December TRINITY chimes 2014 NEWSLETTER OF THE TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH

FOLLOWING CHRIST IN MISSION " is the recovery of how to live in a world of impatience as a patient people." Timing Perhaps God is indeed teaching all of us Timing, as they say, is everything. now not later. I imagine this doesn’t just patience. From the perfect delivery of a joke to describe me. Of humanity’s gifts, patience the appropriate buying and selling of is probably not our strong suit. And this But I think there’s even more than just stocks, timing matters. Is it the same isn’t simply a quirky personality trait. At patience happening here. I think God is with God? What role does time play in our best as people we seem imbued with wanting to grow something new within matters of faith, in elements spiritual? It hopes and longings, especially for things each of us. The incarnation begins not would seem, if we are to learn anything to be right, to be fixed, to be good. How exactly at the birth of Christ, but honestly from the season of Advent, quite a bit. many times has your heart yearned and nine months before. Before God “shows thought likewise as the prophet Isaiah does up” there is growth and preparation Now, to be clear, God is certainly not (and we will hear about on the First somewhat out of view. Could God be contained or constrained by time; God Sunday of Advent), “O that you would doing something similar in my life? In is outside of it. Still, as part of the yours? Mind you, not literally a baby(!) beauty and mystery of the workings of but could this time still be a time pregnant God, God employs creation—the The Lord is not slow about his with possibilities and growth? heavens are telling the glory of God; promise, as some think of and the firmament proclaims his slowness, but is patient with In the month ahead it will be easy to get handiwork—in a larger story of you… - 2 Peter 3:9a impatient, overwhelmed with so much to redemption including you and me and do, just busy with a schedule jam-packed. even time itself. The bible tells us “But tear open the heavens and come down, so But I want to encourage you to wait and when the fullness of time had come, that the mountains would quake at your to wonder. To at least on occasion, step God sent his Son, born of a woman, presence.” We want God to show up and aside from the racing around and stop, born under the law, in order to redeem do something! Like Martha in the gospel breath in and out deeply, and be open to those who were under the law, so that account of her brother Lazarus’s death, the possibilities that God is indeed we might receive adoption as children.” “Lord, if you had been here…” growing something of God within you. (Galatians 4:4-5) When the fullness of Now is the time. time had come, God took action Yet God is here. And has already intimately and personally. We hinted at earlier in the story, there is more So for right now, give it some time and celebrate that as the Incarnation. We going on here than we realize. There is have an anticipatory season of Advent! celebrate that as . something about resurrection. And not just one day in the future, but here and And at the right time, Happy Holidays & But before we jump into Christmas we now, even in this life. Merry Christmas/Fröhliche ! must first get ready. And wait. Now I don’t know about you, but for myself, Which is why we have Advent. As we In Christ’s Grace and Peace, waiting doesn’t come easily. Unlike wait for God, God is already at work in God, I am not patient. I actually tend to our lives and in our world doing Pastor Tom be oftentimes rather tightly wound, something now. The author and very impatient, wanting what I want theologian Stanley Hauerwas says, now not later. I imagine this doesn’t "Advent is the recovery of how to live in a just describe me. Of humanity’s gifts, world of impatience as a patient people." patience is probably not our strong PerhapsTrinity God Reformed is indeed Church teaching of allBrooklyn of us suit. And this isn’t simply a quirky patience. personality trait. At our best as peopleis a congregation of the Reformed Church in America (RCA) we seem imbued with hopes and 66-But30 I60th think Place, there’s Ridgewood, even more than NY just 11385 longings, especially for things to be patience happening here. I think God is right, to be fixed,718.821.2700 to be good. How www.trinityqueens.org [email protected] wanting to grow something new within many times has your heart yearned and each of us. The incarnation begins not thought likewise as the prophet Isaiah exactly at the birth of Christ, but honestly does (and we will hear about on the nine months before. Before God “shows First Sunday of Advent), “O that you up” there is growth and preparation

