Pathways MARC H 2 0 1 0

TR IN I TY PRE S BY TER IA N C HURC H

EASTER PRAYER VIGIL

TRINITY
PRESBYTERIAN STAFF Plan to make some time this Holy Week to par-
ticipate in our Easter Prayer Vigil. The vigil will
Pastor
Gary Hanson run following the conclusion of our Good Friday
Home: (651) 501-1820 Stations of the Cross (approximately 9 pm Fri-
Cell: (651) 373-1821 day) and run until 8 am Easter Sunday morning.
gary@trinitywoodbury.org
(Our first worship service will start at 9:00 am
Sunday.)
Administrator/Pastoral
Care Coordinator
This vigil provides a unique opportunity to expe-
Dee Lindblom rience our church building in a way that most of
Mon-Fri 8:30am-2:00pm us never have: alone and deep in prayer with
dee@trinitywoodbury.org God.
Cell:(651) 353-6724
Many of the participants from last year have said they’re looking for-
Christian Education ward to the experience again this Holy Week. I invite you to join us in
Director this time of reflection and meditation during the end of Lent, thinking
Joe Pendal
joe@trinitywoodbury.org and praying about the joyful celebration of victory on Easter morning
(651) 436-3435 worship.
Based on last year’s experience, we’ve made a few changes: we will
Church Musician close the church from midnight until 5 am on Friday and Saturday
Joyce Piper
(651) 458-0341 night (these overnight hours were the least popular and most difficult
to handle logistically) and we are working on some optional materials
Choir Director which may help guide an experience for new participants in this vigil.
Neal Strand
Each spot in the vigil runs for 60 minutes. More than one person may
(651) 501-8225
sign up for a given time slot, but our goal is for every hour to have a
Child Care Attendants participant, and if you like, you may sign up for more than one spot.
Amanda Ulrich
Kristina Deneen
There will be a sign up sheet in the Welcome Room, or if you prefer,
you can reserve a spot by calling or emailing the church office with
Custodians some available time preferences.
Jeff Lindblom - Mark Allen
Karen Patraw

2125 Tower Drive Daylight Saving Time begins on

Woodbury MN 55125 Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 2:00
Phone & Fax: am.
(651) 738-0045 Set your clocks an hour forward be-
fore you go to sleep Saturday night!
Page 2
MUSINGS AND AMUSINGS FROM THE PASTOR…
Committees
Building & Grounds
Mike Schenck 739-3727
Christian Education
Kirk Breen 436-4212
Gretchen White 337-0159
Clerk of Session
Marnelle Andersen
735-3287
Communications
Susan Jamison 578-7100
Long Range Planning
Darryl Willison 739-2674
Mental Health Group
Dee Lindblom
738-0045 or 353-6724
dee@trinitywoodbury.org
Mission & Action
Joan Nichols 714-8314
Moderator of Deacons
Garry Espe 730-6805
Newsletter
Mark Allen 204-3188
newsletter@trinitywoodbury.org
Nominating
Wilson Ekinde 501-3661
Nursery Coordinator
Katy Gavin 304-7945
Pastoral Care
Gary Hanson 738-0045
Personnel
Steve Theiss 578-9348
Prayer Chain
Dee Lindblom
738-0045 or 353-6724
dee@trinitywoodbury.org
Shared Ministry
Marnelle Andersen
735-3287
Special Events
Barb Freeman 731-1220
Stewardship & Finance
John Upson 730-9690
Worship
Kara Klink 735-0866
Pathways
I have never liked being bored. My parents would not tolerate
either my sister or I being bored with ―nothing to do,‖ and Beth
and I have tried to instill that in our children. One theologian
once was said it was a sin to bore others with the gospel! As a
pastor, I try to be particularly sensitive about not boring people
with the Christian message. I won’t forget a Children’s Message
where I was naïve enough to ask the boys and girls gathered in
the front how they felt about being in church that Sunday morn-
ing. One little boy raised his hand and shouted, ―It’s boring!‖
Some adults probably agree with that little boy’s opinion.
Although many of these people grew up in the church, they may
have become captives of the ―boredom syndrome.‖ Their faith
has lost its vitality; their spiritual lives are stuck in neutral.
Thank God for Lent! In addition to a time of meditation and
reflection, Lent is a time for new beginnings, a time for rediscov-
ering the Christian faith as the great adventure God intended it
to be. The spirit of the season reminds me of a comment by
Thor Heyerdahl, Norway’s famous modern day adventurer. He
once built a Polynesian-style raft called Kontiki, and sailed it
from Peru to the Far East to prove a point about ancient migra-
tion patterns. He observed that the real dangers on such an
adventure was not out in the middle of the ocean, but closer to
the shore. Near the shore, a boat could run aground on a sand-
bar or a shallow reef. It could get dashed against the rocks or
swamped by the pounding surf. On the open sea, there were no
such dangers, only the freedom of the wind and the mystery of
the deep.
Think of faith in the same way. The closer we stay to the
―familiar coastline‖ of our present faith and spiritual awareness,
the more likely we are to run aground on the shores of boredom.
However, by stretching ourselves out of our comfort zones, and
venturing into new areas of Christian understanding (such as
studying the bible or a renewed prayer life) might help to pre-
vent this disaster. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you along in your
Lenten journey. May you never be bored in your life or your
faith!
Sincerely,
Gary
MARCH 2010 Page 3

