The Margaret Gray Center in Lexington, Missouri helps seniors live quality lives by providing programs and services they need, but everyone is invited to come for a visit or a meal. Pictured: Rev. Liz Deveney, Bill Cohrs, and Steve Deveney. Follow "Margaret Gray Center" on facebook to learn about upcoming events at the center!

The LEXINGTON GROUP OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS meets Mondays and Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.      (All meetings are  OPEN  Meetings)      *Entrance is on 14th Street.*  Please know that AA does meet on holidays!  If there is inclement weather, such as ice or snow, please call 660-232-0375 to find out if the regularly scheduled meeting will take place. Thanks!

Chili Luncheon Sunday, February 5th immediately following worship

Women's Circle #2 February 9th 9:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall

Game Night  Saturday, February 11th 6:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall

Farewell service for David Lyon Sunday, February 12th at 3:00 p.m. at St. Luke's UCC in Independence (There will be a reception immediately following the service.)

Women's Circle #3  Tuesday, February 21st at 6:30 p.m. in the Education Building

Ash Wednesday Service  February 22nd at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary

Wednesday evening supper and Lenten program February 29th at 6:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall

The Lenten Tree

This year, during our Wednesday evening Lenten Suppers and programs, we will be creating a very special tree – a Lenten tree.  At the beginning of Lent, the tree will be bare.  When we gather in the fellowship hall, we will focus on a specific scripture reading for the week and a corresponding symbol.  An ornament (the symbol) will then be placed on the tree.  As the season progresses, we will watch the tree become filled with ornaments and with purple ribbons: one ribbon for each of the 40 days of Lent. If you would like to bring a symbol of your own to hang on the tree, please feel free.  The scripture readings and topics for each Wednesday evening appear in this newsletter. To all pilgrims on this Lenten journey, who are seeking repentance, renewal and the resurrection, I wish you a blessed season of Lent. -Rev. Liz

Ash Wednesday is February 22nd

The Christmas season is over and the New Year has just begun.  Is it time to start thinking about Lent already?  Yes!  It is hard to believe that the season of Lent is just around the corner.  Ash Wednesday is February 22nd and Easter is coming up on April 8th .  We will begin our observation of Lent with an Ash Wednesday Service including the imposition of ashes at 7:00 p.m. on February 22nd.  Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent begins on February 22nd  and ends on April 7th, which is the day before Easter.  Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection, taking stock, and personal inventory. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days.  Although Lent is an introspective time for the individual, it is also a time during which we journey together toward the cross.  Please consider being a part of this communal pilgrimage by attending the weekly Wednesday evening suppers and programs which we will offer during the Lenten season. 

Lenten Suppers and Programs
 
On Wednesday evenings during the month of March, we will have supper and a brief Lenten program in the Fellowship Hall from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (see schedule below.)  All members and friends are invited to sign up to help provide and serve a simple meal.  (Suggestions: soup and sandwiches, lasagna, stew, etc.) A sign-up sheet is in the narthex.  We need a minimum of 4 people to help each week. 
February 29th  “God Among Us”  Luke 2:7, 21, 25-38 and Galatians 4:4-5
March 7th   “The Water of Life”   Exodus, 15:22-27; John 4:6-14; Revelation 22:17
March 14th “The Bread of Life”   Exodus 16:1-5, 13-16, 31-35; John 6:48-51
March 21st  “A Gift of Love”  John 12:1-7; 1 John 4:19
March 28th  “Jesus, the Man of Prayer”  Luke: 22:39-48; Philippians 2:5-8, 4:6
Note:  There will be no Wednesday evening program during Holy Week (April 4th.)  During this week, you are invited to attend daily Holy Week Services sponsored by the Lexington Ministerial Alliance.  Each church who participates in the Ministerial Alliance hosts the Holy Week services on a rotating basis.  The location and times of Holy Week services will be in next month’s newsletter.  

Women's Circle #3
 
Tuesday, February 21st at 6:30 p.m. is the first meeting of Trinity UCC’s Women’s Circle #3.  Our hope is that having a Women’s Circle which meets in the evening will provide an opportunity for fun and fellowship for women who are employed full-time. This organizational meeting on the 21st will be a time for planning and discussion concerning what this group would like to do.  For more information, please contact Kalyn Flanigan 660-232-1839

Sounds of the Heart Celebrates 15 Years in 2012!

On Saturday, March 24th at 7:00 p.m. the annual Sounds of the Heart Concert will take place at Lexington Middle School. With a variety of performers, this promises to be a spectacular night of entertainment!  There is no charge for admission; however, you are invited to contribute to a love offering which will take place prior to intermission.  All of the proceeds will benefit Sounds of the Heart, which has provided automated external defibrillators to public buildings in Lexington – along with the necessary software and training. This year, Lexington United Methodist Church will be the recipient of an AED.  The Methodist church is the Regional Disaster Center for Lafayette County; therefore, an AED would be very helpful to have around in the event of a large gathering of people due to some type of emergency/disaster.  Members of the Lexington Ministerial Alliance voted unanimously to recommend that the Sounds of the Heart board give the AED to this church. 
Here are this year’s concert headliners: From the Wilds of Alaska RedHead Express welcomes you to join their family for a night of outstanding entertainment and high-energy music. From hits of the 50s and 60s, to country, original songs, traditional, bluegrass and old time music, RedHead Express will delight with tight family harmonies and hard-driving instrumentals in their unique acoustic sound. Having performed around the country and in Branson, Missouri the past two years, RedHead Express has become a sought-after show! Celebrating 10 years in 2012, the Kansas City Metro Mens Chorus is proud to have generated over $196,000 in proceeds since its inception.  All the money they have raised has been returned to various organizations in the Metro area. The choir’s mission is to praise God through singing while giving the proceeds of an offering to local charities in the metropolitan area.  
“Music is well said to be the speech of angels; in fact, nothing among the utterances allowed to man is felt to be so divine. It brings us near to the infinite.”  --  Thomas Carlyle

