Trinity Trumpeter | November 22, 2024

Special Visit from Bishop Holston

Hello Trinity,

This past Sunday was an incredible day at Trinity United Methodist Church in Fort Walton Beach, FL! We had the honor of hosting Bishop L. Jonathan Holston and his wonderful wife, Felecia. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and anticipation as our congregation gathered to hear from the newly appointed Bishop of the Alabama-West Florida Conference.

Bishop Holston delivered a powerful message centered on transformation, encouraging us to let go of bitterness and embrace the witness of God's power in our lives. He focused on Isaiah 6:1-8 and drew from personal experiences to emphasize the importance of releasing past grievances in order to fully experience the joy and peace that faith brings. He urged us to share that joy and peace with others.

Throughout the sermon, there were moments of reflection and encouragement that inspired everyone in attendance to consider how they could embody God's love and grace in their daily lives. The bishop's passion and eloquence resonated deeply, renewing our sense of purpose and commitment to our faith journey.

For those who were unable to attend, we were fortunate enough to record Bishop Holston's sermon during the contemporary service, and it can be viewed on our YouTube page at the link below.

Watch Bishop Holston's Sermon

Operation Gratitude a HUGE success!

In honor of Veterans Day, we invited you to write a heartfelt letter of thanks and gratitude to a veteran, active-duty service member, or recent recruit graduate. We are overjoyed to share that Operation Gratitude was a tremendous success! In partnership with Trinity Preschool, kids, students, and church members, we sent over 100 letters, demonstrating our deep appreciation and support for those who have bravely served our country!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to write a letter!

AROUND THE CHURCH

ODB Thanksgiving Lunch (Nov. 28)

Thanksgiving is almost here and with that comes the Our Daily Bread annual Thanksgiving Dinner! Join us this Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., for a heartfelt community gathering in the Memorial Fellowship Hall. We’ll be serving a warm and delicious dinner to those in need.

We are looking for generous donations of food items, including:

Turkey
Dessert

In addition to food donations, we need enthusiastic volunteers to help with meal preparation, serving, and cleanup. Volunteer time slots from 9 to 12 and 12 to 3 are available. Your support would be immensely appreciated, whether you can spare a few hours or the entire day.

Together, let’s spread gratitude and kindness this holiday season! For more information on how to donate or volunteer, please get in touch with Deb West. Thank you for helping us make this Thanksgiving one to remember!

GEARING UP FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON

Ft. Walton Bch Christmas Parade

December 2

It is one of the community's biggest events, and we are participating! Whether you're walking alongside the Trinity, float with us, or simply cheering from the sidelines, be a part of the celebration!

If you want to join us in the parade, please meet at Cadence Bank (32 Beal Pkwy, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548) at 4:45 p.m. We will transport everyone to our spot in line. Dinner (pizza) and water will be provided for all who participate. This year's parade theme is Winter Sports, and we'll be decorating the float like a giant sled.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with the church office at (850) 862-4169.

Stock the Sleigh

December 1 - 15

Each Christmas season, we are reminded that there is no greater joy than giving to others. This Advent season, we invite you to join us in spreading joy and kindness through our 1st annual Stock the Sleigh initiative!

We are partnering with several local schools to make some of their student's holidays a little brighter. Beginning December 1, we will have a Santa Sleigh at both services with tags with students' names and information on things they may need. Please consider sponsoring a student and taking a tag. The blue tags will be due on December 8, and all other tags will be due by Sunday, December 15.

Christmas Spectacular

December 8

On Sunday, December 8 we are having a FULL DAY of Christmas programs! Our Christmas Spectacular will feature the Trinity Kids Christmas Program at the 9:45 service. All kids are invited to participate in the memorable storytelling of the Nativity story! THEN the Chancel Choir Christmas Cantata, "Hope," at the 11:00 service.

Stay for both services and then join us afterward in the youth room. Bring your favorite appetizers and desserts. We'll provide the hot chocolate and coffee!

The Trinity Kids will host a special screening of the movie "The Star" during the 11:00 service for all parents who wish to stay for the Cantata.

Christmas Eve

December 24

Join us for a special Christmas Eve service at Trinity UMC on December 24th at 2:00 p.m. for our Contemporary Worship or at 4:00 p.m. for our Traditional Worship.

Experience the joy of the season with carols, candlelight, and a message of hope. All are welcome to attend and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with us. We look forward to seeing you there!

Nursery will be provided for ages 0-5.

STUDENT MINISTRY

Christmas w/ Bob Hope Village (Dec. 4)

Last year, we sang carols and spent time with the residents. We learned so much about them and their generation. Many students wanted more time to talk with the residents. Your requests have been heard! We will start with a song or two and then spend some time doing crafts with the residents. The bus will leave Trinity at 5:30 p.m. to go to Bob Hope Village.

Meaning of Christmas Worship Night (Dec. 8)

Does anyone else know the song that goes...silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright? We are grabbing hold of the all-is-bright part as our theme for this worship night! So wear your brightest of bright and come prepared to hear of the meaning of Christmas from Coach Horton.

TRINITY KIDS

KIDS CHRISTMAS PROGRAM (DECEMBER 8)

Our Trinity Kids is taking over the Contemporary Worship service on Sunday, December 8, with the Kids Christmas program! Join us for this interactive and exciting walk through the nativity story, and then stay for the 11:00 Christmas Cantata featuring the Chancel choir. We will host a special showing of the movie "The Star" for all kids during the 11:00 service.

We also need volunteers to help with the Christmas Program, such as getting costumes on and making sure kids are where they are supposed to be. If you're interested in volunteering, please get in touch with Jessica McClung at kids@trinityfwb.org or call the church office at (850) 862-4169.

Circle of Concern

Let us care and pray with you.

If you or someone you know needs prayers, please complete the Prayer Request form at our Square One tables. Below is a list of those we pray for this week; please join us in praying for those persons. Individuals are kept on the list for four weeks.

Pam Banks

Tracy Hickman

Greg Krumm

*Ginnie Newsom

Tammy Peters

*Shirley Pope

Fiona Rodgers

Jeff Wade

*Peggy Willard

*Debbie Thornton

Bill West

*Pete Roake

Alexis Smith & Kids

Evangeline Christian

Chaz Mocha

Hadilee Arnold & Family

Bob Hill

*Jean Gray

*Ann Welch

Lori Benson

Cheryl Harris

Tom Anderson

Dave Willis

Dorothy Quill

Jody Cline

*Mary Parker

*Eleanor Jones

Sonny Parker

The Bonham Family

* = Church Member

Bold = New

If you or someone you know needs prayer, please complete the Prayer Request form below. The Circle of Concern list is updated and sent out biweekly via the Trumpeter, and individuals are on the list for four weeks. Please notify the church office if an individual needs to be on the list for more than four weeks. Circle of Concern inserts for Sunday services are printed on Thursday.

Prayer Requests