TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

SEPTEMBER, 2010PAGE 1

PATHWAYS

Our Staff

Pastor

Gary HansonHome: 651.501.1820Cell: 651.373.1821gary@trinitywoodbury.org

Pastor Care Coordinator/Admininistrator

Dee LindblomM-F 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.Cell: 651.353.6724dee@trinitywoodbury.org

Director of ChristianEducation

Joe Pendal joewritesalot@gmail.com651.436.3435

Church Musician

Joyce Piper

Choir Director

Neal Strand

Seminary Intern

Kate Soltau

Child Care Attendants

Ali Peterson Nicole Rucker

Custodians

Jeff LindblomKaren Patraw

2125 Tower DriveWoodbury,MN 55125651.738.0045

Hail, Hail, The Gang’s All Here!

Our beloved collegians have returned to their campuses, soon our younger treasures will be crossing the thresholds of their schools for a new year of growing and learning, and for the rest of us the full grind begins as longweekends and ghost-town offices give way to business as usual.A longtime Trinity member and parent was overheard reciting the full schedulesand hours-long homework assignments soon upon the family. The sad reality ischoices have to be made, in order for one thing to happen invariably somethingelse must be sacrificed. So much to do, so little time to do it ... families and thekids in them are stretched and stressed.Summertime provided its annual respite from the pillar-to-post lives we lead ... atleast for the most part. And things even slowed down around Trinity. But now asour attention turns to the Fall ... let us not be overwhelmed, let us instead beenergized by all the opportunities that lie ahead. Whether it is a new high schoolfootball or soccer season, academic and extra-curricular life, quarterly businessreports, car pooling or whatever it may be, let us seize upon each of these thingsas opportunities given us by a loving God to enrich our lives.Among the meaningful, hopefully enriching, opportunities are Trinity’s SundayWorship and the host of Christian Education and fellowship programs that beginin earnest with Rally Sunday on September 12. Trinity embarks on areformulated Sunday School program for kids, and a Wednesday programdesigned for all ages of the church.These programs are not one more heavy weight to be added to your load, butrather are intended to provide us an opportunity a couple times a week to stepoutside of the regular routine and connect in a purposeful way with our God andwith our church family. Consider these programs a reminder of the time Summer afforded us to step back and catch our breath ... let Sunday and Wednesday atTrinity offer the same rejuvenating res pite throughout the year.Take a few minutes to read about the exciting things going on around Trinity.Friday Fellowship: A time to share, pray and discuss. From now on, theFriday Study Group will have a new name and a new focus. The groupwill still meet each week from 10 – 11:30 at Trinity, but there will no longer be a formal study which changes every 6-12 weeks. Instead, a new anddifferent spiritual, Biblical or inspirational topic will be introduced eachweek. Come if you’re searching, hurting, joyful or just want to discuss or listen to a variety of ideas with other men and women. Come to meet andenjoy the fellowship of others! The new format kicks off Friday, September 10. Any questions please call Beth Hanson (651) 501-1820.

NEW NAME, APPROACH TO FRIDAY GATHERING

TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

SEPTEMBER, 2010PAGE 2

Contact ListBuildings & Grounds

Mike Schenck 739.3727

Christian Education

Gretchen White 337.0159

Clerk of Session

Marnelle Andersen 735.3287

Marketing/Communications

Kara Klink 735.0866

Mission&Action

Joan Nichols 714.8314

Moderator of Deacons

Kathy Wilkinson 731.7607

Newsletter

Joe Pendal 436.3435

Nominating

Wilson Ekinde 501.3661

Nursery Coordinator

Katy Gavin 304.7945

Pastoral Care/Prayer Chain

Dee Lindblom 738.0045(dee@trinitywoodbury.org)

Personnel

Bruce Williams 731.8233

Special Events

Barb Freeman 731.1220

Stewardship&Finance

John Upson 730.9690

Worship

Debi Espe 730.6805

MUSINGS AND AMUSINGS

...

