• 13 people responded quickly to the call for help gathering & bagging bread donations for the food pantry;
• About 12 kids are attending confirmation class & The Commons
• Fair Shares (local food co-op) is now donating a share to a food pantry family 2 times a month;
• a woman delivers apples from her orchard each week to the food pantry families

Continue to get involved & also pray for these God-sightings!

The food pantry is holding monthly competitions. THIS MONTH: How much stuffing and cranberry sauce can we donate for the food pantry during November?

Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis (MCCGSL) is holding a World AIDS' Day worship service Tuesday, Dec. 1st, 7pm at 1919 S. Broadway. This will be an interfaith and interagency worship remembering the lives that we have lost to HIV/AIDS; honoring the lives of those who live with this life-threatening illness; and raising awareness.

Rev. Julie March is leading a retreat for the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy in early December, and all Trinity women are welcome to attend. Mound Ridge Camp & Conference Center, 6 pm, Friday, December 4 - noon on Sunday, December 6. Contact Julie at juliammc@sbcgloblal.net for information and to register for the retreat.

This congregation heard the Call to Stewardship and answered "Here We Are Lord"! At last count, 92 pledges have been turned in, totaling more than $260,000 committed for 2010. This is a great start to our campaign, especially in these trying times. It's particularly exciting that we have more than a dozen new pledges from members or friends of the church - our ministry and spiritual community is growing as we speak! The Session is working hard to eliminate the budget deficit and expand mission efforts, and increased pledging is essential to achieve that goal and help their planning. We are on target to exceed the number of pledgers and total amount pledged compared to 2009, but to make this goal a reality we need everyone's support. If you haven't renewed your pledge yet, or if you are considering making a pledge for the first time, please do so now. Simply contact Linde Baechle, our Financial Administrator, by calling the office or sending her an email with your name and the amount of your pledge (beckjeffries@yahoo.com). If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to speak with anyone on the Stewardship committee (Jenn Clodi, Sarah Hotaling, Brian Muegge, Rob Peglar, Larry Pontious, Evan Reid).

We've partnered with this organization to help provide furnishings and necessities for people moving from homelessness into homes. Check the Narthex and magnetic board by the elevator for items needed. Donations can be stored in the room next to the food pantry. Arrangements can be made for larger donations to be picked up.

...will be held at 6pm on Tuesday, Dec. 1^st in the dining room. Please bring a salad or dessert, as well as a "white elephant" gift to exchange. We can't guarantee the quality of the gift, but promise lots of laughs, fellowship and food. Women of all ages are welcome.

If you like singing, but are unable to make the weekly commitment to Trinity choir rehearsals and services, here is your opportunity during Advent!

Want to sing some of Handel's Messiah during Advent? Then I've got the perfect opportunity for you!! Trinity Choir would like to invite you to join them in singing during worship on December 20th. We'll do two choral pieces from the Christmas portion of The Messiah that day-- "O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion" and "And the Glory of the Lord."

Come to rehearsal at 7:00 PM on Thursday Dec. 17th and again in the morning on Sunday Dec. 20th at 9:30 AM. All are welcome! Contact Vicki or Bill with any questions (office: 314-725-3840)

Dr. Dan Anderson-Little

Pr. Linda Anderson-Little
St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Clayton, MO
Bishop's Convocation; Evening Worship
Personal Testimony-November 4, 2009

John 1:1-5, 14

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being
4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it....
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

The Word of the Lord.

Thank you to Janice for the invitation to share with you where God has been showing up in my life. I am truly grateful to be here-and I don't just mean here in Osage Beach, but I am so thankful to be here-alive.

