United Methodist TV (UMTV) has featured Trinity twice in their series of 1' 30" TV vignettes of stories about people making a difference in United Methodism.
UMTV was created by United Methodist Communications in the post-9/11 period when the church felt that people were searching for ways to improve and give meaning to their lives. They create these little video stories for use by television stations who want to use them in their weekend programming to provide meaningful content for their viewers. They've produced one or two of these inspirational stories each week since May 8, 2002--all of which can be viewed at their website.
Here're the two about us:
Click on the images. . . . .and be patient while the large files load!
The Buzz on Campus
February 25, 2004
SCRIPT:
Alcohol abuse is a rite of passage in many college towns. In Tuscaloosa, it tends to happen on “The Strip,” a half mile of bars and nightclubs just off campus.
Nathan Putnam: “You don’t see many people in your Friday classes. Everybody’s pretty much hung over.”
Hoping to offer an alternative, Trinity United Methodist Church has opened “Quirkey’s,” an eye-popping wireless café.
Alan Head / Pastor, Trinity United Methodist Church: “I like to call it the ADD person’s dream come true.”
Packed with TVs, DVDs and 24 Internet connections, the basement coffeehouse has become “the bomb.”
Bridget Cabrera / Student: “I think it’s awesome. It’s a great atmosphere to just come out and hang out and meet people, have some coffee, watch some TV, do some homework.”
Church member Doris La Grone-Kispert transformed the once-drab storage space, using funky colors and Christian symbolism.
Doris La Grone-Kispert: “Here we have Alva and Eva Partridge, in their pear tree.”
With an eye for design and a love of college students, this great-grandmother hopes students will be trading places.
Doris La Grone-Kispert: “They can see that they can have more fun in the same sort of ambiance as you would have in a bar.”
Alan Head: “We hope to accomplish that place where they feel like they belong, where they fit in and are a part—connected.”
Open seven nights a week, the low-key ministry connects students to the church and each other.
Tiffany Holliday / Student: “This is nice because it’s not like a church setting. You don’t have to go and be ‘at church.’ You just go and hang out with other people who believe in pretty much the same things that you believe in.”
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Quirkey’s is also the site for Bible study groups and a jazz worship service is being planned. The students make their own coffee and smoothies and are on the honor system to pay for snacks.
Mower Ministry
July 28, 2004
SCRIPT:
Mowing, raking and weeding is pure misery when it’s 92 in the Alabama shade. But for these Tuscaloosa teens, the hard work is pure joy.
Andy Sherrill / 15 yrs. old: “It just feels really good inside to help people that are no longer able to do things.”
Sue Free surveys lawn: “That’s looking better.”
At 79, Sue Free no
longer has the strength for yard work …
Sue Free: “I’ve had four major operations.”
… so this United Methodist youth group has pitched in to help, free of charge.
Sue Free: “Oh, heavens to Betsy! You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”
Group praying together: “Dear Lord, thank you for letting us come work in Mrs. Viselli’s yard.”
Jan Porter / Mower Ministry Leader: “They’re still able to keep their independence, and I think some of the best ministries are outside the church.”
Part motivator …
Jan Porter to kids: “There you go.”
… part terminator …
Jan Porter to kids: “All right, let’s head out.”
… Jan Porter got this ministry rolling.
Jan Porter: “I saw a need and I thought this was something that we could do, and a lot of days you can’t get the lawnmower out of their hands.”
Because of frequent trips to the hospital, the mower ministry has been a godsend for the Visellis.
Fran Viselli: “It takes a burden off me that allows me to spend more time with my mother.”
In south Alabama, the grass grows more than half the year, leaving plenty of time to search for others in need.
Jan Porter: “I hope that they start to look around and see where ever it is that there may be a need or a hurt or anywhere you can help out.”
Katie Head / 10 years old: “I feel like I’m helping them out. It feels good.”
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The mower ministry hopes to include other services like vacuuming and cleaning, in the future.