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Trinity Episcopal Church
5 April 2020
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Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
~~Collect for the Sunday of the Passion
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Worship This Week with Trinity Church
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Buildings Closed and Face to Face Services Suspended Until Further Notice
Video Taped Serivce Goes Up at 8 AM
The Rev. Norman MacLeod, Officiating
Thursday Noon Services Continue on Zoom
Service Live-Streamed via Zoom at 7 PM.
Ecumenical Asylum Hill Churches Service on Video
Service Live-Streamed via Zoom at 7 PM.
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A Message From Father Norman
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Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Dear Beloved Trinity friends:
The prayer above is the Collect for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, this past Sabbath day. All week its words have echoed in my mind and heart. I put in bold the words which most resonate with me as we face the coronavirus pandemic.
Unruly wills. One of the hardest things for us to do is set aside our own desires or habits for the common good. Sheltering in place violates a basic human need for company, but unruly wills which ignore the need to protect ourselves and one another from COVID-19 are a recipe for disaster.
Love what you command. God commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. The governor and public health officials require us to keep our distance from one another, to stay at home as much as possible. How can we love this version of God's great commandment about neighbor love?
Swift and varied changes of the world. This pandemic struck swiftly over a period of weeks, bringing "varied changes" unlike anything we have ever experienced.
True joys. Facing these sudden restrictions, the resulting break in familiar patterns calls us to ask, "What is really important?" Or to put it another way, "Where are true joys to be found?"
Someone asked a friend of mine, "What has not been taken away from you because of the pandemic?'
He replied, "The knowledge that I am a beloved child of God. Nothing can take that away from me."
It is a great question, "What has not been taken way?"
Where in all the loss within and around us, are true joys to be found?
A neighbor across the street posted a giant Valentine on the front door, with the words, "Together Apart." I have never seen this fellow apartment dweller, but in this strange time, the neighbor expressed, for me, a true joy. We are all on this together, surrounded by love beyond knowing.
Many blessings,
Norman
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From the Wardens
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It seems that the entire world is struggling to define how to live lives of meaning and joy in the midst of a global pandemic. For members of ECCT parishes, maintaining a connection to their church through online worship services, phone calls to friends, and regular communications such as our own "Voice" newsletter has helped them hold on to a "new normal." This is true of Trinity members as well, it seems, based on the number of appreciative emails and phone calls following our online worship.
We want you to know that even now, Trinity is working to live out our
mission. The Parish Care and Outreach teams have both had productive
Zoom meetings about ways they can be a presence in the life of the parish and our Hartford community during this time of unprecedented difficulty.
Father Norman and Jackson Merrill are planning worship services for the
Triduum and Easter Season, and receiving technical support from Casey
Rousseau and Jake Troiano. And Trinity's paid staff continues to support the everyday and business functions of the parish, working from home as much as possible.
We're still in a time of pastoral transition, of course, and that process is also continuing. Enid Oberholtzer, Chair of theRecruitment Team, reports, "We have met several times over the last few weeks.
Supported by the work of the Prayer and Discernment Teams and with the leadership of Virginia Army, we are focusing on constructing a calendar of dates to save for the various tasks to be performed, discussing the process of interviewing, and compiling a list of interview questions based on the Parish Profile."
It is likely that our search process will be affected by the uncertainty of our national life. We're not sure what disruption there may be in our process, but we can rest in God's promise that we will be given what we need in order to fulfill God's plan for us.
~~Alan Rice and Martha Freimuth,
Wardens
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Adult Christian Formation
This Sunday, April 5 at 11:00 AM.
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Join us virtually to hear Allison Bernhard, Principal, and Donna Colliton, Executive Director, from Trinity Academy speak.
Find out how Trinity Academy has successfully completed its first week of distance learning! They will walk us through a typical day including how students and teachers now communicate with one another. While distance learning is certainly not ideal, especially for elementary school children, Trinity Academy is moving forward confidently and doing everything it can to ensure that its students continue to get the best education possible.
Topic: ACF - Update from Trinity Academy
Time: Apr 5, 2020 11:00 AM
Join Zoom Meeting via your computer
Meeting ID: 399 564 473
Password: 040719
Or Dial in through your phone
929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 399 564 473
Password: 040719
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The Aumbry Candle is lit this week in loving memory of Steve Smith.
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Lenten Offering for the Diocese of Jerusalem:
Urgent Appeal
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As in years past, Trinity will continue its support of the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Ahli Hospital for the Ash Wednesday (February 26th) and Good Friday (April 10th) offerings. We always extend this offering period throughout all of Lent, since we cannot all make those services. With the church closed due to the Coronavirus, our gifts are still needed! We have received word that the virus will soon descend on Gaza. However, in Gaza, there is no possibility of social distancing as most people live in refugee housing that is extremely crowded. Gaza is one of the most confined populated areas on our planet.
During this holy season of Lent, remembering our brothers and sisters where our faith began, is so important. Please make checks out to Trinity Church with AFEDJ (American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem) and send to the church office. Or you can send your donation directly to AFEDJ at: 25 Old King Highway North, Suite 13, Darien, CT 06820. If you would prefer to send an online donation, please go to www.afedj.org Choose Donate/Ahli Hospital, Gaza.
In addition, the Outreach Team met via Zoom on Thursday evening March 26th and voted to send $3,000 immediately to AFEDJ for the hospital. Your pledge dollars are going to be helping a wonderful small hospital that will be doing very difficult work. The people of the Holy Land thank you!
~~Kate Smith for the Outreach Team
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Save the Date! Virtual Cystic Fibrosis Walk - June 5th
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Kate and Drew Smith's annual walk to support Cystic Fibrosis through the Great Strides program is going virtual.
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These doors will open again.
Meanwhile, worship with us online and in your heart.
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Call us at
Phone: 860.527.8133
Fax: 860.527.2863
Visit us at
View Sunday and Special Liturgies at
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