My name is Linda Anderson-Little and I am privileged to be the pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Clayton, a first-ring St. Louis suburb. --First a little about me--I was ordained in 1989 and these have been the best 30 years of my life (!) My first call was to an urban church in Detroit-part of the Detroit Lutheran Coalition. Then my husband, Dan, a 6th generation Presbyterian pastor received a call to Kansas City. I served St. Mark's Lutheran church in Kansas City -just 3 miles from Dan's congregation. I served there for 4 years and then resigned and stayed home 9 years while our 3 children were small. We moved to St. Louis 10 years ago, where Dan serves as pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in University City. In 2005, when our youngest entered 1st grade, I started the process to return to the clergy roster and was called to serve St. Mark's in Clayton in Oct., 2006, again just 3 miles from where Dan serves, in Oct. 2006. When asked how God shows up in my life-having 2 congregations for Dan and I within a few miles of each other so we can stay somewhat sane and connected is a big one, because only God can work things out like that--twice!

Two years ago this month, just a year after starting at my current call, I was diagnosed with breast cancer-My kids were still young-Leah in 3rd grade, Jacob in 5th grade, Daniel in 8th grade. I can truly say this was the most painful and difficult experience of my life and it was also one in which I was profoundly blessed-beyond measure.

The most difficult time for me came during chemo treatment-especially after my 2nd treatment in January 2008. I experienced a dark night of the soul like nothing I have ever known. The doctor said that some people receive a chemo treatment on Friday and are back to work on Monday. Well, I don't know who these bionic people are, but that was not me. I not only couldn't work, I was plastered to the bed; I couldn't take care of my family. I was on disability for 8 ½ months. I missed Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Synod Assembly, 2 weddings and Vacation Bible School (well, maybe missing VBS was a perk!).

I have a type A, compulsive personality and it seemed my cancer had the same characteristics-it was an overachiever in every way.

• 3 cm tumor that didn't show up on any mammogram; 2 kinds of cancer, it had spread to the lymph nodes, and all of it was invasive;
• Had a double mastectomy within 2 1/2 weeks of being diagnosed.
• Most people I've met with this disease were done after 6 chemo treatments or fewer-I had 8
• A week and a half after surgery, I was hospitalized with blood clots in my lungs-still on blood thinner
• I really missed my curls and my head was always cold
• After radiation I ended up with a severe frozen shoulder that required surgery last spring

In the throes of chemo, it was hard to experience my own faith; to feel the presence of God in the hundreds of hours I spent alone in bed.

I realized how easy it is to be positive, to believe, to have hope when you feel good. When you don't have the energy to hold the phone to your ear, while you're lying down--well that's another story-I thought surely if the cancer doesn't kill me, the chemo will. I understand in a way I never have before, the lament psalms. I wrote a short lament during this dark night of the soul: Part of it reads

Don't you care, God? Does it mean nothing to you that I have served you, given blood, sweat and tears for your church, for your children? Can you ease the pain, the discomfort, the difficulty just a little bit for me? Can you not see the blood-thinning, weak, aching, lost misery of your servant? The psalmist cries with me "in Sheol who can give you praise?" (Psalm 6:5b) Indeed, in chemo hell, who can give you praise? Not me. For here, you are silent; as quiet as the pillow to which my hairless head is stuck in numbing immobility.

(Bishop Hanson said to "tell the truth," right?)

If this was the only thing going on our life, it might have felt manageable. Our life seemed like a catalog of calamity-

• My mother-in-law died 7 weeks before I was diagnosed
• 1/2-way into my treatment, my father-in-law was diagnosed with a stage 4 brain cancer;
• a week later we found out we had a $10,000 tax bill (on top of the $10,000 in medical expenses we paid out of pocket)

I was so depleted and overwhelmed, I was afraid I was losing my faith. I found it hard to pray, I couldn't feel God with me like I have at so many other times in my life.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.. full of grace and truth.

I couldn't pray, but I knew other people were, so I relied on and trusted their prayers, your prayers;

I couldn't feel the presence of God, but I could see the Word become flesh in the presence of so many people who came to help us;

Some days it was hard to believe that I would ever feel well again, but others believed it for me, and that was enough to see me through.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

God showed up a lot-more than I can recount. God showed up for me in other people-in flesh and blood and love that I could hang onto.

