August 12, 2021
TUMC member Ken Lillagore to Preach August 15
Ken Lillagore and his wife Gay Lyn moved to Sequim in 2015 from Colorado, where Ken had served as a pastoral assistant and Commissioned Lay Pastor at the Presbyterian Church of Broomfield for five years. They are both retired and have been very active here at TUMC. Ken enjoys photography, hiking and playing his accordion.
We thank Ken for sharing the message with us this Sunday.
Note from Lay Leader, Jim Stoffer
Greetings, Church,
I have received many questions this week on “What is a Lay Leader.” Here is a basic overview from our UMC Book of Discipline with a few specifics; hope this helps, and thank you faithful people for the questions.😊
What’s My Job?
Paragraph 251 of our UMC Book of Discipline specifies the role of the Lay Leader of a local church. In part this paragraph states:
“Out of the professing membership of each local church, there shall be elected by the Charge Conference a Lay Leader who shall function as the primary lay representative of the laity in that local church and shall have the following responsibilities:
An effective lay leader functions as the primary representative and role model of Christian discipleship and fai\rth lived out in the church and in daily life. The lay leader works with the pastor to fulfill the mission and vision of the congregation.
Spiritual Gifts and Qualifications Helpful for the Job
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- This leader should be a growing Christian disciple who understands that everyone has spiritual gifts and experiences that are vital to the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12). This person benefits from having one or more of these spiritual gifts: compassion, discernment, faith, helping, leadership, and servanthood.
- This leader should be a living example of one who “loves God and loves neighbor.” It is important for a lay leader to listen well and communicate with people of all ages. This person should show evidence of working well with both clergy and laity and with various teams and task groups.
- This leader must have the ability to keep a broad view of the separate parts of the congregation and work with the pastor to help align the entire ministry toward the mission of the church.
- This leader should show interest in connecting the congregation with the community and the world as they participate in the missio Dei…God’s mission to the world through five main charges: the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) to put love of God and neighbor above all else; the Great Commitment (Matthew 16:24) to embody God’s love individually through spiritual disciplines; the Great Requirement (Micah 6:8) to live God’s love through our actions; and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) to go and take God’s love into the world by making disciples, baptizing, and teaching faithful obedience.
Responsibilities of the Position
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- The lay leader represents the laypeople in the congregation in working with the pastor for the mission and vision of the congregation.
- The lay leader engages in spiritual practices that build a relationship of attentiveness to God’s will and direction.
- The lay leader represents the laypeople in the congregation and serves as a role model of Christian discipleship for the congregation.
- The lay leader works with the pastor and other leaders to launch or strengthen ministries that build discipleship.
- The lay leader assists in advising the church council about opportunities available and the needs expressed for a more effective lay ministry of the church in the community.
- The lay leader plans with other leaders in the congregation for celebrating the ministry of laypeople throughout the year and especially on Laity Sunday.
- The lay leader meets regularly with the pastor to discuss the state of the church and the opportunities for ministry to advance the mission and ministry of the congregation in the community.
- The lay leader continues to study and train and to develop a growing understanding of the church’s reason for existence and the types of ministry that will most effectively fulfill the church’s mission and that will help strengthen the lay leader’s own work.
- The lay leader informs the laity of training opportunities provided by the annual conference.
- Lay leaders are encouraged to become certified lay servants.
- The lay leader is a member of the charge conference, the church council, the pastor-parish or staff-parish relations committee, the finance committee, and the nominations and leadership development committee.”
Over the past two weeks and moving forward, I will be attending or meeting with our various committees as time and schedules permit. Patricia, myself, Margaret, and Andy – either call each other or email each other with updates; Patricia and I also share to our Pastor, who remains the Pastor on Record. We also want Brad to get the rest needed for a full recovery. Cards and letters are welcome and of course your prayers.
COVID-19
What can we say – it took a nasty turn and our Church, our Community is facing several complex challenges; we are truly in this all together. I know we all care deeply for each other and our community; I’m asking for a strong demonstration of that care and love. Yes, many of us have been vaccinated, we are observing and practicing those social distancing protocols, and that includes wearing face masks. Presently our county is in a high critical infections stage; which means we are in a Tier 4 Stage from the Conference; unfortunately that means “Indoor Congregational Singing Under Option 2 TIER 4 – Daily new case rate greater than 10, per 100k • No live singing indoors. Soloists and ensemble groups may gather for the safe recording of music to support online or hybrid worship.”
I ask us all to please observe the social distancing protocols, mask up when inside the church and most importantly – if you feel or are aware of a personal exposure – please contact the Church Office (Marian) and myself as soon as possible. There are steps and processes that we will need to take and are necessary for the health and safety of TUMC, but also for our community of Sequim. Thank you and many blessings. I ask and pray for patience, grace, be kind with one another, and understanding that each of us is facing COVID through many lenses. Dear God, strengthen us to be a loving presence to those who are hurting or in crisis. If we are led to speak, speak through us – AMEN.
Jim Stoffer, Lay Leader TUMC, 360.775.9356, jamesstoffer@wavecable.com
Some Concerns that we have
- Brad and Dorothy for Brad’s health issues.
- For those who continue to go through physical struggles, those who are dealing with cancer, or other health situations. For those who are emotionally feeling lost and alone.
