Trinity’s DNABy Pastor Mary GravesI love treasure hunts and we are in the thick of a big one. The number one treasure hunt for your leaders right now is finding Trinity’s unique DNA. What is it about us that is embedded in our core, that makes us different, that is most important about us, aka our essence? And why has it been so hard to put our finger on it all these years?

I don’t know if I can scream “Eureka!” yet, but I will tell you what I know from my journey with you these past sixteen plus years. At the core of who you are is expansive and inclusive loving, the kind of love we see in devoted parents, the kind of love we hear described in God:Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child;Like a father who welcomes the prodigal home.(A Brief Statement of Faith)

Expansive LovingFrom your very beginnings in 1955 you have extended the embodied love of Jesus beyond the church’s walls and membership rolls into the community and around the world. Our Nursery School co-op became the standard bearer for helping local moms and dads raise their pre-school children well. Our relationship-driven missions program became the seedbed for the life-changing work of Hope House and Village Enterprise, and now Street Church RWC and Romania World Vision and more.However, the shadow side of that expansive missional loving is that we have developed one side of who we are and neglected another:

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Presbyterian Church

Trinity

Quarterly Newsletter| March 2013

March9

Session meets10

Daylight Savings beginsSandwiches on Sunday

Fusion Second Sunday (youth)Dinner + Movie

12Presbytery meeting

17Deacons’ Dinner for Mexico Mission Trip

and Prayer Partners23

Mexico departure 4:00 am24

Palm Sunday25-29

San Carlos SD Spring Break28

Maundy Thursday worship 7:30 pm29

Mexico return 4:00 pm31

Easter Worship 9:30 & 11 amAll Family Worship

Calendar

Somehow, we need to reclaim the treasured DNA of our expansive loving while finding a balance

between loving our church community and loving our

neighbor in a more focused and sustainable way.

loving and tending to our own. Our recent survey revealed a lack of cohesion and nurture within our church community, which has betrayed our inner DNA, since Trinity has always enjoyed socializing together in one another’s homes (Progressive Dinner) or at the church (October Fest, XYZ), beloved programs/mealtimes that have fallen by the wayside.

Both the relational part and the missional part of our church life are important, but how do we sustain both with fewer people who have less time and energy? Our expansive loving has led us into 34 mission partnerships while we have become a smaller congregation than we were twenty years ago. We live in a frenetic culture that tells us, “you can do it all,” but wisdom tells us otherwise. Somehow, we need to reclaim the treasured DNA of our expansive loving while finding a balance between loving our church community and loving our neighbor in a more focused and sustainable way.

Inclusive LovingTrinity’s loving has always extended to all ages, and we have loved keeping the generations together, whether at a Great Getaway Weekend or supporting our Youth Mexico Mission Trip or in our music ministry offerings and worship. Even though the generations have expanded in number and have a harder time relating to one another, we do notice and lament when any generation is neglected and does not feel included. We are unique that way, loving and enjoying one another as an intergenerational family.

April7

Pastor Mary’s 60th Birthday11

Pastor Josh’s Birthday13

The Song of Mark Musical14

The Song of Mark MusicalSandwiches on Sunday

16Session meets

20TAG Visioning Retreat

8:30-3:30 pm21

TAG Visioning Retreat1:00 -4:00 pm

23Deacons meeting

27Compassion Saturday. Deacons Participating

28All Family Worship

Rowley Farewell Celebration

Trinity is also unique in including people on both sides of the liberal-conservative spectrum. Most churches are labeled “conservative” or “liberal,” but we are more of a “big tent church” that sees Jesus holding together liberals and conservatives and everybody in between. That is rare. We value differences of opinion in a culture that is increasingly partisan, insular and shrill.

The challenge in this is that not everybody wants that spectrum of inclusivity in their church. Some prefer to have programs and worship that fit their generational style; yet Trinity will continue to have glorious organ music and energetic band music; we will continue to have all ages serving side by side in ministry. Some prefer to worship with people who interpret scripture the way they do, yet Trinity will continue to include all who are seeking to know and follow Jesus, no matter what their politics and personal preferences.

No wonder it has been hard to put our finger on this – our loving is so incredibly expansive and inclusive that it becomes our weakness as well as our strength! But with your help, we will zero in on our unique strengths, minimize our weaknesses, NOT try to please everybody, and align our resources with our God-given DNA.

(I would love to hear your response as well as your ideas about Trinity’s unique DNA: mgraves@trinity-pres.org).

Rowley Farewell

CelebrationApril 28

After Worship

What’s Up with Youth Ministry?During the last several months we have been experimenting and evaluating. We have gathered a thoughtful, prayerful group of folks to re-launch a Youth Ministry Team and are studying trends and models. Most importantly, we’re becoming more aware of the vital role played by the family, as well as our extended church family in the spiritual nurturing of students. If we are to have lasting impact on our students we need to think differently about how we minister to them.

