS OF INTEREST TO YOU.

ADMINISTRATION REPORTS

FINANCE TEAM UPDATE

NURTURE

Christian nurture, the edification of believers, helps people understand, know and love God more. Teaching, guiding ministries must be a priority to help fulfill our church's purpose. If you are interested in serving on one or more of our nurturing ministries, contact Donna Beaty.

Our 2019 Lenten Study continues in April until Holy Week. We meet at both 10 a.m. and 7 p.m in the Wesley Room. Participants are studying the book Welcome to Dinner Church by Verlon Fosner. Although the study began late last month, we welcome anyone who wants to attend and learn about this new type of worship experience. If you are interested, contact me by using this EMAIL LINK. Hope to see you this Monday! Blessings, Dee Miller, Study Leader P.S. Trinity has been asked by the co-directors of Stetson Wesley House to prepare and serve another meal to students, as part of their Wednesday night "Dinner Church". If you are interested in cooking, preparing and serving the meal, let me know. The date is April 24th at 5 p.m.

MUSIC AND WORSHIP MINISTRY

Both the Chancel Choir and Praise Team are preparing special music to be performed during Lent and Easter: The Chancel Choir will present "Were You There” on Palm Sunday, April 14th at both services. This beautiful musical work will also include dramatic monologues. On Maundy Thursday, April 18th, a Tenebrae Service of Shadows will be held at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. On Good Friday, April 19th, Trinity will host a walk through the Stations of the Cross on the Plymouth Avenue property from 5-7 p.m. Please pray for cooperative weather and invite your friends and neighbors! On Easter, Rev. Beth Fogle-Miller will bring the message to what we hope will be a record crowd at our popular Easter Sunrise Service on the Plymouth Avenue property beginning at 6:30 a.m. Rev. John Campbell will bring the Easter message at both the 8:30 and 11 a.m. services. Trinity Youth will serve a FREE BRUNCH between services in the Fellowship Hall. (Donations will be accepted, however, and will be used to defray expenses of their church camp and mission trip this summer.) We welcome Debbie & Steve Jones who have agreed to serve as Communion Stewards replacing retirees - Mary Gilmore & Claud Anna Smith. The Lord provides! Now all we need is a Sanctuary Saint, or maybe two, to help Betty Kobler with care and placement of materials in the pews. If you are interested in serving our Lord with this very important task, call or see me after worship on Sundays. Conya Hartman, Music Director & Worship Leader

CHILDREN & FAMILY MINISTRIES Plans are in full swing for our annual Easter Eggstravaganza at the new property on Saturday, April 20th. The event is open to the public and we are advertising it heavily on Facebook. We'll have games, prizes and food, in addition to the traditional egg hunt. Flyers will be distributed to children enrolled in our Music Makers program, as well as at Citrus Grove Elementary, Hunter's Creek and Spring Garden apartments, Easterseals Day Care, and our own Sunday school classes. Refreshments, hard candies and volunteers are needed for this event - both now and on the day of the event. We are using Sign Up Genius to make it easy for everyone to let us know what they can contribute and if they can volunteer. Click on this link to go our Eggstravaganza page to sign up! Vacation Bible School (VBS) will be held at the church, June 24-28th. The curriculum to be used is titled "ROAR!" by Group Publishing. VBS is for elementary school-age children and they do not have to be members to attend. Trinity Youth members will be serving food at the 5th Annual Night of Freedom Banquet & Auction to be held on Saturday, April 6th at Stetson University. In addition, our youth have been busy performing a number of service projects, including weeding, raking and mulching jobs at the parsonage and members' homes. "Church Camp" at Warren Willis - always a hit with our youth - will run from June 17th-22nd. The cost is $420 per child and scholarships are available. Any rising 4th grader to high school senior that is interested in attending needs to contact me as soon as possible. And, finally, our youth will be combining with youth from Community Methodist Church in DeBary to go on a Summer Mission Trip to Clarkesville, GA from July 14-20th. We will hold a variety of fundraising activities from now until then to raise needed funds. Contributions are greatly needed. Simply write "Warren Willis" or "Youth Mission" in the memo line of your check and place it in the offering plate. Thank you! Lori Hansard, Children & Family Ministry Director

YOUNG AT HEART FINALE (for the season, that is! :-) The next gathering of Trinity's Young at Heart ministry will be held on Tuesday, April 9th at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Young at Heart (YAH) is a ministry for senior adults age 55+. Come and enjoy the fellowship and camaraderie with other seniors. Lunch cost is $7 per person. Paid reservations are required in advance, so our Kitchen Team will know how many lunches to prepare. The last day to RSVP is always the Monday before at noon. Complete the form inserted in weekly bulletins and place in the offering plate or get a form from the church Office Manager. This month's luncheon will feature the return of last year's popular DeLand historian, storyteller, singer, performer - Stanton O'Neill. Come and hear things you did (and didn't know!) about our town spiced with some of your favorite guitar tunes and songs. Plan now to join us and don't forget to invite your friends and neighbors. Remember, the person who brings the most guests wins a prize! Questions? Call or send us an email. Hope to see you on the 9th! Anita and John Campbell P.S. An email with details will be forthcoming. If you are not rece i ving our YAH emails , click on THIS LINK to sign up!

