Music Updates
Each year in the days following Christmas, I always remember one of my favorite Christmas cards, both sent and drawn by one of our talented parishioners. It was a picture of Santa Clause sound asleep in his rocking chair with the calendar on the wall reading December 26. I guess they don’t have a January newsletter at the North Pole.
As this Christmas was a particularly difficult one for me personally, thinking of this Christmas card made me wonder, does Santa get cranky during December under the pressure of making toys for the entire world? And then there is the real Christmas story. I’ve always had a soft spot for Joseph. The poor fellow; as if being taxed is not bad enough but to have to walk half way across the country just to give up your carpentry earn- ings, and to top it all off, when he finally arrives the only motel has no vacancy. Do you suppose he had a few choice words right then that were not recorded in the Gospels? And what about Mary? Nine months preg- nant and riding on a donkey. Need I say more? She surely had some moments that were not so meek and mild.
Well, maybe this isn’t the case. Maybe actually carrying the Son of God makes all the tension go away. This year, however, I found that just singing about him does not. The tension builds all through Advent with busy schedules and high expectations until by Christmas Eve I’m ready to tell Jesus himself “quit bugging me, and next year you can take care of your own birthday”. (Don’t worry, he and I have an understanding relationship.)
Now, finally, after all the pomp and circumstance is done and after waking from the Dec. 26th nap I am better able to focus on some of the most important messages of Christmas. And so, to singers and ringers, children and adults, instrumentalists and organists, from soloists to those singing in the pews; thank you. Together we celebrated well, the greatest gift of all. The gift of love and eternal life given to us is the form of a baby humbly born in a manger. Thanks be to God.
Vestry Notes January 2017
Happy New Year! What a wonderful time we all had at this year’s Christmas Auction! Much merriment was had on Friday night at the preview party and it continued right on to the live auction on Sunday. Thanks to the efforts of many at Trinity including our Chair, Debra Latiolais and her most noteworthy assistant Lori Connelly- DeFranco, our Trinity staff, congregation, friends and visitors, we were able to raise over $30,000 – thanks be to God! If you missed this year’s event, you’ll want to be sure you don’t next year as we have already started planning for another great time.
Our Vestry met on Monday, December 19th for its monthly meeting. The minutes for the meeting will be posted and are always available for your review. Our meeting started with a welcome visit from former Vestry member Joe Fluet. Joe presented a lovely Christmas season sermonette reminding us about Christ’s unwavering love.
We received the Treasurer’s reports which indicate that our finances are sound and we should finish the year in good order. Pledges for 2017 continue to come in. If you have not made yours for the coming year, please do so today. The Vestry is committed to achieving full participation in our Stewardship giving. As a responsible Vestry, we cannot make plans for needed expenditures without your promise of support. Together, we have built the foundation for a monumental year. A year that will challenge our commitments to strengthening our congregation, supporting our community and expanding our outreach. We hope and pray that you and every member of Trinity will join us this year.
Our Vestry approved the provisional budget for 2017. The final budget for 2017 will be approved this month following the Finance committee’s review of our 2016 financials. We have set the date of January 22 to present the new budget to the congregation. We invite your participation and input at that meeting as we put in place the fiscal foundation for the new year.
Our meeting continued with another lengthy discussion about our priorities and goals for 2017. We are close to having them completed. The Vestry will be holding our Winter retreat in mid-January when we will finalize our goals and develop objectives to achieving them. These will also be presented at the congregational meeting on the 22nd.
Vestry received a detailed report from the Buildings and Grounds committee. The Chair, Sanford Diday, and his committee have been diligently reviewing and prioritizing needed repairs across our beautiful campus. The Vestry approved several expenditures perhaps most notably the replacement of our 50+ year old lighting system in the church proper.
Finally, I hope that you all had a Blessed and Merry Christmas and are prepared for the best year you can imagine in 2017! Your Vestry continues its commitment to help make this year one to remember at Trinity Upperville as we enrich our Faith, improve our Place and grow our Mission. We look forward to you joining us in any way you are motivated to do so.
Vestry Planning Retreat
Vestry members: Save the date!
Our next planning retreat is scheduled for Saturday, January 14 at Martha Williamson’s house 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Confirmation Class
Calling all youth in 8th grade and older! What is Confirmation, and why is it important for our lives as Christians?
We will have an information meeting on Sunday, January 8, from 9:30-10:15 AM. Any parents and kids who are interested in finding out more, please come to the meeting. We will hold classes every Sunday, from 9:30-10:15, leading up to the Bishop's visit on May 7.
For more info, please contact Rachel in the office at 540-592-3343.
Vestry Notes December 2016
Our Vestry met on Wednesday, November 16th for its monthly meeting. The minutes for the meeting will be filed and available for your review.
