SEPTEMBER 2014 THE WINDOW. A monthly publication of Trinity Episcopal Church. Groundbreaking Celebration! Sunday, September 14th

Transcription

1 SEPTEMBER 2014 THE WINDOW A monthly publication of Trinity Episcopal Church Groundbreaking Celebration! Sunday, September 14th On the first day of Church School classes, we will celebrate groundbreaking with a special coffee hour including shovels, hardhats, and cake. Our children will lead the dirty work. Join the party! Page 1

2 TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH 81 Elm Street Concord, MA Phone/Fax: Window articles due the 15 th of every month to: macdonaldat trinityconcorddotorg TRINITY STAFF The Rev. Tony Buquor, Rector The Rev. Becky Gettel Assistant Rector Dave Woessner, M.Div. Director of Christian Formation Robert Barney, Music Director Anne Lynch Office Administrator & Pastoral Care Coordinator Susan MacDonald, Publications Nancy Marshall, Bookkeeper Ted Hull, Sexton Jim Boyd, Sunday Sexton Alexis Smith, Sunday Childcare INSIDE THIS MONTH S WINDOW From the Rector... 3 From the Assistant... 4 Caring Connection... 5 Music Notes... 6, 7 Choir Information Special Organ Concert Pie Party & Hymn Sing Evensong/Prelude Recital Undercroft Blessings... 8, 9 Christian Formation Blessing of the Backpacks Church School Details THE Youth Group Acolyting & Liturgical Reading Prayerful Formation for adults Adult Forums... 10, 11 A Feast for the Soul: A Poet s Perspective Building for Ministry Ancient Spirituality Faith & Science Social Ministry... 12, 13 Crop Walk Kitchen Tour Window of Opportunity WORSHIP TIMES Holy Eucharist Sundays 8:00 am in the Church Sundays 10:00 am in the Church OFFICE HOURS Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm NEXT WINDOW DEADLINE September 15, 2014 OFFICE CLOSED Columbus Day Monday, October 13, 2014 Page 2

3 FROM THE RECTOR by Tony Buquor Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The new program year is spinning up! It s evident in so many ways, but especially with the increase of activity around the church. One of the things we learned this summer is that our interim operations will bring some stress for us, especially now that we are fully up and running for the year. We need to remind ourselves to be generous with one another since we will sometimes be stepping on each other s toes as we operate in the smaller spaces during the period of construction. I want to especially draw your attention to the observance of Robert Barney s 20 th Anniversary as our Music Director and Organist. Robert s ministry has touched many lives over the years. We are very thankful for his dedication to Trinity and to the unique way in which music can lift our spirits in worship. Please mark your calendar for Sunday, September 28 at 4:00 pm. when we will celebrate Robert s anniversary with a recital and reception. Many of you might be wondering how Bishop Tom Shaw is doing. As you know he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in May of Recently he sent a letter to the clergy and lay leadership with the following update. We have been hopeful in the therapies we ve pursued over these months, but we now know that for me there is no cure. At the recommendation of my medical team, I ve now decided to pursue a course of treatment that will provide a good quality of life, though for how long, we can t be sure. He went on to write, You know, time too often in our culture is perceived as a problem; all of us, at some point, feel we don t have enough of it. Yet, because of Jesus the Messiah, all time is now God s time. It is part of the unfolding of God s glory. Please keep Bishop Tom in your prayers, and pray also for Bishop-elect Alan as he nears the time of his consecration. God s peace, Tony Page 3

4 FROM THE assistant by Becky Gettel Dear Trinity Family, During the last week of August, a small group of us walked from Trinity to Lowell. There were seven of us; some from our church and some from St. Stephen's in the South end. Some of us were in our teens and some were in our 30's. Some of us got blisters during the first day that we walked 12 miles. Some got bruised collar bones from our packs, some got swollen ankles, swollen toes, sore legs, and sore backs. But step after step, we reached All Saints Chelmsford where we were met by an enthusiastic group of teenagers who had been waiting for us; ready to feed us and offer us a place to sleep for the night. Together with a couple of our hosts, we ended the day watching the movie The Way; a movie about a man who walked the Camino Santiago, an 800 kilometer road in France and Spain, walked for hundreds of years by thousands of pilgrims with sore feet, and bruised collar bones. We fell asleep feeling like we were part of something big and that our hurting bodies were speaking a bigger truth to us. The next day we walked to St. Anne's in Lowell where we farmed and cooked and carried and cleaned in various places. We also met a collection of inspiring people; some were church people, some were farmers, some were homeless, some took care of us, and some let us take care of them. On the last day we took the train back to St. Stephens and after some basketball and a delicious meal, we ended our pilgrimage with Eucharist. Instead of a sermon, each of us shared our stories with our families who had come to collect us and as I listened to my fellow pilgrims share the gospel of their own lives over the past few days, I knew that Jesus Christ was alive and well in each of these young lives and for that I am deeply grateful. Thank you Robby, William, Griffin, Brandon, Dave, and Marisa, for journeying with me and thank you Trinity for supporting us and being a wonderful spiritual home to return to. Blessings on The Way, ~becky Page 4

