The Heartbeat
will be published and emailed monthly. Make sure you receive yours, if you change your email address please notify the church office. Deadline to submit an article is the 10th of the month. Articles should be emailed to Tracy Barnes.
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Church Office Hours
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Church Office hours:
Monday - Thursday
9:00am-5:00pm
**PLEASE NOTE**
The only door that will be unlocked during the hours of operation is the door to the Welcome Center located on Boney Road across from Wendy's.
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Attention Amazon Shoppers!!
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Support Trinity with your Amazon purchases!
With Amazon Smile, Trinity will receive 0.5% of your purchases. Simply
use this link anytime you make an Amazon purchase and Amazon will make a donation to Trinity. You get the same great products, prices, and service with Amazon, while supporting God's work at Trinity.
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Stephen Ministry
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As a Stephen Ministry congregation, Trinity is part of a big network with other churches. There are thousands of Stephen Ministry congregations representing more than 150 Christian denominations across the U.S., Canada, and the world. Headquarters is in St. Louis, Missouri. If you or someone you know is in need of care, contact the church office and we will see that care is given.
And all is confidential. If you would like to talk to a Stephen Minister, contact
Louanne Craft
at 803-422-0101.
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Need an Event put on the Calendar?
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Do you want to have a meeting or class at the church? Do you want an event listed on the Church calendar? Have you completed an Event Request Form (yellow form)? If not, email Tracy or come by the church office to fill out a form. Completing a form will help us avoid scheduling conflicts. |
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Worship Bulletin Deadlines
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Deadline for Sunday Announcements is Tuesday at noon. If you have an announcement that you would like included in the bulletin, email it to
Patricia.
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Get Social
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Follow us on Facebook! Don't forget to tag us and help us by posting photos from Trinity events.
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Online Giving
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Miss a Sunday?
Out of Checks?
Tithe from anywhere with
Online Giving!
Fast convenient and secure.
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Download our App for free now -
available in the App Store and Google Play.
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We encourage you to forward this to family and friends, and to invite them to activities and Worship at Trinity.
You can use the "Join Our List" box to forward and
subscribe.
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Pastor's Corner
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Everywhere you look, people are helping and looking after each other - getting food or cleaning supplies for their neighbors, making masks, volunteering at food kitchens and/or distribution points; regardless of what their politics are - Democrat or Republican, or the color of their skin, it doesn't matter right now. We can still disagree about many things, but this crisis has driven home - literally, home - the truth that this is one great nation, united by our belief in, faith in, and our need for each other and God.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that this pandemic is going to affect and change our lives a lot longer than anticipated, if not forever. Therefore I encourage all to continue checking up and caring for your friends and neighbors.
As a community of faith I encourage you to continue to face your fears with a bias of hope, because we serve a God of Hope, who has not allowed His church to die over the past two thousand years, and be assured He will not allow this pandemic to extinguish His healing and reconciling light, which can and will extinguish all darkness, even the darkness and fear which this pandemic has caused. We will survive, and as church history has shown, will come out of this spiritually stronger than ever, individually and collectively.
Finally I encourage you to attack your anxieties with action (fear is meant to lead us to act), and as believers, practice acts of kindness and generosity modeling to others Gods love.
I close by sharing one of my favorite Old Testament verses with you as a word of encouragement - Psalm 27:1, where David reassures us that: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom (or what) shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom (or what) shall I be afraid?"
Pastor
Clyde
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Rev. Scott Smoak - New Pastor
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As you are aware, Pastor Clyde Scott will enter into a much deserved retirement in June to spend more time with his family. Reverend Scott's last Sunday will be on June 21 and a reception will be held in June for he and Ilona.
The process of identifying a replacement for him has begun and will be finalized at the SC Annual Conference in Florence this June. The District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Cathy Jamieson has recommended that our new pastor be Rev. Scott Smoak who has been the pastor at Virginia Wingard Memorial UMC on Broad River Road for the past six years.
Rev. Smoak is a native of the Columbia area, a lifelong United Methodist, married to Jan, and they have a daughter Kate who is a sophomore at Dreher High School. Jan is working at the admissions office at USC. After graduating from USC with a degree in journalism, Rev. Smoak was employed by WIS TV for eight years, then ten years at SCETV and two years in the athletic department at USC. He then answered his calling and graduated with a MDIV from Lutheran Theological Seminary in 2011 and has pastored in the Rock Hill and Orangeburg areas before his appointment to Virginia Wingard UMC. Rev. Smoak will preach his first Sunday on June 28 and a welcome reception for his family will follow.
