The Trinity Beacon
Spring 2010

From the Pastor's keyboard...

We're now in the midst of that special season of the year called Lent. It began on Ash Wednesday, February 17, ends with the events of Easter. For Christians, Easter is actually the most important day of the year. This is the day we celebrate God's ultimate victory over sin and death. It's in Easter that our eternal salvation was won! That first Easter morning, Christ rose victorious from the dead and God's master plan of salvation was brought to fruition. In fact, it could be said that Easter was really the reason why God became incarnate in the person of Jesus and came to be one of us in the first place. This is why, for Christians, Easter is really more important than any other day of the year. For us, it's a time for joy; a time for celebration; a time for gratitude. But in order to get to Easter, we need to journey through the season of Lent.

Officially, 'Lent' is the period of 40-days (not including Sundays) that immediately precedes Easter Sunday. It serves to remind us of the forty days that Christ spent in the wilderness being tested by Satan before he began his earthly ministry; therefore, using Jesus as our role model, the idea here is for the faithful to use this period of forty days prior to Easter to take a good look at our lives; to evaluate and re-evaluate who we are, and what we are.

It's important because in this life there are so many things that continually push and pull upon our faith; and some of these influences do indeed make it very difficult for us to remain faithful to our God. Believe it or not, one of the things that also often contributes to this is our common conception of God. We tend to think that God will always be there for us - and rightly so, because in fact, Scripture assures us of it. However, holding too tightly to that particular belief, many of us then get seduced by the notion that we can always put God (and his call on our lives) off until “tomorrow”. But the reality my friends, is that one day, that “tomorrow” will come when Jesus comes back in glory; and as Jesus himself said, "It'll come like a thief in the night".

This is why this time we call Lent is so important. Realizing this, why not take the time to observe it seriously and enthusiastically so that these forty days of Lent can lead you to a more thorough and wholehearted commitment of your life to God.

Philip
Rev. Dr. Philip Wilson

During our morning worship on February 28, we were pleased to welcome Deanna Johnson as a new member to the Trinity faith community.

During worship on March 14, we will be ordaining/inducting two new Elders Elect, Deanna Johnson and Betty Tarka. We welcome them and pray for God’s blessing on them as they take on the responsibilities of being an Elder in our congregation.

Regular Sunday morning worship services are held at 10:30 a.m. each week. Special evening services are held on Maundy Thursday, the 4th Sunday of Advent.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be celebrated during the regular morning worship service on March 7th, the third Sunday of Lent. Communion services will also take place on Maundy Thursday, April 1st at 7 p.m. and during the regular morning service on Easter Sunday, April 4th at 10:30 a.m. Communion will also be celebrated during the morning service on June 6th. Come and share this holy feast, which our God so generously offers to each of us. As we partake in the bread and the wine together, we remember our Lord and Saviour, Jesus the Christ; and, as we do, we become closer bound to him – and to each other.

Regular Sunday morning worship services begin at 10:30 a.m. each week.
Special Events
	Used Book Sale Browse through hundreds of “previously enjoyed” books, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, cassettes, LPs and more at our Book Sale on Saturday, March 20th from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Donations of items you no longer care to keep are always welcome.
	Greeting Card Workshop There will be a Spring Greeting Card Workshop to be held on Monday, March 15 at l:00 p.m. in the Church Hall. The workshop and all supplies are free. Everyone is welcome. Kindly sign the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the Church hall if you plan to attend. We need this information for a head count to provide to the instructor so that sufficient supplies can be provided. Come out and make your Easter cards, as well as any other cards you may wish to make for other occasions. For more information, speak to Bev Thomas or phone 905- 383-6734.
	Good Friday Breakfast Bring your family and friends and join us for breakfast at 9 a.m. on Good Friday, April 2. Watch the bulletins for more details.
	Tartan Day Dinner Our Tartan Day Dinner will be held on Saturday, April 10. Enjoy a roast beef and haggis dinner at 6:00 p.m. Watch the bulletins for more details.
	Rummage and Clothing Sale Our Spring Rummage and Clothing Sale will be held on April 24. Do your spring cleaning and bring your donations of “gently-used” household and clothing items to support this sale. Watch the bulletins for more details.
	Benefit BBQ Hold the date, Saturday May 1 for a BBQ sponsored by the Mission and Outreach Team. Willie Ellison will be preparing chicken wings and turkey burgers. Proceeds will go to the Cunaripo Trinidad Church building project.
	Blossom Bazaar and Gramma's Attic The Blossom Bazaar will be held on May 8 in the Church Hall from l0 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gramma's Attic is a part of this Bazaar. We would ask that if you have any trinkets or treasures, such as jewellery, china, small ornaments, etc., that you save them for this event. Kindly contact Bev Thomas at 905-383-6734 or see her in Church for more information. Gramma’s Attic is a very busy table and most definitely worthwhile as it does bring the people in, so please do save up your treasures for this event.

