9 January 2022
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

~~Collect for the First Sunday after the Epiphany
In This Week's eVoice:


  1. Update on Our COVID Response
  2. Greening and de-Greening the Church
  3. Adult Christian Forum
  4. Pledging and Giving via Smartphone
  5. Giving Envelopes
  6. Women Together
  7. Trinity Book Group
  8. Invitation from Companions of the Holy Cross
  9. Worship With Us
  10. Calendar
  11. News from EECT
  12. ECCT Bishop Search
  13. eVoice Deadline
Update on Our COVID Response

Dear Trinity Community,

As COVID continues to surge again, I want to give you some updates regarding our plans for worship, inform you of new COVID protocols that we are implementing, and remind you of existing protocols.

At the 21 Dec 21 Vestry meeting the lay leadership and I agreed that it is very important for us to continue to offer in person worship while encouraging everyone to make the decision of whether to worship in person or online based on their individual circumstances. While we will continue with in person worship, we will discontinue Coffee Hour for the time being. In order to make in person worship as safe as possible we are implementing a few new protocols:
  • All Communion Ministers, Acolytes, Vergers, and Intercessory Prayer Team Members are being asked to provide me with proof of 2 shots of COVID Vaccine.
  • As of Sunday, January 9, and going forward, only the Bread will be offered at Communion. We ask that if you would like to receive Communion, please maintain distance as you come forward. Please do not remove your mask to consume the Sacrament until you have returned to your seat.
  • We are asking everyone to wear either a surgical mask or a (K)N95 mask. Cloth masks alone have been shown to be inadequate in preventing the spread of COVID. (If you want to wear a cloth mask feel free to wear it over a surgical or (K)N95 mask.
As a reminder of our current protocols:
  • All persons should wear a mask covering their mouth and nose at all times when inside public parts of the building. (Staff in their offices may remove their masks as long as they are alone and their door is closed.)
  •  All persons not in the same household/exposure bubble should maintain at least six feet of distance, including at the Communion Rail. 
  • There should be no physical contact between persons not in the same household/exposure bubble. 

Thank you for your cooperation as we continue to seek to keep each other safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me.

In Peace,
~Rev. D.
Greening and "de-Greening" the Church

Thanks from the Altar and Flower Guilds, and a Request

Many thanks to those who helped out on Sunday the 19th with our Greening of the Church. The place looked lovely for Christmas Eve and the Sundays of Christmas.
We are now asking your help for the “de-Greening.”

This Sunday, 9 January, after worship there will be banners to be changed, wreathes and garlands to be stored away, and manger scenes to be packed up. Please consider spending a few minutes after church to aide our transition from Christmas to Epiphany.
TODAY! Adult Christian Formation
Confronting Social Injustice as a Christian
 
If you sometimes feel uncertain about how to think about and respond to current events in these troubled times, please join us for an adult forum this Sunday to be led by Rev. Dr. Frank Kirkpatrick.
This forum will be a presentation and discussion of the basic ethical principles and theological convictions that ought to inform a Christian response to the injustices in our society today.
 
We will lay out the differences between social and personal ethics, laying a framework for considering the difficult issues of our day.
In keeping with our current COVID-19 precautions, this forum will take place via Zoom only. It will begin at 11:45, giving those who attend the 10 a.m. service in person adequate time to get home and log on to Zoom. The login details are below.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 835 0585 7618; Passcode: 562095
Or call in: 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 835 0585 7618; Passcode: 562095
Update On Our New Afghan Family

Trinity's new Afghan family has now been here in town for almost two months. They arrived, tired and hungry but excited nonetheless, on the night of November 9: mom Saheba, dad Ferooz, 7-1/2 y/o Abna, her brothers 6-y/o brother Abdul, 4-y/o Mohammad, and 3-y/o Amjad, and new-born sister Zoya.  After a harrowing escape from Kabul in late August and a stint at a military base in Virginia,they are settling into their new life. Mom and Dad are eagerly learning English and Abna and Abdul are thriving in first grade and kindergarten, respectively. They have made friends at their ESOL class at Htfd. Public Library and at a local mosque. All four kids and their parents have mastered the ABC song and are delighted to sing it for anyone who comes to their door!

