A small group of students attended a trip down to Blacksburg, VA to learn more about social justice and the importance of love. The speakers for the weekend focused on three main areas, refugee relocation, homelessness, and the importance of clean water. After hearing the speakers shared about their work in each of these areas, we split up into workshop that focused on those areas.
During these workshops we were challenged to visualize what it would be like to be fleeing our country, without a home, or without clean water. All of the groups began to understand how much is lost in each of these dire situations. This time spent learning about different ways to #LoveJusticeDoMercy gave us a new perspective on what we can do in our community.
On Wednesday, March 1, Trinity added a new way to observe Ash Wednesday. In addition to the noon service and the service at 6:45 p.m. (both which we have had in years past), we added a time of 7-8 a.m.
for persons who wanted to come first thing in the morning to receive ashes to bear witness to their faith all day. An added bonus for these early risers was free coffee! Teresa Given and her committee were ready providing coffee, and Pastor Larry and Pastor Drew were on hand to impose the ashes. We even had members of our youth group who held up signs to welcome passers-by. We didn’t know if anyone would show up – but 87 people did!! Many came in cars, some walked, and one arrived via bicycle!
One individual received his ashes then came back for a second imposition. Turns out he went to the gym to work out, then took a shower, washing the first ashes off. Pastor Larry was more than willing to impose ashes on him a second time. Then there was a Muslim man who came up – he said he didn’t want ashes – but just wanted to let us know what a powerful witness we are to the community, having ashes early in the morning. He and Drew exchanged blessings. A powerful witness indeed.
So an idea in a staff meeting became a powerful witness, serving 87 people who wanted to witness to their faith for the entire day. Thanks be to God!
On Saturday, March 11 Boy Scout Troop 799 held its 22nd annual yard sale! We had approximately 50 people come out to help for this event. Our profit was over $5900.00! To quote our long time leader and member of Trinity UMC please read below what Tim Goodman has to say about the yard sale and the benefits!
“We made the money, but there was another benefit for some of our adult leadership: the number if 799 Scouts and parents of other alums who came by to visit, to buy, to reminisce, and to report of their sons’ activities. They came because the 799 scouting experience had lasting value for their families. I urge those of our troop who opted out of this year’s sale make sure they join in somehow next year. The troop and its values will not survive without continuing financial support, but also continuing social and emotional (caring) support of our constituency.”
Trinity’s 4th and 5th grade students spent their week at Surf Shack Vacation Bible School working on a project to help others. Alongside their leaders and volunteers, this crew planned, built, and painted birdhouses for Oak Grove Elementary.
Once their project was complete, the 4th & 5th graders had a great visit delivering the houses they made to the school. The group was able to tour the school and neighborhood, seeing the Minifee house, the old school, the grounds, the school, Afton Court & Jefferson Trace, as well as Central UMC.
Trinity partners with Oak Grove Elementary and the Bellemeade community in many different ways, check out some of these other projects HERE.
Trinity is grateful to all of those who helped with this bird house project and to all of the volunteers and families who spent the week with us for VBS! Look for a full 2016 Surf Shack Vacation Bible School wrap up soon!
Approximately 40 Trinity members made it out to the Muslim Community Center of Chesterfield on Sunday afternoon to participate in an “interfaith conversation” with members of Temple Beth-El, in addition to the members of the Muslim Center. We enjoyed delicious refreshments, then we were guided in a time of “Scriptural Reasoning” based on the scripture passages and the passage in the Quran which highlighted Abraham’s hospitality (Genesis 18:1-8, Hebrews 13:1-2).
Insights gathered from our time together included:
Hospitality helps us honor the dignity of one another
Hospitality encourages us to give the very best
Hospitality encourages us to care for other people
An element of risk comes with extending hospitality
Social interaction is hampered these days with technology (especially with cell phones)
Hospitality carries with it a deep spiritual dimension
We were recipients of wonderful hospitality at the Muslim Community Center, and as guests we presented our hosts with gifts of bread and flowers. In return, they presented the rabbi of Temple Beth-El and our own Pastor Larry Lenow with a white rose bush.
We hope there will be more opportunities for us to gather together as different faith communities. We came away learning that we have more in common than differences.
This March, 44 Trinity youth and adult volunteers took a weekend retreat to Camp Willow Run in Littleton, NC. In addition to rock climbing, giant swings, and canoeing on Lake Gaston, we went deep into the story of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, his testing and temptation in the wilderness, and his return home to begin his ministry with a new group of friends (Matthew 3:13-4:25). Trinity family, we’re thankful to God for your support, and we’re excited to have come home to be in ministry with you!