• My parents made multiple trips to St. Louis from TX to care for us
• Two friends-both Pastors-took precious vacation time to spend a week with me
• My two sisters each took some vacation time to stay with me;
• Libbie Reinking and Kendra Nolde-full of grace and truth-brought lunch and scripture and prayers on numerous occasions;
• Gary Voss (who filled in at St. Mark's for me) brought me Communion and personalized Psalm 27 for me, inserting "cancer cells" as the evil doers who come upon me to eat my flesh, but it is they who stumble and fall"
• Bishop Mansholt took the time to come and visit me. I confessed to him I was afraid I had a weak faith, but Jerry, you didn't seem concerned about that, and I thank you for that gift. In your suit and dress shoes, you walked along the creek with me and brought the presence of Christ.
• Each night Dan read caring bridge entries to me-website to keep people updated
• I received enough cards to wallpaper the bathroom-twice
• Both of our congregations, our neighbors, friends and families from our kids' sports' teams brought us meals every week, and gift cards for food,
• My older brother, Doug, sent me a Mother's Day card-inside was a check for $7,000. I didn't feel I could accept it, but he said I can't take chemo for you, I can't do radiation for you, but I can do this, so please let me.
• Can't say enough about my husband, Dan-he was in pain himself-about his mom's death, he was afraid for me, he was concerned about his dad's illness, yet he held our family together. He cooked, ran our kids to all their music and sports activities, coordinated help and helped me get through each day.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

We have such an incarnational faith that I experienced so profoundly--more than any other time in my life. I think sometimes we can have too individualistic an understanding of our faith experience, but we mediate, embody, and make known Christ for one another. We have faith because we are in community-the community believes and your faith is my faith-I have it only because we are Christ's body together.

It turns out I had the strongest faith I've ever had, because it was faith-not of my own narrow experience, but the Incarnational faith of others who carried me. God showed up by making clear to me that faith isn't just what I can muster on my own, but a gift you, the Incarnation of Christ, gave to me.

The first gift of the Incarnation of Jesus-was a blanket--a swaddling cloth and I received such amazing cloth that reassured me that Christ was wrapped up with me in this experience.

• Quilt- 's from St. Mark's each family made a square; congregation amazingly wonderful
• blanket from a friend of my mom's who I've never even met
• prayer shawl from a friend
• prayer poncho that I'm wearing from my cousin

The gift of the Incarnation also draws me out to find what is redemptive in the brokenness and suffering-to see where grace and truth are for me in this time

God showed up for me in learning to do nothing, to really rest, release myself from the notion that as much as I wanted to live, I am not indispensable-the congregation continues to embody Christ and bear witness to the Incarnation whether I am there or not. In fact it was while I was gone that members working with Pr. Voss got excited about joining the Partnership for Missional Church process. Our theology does not say that we, as spiritual leaders exclusively bring the presence of Christ, but that's how I behave sometimes--in my lack of Sabbath rest; in my getting caught in the perception that it's not real ministry if I, as the pastor am not the one doing it. It's much easier to let that go now. So I ask myself, how do we as a missional church, enable people to see their work in all areas of their life as the embodiment of Christ for the world? How can we become that Incarnation of the Savior for others-- whether they are sick, impoverished, live with violence or injustice-- who don't have the privilege of the kind of support and love that was showered upon me.

God shows up for me in the truth that it's important to really deal with my own pain and being out of control. Luke 10:1-12-is our passage for the PMC process when Jesus sends out the 70-- he says, travel light-carry no purse, no bag, sandals. For me this means also letting go of my own baggage. At first it was hard to go into hospitals, to see people in treatment, to hear other people's medical stories. Every time I did, it felt like I was re-living my own (form of post-traumatic stress). Well, that's an occupational hazard as a pastor. God shows up for me in therapeutic process with a counselor. Completing physical treatment alone is not healing; healing is process of becoming whole and recovering emotionally and spiritually from the trauma. Like Bishop Hansen said this morning, we can't make the congregation or others our therapist--I need to heal completely so this experience can become a blessing to others. The Incarnation leads me beyond the pain into a grace and truth that I am still defined by God and this disease and the scars I carry do not define the limits of who I am or who I can become in Christ.

