Love Your Enemies -- A Message for February 20, 2022

 

Last Sunday, we heard the first portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. This week, we read another portion of the sermon, a portion that includes many family words and teachings of Jesus.  When we discussed this teaching of Jesus at Lunch Bunch Bible Study this week, we talked about how idealistic Jesus’ words are – they are almost impossible for a human being to fully follow. God knows we aren’t perfect, but in Jesus’ words, we are called to do better, to strive to live our lives embodying a better way, the way of Christ.

          Hear Jesus’ teaching as it is recorded in Luke, chapter 6, verses 27-38:

Scripture Reading      Luke 6:27-38

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 

If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 

And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 

And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer for Understanding

Take my lips, o Lord, and speak through them. Take our minds and think with them. Take our hearts and set them on fire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

       Christians say the Lord’s Prayer more than any other prayer. We say it during our Sunday morning worship services. At Trinity, we say it at the end of most meetings. We teach it to our children in our Sunday school classes. When Jesus was asked how believers are supposed to pray, he taught us the Lord’s Prayer as a template for our prayers.

            Each time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask God to “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Or, using other translations of the prayer, we ask, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” or “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Forgiving people who sin against us is our work and our challenge.

            In this morning’s reading, we hear a portion of Jesus’s Sermon on the Plain. These are familiar statements said by Jesus, although we don’t usually hear the words of the sermon as a whole block. The Golden Rule is included in today’s reading: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” This reading also includes the teaching to turn the other cheek when someone slaps us and the teaching that if someone takes our cloak, we should also give them our shirt. This morning’s teachings from Jesus are familiar and yet are also almost impossible to completely follow.

            Forgiving people who sin against us is our work and our challenge.

            People are all imperfect. We don’t get everything right. Unfortunately, we do things to hurt each other’s feelings. We take things that don’t belong to us. We say things that wound. We sometimes try to be funny and end up hurting each other. We make mistakes that pain others.

            The only difference between friends and enemies is that friends forgive each other.  We hold grudges against people who once were our friends until we stopped forgiving them. So much of our anguish and disappointment comes from failed relationships, when friendships and family relationships fall apart.

            Forgiving people who sin against us is our work and our challenge.

            Jesus emphasized that we must love our enemies. We must do good works for people that don’t like us or who even hate us. We must bless those who curse us. We must pray for those who mistreat us. We must do to others as we would have them do to us. We must refrain from judging others. When we make mistakes, we hope others forgive us.

            Forgiving people who sin against us is our work and our challenge.

            Human beings to not do forgiveness very well. We are quick to criticize. We want to punish. We want vengeance. We don’t play well in the sandbox – since you took my shovel, I am going to take your truck. As we have been watching the situation between Ukraine and Russia unfold, we pray that diplomacy works, but it seems like a lot of threats go into diplomacy. We watch the military troops and tanks build up on the borders of the Ukraine and we pray no shots will be fired and no lives will be lost. As a people, we have resorted to wars when diplomacy fails. We don’t do a good job of living out Jesus’s injunction for us to do to others as you would have them do to us.

            Forgiving people who sin against us is our work and our challenge.

            Jesus asks Christians to rise above our human instincts and foibles and live differently. Jesus asks us to live as if the Kingdom of God is present and happening on earth right now. Christians must unite with each other to create God’s kingdom here on earth – we must rise above our hurtful and sinful instincts and treat each other the way we would like them to treat us. We must work to be generous and share our resources. We must pray for the people who mistreat us and work to love our enemies and treat them well.  Instead of revenge, we must treat others with mercy. Instead of looking at other’s behaviors and choices in a judgmental way, we must work to treat others with generosity and compassion.  And, we must work to forgive each other even when it is hard and even when it hurt.

            May we do so with love and compassion leading us. Amen. 

** Photo from Usplash photographer Joanna Kosinska **

Weekly Message to the Trinity Community for February 18, 2022

Greetings Trinity Family,

WE ARE OPEN!! 

We resumed In-Person worship last week. Our services will also be live-steamed on facebook.

Please join us in the Sanctuary at 9:45 for our Hymn Sing, followed at 10:15 with our worship service.