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Online Worship Service
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Ed Farnell's cat, Lacey, says you have to watch Trinity's on line services. They are very interesting. |
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
(Matthew 18:20)
We want to extend our love, and our heartfelt thank you to everyone for your kind words and the grace you have shown over the last three weeks as we have learned to worship together through Facebook Live. One of the highlights during this time of virtual worship has been the number of people that we have reached. Our worship services are reaching all over South Carolina, North Carolina,
Tennessee
, and Kentucky, allowing all God's creation to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Look and see!
Over the last week, we have spoken to and received several emails from our congregation that do not have access to Facebook. So, to ensure that everyone can see our worship services, we now have a YouTube channel were all worship services will be uploaded. All you have to do search Trinity United Methodist Church-Blythewood in YouTube. Currently, on our page, you can see our all services since Sunday Service on March 22. It has been our goal that each week our virtual worship services improve. Please know that this will continue to be our goal until we can all gather to worship together in person.
Stay safe and well,
Pastor Clyde and Pastor Joey
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Here are the links to recent Worship Services
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Daily Devotionals
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On March 23 we started emailing a Daily Devotional with a mental health moment. The devotionals have focused on all areas of life - Easter, the pandemic, talking dogs for a walk, and prayers.
Here are a few responses we have received since we started:
I heard today that 365 times in the Bible we are told "Do not be Afraid" how appropriate and comforting during times like this to know that we have this counsel.
Yep! " Be still!"! Stay in place and accept His grace!
This too shall eventually pass and prayerfully we'll emerge a closer more compassionate world!
I am very much enjoying the devotionals and am passing them on to my children. Please thank all of the "writers." I remember "You'll Never Walk Alone" from a movie in younger years. I used to have the sheet music to it until I sold my piano. Ahhh, memories!
Thank you so much for this devotional to remind us of the importance of our focus on family, friends and God. Can't wait to read tomorrow's message.
Thank you Trinity Pastors and staff for your effort to wrap you're arms around us!! God bless you all!
Thank you all for sharing these devotionals, and for working so hard to keep us together and uplifted. These are crazy times, but I have seen a whole lot of good happening around us. Thanks again!
If you would like to receive the Daily Devotionals, missed a devotional or need to update your email address, contact Tracy and let her know what you need.
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Senior Resources
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Thank you so much for use of the parking lot. Our first week using Trinity's parking lot went wonderfully and we are planning to be there every Wednesday through at least mid-May.
It is truly a blessing to have you as a partner in this nutrition program. Thank you!!
-Andrew
Boozer
Executive Director
Senior Resources, Inc.
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Congregational Care News
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The Congregational Care Team is fighting Covid-19 by communicating with each other about the needs of our church people and community. Thanks to Pastor Clyde for compiling a list of names of people in the church along with our shut-ins and sick. He has made this list available to anyone and it has sparked the flame of reaching out to others. I've had several people reach out to me to offer help in making phone calls and sending cards, because that is all we can really do other than pray for them. Kim Conant has become a vital part of this ministry by creating beautiful cards for those that are sending notes to others. Many members have utilized this and have commented about how creative Kim's cards have been. Also, I'm very thankful for the online directory...it has been a lifesaver in reaching out to people! If anyone has a community member that needs anything, of course you can let Pastor Clyde and Pastor Joey know, but if there is any name that you want to give us to add to the compiled list, please let me know their needs. My email address is
[email protected]
or leave a message at 803-374-8763. Blessings and good health to everyone!
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Card Ministry
I feel I should share with those of you who are working on the card ministry, connecting with Trinity folks who are homebound, elderly, experiencing illness and difficulty in their lives, etc. I received a phone call today from a lady to whom I had sent a card to her and her husband. She was delighted with receiving a handwrit ten note, telling me that it's a lost art and no one writes notes anymore. She said something that made me realize that a higher power is working through all of us as we connect with people. I had included a Bible verse (Phil. 4:6-7 NIV) in the note I sent which reads; "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ." This lady told me that these particular verses are the ones she reads each night before going to bed! A chill went down my back when she told me this. Thanks be to God for letting me know that this was the verse I should send her. We must have talked for an hour on the phone, even though I had never had a personal conversation with this lady before.
She told me how much I had brightened her day by sending a card to her with a personal note, but in actuality she was the one sending blessings my way.
