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Thankfulness “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason

I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. – Ephesians 1:15-16

The apostle Paul in writing to the church in Ephesus was attempting to convey a message. It was one of hope,

love, faith, and gratitude. He wrote this letter in the hope that the Ephesians would receive it even though they

had never formally met. His writings to them were based solely on the things he had heard about the church in

Ephesus. Paul’s intention was to help them focus on their relationship with God and their response in living as

members of the Body of Christ. While Paul wrote this letter to the Christian community of Ephesus, he could

have written it to any Christian community in times past or in times present, even to us here at Trinity!

It has been four years since Trinity called me to serve as Pastor and Teaching Elder in Jonesville. In the life of

the church we have seen new members join us and good friends leave to join the church triumphant! We have

celebrated baptisms, and friends begin attending worship services with us. We have opened doors to ministry

opportunities for our church and worked hard to build bridges with others in our community. We have hosted

the gathering of the presbytery and expanded our understanding of life in Christ during this time.

This past year we began to look for ways we could have a greater impact missionally within our own community.

That exploration led us to begin this past Advent Season by erecting an Angel Tree filled with opportunities for

us to be an extension of God’s love right here at home; the fruit of which has led to building stronger connections

with groups in our community and to help open doors for sharing faith, hope, and love.

In this past year we began a new bible study with CARC at the resource center and included them in our movie

days at Trinity. We helped to partner with the Council on Aging to find additional funds to provide transportation

for Catahoula area seniors. They participate in group bible studies, activities, and events including the movie

days each month at Trinity. Another opportunity is the Self-Development Grant that we have received in

partnership with The Breadcrumb to begin providing life skills training for volunteers and clients.

I think that the Apostle Paul could have shared the prayer that he prays for the Ephesians even for us at Trinity

in this day. Paul recognized that the Ephesians followed the model of living their life as Christ led his believers

to live out their faith daily. The same could be said for us here at Trinity as the year 2016 is winding down. As

we the church continue to support the ministry of Christ Jesus here in Jonesville and beyond, are we willing to

be led by Christ in all that we do and all that we say to the Glory of God? I pray the same prayer for us at Trinity

that Paul prayed for the Ephesians as we continue to respond faithfully to God’s call.

See you at church! – Pastor John

Trinity Presbyterian Church, PC(USA) Jonesville, LA

November 2016

Trinity News

Tradition in the Four Rivers Region since 1856

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Community Thanksgiving Service at Trinity

Sunday, November 20th at 5 PM

The Jonesville Area Ministerial Alliance (JAMA) will

be holding the Community Thanksgiving Service at

Trinity this year. This is one of two worship services

coordinated by JAMA annually. Pastors from our

community will come together to participate in

leading this worship service. Pastor John will be

giving the message this year. Following the service,

there will be a time of fellowship.

Thanksgiving Basket Collection We are once again collecting items to be given to a family in need from our community before Thanksgiving. If you would like to help, please bring items and place them in the thanksgiving basket at the front of the sanctuary until Sunday, Nov. 20th.

The Breadcrumb Needs Your Help

As the year is coming to a close, The Breadcrumb is experiencing some shortages of specific food items that they can’t get through the Central LA Food Bank. We have placed a collection bin in the front of the sanctuary to collect donations. Specific needs include: flour, sugar, corn meal, pancake/biscuit mix, and pasta sauce.

CARC Thanksgiving Dinner to be held at Trinity

This year CARC Resource Center is holding their

annual Thanksgiving Dinner at Trinity on Tuesday,

November 22nd at 11 AM. As a church and along with the

Council on Aging, we have been invited to share in the

meal. They have asked us to provide desserts for the

gathering. If you can participate by sharing in the meal

and/or providing a dessert, please let Pastor John know.

Annual Church/Corporation Meeting & Dinner Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 12 PM

Nomination Report

Elect Ruling Elders to Class of 2019

Elect Members at Large to 2017 Nomination Committee

2017 Pastor Terms of Call

Financial report to the Congregation

Other Congregational Business

November Birthdays

11 – Curt Parish 13 – Brittain Brown 9 – Molly Swayze

Synod of the Sun Foundation Grants

As Trinity continues to develop partnerships in our

community and expanding missional connections,

this past year Pastor John and the Session worked

with two local groups to apply for grants to help bring

greater impact to meeting the needs of our greater

community.

Council on Aging Partnership Project

We applied for and received a $5,000 grant to help

fund transportation needs of Catahoula Seniors in

order to encourage and assist seniors with access

to group bible study, events, and activities of which

some are hosted at Trinity.

