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Trinity Episcopal Church
36 Main St, Newtown Ct
www.trinitynewtownct.org
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Is it just us or do you have a junk drawer in your kitchen crammed full of stuff? Cookie cutters, kabob skewers, twist ties, clothes pins, melon baller, garlic press, nutcracker, matches, take out menus, coupons, and chop sticks. Or how about a closet that has become the catch-all for just about everything—boots, coats, sewing machine, vacuum cleaner, the 4
th
of July flag, hats, gloves, umbrellas, tennis racket and yoga mat. If you have one of theses drawers or closets in your home, I want you to visualize it for a minute as I invite you to try on a new spiritual practice.
This spiritual practice is called “Rummaging for God” and was imagined by Jesuit priest, Fr. Dennis Hamm. “Rummaging for God” suggests going through a drawer full of stuff, feeling around, looking for something that you’re sure must be in there somewhere. Here’s how it works. At the end of the day, find a place to be by yourself. First pray for light. Next, in gratitude, think back over your day. Take note of all the feelings that surface for you in the replay of the day. Simply pay attention to the whole range: delight, boredom, fear, anticipation, resentment, anger, peace, contentment, impatience, desire, hope, regret, shame, uncertainty, compassion, disgust, gratitude, doubt, confidence, rage, pride, admiration—whatever was there. Next choose one of these feelings (positive or negative) and pray from it. Ask God to help you, heal you, bless you, free you. Then look towards tomorrow. What feelings surface as you look at what faces you tomorrow? Whatever it is, turn it into prayer. Pray from your heart.
I only recently discovered this practice and it seems fitting for this crazy time of COVID-19 and as we enter Holy Week on Sunday. Don’t be surprised if your feelings run the gamut. And yet, by acknowledging them and asking for God’s help, God does in fact help. Remember we are all in this together and with God's help, we will get through it together!
Blessings, Jenny+
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VIRTUAL HOLY WEEK AND EASTER @ TRINITY
As we continue to respond with love by complying with “Stay Safe, Stay Home,” Holy Week and Easter services at Trinity will be different. And yet, there are ways to participate from home in some new and creative ways. This year could even be more meaningful if we intentionally prepare our homes for virtual worship. One suggestion is to create an altar in your home—a place where you gather for prayer and worship. Cover a small table with a pretty cloth, set out candles, religious items, objects from nature. Make it a meaningful space. During Holy Week arrange your schedule to participate in the following services in preparation for Easter Sunday.
Virtual Palm Sunday – April 5 9:30am
Palm Sunday always falls on the Sunday before Easter. You will notice the colors of our chancel have changed from our Lenten simplicity to a bold, and vibrant red! These changes have been made to outwardly mark the triumphal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem. Our Gospel tells us that as Jesus entered the city, he was greeted by large crowds shouting, “Hosanna!” as they threw down palm branches that covered the path into the city. So,
we invite you to collect a native leafy branch from around your home or neighborhood prior to the service (forsythia, boxwood, pine branch, etc.) During the singing of the Hymn, “All Glory Laud and Honor,” be creative by making a procession of branches within your own home! We hope that this will be a physical reminder of how Jesus is still breaking into our world!
Virtual Maundy Thursday – April 9 7:00pm
Maundy Thursday may be considered, at its heart, a homely affair. You might consider making a simple Mediterranean meal of olives, almonds, dried fruit, bread, etc. Then gather virtually on this holy night, as we pray, sing, and hear the Word of God, each in our own homes but joined in fellowship. On this night we remember the night before Jesus died. Stripping of the altar (removing all ornaments, linens, candles, etc.) is an ancient custom of the Church. By doing so we mark the way Christ’s life was stripped from him by stripping the altar of all signs of life and beauty during a special service. This almost-bare worship space reminds us of the bareness of life without the hope of Christ that we have through His resurrection.
Virtual Good Friday Traditional Service – April 10 3:00pm
During this service we are invited to hear and remember the Passion of our Lord. This is an important time for each of us to hear anew the story of the crucifixion and death of Jesus. During this service, the congregation is invited to reverence (or venerate) the cross. You are invited to participate personally in this ritual by creating your own cross from branches in your yard, or perhaps you have a favorite crucifix in your home. You are encouraged to gather these items prior to the service so that you can venerate the cross at home during the time of the service when you would have otherwise come to the altar.
Virtual Good Friday Family Service – April 10 Noon
Alternatively, this earlier Good Friday Service is intended for all ages where we are invited to hear the story of Jesus’ final hours on earth: his gathering with his friends, prayers, betrayal, trial, and death. To help us enter this story with our eyes and our ears and our hearts and our imaginations, the storyteller will hold out an item related to the story and pause for a moment. In preparation, you might want to gather items in your home to represent a shepherd, flowers, links of chain, money bag, crown of thorns, a cross to hold, and something black to drape over these items.
