Tidings Newsletter - January 2026
- Trinity Presbyterian
- 5 minutes ago
- 11 min read
Pastor's Corner
Happy New Year!
For Trinity, the start of the new year is a good time to review the mission of our church, which has been summarized in our 2025 Mission Study:
Trinity will continue to offer weekly worship, as well as other activities which help nurture the Christian faith of its members, regular attenders and visitors.
Trinity will continue to provide thoughtful learning and study opportunities through classes, groups, book studies, library, retreats and special speakers.
Trinity will continue to care for its own membership in their variety of spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual, social, financial, aesthetic and vocational needs.
Trinity will continue to be known as one of the progressive churches in Hendersonville.
Trinity will continue to provide a warm, welcoming, accepting, supportive and safe place for LGBTQ+ persons in our community, and continue to encourage their full participation in church and society.
Trinity will continue discovering, and responding to, the practical human needs of those in the greater Hendersonville area. The church will continue to provide volunteers and financial support for those in our community needing food, housing, furniture, clothes, health care, medical equipment, school supplies, legal help, and a host of other things.
Trinity, through its participation in “Circles”, will work to eradicate poverty in our area. Through the “Accompaniment Church”, we will meet immigrants among us at their point of need. Through “Care Portal” the church will help to keep area families intact.
Trinity will continue to be politically involved and some of its members will continue to lobby legislators and publicly demonstrate against governmental policies that are not in line with the church’s moral commitments.
Trinity will continue to support mission efforts around the world, including those in Guatemala, Madagascar and Malawi.
Trinity will continue to nurture a church culture where members’ new mission ideas can be freely shared and supported and encouraged in a way that may bear fruit in the form of new ministries.
Trinity, through its Earth Care ministry, will continue to focus the church’s and the community’s attention on our divine calling to practice responsible stewardship of the whole of God’s creation.
Trinity will continue to make its building space available for community groups.
The big difference going forward is that Trinity will be on a mission to be more intentional about promoting, publicizing and marketing the church and its mission activities in the community.
Going forward, Trinity wants to get the word out in a more active way about who it is, what it does, and where it is located.
—David Garnett
Associate Pastor's Note
You can beat us up, but we’re going to keep loving you until we wear you down.
With the annual observance honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., coming up in a few weeks (January 19), it occurred to me to wonder: Did you know that Dr. King once spoke at Montreat?
It was in the summer of 1965, shortly after the Watts riots, as part of what was called the Christian Action Conference, and a scratchy audio recording of the speech exists. Delivered in Montreat’s Anderson Auditorium on the afternoon of August 21, the speech contained many of the famous ideas for which Dr. King is remembered:
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
“Time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. . . . Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co-workers with God. . . . We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.”
“This will be a great day. It will not be the day of the white man; it will not be the day of the black man; it will be the day of man as man. And this will be the day that all over this great nation, all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants, will be able to join hands and sing, in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’”
Also in his Montreat speech, Dr. King shared his vision of the “beloved community,” grounded in love of enemies and an embrace of the philosophy of nonviolent resistance. This was a philosophy that was both strategy and tactic, and it was aggressive in an entirely countercultural way: You can beat us up, but we’re going to keep loving you until we wear you down.
We don’t live in the same world anymore—some things have indeed changed for the better. But in a world torn by war and terror, a world in which racial and ethnic prejudices seem to be resurgent, a little “beloved community” and a dash of nonviolent resistance might still go a long way. As we begin this new year, let’s all recall and act on the truth in Dr. King’s words:
“We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.”
Peace,
—Dwight Christenbury
Other ways to celebrate MLK DAY!
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Unity Breakfast
Blue Ridge Community College Technology Education & Development Center
Breakfast 8:15 AM
Program Begins 9:00 AM
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
St. James Episcopal Church
12:00 PM
A brief program on the life and words of Dr. King, then we will bag dried beans and rice for The Storehouse food bank.
Fellowship Ministry
Wed Night Live! Trinity's first 2026 WNL dinner and presentation! Wednesday, January 14th we will have Richard Morgan presenting his "Poetry in Art" entertaining us after dinner. Please sign-up ASAP in the Narthex (or call/email the office). Please note: Starting in January, the cost of WNL meals will be $12/adult. This reflects the recent price increases charged by our catering partners."
—Lorraine Talbot
Richard Morgan
Richard Morgan has published nine books of poetry. His latest, Poems of Your Own: A Guide to Writing Personal Poetry, gives insight and inspiration in the process of writing personal poetry.
Richard's poems are eclectic, partly personal, and always accessible. They concern strangers and family, love and life, courage and loss.
Pat Morgan, Richard’s wife, has contributed her watercolors to most of his books adding a special dimension to the poems rarely found in poetry books.
Pat and Richard live on a hillside in Hendersonville, North Carolina where the wind is their constant companion.
