Clara Gerdes, Organist
S.O.M.E. Updates
Undeterred by a messy weather forecast, and in the midst of a partial government shutdown, a full load of volunteers with a delicious and hearty lunch meal for So Others Might Eat (SOME) coasted into Washington, DC in January in the Trinity van to begin our 32nd year of service.
Our fish lunch, with rice, green beans, coleslaw, and featuring an abundance of desserts and bread donated by parishioners, was well received by about 300 guests and staff.
Notable on this visit were a table of children, accompanied by their grandmother. The grandmother has ten daughters of her own and 30 grandchildren, 10 boys and 20 girls. There are two sets of twins and one set of triplets among her brood. We lavished treats on the young ones in attendance who were enjoying an early dismissal from District schools. The kids were curious and polite, and content in their grandmother’s care.
It often goes without mention that much of the success of our visits to SOME lies with the long time dining room manager, Lynette Moore. Lynette has the biggest smile and is full of grace, leading our chorus welcoming the guests in the door. Lynette is supervising a new service at SOME, a soup course mid-morning. About 80 guests partook prior to our arrival.
The handy Bob Appenzeller is taking on an important task at SOME, the repair of one of the industrial can openers. A master at green bean making, ranking alongside the skills of Florida bound Len Shapiro, Bob made the right call deducing that two quality can openers are better than one. He donated the one good one on a previous visit.
Ably joining Bob were Ken Knapp, Jim Gemmer, Ann MacLeod, Gina Hammond, Josefina Hooker, LeighO and Liza Wood, Becky Hoecker, Carol Miller, Sheryl Mazzatenta, and Robin Keys. All of these folks are so handy and fell into rhythm at the ovens, on the sink and along the serving line.
We are ever grateful to our congregation who rallied and provided a wide away of mouth-watering desserts and breads. We especially appreciate the individually packaged items and encourage others to donate a box of Little Debbies brand snacks, or mini packs of potato chips, raisins, etc. The guests appreciate something portable and non-perishable that they can take away with them. Lunch is the last meal served at SOME and it is a long time until breakfast rolls around the next morning.
As the national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King was about to be observed, we were advised that members of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s. family would be at SOME volunteering and serving the soup course on his day of remembrance. The MLK Day of Service honors a man who espoused, “What are you doing for others?”
Our experience serving at SOME was supported by a wealth of experienced cooks who assembled the rice casserole in the Cox Hall kitchen the previous day.
Among those in attendance: Carol Miller, Richard Taylor, Ellen Hall, Holly Bimba, Jolly de Give, Robin Keys, Ann MacLeod, Joan Eliot, Harriett Condon, Mark Thompson. The vegetable chopping was dispatched with in near record time.
Lord willing, we will gather to cook again on Thursday, March 14 and return to SOME on Friday, March 15 to prepare and serve lunch. Please make every effort to join us, either with prayer, or in the Upperville and/or DC kitchens, on the serving line, or by donating baked or individually wrapped goods. We appreciate your continuing support.
Stewardship Updates
Dear Fellow Parishioner,
In Matthew 6:21, Jesus said “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.
When was the last time you made a major investment, but never managed it? Built a beautiful house, but didn’t maintain it? Purchased a wonderful car, but never changed its oil? Acquired a fine piano, but never tuned it?
Of course we pay attention to these things. Who wouldn’t? Who shouldn’t? We do this because we see these items as our possessions, as the fruits of our labors. As something we worked, saved and sacrificed for. But are they really just “ours”?
In the liturgy prior to the 1979 Prayer Book, after the ushers collected our offerings, we often heard the following, as the Celebrant lifted the offering plates for all to see: “All things come of thee, O Lord” And we responded: “And of thine own have we given thee”
We still hear this from time to time, but if it were up to me, it would always be said, to remind us that what we give to the Church is a portion of what God has given to us, what God has made it possible for us to achieve, what God has allowed us to use as we see fit.
Stewardship involves the use our resources to make a positive difference – in our lives, of course, but also in the lives of our families and friends, in the lives of other communities of which we are a part and, yes, in life at Trinity Church. Stewardship viewed this way is an expression of our gratitude for God’s gifts. It is a way in which we help Trinity be a resource for the worshipers who enter its doors, the community in which it is located, the Diocese of which it is a part, and even beyond these parochial and geographical limits.
