Message to Trinity -- First Friday, July 4 Parade, VBS is Soon!

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

            We are in this midst of summer and are preparing for all of our July activities. I hope you will join us as we are embarking on a very busy weekend and month

SKIPPACK FIRST FRIDAY -- TOMORROW

            We will gather tomorrow evening at 6 pm in front of Stylecrafters Hair Salon (73 & Store Road) to meet our neighbors and have a fun, patriotic sing-a-long. Everyone is welcome, even if you are not an opera singer. Please join us!

The good weather is here and we are in the midst of the Skippack First Friday season.  Each month, Skippack stores stay open late on the First Friday of the month. Non-profits are invited to have tables set up around town to promote our agency. Trinity needs volunteers to run our church’s table – we share brochures about our, invite people to upcoming activities, pass out prayer squares, and usually like to have activities to engager our younger neighbors. This year, our remaining Skippack First Fridays are July 1, August 5, September 2, and October 7. If you are able to help, we need volunteers to run the table from 6 to 8 pm at each First Friday. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you can help.

SKIPPACK JULY 4 PARADE—We need your help!

Trinity members and friends are invited to walk in the Skippack July 4 parade. We will gather on July 4 morning between 9:45 and 10 am on the parking lot of the Goddard School on 113 near the Skippack Fire Station. Everyone will gather and walk together, accompanied by the big red jeep where our very own LEO will be a passenger. We will pass out invites to our church’s upcoming Vacation Bible School and candy. We need your donations of hard candy to use during the parade.

TRINITY COMMUNITY GARDEN

Thomas Updike has built a community garden on the upper corner of our cemetery meadow for a part of his Eagle Scout project. There are now six plots for anyone that would like to cultivate them. Please call the church office if you would like a lot: 610-584-4054

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL – JULY 15, 16, and 17

This year, our focus is on “Jesus, the light in the darkness.” We learn about Jesus bringing us the “true light”, make a cave, do cave drawings, play games, and have a great time!

Planning and orchestrating our VBS will require many adult volunteers. Each volunteer will have to have all of their PA State background checks before our VBS.  Talk to Pastor Amelie if you want to volunteer and she will make sure you have the paperwork you need to obtain your background checks.

WE WILL GATHER ON JULY 9 AT 8:30 AM TO DECORATE AND PREPARE FOR VBS. Please join us!

VBS MISSION PROJECT

Our Vacation Bible School kids will assemble “Welcome Backpacks” for refuges being resettled in our country and in welcoming nations. The Backpacks are part of Church World Service’s outreach to refugees.  We will collect items for the backpack in the church narthex in the baskets next to the door. If you would like to contribute towards the backpacks, here is a list of what we need:

Backpack – 17″

All-season blanket – 50″ x 60″

Coloring book

Crayons – 24 pack

2 pads of paper – 8.5″ x 11″

3 pens

1 two-pocket folder

5 fruit leather strips

4 protein bars

10 granola bars

6 fruit & grain bars

4 trail mix pouches – 1.75 oz

1 reusable travel water bottle – 24 oz

2 bottles hand sanitizer – 2 oz

1 Chapstick

10 hair ties

1 small travel hairbrush

4 toothpaste/toothbrush packs

3 packs of tissues

10 disposable masks

1 travel deodorant

10 tampons

10 sanitary napkins

1 pack of cleaning/baby wipes

TRINITY MEN’S BREAKFAST

All men are invited to breakfast on Saturday July 9. In July, we are breakfasting at Trinity so that we will be on-hand to help with decorating for Vacation Bible School and helping fill a dumpster with our build-up of bulky trash. We usually meet for fellowship, conversation, and a good meal. Our men’s breakfasts will continue into the future on the second Saturday of the month. Please join us!

READING PHILLIES – AUGUST 20, 2022

Take me out to the ballgame!  We will resume our church activity of watching a Reading Phils game together on August 20, 2022. Everyone is invited, and friends are welcome to join us. If you would like tickets, please let Nancy or the church office know….610-584-4054.

CHURCH PICNIC – SAVE THE DATE!!

Our church picnic will be July 17! Everyone is invited, including your family, friends, and neighbors.  And, our air-conditioning project will be complete so we will have our picnic both in our education building and outdoors. Our Christian Education Committee provides the meat course and everyone is invited to bring a dish to share.