For more event details,
please contact Craig Kerr at 905-575-0209

Our Mission Emphasis for March will be “The Bridge”. This is a non-profit Christian organization founded in Hamilton 20 years ago to help men who are being released from prison. The Bridge supports their transition into society by working with them before they are released and supporting them afterwards. Bridge House provides a place to live, if needed; resources for job hunting and house hunting; activities; and a supportive community.

A Monday night communal dinner and Thursday morning communal breakfast provide fellowship in a safe, positive environment. Currently, about a dozen people are being fed and donations to sponsor a meal are always welcome. Kits with basic personal supplies are also provided to the men and donations of these are helpful - usually about six per month are given out. Clothing, financial donations and, especially, our prayers, are always needed for this outreach program.

The Trinity Reception Team is on hand to serve the needs of our beloved congregation with respect to receptions for showers, anniversaries, funerals, and other gatherings.

We have two menus to choose from and the cost includes the church rental fees. If you have a need for our service, kindly contact the Church Office for information, and they, in turn, will advise our team. We have a lot of very dedicated ladies (and gentlemen) on our team. Blessings.

Respectively submitted by Beverley Thomas, Second Co-ordinator

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Did you have a great time at Crocodile Dock? Well, we're at it again. So if you’re longing for another chance or are sorry you missed it, mark your calendars for

HIGH SEAS ADVENTURE.
We're setting sail this year to spread God's Amazing Love with our children from July 12th to 16th. Our VBS program runs from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and all children are welcome.

So get prepared for some HIGH SEAS ADVENTURES. More information will be supplied later but you can always advise Sandra Hunt if you intend to be on the "crew".

Submitted by Sandra Hunt

Sandra Hunt @ 905-575-008.

Trinity’s Mission Projects are a vital part of this Christian Community. It is through giving to others of our time, talent and treasures that we show in our deeds that we are truly following the Master’s Way in our lives.

The Mission and Outreach team thanks everyone who has been very supportive of the ongoing and special outreach projects at Trinity. Autumn has brought us back to the various monthly events that Trinity has been generously supporting.

Olive Branch Ministry: Trinity volunteers help at the Olive Branch Ministry on the second Saturday of each month as well as providing ongoing support through donations of personal items and clothing.

To assist others, we collect a number of items on an ongoing basis. You can find information in the Outreach Centre in the front entry of the church or ask any member of the team.

The team is always open to receiving new members. If you feel God urging you to get involved, please contact Betty Tarka at 905-383-6337.

Respectfully submitted Ruth Philip

This team meets about four times each year. The mandate is to be pro-active in making all feel welcome at Trinity. We would encourage anyone who would enjoy this form of Christian involvement to speak to Ruth Philip. 

During the year we continue with the greeting. As well we encourage visitors to sign the guest book and to join in the Fellowship Time in the Hall after the Sunday services. We ask those who can to wear name tags in order for all of us to be more familiar with the names of those we see on Sunday.

This team endeavours to maintain contact with as many persons as possible especially with new persons in the congregation or members whom we have not seen in a while. 

After Service Friendship Time: Each month, a Ministry Team or Group serves coffee, tea and chocolate milk with cookies. It is a great opportunity for all to get reacquainted with friends, get up-to-date on events going on in the church and especially to speak to new people.

The Welcome Team also greets each person at the Front Door as well as helps with the distribution of the Bulletins at the Sanctuary Door.

The Caring Ministry Team continues in its endeavours to serve the needs of our beloved congregation. If you know of anyone who might need assistance or a visit, kindly contact Bev Thomas at 905-383-6734.

Get-Well, Sympathy, Thinking of You and significant birthday cards continue to be sent out, if we are informed. If you know of anyone who needs to receive a card, kindly contact Bev Thomas.

Care Notes are on the shelves in the Church Hall near the Choir room and may be taken at any time. These deal with all of life's situations, which each and every one of us may find ourselves in from time to time. Help yourselves to any of these pamphlets that you may find to be a help.

We continue to make laprobes. These are available to anyone upon request. Just let us know.

Blessings.

Respectively submitted by Beverley Thomas, Convenor and Secretary

Another year is almost behind us and we now anxiously prepare for the festive season with family and friends. During the season of Advent, we reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. The gift of Christ our Saviour reminds us all of the real meaning of “giving”. With that thought in mind, I report to you the financial status of Trinity Presbyterian Church.