5 Caring connection by Anne Lynch The day I arrived back at work from my mother s funeral in Florida was the day the parish house was demolished. As I watched the building being torn down I thought of the scripture where Jesus says Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19) As people of faith, we believe in new life; that death is not the end, but is a transition to something better. And so our parish house, which has served us well for many years, (as did my mom who served people well over her many years) will become a new creation which will continue to offer welcome and hospitality to all who go there. How fitting that the new building is to be ready around Easter, a time of resurrection. Out of the rubble of the old comes new life. And the loss of the old will be nothing compared with the gain of the new! Yes, it s been challenging to get through the construction (or de-construction!) phase, but the stresses of the project will be well worth what it will take to get to the blessing of a building that will provide rebirth and vitality. So we don t mourn the loss, of a building or a parent, for its value is not diminished by no longer being with us. We have gained more than we ve lost. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1) God is and will be with us always, whether in a physical building or in the memory of a loved one. His love endures forever. Page 5

6 Music notes by Robert Barney CALLING ALL SINGERS! AND PARENTS! Weekly rehearsals for all three choirs begin on Thursday, September 4. Now is the time to think about joining the choir, especially second graders, but there are openings in all Choirs. me, call me in the music office, see me after church, or just come to a rehearsal. JUNIOR CHOIR, Absolutely no previous experience is required or even expected! This group for 2nd and 3rd graders meets every Thursday from 4 to 5:00 PM. Rehearsals are structured to acquire and develop basic skills in music and singing, as well as to introduce the Hymnals and Book of Common Prayer and to learn about our Liturgy. They sing in the 10 AM Service on the 1st Sunday of the month when ready, as well as Christmas and Easter. YOUTH CHOIR, for 4th graders and older, rehearses every Thursday from 5:15 to 6:15 PM. They participate every Sunday in the 10 AM Eucharist, singing an anthem on the 1st Sunday of each month and for special services at Christmas and Easter and other occasions. The Youth Choir also sings the Service of Choral Evensong twice each year. Rehearsals are designed around the Royal School of Church Music program teaching musical skills and singing technique in the context of our Liturgical tradition. PARISH CHOIR, for adults and older High School singers rehearses every Thursday from 7:45 to 9:45 PM and sings every Sunday in the 10 AM Eucharist throughout the year. The Parish Choir also sings Choral Evensong three to four times each year and special services at Christmas and Easter. The repertoire we sing is drawn from the wealth of traditional Choral styles ranging from pre-reformation Europe to contemporary America. We have openings in all sections: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass! Junior Choir Grades 2-3 (4) Rehearses Thursday, 4:00-5:00 PM Learns basic skills, sings once a month Youth Choir Grades 4-H.S. Rehearses Thursday, 5:15-6:15 PM Sings 1st Sunday and other services Parish Choir H. S. and adult. Rehearses Thursday, 7:45-9:45 PM Sings every Sunday and other services Page 6

7 SPECIAL ORGAN CONCERT SEPTEMBER 28 at 4:00 PM To mark my 20 years here at Trinity I am offering an organ concert by composers: Bach, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Franck and others. There will also be a duet for two organs with guest organist Jim Barkovic who serves as Music Director for W. Concord Union Church and Holy Family Parish. Invite your friends to join me on this special day. PIE PARTY AND HYMN SING OCTOBER 19 at 5:00 PM Come join us for the Pie Party and Hymn Sing (We will find room to eat AND sing!). Bring any sort of pie to share and select your favorite hymns to be sung by the group. Choose Hymns from either The Hymnal 1982 or Wonder, Love and Praise, or even bring music to me in advance to have us sing. Since you don t have to be Episcopalian to sing hymns, bring your friends and neighbors. We always sing a very wide variety of hymns! Mark your calendars for this beloved annual event! CHORAL EVENSONG/PRELUDE RECITAL NOVEMBER 2 at 5:00 PM As has been the tradition for nearly 20 years, for the Sunday of All Saints, the Parish choir will sing traditional Anglican Choral Evensong. As a Prelude Recital, the choir will offer Gabriel Faure s Requiem. Mark your calendar to come hear this inspiringly beautiful work and invite your friends and neighbors to join you. Watch for more information. PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD! Here in the Window each month I list special music events that I hope are of interest to many in the whole community. Please scan these listings to see what might interest you in our offerings, or even what might interest others you know. Because the best publicity for any event is word of mouth, I am inviting you to help us by sharing the news of our music events with your friends and neighbors. ASK THE MUSIC DIRECTOR If you have any questions about the choir or music program in general, please do not hesitate to ask me. I can be reached at the church ( ext 20) or at barney@trinityconcord.org. Page 7

