THE STILL SMALL VOICE NEWSLETTER FOR TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH ON THE GREEN

Transcription

1 THE STILL SMALL VOICE NEWSLETTER FOR TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH ON THE GREEN Dear Friends, Peace on earth is a traditional theme of the Christmas Holiday season. Yet, plans to implement the dream of peace have all too often become classic utopian one-liners, popular at beauty pageants or election rallies. But given the ongoing problems of inner-city violence, the climate of political polarization, and the issues with verbal violence in our schools, there is a growing urgency to find peacemakers who steep themselves in an art of peace development, not through grand global peacemaking dreams, but through concrete initiatives in every daily life. The Biblical peace-on-earth vision, that we revisit during our Christmas season, guides our utopian longing, that easily swings into defeatism, by pointing to more practical projects: To beat the swords into plowshares, the spears into pruning hooks (Isaiah 2). Peace building, Isaiah says, doesn t first start at the level of nations, but at the level of changing every weapon, sword by sword, fist by fist. Every type of verbal abusive or violent mindset should be part of the change. One successful contemporary approach to practical peace building comes from the founder of the Center for Non-Violent Communication, Dr. Marsha B. Rosenberg. Rosenberg grew up in an inner-city Detroit neighborhood and wanted to address the causes of violence. After studying clinical psychology he developed a program of peacemaking skills. He admits that the listening and communication skills he promotes are not new. Christmas Offering and Memorial Envelopes But his approach combines these skills to tackle the most daunting and confusing point that marks true transformation: the personal and internal upheaval that characterizes the interruptive dimension of transition. Whether we turn to gun-buy-back programs, or to the promotion of non-violent practices, Rosenberg explains, at the heart of every peace building practice is the development of a spiritual mindset that helps us cope with this internal upheaval of change. Over the course of years of practice, Rosenberg has come to describe this spiritual mindset through the assertion of the divine loving energy that seeks to enter into the turmoil of our world and of our hearts. Leaving the mindset of blame, judgment and domination is not some abstract clinical analysis, Rosenberg says, but is a very personal process whereby the divine is longing to assist us and have us steep in God s loving and peace-giving energy. It is this crucial spiritual dimension, this divine desire towards each of us that is expressed in the Peace on earth statement (Luke 2:14), which we as Christians hail when we celebrate the birth of our Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. After more than 2,000 Christmas celebrations, we have to admit that many of our peace making efforts have been too utopian, too violent, or stuck in fears of change. With people like Marsha Rosenberg we may feel encouraged to join a more concrete program of peace building, including the spiritual immersion in God s loving energy. May we become builders of peace. Merry Christmas! Please have your Christmas Offering and Memorial Envelopes returned to the office 950 Chapel Street, 2 nd Floor, New Haven, CT no later than Friday, December 13 in order to include the names in the Christmas bulletins. Additional envelopes are available in the church vestibule. Advent/ Christmas 2013 Average Worship Attendance by month September 7:45 9:00 10:00 11:00 2:00 5:00 October 7:45 9:00 10:00 11:00 2:00 5:00 November 7:45 9:00 11:00 2:00 5:

2 Advent/Christmas 2013 Page 2 Vestry Highlights: September Decisions made: Approved Minutes of July 15, 2013, meeting Approved hiring of communications consultant for 6 months at a maximum cost of $5,000 with an eye to offsetting the cost Approved support of two related grant applications to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the State of Connecticut Historic Preservation Office Tasks identified: Post in the Church the First Half 2013 Financial Status and Year-End Projection prepared by the Treasurer for comment by parishioners Consideration of Committee budget proposals, the Properties Committee Report and establishment of a Membership Committee at the October Vestry Meeting Submit names of potential Vestry candidates to the Nominating Committee (outgoing Vestry members) Vestry Highlights: October Decisions made: Approved Minutes of September 16, 2013, meeting Approved Grants Committee awards of $36,904 Approved sending excess in the Sunshine Fund to Episcopal Relief and Development Tasks identified: Finance Committee to consider budget proposals Meeting of Vestry volunteers to consider assisting with needs of Trinity community members Vestry Highlights: November Decisions made: Approved Minutes of October 21, 2013, meeting Approved Items A.1 (Christmas and Easter Ads) and 2 (Church Building Security) of Packet A, Finance Committee Summary Approved salary increases of 1% in 2014 Approved use of the basement of the Christian Science Church building for Holiday Bazaar storage at a cost