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.

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 or in the baskets next to the sanctuary doors.

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, dish soap

Food:

Boxed Mac and Cheese, Oatmeal, Canned peas & baked beans, Pancake Mix, Jelly or Jam, Rice

Baby Care:

Diapers

Pet Care:

Dry cat food, Litter, canned dog food

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 in-person and 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 in-person and on ZOOM at 9 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. 

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

 

A Message for June 26, 2022 -- Freedom and Fruit

 

This morning, for our focus text, we will look at a portion of St. Paul’s letter to the church at Galatia. The Galatians were a Celtic people who lived in what is modern-day Turkey. Before their conversion to Christianity, they had been Hellenistic Gentiles – they were never Jewish.  St. Paul travelled to Galatia and founded the churches there during his missionary travels in Asia Minor, early on in his “career” as an evangelist.

In the years that followed, other Christian missionaries travelled to Galatia and muddied the waters by encouraging the Galatian Christians to practice both Judaism and Christianity. These missionaries told the Galatians they needed to start following Jewish dietary customs and the men needed to become circumcised. This contradicted Paul’s approach—he saw Christianity as a new revelation.  Christians were different than Jews, and therefore did not need to follow Jewish laws.  But, the Galatian Christian people were so excited about their new Christian faith that they were trying to do it all – follow Paul’s teachings and follow the other missionary’s teachings.  And, in the midst of their quest to follow all the “rules,” the people of the Christian community started to argue and fight among themselves.

When Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians, he wanted to correct the “false” teachings the missionaries promoted. He wanted the people to understand they were “free” from following the rules of Judaism, rules he likened to slavery. Instead, they were to embody the fruit of the Holy Spirit and practice the greatest commandment – to Love God and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Listen to St. Paul’s words as they are found in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 5, verses one and thirteen through twenty-five:

Scripture Reading                        Galatians 5:1, 13-25           

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 

idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 

and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 

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

Message                              Freedom and Fruit                      

            St. Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians was very fierce – this is perhaps the most “fire and brimstone” message of his letters to the Christian communities. He wasn’t happy the Galatian Christians were fighting among themselves. And, he wasn’t happy with the missionaries who encouraged the Galatians to embrace Jewish practices. Paul wrote this fiery letter as a clear message to the Galatians – they should stop following Jewish laws, they should stop fighting among themselves, they should reject all of the acts of the flesh that get all people in trouble, and they should embrace the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Their work was to live out Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself and from that the fruit of the Spirit would spring forth – love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

            Fast-forward two thousand years. We are probably not going to start embracing Jewish practices, so if Paul was writing us a letter, he wouldn’t bring up the circumcision thing or the dietary laws. But, Paul would still could make some points with us about other topics in his letter. We don’t always do a good job of following Jesus command for us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. This is work for us, major work. Just like people two-thousand years ago, we often struggle to like other people, much less love them. We can all write out a long list of people we struggle to love: Putin, the presidential candidate from the party we don’t vote for, the bully who picked on us in 3^rd grade, our daughter’s ex-husband, the manager who fired us when we were 25….we can probably all generate a list of the people who we find hard to love. 

            St. Paul’s list of acts of the flesh that we should avoid are things people in our world still struggle with, some more than others. We are all tempted to do things that are self-destructive. We are all tempted to do things that hurt other people. And, our work as Christians and as people who are seeking maturity is to resist actions and activities that hurt ourselves and others.

            Paul wanted Christians to work to do better, to work to be better. He wanted us to walk in the Spirit and to work to love other people as much as we love ourselves. Martin Luther King Jr said:

Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love...

Our aim must be to love others. We must love other people because we are working to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. And, as we love each other, the fruit of the Holy Spirit will radiate from us: we will share love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

            Paul’s words echo out to us from history, and they are calling upon us to live out the teachings of Jesus. We are called to put love of others foremost in our words and actions. We are called to resist temptation and to be delivered from evil. We are called to love, and from that love the fruit of the Holy Spirit will radiate into our world, to make this place a little more the way God has designed it to be.

            Let us do so in love. Amen. 