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Older Adult Committee
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The following is contingent upon Trinity being open and back to "normal ministry operations" by Sunday, May 24.
Poppy Sunday - May 24
Fisher House Fundraiser Day
Dorn VA Fisher House
Presented by Good News Sunday School Class
As you may have heard, the Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, has been approved for a Fisher House Building site. T
he Fisher House is a place of lodging for veterans and/or family members to reside in a home-like atmosphere while the veteran is undergoing treatment at the VA or prescribed medical facilities which provide extensive recommended treatments.
Currently there are over 85 Fisher Houses worldwide. Statistics show that since the inception of the first Fisher House in 1990, over 368,000 families or 1,100 people per day have been served. These numbers calculate to 9 million lodging days provided in a "home away from home" atmosphere.
Every time a Fisher House is built, each community can provide support through volunteering in a variety of areas, donating canned goods, laundry//cleaning supplies, paper goods, financially and through your prayers.
We are hopeful that we will gather together in person for worship before the end of May, so we have reserved May 24 as "Poppy Sunday" for TUMC's "Fisher House Fundraiser Day". On May 24 we will be offering poppies at every service. Your donation for a poppy will go directly to the Fisher House Columbia project.
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HILLCLIMBERS
It is unfortunate that our meetings have come to an early end because of the necessity to adhere to social distancing. We will not be meeting in May, which would normally be our last meeting as we take a summer break. Hillclimbers meets from September through May on the first Tuesday of the month and we look forward to welcoming all of you back at that time.
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G.A.M.E. Changers News
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G.A.M.E. Changers
God And Me Earthly Changers.
Join us every Wednesday throughout the pandemic on Facebook Live for a group prayer ending with the Lord's Prayer.
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Coming up with GAME Changers
Trinity Express VBS
Jesus' Power Pulls Us Through
June 7-10
6:00pm-8:30pm
Get on board to deliver the good news to families in the Blythewood Community!
More information on VBS coming SOON!!
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No matter how small a gift of time or talent, your offering can change a life.
Send your email address to Kim to receive updates on activities and volunteer opportunities.
Like Trinity Children's Ministry on Facebook for weekly updates.
Need more information about Children's Ministry at Trinity? Contact Kim Burns,
Director of Children's Ministry.
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Abide News
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| Some of our Youth in front of the ice cream truck at Pruitt Health. |
Before quarantine began and churches were closed, our youth had many fun adventures. Below are just a few of the things they did before quarantine. No worry though, fun is still in the works. Just from a distance.
The youth attended Revolution and Winter Jam. These Christian concerts were amazing and gave the kids the opportunity to worship and praise with kids from all across the state.
Next they visited PruittHealth and brought Mike Glowinski and The Chillin Cow with them. The youth handed out homemade cards and ice cream to the residents. They were a hit!
They cooked a meal for the residents of the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia and prayed with the residents whose children were hospitalized. Our youth have a heart full of kindness and compassion.
During all their adventures they attended Confirmation, Prayer Breakfast, Youth Group, and Sunday School.
Lastly I want to update you on my classes. I am really enjoying my youth training with the district office. I am so thankful that the Columbia District offers programs to help us grow disciples. I am getting so many great ideas and information to help me guide our youth on their faith journey. I can't wait to use the tools I am learning when our church doors open back up.
We have so many more adventures ahead and I can't wait to share all of our adventures with you our Church Family. We have adapted to the times and have been having Sunday School via Zoom. We had a game night on Good Friday and played Pictionary and Charades. I am meeting with other youth leaders weekly for support and ideas on how to keep our youth engaged during this new norm. The mission of youth has not changed and we will adapt and overcome during this time. Stay tuned to see how we navigate a new kind of fun in Zoom Land.
We have a Lip Sync battle scheduled for Friday, April 17. The youth will dress as their favorite singer/rapper and we will battle for a lip sync champ.
Peace and Love,
Hope Dove
Abide Youth Director
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Need more information about Abide or Youth activities at Trinity? Contact Hope Dove,
Director of Youth Ministry.
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A Word from Church Council
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These Times
We all want God to take away this virus before it gets us, too.
Jesus wanted God to take away His cup of poison. Aren't we glad he didn't!
We will never experience anything like this. Ever. God asks so little of us. Let's grab this most unusual of times.
Let's enjoy the "now." Fear wears you out and saddens you. Especially as we are looking for ways to control what little we can.
