Youth 2015 Servant Adventure

Seventeen Trinity teens and four leaders are embarking on a journey which will culminate in a week of ministry in Northern Idaho next June. The older youth will be joing teens from all over the country at Shoshone Base Camp where they will gather to learn about service as a way of life.  The youth will be serving the rural poor, as well as spending time in Bible study, relationship building, and outdoor activities. The younger youth will be staying at a camp on Lake Coeur d'Alene, where, as a part of their camp program, they will be working alongside children with disabilities.  

All this will happen June 21 - 26, 2015, but before that, there is still a lot of work to do!  The trip will cost the team about $400 per person, and the fundraising has already begun!  (That's where the Christmas wreaths come in!)

There are several things that the youth have decided to do in order to raise money for the trip. Here are some of them:  

1)  Christmas Wreath Sale (runs through Sunday Nov. 9th):  Support the team as you purchase locally grown, harvested, and handmade wreaths.  Contact Mindy Nash with questions (click here).  

2) Trinity's Talent Show & Dinner.  Skip cooking dinner and join Trinity community for dinner and entertainment on Friday, November 21st, 5;30 - 7:30.  Click to here to sign up!  Click here for more details.

3)  Monthly Babysitting Fundraisers.  Two responsible adults and a swarm of teens will monthly babysitting fundraisers at the church on Saturday nights as you do your shopping, chores or a date with your spouse.  Stay tuned for the dates of the upcoming offerings.

4)  Youth for Hire.  If you can use some help with yard work, organizing that garage, pet-sitting, dog-walking, or babysitting oru teens would love to help.  Money is to be paid directly to Trinity and will applied to the teen's fundraising account.  Minimum payment for the hired hands is $10/hr.  Any contributions over $8/hr are tax deductible.  Questions? Contact Julia Corbett here.

Thank you so much for supporting our youth as they prepare for their Servant Adventure

The Learning Center - An Update

Jaquette Easterlin, Trinity Learning Center Coordinator, writes about life in the Learning Center this school year:  "We are off to a wonderful start at the Learning Center, serving more than 50 middle-school students a day! This year's schedule includes an Enrichment section and Academic section within the program. Students have the opportunity to participate in knitting, drama, Slam Poetry, Drumline, and the Bobcat Club Leadership Council—just to name a few of their options."  Kyle Lee, our AmeriCorps member, is getting to know all the kids and says, "It's been a wonderful experience thus far.  I am amazed at how inquisitive the Jason Lee Students are, especially when it come to issues of race and privilege.  I look forward to getting to know them better as the year progresses."  

Jaquette and Kyle are still in need of volunteers and speakers for the Learning Center. Please consider coming one day to share your time and experiences with the students! The Learning Center will have their first evening program for the year on Friday, October 31st at 3:30pm.  If you are willing to prepare a covered dish for the students for that evening or come to Trinity and help them cook a meal, please contact Jaquette at jaquette@tpctacoma.org.  They are expecting approximately 10 - 15 kids.    

A Reflection on the Women's Fall Retreat

A Personal Reflection from Kate Ward. . . .  The Trinity Presbyterian Women's retreat was an incredible experience. Despite attending since 2011, this was my first retreat, but I am so glad I made a resolution to go this year. In this season of my life, I all too often feel too rushed and too busy. The weekend provided a chance to rest in fellowship with other women who listened, shared, and gave hugs, leaving me feeling encouraged and validated. One of the things I appreciated most about the retreat was the opportunity to take the time to get to know more women at Trinity. Together, with the wise guidance of Heidi Husted Armstrong, we delved into scripture, prayed, and worshiped God. Our focus and theme for the weekend was engaging with God's word and I know that many of us felt inspired by being able explore Jesus's teachings as a collective body where individuals had the opportunity to offer up their unique reflections and insight for the benefit of all. This set the foundation for us to be able to raw and authentically express joy, frustrations, tenderness, and mourning. Going deep meant being able to both wipe away each others tears and to throw our head backs and laugh together. The Sunday following the Women's Retreat really drove home for me just how meaningful the weekend was and the enduring impact it will have on my life because familiar faces are now also familiar stories, warm embraces, and continued words of encouragement.

Transformational Presence Month of October Schedule

Trinity Dreams

We all know we need to do something about our building. BUT what does the Trinity that will inhabit this building look like in 10 years?

This Fall at Trinity, the Session & Building Steering Team are involved in a Vision & Planning Process and we want to hear from you! 

SO, we’re inviting every person at Trinity to get involved in TWO ways:

1. Be a part of a Trinity Dreams Conversation 

A 90 minute conversation dreaming together with other Trinity folks about where God is leading us as a congregation. Click here for the Facilitator's Packet.

    If you’re already in a Trinity Community Group…

  Plan to get your group together between now and October 20th to have this important conversation.

    If you’ve expressed interest in a new Community Group….

  Then your first meeting together will be on this important topic.            

    There are also several “open” groups that will be held:

                 Sunday, October 19th at Noon    or    Monday, October 20th at 7pm

2. Write your Trinity Dreams

An invitation to submit a short narrative of an aspect of Trinity’s life (Worship, Children’s or Youth Ministry, Transformational Presence in the neighborhood, etc) as it exists in 2025! Full Instruction page is here. Send your submissions to: dreams@tpctacoma.org Your deadline is Monday, October 27th - MIDNIGHT!

Back 2 School Night Report

A huge Thank You to everyone who helped pull off Tuesday’s Trinity Back To School Night! Many of our neighbors who attend Bryant or Jason Lee received school supplies, backpacks, school physicals, clothing, a BBQ dinner, and a sense of community and hope extended from this congregation! Thanks to many of you who donated supplies, and a special thanks to Immanuel Presbyterian (who donated many supplies and backpacks), the Tacoma Urban League (who donated money for food), and to Walgreens (who provided free immunizations) for the partnership.