Photo by Rayia Soderberg on Unsplash

Fear of the Truth -- A Message for June 19, 2022

 

            This morning, we focus on one of Jesus’ greatest miracles, the healing of the demon-possessed man. This event demonstrated that Jesus’ had power over both the natural world and the spiritual world. This was comforting for Jesus’ followers, but was intimidating for people who did not understand who Jesus was and who he came to earth to save. Hear the story as it is recorded in Luke chapter 8, verses 26-39:

Scripture Reading                        Luke 8: 26-36

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 

When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 

When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 

For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 

And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 

When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 

and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 

Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.

 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 

“Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

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

Prayer for Understanding

O Lord our God, your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Give us grace to receive your truth in faith and love, that we may be obedient to your will and live always for your glory; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Message                              Fear of the Truth             

            The healing of the Gerasene man is one of Jesus’ most dramatic healings. The man had been ill for many years – he was out of control, wore no clothing, and lived out in the cemetery among the tombs. He lived in a state between-life-and-death—filled with demons or overcome with a mental illness his family and neighbors did not understand. We would say he was “not right in the head,” but he was not also not right in his body.  He was tormented, and he scared the people who lived in the community nearby. The man had been cast out into the cemetery, to live away from the living people among the bones of the dead.

            He was in a sorry state.

            Jesus and his friends arrived in the region of the Gerasenes on a boat as this place was on the shore of the lake of Gailee. Even though the Gerasenes lived near Jewish people, they were not Jewish – they were Gentiles who did not practice Judaism and who apparently ate pork. Proper Jewish people would have avoided these people and this place. And, proper Jewish people completely avoided cemeteries….if they touched a grave, they would have been considered ritually unclean and would have to undergo a purification process. Yet, Jesus allowed the Demon possessed man to approach him.

            Jesus assessed the man and recognized that he was plagued by what the 1^st century people perceived was an evil spirit. We may have recognized it as something else. Doctors and psychologists may have diagnosed the man with a mental illness. We may agree. Or perhaps the man was truly filled with an evil spirit. Either way, the man was sick. Jesus told the spirits to leave the man, and they were afraid that Jesus would cast them into “The abyss.” In the first century, Jewish people believed that evil spirits were imprisoned in a place called “the abyss.” And, apparently these evil spirits did not want to be imprisoned. So, Jesus cast the spirits into the pigs.  And, when the spirits went into the pigs, the pigs were startled and panicked and ran into the lake and were drowned.

            The people who were tending the pigs ran to the town to alert the people there about what had taken place.

            The townspeople came to see the result of the healing. When they arrived, they found the formerly-ill man calmly sitting with Jesus. And the townspeople were overcome with fear. They were afraid of Jesus because he was powerful, so powerful he could heal people and order around demons.  The fearful people asked Jesus to depart from their town.

            I find this so puzzling. If we happened upon a man who was able to heal and cure people being tormented by mental illnesses or demon possession, I don’t think we would have run away in fear. We would go gather up our friends and relatives who are sick and bring them to the man. Pilgrims travel to visit famous sites of miracles – people take their ill loved ones to Lourdes in France and to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadeloupe in Mexico City.  We would be thrilled to meet a healer; but, sometimes people are afraid of what they don’t understand. The Gerasene people were afraid.

            The man who Jesus’ healed wanted to go with Jesus. He wanted to follow Jesus….he knew Jesus’ powers were for good. But, Jesus told the healed man to go home and tell others about the good God had done for him. This man became an evangelist on behalf of God and Jesus. He is an example of a gentile who was ministered to by Jesus and who then became a witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

            The Gerasene people were afraid of Jesus and his power. Jesus wasn’t able to open their hearts to accept his message. Jesus didn’t stay in their community to teach them about God and his love. So, Jesus told the healed man to work on his behalf. Jesus couldn’t change their hearts in a few days or hours, but the healed man would live alongside of them. They would see the result of Jesus’s work when they saw the healed man. What Jesus couldn’t accomplish in a few days, the man would accomplish – God’s love and power are wonderful. In the healed man, the Gerasenes would learn about God’s love.

            Sometimes, it is hard for us to accept something new. Sometimes it is hard for us to try something new. The Gerasenes knew what to do with a demon possessed man – they cast him out to live in the cemetery. They had a known strategy to deal with brokenness. But, they didn’t know what to do with a healed man. They didn’t know what to do with a powerful man capable of healing.

            This is a reminder for us that we need to work to not cling on to the past, but to be willing to try new things. We must work to accept new strategies. We must work to be open to the holy, even when it scares us.

