- Dr. Daniel Anderson-Little, Pastor

Local Presbyterian churches are never truly local - we are intricately linked with Presbyterians and other Christians regionally, nationally, and globally. During May, we will have wonderful opportunities to explore our various connections as Trinity Presbyterian Church.

Global Connections

On May 2, our guest preacher and adult education leader will be Dr. Preman Niles. Dr. Niles (father of Trinity member Dr. Damayanthi Niles, Professor of Theology at Eden Theological Seminary) has spent his career as a lecturer of religious studies and an ecumenical leader. He will help us discover how we can meaningfully connect with Christians from all over the world.

Regional & National Connections

On May 9, the Rev. Paul Reiter, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy (the Presbytery of which Trinity is a member) will present a dialogue sermon with me, and will lead adult education. The Rev. Reiter will tell us about the richness of our Presbytery (over 100 congregations stretching from Poplar Bluff to Alton, Illinois) and will help us find ways to enhance our ministry through our connections in the Presbytery.

Local Connections

On May 16, Trinity Church will grow in numbers and in faith as we confirm our 8^th Graders. This is a joyful time when we discover again the many blessings of our congregation and get a glimpse of our future. During worship we will also celebrate our Music Ministry. I will preach. During Adult Education time, we will have the opportunity to meet and learn from our Confirmands.

Please plan to attend all of these special worship services and adult education offerings!

- Nancy Wagoner

Pentecost, the birthday of the Church and the concluding service celebrating the anniversary of Trinity Presbyterian Church, will be held on Sunday May 30th. It will be a festive Family Service intermingling the "Fabric of our Faith" and "Making All Things New".

We are in the planning stage right now, but are asking for help in these areas:

1. If you speak a foreign language and have access to a Bible in that language, we would love to have your participation in part of the service.
2. If you would like to be a part of the service, we can use you too!

We will keep you informed about the celebration and hope all will save the date as we join the disciples when they were touched with "Tongues of Flame" from the Holy Spirit. If you have any questions, please call me at 863-2328.

- Nancy Wagoner

Those who were in Worship on Sunday March 28, 2004, took part in a survey put out by the Worship and Music Commission. It was an effort to find out what we were doing right and what could be improved on. We were gratified that we had 128 responses, and, as one would expect, many varied answers. The Commission read through them Tuesday evening, March 30th, and we have some results that we'd like to share with the congregation. (These, of course, will not be as accurate as the Zogby polls with their plus or minus 3% accuracy!) Also, those who still would like to answer a questionnaire, can do so. They will be in the Narthex and posted on the Trinity web page.

• One item that was mentioned most was the question of the Sound System and, especially, the audibility of the liturgists. Happily this is a problem that will be soon solved. We have all the new equipment, but there was an existing electrical/sound problem that had to first be addressed. This should all be done within the month and, hopefully, all will notice the results.
• Many people would like the time before Worship to be used in a more meditative and reflective period, possibly with some music that could enhance these minutes. Most liked the announcements where they were (at the beginning of the service), but then late-comers missed them. Some also suggested starting Worship a half hour later at 10:00.
• By far, most everyone in the survey favored having children in Worship. Several options for this to be more successful for them was to provide them with additional helps and a possible children's sermon that would be 2-3 minutes in length. Someone even suggested that we have rubber pencils in the pews!
• The question about hymns and music had responses as varied as we all are, age not withstanding. While some prefer contemporary and spiritual music, there were just about as many that wanted to sing the old familiar and traditional hymns. This same scenario was obvious in the question about Communion. While some enjoyed the intimacy of intinction, others preferred having communion served by the elders. Almost all felt that monthly communion was important.
• Many people would like to have more time for silent and personal prayer. More needs of the congregation and of the world were two items that were mentioned within this topic. These needs have to get to the minister before the time of prayer, so he can be aware of them. The sermons Dan gives got many favorable comments.
• Regarding the bulletin, many would like to see it proofread. (This can be done on Friday morning by a volunteer...maybe YOU...it is very difficult to proofread your own work!) It was also suggested that the bulletin include the scripture readings and some information about the music sung and additional church activities.
• Sometimes the flow and feel of worship seems rushed to some people. This, again, brought up the question of the time of the service and trying to meet a deadline to get out in time for Christian Education, as well as what to do about coffee hour and fellowship. These are questions that will have to be addressed at another time, possibly by another commission. There have been several "fellowship" groups that meet in the sanctuary after worship or in the dining room, but the regular Coffee Hour is not well attended.
• There were also many statements about applause during worship; it was felt that during a service of worship to God, the applause made it seem like a performance, not an offering or a gift to God.

The conclusions that we gleaned from this survey were that we are a very diverse congregation and we treasure our diversity. It's what makes us unique and what makes us the community of faith that we are. Thanks be to God!