The meeting started with a presentation from Martha Cotter, Director of the Community Music School of the Piedmont (CMSP). If you don’t know, CMSP uses the basement of Trinity during the week as their World Headquarters. The school was founded in 1994 and moved into Trinity in 2002. Trinity’s partnership with CMSP provides us the opportunity to extend our outreach ministry through music education across the counties of Loudoun, Fauquier, Frederick and Clark. In 2017, the CMSP will celebrate 15 years at Trinity. You can find additional information at www.piedmontmusic.org.
We received the regular Treasurer’s reports. I am glad to report that our pledge income for October exceeded the budget which is good since we were running behind for the year. The pledge collections for the year were at 80.4%. Vestry is counting on you and everyone to complete their pledge commitments for 2016. This is critical as we seek to fulfill our obligations and end 2016 successfully.
Finance committee recommended to Vestry that we increase our 2017 pledge to the Diocese of Virginia by the same 1.05% COLA increase we applied to our staff compensation. This was passed and will be reflected in the 2017 budget. Vestry was presented with an initial draft version of the 2017 budget that included 100% of the budget requests received by the Treasurer. The Finance committee will present a provisional 2017 budget to Vestry at the December meeting and then the final 2017 budget will be approved in January. We will have a congregational meeting in January to present the budget after it is approved.
Next we heard from our Stewardship chairman. While we are making progress on our 2017 pledges, we still have to make progress in order to reach our goal of 100% participation. To those who have pledged already, we thank you and we encourage you to talk to others at Trinity about your decision. We will be having our first in-gathering of pledges during the services on Dec 4th as we prepare to offer our treasure, talent and time to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ. If you have not already made your pledge, please bring your pledge card that Sunday.
We received the Trinity Christmas Auction update next. This is going to be a wonderful event and we hope that you and your family will join us and bring a friend too! Please join us for the preview party on Friday December 2nd and again for the live auction on Sunday, December 4th. The funds raised from the auction support the current year’s budget in fulfilling our mission and ministry goals.
Stable Tour planning is well underway. If you can help with this important event that supports Trinity’s Mission efforts, please let us know. We will need as much help as we can get so please don’t be afraid to raise your hand. This year’s tour will be led by Kat Gemmer who has an enthusiastic support group including several of our former Stable Tour leaders.
As if that’s not enough for one meeting, we then spent a significant amount of time continuing the discussion we started at the October retreat. We are working hard to develop new Vestry goals for 2017 and our discussions to that end included continued efforts to encourage ownership of our place, advancement of our missions and deepening of our faith. It is Vestry’s intent to present our 2017 goals at the congregational meeting in January.
Your Vestry is committed to developing ideas and actions that will enhance the Faith, Place and Mission of Trinity Upperville. As we continue this journey, please let us know where you want to be included.
In faith, Jim Gemmer, Senior Warden
S.O.M.E. News December 2016
Trinity Church volunteers fortified a crowd of over 350 diners for our November SOME mission in Washington, D.C., our last luncheon of 2016.
Held in memory of Sarah Sisk, a long time volunteer who faithfully washed our vegetables for 29 years, the Outreach effort brought several challenges but nothing was insurmountable for our seasoned crew.
One of the main ovens was not in working order, a typical occurrence. The special menu included country-fried chicken, a product that required extra baking time and more inspection from our resident “food police.” SOME staff were diligent in making sure the product was cooked thoroughly. One of the mashed potato casseroles suffered a little spillage on the journey in, largely due to the absence of expert van packer, Tommy Breeden, still recovering from knee surgery.
Those potatoes however were in good hands once we reached the SOME kitchen as Becky Hoecker skillfully prepped them for the oven, adding melted butter and French fried onions for the finishing touch. One guest expressed great surprise and pleasure over being served real mashed potatoes, a rarity in the dining room.
The task of cooking the chicken fell largely on Ken Knapp and Jim Gemmer who managed to get out the finished product largely on schedule. Supervising the green beans, gravy and coleslaw were Bob Appenzeller and Len Shapiro, both veterans of food prep for the masses.
Organizing the desserts and bread trays were Carol Miller, Maggie New and Jennifer Youngman as well as Ann MacLeod, who presided over the entire team. Robin Keys greeted the guests and enjoyed conversations about our church and the community of Upperville, children and many other more sensitive topics.
No one seemed to miss preparing the rice casserole and instead stirred mashed potatoes and added onion powder, sour cream and cream cheese, as well as half and half. Thanks to Gina Hammond for a wonderful recipe that was our guide.
Also deserving much thanks were our other fine contributors including: Gar Royer, who dropped off his hot baked bread just as we were loading the van; Bunny Shick who made cookies, and the students at Foxcroft School who earlier made an abundance of brownies and froze them just for this occasion, among many others.