Young Disciples News

Thanks to Jean Palmer and Shannon Tretter for volunteering to be helpers in Children’s Sunday School.  Jean and Shannon jumped right in and helped the children finish making a paper thermometer to track contributions for the Farmyard Project.  Jean will also be helping the children with a quilting project! In December, the Young Disciples looked at a very different kind of Christmas catalog from Heifer International.  Heifer International's mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. By giving families a hand-up, not just a hand-out, they are empowered to turn lives of hunger and poverty into self-reliance and hope.  With gifts of livestock and training, Heifer projects help families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. The animals are referred to as "living loans" because in exchange for their livestock and training, families agree to give one of its animal's offspring to another family in need. It's called Passing on the Gift – a cornerstone of our mission that creates an ever-expanding network of hope and peace.  The Young Disciples voted to try to raise $500 in order to purchase a pig, sheep, goat and 10 chickens.  Right now, the Children’s Sunday School offering is supporting this project.  Other fundraisers may be planned in the months to come.  On February 5th, immediately following worship, the Young Disciples are having a chili fundraiser for the Camp Mo-Val Scholarship Fund.  The children will help make the chili on Saturday, February 4th and help serve and clean up on the 5th.  Adults:  Please bring your Young Disciples to the Fellowship Hall at noon on February 4th.  Also, mark your calendars now for a Young Disciples Taco Bar on April 15th, immediately following worship.  (Proceeds from the Taco Bar will go to the camp scholarship fund.)

Game Night: Saturday, February 11th

Back by popular demand: Trinity UCC Game Night!  We will gather in the Fellowship Hall from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. to play games, have fun, and enjoy fellowship with each other.  Bring your favorite game and a snack to share. Note:  We have a lot more games on hand as Rev. Liz’s friend, Theressa George, donated nine games to the church.  For more information, please contact Kalyn Flanigan 660-232-1839.  

Joplin Tornado Recovery Workgroup

At the Lafayette Cluster Meeting on January 23rd in Levasy, Pastor Stephen Redman announced that the dormitory which was under construction in Joplin will be open to house work crews as of March 25th.  The dormitory has the capacity to house 36 people and is equipped with showers, kitchenette, heating and cooling.  Members of work crews are asked to bring their own food. A number of folks from various UCC churches within the cluster are planning to go to Joplin June 4th – 8th.  If you are interested in going to Joplin during that time or would like more information, please call Steve Redman at (816) 650-3653.  Note:  You must be at least 17 years of age to participate.

Farewell Service for Pastor David Lyon

You are invited to attend a farewell service for David Lyon, pastor of St. Luke’s UCC in Independence, on Sunday, February 12th at 3:00 p.m. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall.  David is retiring after 20 years of ministry at St. Luke’s.  St. Luke’s is located at 727 N. Main Street, Independence MO.   

Team Trinity UCC raised $233 at the October 2, 2011 CROP Walk.  25% of what we raised  ($46.60) will go to the Lexington Food Pantry !  Pictured:  Iver, Dave, Rev. Liz and Trish

The Missouri Mid-South Conference has a new address: 483 East Lockwood Avenue, Suite 15, St. Louis MO 63119.  Our Missouri Mid-South Conference is the collection of 165 local congregations in the United Church of Christ denomination.  We cover the geographic region of Missouri, Arkansas, and Memphis, TN.  Within these congregations are more than 48,500 members.

In 2009 and 2010 Rev. Liz attended the Craigville Colloquy in Cape Cod.  The colloquy is a 5-day discussion about topics such as worship and spirituality, theology in film, and many more.  Folks from all over the country and all denominations participate in seminars, worship, and small-group discussions.  The planning committee also organizes a whale-watching expedition so that we might experience the majesty of the humpback whales which are prevalent in this area.  The dates for the 2011 colloquy are July 11th-15th.  Topic: TBA.  For more info please go to  http://www.craigvillecolloquy.com  or Facebook. 

Thanks to all of you who contributed Best Choice UPC codelabels to our Save-A-Label Program!  Wereached our goal of 1,000 labels and obtained a bonus certificate for $30.  Our  Christian Education program has received $60!  Together we can work to make a difference in the education of our children. It's easy, just save labels for cash!  Trinity UCC will earn $30 in cash for each bundle of 1,000 UPCs sent to Best Choice.  Please bring your UPC code labels from BestChoice products (preferably stapled in groups of 10) and place them in coffee can located in the narthex.  Here’s to another 1,000! 

Each Monday afternoon a copy of the Missouri Mid-South Confernce eCourier is sent to all who ask.  To receive your copy, please email the conference office at mms@mmsucc.org so that you can stay up to date on the latest news from our conference.