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

This fall, I look forward to beginning my eleventh year with the good people of Trinity. As per usual, each September there are a few changes,and this one is no different; yet I think all for the good. We are revisingour Christian Education schedule particularly on Wednesday nights, andattempting to offer more educational opportunities for adults. All youreally need to understand is one thing: EVERYONE IS INVITED!Sunday mornings for adults will continue our pattern of offering asuccession of interesting and faith-enriching presentations ranging from adiscussion on the recent General Assembly to an examination of the topicof God & Suffering. In addition to this traditional 9:00 offering, parentsalso have a choice of a Faith & Fellowship gathering in the library: coffeeand good conversation.This year our Sunday School program for PreK-6th Grade introduces theRotation Model. Each month we focus on one story or theme fromScripture, and from week-to-week the kids will learn about that story or theme from a different perspective: Science, Art, Drama, Music and BibleStudy.Wednesday night is where change is happening in a big way. While theLOGOS program has served this church well for the past ten years, thetime was right for a change. This year we introduce Trinity ALIVE!,which truly brings a "whole church" experience to our congregation. This program has something for all ages. Everyone from the youngest to theoldest is invited to participate -- and you don't need to have children in the program to do so. Come join us at the very least for the Church FamilyDinner from 6:00-6:30 and perhaps stay for your choice of one of threeadult learning opportunities.Worship continues each Sunday at 10:00 a.m., and our Christian Educationstarts at 9:00 a.m., Sept. 12 with Rally Sunday. The first Trinity ALIVE!is Wednesday, Sept. 15. Read more details about our programs throughoutthis issue of Pathways. If you want more information, please give Joe acall at 651-738-0045. I sincerely believe that besides worship, nothing ismore important in the life of the church than learning and the fellowshipthat goes with it. Let's all be together this fall at Trinity, and take part inthe educational (which are fellowship) opportunities of this congregation.

Gary

TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

SEPTEMBER, 2010PAGE 3

Christian Education Update:

Only a Few More Shopping Days Left ‘til Rally Sunday!

Or ... in the eternal words of the legendary barker of basketball boosterism, Dick Vitale: IIIIIIIIIIIIT’sSHOWTIME, BAAAAAAAABBYYYYYY!!!!!Well, just about. Hopefully you’re reading this over Labor Day weekend. If so, that means there’rereally only about six days until Trinity’s newChristian Education year begins. It may not comewith the same fanfare as January 1’s Time Square ball drop, but when we all gather at 9:00 a.m. onSeptember 12 for Rally Sunday, excitement will fillthe air. (And the delicious scent of Dishes-to-Passfor our Potluck will permeate the halls.)You’ve read about it, you’ve heard about it, you mayhave even talked about it ... but beginningSeptember 12 you will get to finally experience it.That IT is actually several ITs.

Leave the Bullpen and Join the Rotation

While Sunday remains pretty much the same for adults ... the biggest change will be noticed by our children. Sunday School implements the RotationModel, an approach created in 1990 by aPresbyterian Church in Chicago. Over the pasttwenty years, the Rotation Model for Sunday Schoolhas spread to thousands of churches across manydenominations.The key element, and what is hailed as the reasonfor its success, is the concept of rotating childrenfrom class-to-class, week-to-week, to experience aBiblical story multiple times from different points-of-view. Grade cohorts remain intact, but rather than have one teacher preparing a new lesson eachweek, the kids switch teachers. This also enablesour volunteer teachers to prepare one lesson for aseveral week period, making age-appropriate tweaksfrom week-to-week rather than having to prepare awhole new lesson every week.Because we believe this new approach is going tooffer the kids a very different experience, and onethat will hopefully generate a lot of conversation andenthusiasm ...

PARENTS ARE INVITED TOACCOMPANY THEIR KIDS

to any or all of their Rotation classes.For the youth, Confirmation Class will be held eachSunday from 9:00-9:50; and we continue our YouthSunday School program following Worship from11:00-11:50.

Adult Sunday Education Hour

The 9:00-hour for adults is unchanged from lastyear’s successful program. We continue the longTrinity tradition of offering topical adult classes thatoften combine lecture presentations with vibrantgroup discussions.We are pleased to offer for the second-year in-a-rowthe 9:00 gathering in the library known as Faith &Fellowship. This time together begins with a brief on the Sunday School lesson the children are havingand moves on to a wide range of conversation aboutlife, faith, parenting, and more. Ostensibly offeredfor parents of Sunday School children, this gatheringis open to any one seeking faith-orientedconversation and a good cup of coffee (or maybethat’s good conversation and faith-oriented coffee?).

Have You Heard About Trinity ALIVE!?

Trinity enjoyed a successful ten years with itsWednesday LOGOS program. We learned, welaughed, we played, we prayed ... together. Most of all we learned that having a Wednesday program for our kids is a vital piece to our congregational life.Inspired by the joys of that program as experienced by our younger people, we move to what seems likea natural extension: a program that brings the wholechurch together, regardless of age, for a midweek time of faith, fellowship and fun.Kids PreK-6th grade will enjoy a Bible Study class,from 5:00-5:50, using the Live BIG curriculum.At 6:00 everyone should arrive for the ChurchFamily Dinner (samples of which will be availableduring the Rally Sunday Potluck).Then from about 6:30-7:20, while kids enjoy RecTime, adults choose from three learningopportunities and the youth attend Bible Study.The fun begins Wednesday, Sept. 15. Please join us!