If approved by the Outreach Committee, our mission will continue for year 30 on Friday, January 20, 2017, inauguration day. We expect to return to our standard fish repast and will prepare the meal the day before, Thursday, January 19 in Cox Hall.
All told we were able to feed a hearty meal to over 2400 hungry individuals in 2016 at an average cost of under $2.50 per person. May God bless every one of you for your generous support.
KAIROS at Christmas: The Gift of Forgiveness
This fall KAIROS weekend (October 7-9) took a different direction for our team and the women of Fluvanna Correctional Center at Troy, VA. Instead of our usual preparation (which includes your wonder cookies!), our leader felt that God had called her and each of us to explore the very important topic of forgiveness.
As you may know, God’s unconditional love and forgiveness are at the heart of the KAIROS Prison Ministry. And within prison walls, unforgiveness runs rampant; however, unforgiving spirits lurk far beyond the confines of a prison. They can affect each of us in our daily existence, robbing us of experiencing God’s love and peace for ourselves and for those with whom we share our lives.
The topic for our retreat was, “Forgiven People Forgive.” In a series of shared personal talks and discussions, several things became clear.
- Forgiveness is a choice we make out of obedience to God. Matthew 6:14-15 tells us : For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
- The world tells us to get even, to revenge; but as followers of Christ, we are to become God’s mirror. God desires His forgiven people to be those who forgive.
- We forgive for ourselves. When we withhold forgiveness, we hold ourselves hostage to something or someone else. This act causes anger and bitterness. This spills over into our lives and only hurts us.
- Forgiveness is a process. We may forgive others, situations, or ourselves, but to forget is difficult. Forgiveness doesn’t erase the past, but it gives us a chance for a better future. We must surrender the issue to God, lay it in his hands, keep our focus and trust in Him, for He as promised to deal with our hurts in His time and on our behalf.
For me, personally, forgiveness is a gift – a gift given to each of us by the grace of God through the shed blood of His precious Son at Calvary. That act of true love and true forgiveness was one for which we will always be grateful.
As we approach this holy season of Advent, may we focus on the most valuable Christmas gift of all – the love, forgiveness, and freedom granted to us by our Lord through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Yours faithfully, Cheri Martin
Christmas Pageant
This year our annual Christmas Children’s Pageant will be presented by our children on Christmas Eve. The 4:00 PM Christmas Eve Worship service will include the pageant, as well as the traditional Holy Eucharist.
Any children who are interested in participating in the pageant are invited to contact Rachel Rickenbaker in the church office. There will be a rehearsal for ALL PARTICIPANTS on Friday, December 23 from 10:00AM until noon. Costumes will be distributed at the rehearsal. If you are unable to attend the rehearsal, please be sure to contact Rachel so she knows that you plan to participate.
Parents, we can use your help for the pageant as well. Please contact Rachel.
Congregation, join us for a wonderful celebration of Christ’s birth as we support our children this Christmas Eve!
Christmas at Trinity
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
4:00 pm Family Service | Featuring the Children’s Christmas Pageant, and celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
8:00 pm Festival Service | With the full Trinity Choir, soloists, strings, and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
11:00 pm Candlelight Service | A more quiet and contemplative liturgy, a cappella music, and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE
10:30 am Celebration of the Christ Child | Celebration of the Holy Eucharist
NEW YEAR’S DAY SERVICE
10:30 am Ushering in the New Year | Celebration of the Holy Eucharist
EPIPHANY SERVICE
Friday, January 6 | 6:30 PM Dinner | 7:30 PM Worship
Holiday Office Hours
Please note the following church office hours during the holiday season:
- December 23 - Church Office Closes at Noon
- December 26 & 27 - Church Office Closed
- December 28 & 29 - Church Office Open
- December 30 - Church Office Closes at Noon
- January 2 - Church Office Closed
Advent Study Series
Dear Friends,
Advent is a season dedicated to a fuller appreciation of the call we share to live Christ-centered lives. In order to establish time in our busy calendars to focus on the real reason for this season, I invite you to join us for a series of discussions on Wednesday evenings November 30th, December 7th, and 14th. We will gather here at the church for a simple supper at 6:00pm. The program will last for about an hour. We will conclude the evening with the brief night prayer service known as Compline.
We will make use of guidelines for the season suggested by a group that calls itself "The Advent Conspiracy":
Worship Fully: On Wednesday, November 30th, we will discuss the meaning of "Worshipping fully". We will take a quick tour of the great resources we have in the Book of Common Prayer and Hymnal. We will discuss the central place of the Holy Eucharist in our worship on Sunday mornings. We will also explore the opportunities offered to help us pray daily as well as make use of the Advent Wreath in our homes throughout the season.