Family-based ministry with children and youth is gaining traction as the preferred model. This involves supporting and equipping parents, but also calling the church to come alongside our students as an extended family. With the leadership we have, Trinity is in a perfect position to work holistically and collaboratively toward re-building our youth ministry to this end. We are looking toward leveraging what’s working (i.e. Mexico trip, Quest, Phish Phood, Youth Choirs) and maximizing that energy toward creating new opportunities and relationships. We are also exploring how we may develop our new model within the associate pastor interim position.

It is important that our church congregation find opportunities to come alongside our youth. We need to develop these relationships and build a sense of community for our kids. That might sound intimidating, but you don’t have to be an advisor or a teacher to make a difference. Here are some ideas – but I’m sure you could come up with a few of your own!

continued in left column

Youth Opportunities & Events

Fusion Wednesdays(MS, HS, Lumina)

Dinner, Games and Discussion

Fusion Second Sundays(MS and HS)

Monthly Off-Campus Activities

Phish PhoodMiddle School Sunday Morning

Mexico High School Mission TripMarch 23-29

Let’s build connections!

Pray regularly for our youth, the leadership team and parents

Offer to help cook a meal for Fusion Wednesdays

Talk to leaders about sharing a hobby, interest or activity with students

Seek out a student after worship to introduce yourself and find out who they are

Offer to help with transportation for Fusion Second Sunday activities

Come to see the Mexico students off – or greet them when they return

Help leaders find community service projects that would be appropriate for students

Offer to assist Lumina in the upcoming musical for costumes, sets, staging, etc

Tell students in your neighborhood about Trinity youth events

Offer your party-friendly house for a summer gathering

We are rapidly approaching the dates of our Youth Mexico Mission Trip, March 23-29. Speaking for myself and many others, this is one of the most exciting and meaningful events in the life of our church each year. Why do I say that? Well just look at what it is: a whole congregation sending 20 adults and 50 high school students on a trip that is (1) a huge service project, (2) a team-building experience, and (3) an encounter with Jesus as his spirit lives in our midst today.

This year we’ll build 4 houses for families in need. We’ll experience the joy of praying with these families and seeing their faces full of hope for a better life as we give them each a key to their own new house. We’ll reflect on our own disproportionate share of material comforts, and we’ll talk about the source of true happiness.

You, the congregation at Trinity, have every year made this trip possible, and you have participated in many ways. You donate things for the fund-raising garage sale, you help run the garage sale, you send the team via Commissioning Sunday (March 17th this year), and you have been Prayer Partners for members of the Mexico Team when you select their Prayer Cards.

You have truly made this a community outreach project. Most of the students who go on this trip do not attend Trinity. How wonderful that you are supporting their trip, and giving them an opportunity to grow in their understanding of poverty, social justice, teamwork, and the love that God instills in everyone. And yet,

The Mexico Mission Trip: It’s All about Community

we have always wished that we could spend more time with these students.

This year we’re going to expand our outreach to these students. On Sunday March 17th at 6pm the Deacons will host a dinner for the Mexico Team in Fellowship Hall. All Prayer Partners will be invited. We hope that you will dine and converse with your Prayer Partner, and show them the love that Trinity feels for this community. Then on April 27th (Compassion Weekend) we plan to have a local service project in which the Mexico Team and their Prayer Partners can work together on something that will benefit the community. Thank you again, and stay tuned for more information regarding the April 27th service project.

Palm SundayMarch 2410:00 am

Join the Chancel Choir, Handbell Choir, and

Brass Quartet for a hymn festival on the Passion.

The GGA team has been working hard and is very excited about this year's all church retreat! If you haven't been before, or even if you have, this is YOUR year! What is the GGA? It's Trinity's all church retreat May 3-5 (Fri evening to Sun morning). And we mean ALL...whether you're 1 or 101, consider yourself a single, couple or family, everyone is invited, welcome and encouraged to come.

What can you expect? Friday: dinner, icebreaker/ community building activities for all ages, ice cream social & campfire. Saturday: speaker with coinciding kids program, Lawn Olympics for all ages, afternoon free time to hang out, campfire songs & skits. Sunday: Worship and intergenerational project.

Where is GGA? This year, we're back at Redwood Glen Conference Center, a short 45 minute ride from San Carlos (next to Memorial Park). There is a whole spectrum of accommodations from an accessible hotel to camping.

Why go? It's the perfect opportunity to intentionally slow down and focus on family, friends & God. Unplug from your computer, and take a break from cooking and cleaning and working and studying. It's a great

Trinity's Great Getaway ...It's YOUR year!