- For those who haven’t been vaccinated yet; for all those who are ill from the Covid-19 virus; for those families who have lost loved ones to the virus; and for essential workers.
- For peace in our country.
- For Katherine Parker, missionary to Nepal.
While Pastor Brad is on vacation there will be no weekly pastor’s letter or printed sermons.
Congratulations to Dick and Sheila Formhals on their 60th Anniversary!
Sunday In-Person Services
Sunday services are now being held in the church at 10 am. (For Sunday Services Covid safety guidelines will be followed: wear masks; sign in when you arrive; and practice social distancing.)
OnLine Video-Taped Services
The Sunday service is being filmed and available online the next day, Monday.
Printed Sermons
Printed sermons are not available while Pastor Brad is on vacation.
Blood Drive Here at TUMC – August 13 & 14, August 20 & 21, 11 am to 5 pm
Donating blood is an essential and encouraged activity critical to sustaining community healthcare, especially during emergencies. Your one-hour donation appointment is a safe action to support local hospitals and patients. All donations are conducted in accordance with social distancing guidelines. For more information on steps taken to keep donors and staff safe, go to: bloodworksnw.org/coronavirus No walk-ins, guests, or people under age 16 are permitted onsite. Masks are required.
Appointments: schedule@bloodworksnw.org with questions or call 800-398-7888.
Meeting for Disciple Bible Study
There will be a meeting on Sunday, August 22nd for those interested in the class led by Joey Olson. The meeting will start 15 minutes after worship in the sanctuary. At that time, the date and the time for the class will be decided. Joey is requesting that the class be available for those who have been vaccinated. The book for the class is Into the Word, Into the World. It has a green cover and can be ordered from Cokesbury or Amazon.
Prayer Chain Update
The new contact for TUMC’s prayer chain is Donna Wade. If you have a prayer concern, please contact her at 810-735-5029, email: majkgardn@gmail.com or the church office 360-683-5367 or church@sequimtumc.org. And remember that before you submit a prayer concern, please make sure you have the permission of the person being prayed for.
Have you been exposed to COVID?
If you have been near someone who has tested positive for COVID and have been at the church before you realized this happened, please contact lay leader Jim Stoffer at 360.775.9356 or jamesstoffer@wavecable.com and the church office at 360-683-5367 or church@sequimtumc.org immediately. For more information about current Covid requirements visit the Trinity UMC website at sequimtumc.org.
Home Maintenance Funds Available
TUMC Missions Ministry has limited funds available to help folks at church and others in our community with necessary home maintenance projects. This might include basic home repairs, yard cleanup, ramps, grab bars, and other in-home needs. One household could receive one grant per year with a maximum limit of up to $500. Confidential requests will go through Lois’s Legacy. Contact Senior Ministries Office 360-683-4307 for further information.
Do you have compassion for families that have lost loved ones?
The Memorial Committee needs help decorating the fellowship hall before a memorial service, help preparing plates of food (when we can have food), cookie bakers, and help returning tablecloths to storage. E-mail Diane Davis at 03merlot194@gmail.com or call at 360-461-6833 to volunteer.
Opportunity to Serve!
We would like to invite anyone interested in serving TUMC by joining us in the kitchen. We are in need of helpers as we have lost several this past year due to many different circumstances. If you have questions or would like to sign up, please contact Eva Lundstrom,
360-797-1613 or Cyd Savoy, 360-681-3977. Training will be provided.
2021 Back to School Fair – August 28th
This event will take place on Saturday, August 28th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. School supplies will be pre-packaged and distributed in a drive-through format which will begin at the high school stadium parking lot on West Fir St. Volunteers are needed to help direct traffic, backpack distribution, supply sack preparation, supply sack distribution, registration, “other” or “wherever needed.” You can choose time slots that work best for you. Several people from Trinity UMC have helped with this event in the past. If you would like to volunteer this year, you can register by going online to: https://forms.gle/8MGWRyAxbwtiPCah8.
Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Classes for Clallam County Residents
Youth Mental Health First Aid is a nationally recognized certification course that will teach you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and challenges that youth face in our community. Classes were made possible through grant funding from Clallam County Health and Human Services.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings: 9:00 am-2:30 pm, Aug. 31, Sept. 18, or Nov. 17. 2.0 hrs. of online pre-work must be completed before the 4.5 hr. in-person training date. An excellent program for parents, grandparents, and people who work with youth.
Space is limited! Reserve a seat today!
Contact Kathy Hansen at 360-457-0431 x 531139, Peninsula Behavioral Health.
Take a course. Save a life…Strengthen your Community.
Let’s give Trinity some TLC!
Come on out to Trinity TLC where we do light maintenance around the Church while sharing in fellowship. We meet every two weeks, and our next meeting is Friday, August 20 at 9:30 AM for a couple of hours. We will be cutting grass, doing light maintenance and upkeep, some summertime work, and of course having a cup of coffee and light eats. All are welcome! For more info, call Andy Pitts at 804-724-3401.
Recycle Empty Inkjet and Laser Printer Cartridges
The recycle container for empty inkjet and laser printer cartridges and used cell phones is now in the church office. Besides helping the environment by recycling, the church is paid for every item donated. Thanks so much for your continued (or new) participation in this program!
Office Hours
TUMC Office hours are 9 am-2 pm Monday through Friday. Remember to follow COVID-19 protocols: wear masks; sign in when you arrive; and practice social distancing.