Worship Candlelight Service Trinity Chimes is currently Our annual Candlelight Worship Service will be held under construction... on Sunday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. This service is one of the highlights of the church year and is an The Trinity Chimes has been brought to you by the hard work of enjoyable event. Come and join us and bring a friend! Deacon Bill Voges who monthly collected news and information as well as a few other items of interest from various parts of the Trinity family Christmas Day Worship and designed a newsletter in much the manner he inherited it six years Trinity will join together to worship the new born King ago. This summer, Bill retired from this venture. We are deeply on Christmas Day morning at 10 am. thankful to him for his service. Without a new Editor and Chief or willing writers jumping at the bit to take it over, it has afforded us the Church Life and Fellowship opportunity to ask new and different questions. Do we need a Christmas Flowers Please use the insert provided to newsletter? If so, should it change? What function does it play? What place your order for Christmas flowers this year. We are the items that need/should be in it? Are there better ways to appreciate you helping us to adorn our church during communicate or co-functional ways, i.e. alongside our website? Always this special time of the year. Order forms may be given with a healthy mindset towards good stewardship, is how and what we to any usher by December 14th. As always, you are currently communicate done best, and how does that fit in with the welcome to take your flowers after our Christmas larger day to day and week to week functioning and running of the Celebration on December 25. church, our ministry and mission? And finally, do we have folks willing

and able to contribute time and energy to accomplish the tasks Grace Notes Choir Concert We welcome the necessary? These questions are still being wrestled with and we hope Grace Notes to Trinity next Sunday afternoon (Dec. have a new Trinity Chimes come to you in the new year. But for now, 14th) at 3 pm for their annual Advent/Christ Choir ponder the questions. And enjoy this temporary Decemeber Chimes! Concert. Entitled, “We’re Glad You Came: A Musical Celebration of the Saviour’s Birth,” it will be a special Stewardship and Finance and beautiful performance. All are encouraged to come! Expenditures for Month of Oct. 2014 Personnel Expenses $ 6,260.00 Making Discipleship and Utilities $ 563.00 Ministry/Supplies $ 0.00 In preparation for Pastor’s Advent Christian Education Open House, everyone is invited Maintenance $ 0.00 Advent Bible Study Spiritual Life/Outreach/Advertising $ 0.00 to come and help make on During the season of Advent we Other Disbursements* $ 3,398.00 Thursday, Dec. 18th in the will be joining together each Total Expenditures $ 10,221.00 Parsonage Kitchen at 7pm. In Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm addition to the traditional spicy to study the scripture lessons Receipts for Month of Oct. 2014 chili pork tamale, we will also be for upcoming Sunday as we Weekly Envelopes $ 5,918.00 making a vegetarian bean and prepare for the Christ child’s Weekly Plate $ 85.00 vegetable tamale. Whether you coming. Please join us! Benevolences $ 333.00 are an old pro at tamale making, Transfer from Memorial Fund $ 0.00 Special Offerings $ 0.00 or have never even heard of them Confirmation Class till now, all skill levels are Annuity $ 1,784.00 Beginning after the new year Other Receipts** $ 1,762.00 welcome! Come learn and share Trinity will offer a confirmation Total Receipts $ 9,882.38 together! class to our early teens running *Office Supplies, Insurance, Coffee Hour, CROP through the spring semester. If Walk, Quarterly Taxes Pastor’s Advent Open House interested, please speak with ** Assessment, NA/Alanon, Coffee Hour, CROP You are invited to celebrate the Pastor Tom. Walk, Children’s Ministry season and fellowship with your Trinity Reformed Church family Mission, Outreach, & Property & Maintenance at the 7th Annual Pastor’s Advent Evangelism DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR? Often, no. So Trinity is in the process of updating the Open House on Saturday, Food Pantry Needed Items December 20th from 7-11 pm. sanctuary sound system and is currently engaged in a Rice, Flour, Pasta, Pasta Sauce, “Sound System Fund Drive.” Please remember Trinity Come and enjoy a Christmas Cereal, Coffee, Tea. Please tamale as well as other for your end of year giving! We thank you for your remember these for the first kindness and generosity! goodies. Hope to see you there! Sunday of the month.