- Paul Vasile, Minister of Music

What an amazing year of music making this has been! In addition to the spirited worship offerings given weekly by our choirs, we have had the opportunity to share many unique and inspired musical events. We kicked off the year with the St. Louis Stompers Dixieland Band, followed by a World Communion celebration featuring African choral music, drumming and dance. Guest musicians have graced our worship services frequently, including strings, bagpipes, brass and hand bells. Music has also helped us to reflect on our faith, and this year's Good Friday Service, featuring the Arianna String Quartet, provided a powerful opportunity to experience the Passion through music. All of this is due to you! Your gifts to the Psalm 150 Fund provided the resources for these wonderful and diverse events!

Additionally, Trinity's music ministry continues to reach out to the community, locally, nationally and globally. We hosted a St. Louis Symphony Outreach Concert, the St. Louis Women's Chorale, the Bel Canto made a gift to the Chorus and a number of other musical events. For the second year, we contributed to the Chorister's Guild, a national organization that nurtures the spiritual growth of children and youth through music. An African Choral Workshop provided opportunity to connect with cultural and religious expressions from another part of the world.

Building on the success of last year's offering and your tremendous support, I have already begun planning and dreaming for the coming year. Next year's World Communion service will feature Latin American music led by musicians from St. Louis' Hispanic community. The Boys Choir of Kenya will perform at Trinity in October, continuing our relationship with African music. We have also invited a Presbyterian minister and jazz pianist, Bill Carter, to come for a weekend of concerts and talks on ways that jazz connects with the life of faith. These are just of few of the experiences that can be realized through gifts to the Psalm 150 Fund.

As we kick-off our campaign on April 25, I encourage you to again give joyfully and generously to this special offering. The Psalm 150 Fund is such an important part of our ongoing music ministry. It provides for guest musicians throughout the year and also gives support to creative and meaningful musical endeavors that enrich and strengthen our faith. This financial resource also allows us to continue reaching out to our community, giving witness to a faith that is active and engaged, deeply connected to the world in which we live.

You have received an offering envelope that can be returned to the church office; envelopes can also be found in the pew racks and placed in the offering plate on Sunday morning. Thank you, as always, for your enthusiastic support!

- Bob Wagoner

Ever since we completed the Shower of Stoles project, I have been pondering how I can best express my faith in social justice issues in the Presbyterian Church and in our society. Many of my thoughts came into greater focus after attending Diane O'Brien's recent adult education class and the Sunday evening meeting with Martha Juillerette (Shower of Stoles), Michael Adee (More Light Presbyterians), and Janie Spahr (That All May Freely Serve). That session gave me great hope but also prodded me to not just sit back and "rest on laurels," but to take a more activist role. I am wondering if there are others at Trinity who feel the same way as I do.

Some issues that cross my mind weekly, if not daily, include: Ordination rules in our Church - Increasing public acknowledgement of Trinity as a "welcoming/affirming" church - Marriage and the U.S. constitution - Poverty and hunger - Health care and insurance - Environmental concerns - 2004 Election.

In looking at these issues, part of my struggle involves how to balance my strong beliefs with the right of others to have beliefs that differ from mine. I think that at least I personally need to begin by examining through prayer, readings, and discussions what my faith suggests or demands that I do when confronting these issues. Some specific action plans may or may not result from discussion of these issues. I do not have any pre-conceived notions of any "must-do" activities. Discussions may also lead to establishing relationships with other people of faith - either Presbyterian, or from other denominations and/or religions.

I am hoping for an opportunity to gather with other Trinity members who wish to discuss, debate, act upon these issues - starting to get together twice a month for an hour or so (coffee, brunch, supper, whenever) to begin brainstorming these areas of concern.

If you are interested, call or e-mail me [(314. 863.2328; 314.707.2724 (cell); stlwags@aol.com] as to when would be the best time for you to meet - Sundays, weekdays, evenings, etc. I firmly believe that this is something I am called to do, and hope there are others who hear the same call! With dreams of a church and a world as loving and just as God's grace...

- Paul Vasile

During the past three years, I have traveled to Orvieto, Italy to teach, compose and participate in opera and theater workshops. I have the opportunity to return this May and June, to compose original music and serve as musical director for a new theatrical work, Laude in Urbis (Praises in the City). Here is a fantastic description of the project written by our artistic director, Karin Coonrod:

I am extremely excited to be part of this unique project and am particularly grateful to the staff and members of Trinity for your support of my trip. As you may sense, this production connects deeply with my interests and skills - with my desire to find new and compelling ways of hearing and experiencing the story of faith. I am confident that my time in Orvieto will inspire and sustain my work at Trinity and sincerely appreciate your thoughts and prayers while I am away. I look forward to sharing the fruits of Laude in Urbis when I return!

