New  Pancake & Sausage Breakfast, March 30

There will be a pancake and sausage breakfast on March 30 from 7:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at TFUMC.  Cost is donation.  proceeds to benefit the Sr. High Youth Missions Trip to New Orleans to work with the Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Recovery Ministry.  Come one and all to enjoy a great breakfast--bring your friends! 

New  Communication Outlets

Have you been receiving your emails detailing the announcements for the week?  I hope you are enjoying those as much as I am!  Oftentimes I don't get home from church with my bulletin and list of the week's activities.  When the email comes, I can grab my calendar and write in the things that I have a need to remember.  If you would like to submit something, even if it doesn't go into the bulletin, send it by paper or email to the church office by Friday morning.  If you are not receiving those emails, let the office know by phone, email, or note in the opportunities section of the bulletin and your name will be added to the list.  Furthermore, be sure to add our church website to the list of favorites on your computer!  Tammie Faitz works very hard to keep that up to date.  Any information or announcements you would like to add to it can be sent to her or to the office.  Check it out regularly to see what is happening among our church family!  The NOW committee is continuing to pursue avenues of communication to keep everyone informed of church events and news.  The current list of ways in which we communicate information is lengthy and includes the bulletin, newsletter, website, prayer chains (phone and email), prayer concerns in email form from Sunday morning (from Kim Tremmel), specific emails to announce a particular event or need, and announcements from the pulpit on Sunday morning.  If you have any further suggestions for other means of communicating among the church family, please send them to the office or to a member of the NOW committee.  My email address is sklein1@charter.net.  - Sheila Klein, Chairperson, NOW committee.

New  Amy Moorhead's Mission Trip

If you were in worship on January 6, you heard a powerful message from Amy Moorhead about her college experience and going deeper in her relationship with Jesus Christ.  One of the responses to that growth in her faith is her commitment to go on a mission trip with seven other women from her college to Ukraine this summer.  This is a 3-week trip mission to do orphanage ministry.  If you would like to support Amy in this mission, you may write a check payable to the church with "Amy Moorhead Mission" in the memo line.  We will then write a church check to her college for the mission trip.  Here's Amy's message to us:  "More than anything, I want to ask for your prayers for me and the team.  Pray that God continues to open the doors so that I can serve Him in the Ukraine and that financially, he will provide the money I need.  Also pray that I will be preparing myself for my first adventure out of this country.  I know it's a whole different world out there and I am preparing myself for this experience I have the privilege to be a part of." 

New  Puppet News, Upcoming Performances!

We did a black light puppet show at the Highland Baptist Church on Saturday, January 26.  This was an interesting and educational performance as we were joined by some of the Highland church puppeteers.  I am sure everyone was quite impressed with the talent of all these youngsters.  We will be performing an Easter program in the afternoon on March 9 in Northern Illinois and March 22 we will also be performing the same program at the Methodist Church in Bethalto at 6:00 p.m.  Then, on Friday afternoon on March 28, we will have a Second Annual performance at Marine Grade School.  As always, practices will be held every Wednesday in March and April.  Tentatively, the afternoon of April 18, we will have our Third Annual performance at All Saints Academy in Breese.  This is one of our favorite shows as they always make us feel so welcome.  April 25 and 26 takes us One-Way Puppet Festival at the First Baptist Church in Ferguson, Missouri.  This is a workshop where we all learn more about puppets, props, performing and evangelism.  It is a great workshop where everyone always brings home something new and rewarding to be used in forthcoming shows.  Besides these scheduled performances, we will also perform during TFUMC services and/or for the Sunday School classes.  So, as you can see, we try to be quite active and really enjoy our ministry.  The youngsters who participate in this ministry are very dedicated and deserve a big pat on the back for a job well done!  

New  News Spot . . . .