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Equipping Parents Series

Volume 1, Article 1
The Lord’s Supper
When Is It Appropriate for My Child to Receive Communion?
Our title question is not as simple for parents to answer as one might think … Trinity does not
require Confirmation or even being a participant in Confirmation to participate in the Lord’s
Supper and we don’t have first Communion classes to prep children.
As with many things-Presbyterian, Trinity and the PC(USA) are flexible on when it is appropriate
for a child to take part in the Lord’s Supper.
Before going further: for those of you who have children already taking Communion, this is not
a shout out of condemnation or disapproval. While it is always tough to put the genie back in
the bottle, if after reading this and talking to your child you do not feel they are ready
to receive Communion, then don’t allow them to take it again until you feel they’re
understanding has matured.
From the time Martin Luther nailed his 99 Theses to the monastery door at Wittenberg all the
way to recent times when several Protestant denominations opened their Communion Tables to
one another’s communicants, one of the most vigorous and enduring debates throughout church
history are claims about the bread and the wine, and the presence of Jesus.
For our Catholic friends, the bread and the wine become the real body and the real blood of
Christ at the invocation of the communion prayers by the priest. This is known as transubstanti-
ation.
Since the days of John Calvin, Reformed theology (by which we are led) concludes as Luther did
before him, that the bread is bread and the wine is wine. But unlike Luther, we do not conclude
that Christ is mutated into the bread and wine. Rather, Presbyterians say that during the Lord’s
Supper Christ is present at the table with us, and by the power of the Holy Spirit communicants
are united with Christ in His suffering and brought together as a community of believers to com-
memorate both His direction to ―do this in memory of Me‖ and the very real sacrifice of His body
and blood for our deliverance.
Whew! That’s at least one semester of seminary in a paragraph and a half. But this is im-
portant stuff. So what about my kid? When can she receive communion?
Simply put, if your child is baptized and you believe that he or she understands what
the Lord’s Supper is, what the bread and the wine represent, then he or she is ready
to participate. If your child can even articulate the idea that it is what Jesus did at the Last
Supper or that it represents what Jesus did for us on the Cross, then she is ready to participate.
The bottom line is that in the Presbyterian church we celebrate two sacraments … Baptism and
the Lord’s Supper. While other churches have more, Reformed theology holds that these two
are the only two instituted by Jesus during His earthly ministry. Given that level of importance,
it is critical that each time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper it is done so with dignity and integrity.
Obviously no one is going to be in trouble, or struck by lightning, if a child participates prema-
turely; however, allowing the casual or even ignorant participation in this holy sacrament risks
the child never developing the awe and appreciation for the sacraments, or church, or perhaps
even what Christ does on our behalf. - Joe Pendal
Page 4 Pathways

MARCH BIRTHDAYS
MARCH 20 Jane Willison
4 Greg VanderVeer 22 Pam Drehmel
5 Devon Breckle Karen (Lindblom) Patraw
8 Jay Wilkinson 24 Andy Mayfield
10 Megan Rooney 25 Sean Finn
12 Lacy Gram Mike Schenck
13 Kevin Bensen 26 Laura Theiss
14 Allison Fisher 27 Ryan Schenck
Liam Pendal Kelsey Strand
15 Brian Fisher 29 Debi Espe
16 Sue Betten
18 Dorianne McCreary We regret if we missed your birthday;
Arlene Richards
if we have, please phone the office!
Julie Sinks
19 Dan Schenck 738-0045

PARISH PERSONALS:
 Sympathy for Jay Wilkinson on the passing of his father, Dr. W. Kenneth Wilkinson,
who died February 14 at the age of 92 of complications from Alzheimers.

 Congratulations to Joyce Piper on the birth of her grandson, Edward David Piper, born
on February 24.