- Barb Rand

Our One Great Hour of Sharing has brought in over $3000.00 so far. Many thanks to all of you! Your gifts will help people world-wide, including through the Medical Missions in Peru in which I will participate.

I can take two bags - one for my personal items and one for items needed by the people we will serve. I invite any or you who would like to contribute additional gifts to join this effort. I would like to pack the most important and expensive items, such as multi-vitamins or iron or vitamins with extra iron.

We will conduct two days of medical clinics in each of five locations, seeing around 200 patients in each of the smaller villages and perhaps as many as 300 patients in Tamshiyacu; 50% of the patients might be children. One of the basic health issues in the region is malnutrition in primary school children. Providing each child that comes to the clinic with a supply of vitamins would require around 500 bottles of children's vitamins. A second major health issue is malnutrition during pregnancy. There will be around 175 pregnancies in these 5 locations during this year. We would like to provide each pregnant woman we see with a 6-month supply of prenatal vitamins and iron supplements. Lastly, we hope to offer a dosage of anti-parasitic treatment to each person we see in the clinics.

I will bring my suitcase to church on May 2 and partition part of it for gifts from the congregation. Blessings to you for the miracles you help to create!

- Jennifer Higginbotham

Trinity Member Jennifer Higginbotham shares this thank-you message from her agency during May, Mental Health Month.

If you ever get the chance to meet Jane Elmore, you'll know what a happy person looks like. Jane has such a positive outlook on life that it is hard not to feel better after having talked to her. Her smile and laughter seem to be contagious. But things were not always like this for Jane.

When she was 27 years old, she found herself battling a debilitating mental illness and living in a group home. She was forced to share an ill-furnished room with three other people and found little satisfaction in her daily life. "Life was hard," she said.

After having first sought help for her mental illness at the age of 17, Jane had been in and out of treatment facilities throughout the area for years. None of these places could provide her with the kind of warm, friendly environment she needed to turn her life around.

Then in 1984, her life was transformed. Jane was referred to Independence Center, St. Louis' own award-winning psychiatric rehabilitation program for adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses.

The Center is now the foundation around which much of her life revolves. It provides her assistance with living on her own through at-home housing supports, job opportunities through the employment services program, and a social life through her many friends at Midland House, site of one of the Center's two clubhouse programs. "I can't imagine life without Independence Center," she said. "And life is good!"

Fortunately, Jane's story is not unique. Since 1981, Independence Center has striven to meet the needs of adults with mental illnesses in the St. Louis area so that they can live and work in the community, independently and with dignity.

How do we do it? The program at the Center uses the "Clubhouse Model" of psychiatric rehabilitation. Our customers are not clients; they are members of a private club. As with any club, membership comes with privileges and responsibilities. We encourage members to take an active role in the clubhouse and in their own rehabilitation. More importantly, the clubhouse provides a place for friendship and encouragement, where fears, thoughts, failures, and successes can be shared. Much more than a facility, the Center is like a family.

The clubhouse ensures our members always have somewhere to turn for help. It also links all of the services and opportunities that we have created to improve the lives of people with mental illnesses, which include rehabilitation services, housing and residential supports, case management, outpatient psychiatric care and medication management, employment services, education, and social opportunities. In 2003 alone, the Center helped over 1,100 men and women to lead more independent and productive lives, regardless of their ability to pay.

Independence Center wishes to thank Trinity Presbyterian Church for its generous support the past few years. Only through the support of community partners like Trinity is the Center able to continue the work that means so much to so many. The generosity and concern of the Church and its members have made a real difference in the lives of the most vulnerable citizens in our community. Again, thank you very much.

If you would like to learn more about Independence Center, please contact Trinity member and IC Assistant Director Jennifer Higginbotham at (314) 533-4380 ext. 412 or IC Intake at (314) 533-4163.

- Betty Burnett

Trinity will host an ecumenical peace and justice supper and hymn sing on Sunday evening, May 2, 5:30-8 p.m. It will be a time to share ideas and inspiration with folks from other congregations, along with your supper. Everyone is invited.

During a gourmet supper of soup and salad, you'll have the opportunity to discuss your favorite peace and justice cause with other like-minded folk - it will be a time to share ideas and resources. After supper, a rousing hymn sing will fortify our souls so we may go forth rejoicing. Please come! Let us know how many by April 30. (314) 725-3840

- David Rand

David Rand, a freshman at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, grew up at Trinity and graduated from Ladue High School. In this (edited) essay, he describes taking on the character of a man in a photograph by Wing Young Huie.

I had no idea what I was getting into. The class assignment was to become a work of art, a performance, and make distinct impressions upon our audience.

On page 87 of Lake Street,USA, there is a homeless man holding up a sign that says, "Will do odd jobs, please help, flat broke, hungry." The first thing that caught my attention was the man's face. He sported a long beard and a head band, but his eyes really spoke to me. He looked interesting, like he had a real story.

