Christmas Tree Decoration

Please contact me, if you have any questions:

Dear Friends,

Advent begins November 27th and lasts up until December 25th, Christmas day.

Here are five things you could do to come closer to the heart of God during this Advent season.

• If start you the day with a cup of coffee at home or at the cafe, could make reading The Upper Room devotional part of your routine.  Copies are in the narthex.  You can also read it on-line by going to “www.upperroom.org/devotional“.  Following Jesus means knowing what he said and what he did.  Reading The Upper Room daily is one way to learn this.

• Others learn best by doing. If you’re one of those people, then take a walk in nature.  Exercise your dog.  Drive your car.  Do your dishes.  Ride your bike.  And while you do these things talk to God. Sing to God.  Tell God your worries. Cry to God.  All this can happen as you do these other tasks.  But you need to commit to doing it.

• Join a small group or Bible study.  Make a commitment. Be willing to be held accountable to others.  We can often find God in community, by listening to and sharing with one another.  You will help someone else grow in their journey by being part of a group too.  There are options for an Advent Bible study, LGBTrinity, Missions, Living Your Strengths (a seven week course in going deeper into how to live the strengths God has given you), Centering Prayer, monthly potlucks and more.  Call the church office at 257-4591 to learn more.

• Learn to just rest in God’s presence.  This kind of prayer is called Christian meditation or contemplative prayer.  Centering prayer is a contemporary re-visioning of this ancient Christian prayer practice.  Learning about Centering Prayer is one of the small group options on the sign up sheet in the narthex.  Or you can read about centering prayer.  A good place to start is with “Sacred Breath: 40 Days of Centering Prayer” by J. David Muyskens published by Upper Room Books.

• Write in a journal daily (or on your computer) and list five things you are grateful for.  Every day prayer a prayer of gratitude to God.  As Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you it will be enough.” Keep track each day of when and where you felt God at work that day.

Through the faith practice of daily devotions, we will not only find God.  But when we come near to God’s heart, we also discover who and what we are meant to be.

Have a blessed Advent season!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Marianne

Thank you all who came, ate, volunteered and took part in Trinity’s annual dinner.

Photos (courtesy Jerry T.) here.

Trick-or-Trunk! Click photo for more.

This fall the Sunday School class made Communion Bread using a special recipe of Jeannie Paniesi’s (from her Costa Rican grandmother). The bread was then used on World Communion Sunday! Click pictures below for more.