Puppeteers and parents...there  is a new "spot" on the internet that is devoted to our puppet team.  I have created a blogspot that is meant as another form of communication between the leaders, the puppeteers, and the parents.  This site is pretty new and I am still learning how everything works...so hopefully, there will be some improvements as time goes on.  For those who have the internet and have parental permission to use the internet, I would like to encourage our team members to visit the site frequently as I am hoping it can be a great way to share our beliefs, opinions, thoughts, questions about our faith and puppetry.  I would also like to invite other members of the church to take a look at what is going on in our ministry and even leave a comment for our team.  The address for the blogspot is:  www.mmpuppets.blogspot.com.  In order for anyone to leave a comment, they must have a Google account or an AOL instant messenger account.  If you have an account already established, you may type your comment and then sign in at the bottom right-hand corner of the page.  If you do not have an account set up (puppeteers please ask your parent's permission to create an account that you may use) or are having trouble, please contact me at staff@trentonfumc.com or call 224-7364. 

New  Women of Faith 2008 Conference, June 13-14

On June 13-14, 2008, at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, thousands of women will gather together at the Amazing Freedom! Conference and we want you to be one of those women!  In addition to the conference, is the pre-conference that includes Sheila Walsh and Dr. Henry Cloud.  If you would like to attend either or both of these conferences, you need to act fast as our church has pre-ordered 20 tickets to the Infinite Grace Conference and they have to be paid in full by March 1, 2008.  A list of tickets available and an optional payment plan if you want to attend both conferences is provided below.  You are welcome to invite your friends and family.  Please make sure they get all the correct information on tickets and prices.  And, please, provide contact information if you are buying a ticket for someone else.  Tickets will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.  Tickets will not be received until a few weeks before the event.  all payments in full are due to the church office no later than March 2, 2008.  Checks should be made payable to First United Methodist Church with "Women of Faith" in the memo.  Check out the website www.womenoffaith.com for more information about the organization, speakers, and additional conference information. 
_________________________________________________________
Pre-Conference 2008 only with Sheila Walsh and Dr. Henry Cloud:  $50.00

# of tickets __________ X $50.00 = $__________
# of lunches _________ X $8.00   = $__________

_________________________________________________________
Amazing Freedom Conference Only:  $65.00

# of tickets __________ X $65.00 = $__________
# of lunches _________ X $8.00   = $__________
                                        Total Due= $__________
_________________________________________________________
Pre-Conference and Amazing Freedom Conference Only:  $99.00 (includes box lunches both days)

# of tickets __________ X $99.00 = $__________
                                        Total Due= $__________

_________________________________________________________
Pre-Payment Plan if attending both conferences:
$25.00 due January 15, 2008    
$25.00 due January 31, 2008
$25.00 due February 15, 2008
$24.00 due February 28, 2008
_________________________________________________________
 

New  Sr. High Mission Trip, June 15-22

There's been a change!  Immediately prior to Christmas, I received an email from the Habitat for Humanity office in Bluffton, SC informing us that they will not be building at the time we plan to take our trip.  They are currently negotiating for more land and waiting on grant money.  As sad as it will be to not be able to return to Bluffton this year, it opens the door for another opportunity.  After much prayer and consultation, I am excited to share with you that we will be going to New Orleans to help with the continued rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Katrina.  I have contacted and registered our group through the Louisiana United Methodist Church on Relief.  They are a wonderful organization who will coordinate everything for us.  All we need to do is show up!  Well, maybe we need to do a little more than that!  The dates for the trip remain the same (June 15022 2008) as does the cost ($350.00 per person).  This trip is open to all Sr. High youth who are active in youth group.  Sunday School, and church.  If you think you child/ren are interested in going on this trip, please turn in a $50.00 trip deposit as soon as possible.  Checks should be made payable to United Methodist Church with "Mission Trip" in the memo.  Refunds on your deposit will be given up to May 1, 2008 should your child not be able to go.  Financial assistance is available for those who have that need.  Please speak with Rev. Debbie, Lisa Campbell, or Karmin Moorhead.  All information is dept confidential.  Any questions about the trip should be directed to Lisa Campbell (224-7074).  - Lisa Campbell