Full name: Alejandro Franco Moreno Tenney

Hometown: Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Number of siblings: 3

Graduated from: University of Virginia

Current job: Researcher and translator at Process Engineering

Best vacation ever: My Euro trip this summer for over 5 weeks!

What made you decide to be a D-Group leader? I love being active and seeing how kids I knew from my time at Trinity during my college years have been growing and maturing.

Any funny memories from high school youth group? The extremes of hearing yelling and laughing at the same time while playing ultimate octopus.

Christian community is important to you because: It creates a place where you can build each other up in the image of Christ.

Favorite Bible verse: Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

 If you were to play a sport professionally it would be…Basketball because it’s awesome, and I love being a part of a group that has a clear common goal.

A book you’d recommend: Tim Keller- Counterfeit Gods

Shoes: Barricades

Most important cereal to have at Student Breakfast: Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Good at: Playing any sports

Bad at: Playing any instruments

When? August 3rd-11th
Cost? $1,200
Deadline to sign up? May 27th
Questions? Contact Dan Marotta at dan.marotta@trinitycville.org

Hello Friends,

I want to thank everyone for praying for and encouraging Maggie and I over the past weeks.  It is such a blessing to be a part of Trinity as new parents.  We feel so loved.

Getting to know our daughter Ellie Kate has been a joy.  Honestly, Maggie and I have been surprised by how much we love her already.  When Maggie was pregnant, I remember being afraid that I wouldn’t have enough love to give to both my wife and my child.  I thought that the total amount of love I had to give was a set value. To illustrate, I imagined that I had one gallon of love, and once the baby was born, Maggie and the baby would each get a 1/2 gallon.  A wise woman reminded me that love DOES NOT work that way.  Love multiplies.  I can honestly say my heart is full of love for my family in a way I did not expect.

This is a  picture of God’s love toward us. It is so encouraging to know that God’s heart is completely full for each of us, His children.  We don’t each get a portion; we each get His whole heart.  God bless you and your families today.

Lewis

Name: Jessica Fink

Hometown: Somerset, Pennsylvania (small town in western PA)

Number of siblings: 1 younger sister, Julie

Graduated from: Messiah College (near Harrisburg, PA) in 2011

Current job: Trinity Fellow Also, Service Delivery and Marketing Intern at Silverchair Learning Systems

Best vacation ever: Going to Saltzburg, Austria with my family.  The mountains were beautiful, and it was fun to pretend I was a part of the VanTrap family from The Sound of Music

What made you decide to be a D-Group leader? I am a Fellow so it is built into my schedule, but I am super excited to be hanging out and investing in students’ lives.

Christian community is important to you because:  My brothers and sisters in Christ are the ones who challenge me, comfort me, laugh with me, and help me to grow in Christ. Together we build one another up in the Lord.

Favorite Bible verse: Lamentations 3:23 – “They [the Lord's mercies] are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

If you were to play a sport professionally it would be… Tennis because I love the sport, and I’d love to meet Roger Federer .

A book you’d recommend: A Ring of Endless Light by Madaleine L’Engle

Shoes: My Target rain boots

Most important cereal to have at Student Breakfast: Frosted Mini Wheats

Good at: Eating ice cream! I enjoy this, and I’m pretty good at it, too!

Bad at: Doing cartwheels

Would you rather have all your arm hair ripped out, or…

Ever played the game “Would you rather?”

Here’s a good one, “Would you rather have your arm hair ripped out with duct tape, or have a potentially awkward conversation with a friend at school about Jesus?”

Unless you enjoy morbidly contemplating social suicide, you’d probably rather be labeled the “hairless wonder” than “pushy, judgmental, intolerant, narrow-minded, Jesus freak,” and you’re not alone in feeling this way. Evangelism is scary. We’re all terrified of seeing that look of disgust or worse, betrayal, in the face of a close friend when we bring Jesus into a conversation. We’re worried that it will mean the end of the relationship, the end of trust, the end of our reputation, THE END OF THE WORLD!

Two thoughts to share this morning:

1. Has this ever actually happened to any of you? I’m not talking about a time when you were a jerk to someone in the name of God and then they stopped liking you. I mean a time when you sincerely and lovingly shared a story with them about what Jesus has done in your life. Odds are, it didn’t trigger a series of events that eventually led to doomsday. Instead, I’m guessing it was far more intense and awkward for you than it was for them!
2. On the other hand, let’s assume for a moment, the absolute worst. Let’s assume that the second you say the word “Jesus” all kinds of terrible things are going to happen. Friends will flee from you, people will slander you on Facebook, and you will be shunned “Dwight Schrute style” for the rest of the semester. Even IF all this happened, it still is NOT a cause for fear. Our security, our personal identity, even our sense of belonging and safety is found in our relationship with Jesus. His words to us, from John 16:33 are “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

For most of us – there’s not a lot to fear, but even if there is – we will not give in to fear and insecurity because of what Christ has done for us. So put away the duct tape!

It’s been really cool during Advent this year for Maggie and I to be longing for our baby to be born. I’ve been particularly amazed with how Jesus came to earth in such a normal way. He grew inside Mary’s womb from a single cell. He gradually took the shape of a human and grew arms and legs, fingernails and lungs, just like our baby is growing right now! From the very beginning, Jesus humbled himself to share in the common (but miraculous) experience of humanity. Maggie and I can’t wait to meet our baby! We want to hold and smell and kiss that child so badly. That’s the kind of waiting Advent is all about. Try to remember that we aren’t just waiting for Jesus to appear, we’re waiting while he develops in the womb to be birthed into the world. The Savior is almost here!

God Bless and Merry Christmas!

Lewis

Name: Peter Colin Andrew Croft

Hometown: Reigate, England

Number of siblings: Two older brothers

Graduated from: Durham, Cambridge and London

Current job: Trinity Fellow; Volunteer Intern at New City Commons Foundation

Best vacation ever: Hawaii, Europe road trip

Enjoys being a D-group leader because… I love hanging out with teenagers and I love to talk about Christ with them, to see them grow and share in joys and sorrows. I used to teach in England; it was a large part of my life for six years.

Favorite Bible verse: Isaiah 26.8 “Yes Lord, walking in the way of your laws we wait for you. Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.”

If you were to play a sport professionally it would be… Golf, because you get to travel the world hanging out with your mates – and you have a long career playing golf!

A book you’d recommend: J.B.Phillips “The Price of Success”

Shoes: Loakes  Editor’s note: Loakes are handmade English men’s leather shoes or boots. At least, that’s what Google tells me…  

Most important cereal to have at Student Breakfast: I’m just getting accustomed to American cereals. Fruit loops are banned in Europe because they are considered dangerously unhealthy.

Good at: Soccer

Bad at: Mathematics