Our Sunday School classes are resuming this week! Our pre-confirmation class will meet at 9:15 in the Education Building and our children’s class will meet during worship following the children’s sermon. This school year, our children’s class has been meeting in our choir room.

Our Lunch Bunch Bible Study has resumed meeting on Tuesdays at 12 pm in the Education Building.  Please bring your own lunch – we have not resumed “pot-luck” sharing at Lunch Bunch.  Everyone is welcome to join Lunch Bunch – we pray, eat, and discuss the Bible passages we will focus on in worship the following Sunday.

Choir Practice has resumed on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm in our Sanctuary.

ASH WEDNESDAY – MARCH 2, 2022

We will gather at 7 pm in our sanctuary for a special time of worship, prayer and the imposition of ashes. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of our 40 day season of Lent – a season where we contemplate Jesus’ sacrificial love for us.

LENTEN SERIES – WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

Due to the challenges of the pandemic, the churches of the Skippack Ministerium will not gather this year for our ecumenical Lenten worship services. Instead, members of Trinity are invited to create a video Lenten reflection. We need you to volunteer! Each week, members and friends of our congregation are invited to share a reflection, prayer, song or artwork. Pastor Amelie will collect your offerings at post them on the church’s facebook page.

If you would like to share an offering, please let Pastor Amelie know.  She will give you a scriptural prompt and several ideas for your offering.  If you need help making a video, Pastor Amelie is available to work with you and film your sharing.

Our topic this year is Sojourning and our weekly focus will change each Wednesday.

HEALING SERVICE – MARCH 13, 2022

On Sunday March 13 at 4 pm, we will have a healing service in our Sanctuary.  The healing service will be an opportunity for us to gather together to worship and praise God, invite the Holy Spirit to be more present in our lives, and have a time to invite healing through our prayers.  We are still coming to terms with the changes in our personal lives and in our collective lives as a consequence of the Pandemic, so this will be an opportunity for us all to gather and reflect. I hope everyone will join us.

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Although we are not yet in the season of Lent, it is time to mark our calendars so that we will be present for Trinity’s Holy Week gatherings.

·        Palm Sunday is on April 10. We will have our worship service with palms at 10:15 am.

·        Maundy Thursday is Thursday, April 14. We will gather at 7 pm for an interactive worship service during which we will remember Jesus’ Last Supper, time in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus’ arrest. We will celebrate Holy Communion and remember Jesus’ first time officiating at the Communion table with his Disciples. After we read about Jesus’ arrest, we will dramatically strip our altar and prepare for the events of Good Friday.

·        Good Friday is Friday, April 15. We will gather for a contemplative service and remember the events of Jesus’ crucifixion and time in the tomb.

EASTER SERVICES, EGG HUNT, AND TREATS

Easter is April 17. Our outdoor Sunrise worship service will be held at the cross in the Cemetery at 8:30 am. We will have our Easter Egg hunt for all children at 9:30 am. Our Hymn Sing will be at 9:45 followed by our Easter Celebration worship service at 10:15.

We would like to offer coffee and sweet treats under the porch of our Education Building starting at 8:30 am to accompany all of our morning activities. If you are able to bring a sweet treat, please let Pastor Amelie know.

TRINITY PULLED PORK SUPPER – April 2, 2022

Our Stewardship and Social Committees have begun planning a drive-through pulled pork supper. It will probably take place on April 2, 2022.  We will need a lot of help to prepare the food, package the food, and serve the food.  Please let Pastor Amelie know if you are able to volunteer time on the 2 or during the week leading up to the dinner.

Our tentative menu will be pulled pork, barbeque sauce, a roll, creamy mac & cheese, baked beans, cole slaw, and either a large cookie or a brownie.

In addition to help with cooking and serving, we will also need you to invite your family and friends to purchase meals.

SKIPPACK FRENCH MARKET

The Skippack French Market will be Saturday April 30 from 10 am to 6 pm. Trinity will participate in the market by having delicious croissant sandwiches.  We will also invite vendors to set up booths in our parking lot. We are looking for crafters, furniture refurbishes, and independent small business owners to set up stands.  If you know anyone who would be interested in having a booth at Trinity during the French Market, please have them call the church office: 610-584-4054

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Vacation Bible School is returning in the summer of 2022.  We are going to start planning our activities soon.  We need adults who are willing to spend a weekend helping us lead Vacation Bible School. Each volunteer will need to have updated PA security clearances and background checks. If you are interested in helping, let Pastor Amelie or Ned know and we will help you start your paperwork for the checks.