5TH ANNUAL NIGHT FOR FREEDOM BANQUET & AUCTION On Saturday, April 6, at the Stetson Room on the Stetson Campus, The H.O.P.E. Team (Helpers of People Enslaved) will host the 5th Night for Freedom Banquet/Auction. A delicious meal will be followed by a silent and live auction. Speakers will be Linda Leonard-Woods (a survivor and labor advocate) and Angel Chote, a labor trafficking survivor. The focus this year will be on labor trafficking, which leads many times to sex trafficking. Many thanks to all who bought tickets or made a donation. Trinity's Outreach Team made a donation of $500. Four of our youth, as well as Lori Hansard and Dan Vergara, will be there to help as volunteers. For more info, please contact me or Susan Largen. Our proceeds will go to help women survivors with housing and rehab as they begin a new path in their lives, shaking off the bonds of human trafficking. We would appreciate prayer for the banquet and the survivors. Lana Saxon, H.O.P.E. Team member

Festival of Wisdom and Grace August 5-8 The Festival of Wisdom and Grace is a UMC-SEJ (United Methodist Church-Southeast Jurisdiction) retreat held annually at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina . This is a conference geared toward older adults (55+) in finding purpose and renewal in the second half of life. This year's conference will be an exciting one. The theme is Growing Deeper Roots , and featured speakers will be the Rev. Dr. Frank Allen and Dr. Richard Gentzler. There will be a host of workshops on a variety of enlightening subjects, plus festival organizers have added optional activities such as field trips and a mission project. The event is a wonderful opportunity to relax and enjoy the cool air and scenic views of the Great Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina, while being spiritually enriched by great speakers and workshops that are offered. Plus, it is an opportunity to meet others in the Southeast Jurisdiction who are passionate about spiritual growth and about older adult ministry Visit Festival of Wisdom and Grace 2019 for more information or contact us. Anita and John Campbell

OUTREACH

OUTREACH MINISTRIES To spread the love of Christ and connect our congregation with opportunities to serve our community, both locally and globally. If you are interested in serving on one of our outreach ministry teams, contact me. We are engaging in some fantastic community and mission-led activities and would love to get you involved. Dee Miller

Breakfast at Trinity Our Breakfast has fed 63, 78, and 64 in the months of Jan, Feb, and March. We are thrilled with these increasing numbers. We have an average of 25 volunteers each month.  Hispanic Health Initiatives has been ministering to our guests with blood pressure and cholesterol checks as well as discussing how to improve their health. A devotional is given and table hosts listen and try to help any who need prayer or other help. One of our volunteers is going to the tent of a woman who needs help fixing her bike; he is certainly going the extra mile. We continue to give out blankets, coats, and toiletries when we have them. If you have these articles to donate, leave them outside Euretta's Closet. We also give out bus passes if we have them—donations of these are needed.  Answered prayer in March:  "Your prayers helped me get a new job that pays $11 an hour. Thanks!" We invite anyone to come join us in this vital mission outreach as we serve the Lord through serving His Children. Lana Saxon, Coordinator

Sneakers for Kids In April, we will be making another “buy” for children in need at Citrus Grove Elementary. Fitting, shopping, and swapping will all take place over the next couple of weeks. We have to work around testing that will be going on the first week of April. We will see some smiling faces of kids receiving new sneakers when they put on their brand new shoes and socks. Thank you, Trinity, for all your donations that make this project possible. Lana Saxon, Coordinator

WITNESS

The Witness Team coordinates, plans, carries out, and evaluates the congregation’s witness ministries, helping all to know and respond to the love of God in Christ. This includes planning for evangelistic outreach and setting goals for congregational growth, visitation, and hospitality. If you are interested in being a part of this new team, contact Rob Miller at church, by email, or by leaving him a note in the Witness Team mail box at church.