By the time you read this, your Vestry will have approved Trinity’s budget for 2019. It will have done this based on its faith in the generosity and stewardship of Trinity’s parishioners. It is confident that those qualities will allow Trinity to achieve its objectives for the year, including meeting unanticipated challenges, like a broken boiler or a leaking roof. If you haven’t yet submitted a pledge for 2019, it’s not too late to do so. Please call the office (540-592-3343) and a card will be sent to you.
If you are uncertain about this, take a moment to ask yourself – “where is your heart” when it comes to Trinity? Take a moment to pray for God’s guidance. You will not regret it.
Faithfully,
Hurst Groves 2019 Stewardship Chair
Trinity Art Show
You are invited to the opening reception of the Trinity Church Art Show
Friday, February 8, 2019
5:00 - 9:00 pm
Art by Trinity Parishioners and Friends
Proceeds benefit the Trinity Church Outreach Fund
The Art Show will open:
Sunday, February 10
During Fellowship, after both the 8am and 10:30 am church services
From the Wardens
As you read this, it has been one month since The Rev. Ed Miller began his spiritual and administrative leadership. As we continue moving through this period of transition, our hope for the future of Trinity Church affords numerous opportunities to reflect on the things that are best about us as well as our relationship to God and our community.
As part of this reflection, The Vestry is assessing how our committees communicate with one another, Vestry, and staff. It is important that we place communication between one another at the fore of our shared labor of God’s work, especially during this time of transition. Doing so is a transparent learning experience that helps us stay in touch with one another, ourselves, and the needs of our church.
As new Wardens, we are gratified to learn about important ministries that are supported and joyfully guided by parishioners with a desire to do good. For example, we praise the efforts of numerous parishioners to revitalize children’s Christian Education. Additionally, our Outreach Committee is thoughtfully considering new ways of reaching out to the community and the region by working with other committees and churches to serve those in need and to help spread God’s message of love, grace, and acceptance. Importantly, we are also paying more attention to our digital environment by improving our physical and network security capabilities and communications. Finally, the endowment drive in honor of Rob and Janie Banse was an unparalleled success. Such initiatives are great signs that support the future of Trinity Episcopal Church, Upperville. We thank Mr. Miller for his leadership and inspiration in helping to shepherd these programs (and others) during the early weeks of the year.
On February 10, The Rev. Dr. Mary Thorpe will conduct services at Trinity in Ed Miller’s ab-sence. She will be inspiring. We know this because she has been instrumental in preparing Trinity to search for a new Rector, the process for which has barely begun. Finding a permanent Rector starts first by selecting a group of parishioners who will be charged with discerning God’s desire for Trinity; this group is called the “Discernment Committee”. In Mary’s words (she literally wrote the book on this), “this is not a hiring process; it is a process of discernment.” Another theologian says, “Christian discernment is not the same as decision making” in which we might consider goals and options, pros and cons, in a straightforward way. Discernment is about “listening and responding to that place where our deepest desires align with God’s desire.” It reveals “new priorities, directions, and gifts from God.” In other words, the Church will vest in some of our fellow parishioners something more prayerful than a conventional ‘search’ process. Mary’s writing on the subject encapsulates where Trinity finds itself at this time:
“The Diocese of Virginia takes seriously the challenges and joys inherent in transition. Whether the incumbent rector … is retiring or taking another call, this ‘in-between time’ can be an opportunity for accepting the loss of a beloved shepherd, for healing old wounds, for discovering how the church and its surrounding community has changed since the last call, and for imagining how God is calling the church to the Body of Christ now and in the future. There will be anxiety about this future, but, approached faithfully, there may also be great discovery and growth.”
We are delighted and challenged by the prospect of finding a permanent Rector, hopefully by the end of 2019. With your prayers and discerning support, this will be an exciting and fulfilling process. Its success will depend in no small measure on how all the members of Trinity support this effort with prayer and active church work.
Faithfully,
Jim Hoecker, Senior Warden
Sanford Diday, Junior Warden
Of Special Trinity Interest
It recently came to the Church’s attention that the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (Highway Marker Program) has authorized erection of a highway marker recognizing Mary Conover Mellon, who is interred in Trinity’s cemetery. That marker is being promoted by one of her descendants. It will be placed this Spring by VDOT in the “ vicinity” of the Church, to be determined. To ensure that the historical nature of Trinity itself is at least as prominently recognized, we have used this as an opportunity to request a separate marker to be erected along Route 50 by the state. We would ask for a location in front of the Church. The deadline for approving the final text is January 15 if we want it erected during the Stable Tour.
