Trinity’s Bus Ministry: Because of your generosity, Trinity has been able to purchase a “new” used bus.  It is a 2016 Ford Goshen with approximately 29,000 miles.  It can accommodate 12 passengers and 2 wheelchairs.  The bus came in slightly under our projected cost so there is adequate money in the contributions for the license and registration and the new lettering which will be put on the bus very soon.  Thank you to everyone who contributed toward this very important ministry!

Serving Our Neighbors in Need: During the month of August we initiated an appeal to help support local community service providers.  These providers, since COVID, have seen increased demand for their services, but their abilities to fund raise have been greatly challenged.  I am delighted to report that Trinity members contributed a total of $7,944.43!  Because folks had the opportunity to designate their gifts toward particular organizations, the breakdown is printed below.  As indicated in a recent sermon, your generosity represents more than dollars and cents.  It is food in the belly of a hungry child, shelter for a homeless family, after-school care for a child who would be left at home alone, and may save the life of an LGBTQ young person contemplating suicide because their family has thrown them out.  Your generosity is helping to save and sustain lives!

• Family Promise of Greater Lafayette - $1,728.31
• Lafayette Urban Ministry - $1,571.78
• Food Finders Food Bank - $1,504.78
• Lafayette Transitional Housing - $1,594.78
• Pride Lafayette - $1,544.78

Fall Stewardship: Historically, Trinity has conducted our fall stewardship campaign during the month of October.  This year our campaign will be conducted during November and will focus on the theme of Thanksgiving.  We will highlight the contributions of church members and the ministries they lead.  We hope this fall’s campaign will allow us to celebrate the blessings God has given us and inspire all of us to continue to contribute our time, talents and treasure in ways that advance our vision of “growing in love and service through relationships with God and community.”  Watch for more info on the November stewardship campaign in your November newsletter.

​Giving Year-to-Date: Because of some additional gifts given by members during this COVID crisis, Trinity is not behind, but actually slightly ahead on our year-to-date giving for 2020.  Thank you to those who have generously given beyond their pledged gift to support Trinity’s ministry.

In light of the news reports, you might be wondering what you can do. The United Methodist Women gave a call to action last week and offered suggestions of what we can do to turn our faith, hope and love into action on behalf of immigrant children who do not have the power to help themselves.

The call to action says, in part: 
We give God thanks for United Methodists who are providing compassionate care to migrants at the border. Border Conferences have established relief centers for migrants. United Methodists from other regions of the country continue to support migrants seeking asylum with their time, talent and treasures. United Methodist congregations across the country have opened their doors to provide sanctuary for those immigrants whose lives would be endangered if they were to be deported to their home countries. UMCOR has been a partner in assisting this connectional work. The General Board of Church and Society has led us faithfully in our advocacy work in support of justice for the migrant and the immigrant. United Methodist Women have also been a strong voice in advocating for the rights of immigrant children and families.

One of the suggestions UMW offers is to work with local organizations that help immigrants in your area. Locally, you can volunteer at Lafayette Urban Ministry’s Immigration Clinic or join the Greater Lafayette Immigrant Allies.

Other actions include: 

• Give to the Advance # 3022144 for Migration. Go to UMCOR – Global Migration for further information.
• Join the General Board of Church and Society in advocacy work alongside migrants. Speak out to end child detention by sending drawings and letters from United Methodists of all ages to Congress and the White House.
• Speak up in support of persons in Sanctuary and the churches, pray for them, and send them a postcard expressing such support.

Take this moment to act. It will make a difference in these challenging times in the lives of suffering immigrants and the brave churches who are ministering to them.

Edited from a letter by Susan Henry-Crowe

Miller Team Call-Out Meeting: Thursday, March 22

Miller Elementary is located near downtown Lafayette. There are approximately 420 students enrolled in grades K-4 with a full time faculty of 20 classroom teachers, 3 special education resource teachers, several paraprofessionals, an Instructional Coach, Counselor, ELL teacher, and a Speech and Language Pathologist. Support staff includes an art teacher, music teacher, physical education teacher, library assistant, school nurse, secretary, attendance clerk and custodial staff.

Miller operates a school-wide Title I program, with all students eligible for Title 1 services, which allows for flexible small group approach to reading and/or mathematic intervention. In addition, 84% of students are eligible for free lunch (which means their family income is $15,171 or less) compared to the 40% in Lafayette as a whole. The curriculum at Miller Elementary School is anchored in a program integrating rigorous state standards into the educational experiences of every child. The teachers strive to increase student achievement in all content areas by linking state standards, systematic performance assessments with ongoing data analysis, instructional decision-making based on research-verified best practices, and professional development grounded in the ongoing review of research.

Thomas Miller Elementary School has a number of community partnerships. Trinity UMC strives to be one of these community partners that support the teachers and staff, and through them, the students. Supporting our local elementary school (Trinity is in Miller’s district) is just one way that we seek to grow stronger
relationships with our community.

Pam Delaplane leads this ministry. Our Miller outreach initiative is part of our Ready Set Grow Program, advancing our goal to connect to our community. Over the past year, she has met with the principal to see where we can support the teachers, and has helped coordinate opportunities to support the teachers, and through them, the students and their families.

In 2017 and early 2018, we:

• Invited the Miller School community to our Back to School Bash in August 2017
• Helped some teachers prepare their rooms for the start of school
• Collected needed materials and uniform items. Delivered 58 items to the school, including clothes, backpacks, freezer bags, Kleenex boxes, and hand sanitizer.
• Gave all regular classroom teachers a set of handmade notecards that the teachers use to make a special impact on students and/or families as appropriate.
• Collected winter items through our giving tree at Christmas. We continued to collect items through January. 209 items were delivered to the school, including hats, coats, gloves, underwear, belts, and t-shirts.

Miller has very much appreciated our generous offerings of support. 

On Thursday, March 22 at 6 pm in the Parlor Conference Room, come to the Miller Ministry Team call-out meeting. The team will be discussing upcoming opportunities to serve Miller and make plans for the spring and summer. Some possible opportunities expressed by the principal include:

• Bringing goodies to the teachers and staff during Teacher Appreciation Week, professional development, and other special occasions.
• Provide listeners for student readers with a possible summer reading program and/or kindergarten camp. (Note: background checks are required if volunteers are in the building when students are
• present.)
• Help teachers set up their rooms before school begins in the fall
• Continue with support for needed items throughout the year

Ways to Get Involved with Miller Ministry Team

1. Attend the Miller Ministry Team meeting on March 22 at 6 pm in the Parlor Conference Room
2. Go to the school with Pam (must get a background check if attending while students are  in the building)
3. Donate supplies and baked goods upon request
4. Donate money to provide items as needed throughout the year and provide scholarships for background checks.