It is with great anticipation that we look towards our first Sunday service back in the building on the Feast of All Saints, Sunday, November 1^st, at which we will celebrate the Eucharist and remember those saints who have gone before us. It is also in-gathering Sunday for pledges.

Probably none of us expected back in March that we would be away from the sanctuary for so long – nor, indeed, that we would find ways of meeting online and outdoors that would provide continuity in worship for many and also reach new people. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this possible. More...

On Friday, October 23, from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM, our youth group will be carving pumpkins on the patio at the church. No experience necessary. Teens aged 12-18 are welcome to join us! Masks required. Please bring $5.00 to pay for your pumpkin, and RSVP to Ash Pierce by October 20 to reserve your spot. Jesus said that "you are the light of the world." It is our hope that our pumpkins will be a reminder to us to be that light to others in these difficult times. If you have any pumpkin carving supplies lying around, or would like to donate to sponsor a pumpkin for a teen, please let Ash know.

This All Saints Day the diocese will be lifting up all who have died in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut due to COVID-19.  The Cathedral will coordinate this pastoral outreach. Please e-mail the names of those who have died from COVID-19.  A video remembering those who have died is being produced as a liturgical resource. Please send the names no later than October 25.

Warden Steve Horst is quoted in an October 19 New York Times story headlined "Ancient Philosophy, Meet Modern Pandemic." Steve is one of a trio of Wesleyan philosophy professors teaching what the article describes as "one of the largest in-person classes this semester" at Wesleyan. Entitled "Living a Good Life," the course uses traditional lectures and experimental exercises to teach students to try to incorporate ancient ideals into their own lives. “The whole point is to put our lives and these texts in context,” Steve commented.

Holy Trinity’s finances are holding up reasonably well through the first nine months of this year, despite the coronavirus virus pandemic that forced the church to halt indoor services in March. Pledge income is lagging a bit behind budget through the third quarter, although this is not unusual for this time of year. Total income, including building use and legacies & bequests, was $208,413, versus a budget of $236,582 through the third quarter. This shortfall was more than offset by a sharp drop in expenses: $243,654 versus a budget of $331,623 through September 30. Net income was $34,801.

It should be noted that Holy Trinity benefited from a $25,897 loan from the federal government’s coronavirus stimulus package. (The loan may be forgiven if certain employment goals are met.) While the outlook for the remainder of the year is favorable, considerable uncertainty remains due to the continuing effects of the the pandemic on non-pledge fundraising efforts (Holiday Fair, town-wide tag sale, etc.) and holiday giving.

Parishioners who have fallen behind on their pledge are urged to catch up. (You can use the online giving app at the bottom of this page.) You are also reminded to fill out your 2021 pledge form, which was mailed last week, and to return it by November 1. Thank you!

Our Advent book study will read The Universal Christ, How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope for and Believe by Richard Rohr. The first half of the book is about the incarnation of Christ; the second half is about Jesus. Richard Rohr is a passionate and devoted Franciscan, a deep and expansive thinker with what he calls an alternatively orthodox understanding of Christianity.

You can order a copy here, or let Valerie know if you need help ordering the book. Stay tuned for dates and times of the online study. If you do one thing this Advent, join this online book study led by Ted Coolidge, Peter Van Siclen and Rev. Mary Barnett. It will be substantial and joyful and deep!

First Church in Middletown has answered the call from St Vincent DePaul to provide 80-100 Sunday lunches to residents of The Men’s Shelter at the YMCA and The Eddy Shelter (the homeless shelter in town). First Church been providing meals each Sunday since April. The cost of one Sunday’s meals is $500.

The program supports local restaurants by purchasing "grab and go" meals from them for distribution on Sundays. The church is asking for financial support from Middletown community to support the program. This can be done in two ways. Make a donation to First Church, 190 Court Street, Middletown, CT 06457 and write “Sunday Lunch Program” in the memo line. The other way you can help is by supporting the local restaurants by either ordering takeout or enjoying outside dining if that is your pleasure. More...

Times before an election are likely to be controversial and chaotic, and this one is no exception. Indeed, the country is so polarized that even a simple conversation with the other side is nearly impossible. In such a climate, offering prayers before the coming election gives us a way to put all this in God’s hands, asking that God’s will be done, while expressing our own concerns and hopes. In addition, it can help us to relate more faithfully to the issues that are before us, having prayed about them. Taking sides matters, but that’s not what this is about even if you tell God your side!

Both of us are planning to do this through October. If you’d like to join us in what we will be doing, here’s how: Call the church office for a copy of the brief orders of service and prayers from The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, or you can download them from the website here and here. More...

Now you can contribute online to Holy Trinity through Tithe.ly, a safe and secure giving platform that allows you to donate once or on a recurring basis! Click on the link below to give through the church website. You can donate funds using a credit card or your bank account. For your pledge or other recurring gift, you can donate weekly, monthly, or semi-monthly, specifying a day of the week or date(s) during the month. You can also designate a onetime gift to specific church activities and organizations.