Although we are able to revise the proposed text of a sign before January 15 to reflect ideas from the congregation (there’s also a general 100-word limit), the language which is recommended (despite being 128 words) is currently as follows:
Trinity Episcopal Church
Founded in 1842 and rebuilt for the second time in the 1950s, the architecture of historic Trinity Church was adapted from churches found in the French and Swedish country sides with the guidance of noted philanthropist, avid horticulturist, and art collector Rachel Lambert Mellon (d.2014). Situated on a 35 acre tract, the Church features a rectory and a parish hall built around a central courtyard. Rich in Christian symbolism and reflecting the rural setting, the Church’s stained glass, iron work, and the wood and stone carvings were handmade by many of the master craftsmen who worked on the National Cathedral. Among those interred here are its principal benefactor, Paul Mellon, philanthropist and horse breeder, and his father former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon. Visitors are welcome.
Comments may be submitted to Jim Hoecker at james.hoecker@huschblackwell.com
Those comments will be relayed to the DHR
Flower Guild Decorating
On Sunday mornings we decorate the church with beautiful flowers, given to the glory of God.
Often families and/or individuals choose to donate the flowers in honor or memory of a loved one, or in celebration of an anniversary or a special day.
The cost is $135. Please contact Betsey in the church office (540.592.3343 or betsey@trinityupperville.org) if you would like to donate flowers.
Currently the following dates are available in 2019:
February 3, 24
March 3
May 26
June 16, 23
July 7, 28
August 4, 11
September 15, 29
October 27
November 3, 24
December 15, 22
Stewardship Progress Report
According to Wikipedia, Stewardship is a theological belief that humans are responsible for the world and should take care of it. “In the Christian tradition stewardship refers to the way time, talents and material possessions or wealth are used or given for the service of God.” Each of us must determine how stewardship is best reflected in our own life.
At this time of the year, Trinity’s Vestry is focused on financial stewardship as we look ahead to managing the physical plant and employing the people that make Trinity “possible” for its parishioners and others who rely on or benefit from its presence in the community.
This does not mean that time and talent aren’t important for they provide the human context that dollars alone can lack. In future issues of Genesis I’ll give some examples of my own experience with non-financial stewardship as well as examples from other parishioners that I hope will provide a context and rationale for our current monetary focus.
In the meantime, If you haven’t submitted your pledge for 2019, please take a few minutes to do it today. You can fill it out online at by clicking on HERE, or fill out a pledge card located in the back of the church or in the church office. The more information we have the better we can budget for the future needs and ministries of Trinity.
Thank you
Hurst Groves
Endowment Fund Update
Trinity’s Endowment is Strengthened in Honor of our Rector, Rob Banse Trinity Church is deeply grateful for the recent infusion of funds into its Endowment Fund in the form of numerous contributions from members and friends of Trinity Church who have been inspired through the 11 years of dedicated service by our retiring Rector, Rob Banse, and his wife, Janie.
To honor the Banses, Trinity parishioners gave generously to strengthen the Church and ensure a bright future for the congregation as it prepares for new spiritual leadership.
As an indication of the esteem in which the Banses are held, over $75,000 has been donated to support the Church’s future. We express our thanks for all those generous and thoughtful contributions.
Henry Chapman, David Hartley, and the Banse Endowment Committee
Vestry Notes January 2018
Dear Parishioners and Friends –
We begin 2019 re-invigorated from a wonderful Advent and Christmas season. We bade farewell to our Rector, Rob Banse, who retired after over 11 years leading our beloved Trinity Church. Our “Good Goodbye” reception on November 30, masterfully organized by the Parish Life committee, gave the Church a chance to say “thank you” in meaningful and fun ways. Reverend Banse presided over a series of joyous services in December as the Church embraced the Christmas season and the bitter sweetness of his anticipated departure. Thank you, Rob – you take our gratitude and many blessings with you.
We now welcome The Reverend Edward O. Miller, former Rector of St. John’s Church in McLean Virginia, as our presiding Interim Rector. His message to the Parish is published above and reflects his inclusiveness, pastoral nature, and his experience leading worshippers through times of change and uncertainty. We share his commitment to continuing Trinity’s welcoming approach to all people and his desire to make the best possible use of the Church’s human and material resources. Rev. Miller will serve as Rector for about a year as we launch a search for a permanent successor to Rev. Banse. During that time, Trinity will remain vital in its activities, its services to parishioners and the larger community, and its work of bringing Christian care and values to people of all ages. Come meet Reverend Miller on Sunday, January 6th, his first in our pulpit. WELCOME, ED.