Finally, God shows up for me in humor. Humor is in itself Incarnational; we really need other people for it to exist-wherever 2 or 3 are gathered.

Reconstructive surgery is a two stage process. The inserted Tissue Expanders when I had my mastectomy, then they add fluid and stretch out the chest muscle. Then there's a 2nd surgery to replace the tissue expanders with the permanent implants.

Now that I have recovered from the frozen shoulder, I am having my 2nd surgery this Monday to put in the permanent implants.

All kinds of jokes have occurred to me about this process--many I can't repeat in a pulpit--

But I did think we could expand our evangelism at church with something like this:

• "things are getting bigger and better at St. Mark's" OR even better--
• "you've seen the red doors, now come see the new knockers!"

I have been healed by love-love I didn't deserve, love I couldn't earn.

Through the grace and truth embodied in these communities of love, I know myself to be incredibly, extraordinarily blessed-to have my family, to the a part of this community, and the privilege to serve this amazing, wonderful congregation (Picture) who is dressed in pink in this picture!

I am blessed beyond measure! Amen.

On Sunday November 1, the combined choirs of Trinity Presbyterian Church and Zion United Church of Christ presented "Promises of God", a cantata by Trinity member Jim Shoemaker.

A high quality recording of the concert was made, and you can listen to it at: http://www.trinityucity.org/PromisesOfGod.html.

Adult Spiritual Growth Offerings

11/1 & 11/8/09: Last 2 Sessions of Countering Pharaoh's Production-Consumption Society Today featuring Walter Brueggemann on DVD:

• Session Four: An Act of Imagination
• Session Five: On Not Doing God Any Favors

"It is a journey from slavery to covenant that we keep making over and over again... [because] Pharaoh has immense power always to draw us back into slavery." - Walter Brueggemann.

11/15/09-11/29/09: Stained glass: Colorful. Luminous. Beautiful.

For centuries, this art form not only told the Christian story to congregants, it also inspired them to believe in it. A rainbow of diaphanous colored light filled stone cathedrals, literally illuminating the good news in a way that captured the imagination. It proved tangibly, John's passage that "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it."

The first lecture on Sunday, November 15^th at 9:30 is on The Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, designed by Henri Matisse, including its stained glass and three great murals. We are blessed to have John Klein, PhD, a member of Trinity and a world renowned expert on Matisse, to lead us on a virtual journey through this masterpiece. Our second study will be a guided tour of the famous Tiffany stained glass windows at Second Presbyterian Church. The third lecture in this series, will be led by St. Louis' Stephen Frei, a descendent of Emil Frei, who now heads the family business, the Emil Frei Stained Glass Company.

Trinity's own Rev. Jane Rand was presented with the Samuel D. Press Award for outstanding Service to Eden Theological Seminary, during the Opening Convocation at Eden in September. Eden President David Greenhaw noted Jane's unstinting and faithful service to Eden through her 24 years of service on the seminary's Board of Directors. During those years, while she was Chair of Buildings and Grounds, the bell tower above the Samuel D. Press Building was repaired and restored. The Rand Rotunda, the entry to the same building, was completed as a surprise gift from their family in honor of Jane and Milton on the occasion of their 50^th wedding anniversary. Dr. Greenhaw also mentioned that he and Jane were students at Eden Seminary at the same time, and he cited her ability to organize and hold things together as a board member, as well as her love of family and of Eden Theological Seminary.

Eden's Samuel D. Press award is named for an 1883 founder of Eden Theological Seminary who believed that piety should be informed by intellectual rigor, and that we cannot separate faith from thinking. His passion for the well-being of the world became active in faith with an ecumenical vision that helped and shaped the ethos of the seminary. The first recipient of the Samuel D. Press award was theologian and professor, Dr. Walter Breuggemann, who was a member of the Eden Faculty and spoke and frequently taught at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

- Brian Muegge

By the time you read this, the 2010 Stewardship Campaign will have ended. The Stewardship Committee would like to say, "Thank you!"