4H FAIR GAMES

Trinity will be leading games at the annual 4H fair in Creamery. The fair is August 11, 12, and 13. We will need a lot of volunteers.  If you are available to help, you will need to have up-to-date PA security clearances and background checks. If you have suggestions or ideas for games, please let Pastor Amelie know and also let her know if you are able to help.

BANNER TEAM – CALLING ALL CRAFTY FOLKS!

The Worship Committee is looking for volunteers to help make new banners for our sanctuary.  This project is in its infancy, but if you are interested in helping, please tell Pastor Amelie.

READING PHILLIES

Prior to the pandemic, we have had a church group outing to see the Reading Phils play baseball.  We would like to offer this again if people are interested in going to a game. Although we are unsure what will ensue with the pandemic over the summer, please let Pastor Amelie know if you would be interested in participating in a group trip to watch the Reading Phils.

WINTER TUESDAY STUDY—GOD-AT-WORK

Christians in the 21^st century are often in settings where we are in the minority. Our co-workers, friends, and family members are not always people who prioritize their faith. Starting on Tuesdays in January, we will begin a 12 week course called “God-At-Work: Live Each Day with Purpose.” The course combines videos with discussion. The video host is Ken Costa, a Christian who works in the banking industry. The course focuses on learning to integrate your faith and work and becoming an agent of the kingdom of God in your workplace. The teachings of this course are helpful for people who are retired and who don’t have traditional occupations in addition to 9 to 5 workers. The course will begin meeting over Zoom on January 4 and will continue to March 22. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you would like to join our course.

If you would like to join over Zoom, here is the link to login:

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DAILY BREAD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

We continue to collect food and toiletry items for the Daily Bread Food Pantry.  They can be left at the doors of the church.

The Daily Bread's Current needs change every few weeks. This is their latest list of needs:

Personal Care (which cannot be purchased with food stamps):

Laundry soap, children's toothbrushes/ toothpaste, tissues

Food:

Juice, cereal, oatmeal

Baby Care:

Size 6 diapers

Pet Care:

Dry cat food, Litter, canned dog food

GIVING TO TRINITY

Although things are not fully back to normal, Trinity’s expenses have continued throughout the pandemic.  We know that everyone’s work-life has been disrupted during this time and we don’t expect everyone to be able to contribute to the church in the amount you were able to contribute in the past.  If you have the means to contribute to the church, you may drop off your offerings at the church office or you may mail it to our address: Trinity Christian UCC; 2009 Church Road, PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474

DON’T GIVE UP MOVEMENT

Our Outreach committee is inviting everyone in our congregation to join us in sharing messages from the “Don’t Give Up” movement.  This outreach was started to encourage people who are considering suicide to not give up.  We have yard signs, postcards, stickers, and business cards with messages that say things like “You are Enough” and “Your Mistakes Don’t Define You.” These messages are especially important right now as many people are struggling with their mental and emotional health after the many months of our pandemic.  Please pick up yard signs at church and other signs to promote this message of love for our neighbors.  Here is more about the movement:  https://www.dontgiveupsigns.com/

WORSHIP SERVICES

On Sunday mornings, you are invited to join us on Facebook:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am live-streamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

10:15 Facebook livestream Worship.  You can find us at our "Trinity Christian UCC Skippack" facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

We have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:30 am.  This is a new meeting time. Here is the link to log in:

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

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LUNCH BUNCH MEETS WEEKLY!

Lunch Bunch is our Tuesday afternoon Bible Study.  Everyone is invited to join us on Tuesdays at 12 pm.  Please bring your own lunch. (In the past, we had a potluck lunch, but for now each person will bring their own food.)  Lunch Bunch typically studies the portion of the Bible that will be the focus of our worship service on the upcoming Sunday. 

REOPENING COMMITTEE

We are now singing hymns in worship!! And, we are not taking temperatures.

We are keeping a list of the names of attendees for contact tracing purposes.

