Trinity Notes 2017 A newsletter of Trinity Episcopal Church An intentional Christian community of reconciliation transformation and love. A message from the Pastor At the wonderful suggestion of one of our parishioners we will be adding a concluding prayer that the House of Bishops shared after their recent meeting in Anchorage. I think this is a good one to add to our personal payers as well: Dear God, Creator of the earth, this sacred home we share; Give us new eyes to see the beauty all around and to protect the wonders of creation. Give us new arms to embrace the strangers among us and to know them as family. Give us new ears to hear and understand those who live off the land and to hear and understand those who extract its resources. Give us new hearts to recognize the brokenness in our communities and to heal the wounds we have inflicted. Trinity Episcopal Church PLACE STAMP HERE 1118 Preston Avenue Charlottesville, VA 22903 Give us new hands to serve the earth and its people and to shape beloved community. For you are the One who seeks the lost, binds our wounds and sets us free, and it is in the name of Jesus the Christ we pray. Amen. (Continued on page 2) Trinity Episcopal Church 12 1118 Preston Avenue, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903 Email: trinepch@ntelos.net Website: trinityepiscopalcville.org 1 Tel: 434.293.3157
(Continued from page 1) Ad Hoc Building Committee The Ad Hoc Building Committee, which was formed last summer to take a look at various building projects and asses their costs, is nearing the completion of its work. The next step will for the vestry to prioritize the projects and asses the feasibility of a capital campaign. It s been more than 25 years since there has been any significant work on the building. The deferred maintenance has been showing over the past several years. For example, we have seven HVAC systems in the church complex and we have had to replace two recently. Of the remaining 5, two are not operational and two are hanging on by a thread (or whatever holds an HVAC together). The committee is also looking at the roof, outside siding, widows, flooring and other items. They are also looking at potential new items such as an audiovisual system and a new musical instrument. So, as you can imagine the needs are extensive and the project will be significant. It is unlikely that we will be able to do everything that needs to be done at one time but the vestry will The altar flowers this week are prioritize the various projects and we will tackle graciously given by Helen Plaisance and Amy Griffith. them as we are able. More information will follow. In Christ, Pastor Cass 2 11
The Trinity Senior Ministry will meet on Thursday, October 19 in the Library. All Seniors are invited to attend. We will spend some times going over the surveys and think about new officers to be elected at our next meeting. 10 Don t forget to make your monthly pledge donation. Local, fresh eggs will be Visit the Give page on the Trinity Website to make your donation online! available for purchase this Sunday! 3 $3/dozen
Small Groups Are Forming Consider joining one of the small groups that are forming to explore our programmatic theme of The Spirituality of Social Action. Sign-up are on the bulletin Board in the foyer. Bellow is a review of the book we will be studying. Book Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat At the time this book was written Joan Chittister had lived the Benedictine Rule in a monastic community for more than 30 years. She has distilled the wisdom of Benedictine spirituality which has great relevance to hard times: "It teaches people to see the world as good, their needs as legitimate, and human support as necessary. Benedictine spirituality doesn't call for either great works or great denial. It simply calls for connectedness. It shows us how to connect with God, with others, and with our innermost selves." Chittister begins with listening, which is at the core of Benedictine spirituality. It is about being attuned to the Gospels, the Rule, one another, and the world around us. Of course, it is difficult to practice listening in a culture that watches but seldom hears. The Rule instructs us to "listen with the ear of the heart." This means being open to the spiritual teachings that come to us every day. 4 Prayer, work, and holy leisure are the three legs which support Benedictine spirituality. Chittister writes about the importance of prayer in a life immersed in the presence of God, work as participation in the continuing creativity of the Holy One, and holy leisure as the key to the good life. She sees the emphasis upon community as an experiment in which individuals live with others in the spirit of Christ: "to support them, to empower them, and to learn from them." It also provides a perfect workshop for the exercise of the lost virtue of humility. Benedict's process for achieving humility is outlined in twelve progressive degrees. Chittister celebrates monastic mindfulness, which she describes as a blend of harmony, wholeness, and balance. Put all of these together and you have a vision of a flourishing life in which people can make beautiful music together. The Rule of