• Thank you for participating in our campaign by attending the education series, listening to testimonials in worship service, and reading this column.
• Thank you for sharing your comments, beliefs, and wonderful ideas.
• Thank you for your pledge to this church-a pledge of your time, talents, and treasures to further God's good work in our congregation.
• Thank you for answering God's call, and saying "Here I am, Lord!"

If you have not turned in your pledge yet, it is not too late. Please send it directly to Linde Baechle, Trinity's financial administrator. You can leave your pledge for her in the office mailbox, or you can call her and share your pledge over the phone.

We'll share the results of the campaign in the next edition of Trinity News. In the meantime we encourage you to continue developing your spiritual discipline of Stewardship. The Presbyterian Church defines a spiritual discipline as "a broad understanding of life choices that a person makes for the purpose of entering into deeper awareness and relationship with God." In our education series and worship announcements, we encouraged the congregation to treat the pledge process as a time to grow in relationship with the Lord. We hope that as you contemplated your pledge, you made it a spiritual process through prayer, scripture reading, and conversation.

Let's all continue these habits throughout the coming months and years-it's not a spiritual discipline if we only think about Stewardship during a yearly campaign! Each time you write out a check for your pledge or drop a loose offering into the collection basket, take the time to thank God in prayer for the bounties in your life and the opportunity you have to give back. Make a commitment of time to our church and other groups doing good works in our community-giving of our God given talents is one of the greatest resources we have to share. Pray always for a generous spirit and a cheerful attitude towards giving, and pray for the wisdom to use that generosity in ways that can grow your faith.

- Dan Anderson-Little, Pastor

Over the past two months, I have shared my vision for the future of Trinity and the reasons why I believe we must change as a congregation. This month I want to share some very concrete examples of why I am so excited about Trinity and why I think we not only can but will meet the challenges of the coming years.

Let's face it, organizational change is hard. It takes a recognition that we need to change, and it requires innovation, energy, and time. My excitement about Trinity's future is grounded in the fact that I already see all of these factors at work.

Recognition

For the past six or seven years, the Session at Trinity has been working on deficit reduction. This effort arises out of a recognition that our current financial structure is not sustainable over the long haul. Recently I had a conversation with a church finance expert. He asked about our deficit and inquired whether it was due to too much spending or too little income. As we talked further, he shared a statistic about Presbyterian churches around the nation: the typical Presbyterian church receives $1000 per active member. This is true for Trinity, so in essence, we are typical. It is clear that our primary financial issue is overspending not poor giving. This realization is a strong endorsement of the Session's decision to move to a financial structure that enables us to live within our means. It also suggests that the Session is on the right track by asserting that if we want to maintain our current ministries, programming and staffing, we will need to grow in the spiritual discipline of stewardship and work on increasing our membership.

Innovation, Energy and Time

Growing Spiritually - I see innovation and hard work occurring in so many corners of the church. A new emphasis has arisen this year that I think is especially important. Our new Stewardship Team is not only doing an incredibly thoughtful job with this year's pledge campaign, they are helping us adopt stewardship as a year round Christian discipline. They are helping us realize the spiritual growth that will be needed for us to thrive as a congregation.

Getting Connected - Another innovation that is significant is the emerging of new small groups. Trinity has always had a handful of vital small groups (Presbyterian Women is particularly notable). This summer, the Equipping Team launched two new small groups call B&Bs. These groups have resulted in two groups also meeting this Fall. But these are not our only new small groups. The Confirmation class is experiencing a revival this year under the leadership of our Minister of Spiritual Growth Dawn Fleishman. Dawn, realizing that our old model wasn't succeeding, moved Confirmation to a once-a-month Saturday evening event. We now have 10-13 kids showing up and growing in their faith. Vicki Carmichael, our Minister of Music - Choir Director has also started a new B&B for kids which meets three Sundays a month after worship. Congregational transformation is a team sport and this new connectedness will help move into the future together.