            In our church, we must be open to people who bring new ideas to us. We must listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We may be surprised at the direction God is calling us to go. We may be surprised by the people who walk through our doors. We may be surprised by the new things we are asked to try. But, we must not be stuck like the Geresenes, who cast out people who were difficult and who ordered Jesus to leave their community instead of welcoming him. WE must be willing to accept new ideas, new people, new directions.

            Let us be open to the Power of the Holy Spirit.

            May it be so. Amen.        

Message to Trinity -- July 4 Parade, Community Garden, Vacation Bible School!

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

            June is here and summer officially begins on Tuesday. I hope you are all relishing the beautiful days and spending time outside in the fresh air. The church and our property is beautiful right now. Please stop by and see the blooming flowers that cover our grounds.  

SKIPPACK JULY 4 PARADE—We need your help!

Trinity members and friends are invited to walk in the Skippack July 4 parade. We will gather on July 4 morning between 9:45 and 10 am on the parking lot of the Goddard School on 113 near the Skippack Fire Station. Everyone will gather and walk together, accompanied by the big red jeep where our very own LEO will be a passenger. We will pass out invites to our church’s upcoming Vacation Bible School and candy. We need your donations of hard candy to use during the parade.

TRINITY COMMUNITY GARDEN

Thomas Updike has built a community garden on the upper corner of our cemetery meadow for a part of his Eagle Scout project. There are now six plots for anyone that would like to cultivate them. Please call the church office if you would like a lot: 610-584-4054

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED AT SKIPPACK FIRST FRIDAYS

The good weather is here and we are in the midst of the Skippack First Friday season.  Each month, Skippack stores stay open late on the First Friday of the month. Non-profits are invited to have tables set up around town to promote our agency. Trinity needs volunteers to run our church’s table – we share brochures about our, invite people to upcoming activities, pass out prayer squares, and usually like to have activities to engager our younger neighbors. This year, our remaining Skippack First Fridays are July 1, August 5, September 2, and October 7. If you are able to help, we need volunteers to run the table from 6 to 8 pm at each First Friday. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you can help.

On July 1, we will gather for a patriotic sing-a-long at First Friday. Please join us!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL – JULY 15, 16, and 17

Our next VBS planning meeting will be on June 22 at 6:30 PM. WE NEED YOUR HELP.

This year, our focus is on “Jesus, the light in the darkness.” We learn about Jesus bringing us the “true light”, make a cave, do cave drawings, play games, and have a great time!

Planning and orchestrating our VBS will require many adult volunteers. Each volunteer will have to have all of their PA State background checks before our VBS.  Talk to Pastor Amelie if you want to volunteer and she will make sure you have the paperwork you need to obtain your background checks.

OUR NEXT PLANNING MEETING IS Wednesday, June 22 at 6:30 PM  IN THE SANCUTARY BUILDING. PLEASE JOIN US IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING.

VBS MISSION PROJECT

Our Vacation Bible School kids will assemble “Welcome Backpacks” for refuges being resettled in our country and in welcoming nations. The Backpacks are part of Church World Service’s outreach to refugees.  We will collect items for the backpack in the church narthex in the baskets next to the door. If you would like to contribute towards the backpacks, here is a list of what we need:

Backpack – 17″

All-season blanket – 50″ x 60″

Coloring book

Crayons – 24 pack

2 pads of paper – 8.5″ x 11″

3 pens

1 two-pocket folder

5 fruit leather strips

4 protein bars

10 granola bars

6 fruit & grain bars

4 trail mix pouches – 1.75 oz

1 reusable travel water bottle – 24 oz

2 bottles hand sanitizer – 2 oz

1 Chapstick

10 hair ties

1 small travel hairbrush

4 toothpaste/toothbrush packs

3 packs of tissues

10 disposable masks

1 travel deodorant

10 tampons

10 sanitary napkins

1 pack of cleaning/baby wipes

TRINITY MEN’S BREAKFAST

All men are invited to breakfast on Saturday July 9. In July, we are breakfasting at Trinity so that we will be on-hand to help with decorating for Vacation Bible School and helping fill a dumpster with our build-up of bulky trash. We usually meet for fellowship, conversation, and a good meal. Our men’s breakfasts will continue into the future on the second Saturday of the month. Please join us!