Squeeze these times for everything they're worth. Step outside and look at a flower blossom. Then look at it closely. Call a friend just to say hey. Love on your spouse. Look at a baby oak leaf. Be inspired. Write something, even if you crumple it up and throw it away.
But better yet, examine the meaning of life - We know what it is, even if some guys on the top of mountains in India still don't. We know we are here to love God, to love God, to love God, and to love each other as ourselves. (Those four things, in that order.) So let's do them!
What do we have -- Another month of this? Two months? Once it's over, it's over (we hope!) Now's our chance. Grab it!
Bob Wood
Chair, Church Council
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News from Missions
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With most of us under self-quarantine, Missions has postponed all projects. However, this is exactly the time when each of us are called to mission. While we cannot be in mission as a faith community, there are needs that we can all participate in individually.
As was mentioned in an email last week CAB had 58 families request food from their pantry last Thursday. CAB is running low on many items. Look for the needs list in another part of this newsletter and help as you are able.
The Red Cross is running very low on whole blood and platelets. If you haven't donated recently, call the Red Cross' Bull Street location and make an appointment to donate. The facilities are safe, clean and all social distancing guidelines are followed.
Of course, there are missions closer to home, check in on your neighbors to make sure they are well and see if there is something you can safely do for them. Pastor Clyde and Pastor Joey have a list of our homebound members that would love a card with a short note during this time of uncertainty. Remember members in senior living facilities are not even receiving visits from their families.
Last, but certainly not least, remember to include healthcare workers and all whose jobs continue to require interaction with the general public, despite the presence of the Corona virus in our community in your daily prayers.
Judy Bailey
Missions Team Chair
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Information from Rev. Luke Rhyee with Healing
Guatemala
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| (I am so proud of our new students; from left, Hector, Yoselin, Ingrid, and Andrea) |
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With prayers, four years ago we launched the medical and dental scholarship program which will rais e faithful Guatemalan doctors and dentists. These faithful doctors and dentists will serve the people in need through Healing Guatemala. We provide not only financial support with a scholarship, but also spiritual care with bible classes and the sharing of the journey of life with the Lord together. When I saw missional clinics and hospitals in mission fields, even though they were built by the grace of God, I also often saw that they collapsed when the missionary moved out or retired. It was painful to see what happened; because, when the clinics were built, I could see the construction and furnishing funds that were donated. Those were coins of the poor widow in the Bible.
However, I believe that Bethesda Medical Clinic will have faithful doctors and dentists from this scholarship program! Irene and Rene are 5th year this year! In two years, they will be doctors!! They will then start to practice the healing ministry of our Lord through Bethesda. Also, I believe an even bigger ministry will happen. There will be many satellite clinics and even hospitals in many places where people can get cures and receive healing! I can envision the rejoicing of the Lord and the rejoicing of the people!
Please continue to pray for our medical and dental scholarship program. Also, I would like to invite you to consider being a part of this program in prayers. If you need more information about our medical and dental scholarship program, please email me. My email address is [email protected].
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Christian Assistance Bridge
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Christian Assistance Bridge (CAB)
had an unprecedented 58 households needing food last Thursday (April 9) which put a large dent in our supply. If - and only if - you are venturing to stores, we need the following items. Please drop off at CAB curbside Monday or Thursday from 9:00am-1:00pm.
OR
donate money and we will do the shopping - here is our PayPal link.
Blessings,
Kate Williams
Shampoo/Conditioner
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Cereal
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Canned Diced Tomatoes
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Canned Fruit
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Deodorant
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Jelly/Jam |
Canned Meat
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Soup |
Soap
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Spaghetti / Pasta Sauce |
Mac & Cheese
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Blended Worship Service 8:45am
Traditional Worship Service 11:00am
Contemporary Worship Service 11:00am - Youth Building
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Church Office Hours
Monday - Thursday
9:00am - 5:00pm
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Office 803-786-1637
Church Fax 803-786-6252
Trinity Learning Center 803-786-4999
Trinity
Learning Center Fax 803-754-8402
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Trinity United Methodist Church
Post Office Box 864
Blythewood, SC 29016
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Church Staff
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Pastor Clyde Scott,
Senior Pastor
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Pastor Joey Gambrell, Associate Pastor
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Hope Dove
, Director of Youth Ministry
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| Kim Burns, Director of Children's Ministry |
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Murphy Peele,
Bookkeeper
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Tracy Barnes,
Office Manager
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Cathleen Barrow, TLC Director
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Jami Watford, TLC Assistant Director
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[email protected] |
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