The decision was made to continue to wear masks during our in-person services, until the children have the opportunity to be vaccinated. We are still socially distancing and having sanitizer available. Thank you to everyone for their concern and diligence during this time.

Hopefully it won’t be much longer before all restrictions are lifted and everyone is vaccinated.

TRINITY BLOG

Trinity now has a blog where I am posting notes to the congregation and the text of my sermons.  If you would like to read these notes and messages, you can find them at: www.trinityskippack.blogspot.com

I will see you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie

Photo by tim-marshall on unsplash

 

 

 

Surprising Teaching -- A Message for February 13, 2022

 

Epiphany lasts longer this year than it does most other years. Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, isn’t until March 2. This extra time in Epiphany allows us to hear some scriptures that we don’t usually get around to in our lectionary cycle.  We are all probably familiar with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount – Jesus was so swarmed by people he climbed a hill and preached. This morning, we are focusing on a lesser known sermon of Jesus, lesser known but still profound. Scholars calls it “The Sermon on the Plain” because Jesus preached on a level surface. This morning, our focus is on the first part of the sermon, where Jesus listed first a group of blessed people, followed by a warning for people who needed to be cautious not to get too comfortable. 

            Hear Jesus’ words as they are recorded in Luke chapter 6, verses 17 through 26:

Scripture Reading                        Luke 6:17-26

Jesus went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 

who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 

and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Looking at his disciples, Jesus said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.

“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

“But woe to you who are rich,
    for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the People of God, thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer for Understanding

Pastor: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be always acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

 

Message                              Surprising Teaching

            This morning, we focus on the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. Jesus stood on a level place and gathered a crowd around himself. Jesus healed all the people who came forward for healing, curing their diseases and freeing those who were troubled by impure spirits. In Jesus, people who suffered found release from their suffering.

            After the people were restored to health, Jesus began to preach. He first talked about people who struggled – those who are poor, hungry, sad, and hated – suffering people are blessed by God.   And, then, Jesus talked about people who are successful, people who think they have it made….those of us who are comfortable now have great responsibilities.  If things are going well for us, we have to work to be a blessing for people who are hurting.

            Jesus said the people who suffer will be blessed, but the people who are not suffering will experience “woe.” For people who struggle, this is wonderful.  People who are poor, desperately poor, want relief. People who are starving and are hungry, want food and full bellies. People who are sad want to laugh, want to have their sorrow turned into joy. People who are bullied and hated, want to know that they are seen and loved by God and will be rewarded in heaven.

None of us have perfect lives – some of the people in the room this morning and who are watching virtually may not always have enough to eat or have enough money to pay our rent or our mortgages.  Some of us are being bullied.  Some of us are still recovering from times earlier in our lives when we were bullied or abused or battered.  Many of us are not rich by the standards of what is considered rich in the United States – Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are probably not watching me preach this morning. And, many of us are sad – many of us struggle with depression and anxiety, many of us are grieving the loss of loved ones, or our former jobs, or our pre-pandemic lives.

Thankfully, Jesus promises to us that we will be blessed – our lives will change for the better. God loves us and will bring comfort to alleviate our struggles. God carries us when we suffer.

As 21^st Century Americans, though, Jesus’ words can also cause us a little anxiety. Jesus was speaking to a crowd of people who had illnesses and mental health struggles. The people in the crowd were probably poor by the standards of the 1^st century. They were probably hungry and sad and bullied. So, Jesus’ words were comforting Good News.

            But, for us, compared to the people of our world, we are the rich. We live in one of the richest countries in the world. Most of us are well fed. Many of us are comfortable. So, when we hear these words, they can poise a concern for us ….we all want to be loved and blessed, even if we are not financially struggling or have full bellies.

            In Luke Chapter 12, Jesus is recorded as saying: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” When we have advantages, we are also given responsibilities. As people of faith, we are the recipients of God’s love and God’s grace. Jesus came to earth to make sure all people know we are God’s beloved children and all of us receive God’s mercy. In response to God’s love and grace, we are invited to love God and love our neighbors in return.

            So, as people who are blessed, we are called to be a blessing for other people. We are called to live lives of service to God and to our Community. As members of Trinity, we are called to love, support, and encourage each other. Members of our community are called to get to know each other, to learn about one another’s lives, and to work to support each other when we face trials or struggles. We are called to be a blessing to each other.

