In this time of social distancing, your Trinity staff is doing our best to carry out our vision of “growing in love and service through relationships with God and community.”  It’s more important than ever for us to remain connected to Christ and one another.  We’ve taken four special steps to keep our connections strong.

• Special outreach is planned for Trinity’s homebound members.
• Our Trinity Advent “Booklet” features devotions, memories, prayers and hopes… all written by members of your church family.  Along with celebrating this holy season, we’ll grow closer to one another through the stories, prayers and memories shared.  This collection will be emailed and posted to the church website and Facebook page.  New reflections by your Trinity sisters and brothers will be available each Sunday (beginning Nov. 29), Monday, Wednesday and Friday throughout Advent, as well as a final devotional on Christmas Eve.  The Advent Booklet is being mailed to members without digital access.  If you are on social media, please share these reflections so that friends, relatives and members of our community can also be blessed by them.
• This year the Advent candles will be lit by Trinity folks who have been isolating during this pandemic.  We have missed being with them!  But you will have an opportunity to see their faces and hear their voices each week as the candles are lit and the readings shared.  This will take place in the Sunday morning 9:30 a.m. Zoom and will also be posted to the church website each week.
• During the 9:30 Sunday morning Zoom gatherings on December 13, 20, and 27, the usual time of prayer and worship will be followed by a carol sing.  Do you have a favorite carol you’d like to sing?  Requests will be taken.  Many of you have expressed how much you have missed singing together.  What a wonderful time of celebration it will be!

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.

Need some good news? Check out all the blessings that Trinity has experienced over the past few weeks:
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Trinity Transportation Ministry: Many thanks to those who contributed toward the Easter offering for Trinity’s “new” used bus.  We exceeded the amount our “donor match” was seeking!  Our contributions (including one large gift) to date are $23,140.  A team is assembling to sift through the current bus options to make the final decision for purchase.  If you have skills related to vehicles and mechanics and would be willing to assist the team, contact Trustee chair, Frank Cederquist at [email protected]

PPP Loan/Grant: Trinity was awarded a Payback Protection Payment Loan.  Susie Riley, Trinity’s Financial Secretary, and several Trinity board members worked on this process.  Please thank them for their work which is a tremendous help to our church in this difficult time. 

Connect Through Tech Grant: Trinity was awarded a Connect Through Tech Grant from Center for Congregations.  This grant has allowed us to purchase a video camera, tripod and accessories, a webcam, and an outdoor sound system and accessories.  These devices will help us in our ministry and outreach during COVID and into the future.  Thanks to Morris DuBose and Lisa Nielsen who provided assistance in the preparation of this grant.

Like Us On Facebook: Would you like to continue to invite others to Trinity during COVID?  Do you want to help our church grow?  Do you want to support those who are struggling?  Then, like us on Facebook and share the sermons, music, serving stories, and 20 at Twilight.  Many are struggling during this difficult time.  Provide a source of spiritual support by “liking” and “sharing” Trinity’s virtual and online resources.

Brickwork: While we were all away, Ziolkowski completed brickwork on the final side of our church building!  During worship on June 14 we will celebrate this wonderful accomplishment.  Please express thanks to:

• Kristi Evans and Frank Cederquist, Trustee chairpersons during this long process,
• Dr. Steve Ash, who wrote and submitted three successful grant applications, totaling $150,000.
• Susie Riley, who completed significant paperwork as part of the grant process

Pastoral News: Pastor Tracey will be interviewed on Business Talk Radio on Tuesday, June 30 at 12:28 p.m.  This is an online radio station.  To hear the interview, click here: https://businesstalkradio1.com/studio-two/

Welcome Associate Pastor Suzanne Clemenz: We are pleased to announce that, beginning July 1, Suzanne Clemenz will be appointed as associate pastor (one quarter time) to Trinity to focus on the ministry areas of shut-in visitation and caring ministries. Pastor Suzanne is a North Carolina native. She answered the call to ministry four years ago and previously served as associate pastor at St. Andrew's UMC. Suzanne is enrolled in the Indiana Local Pastors Course of Study. She has degrees in English and women's and gender studies and was a doctoral student in the humanities at Purdue. She works at the YWCA focusing on services to domestic violence survivors and has long been engaged in social justice issues. Suzanne and her husband, Brent, reside in Lafayette with their three sons.

Pastoral Schedule: Depending upon COVID, Pastor Tracey anticipates ocular reconstructive surgery to take place in early July.  If that surgery does take place as scheduled, preaching, pastoral and administrative duties will be covered by Melissa and Pastor Suzanne.  Please watch the weekly E-blasts for updates. 

Opportunities for Prayer and Reflection
Pastor Tracey is offering opportunities for Christian prayer and reflection with scripture in two contexts:

• 20 at Twilight takes place on Wednesday evenings at 8:40 (ending at 9 p.m.) via Facebook Live on the church’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUMC509). It includes an evening prayer, scripture, and an opportunity for guided reflection on the scripture.  This helps to conclude the day with a sense of connection to God in a peaceful format. If you missed the first one (from May 27), the video is still available on the Facebook page.  
• Just the Three of Us (connecting more deeply to God, ourselves, and others) also takes place on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in the church parking lot.  This begins with some study and discussion around a scripture, exploring how it helps us grow in our understanding of caring for others.  At 6:40, the parking lot discussion group will also conclude with prayer around the scripture, following the Facebook Live format referenced above. As with the prior parking lot group, please let Pastor Tracey know if you plan to attend, please bring your own chair, and masks are encouraged.  We will socially distance our chairs in the church parking lot to ensure safety and health. No preparation is needed for either group and each week is “independent.”  It is hoped that this will be an opportunity for spiritual and emotional self-care during this stressful time.

Sunday Prayer Gathering
Join us Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on Zoom for a virtual prayer gathering. Pastor Tracey always allows time at the end for fellowship. If you are missing some Trinity faces, log on and join us! It is a wonderful time to connect. 
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87006129861?pwd=cXJuVzVsZks3Uk5RblFXSGh6eGMzZz09
Meeting ID: 870 0612 9861
Password: 618051
You may join by phone by dialing 1-312-626-6799

Please remember that when worship resumes on Sunday, June 14, the weekly prayer gathering on zoom will begin at 9:30 a.m. instead of 10. For more information on re-opening, visit http://www.trinitylafayette.org/back-together.html

If you have not yet had a chance to view the worship service provided by the conference, it is still available on the homepage (www.trinitylafayette.org). Pastor Tracey's sermon will be posted on the website on Sunday, May 31. 

Outreach Initiatives During COVID
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our outreach initiatives during the pandemic. We received $957.60 to provides meals for IU, Franciscan, and Family Promise. 

We are excited to share with you another outreach imitative taking place on June 23 at 6 p.m in the Trinity parking lot. As a part of the USDA Farmers to Families program Trinity United Methodist Church is partnering with Prairie Farms for a milk drive on June 23 at 6 o’clock.  All community members are welcome to pick up a gallon of milk (or two) from the TUMC parking lot.  

We will need three volunteers to help on June 23. If you are interested in helping with this event, please contact Pastor Tracey directly.