A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has donated money, furnishings, and time to help settle this family. We'll keep you posted on their progress!

Anne Rapkin, for Trinity's Refugee Resettlement Committee
Christmastide at Trinity Church.
Giving Envelopes

The supply chain backup has impacted Trinity Church! We do not expect our Envelope order until mid-January. The office will send you an email when they arrive. If you need some spare envelopes to tide you over, please contact Barbara in the office. In the meantime, please remember to write your envelope # on your check. If you’re not sure of it, you can log into your profile on Realm and check it out, or you can call Barbara. We apologize for the delay.
Women Together Meets Again
in January 2022

In the new year, Women Together begins a new, 7-week series on the book The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris. All women are welcome to attend. Currently, women from Trinity, St. Monica's, St. John's, and friends attend this weekly discussion and fellowship group. The meetings take place on Tuesdays, beginning January 4th, from 2:00-3:15 in the Reception Room at St. John's, with all attendees wearing masks. At the meeting on Jan. 4th, we'll cover pages 1-52. For more information, please contact Cathy Rowe (crowedy@yahoo.com) or Linda MacGougan (macgougans@gmail.com).
Trinity Book Group: 14 January 2022
 
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin is the story of the teenage stepson of the minister of a storefront Pentecostal church in Harlem one Saturday in March of 1935. Trinity's book group will discuss this classic novel at its meeting on January 14th, 7:00-9:00 pm. All are welcome to attend! Martha Freimuth will host this meeting at her home, with attendees wearing masks. Please contact her for more information and to let her know if you're planning to attend. (860-647-8990; lems.cove@yahoo.com)
Companions of the Holy Cross

The Companions of the Holy Cross invite you to a virtual information meeting by the Hartford Chapter.
 
We are a Christ centered group of women who are “called by God to a life of prayer, transformation and reconciliation within ourselves, within our Companionship, within our faith communities and within the whole of creation.”

Join us to learn more about the group, what called us to join, and what being a member has meant to us. For many, this spiritual friendship has been life changing!

We have planned two meeting times:

Saturday, January 15, from 3:30-4:30 or Sunday, January 16th, from 7:00-8:00pm

Contact Kate Smith at Kate48smith@comcast.net for meeting information
Worship With Us at Trinity Church
Sunday, January 9: First Sunday after the Epiphany
8 AM Holy Eucharist in the Church

10 AM Holy Eucharist in the Church and live-streamed via YouTube
Thursday, January 6

Noon Prayer via Zoom

(Thursday noon services will be Eucharist in person on the first Sunday of each month, Noon Prayer on Zoom the remaining Thursdays.)
Weekly Calendar
 

Sunday, January 9th         First Sunday after Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord
          8:00 A.M.               Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church)
         10:00 A.M.              Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church)
         11:15 A.M.              De-Greening the Church (Church)
         11:45 A.M.              Adult Christian Formation (Zoom)
                                          The Rev. Frank Kirkpatrick
                                  “Christian Ethical Principles for Confronting Social Injustice”
 
Monday, January 10th
           5:00 P.M.            ACF Meeting (Zoom)
 
Tuesday, January 11th
           6:00 P.M.           Choir School Rehearsal (Choir Room)
 
Wednesday, January 12th
            7:00 P.M.           Property Team Meeting (Zoom)
 
Thursday, January 13th
         12:00 P.M.            Noonday Prayer (Zoom)
           7:00 P.M.            Intercessory Prayer Partners Meeting (Zoom)
 
Friday, January 14th
            7:00 P.M.           NA Group Meeting (Huntington Hall)
 
Sunday, January 16th       Second Sunday after the Epiphany
              8:00 A.M.           Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church)
            10:00 A.M.           Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church)
News from the Diocese

Click the links below to read up on what's going on in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and in our North Central Region.
Bishop Search & Transition News
 
Updated information about the search for our next bishop can be found at ctbishopsearch.org.
eVoice Deadline

All announcements should be submitted to Barbara Roos at office@trinityhartford.org by Thursday 9am for publication that week. Announcements that are submitted late will be held until the following week’s edition.
120 Sigourney Street
Hartford, CT 06105
860.527.8133