In addition to supporting and caring for each other, as followers of God we are called to reach out into the world. We are believers and we are called to share the Good News with people who don’t yet have a relationship with God. We extend our blessings by welcoming new people to accept Jesus and God into their hearts.

And, as the blessed children of God, we are called to be a blessing for other people by caring for people who are struggling or hurting. We emphasize this at Trinity – we work to support our neighbors in need by donating food, toiletries and volunteer hours at the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. We support young, single mothers by giving to Every Good Gift. We support the disaster ministries of the United Church of Christ when there are special appeals like the current “High 5 for Disaster Relief” offering which is asking each church participant to give $5 for local disaster relief in Eastern Pennsylvania. As a congregation, we give  to One Great Hour of Sharing which  is a United Church of Christ offering that channels resources for international programs in health, education and agricultural development, emergency relief, refugee ministries, and international and domestic disaster response. We work together as a community of faith to bring blessings to people who don’t have as many advantages as many of us have.

When we commit to follow Jesus, part of what we agree to is to do Christ’s work in the world. We are the recipients of abundant blessings – part of our job is to share our blessings with others. When we are aware of people who are hungry, we are called to help them have food to eat. When we discover people who are homeless, we are called to help them find both temporary shelter and permanent homes. When we realize our friends or neighbors or fellow church members are sad, we are called to be present with them to support them. When we discover other people are being bullied, we are called to stand up for them, to defend them, and to console them.  We are called to love each other and to extend God’s love and mercy to all people.

May we do so in love. Amen. 

Message to the Trinity Community -- WE ARE OPEN!

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

WE ARE OPEN!! 

Our Consistory met last night and decided we will resume in-person worship services this Sunday, February 13.  Our services will also be live-steamed on facebook.

Please join us in the Sanctuary at 9:45 for our Hymn Sing, followed at 10:15 with our worship service.

Our Sunday School classes will resume on Sunday, February 20. Our pre-confirmation class will meet at 9:15 in the Education Building and our children’s class will meet during worship following the children’s sermon. This school year, our children’s class has been meeting in our choir room.

Our Lunch Bunch Bible Study will resume meeting on Tuesday, February 15 at 12 pm in the Education Building.  Please bring your own lunch – we have not resumed “pot-luck” sharing at Lunch Bunch.  Everyone is welcome to join Lunch Bunch – we pray, eat, and discuss the Bible passages we will focus on in worship the following Sunday.

Choir Practice will resume on Wednesday, February 16 at 7 pm in our Sanctuary.

TRINITY’S ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING –THIS SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH!!

Every year, we gather on the second Sunday of February to celebrate our achievements and joys that occurred in the previous year and talk about our dreams for the year to come. On February 13, we will gather after worship for our Annual Congregational meeting.  Our meeting will be in-person, livestreamed on facebook, and available on ZOOM. If you would like to join us through the Zoom platform, here is the link to login:

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The Susquehanna Area Mission Council CHALLENGES ALL Pennsylvania Southeast and Penn Northeast Conference churches to invite EVERY member to donate just $5 to your Conference office earmarked for Disaster Relief beginning January 16th & ending February 13th

*All monies will remain in their respective conferences specifically for Disaster Relief Services and a celebratory virtual worship will be Live Streamed on February 27th.

*Currently there are several ongoing Disaster Relief projects in each conference and grants are being sought to aid in recovery efforts

*Our Goal is raise $5,000 dollars that could be used to match a possible grant opportunity

*With natural disasters occurring on a more frequent basis these monies are needed now more than ever.

LET YOUR DOLLARS BLESS THOSE IN NEED

If you are able to contribute towards the “High 5 For Disaster Relief” offering, please add a check to your envelope with “High 5” on the memo line.

READING PHILLIES

Prior to the pandemic, we have had a church group outing to see the Reading Phils play baseball.  We would like to offer this again if people are interested in going to a game. Although we are unsure what will ensue with the pandemic over the summer, please let Pastor Amelie know if you would be interested in participating in a group trip to watch the Reading Phils.