8 Undercroft blessings by Dave Woessner Christian Formation for Ages 1 to 101 Welcome Back Nursery Families Nursery staffing resumes on September 7. We have a skilled and compassionate new childcare provider, Alexis Smith, whom some of you have met. Please contact Dave if you are not included in the Nursery information list. Calling All Grade-School Kids and Their Families It s that great time of year again, when vacations come to an end and the kids head back to school. And that also means church school is ready to begin! We will offer Church School for Pre-K to 6th Grade. Page 8 Sunday September 7 Blessing of the Backpacks at the 10 am service Bring your school backpack to have your school year blessed! Church School Open House after 10 am service Register for classes Visit your new classroom Meet the teachers Sunday September 14 First Day of Church School (during the first half of 10 am service) Be sure to register during Open House or online at Sunday September 21 Commissioning of the Church School Teachers (at 10 am service) If you have any questions about church school, please Dave Woessner at woessner@trinityconcord.org or call me at , extension 16.

9 THE Youth Group (6th through 12th Grade) Members of the Trinity Youth Group just returned from The Walk : a journey of service, prayer, community, and transformation. (Read Becky s article for more information). We have been so profoundly moved that we are already planning for next year! But we have also decided that we love definite articles: putting THE in front of everything just works. So THE Youth Group will kick off on Sunday, September 14 from 4 to 6 pm. Be there for a post-summer catch up, snacks, hanging out, some Bible study, goofing around, some real life discussions, and tons of THE fun. Acolyting and Liturgical Reading Is your 5th or 6th grader (or older youth) not interested in Church School or Youth Group? Then maybe getting more hands on is their way to deepen their faith: serving during the Eucharist. Acolytes and readers are always welcome. It s uplifting to all to see younger faces and hear younger voices. Prayerful Formation for Adults Be on the lookout in upcoming weeks! We hope to offer contemplative prayer and practice evenings this fall. Details to come. Page 9

10 WORD WORSHIP WONDER WORK WORLD WITNESS Adult forums A Feast for the Soul What is the relationship between art and The Holy? Here in Concord and in surrounding towns we are blessed with a plethora of local artisans. Many of them will be with us during this program year s non-contiguous series on The Arts in several forms: poetry and prose, painting and illustration, sculpture and ceramics, music and theater. In addition to a focus on The Arts, the Forum will continue to features speakers and topics of faith from near and far, including Orchard House right here in Concord and Cotopaxi in the land of eternal Equinox: Ecuador. Come join us at Trinity s weekly Adult Forum in and bring your creative inquiring self. The Forum meets from 9-9:45AM most Sunday mornings during the program year. All are welcome! During this year of construction, the forum location will be posted each week on the bulletin board in the Narthex of the church. Professional childcare is available in the nursery. September 7 (Word) Believe It Or Not: A Poet s Perspective Local poet Jean Monahan will explore through a reading of her works and discussion how we arrive at what we believe and where we draw the line. Her second book, Believe It or Not, is about the evolving standards by which facts and truth are recognized in a society. Poems in the book were inspired by everything from the New York Times on through to Ripley s and Guinness Book of Records. Her third book, Mauled Illusionist, touches on illusion and disillusionment as well as acceptance and revelation. Her poems have appeared in Poetry, The American Scholar, The Atlantic Monthly, The Believer, The New Republic, Orion and Salamander, as well as many other journals and anthologies. She is currently working on a fourth collection, Search Party. Page 10

