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2 January 2022
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

~~Collect for the Second Sunday of Christmas
In This Week's eVoice:


  1. Update on Our COVID Response
  2. Compline
  3. Giving Through Smartphone
  4. Greening and de-Greening the Church
  5. AFEDJ Thank You
  6. Afghan Family Update
  7. Church Office Holiday
  8. Giving Envelopes
  9. Christmastide and Epiphany Events
  10. Women Together
  11. Adult Christian Formation
  12. Invitation from Companions of the Holy Cross
  13. Worship With Us
  14. Calendar
  15. News from EECT
  16. ECCT Bishop Search
  17. eVoice Deadline
  18. QR Codes
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.
  • At Communion, people will be invited to pick up their own cup from the tray instead of the Communion Minister handing it to them. The cups will be spaced out in the tray so that a person picking up their cup will not touch another one.
  • 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.
Easier ways to Pledge and Give
 
Exciting news! You can now make a Pledge for 2022 as well as pay your pledge or make any other donation with just your smartphone. At the bottom of this email you’ll find a QR code for making a 2022 Pledge and a QR code to make a pledge payment or any other donation to Trinity. Simply open the camera on your smartphone, focus it on the desired QR code, follow the link, and fill out the information from there. If you have any questions please talk to Rev. D., Casey, or Jake.
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, 2 January, please pick up and take home a poinsettia after the 10 am service. Percy Williamson will be there to hand you one so that we can maintain social distance. And next 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.
Christmas at Trinity Church.
AFEDJ Thank You

Thank you to all the parishioners who were able to support the Holy Land Giving tree this Advent. $485 was raised through the selling of ornaments and these monies were sent directly to American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem for the Ahli Hospital in Gaza. The Outreach Team, now called Faith in Action, will be sending an additional $515 to AFEDJ to make our contribution a total of $1000. Supporting the Ahli Hospital has been a longstanding project of the parish and supporting this needy hospital is so vital to its ministry.

Thank you again.

Kate Smith for Faith in Action
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
Christmas Eve at Trinity Church.
Parish Office Closed for Holiday Observance

The Parish Office will be closed on Friday, December 31st in observance of the New Year’s Day Holiday.
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.
Christmastide and Epiphany Events

Sunday, Jan. 2nd, 9:00pm - Christmas Compline 

Join us for our third monthly service of compline. This late-night service of choral music is held in a darkened sanctuary and will feature Christmas choral works sung in an intimate atmosphere of candles and prayer. 

Thursday, Jan. 6th, 12:00pm - Feast of the Epiphany 

A special Noon Day Eucharist in the chancel of the church for Epiphany.

Sunday, Jan. 9th, 9:00pm - Epiphany One, Baptism of Christ 

Eucharist at 8am and 10am with renewal of Baptismal vows and Chalking of the Doors for Epiphany
Christmas Eve at Trinity Church.
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).
Adult Christian Formation
 
Confronting Social Injustice
as a Christian
 
We hear almost daily about injustice in our society and around the world. If you sometimes wonder how our Christian faith calls us to respond, you are not alone. Join us on Sunday, January 9, when Rev. Dr. Frank Kirkpatrick presents a forum on Christian ethical principles for confronting social injustice. This forum will take place on Zoom after the worship service. Stay tuned for more details!
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 2: Second Sunday of Christmas
8 AM Holy Eucharist in the Church

10 AM Holy Eucharist in the Church and live-streamed via YouTube

9 PM Compline in the Church
Thursday, January 6
The Feast of the Epiphany

Noon Eucharist in the Church

(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 2nd        The Second Sunday after Christmas
          8:00 A.M.               Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church)
         10:00 A.M.              Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church)
           9:00 P.M.              Compline (Church)
Thursday, January 6th      Feast of the Epiphany
         12:00 P.M.            Noonday Eucharist (Church)
           7:00 P.M.            Intercessory Prayer Partners Meeting (Zoom)
 
Friday, January 7th
            7:00 P.M.           NA Group Meeting (Huntington Hall)
 
Saturday, January 8th
           10:00 A.M.          Sanctuary Stitchers (Zoom)
 
Sunday, January 9th         The First Sunday after the Epiphany
              8:00 A.M.           Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church)
            10:00 A.M.           Holy Eucharist Rite II (Church)
            11:15 A.M.          Adult Christian Formation presentation by
                                         The Rev. Frank Kirkpatrick –
                                  “Christian Ethical Principles for Confronting Social Injustice”
(Zoom)
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 George at chienga@sbcglobal.net by Thursday 9am for publication that week. Announcements that are submitted late will be held until the following week’s edition.
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