Stewardship Ministry
A New 2026 For Trying New Things
God has gifted us with a New Year full of opportunities. How will you use your time, talent, and treasure for trying new things to the glory of God?
Trying a new prayer practice? | Checking out a book from the Trinity library? | Participating in events on Trinity’s calendar? |
Volunteering time for a local nonprofit? | Making a ritual of saving for the 5 cents a meal offering? | Calling, visiting, or sending a card to someone on the prayer list in the weekly worship bulletin? |
Arranging for your pledge to be paid by an automatic fund transfer to occur monthly from your bank account? | Finding ways to delight your neighbors? | Prayerfully asking God to help you identify new ways of service and then watching and listening? |
They say doing new things is good for you and increases your resilience and slows aging. Certainly, the best way to cultivate relationships with other people is by doing things together.
Glory to God that we each have so many possibilities!
—Barb T.
Local Missions Ministry
You are amazing!
58 pair of mittens,147 pair of gloves, 123 hats, 173 pair of socks, 10 toddler blankets, 3 scarves, 1 winter jacket, and a tiny pair of boots, these are the gifts you brought to Trinity to decorate The Mitten Tree. Your gifts will protect local toddlers, middles, and teens from the wind and freezing cold over the next several months. Thank you so much!
Even when you were bringing your gifts to The Mitten Tree, you doubled up and brought food to Trinity's IAM closet to share with hungry neighbors. Thank you so much!! Your cozy gifts are off The Mitten Tree now, delivered to IAM so they can warm cold hands, feet and ears, and be wrapped around cold youngsters to keep them warm. You definitely are amazing! Thank you so much!!!
—Sandy & Bud Weeks
Earth Care Ministry
Thanks to the members who dropped off hard-to-recycle stuff in our parking lot on Dec. 6th. Not sure about the number of people but they arrived in 12 vehicles!
It was all delivered to Asheville Greenworks in south Asheville.
This event is held quarterly at various locations in an attempt to reduce the amount of material going to the landfill.
—Tom Karvonen
Worship Ministry
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Lesley M. Bush as Trinity's new Music Director. Lesley officially joined the staff at Trinity on Monday, January 5, 2026.
—Eric McAnallen
LESLEY M. BUSH
Lesley M. Bush, a native of Polk County, North Carolina, graduated from Mars Hill College (now Mars Hill University) in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in religion with an emphasis in church music. He continued his education at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, and was ordained in 1989.
He began his formal music education at age six, studying with his first piano teacher, Charlene Means; became a church pianist at age 11, and has been continuously involved in church music since that time.
Bush is a former member of the North Carolina Baptist Singers and has been the accompanist for the Third Century Singers (Community Chorus of Goldsboro, North Carolina). Bush has been the director/accompanist of the Community Chorus, in Tryon, North Carolina on twelve occasions. He is an officer of the Rutherford County Historical Society. He has served as photographer and research assistant for 40 historical publications. His landscape and interior photographs have been published in the United States and England. In 2018, he served as one of the principal photographers for the book, “Southern Splendor: Saving Architectural Treasures of the Old South” which was published by The University Press of Mississippi. He also participated as a re-enactor in the Emmy-nominated PBS documentary “Gold Fever and the Bechtler Mint,” produced by UNC-TV in 2012, and released to national television audiences in 2013. He enjoys doing research on his family genealogy.
He is a certified piano technician and has been tuning pianos since 2019. He currently tunes for Tryon Fine Arts Center, The Laurel Lake Music Society Concert Series at Tryon Estates Retirement Community, The Foundation Performing Arts Center of Rutherford County, The Symphony of Rutherford County and for several churches and musicians. He has taught piano for over 40 years and currently is a member of the teaching faculty at The Wild Roots Fine Arts Center in Forest City, NC.
Congratulations to our new class of 2026 Elders and Deacons!
Welcome to the Trinity Leadership Team 😊
Christian Nurture Ministry
Cub Scout Troop 620 - Arrow of Light
Leslie Nissen, chair of our Local Missions Ministry, conducts a presentation for the fourth grader "Webelos" to help them earn their "Arrow of Light" badges.
Arrow of Light Adventure: Duty to God in Action
Complete Requirements 1 and 2 and at least two others.
Discuss with your parent, guardian, den leader, or other caring adult what it means to do your duty to God. Tell how you do your duty to God in your daily life.
Under the direction of your parent, guardian, or religious or spiritual leader, do an act of service for someone in your family, neighborhood, or community. Talk about your service with your family. Tell your family how it related to doing your duty to God.
Earn the religious emblem of your faith that is appropriate for your age, if you have not done so already.
With your parent, guardian, or religious or spiritual leader, discuss and make a plan to do two things you think will help you better do your duty to God. Do these things for a month.
