Join Trinity for worship this 2nd Sunday in Lent.  Reverend Nguyen will continue her sermon series The Power of Sacrifice.  The theme is " Jesus’ bravery in the face of impending death should inspire and challenge us."  Come and be blessed!

Trinity  was pleased and honored to welcome three new full-professing members into our faith community this past Sunday.  Our new members are Chris Jeffreys, Maggie Hayes, and Marston Copeland.

(Point of interest: Appointed Local Pastors, Deacons, and Elders in The United Methodist Church maintain their membership, not with the local church, but with the Annual Conference where they are connected. Thus, Pastor Esther Robinson's church membership remains with the Florida Annual Conference.)

I served the Florida Annual Conference for 40 years, retiring from active service in June 2023. I am the daughter of UM pastor and missionaries Rev. Morrell and Lois Robinson. I have a brother George who lives in Miami and a brother Steed and sister-in-law Jean in Hillsborough. My dog Finn and I are enjoying the freedom of retirement and this wonderful body of Christ at Trinity United Methodist Church!

Rev. Esther Robinson

Devotions for Holy Week

Please take note of Trinity's Holy Week schedule.

It is the church’s tradition to adorn the chancel with white lilies on Easter Sunday. This year,  all of the  lilies will be delivered to homebound members.

We offer you the opportunity to dedicate a lily in honor or in memory of a loved one. Please send the name  to the church office by March 26^th.  If you have questions or concerns, please contact LaNella Smith  at 919-683-1386.

How did lilies come to be Easter lilies?

According to legend, when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, the flowers bowed their heads in grief and pity. “But the proud lily would not bow its lovely white head.

“The next day, the lily discovered that Jesus was going to be crucified. The flower felt so miserable about how it had acted … that it bowed its head in shame. To honor the Lord Jesus and to show its sorrow, the lily has grown with a down-turned blossom ever since that first Good Friday.”

*This story is adapted from a piece written by Barbara Dunlap-Berg, former internal content editor for United Methodist Communications.

• March 17th @ 12:30 pm - Administrative Council meeting following morning worship
• March 19th @ 6:30 pm - Trustee meeting via Zoom
• March 24th - CROP Walk; registration begins @ 1:30 pm @ Duke Chapel; walk begins @ 2:30 pm. Contact the church office @ 919-683-1386 for more info and to sign-up to be a Trinity walker.
• March 25th @ 6:30 pm - Joint Finance and Trustee meeting
• April 7th - @ 8:30 am - Pancakes for the People

After five years of faithful service as the Corridor District Superintendent, Rev. Mike Frese will return to the local church to begin serving at First UMC (Wilson). After serving First UMC (Graham) for five years, Rev. Claire Clyburn will become the new Corridor District Superintendent, supporting 79 churches.

The Steeple --Effective March 20th, the weekly newsletter, The Steeple, will be sent out on Wednesdays. It is currently being sent out on Fridays.  Please have all information for the Steeple by 12 noon on Tuesdays.  Any information received after that date and time will be in the next week's newsletter.

Preparation for Worship and Worship Reminder -Effective March 20th, these two emails will be combined.The combined email will continue to be called Preparation for Worship.  It will be sent out on Fridays.

Please contact the church office (919-683-1386) is you have any questions or concerns.

The 50th annual Durham CROP Hunger Walk is scheduled for March 24, 2024. The walk will begin and end at Duke University Chapel, on Duke’s West Campus. For the health-vulnerable avoiding crowds, walk a personal route around your neighborhood, or favorite trail or track, and share photos of your walk with us via social media!

Trinity's goal for 2024 is to raise $2,000.00.  You can help by signing up to walk in the narhex and/or sponsoring someone who is walking. Be sure to indicate which university you are supporting.  You can also help by supporting the bake sale on March 10th sponsored by the Warrior Women.  All proceeds will be evenly distributed among the teams.

FACE PAINTERS NEEDED:

Eyes were wide with amazement and sparkled in delight. Even with Trinity’s history of love and generosity for Eastway Elementary School, the truckload of school supplies and art supplies (and of course the box of treats for faculty and staff!) was a wonder to behold. God’s mercies never end. Social Worker, Genee Murray Maddox beamed as she voiced her thanks for Trinity, and Assistant Principal John Guffey expounded, “If a child comes into this school and doesn’t have a pencil or whatever else is needed for the day, the child knows to go to the teacher, and whatever is needed will be provided. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Christ at this school.” The gentleman in charge of wheeling the cart of the supplies into Eastway and onto depleted supply shelves nodded his affirmation in a moment that felt as holy as a soulful “amen.”  Thank you, Trinity family and friends. Your generosity and sacrifice, born out of God’s love, continue to affirm worth and meet needs of children who are part of our future.

Mary Beth Markham and Gwen Palmer - Trinity’s Congregations for Children Committee

Give if you can and call if you need.

Carol Ayres • Vera Stewart • Jane Morgan • Trudy Maness • Family of Richard Freed (Liz Allred’s brother) • Julie Wisecup  • Jane Eason  • Drew Markham