As of October 31st, our givings were approximately $16,000 below budget. All of our expenses are in line with what we approved at the AGM. The Board has worked hard to ensure that we do not overspend. As I reported verbally to the congregation on November 15th, we were encouraged by our status at the end of the summer; but, for some reason, we have really faltered the last couple of months. The good news is it is not too late to make up the shortfall so that we may be financially solid by year’s end.

It is important to note that because we have this $16,000 shortfall, we have had to borrow from some of our other designated funds in order to fulfill our monthly obligations. Obviously this is not sustainable and these funds are now exhausted.

For those that are unable to attend church every Sunday, please accept a friendly reminder that the PAR program is available to anyone that wishes to participate. We also accept post dated cheques.
The Board is also looking for some new members as we have had three retirements this year. If you feel God calling you in this direction and would be interested in joining the Board, please feel free to approach any Board member. We would love to have you join us.

As this will be the last correspondence for 2009, I know that at this special time of year, and with God’s help, we can overcome our current financial obstacles. Christmas is truly a time of giving and right now, Trinity needs everyone’s support.

Wishing the congregation a Merry Christmas!
Peter Gamble, Chair

Following a lack-lustre summer hiatus, the Senior Choir looked forward to beginning our Fall season resplendent in our brand new Choir Gowns. We completed this project on time and within budget thanks to the "Gown Committee" who also measured each one of us individually. When the new gowns arrived, each was labeled and made ready for the dedication last September. We are very pleased with our new look and hope you are too!

Next on the list was the preparation of new anthems for Sunday Services up to and including Advent. We have sadly missed our leader Auldeen at the helm over the past few weeks but were fortunate to have had the wonderful talent of Dolores Jarvis to carry us through our ministry of music each Sunday. Thank you Dolores!

The Trinity Bell Ringers have also continued to meet each week and took part in the Thanksgiving Service. We are now diligently practicing for our participation in the "Christmas Joy" Concert to be held at Trinity on Sunday evening, December 13th and hope you will be getting your tickets soon.

Christmas Concert

The Kaleidoscope Singers return to Trinity for a Special Christmas Concert once again this year.

Mark your calendars for Sunday evening, December 13th at 7:00 p.m.
Trinity Bell ringers under the direction of Auldeen will be taking part as well as soloists Steven B. Andrews and Simone Caruso. Bring your friends and enjoy an old-fashioned carol sing as well as hot cider and yuletide cookies.

Tickets are $10 per person or $25 per family and will be on sale soon from choir members.

This is a Trinity Fund-Raising Event.

Respectfully submitted by Maureen Colvin

Stewardship Team

This year, the Stewardship Team is working to promote the “Stewardship of all Life". What this means is that all aspects of our life have to be taken into account when we consider what we bring to God; it’s not just about our money – it’s also about our time and our unique abilities (Time, Talent and Treasure).

In order to get some congregational input in this regard, the team organized a “Round Table” meeting which was held on April 1st. The meeting was well attended and we had meaningful discussions on numerous topic areas. Many great ideas came out of that meeting and those ideas have been categorized and then referred through Session to the various Ministry Teams for their consideration and possible implementation. Over the next few months, the Session and the various teams will be looking at these ideas.

We want to thank all who participated in the Round Table meeting. We also ask that you keep each of the Ministry Teams in your prayers as they work through each idea presented to them so that we may indeed realize the "Stewardship of all Life" as we minister to each other – and to the community around us.

For more information on our Team or any of the other Ministry Teams, please contact myself, Mona Satvedi or Denise Lavery.
Dorothy Trebych.

Opportunities for Service

All of our Ministry Teams are important to the overall ministry that is done here at Trinity, and all of our teams can use help from time to time. However, here are a few of our current needs:

Sunday School Teachers: Passing our faith on to the next generation is one of our most important functions as a congregation.
Contact Sandra Brown at 905-561-9743 if you are interested.

Nursery Caregivers: Safe, loving care for the infants and young ones enables their parents to fully join in the worshipping of Almighty God. Please sign the volunteer schedule on the bulletin board or contact Don Rourke at 905-385-5144.

Newsletter Editor: A quarterly newsletter keeps the whole congregation (including our shut-ins) apprised of coming events and other important information. Do you have this type of creative leaning? Is creating such documents something you might be interested in? If so, contact Reverend Wilson @ 905-385-5984.


OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE AT TRINITY

• Welcome Team
• Mission & Outreach Team
• Worship & Service Team
• Stewardship Team
• Senior Choir
• Bell Choir
• Friday Morning Men’s Group
• Tuesday Afternoon Ladies’ Group
• KidZone
• Caring Ministries
• Christian Ed/Sunday School
• Special Events Team
• Session
• Board of Managers

Personal Use of Church Facilities

In order to use the church facilities for some personal purpose, you need to follow this basic procedure:

1. Consult with the secretary to see if the date is indeed available.
2. Obtain permission from the Session to use the facilities. Session Meetings are usually held the third Tuesday of the month – except during July and August. Because of this meeting schedule, you are encouraged to plan ahead.
3. Once permission is granted, fill in the “Church Use” form (available in the office) and give it to the secretary accompanied by a fee of fifty (50) dollars.

After use, please leave the facilities as you found them.

PAR Information

“PAR” stands for “Pre-Authorized Remittance” and is the system that allows you to have your tithes/offerings automatically debited from your bank account on a monthly schedule. Many people find this more convenient than using envelopes. Brochures outlining the program can be found on the table in the front entry or on our website.

You are able to decide in advance which church funds your offering will support each month. You are still able to use a regular offering envelope (or a plain envelope with your offering number written on it) should you wish to make a special offering designated to a fund other than the ones specified in your PAR program.

Church Register

Recent Deaths/Funerals

September 16: Kenneth Murdock MacQuarrie
November 2: George Maynard Laking
November 9: Doris Hilda Shadwell
November 12: Lenore McDiarmid

Last year, the Trinity Presbyterian Church, Hamilton Endowment Fund was developed to look to the future needs of this faith community. In the years to come, it is hoped that resources placed in this fund will ensure that the ministries, programs and benevolences of Trinity will be adequately supported and that the physical facilities will be cared for without placing an undue burden on future generations.

The purpose of the Fund is to provide an opportunity for members and friends of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Hamilton to make bequests or gifts to the Church from their accumulated assets with the knowledge that these gifts will be used as designated by the donor in harmony with the goals of the Church for the ministries of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Hamilton beyond what would normally be possible through the annual operating budget of the Church.
The source of these funds may be from:

• bequests (wills and life insurance)
• gifts from family and friends (not memorial funds)
• RRSPs and RRIFs
• gift annuities
• publicly-listed securities (stocks, bonds, etc.)
• real estate

These funds may be of two types:

• General Funds (preferred) – those whose use of principal and /or income is not designated.

• Designated Funds – those whose use of principal and/or income is specifically designated by the donor.

Please consider contributing to this fund so that our facilities can be properly maintained and that the ministries which Christ calls us to can be adequately supported. More information about this important fund can be found on the table by the front entry of the church.

Honouring the past. Providing for the future

Memorial donations to Trinity Presbyterian Church honour the life and passions of a loved one who has died and help support continuing ministry to future generations. Such a treasured gift enables us to remember and honour not what our loved one died of – but rather what they lived for.

Have you ever noticed that when an obituary is placed in the public eye, very frequently at the end of the notice, they state: “in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to __________.” That blank
is usually filled with the name of the group or organization which helps out regarding the particular ailment that the person died of. But, is that really a fitting memorial to the person who has died? Would it not be more fitting to donate to something the person lived for – rather than what they died of? Think about this whenever you make a donation in memory of a friend or loved one.

To make a donation in memory of a loved one, please contact the church office.

Trinity Presbyterian Church
720 Ninth Avenue,
Hamilton, ON
L8T 2A3

905-385-5984    :: email ::

QUICK REFERNCE

Dr. Philip Wilson
is usually in the office
Tuesday to Friday, from 9 am to noon.

Office Administration
Chris Philips is in the office
Monday to Friday, from 9 am to noon.

Regular Service Hours
Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. Sundays

Summer Hours (July – August)
Worship begins at 10:00 a.m. Sunday

Newsletter Submissions
All ministry teams and groups are encouraged to use The Beacon to get their information out to all the members of our congregation.

Hospital Visits
If you or anyone you know was admitted to the hospital and would like a pastoral visit, please make sure you notify the office (905) 385-5984

Notices for the Bulletin
reports to be printed, or other items for the attention of the office can be left in the mailbox labelled “Office” or sent to our email address:  trinitypc@mountaincable.net

Email Updates
As you may know, the church now has a new email address: trinitypc@mountaincable.net

We recently combined our telephone and internet services and expect a substantial saving over the course of the year. To increase our savings, we are asking that you provide the church office with your email address so that we may send out the newsletters and other announcements via the internet. Printed copies of items will still be available for those who do not have internet access or prefer not to receive items in this way. If you are willing and able to participate, and have not given your email address to your elder or the office yet, we would appreciate a phone call or email from you.