of $2,500, plus $500 for a dumpster, as part of the 2014 budget for the Properties Committee Tasks identified: Review Packet B: Project Proposals November 13, 2013 for discussion at the December Vestry meeting and discuss in the appropriate committees Review proposed 2014 budget for the December meeting Advent & Christmas at Trinity on the Green Sunday, December 8 - Advent 2 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 2 10:10 a.m. Adult Forum - The Gift of Peace: Practicing Non-Violent Communication 11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 Saturday, December 14 6:00 p.m. A Child s Christmas in Wales and Welsh Supper Sunday, December 15 - Advent 3 10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer & Christmas Pageant 5:00 p.m. Vespers with Taize Sunday, December 22 - Advent 4 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 2 10:10 a.m. Adult Forum - The Gift of Peace: Practicing Non-Violent Communication 11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 Christmas Eve, December 24 5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 2 10:30 p.m. Choral Eucharist, Rite 1 - Music by the Choir of Men and Boys & the Choir of Men and Girls Christmas Day, December 25 11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 - Congregational Carols for Christmas Day Sunday, December 29 - First Sunday after Christmas Day 11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 Sunday, January 5 - Epiphany 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 2 11:00 a.m. Morning Prayer, Rite 1 Sunday, January 12 - First Sunday after the Epiphany 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 2 11:00 a.m. Holy Baptism & Eucharist, Rite 1 5:00 p.m. A Procession of Lessons & Carols for Epiphany

3 Page 3 The Still Small Voice Visit the Advent/Christmas Corner Trinity s Christmas Pageant Each Sunday during Advent during coffee hour. Advent wreathes, candles, Advent calendars, crèches, and Christmas items are all available. This is a time for us to prepare for the birth of Christ and to share the joy of the season. Proceeds from the sale of these items will support the Holiday Bazaar. Thank You from the Holiday Bazaar! Please join us for the Holiday Bazaar Thank You Party on Sunday, December 8 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the home of Rev. Luk De Volder and Tiffany Israel. It is time to put on your holiday outfit, make or bring your favorite finger food, and a bottle of cheer if you like, to celebrate each other, the Holiday and Holiday Bazaar We welcome all volunteers, and future volunteers to join in this happy festive affair. For directions, contact the Parish Office. Book Group December Meetings There will be two Book Group meetings in December. Monday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Jenny Briggs 10 Lincoln Street, New Haven please contact Jenny at jennifer.briggs@yale.edu to let her know you are coming and also, on Wednesday, December 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Helena Estes 324 Willow Street, New Haven please contact Helena at helenaestes@sbcglobal.net to let her know you are coming. The book we will discuss is East is East, by TC Boyle. Everyone is welcome to participate in the Book Group for any or all meetings. The book list and schedule is found at Trinity s website ( go to What We Do and look for Book Group under Fellowship. The Giving Tree is Here! Please take an ornament home and buy a gift for a fellow parishioner who needs one and return your wrapped gift with the ornament taped on top by Sunday, December 15. Or place a donation in the offering plate, make checks payable to Trinity Church and write Giving Tree in the memo line. If you are in need of gifts for you or your family, please contact Rev. Luk De Volder or Debby Kraemer to let them know what you need. REHEARSAL DATE: Saturday, December 14 from 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. PAGEANT DATE: Sunday, December 15 at 10:00 a.m. Gift Bags for Chapel on the Green Baptisms at Trinity What s better than getting a Christmas gift you weren t expecting? Please help Chapel on the Green make Christmas a bit more special for someone this year. On December 8, and 15, we will be collecting donations of small, simple gift bags to give out at the CotG Christmas celebration on Sunday, December 22. Each bag should contain no more than five different items one might find in a Christmas stocking items that will not spoil and will bring some comfort, some happiness. For example: chapstick hand lotion candy individually packaged foods (granola bars, fruit cups, cookie packs, etc.) a pair of winter gloves or knit hat a small first aid kit a pair of white cotton tube socks hand- or foot-warmer packets small flashlight with batteries Please it s important that the basic guidelines be followed for the bags: five assorted gender-neutral items per bag. This is a great project for kids, providing an opportunity to create a Christmas gift for someone less fortunate. The goal is collect 100 bags by December 22. Contact Debby Kraemer ( ) for more information. The next date for baptisms at Trinity will be on Sunday, January 12, 2014, at the 11:00 a.m. service. Please contact the office or the clergy if you want to have a baptism on that day.