READING PHILLIES – AUGUST 20, 2022

Take me out to the ballgame!  We will resume our church activity of watching a Reading Phils game together on August 20, 2022. Everyone is invited, and friends are welcome to join us. If you would like tickets, please let Nancy or the church office know….610-584-4054.

CHURCH PICNIC – SAVE THE DATE!!

Our church picnic will be July 17! Everyone is invited, including your family, friends, and neighbors.  And, our air-conditioning project will be complete so we will have our picnic both in our education building and outdoors. Our Christian Education Committee provides the meat course and everyone is invited to bring a dish to share.

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.

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 or in the baskets next to the sanctuary doors.

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, dish soap

Food:

Boxed Mac and Cheese, Oatmeal, Canned peas & baked beans, Pancake Mix, Jelly or Jam, Rice

Baby Care:

Diapers

Pet Care:

Dry cat food, Litter, canned dog food

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 in-person and 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 in-person and on ZOOM at 9 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. 

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

 

All Truth -- A Message for June 12, 2022

 

            Today is Trinity Sunday. In our reading this morning, we focus on a snippet of scripture in which Jesus tries to explain God’s Trinitarian form. God the Creator is also Jesus the Son is also the Holy Spirit. We sometimes struggle to understand this, but the important thing to remember is that God wants us to feel a connection and dependence on God. God strives to be relatable and to relate to us.

            Hear our reading as it is found in John Chapter 16, verses 12 through 15:

Scripture Reading                        John 16:12-15

‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 

He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 

All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

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

Prayer for Understanding

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.

        Today is “God” Sunday, the day we celebrate God’s Trinitarian origins. Each year, our worship service on the Sunday after Pentecost focuses on the Trinity.  Our church was named in honor of the Trinity, so this is a special Sunday for our congregation – the day we honor our Trinitarian God at Trinity Christian UCC.

            When we sing our Doxology, we say: Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  We praise God because all good things come from God. We want all earthly beings, all human beings to praise God. We want all heavenly hosts, all the angels, to praise God. And, then we praise God as the Father and Creator, as Jesus, and as the Holy Spirit. 

            When I was a little girl, I felt like God was very distant from me.  I imagined a man, sitting up in the clouds, looking down at us from afar. I kind of imagined God as looking like a character from one of my story books, a little man like Rumpelstiltskin.  My childhood image of God was not warm and fuzzy. And, some of the things we do as a congregation emphasize this “distant” version of God. When we say the Apostle’s Creed, we imagine God in a throne room, a deity sitting along-side Jesus. And, we often imagine God as looking like us….human.   

            Throughout our lives, as we grow and change, we develop more expansive ways to imagine God. God is not in one place, far away from us and distant. God is able to hear us….to see us….to relate to us….to love us….to forgive us. And, God has worked to connect with us.

In Jesus, God chose to come to earth to live the human experience. In Jesus, God related to us as another human being. In Jesus, God worked to teach us and demonstrate to us a better way of living our lives. In Jesus, God worked to connect to all people—not just Nazoreans---not just Jewish people---but, us, people from different origins and different ethnic backgrounds. In Jesus, God worked to embody sacrificial love, and to teach us that we are also called to be generous and loving to each other.

            Every moment of our lives, God is present with us as the Holy Spirit. God is not just watching us from afar, but is here with us right now. One of the things I love about the Holy Spirit, is that God is not trapped in a body like we have. We know the presence of God is not in one place, but is where we are. The Holy Spirit of God is here with us. God’s Holy Spirt is also within us, providing us comfort and courage, support and guidance.

            The Trinitarian understanding of God gives us a framework through which God is relatable. God is the creational force in the Universe and God created us in God’s own image. Jesus Christ is God made flesh, our crucified and risen savior, who reconciles the world to God. The Holy Spirit is the part of God who is here with us right now and who sustains us and God’s church.  God may take on different forms, but through each, God reaches out to us. God is as close to us as our own breath and is also as distant as the furthest stars.

            We thank God that God chooses to be in relationship with us.

Amen. 

Message to Trinity -- Men's Breakfast, July 4 Parade, Community Garden

 

Greetings Trinity Family,

            June is here and summer is on the horizon. I hope you are all relishing the beautiful days and spending time outside in the fresh air. The church and our property is beautiful right now. Please stop by and see the blooming flowers that cover our grounds.  