Benedict charged the monastery to "receive guests as Christ" and to take special care of "the poor and of pilgrims." In these times where millions of refugees roam the Earth and the poor, the homeless, and the helpless are shunned, the spiritual practice of hospitality is more important than ever: "We have to learn how to take people in again or the poverty and the political hatred and the decimation of peoples and the turning of our own lives into icy islands will never end. We must learn in this century again to open our minds and open our hearts and open our lives and open our talents and open our hands to others. That is the hospitality for which the Rule of Benedict calls." Chittister rounds out her discussion of Benedictine wisdom with chapters on obedience (holy responsibility), stability (revelation of the many faces of God), monastic practices (the way of conversion), peace (sign of the disarmed heart), and the monastic vision (gift for a needy world). One of the best things about this book is the author's many examples of everyday spirituality and her use of teaching stories. She concludes with this one: "Once upon a time, the story goes, a preacher ran through the streets shouting, 'We must put God in our lives. We must put God in our lives.' And hearing him, an old monastic rose up in the city plaza to say, 'No, sir, you are wrong. You see, God is already in our lives. Our task is simply to recognize that.' It is to the recognition of God in our own lives that the Rule of St. Benedict calls us." 9
(Continued from page 7) The ministries for which our second Bishop Suffragan will be responsible will be outlined before the search process begins, so that we can choose from a field of candidates who feel called to those ministries. This will ensure the best match for the needs of the Diocese. This second Bishop Suffragan will live in Northern Virginia and will hold hours in our offices there, as Bishop Gulick has done. We have the opportunity. When Bishop Gulick steps down from his position on December 31, the time will be ripe to make such a change. We will have to fill that vacancy one way or the other, so now is the time to move ahead. History shows how well three full-time bishops can minister for the Diocese of Virginia, as they did in the 1990s, and we need that strength as we face the ever-changing challenges to faith communities in the 21st century. We have the means. With the current realities of our diocesan budget, we can employ a second Bishop Suffragan with minimal impact on our present diocesan staff. Together with a more creatively structured staff, a third full-time bishop will improve our ability to serve the whole Diocese, both clergy and laity. When the need, vision, opportunity and means converge, we must act on it with confidence. I ask that you keep this request and, if approved by the Annual Convention, the ensuing search for our second Bishop Suffragan in your prayers. Faithfully yours, The Rt. Rev. Shannon S. Johnston Bishop of Virginia 8 5
Dear Diocesan Family, Nearly seven years ago, the Rt. Rev. Edwin "Ted" Gulick returned to his native Virginia to become the Assistant Bishop of this Diocese. During that time, he has brought his boundless energy to everything he has touched. He has helped many congregations work through conflicts to become thriving ministries. He has been a leader in ecumenical relations on behalf of The Episcopal Church. He has devoted himself to supporting Shrine Mont to ensure that generations of young people have the kind of mountain-top experience that shaped his youth in the 1960s. Now, Bishop Gulick has announced his plans to retire at the end of this year. Thankfully, he and his wife, Barbara, will continue to live on their Fauquier County farm, so their contributions to the life of the Diocese will continue. It has been my honor to serve beside such a remarkable servant as Ted. I thank God for his friendship. I know the people of the Diocese share my profound gratitude for his inspiring ministry. With Bishop Gulick's impending retirement comes the need to assess our capacity in diocesan ministry and leadership. After thoughtful consideration, it has become clear to me that we need to return to a third fulltime bishop. The Standing Committee has offered its consent and the Executive Board has unanimously endorsed my request for the Annual Convention to call for the election of a second Bishop Suffragan in 2018. A resolution from the Standing Committee will be submitted this week to that effect and will be considered by the Convention on November 4. A number of factors have driven this course of action: We have the need. In his "part-time" position, Assistant Bishop Gulick has consistently worked overtime. There is simply too much for our third bishop to manage on a part-time basis. A diocese of our size -- one of the largest in The Episcopal Church -- must equip itself for ministry in the way that other, similarly sized dioceses have found to be necessary. We have the vision. I believe it is a more appropriate course to elect this bishop, rather than to appoint one. An elected bishop will have more of a mandate, reflecting the will of the people of our Diocese. 6 7 (Continued on page 8)