4 Advent/Christmas 2013 Page 4 Trinity Players Present 4 th Annual Christmas Supper Theater: A Child s Christmas in Wales Please join us on Saturday, December 14 at 6:00 p.m. for a Welsh Supper, wine and mulled cider followed by a concert reading of Dylan Thomas A Child s Christmas in Wales. Carols accompanied by Phyllis Silver, coffee and dessert. A Child s Christmas in Wales is Dylan Thomas beautiful lyrical prose poem of Christmas past that takes place in his memory. It is a place where it is always snowing at Christmas, where wise cats hide while foolish ones line up on a back-garden wall, just yards from boys with snowballs in their sock-covered hands. It is a place where there are always uncles at Christmas, the same uncles eating until they nearly burst their buttons and then sleep, blowing away like dolphins. A place where there are always mothers, aunts and sisters scuttling to and fro, bearing tureens. It is the sort of poem that once heard becomes part of your memory, calling up a small town in Wales down by the two-tongued sea. Trinity Players will present this short work Concert Style in the Undercroft, as our contribution to the Holiday Spirit in New Haven, one cold Atlantic coastal port reaching across a half a century and a wide ocean. or call the Parish Office for reservations so we know how many to expect office@trinitynewhaven.org or (203) There will be a Freewill Offering (suggested donation is $10 to cover food and beverage costs). Healing Ministry Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. Matthew 4:23-24 I lay my hands upon you in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, beseeching him to uphold you and fill you with his grace, that you may know the healing power of his love. Amen. Book of Common Prayer p. 456 Surely there is something, some part of each of our lives and in the lives of those we love that is in need of healing. Healing was/is central to Jesus ministry and a sacred charge he left for his disciples to continue. Trinity on the Green continues that ministry of healing, recognizing the power and the grace that flow through the prayers of the faithful. Do not be bashful or embarrassed or fearful in seeking prayers for healing. There are several avenues available here, detailed below, but in each case, you are the one who decides how much or how little to say to those who are praying about the details of the suffering, illness, and pain for which you seek healing. It can be as simple as asking for prayers for healing, either for yourself or a loved one, acknowledging that God well knows the details of the need. The person praying for you does not need to know the specifics. It can, at the same time, be very healing, in and of itself, to share some of the specifics of the hurt and the pain for which you seek healing prayers. Anything shared with the clergy or lay person praying with/for you will be held in strictest confidence. Healing Ministry: Trinity has an active and trained cohort of lay persons who serve in the Healing Ministry. During and after every service on Sunday mornings at Trinity, one or more of our healing ministers is present in the Columbarium to offer the laying on of hands and prayers for healing. This can be a powerful help to those struggling with any issues of healing, body, mind or spirit, including healing of broken relationships. Seeking prayers of healing for loved ones as well is a powerful channel for healing. Anyone is welcome to go to the Columbarium beginning at communion time, and continuing as needed after each service, for such prayer and the laying on of hands (if desired). Anyone who feels called to assist in this Healing Ministry, please contact the Rev. Vicki M. Davis at vdavis@trinitynewhaven.org to discuss. Wednesday Eucharist: There is a service of Holy Eucharist, including healing prayers, every Wednesday at 12:10 at the side altar in Trinity. Those who wish to have prayers and anointing for healing simply remain at the communion rail after receiving communion, and the priest will listen to your requests, and pray with the laying on of hands and anointing with oil. Again, the details shared are up to you. The Circle of Caring: There is a more extensive Circle of Caring, started in 2008, consisting of prayers requested by or on behalf of individuals, as well as prayers for certain groups and conditions in the world at large, which is circulated by to all who have requested to be part of this prayer Circle. Recipients of the Circle of Caring undertake to include the prayers therein in their own daily prayers, so that quite literally and theologically and powerfully, we do create a circle of prayer around the concerns expressed. There are currently around 150 parishioners participating in this Circle of Caring. An is sent out on average once a month to those who have asked to participate in the Circle of Caring, listing the prayer requests that have come in. This ministry grows in power and vitality with its growing circle of participants. If you would like to join in this prayer circle, and/ or if you have people and/or concerns that you would like to have included in the prayers, please either Christine