TRINITY BLOOD DRIVE RESULTS

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making this
year's blood drive such a success. Trinity's 4th annual blood
drive was held on January 29, 2010. Our goal this year was
to provide 35 units and we produced 29 during the five-hour
period. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to
greet and register donors, for those who operated the canteen
and for those who took the time and effort to donate.
We have already scheduled next year's blood drive for Friday,
January 28, 2011 so mark your calendars!
- Bob Anderson

"DO YOU LOVE ME?....FEED MY SHEEP” - John 21:16-27

MARCH 2010 Page 5

MISSION AND ACTION: GOING WHERE LIFE TAKES YOU

Never in a million years would I have dreamt In the subsequent years, I have gone to Yaxa-
that I would become connected with the Mayan cu, Yaxunah, San Angel, Dzoyola, Ramonal and
people of Mexico – but I have. For the past 15 other less traveled vacation spots in the middle
years, I have journeyed down to the Yucatan of the jungle of the Yucatan. We set up medi-
and participated in projects with the organiza- cal, dental, optical, pharmacy and construction
tion called ―Intercambio Cultural Maya.‖ The projects for the residents of the villages.
first summer when 7 of us from Trinity arrived My assignment includes health education pro-
to help with construction of an education wing/ grams for the villagers and overseeing intake
hurricane shelter at Ebenezer Church in Cozu- into the clinics. This past trip, we were in
mel, was an eye-opening experience. The work Kuxeb. The medical clinic saw 683 people dur-
was very strenuous and I collapsed into the ing our stay. During our ―off‖ hours we visited
hammock early each evening. No, I would with ―our Mayan families‖ where we resided
never return! for the week. How many of you have slept in
a hammock or taken a bucket bath or made
Well, the next summer my son Craig wanted to
tortillas from scratch?
go again so he twisted my arm and I gave in.
Back to Cozumel. I learned to pace myself Thanks to all of you at Trinity for your on-going
while I shoveled sand, gravel and hauled blocks prayers and support and giving me the oppor-
to a second story of the building. Not so bad! tunity to go where life takes me! If you are
I also opened my eyes to the people and decid- interested in coming along talk to me about
ed the best aspect of the trip was building rela- this coming summer trip or go to the Intercam-
tionships. We shared meals, laughed at silly bio website: http://www.intercambio-
things, sometimes cried with frustration, expe- maya.org.
rienced church services in Spanish, communi-
- Sue Bergeron
cated with limited knowledge of the language
and realized we are all children of God.
Throughout the years these relationships have
grown and I always look forward to seeing my
Mexican and American friends.

HANDMADE CARVINGS TO HELP VILLAGERS

Carvings crafted by the Mayan villagers of Yaxunah, Mexico are on display in Trinity’s
Welcome Room. Yaxunah was a 2008 Intercambio trip destination. These items are a vital
source of income for the people of Yaxunah. Many hours are spent carving each individual
piece. Your contribution helps the villagers! If interested in purchasing a piece, payment is
to Sue Bergeron. Thank you.

LENTEN BIBLE STUDIES CONTINUE

Knowing God’s Triune Story by Michael Lindvall is the weekly bible study class led by Pastor Gary Hanson on
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 in the library.

Pastor Hanson is also leading the THE FRIDAY STUDY GROUP from 10:30 – 11:30 am. Join the group
whenever you’d like, or if you miss the Wednesday evening session. Books are still available.
Page 6 Pathways

PASTORAL CARE MESSAGE

One of the many ministries actively serving the
congregation of Trinity is the Prayer Chain Minis-
try. The Prayer Chain is where people send their
joys and concerns to be lifted in prayer by a dedi-
cated group of church members who pray for specific needs that are requested by those who
need prayer or who request prayers on behalf of someone who needs them.
One of the metaphors used in the New Testament for the Church is that the church is the ―Body
of Christ.‖ Jesus is the head of the body, and the prayer chain can be thought of as the circula-
tion system. The prayer chain is the network which communicates with the head and the whole
body to feed it needed nutrients, to activate the power to fight external viruses and bacteria,
and to bring healing by bathing wounds and infections with the prayerful commitment of white
blood cells. Blood is a good analogy because prayer for others is a gift freely given without ex-
pecting something in return.

For the most part behind the scenes, the prayer chain faithfully intercedes on behalf of our
―spiritual‖ family by lifting up specific requests, concerns and emergency situations, as well as
joyful thanksgivings. If you are unfamiliar with how it works, prayer chain members receive e-
mails from the church office describing the prayer requests and/or the thanksgivings being cel-
ebrated, and then pray for each one. Such requests are treated confidentially and will not be
shared with the entire congregation unless the recipient wishes them to be.
Perhaps you have heard the prayer chain described as the ―spiritual alarm system‖ which com-
municates and takes prayerful action on the needs of the congregation, community and global
needs. This network of prayerful people take action on behalf of the congregation in response to
Jesus’ encouragement to "ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door
will be opened" (Mt.7:7).
If this ministry of prayer is one you feel called to, contact me at dee@trinitywoodbury.org or
738-0045. Likewise, requests to be shared through the prayer chain can also be directed
through me. The power of prayer is immeasurable, and I would like to see more of our church
members call on us in their time of need.