Discuss with your family how the Scout Oath and Scout Law relate to your beliefs about duty to God.
For at least a month, pray or reverently meditate each day as taught by your family or faith community.
WILL YOU WAIT WITH ME?
Will you join us during Lent for a weekend of renewal, rest, laughter, learning, sharing and the Spirit? The 2026 Women’s Retreat at Montreat promises all of those experiences and more!
This March 13-15th, our Trinity Women’s Retreat will once again present a unique experience, and we’ll be led by Caroline Dennis, Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Greenwood, South Carolina. Caroline is an enthusiastic leader, friend of Flora’s, and very excited to be our facilitator.
Meet Caroline in her own words:
“Caroline Dennis. Child of God. Playmate of the Spirit. Disciple of Jesus Christ. Wife of one. Mother of three. Grandmama of Addie Lou. Ministry partner with the saints and sinners of Westminster Presbyterian Church Greenwood is eagerly awaiting her time with the ladies of Trinity Presbyterian.”
Caroline grew up in Atlanta and holds degrees from Davidson College, Oglethorpe University and Columbia Theological Seminary. She resides with her teacher/pastor husband Phillip in Greenwood, South Carolina and enjoys visiting her children and grandbaby in Columbia and Washington, DC, and her mother at Pawleys Island. Caroline has been an early childhood educator, stay at home mom, children and family pastor, and solo pastor. She loves to hear and to tell a good story, camp and hike, cook and converse. Wherever life and ministry have taken her, this lifelong Presbyterian has considered Montreat to be a spiritual home.
The 2026 Trinity Women’s Retreat will be March 13-15, 2026. Registration forms, including answers to most questions, are on a table in the Narthex. Get your form in soon, as space is limited! Contact any member of the planning team for more information.
I’ve attended many women’s retreats at Montreat over the years, and each time, I think 'this was the best one yet!'" -- Norie
I cherish the opportunity to remove myself from the everyday, to spend time with other women in friendship and reflection, to be led by a vibrant and enthusiastic facilitator in exploring a bit more of my faith, to learn a little more about biblical stories — all in a beautiful, serene, history-filled location just a short distance from home.
Please join us! The registration deadline is looming, as we need to give Montreat a headcount by the middle of January. Registration forms are available in the office (in my folder) and in the envelope on the bulletin board in the narthex.
—Norie Sanchez
Global Missions Ministry
Deadline for applications: January 15
See Dwight for information about scholarships!
The Family of Daniel Estrada is in need of your prayers.
Daniel Estrada died early December 25, 2025 of tuberculosis at the age of 26. He was the third of seven sons of Samuel Estrada (an Elder of the church) and Blanca Barrios de Estrada, whom we had known as active members of Fuente de Vida for many years. Daniel leaves behind his mother, his wife and 3 young sons.
Earlier in the fall Daniel had returned to Guatemala from the US where he had been working as a farm worker. Having become diagnosed with tuberculosis he returned to Monterrey, Guatemala and his family to be cared for. Shortly after my visit in October, the session members of Fuente de Vida took his family a food basket purchased with funds I had left for the church. His wife is receiving the basket and Daniel is in the back ground. (See photo)
Please keep the Estrada family in your prayers as he will be greatly missed by his family and the church community. Remember the children as it will be difficult for them with only a single mother and elderly grandmother to care for them in Guatemala.
Reporting in love and in prayer,
—Carole Ball
Matthew 25 Ministry
JOIN THE EXCITEMENT!
Circles Henderson Country’s 1st Team Building Meeting, Tues, Jan 13 at 5:30PM. Dinner will be provided. Bring your laptop!
Please RSVP by Mon, Jan 12 to circleshendersoncounty@gmail.com.
We are on our way!
—Lin Johnson
January Birthdays!
Calendar
Check out what's happening this month on our web calendar
A couple of highlights, but check the website for details and full listings:
Sun, Jan 11 - Sally Bechtol's Retirement Party! (12:15 PM)
Tue, Jan 13 - Circles Henderson County 1st Team Meeting w/ Dinner (5:30 PM, MUST RSVP by Mon, Jan 12 to circleshendersoncounty@gmail.com)
Wed, Jan 14 - Wed Night Live! (5:30 - 7:30 PM)
Mon, Jan 19 - MLK Day (Office closed, but head over to St. James or Blue Ridge Community College for their MLK Day events!)
Sun, Jan 25 - Annual Meeting (11:15 AM, right after a SINGLE Worship Service at 10)
Photos!
Social Media Nerd Moment:
If you’d like to see more of what YOU and your Trinity family are up to, you can FOLLOW US on Facebook. Yes, I know you can look us up, but if you want to be notified when we post something about all the good stuff YOU ALL are doing in the community, you can go to this link and click “follow”. (I won’t spam you, I promise 😘 - Come on, it’s ME!)