SKIPPACK JULY 4 PARADE – WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Trinity members and friends are invited to walk in the Skippack July 4 parade. We will gather on July 4 morning between 9:45 and 10 am on the parking lot of the Goddard School on 113 near the Skippack Fire Station. Everyone will gather and walk together, accompanied by the big red jeep where our very own LEO will be a passenger. We will pass out invites to our church’s upcoming Vacation Bible School and candy. We need your donations of hard candy to use during the parade.

TRINITY MEN’S BREAKFAST—TOMORROW!

All men are invited to breakfast on Saturday June 11 at 8:30 am. We will meet at the Sammy’s Bullfrog Café, 282 Hunsberger Lane, Harleysville, PA. We meet for fellowship, conversation, and a good meal. Our men’s breakfasts will continue into the future on the second Saturday of the month. Please join us!

TRINITY COMMUNITY GARDEN

Thomas Updike has built a community garden on the upper corner of our cemetery meadow for a part of his Eagle Scout project. There are now six plots for anyone that would like to cultivate them. Please call the church office if you would like a lot: 610-584-4054

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED AT SKIPPACK FIRST FRIDAYS

TODAY IS OUR FIRST FRIDAY FOR JUNE. If you are able to help with our table, please meet in front of Stylekrafters at 6 pm.

The good weather is here and we are on the cusp of the Skippack First Friday season.  Each month, Skippack stores stay open late on the First Friday of the month. Non-profits are invited to have tables set up around town to promote our agency. Trinity needs volunteers to run our church’s table – we share brochures about our, invite people to upcoming activities, pass out prayer squares, and usually like to have activities to engager our younger neighbors. This year, our remaining Skippack First Fridays are June 3, July 1, August 5, September 2, and October 7. We are already signed up to have a patriotic sing-a-long on July 1.  If you are able to help, we need volunteers to run the table from 6 to 8 pm at each First Friday. Please let Pastor Amelie know if you can help.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL – JULY 15, 16, and 17

Our next VBS planning meeting will be on June 4 at 10 am. WE NEED YOUR HELP.

This year, our focus is on “Jesus, the light in the darkness.” We learn about Jesus bringing us the “true light”, make a cave, do cave drawings, play games, and have a great time!

Planning and orchestrating our VBS will require many adult volunteers. Each volunteer will have to have all of their PA State background checks before our VBS.  Talk to Pastor Amelie if you want to volunteer and she will make sure you have the paperwork you need to obtain your background checks.

OUR NEXT PLANNING MEETING IS June 22, AT 6:30 AM IN THE SANCUTARY BUILDING. PLEASE JOIN US IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING.

VBS MISSION PROJECT

Our Vacation Bible School kids will assemble “Welcome Backpacks” for refuges being resettled in our country and in welcoming nations. The Backpacks are part of Church World Service’s outreach to refugees.  We will collect items for the backpack in the church narthex in the baskets next to the door. If you would like to contribute towards the backpacks, here is a list of what we need:

Backpack – 17″

All-season blanket – 50″ x 60″

Coloring book

Crayons – 24 pack

2 pads of paper – 8.5″ x 11″

3 pens

1 two-pocket folder

5 fruit leather strips

4 protein bars

10 granola bars

6 fruit & grain bars

4 trail mix pouches – 1.75 oz

1 reusable travel water bottle – 24 oz

2 bottles hand sanitizer – 2 oz

1 Chapstick

10 hair ties

1 small travel hairbrush

4 toothpaste/toothbrush packs

3 packs of tissues

10 disposable masks

1 travel deodorant

10 tampons

10 sanitary napkins

1 pack of cleaning/baby wipes

READING PHILLIES – AUGUST 20, 2022

Take me out to the ballgame!  We will resume our church activity of watching a Reading Phils game together on August 20, 2022. Everyone is invited, and friends are welcome to join us. If you would like tickets, please let Nancy or the church office know….610-584-4054.

CHURCH PICNIC – SAVE THE DATE!!

Our church picnic will be July 17! Everyone is invited, including your family, friends, and neighbors.  And, our air-conditioning project will be complete so we will have our picnic both in our education building and outdoors. Our Christian Education Committee provides the meat course and everyone is invited to bring a dish to share.

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.

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 in-person and  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 in-person and on ZOOM at 9 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 “MASK OPTIONAL.”

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.

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