Self-Development Partnership with Breadcrumb

We applied for and received a $5,000 grant to help

fund the implementation of a Self-Development

initiative to support the needs of our community to

help improve the lives of persons by providing life

skills training and improve their life situation.

Advent is Coming

Advent begins this year on Sunday, November 27th. The Session has arranged to give to each family a copy of Lee Strobel’s, “The Case for Hope.” Adult Sunday school during Advent will be based on readings from this book but the book includes a daily devotional that can be used at home during the

30 days of Christmas. Distribution of the books will begin at the Annual Meeting on November 13th.

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World Communion Sunday, October 2nd We celebrated the service of our Lord’s Table with the world and collected the Peace and Global Witness special offering to support the work of our missionaries. Following worship, we shared in a fellowship dinner with dishes

from around the world. Domestic Violence Awareness On Sunday, October 9th, as a church we intentionally brought the awareness of Domestic Violence into the worship service through the message and in prayer.

Children’s Sabbath Service On Sunday, October 23rd we opened Children’s Sabbath service with a special litany for the children of Louisiana led by Katie Little and Paul Parish. The sermon of the day reminded us to care for all God’s children. Pastor John during the message gave a box of bandages with children of the world on them to each person present as a reminder to follow through with Christ’s instruction to care for the children. During the service, Pastor John was recognized by the church for ministry appreciation.

Lunch Bunch Bible Study at Trinity Lunch Bunch has moved to Wednesday’s at 11:30 AM. Join us as we continue our study of Romans.

Theology In Movies Our Matinee movies will be on Friday, November 11th and December 9th, in the Fellowship Hall. Our friends from the Catahoula Council on Aging and the CARC Resource Center will join us.

Yamaha Clavinova Update

To date, 146 hymns have been prerecorded in the new instrument, including 32 other pieces for service music to be used as preludes, meditations and offertories. We owe Seth Cotton a great thanks for “saving the day” for us. During a passing conversation with Pastor John one day, he helped to identify a solution to a music storage problem we were experiencing. He just happened to have an extra hard drive expansion device that would work with our Yamaha Clavinova piano organ. It is now providing countless space for additional recordings and giving us the ability to organize music based on our needs in worship. - Dot Lazarus

Adopt-a-key donation made in loving memory of Rob Cotton

Given by Ann Womack

Session Update

September 11th Session Meeting

- World Communion 10-2 and church dinner - Organize trip 11-19 Casting Crowns - Beth Parish - Worship Leader 11-20 11 AM - Community Thanksgiving Service 11-20 5 PM - Approved new microwave oven to be paid through

general fund - Activated nomination committee - Set annual church business meeting for 11-13

October 16th Session Meeting

- Received nomination committee report - Set agenda 11-13 Congregational/Corporation

meeting - Christmas parade 12-2 float & Christmas carolers - Gail Bean to coordinate Children’s Sabbath litany

Presbyterian Women (PW)

The next meeting is Tuesday, November 15th at 10 AM. Martha Brallier will moderate the lesson.

Previously met on September 20th & October 15th.

At the September 20th meeting, in attendance were: Martha Brallier, Judy Sanson, Catherine Jones, and Dot Lazarus. Catherine gave the devotional and the prayer of the least coin was given. During the meeting portion, pledges were paid for 2016/2017 church year. Martha moderated the lesson Stormy water- Faith. She used a bowl of water filled with rocks and a floating paper clip to emphasize what faith means.

At the October 15th meeting, in attendance were Verda Mophett, Martha Brallier, Judy Sanson, Dot Lazarus. The Least Coin was collected and the prayer given. Dot reported that she sent pledges to the Vera Lloyd home-$25 and Haiti Education Fund - $55. She gave report to the Treasurer of PW, Sue Ellen Hall and the amount of the Birthday Offering taken by Trinity in church. Martha moderated the Lesson, “Waters of Justice and Righteousness” from the circle book.

The Mizpah was recited before adjournment of both meetings. – Dot Lazarus, Secretary/Treasurer

In Memory of Contributions

To the glory of God and in loving memory of Sewell Morgan

Given by Alma Womack

To the glory of God and in loving memory of Bill Ryan and Mickie Pritchard

Given by Pam & Ronnie Swayze

To the glory of God and in loving memory of Irene Bruitt and David Shively

Given by Pam & Ronnie Swayze

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Trinity Prayer Concerns:

Giullianna Aponte; Pat Bearden; Stephen Baker; Scott

Bean; Jack Bonner; Dora Book; Phyllis Boothe; R.J.