5 Page 5 The Still Small Voice Janis at trinitycircleofcaring@gmail.com or the Rev. Vicki M. Davis at vdavis@trinitynewhaven.org. Prayer Requests: Most recently, we have positioned a basket in the back of the church to receive prayer requests. Anyone is welcome to write down their requests for prayer, and the healing minister(s) will include such prayer requests in their prayers during the week. If you want such prayers to continue, submit a new request, week by week. These healing prayer ministries are in addition to the prayer requests that can be given to the office for inclusion in the Life After Life It seems indeed important that we face death before we are in any real danger of dying and reflect on our mortality before all conscious and unconscious energy is directed to the struggle to survive. It is important to be prepared for death, very important; but if we start thinking about it only when we are terminally ill, our reflections will not give us the support we need... From The Only Necessary Thing, a compilation of writings of Henri Nouwen. Two well-attended, but all too brief, adult forums, on Sunday, November 3 and November 10, showed a great interest in the topic of death and dying, or as some prefer to describe it, life after life. We touched on both the spiritual aspects of dying, including belief in eternal life, a life after this life and how that belief impacts our decisions about end of life matters, and some of the more practical aspects of dying, including planning for financial and health challenges, assisted living choices, and our own funeral. While a good start to get a difficult and uncomfortable conversation rolling, obviously, in those two Sundays, we did not reach all those parishioners who will one day die or who know a loved one who has or will die, nor did we do more than scratch the surface of important issues and topics of great concern. Given the interest, and the need, under the auspices of the Home Board, we will be planning a resource fair for seniors in the spring. Jenny Briggs and I have also been working on a simple brochure, Preparing for the End of Life, that lays out some of the basics, which we distributed for comment at the forum. We will be finalizing that brochure based on the feedback, and will have it available in the narthex to encourage people to think about and plan for this important and inevitable passage. In the meantime, your clergy are here and available to discuss any issues and concerns you might have. The Rev. Vicki M. Davis Prayers of the People as part of the Sunday services each week. Requests to be included in the Prayers of the People should be provided to the office by Tuesday of each week at (203) or office@trinitynewhaven.org. We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there s nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all. Oswald Chambers I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer. Martin Luther Half the Sky Series Women hold up half the sky - Chinese proverb Thanks to all who made our Half the Sky series such a successful program: the hardworking planning committee (Peg Chambers, Carol Davidson, Deborah Johnson, Libby Earle and The Rev. Vicki Davis) and Sam Sigg, Trinity sexton, who did all the set up and clean up every week; our fabulous and varied speakers (Frank Barnaba, founder of the Barnaba Institute, Nancy Alexander, former chair Community Fund for Women and Girls, Kim Polhemus, cofounder of the Women s Global Mission Network, Kara Capone, Chief Operating Officer of New Haven Home Recovery and Life Haven, Inc., David Henry, partnership coordinator at Love 146); the First Church of Christ, Scientist, who generously allowed us to use their space for the program; and all who showed up to learn and engage with the issues and challenges facing women all over the world, including right here in New Haven. Stay tuned for additional follow up program(s) and information! The Rev. Vicki M. Davis Trinity Goes Greener! Our church is now committed to single -stream recycling, and we have engaged a company to pick up our recycling twice a month. We have already kept about 10 cubic yards of recyclable material out of the landfill in a few short weeks, so it is working! Singlestream recycling simply means that all recyclable material can go into one container. We still need to separate garbage from recyclable material, and signage will be in place to help us all with the proper disposal of the waste we produce. Many thanks to Rich Walser, whose generous contribution has financed the first six months of this effort to be good stewards of the earth.