I decided to become that man for one day.

It wouldn't be realistic for me to sit around campus begging, so I went downtown. Dressed in tattered jeans, shoes older than I am, a wool shirt passed down from my Dad, gloves and a hat that I purchased at Goodwill a few years ago, and a scruffy face from not shaving for a few days, I looked pretty homely.

I carried a sign made from a cardboard box that read, "Hard Worker, Needs food or $." I took a seat on the sidewalk at the intersection of 3rd St. and Division. It was a cold day, though it had warmed up from earlier in the week when the high was 3 degrees. In the first few minutes I simply received a few stares and pointed fingers, realizing that I stuck out like a sore thumb because no one begs on Division St.

Two black girls from Carleton College walked by carrying grocery bags from Econo-Foods. They stared as they walked by. I made eye contact with one of them as she passed. Not 30 seconds later she came back and offered me 5 dollars. I refused it at first, not knowing what to do or think. Iknew I wasn't really homeless but shehad no idea. I finally accepted it after she insisted: "Just buy some food, please."

I was blown away. Did I really look that homeless? Then again, I was sitting on the ground in rags with a sign asking for money. I suppose I just never expected the immediate kindness. Growing up in St. Louis, I saw homeless people every day in the city. Most people won't give them the time of day, let alone 5 dollars.

I had to stop and think whether I would do the same. Sad to say, but I don't think so. Did that make the girla better person than me?

No time for that now. Here comes a kind-looking woman of 45 or so, rapidly approaching, searching her purse. My heart is racing. What am I doing?! I don't want or need these people's money! Why are they giving it to me? (Oh yeah, I have a cardboard sign that says I needit.)

She smiled and said "Hello" as she crouched down. That action alone made my heart sink; she was putting herself on the same level as I was, on the ground, to talk to me and find out my story. She asked a number of questions, testing my ability to make up a story at the drop of a hat. She didn't look like she was just going to drop some change and be on her way. This woman wanted to really help me.

I told her I had trouble finding work and that both my parents were in and out of jail and I was living on my own. She asked to take me across the street to Bagel Bros. so she could buy me lunch and talk about how to find me some work.

This was crazy. I was digging myself in deeper and deeper but I wanted to stay in character. Even though I was on the brink of spilling the beans, I declined her offer.

The woman's persistence startled me; she was determined to better my position immediately. She regretted not having any cash. She paused in thought, and then said she would be right back. I watched her run across the street to her BMW.

The woman came running back with something in her hand that looked like a book. She crouched down right up close and asked me my name. "David, I want you to have this, read it and know that God is with you no matter who you are or where you live. He loves you and I love you too. I will be praying for you, David. Do your best to find some work and get some food. God Bless You, David."

She handed me a book of Psalms. I seriously had to fight the tears as she walked back to her car. I really felt homeless and I couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was my physical appearance and what I was doing, or maybe it was that she gave me something I didn't have. This woman wanted to help me get food and work, but on top of that she cared about me,not just getting another bum off the street. She wanted to know my name and my story and make my life worthwhile.

The conflicting emotions I had made my head hurt. Here I was lying to this woman for a class project while she put herself way out on the line to trust me and my story.

Moving around downtown to different corners and alleys, trying to stay out of the blistering wind, all I could think about was her and what she had done for me.

Everyone should be as lucky to experience that sort of unbridled kindness, and everyone should be as smart as to show equal kindness.

I quit early that day. I couldn't stand to lie to these genuinely kind small-town Midwestern folk. That was enough for me. I got what I wanted. I got more than I ever expected. I was inspired that day. I just hope that my inspiration can lead to something as spectacular as what I experienced while sitting on the sidewalk on Division St, USA.

- Paul Vasile

The choirs of Trinity and Second Presbyterian Churches will give a concert at Second Presbyterian Church on Sunday, May 16 at 3 p.m. Each choir will sing selections from the past year; the choirs will also come together to sing several joint anthems. The concert is free and open to the public. Mark your calendars and be sure to attend this wonderful afternoon of sacred choral music.

- Nancy Wagoner

The James E. Scholin - Todd C. Weems Scholarship Fund is accepting applications at this time for high school seniors and college students interested in furthering their education. The scholarship fund is named after two beloved members of Trinity's congregation whose untimely death was a deeply felt loss for all who knew these boys. They were both involved in the youth group and the life of the church, and their families' memorial to their sons has allowed awards totaling close to $300,000 to be given to Trinity members for help with college expenses. The fund continues to grow as contributions are made to the principal; awards are made from the interest on the investment. The awards are not only an example of the power of love but are a lasting tribute to Jimmy and Todd for generations to come. Applications have been sent to those we know who qualify; they are due to be returned by May 3rd, with the award announcement made in late May.