May3-5

Great Get AwayTPNS Ice Cream Social

7Presbytery meeting

11Session meets

12Mother’s Day

Sandwiches on Sunday17-18

San Carlos Hometown Days21

Deacons meeting26

All Family WorshipFamily Event 11-1 pm

27Memorial Day Office Closed

opportunity to make connections and feel more connected with the people at Trinity...put more names to all those faces you see at church. Plus, this year we have a fabulous speaker and topic lined up. Our topic is "Trinity - A Beloved Community". The Reverend Melanie Donahoe from The Church of the Epiphany in San Carlos will take us through an interactive weekend, helping us to inquire, brainstorm, listen & share what we envision for our own beloved community. With the TAG consultants helping to identify that our congregation is longing for a more connected community culture, this Great Getaway topic couldn't be more timely. The more who attend, the more effective our collective visioning will be. Reasons Not to Go: None!!! Kids have Spring sports? Skip them...it's one weekend. Come and relax with your family. Too expensive? There are inexpensive options and scholarships available. Don't know who else is going or who to room with? We'll make sure you're not alone or lonely. You deserve a weekend away! Babysitting is available for little ones.

Maundy ThursdayMarch 28, 7:30 pm

One of Christianity's most significant events was brilliantly portrayed by Leonardo Da Vinci centuries ago: The Last Supper. This Renaissance masterpiece is brought to life in Ruth Elaine Schram's remarkable work, "The Living Last Supper."

The music deftly and passionately captures the pathos of the event while, one by one, the disciples speak, expressing their innermost thoughts with brief but poignant monologues that also portray their incredible astonishment at Jesus' assertion that one of them would betray Him that fateful night.

Easter

Worship

The Song of Mark – April 13 & 14

A musical retelling in Two Acts of the Gospel of Mark

Music and Lyrics by Marty Haugen

Book by Chris O'NeillDirected by Bill O'Neill

Music Direction by Grace SchulzPresented by members of Lumina, Joyful Noise and

Kids Alive!Where:

Trinity Presbyterian ChurchWhen:

Saturday, April 13th at 7pmSunday, April 14th at 7pm

Cost:Free Will Offering

The Song of Mark was originally conceived as a One Act Song Cycle in 1996. It was premiered at the National Pastoral Musicians convention in Cincinnati, OH in summer of 1996. I had the pleasure of being in the chorus. Two years later, my father decided to bring the piece to my home church in Lincoln, RI, where we performed it as a concert version. It came to be one of my father's favorite pieces and a legacy for him. After my father passed away in 1999, my brothers and I decided to take the original song cycle and put together a full script turning it into a full length musical. In 2001, we premiered the piece as a whole for Christ Episcopal Church in Coventry, RI. I originated

Text here

the role of Jesus, and my younger brother Nicky played the role of John. The piece has not been performed since then. For me, this play is a dedication to not only my father, but my brother Nicky as well. I hope that you will join us and enter into a piece of my family history. The Song of Mark is not a traditional telling of the Gospel. Do not come expecting to see characters in period costumes, or hear dialogue that sounds like Biblical speech. The Song of Mark is an epic drama performed in a contemporary fashion. Many of the characters have been created based on the way the actor's interpreted the script, and making them more appealing to a modern audience. The music is based on Ancient Gregorian Chant, gospel, traditional liturgical styles, and Hawaiian style. it is uplifting, mysterious, dark, tragic, and hopeful. it is a family treasure that I have been waiting to perform again for over a decade.

Trinity’sWeekly Calendar

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

10-11 am The Vine, CR

Phish Phood, YR

5-7 pm The Song of Mark

Rehearsal, S (through April 14)

6:30 pm C.O.D.A.

(Co-dependents Anonymous)

FR, CR

7 pm Global Outreach Ministry

Team, Mary’s office

(1st Monday)

9:30 am Luttrell Group, CR

1-2:30 pm Staff Meeting,Mary’s office

6-8 pm Passing the Baton,CR (2nd Tuesday)

6-9 pm New Millennium Chamber Orchestra

Rehearsal, S

6-9 pm Cantare Choir Rehearsal, FH

7 pm Deacons,FR (4th Tuesday)

7 pm SFMT,CR (4th Tuesday)

7:30 pm LNMT,CR (2ND Tuesday)

6:30 pm Fusion, (Middle School and

High School, Lumina Youth

Groups)YR, K, FH

7 pm Lumina High School Choir Rehearsal, S

7 pm Odum Group, TWR

7:30 pm A.Y.S.O.,FR

(2nd Wednesday.)

9:15 am Women’s

Connection Bible Study, FR

3:30 pm Joyful Noise Choir

Rehearsal, FH

6:00 pm It Really Works,

(Narcotics Anonymous)

FR

7:00 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal,

S

8:30 am Prayers for Healing, FR

8:00 am Men’s Bible Study,

K, FR

2-5 pm The Song of Mark

Rehearsal,S (through April

13)

7:30 pm Growing Stronger

(Alcoholics Anonymous),

FR

CR = Covenant Room, K = Kitchen, S = Sanctuary, TWR = Teacher’s Work Room, YR = Youth RoomLNMT = Leadership and Nominating Ministry Team, SFMT = Stewardship and Finance Ministry Team

1106 Alameda de las PulgasSan Carlos, CA 94070

tel. (650) 593-8226www.trinity-pres.org