Blessings, Dee Lindblom

THINK SPRING Potluck!

Trinity’s Social Committee invites
you to the ―THINK SPRING‖ potluck
lunch following worship on
Sunday, March 21 .
Look for a sign up sheet soon!
MARCH 2010 Page 7

MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

RESOURCES
 Suicide Hotline
E ating disorders are more than just going on a diet to lose
weight or trying to make sure you exercise every day.
They're extremes in eating behavior — the diet that never
800-784-2433
ends and gradually gets more restrictive, for example. Or the
 HSI Crisis Line (Emergency person who can't go out with friends because he or she thinks
Mental Health) it's more important to go running to work off a piece of can-
651-777-5222 dy.
 NAMI (National Alliance on Men-
The most common types of eating disorder are anorexia ner-
tal Illness) Information Helpline
800-950-6264
vosa and bulimia nervosa (usually called simply "anorexia"
and "bulimia"). But other food-related disorders, like binge
eating disorders, body image disorders, compulsive overeat-
ing, and food phobias, are showing up more frequently than they used to.
Researchers are unsure of the underlying causes and nature of eating disorders. Unlike a neuro-
logical disorder, which generally can be pinpointed to a specific lesion on the brain, an eating
disorder likely involves abnormal activity distributed across brain systems. With increased
recognition that mental disorders are brain disorders, more researchers are using tools from
both modern neuroscience and modern psychology to better understand eating disorders.
Neuro-imaging, such as the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is already used to identi-
fy abnormal brain activity in patients with schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and de-
pression. It may also help researchers better understand how people with eating disorders pro-
cess information. In addition to genetic and brain systems information, researchers are studying
behavioral questions to understand risk factors, identify biological markers and develop medica-
tions that can target specific pathways that control eating behavior.

C ome to learn more about this illness on Monday, March 22, 6:30 pm, when Keri Clifton
from The Emily Program will present "Uncovering the Myths Around Eating Disor-
ders." In this workshop she will define eating disorders and cover a range of topics from how to
prevent this disorder, to how to approach someone you think may be suffering from an eating
disorder, to how a person with this illness can recover.
The Emily Program is one where individuals and their families can find comprehensive treatment
for eating disorders and related issues in the Twin Cities. Comprehensive psychological, nutri-
tional, medical and psychiatric care is available at multiple locations across the metro area and
Duluth.
Learn more about the Emily Program at www.emilyprogram.com
More information about eating disorders: www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/eating-disorders

B e sure to check out the new website for the Faith-Based Health & Wellness Network,
an initiative Trinity is involved with other churches to provide education and information
about mental, physical and cognitive disabilities: http://www.fbhw-mn.org. We plan to add
more tabs, including the videos from the Monday night programs we present, so check back of-
ten! Our planning team would love to benefit from the skills and talents that some of you have
and might be willing to share with us. We could use help with publicity/marketing and being
present to set up and serve refreshments on the 4th Monday evenings of the month. Ideas and
contacts for presentation topics would be most welcome! Contact Dee at 738-0045 or
dee@trinitywoodbury.org to be part of this community-building endeavor.
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the church website:
Trinity Presbyterian http://www.trinitywoodbury.org
Church
2125 Tower Dr
Woodbury MN 55125 Next Newsletter Deadline:
651-731-0038
info@trinitywoodbury.org March 15, 2010

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ACTIVITIES AT TRINITY

Sunday Schedule March Upcoming Events

Pastor’s Column 2
Schedule
Education Hour
March 21, 11 am
9:00 am
Christian Education 3 Think Spring Potluck
March 7
Worship (following worship)
10:00 am Communion
Birthdays 4
Fellowship and March 14
March 22, 6:30 pm
Coffee
March 21 ―Uncovering the Myths
Mission and Action 5 11:00 am Around Eating
Youth Education Hour March 28 Disorders‖
Pastoral Care 6 11:00 am Palm Sunday

April 1
Mental Health 7 -=- Maundy Thursday
Child care is April 2
available during Good Friday
worship service
April 4
Easter

Additional parking is available in New Horizon’s parking lot

directly across from Trinity and by parking along
one side of the driveway.