Bordelon; Ruth Chevallier; Glenda Edwards; Jeddy

Hamilton; O’Dare Hammett; Susan Hammett; Evan

Hennings; Cub Hudnall; Norma Hudnall; Neva Ivey;

Clarisse Jones; Robert Just; Ray King; Willie Lazarus;

Karla McGee; Jennifer Nations; Mason Nations; Liam

Ogden; Lindsay Palmer; John Ross; Jackie Rouse;

Judy Sanson; Frank Sheppard; Debra Scott; Bill Tarver;

Aiden Taunton; Kristen Upchurch; Myles Schweitzer;

Gwen Webber; Charlene Wiley; Nikki Wiley; Roscoe

Wilson; Nan Wood; & Roger Young

Hopewell Baptist Church, Greenwell, MS

Missionaries:

Les & Cindy Morgan

Prayers for the families of Irene

Bruitt, Milton Hatten, Jr., Eleanor

Scott, David Shively and the

families of those who have had a

loved one pass from this life in the

past month.

IN THE SERVICE Matthew Bean, Rusty Bean, Scott Bean, Matt Begnaud, Kacie King Dunn, Joe Hamilton, Justin Lacroix, Eric Little, Nicholas Parish, Ray Santillano, Crystal Smith

Notes of Love and Thanks

Dear Pastor John, Session and Church, On behalf of the Swayze family, I would like to thank you for the use of the church facilities on September 10 for the Swayze Family Reunion. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Also, thank you Pastor John for helping out. We had a great turnout this year! I think our grandparents, fathers, mothers, and many cousins that have gone to be with God would have been proud! I know all of those in attendance had a great time. May God continue to bless our family and Trinity!! - Robert Lee Swayze

Trinity Family, Thank you so much for the love gifts and recognition shared as a part of ministry appreciation during the Children’s Sabbath Service on October 23rd during worship. I offer a heartfelt thanks to each of you for the continued opportunity be a part of the work and ministry of Christ Jesus at Trinity. - Rev. John Scott

Extra News at Trinity Hannah Cotton, a graduate student in Animal Science and Genetics at LSU, will present her thesis research at a Seminar (Symposium) to the Animal Science Department on November 14th. She was awarded a Research Assistantship and is now employed by the Genetics Lab at LSU.

The annual Swayze Family Reunion, hosted by the Robert Lee Swayze Family, was held at Trinity on Saturday, October 10th. Approximately ninety family members were in attendance. A fish fry was enjoyed by all. We thank Robert Lee and family for hosting the event, and Pam and Ronnie Swayze for the wonderful video Powerpoint show of the past and present family history.

On Saturday October 22nd family and friends of John Ross set up a booth at the Harrisonburg Music Festival to help collect donations to help John and his family as he continues to recover from injuries sustained in an accident in September 22. The group sold Frito-pies, chili,

pendants and ‘Faith over Fear’ T-shirts.

Our community came together to support a Replenishment Blood

Drive in honor of John Ross on Sunday, October 30th from 12-5 PM. Life Share reported that over 50 people showed up to donate and 39 units of blood were collected.

“First of all, I want to thank each one of you for doing what families do best…loving and caring for each other. We appreciate so much your prayers, your visits, kind words, your donations, and yes, even your blood! John Ross is going to be so amazed when he realizes how loved he is. In addition to all of that, Debra Scott so graciously donated beautiful pendants to be sold as a fundraiser for John’s family.

They are $20 each. Please give me a call at 318-481-2588 if you would like to purchase one.” – Donna Tiser

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Trinity Presbyterian Church, PC(USA) 401 Third Street, Jonesville, LA 71343

Distribution: Dot Lazarus, Catherine Jones Editing: Adrian White, Dot Lazarus, Rev. John Scott

Tradition in the Four Rivers Region since 1856

For more information related to articles and submissions in the church newsletter please contact: Mrs. Dot Lazarus 318-339-9842 Email: dulazarus@bellsouth.net Pastor John Scott 318-403-9512 Email: jascott303@gmail.com

Trinity Presbyterian Church, PC(USA) Jonesville, LA

July - August 2015

Trinity News

Tradition in the Four Rivers Region since 1856

Trinity Presbyterian Church, PC(USA) 401 Third Street, Jonesville, LA 71343

Distribution: Dot Lazarus, Catherine Jones Editing: Adrian White, Dot Lazarus, Rev. John Scott

Tradition in the Four Rivers Region since 1856

For more information related to articles and submissions in the church newsletter please contact: Mrs. Dot Lazarus 318-339-9842 Email: dulazarus@bellsouth.net Pastor John Scott 318-403-9512 Email: jascott303@gmail.com

Trinity Presbyterian Church, PC(USA) Jonesville, LA

November 2016

Trinity News

Tradition in the Four Rivers Region since 1856