An additional transition has already occurred this past Autumn, as the Church selected a new Parish Administrator, Diane “Di” Demaree of Bealeton, Virginia. Di’s tenure began in a rush of activity but as the year closes we find her settling into the job of mastering Trini-ty’s many activities and supporting the Rector and Vestry. She is succeeding beyond expectations.
The new Vestry held its first Retreat on December 8 in order to allocate responsibilities for various Church ministries among its members and discuss its many tasks and objectives for 2019. Before Advent began, the Church held its traditional Christmas Auction, which was another great success in terms of both funds raised and fun. Thanks go to Louise Crane, Ellen Hall and a dedicated committee for a superb effort. We are already looking forward to next year.
The coming year will be an exciting time at Trinity. The Vestry will consult with Dr. Mary Thorpe of the Diocese of Virginia on January 7, regarding the process of discerning where the Holy Spirit will lead our search for a new Rector.
Looking ahead, this year’s Hunt Country Stable Tour will be our 60th. Planning has already begun and the Chair, Kat Gemmer, assures us that it will be another tremendous event for visitors and a chance for our parishioners to reach out to our many friends in Northern Virginia, Washington D.C., and beyond.
As Wardens and Vestry Members of Trinity, we extend our very best wishes for the Peace of the Lord in 2019. We urge you to join us in our joyful mission at a wonderful country church.
Wishing you the Blessings of a New Year,
Jim Hoecker, Sr. Warden & Sandy Diday, Jr. Warden
From the Interim Rector
Dear people of Trinity Church,
Greetings as Ginger and I look forward to meeting you at the beginning of 2019. I am honored to be joining you as Interim Rector. My discussions with members of the Vestry have been marked by a warm spirit of welcome and a desire to assure you that the vibrant ministry for which Trinity Church is known will be carried into the future.
During the years Rob Banse and I have overlapped in the Diocese of Virginia, I have appreciated his well-deserved reputation as a pastor, preacher, and leader. It is our good fortune to enter this season of transition secure in the foundation that you and Rob have developed and that we can rely on as we move forward. I have always preferred to build on strengths rather than dwell on weaknesses, and the abundance of strengths among you made the possibility of becoming your Interim Rector especially appealing. At the same time, the Vestry has asked me to share observations about changes that will enhance our mutual purpose to prepare for a new era with the next Rector.
Transitions sometimes seem like inconvenient interludes. The term Interim Rector refers to a temporary figure sitting in until a “permanent” Rector is called. I am uneasy with that distinction because transitions are constantly embedded in life and because the biblical story of God in human life is virtually always about transitions. The people of Israel made the transition from bondage to freedom and later several times from exile to restoration. Followers of Jesus made transitions from weakness to strength, from fear to hope, from anxiety to trust. We begin our time together on the Feast of the Epiphany when the magi discovered a journey to find the Christ child became a transition for a lifetime as “they returned home by a different way.” They travelled, as one person has put it, “from business as usual to business as never before.” With Rob Banse as Rector you have not succumbed to business as usual, and I hope this interim season will be an adventure to discover new ways God engages us in challenging times.
In the broader context of religious experience, transitions can be embraced because nothing in life is permanent except the promise of an active God to be in the midst of the lives of people in every generation. At the same time, transitions are not always easy. We sometimes share the temptation to be like the people who confronted Moses half-way to the land of milk and honey with a longing to return to the perceived security of the past in Egypt. To paraphrase Paul in writing to the Philippians, however, God has not brought us this far to leave us.
I look forward to being with you as together we find our identity as friends in Christ while trusting in the God “in whom we live and move and have our being.”
Faithfully,
The Reverend Edward O. Miller, Jr.
Honoring Our Heroines
On Wednesday, December 14, many of our most active parishioners gathered at Cox Hall to celebrate the work of four of our most dedicated champions of outreach - Janie Banse, Ann MacLeod, Robin Keys and Leigh-O Wood. I’m sorry if your missed it. We enjoyed great fellowship and a spectacular potluck. Congratulations and thanks to our four honorees. With that , Debra Principi turned over Outreach leadership to Jennifer Moore for 2019.
Leigh O Wood, Janie Banse, Rob Banse, Ann MacLeod, Robin Keys
So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.) Report
A little slush on the roads and heavy traffic could not deter our ardent group from getting to DC on time to prepare and serve a hearty fish meal for over 360 guests at SOME in November.