6 Advent/Christmas 2013 Page 6 Abraham s Tent to be Hosted by Trinity December 30 - January 6 Trinity is hosting Abraham s Tent from December 30, January 6, We will have 12 homeless men, who have been specially selected by Columbus House to participate in this program, staying in the Undercroft. It takes many hands to make this week go smoothly so please consider signing-up to: stay overnight (2 people per night), make dinner (2-3 people to prepare and serve), provide breakfast (can drop off the night before), and provide bag lunches (can drop off the night before). Leigh Cromey can match you with someone else who also wants to help. Contact Leigh at leighcromey@gmail.com for more information and details. Trinity International Outreach Trinity s Mission Work in Kenya As we look back on the year 2013, it was a good year for Trinity International Outreach (TIO), especially with regard to one of our primary mission efforts, the one in Dol-Dol, Kenya. In February, one of the five priests active in the Dol-Dol parish, the Ven. Joseph Ranja, visited Trinity, preached at two services as well as Chapel on the Green, and was a featured speaker at a forum hosted by Trinity, Envisioning Christ in the World: Global Faith in Action, that was attended by people representing parishes throughout Connecticut actively involved in foreign mission work. Then in early June, two of our parishioners, Ralph and Mary Ann Stroup, visited Dol-Dol and met with all five presiding priests of the parish and met many of the lay leaders. Since then, there has been active communication between Dol-Dol and Trinity, including a letter of support and blessing from the bishop responsible for Dol-Dol, the Rt. Rev. Joseph M. Kagunda, bishop of Mount Kenya West. To assist the mission work in Dol-Dol, in May TIO applied for a Millennium Development Grant available through the Diocese of Connecticut. Money granted will go toward a variety of needs: Liturgical (Bibles, prayer books, hymnals, Sundayschool materials, etc.); Health infrastructure (clean water, etc.); Agriculture; and Transportation assistance for the priests who now cover the 40 mile parish area by foot. We received approval for a grant of $3,000 conditioned on our ability to raise an additional $2,500. A number of Trinity parishioners have given to this effort, but we still need to raise approximately $2,000; so, as you consider your year-end donations, keep TIO and its efforts in Kenya in mind. For those who want to give, make out the check to Trinity Episcopal and write on the check: For TIO in Kenya. Nominations for Vestry Elections for new vestry members will be coming up in January 2014, and the Vestry Nominating Committee members encourage parishioners to consider being a candidate for vestry. It is a privilege to serve the Trinity community by participating on the vestry to guide the growth and development and mission of our church community. The vestry meets once per month from 5:30-7:00 p.m. for 10 months of the year to prayerfully and thoughtfully discuss and discern issues pertinent to the life of Trinity. Please consider the opportunity to serve and provide leadership to your church community by being a candidate for vestry. For more information please contact Warner Marshall, Senior Warden. Save the Date for Trinity s Annual Parish Meeting: Sunday, January 26, 2014 In addition to the active involvement and visits by Mary Ann and Ralph Stroup, one of TIO s most active and supportive members, Ed Pikaart, is in Kenya on a Peace Corp assignment and has visited Dol-Dol to encourage and assist with our mission work there. In October, his wife Margie, visited him there and reports that he is well and fully engaged in his work. Giving to Help the World s Neediest During the holiday season, and with the new year approaching, numerous organizations are actively asking all of us to donate to worthy and compelling causes. The situation in the Philippines in the aftermath of the recent cyclone is one of the most needy cases, but the needs for humanitarian, Christian assistance are widespread and many good organizations are at work to coordinate and deliver the needed assistance. Some are better and more efficient than others in this work. For example, Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is one organization that has a relatively good rating for delivering a high percentage of money raised to the people in need. Unfortunately, a number of organizations appealing for money are not very efficient and a lot of the money they raise goes to marketing, administration, etc. And, of course, shamefully, there are outright crooked, fraudulent people active in raising money purportedly for good causes. A useful Website, before you write the check, is It researches, evaluates and scores charitable organizations. For example, it gives ERD a three-star rating. Join TIO If you are interested in being an active member of TIO, contact the church office to let them know and someone from TIO will be in touch to follow-up.

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8 THE STILL SMALL VOICE A Newsletter of Trinity on the Green Parish Office: 950 Chapel Street, 2nd Floor New Haven, CT Office Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Phone: (203) Fax: (203) office@trinitynewhaven.org Website: Music Office: Phone: (203) Parish Administrator: Sherrill Farkas Phone: (203) sfarkas@trinitynewhaven.org THE MISSION OF TRINITY CHURCH God s love calls us to proclaim with joy the good news of Jesus Christ, to welcome all people into the community of faith, and to serve Christ through serving others. THE MINISTERS OF TRINITY All the people of Trinity Church THE CLERGY: The Rev. Dr. Luk De Volder, Rector The Rev. Vicki M. Davis, Associate Rector The Rev. Ellen Tillotson, Priest Associate The Rev. Julie Kelsey, Chaplain for Chapel on the Green The Rev. Kyle Pedersen, Deacon for Urban Ministry at Trinity Episcopal Church Parish Office: 950 Chapel Street, 2nd Floor New Haven, CT 06510