WINTER TUESDAY STUDY—GOD-AT-WORK

Christians in the 21^st century are often in settings where we are in the minority. Our co-workers, friends, and family members are not always people who prioritize their faith. Starting on Tuesdays in January, we will begin a 12 week course called “God-At-Work: Live Each Day with Purpose.” The course combines videos with discussion. The video host is Ken Costa, a Christian who works in the banking industry. The course focuses on learning to integrate your faith and work and becoming an agent of the kingdom of God in your workplace. The teachings of this course are helpful for people who are retired and who don’t have traditional occupations in addition to 9 to 5 workers. The course will begin meeting over Zoom on January 4 and will continue to March 22. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you would like to join our course.

If you would like to join over Zoom, here is the link to login:

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

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DAILY BREAD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY

We continue to collect food and toiletry items for the Daily Bread Food Pantry.  They can be left at the doors of the church.

The Daily Bread's Current needs change every few weeks. This is their latest list of needs:

Personal Care (which cannot be purchased with food stamps):

Laundry soap, children's toothbrushes/ toothpaste, tissues

Food:

Juice, cereal, oatmeal

Baby Care:

Size 6 diapers

Pet Care:

Dry cat food, Litter, canned dog food

GIVING TO TRINITY

Although things are not fully back to normal, Trinity’s expenses have continued throughout the pandemic.  We know that everyone’s work-life has been disrupted during this time and we don’t expect everyone to be able to contribute to the church in the amount you were able to contribute in the past.  If you have the means to contribute to the church, you may drop off your offerings at the church office or you may mail it to our address: Trinity Christian UCC; 2009 Church Road, PO Box 538, Skippack, PA 19474

DON’T GIVE UP MOVEMENT

Our Outreach committee is inviting everyone in our congregation to join us in sharing messages from the “Don’t Give Up” movement.  This outreach was started to encourage people who are considering suicide to not give up.  We have yard signs, postcards, stickers, and business cards with messages that say things like “You are Enough” and “Your Mistakes Don’t Define You.” These messages are especially important right now as many people are struggling with their mental and emotional health after the many months of our pandemic.  Please pick up yard signs at church and other signs to promote this message of love for our neighbors.  Here is more about the movement:  https://www.dontgiveupsigns.com/

WORSHIP SERVICES

We meet both in-person and on the World Wide Web

Our in-person gatherings are in our Sanctuary building -- 2009 Church Road, Skippack, PA.

We meet at 9:45 am for our Hymn Sing and at 10:15 am for our Worship Service.

On Sunday mornings, you are also invited to join us on Facebook:

Join us for our Sunday morning hymn sing at 9:45 am live-streamed from the Trinity Christian UCC Skippack facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

10:15 Facebook livestream Worship.  You can find us at our "Trinity Christian UCC Skippack" facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCSkippack

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

We have a Sunday morning Bible Study on ZOOM at 8:30 am.  This is a new meeting time. Here is the link to log in:

Amelie Sell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Trinity's Wired Word Discussion Group
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76933813590?pwd=Nzc0MkthZFBkdmVNTGYycjVtRXkwUT09

Meeting ID: 769 3381 3590
Password: 7qLSWw

LUNCH BUNCH MEETS WEEKLY!

Lunch Bunch is our Tuesday afternoon Bible Study.  Everyone is invited to join us on Tuesdays at 12 pm.  Please bring your own lunch. (In the past, we had a potluck lunch, but for now each person will bring their own food.)  Lunch Bunch typically studies the portion of the Bible that will be the focus of our worship service on the upcoming Sunday. 

REOPENING COMMITTEE

We are now singing hymns in worship!! And, we are not taking temperatures.

We are keeping a list of the names of attendees for contact tracing purposes.

The decision was made to continue to wear masks during our in-person services, until the children have the opportunity to be vaccinated. We are still socially distancing and having sanitizer available. Thank you to everyone for their concern and diligence during this time.

Hopefully it won’t be much longer before all restrictions are lifted and everyone is vaccinated.

TRINITY BLOG

Trinity now has a blog where I am posting notes to the congregation and the text of my sermons.  If you would like to read these notes and messages, you can find them at: www.trinityskippack.blogspot.com

I will see you in worship on Sunday!

Many blessings!!

Pastor Amelie