Virtual Easter Sunday – April 12 9:30am
Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday worship lead us to Easter as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. Worship on this day is festive and it is familiar. Liturgically it is what we do every Sunday, except that on Easter we invite you to ring bells. The biblical story of Easter says that three days after Jesus was killed, he arose, and women who checked on his tomb Easter morning found it empty. Celebrated around the world, Easter is one of the most important Feast Days for Christianity. So why not make it a feast day in your home. Prepare a special meal. Decorate your table with flowers and candles. Dress up for virtual worship. Gather bells or pots and pans to make a joyful noise as we once again celebrate with lots of “Alleluias.”
SPECIAL EASTER OFFERING
This year's Special Easter Offering will benefit “Covenant to Care” (providing essential goods to Connecticut’s children in need), and “Off the Streets” (works on getting homeless off the streets). As with giving on-line through VANCO (add link) or mailing a check to Trinity Church for stewardship giving, a special Easter Offering may be made in these ways as well.
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ECCT Journeys through Stations of the Cross
Beginning Saturday, March 28, through Good Friday, individuals from every region of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, both clergy and laity, will be leading one of the 14 Stations of the Cross each day.
In a time of physical distancing, we invite you to join us virtually and pray the stations along with us using the Book of Occasional Services. You can currently follow along on our social media and
YouTube channel here.
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Youth from a Distance
During this time of social distancing, finding an activity that feels “normal” can feel impossible. I want you to know that Trinity still cares about you! I miss you guys, and I want to know how you are doing. So, I bet that you also miss each other! Let’s hang out. I am scheduling a
Virtual Lunch this Sunday, April 5th at noon.
You can join
online
by using our Zoom Virtual Meeting. This will be a time for us to check in with each other and talk about what is going on in our life. I can’t wait to see and hear you all!
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 721 517 484
For more information about this opportunity, please contact the
church office
.
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Being Church Now
The best way to connect and experience Trinity Church these days is to visit our website often
https://www.trinitynewtownct.org/being-church-now.
Daily office prayers are posted. Sunday worship videos are available as well as weekly chats with the clergy. In addition to the website, confidential prayers may be emailed at any time to
prayers@trinitynewtownct.org.
Our vestry and clergy have divided up our active-member parish directory to stay connected with you. And if you find additional pastoral support and connection would helpful, please call or text Jenny (315-264-9311) or Matt (203-927-5660). We are all in this together!
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ECCT COVID-19 Mental Health Resources
In this time of great anxiety, here are some resources for you and your family to care for yourself.
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Eastertide Prayers of the People
In these days with most of us having more time at home, we are inviting you to submit prayers for Prayers of the People that will be used corporately during Eastertide virtual worship, beginning Sunday April 19. An outline for these prayers is found at the top of page 383 in our Book of Common Prayer. Feel free choose to adapt prayers from the BCP or add language of your own as our Transition Prayer Team has done during Lent. For those interested in submitting prayers for one of these intercessions, please email your prayer to Jenny
jmontgomery@trinitynewtownct.org
by Monday, April 6. This could be a meaningful “try on” spiritual practice and a blessing for us all during this time of “Stay Safe and Stay Home.”
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Building Use Reminder
Decisions this past weekend by our Governor and guidance from our Bishops have dictated doing more things differently for Trinity Church. As of Monday, March 23 at 8:00pm our parish building was officially closed until it is reasonable for us to gather after this pandemic. Except for essential business functions, no one is to be in the building. As such our clergy and staff are now working from home. Be assured you can reach us by email, a phone call or text message and our commitment is to respond to you within 24 hours.
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Transition Process
Our search for a new rector continues to be on schedule. The position is now open to the wider Episcopal Church with an application deadline of April 30. Following this, qualified applicants will be referred from ECCT to our Recruitment Team for interviews. With initial interviews taking place virtually, travel restrictions should not impact the process. Jenny’s retirement date continues to be July 1. Matt and Cate are discerning where God is calling them next and when jobs are secured, details will be shared with the parish. Please continue to keep our Recruitment Team in your prayers, as well as our clergy, and the new rector God is preparing for Trinity.
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Praise and Thanksgiving
For those requesting our prayers:
Arlene Coleman, Peter Jameson, Rev. William West, Maureen Trotto, Bode Kloos, Judith Harris, Ann Moore, Jane Flader, Marie Karvelis, Neil Chaudhary, Henry and Linda
We give thanks for the life of Claude A. Land (brother of Betsy Hendricks) and pray for the repose of his soul.
For those celebrating a birthday this week:
Jeanne Benedict,
Annika Ferreira, Cory Benson, Paget Haylon, Hannah Weatherby
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There are events happening at Camp Washington -
click here to learn more!
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