11 September 14 (Work) Building For Ministry The Vestry and the Building for Ministry Committee invite all parishioners to come to this forum led by Steve Newbold, for an update on the parish house building project. September 21 (World) The Condor and the Eagle: An Introduction to the Ancient Spirituality of the Andes Don Alberto Taxo is a master Iatchak, spiritual leader, healer, and teacher from Ecuador. A member of the Kichwa Atis people of the Mt. Cotopaxi region, he imparts the wisdom of his Pre- Incan cultural heritage. He has taught in the US for twenty years including a year at the Naropa Institute in Colorado. He recalls the ancient prophecy that the eagle of North America and the condor of South America will fly together in the same sky meaning that our cultures of mind and heart will work together, complementing each other so that we may live in harmony in this era of profound change. To do this we need to reconnect ourselves with nature in a very personal way. His invitation is to start feeling again to get to the place of being able to feel more. We use our heart to know how. Our hearts will tell us what we can use to transform the elements, music, aromas, food, colors, friendship, relationship, solitude all can help us. Don Alberto's theme this year is: KUMAK KAWSAY: Abundant Life is Spirituality. How do we make it real every day? Trinity parishioner, Shirley Blancke, and a friend recently spent a lifechanging two weeks with Don Alberto as a guide in Ecuador. His gentle approach was a journey right into the heart of the Cosmic Christ. September 28 (Work) Faith and Science John Lewis talks about the theology and psychology of teamwork. John is a parishioner, a former senior warden, and a project manager, who has years of experience leading software development teams. Page 11

12 Social ministry This year Social Ministry will be directed by Sue Tunnicliffe and Linda Hossfeld. During this transition year, we are refocusing on our outreach programs. Our first priority is to highlight and support the ministries that our parishioners are involved in. In July, about 30 parishioners participated in our ministry to the B-SAFE summer camp at St. Stephen s. We had two days of meals to prepare, and on the third day we brought all 160 campers and counselors to NARA Park for an incredible day of games, swimming and pizza. The funds came from the Social Ministry budget, which are provided by you and your pledges to Trinity. In September, our focus will be on our donations to the Food Pantry and Open Table. In October, we will participate in the Crop Walk (details on facing page). In November, we will highlight the Maryanyundo Girls School in Rawanda. We will be publishing a new pamphlet describing our various hands-on outreach ministries. It will include information about our ministry to the homeless, our participation in the Soup Kitchen, Common Cathedral, and the important ministry to the prison here in Concord. If you have any questions please contact either Sue Tunnicliffe or Linda Hossfeld. Page 12

13 In Memory of Frank Bradshaw The 34 rd Annual CROP Walk to support the local and international work of Church World Service, will take place on Sunday, October 19, The walk provides critical financial support not only for important international projects but also for our local food pantries. Each food pantry receives a basic amount of money and then an additional amount of support depending on the proportion of funds raised by its town organizations for the walk. The recruiter who raises the largest amount of money for the walk is awarded the Frank Bradshaw Memorial Award. The late Frank Bradshaw, was a Trinity member who raised the most money for this walk year after year before he died in In early September, our recruiters will begin to solicit walkers and supporters for this event. We re hoping to have a substantial representation at the walk from our parish families and individuals with financial support from the whole parish. Please be as generous as you can. It will honor Frank and support our towns food pantries. There will be more information to come. Thank you, Carol Burroughs CROP Walk Board Page 13

14 Kitchen tour 3 rd Kitchen Tour is on September 27, 2014 Our last two tours have been loads of fun and have helped fill Trinity's coffers for important programs like local food pantry donations and the new Parish House kitchen. A committee is already busy lining up houses (at least 2 will be Trinity parishioner homes), decorators and executive sponsors. As we will not be having our usual Fayre this year due to space constraints, we really want to put our efforts into the Kitchen Tour. Any and all ideas will be welcomed for advertising and getting the word out so that this tour is the biggest yet. With ideas or offers of help, please contact either Barbara Morse (bamorsefaep@comcast.net) or Sandy Folk (srfolk@ comcast.net). Kitchen Tour Help Volunteers are needed for 2 hour shifts to guide tour goers through the homes. If you can help, contact Sandy Folk (srfold@comcast.net) or Barbara Morse (bamorsefaep@ comcast.net). Even if you can't help, plan to come, and let all your friends and neighbors know about this wonderful event! Page 14

15 WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY Keep up to date with building news at Just click on the yellow hardhat to read Hard Hat Herald A Feast for the Soul Adult Forum Series resumes on September 7. (details on pages 10 & 11) Blessing of the Backpacks Sunday, September 14 at the 10 am service (details on page 8) Special Organ Concert Sunday, September 28 4:00 pm To mark Robert Barney s 20 years here at Trinity Family Night! Saturday, September 20 5pm to 8pm Blessing of the Animals Sunday, October 4pm Childcare provided. Bring food or drink to share! Page 15

16 81 ELM STREET CONCORD, MA W E RE ON TH E W EB! TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH Following Christ, living our faith. S EPTEMBER Page 16