Reaching Out - This past Spring in our discerning process we heard loud and clear that this congregation knows itself to be called to mission and outreach. Trinity has a long history of such outreach and the past couple of years has seen renewed interest and creativity in this area. Our Food Pantry involves literally dozens of our members from the youngest to the oldest. The God's Child Project has connected not only members but the whole congregation to a specific place (Guatemala) and to a specific ministry. Trinity is currently working on a new project to gather religious communities together to support the University City School District. Trinity is just finishing up working on its fourth Habitat house in eight years. These are just a few of the efforts being initiated and supported by our members.

Gathering In - Trinity is growing in its reputation as a place where people in the community can gather to learn, explore and grow. Every week hundreds of people come to Trinity to learn music, to perform music, to get counseling, to pick-up locally grown food, to discuss great literature, to exercise, to meet, to plan, to make a difference in their world. Our spirit of hospitality is widely known and groups call us seeking space knowing that we are a willing partner in healing and wholeness.

Praising God - This past year has been a challenge for our music ministry. In a move toward fiscal responsibility, the Session made the hard decision to no longer pay for soloists for the Trinity Choir. While we mourn the loss of the wonderful individuals who have found employment elsewhere, the entire music ministry has flourished in this time. New members have joined the choir. New opportunities for playing hand bells and hand chimes are being scheduled. We are exploring new expressions in making music. We are particularly blessed by the tremendous talent and faithfulness of our two Ministers of Music, Vicki Carmichael and Bill Wade. This year has also seen the development of a new worship service. I am not aware of any growing church that offers only one worship service in one style. With The Commons we have begun the work of seeking to offer a variety of worship experiences that speak to a variety of needs.

Making a Difference - What I find most exciting about all of these efforts is that they are not primarily coming from staff but from the members. The Commons, Habitat for Humanity, God's Child, the Stewardship Team, B&Bs, an expanded Trinity Choir, a whole cadre of office volunteers, and the Food Pantry are all rising on the energy and leadership of members. Yes, staff plays an important role in helping to support and resource these efforts, but this congregation has shown over and over that it not only has the skill, but the energy and passion to do whatever God calls us to do.

About a decade ago, a church consultant that I knew spoke about the enormous challenges facing churches in the 21^st Century. He said, "If you have 100 churches that need to change in order to thrive, only ten will even consider it, only five will try and only two will succeed." When I heard this assessment back then I thought, "I bet Trinity will be one of those two who succeed." Knowing what I now know and seeing what I now see, I know that I was correct.

As we make decisions about our physical building and how we use it over the next number of years, we are called to be environmentally conscious in our choices-heating and cooling, lighting, and materials for renovations and repairs. Church Administrator Liz Nelson is interested in pulling together an ad hoc "environmental stewardship consultation team" that can act as a sounding board for the Facilities Commission on an as-needed basis as it makes decisions. If you have passion for "green" living and want to help Trinity make wise choices, please consider adding your input and keeping us accountable as a member of this team. Speak with Liz in the office for more details.

As in years past, Trinity will be compiling Advent readings for the 25 days leading up to Christmas. What will be different this year, as we strive to be wise stewards of our money and supplies, is how the Advent readings will be shared. This year, we will print enough copies to send to our shut-ins and out of town members. We will have a number of copies in the narthex for visitors and members to take, but we do not plan to mail a copy to every in-town member. Instead, we will offer a link to the entire Advent Book on our website and are considering emailing a "daily reading" to our email list.

The Green Team has been considering a more simplified approach to Advent decorations this year. We are exploring some new ideas with the help of our Design Coordinator from Focus on Design by Schnucks Markets, Rhonda Lynn-Moeckel. Anyone wishing to Join the Green Team to help, please contact Luise Hoffman or Elaine Pontious.