Spend Less/Give More: Our discussion on December 7th will focus on the fallacy that, in spending more, we will find greater happiness and peace. Much has been written about the joys of living life simply, and that it is indeed in living simply that real spiritual, emotional, and physical health are to be found. Furthermore, when we are set free from our addiction to spending, we discover our true nature in the joy of giving for the sake of the world around us.
Love All: Our final program on December 14th will focus both on John 3:16 and Jesus' summary of the Law. What did Jesus mean when he taught his disciples that we are to love God with all that we are and all that we have? What does it truly mean to love our neighbors as ourselves? How do we learn to do this more and more? How do we put our love for God and our neighbors into practice?
I will look forward to these discussions and making this journey through Advent with you.
Faithfully in Christ,
Rev. Rob Banse
Ordination of Rev. Rachel Rickenbaker
All are welcome and invited! Rachel's husband, James, will also be ordained with her. If you are interested in details or in carpooling, please call the church office.
Adult Forum Hour Nov 6
November 6
The Sheriff’s Community Outreach. Captain Ray Acors and Lieutenant Sean Healy from the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office will join us to discuss policing issues in the county and how Trinity can play a part in community outreach/youth programs.
Adult Forum Hour Nov 13
November 13
Sacred Music in the Anglican Tradition of Stone Churches: Gifts and Challenges of Instruments in our Sanctuary.
Dr. Paul Chandley will speak at forum about the history and qualities of our Aeolian Skinner organ and the Baldwin piano. He will also address the Anglican tradition of a stone cathedral as it relates to the acoustics for the organ, piano, and voices as well as other instruments. He will address musical topics to include the unique challenge of organ and piano maintenance in an environment of fluctuating humidity.
This interactive lecture will be held in the front of our church as his wife Sophia Pavlenko plays selected sacred pieces to demonstrate the topic’s main speaking points on both the organ and piano.
Paul Chandley received his undergraduate degree in performance from the University of North Carolina and his master’s and doctoral degrees in performance from the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory of Music. He is currently the Executive Director of the Trinity Music Academy in Troy, NC, Principal Conductor of Opera Experience Southeast, and Director of Music at the Trinity United Methodist Church. He has been a regular guest conductor for the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, the Kiev Symphony, the Rockhill Opera Company, the Kansas City Opera Company and the Opera Company of North Carolina.
His wife Sophia Pavlenko has toured extensively throughout the world and has traveled to all 48 states of the contiguous U.S. Over the last two years, she has presented 87 concerts in North Carolina alone. Her musical compositions, including her astounding 1st and 2nd Piano Concertos, have been featured by the Kiev Symphony and Chorus and the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra. Sophia has been featured on PBS television and in Our State Magazine for her contributions in bringing world caliber music to North Carolina.
Visit their site to learn more about Paul and Sophia at www.paulandsophiachandley.com
Christmas Auction
Begins Friday, December 2 in Cox Hall
- Friday, 6:00 to 9:00 PM.—PREVIEW PARTY with Live Auction!
- Saturday, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM —Silent Auction bidding continues!
- Sunday, 12:00 Noon — Final Live Auction and Silent Auction conclusion!
This year’s auction offers an array of “one of a kind” and “once in a lifetime” items! The auction will begin with online bidding of truly unique experiences. Visit the auction website and start your bidding today at: www.bluetreemarketing.com/trinityupperville. Then, attend the Preview Party on Friday, December 2 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. A few select items will be auctioned off at the preview party this year. Gourmet food, drink and beautiful music! Come early and bid often! Bidding will continue through Sunday, December 4, when we will close the silent auction bidding at 1:00 PM and begin the LIVE auction.
Visit www.bluetreemarketing.com/trinityupperville and check out some of the amazing options and start your bidding today!!!
Community Thanksgiving Service
Please Join Us
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23 AT 7:30 PM
Upperville Baptist Church 9070 John S. Mosby Highway, Upperville VA
Enjoy a Great Evening with your Neighbors Trinity Bell-Ringers, Mt. Pisgah Choir & More Local Talent Everyone is Welcome! The Offering Benefits: The Churches of Upperville Outreach Program Providing food during this holiday season and throughout the year to those families who need help in our community!
Adult Forum Hour Nov 20
November 20
Fauquier Free Clinic. Please join us to hear Rob Marino from the Fauquier Free Clinic. The Free Clinic works like a primary care doctor’s office: a place to go when you have an earache or to manage your high blood pressure, when you have the flu or need to check your diabetes. The Free Clinic also offers Mental Health services on a limited basis and its Dental Clinic does preventive and emergency care, fillings, extractions and cleanings. The Free Clinic is one of the efforts funded by our Outreach Committee using proceeds from our annual stable tour.