PRAYER CORNER Dinner Church, Simple Church, Future Church? Read these chilling statistics: 80 churches are closing every week across the nation; only one in every 100 churches is growing from the conversion of "the lost"; seculars (the unchurched) outnumber Judeo (Christians) in almost every zip code across the nation; and 150 churches in the Florida United Methodist Conference are targeted to close over the next seven years...if we don't turn things around. This clarion call urges us to pray diligently, and begin rethinking the way we do church and how we can bring people to Christ.  Seculars and even our fellow Christians are not filling our pews. If they aren’t coming, perhaps we should be taking it to them!  One effective way some declining churches are using is to offer a Dinner Church . Do you think our church is in danger of becoming a declining church? Do we need to investigate better, more effective ways to serve those in our community who have not and will not set foot across our hallowed thresholds? Some of us are taking the Lenten Study on the Dinner Church concept to learn if this new way of ministering to the lost is feasible for us. It is an interesting idea and deserves our prayerful consideration. In early 2000, Methodists and other denominations around the country facing declining memberships and resources began asking, what did Jesus do? Aside from Jesus’ presence, what drew them together? It soon became clear He didn’t use a holy building in which to preach but went about the countryside telling the crowd of followers about a loving God and using parables to which people in that day could relate. He performed miracles, giving people hope and, frequently, it took place around food! Consider the Feeding of the 5,000, Passover celebrations and the Last Supper. The Church began in an upper room where Jesus shared bread and the cup with his friends whom he knew by name. Food is one of the perfect things which reaches across all the lines that usually divide people. This is how the concept of a simple church that meets for dinner was born. “This is the Jesus dinner table theology in a nutshell: gather the saint and the sinner, eat together, talk about Jesus and expect divine interventions (things that defy explanation) to show up” (from Welcome to Dinner Church). So, fellow believers, is Dinner Church the answer to some of Trinity’s challenges? Only our Father knows the answer. We love our church and the many beautiful spirits who make our church warm and friendly but, honestly, evangelism isn’t our greatest asset. Perhaps a dinner church, would give us an opportunity to reach out and rescue some folks who long to change their lives and hear the stories of Jesus, just not in a “churchy” setting. We live in a different society today and must find new approaches to spreading the Good News. Pray fervently that God will provide the answers we seek. Friends in our directory to pray for this month: Jeff & Lori Hansard, Dwayne & Sally Hansen, Carolyn & Beth Harner, Bill & Conya Hartman, & Dail, Barbara & Kaylee Helms. Carolyn Harner, Coordinator

WAYS TO SERVE

Like to take messages and talk with folks? Want to help in the Church Office? Contact Lori Jones. Willing to be an usher or greeter on Sundays? Contact Dave Shipman or Jennifer Griffis. Love cooking and want to serve on our Kitchen Team? Contact Betty Kobler. Want to serve the least of these through our monthly Breakfast at Trinity ministry? Contact Lana Saxon. Or Interfaith Kitchen? Contact Melissa Fuller. Excited about going to Cuba or taking other mission trips? Contact Dee Miller or Dan Vergara. Willing to call, write or visit homebound members? Contact Debra Wood or John Campbell. Want to help our TLC (Trinity Loving Care) team with funeral services, receptions and bereavement calls? Contact Debbie Bennett. Love kids and want to serve as a volunteer or mentor in local schools? Contact Leslie LaRue or Anita Campbell. Interested in serving on the Altar Guild? Contact Cherrie Cassleberry or Becky Kellogg. Want to help showcase our historical artifacts and write our history in preparation for our 125th Anniversary celebration? Contact Steve Jones. Willing to learn how to operate our sound board and video camera? See Conya Hartman. Interested in reading scripture and/or participating in worship services? See Rev Beth Fogle-Miller or Conya Hartman. Find it easy to talk with people about your faith? Join the new Witness Team to study, pray and plan for ways to strenthen our ability to witness to others. If interested, see Rob Miller. Are you an outgoing extrovert and love people? Willing to serve as an "ambassador" for Trinity at church and area events? Consider joining the Hospitality Team. See Judy Ross or Ann Jenkins. If you do not personally know some or all of these ministry team leaders but want to contact them about volunteering, call the Church Office (386) 734-4425 to request an updated "People Directory."

Click HERE to Get Involved!

NEWS FROM THE GLOBAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE BISHOP KENNETH CARTER, AND THE EAST CENTRAL DISTRICT OFFICE

How much do you know about the Bible? Find out with this week's Bible Quiz and Crossword Puzzle .

"On Mission Together" 2019 FLORIDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE June 5-8 Florida Southern College 111 Lake Hollingsworth DrIve Lakeland, FL Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church 450 Martin L King Jr Ave, Lakeland, FL 33815 | 863-688-5563 DETAILED INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND BY VISITING THE  FLORIDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE WEBSITE .   Like us on Facebook too!

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