Among the highlights was a visit from the Grand Poobah himself, Father John Adams, the co-founder and President of SOME. Father Adams, Father Horace McKenna and an interfaith group of priests, ministers and lay persons began SOME in 1970 to help feed the city of Washington’s destitute citizens. Father Adams recognized our distinguished group as a long-serving, Provide-a-Meal (PAM) volunteer organization. We were honored that he took time in his busy schedule to stop in the dining room and share his mission.
As we approach 2019, we will mark our 32nd year of service. And right there from the very beginning, when we carted our food into DC in a horse trailer in the wee hours of the morning for breakfast service, was the indomitable Ann MacLeod, our fearless leader. The mere presence of Ann is always among our highlights as she hands out plates and warmly greets the guests.
Another major attraction was the beautiful assortment of turkey cookies lovingly, professionally and patiently prepared by Gina Hammond. They were a real hit among the guests as was the pumpkin pie and whipped cream topping, along with Mary MacDonnell”s homemade pumpkin bread.
Learning of a major bridge closure in Washington and in haste, we set out on our journey a few minutes early, leaving two of our valuable participants behind, Paul Edmonson and Josephina Hooker. However, they thankfully decided to make the drive themselves and joined us in the dining hall. We were grateful for their determination and will make a better effort to take the anxiety level down a notch when the going gets tough.
Yet another highlight was the loyalty demonstrated by our Thursday cooks, who showed up in the Cox Hall kitchen in the middle of a raging ice storm. We dispensed with the chopping in record time and everyone thankfully made it safely home.
Among the DC crew: Ann MacLeod, Bob Appenzeller, Ken Knapp, Jim Gemmer, Bob and Mary MacDonnell, Margaret New, Carol Miller, Josephina Hooker, Paul Edmondson and Robin Keys. Laurie Volk unfortunately could not get out of her icy driveway.
Our team of rice casserole cooks included: Ann MacLeod, Bob and Joan Eliot, Ellen Hall, Tommy Breeden (who also loaded the van singled handedly), Holly Bimba, Stephanie Knapp, Robin Keys
Our proposed dates for 2019 are as follows:
January 17/18 March 14/15 May 16/17 July 18/19 September 19/20 November 14/15
We invite everyone to join us either in the kitchen or in DC for this important ministry. Your support and donations of baked goods is appreciated.
As the year winds down, we also would like to take the opportunity to thank Father Banse, our Vestry, church Administration and congregation for all their prayerful support over the years. We also want to give thanks for our service provider, Schenck Foods Co. in Winchester, VA as they celebrate their 90th year of quality wholesale distribution. Keeping our costs down is a hallmark of the SOME program and Schenck Foods strives to always give us the best possible price.
A letter from Jenny, a recipient of our outreach.
Ingathering Sermon
A HIGHWAY SHALL BE THERE
Lay Observations on Stewardship at Trinity Episcopal Church
James Hoecker, Stewardship Chairman & Senior Warden
November 11, 2018
Once again, let me express my gratitude to Reverend Banse and you, the parishioners of Trinity Church, for the privilege of addressing both services today on behalf of the Vestry and your fellow parishioners. This is a moment of transition as well as tradition for this Church and for the world beyond. As Christians, as citizens, as flawed but striving human beings, we always need something to hang onto in times like these. It is a basic human desire, to want to feel safe, secure, and certain about what’s to come. We all invest in and cling to family, friends, and to the institutions and beliefs that help us make sense of an environment so often in a state of change, if not chaos.
For that reason, I want to share a somewhat personal perspective. Among other things, I practice law, most often working in the area of energy law and with companies and entrepreneurs that find energy re-sources, produce energy in all its forms, market it, and deliver it. But even I don’t stay awake nights dwelling on the infrastructure that enables me to drive to Upperville or Washington, lights my house, warms my granddaughter’s school. In other words, I assume that the material foundations upon which the economy or my life are built will always work reliably. As energy users, we all have a vague notion that there are pipes, wires, tanks, digital technologies out there somewhere doing important things and that there are machines that change the sun’s rays, the wind, and methane in the ground into energy to do work, to transport us, to light up the world. By its very nature, these infrastructures are seldom seen; they are under-appreciated perhaps, but they are the essential foundation of our modern standard of liv-ing. Physical infrastructure is a critical foundation; when it fails, the consequences can be dramatic. Yet, they are taken for granted, even though we’d prefer to take these systems on faith. But, on reflection we know they require strategic investment.
Thinking about stewardship this year has forced me confront the whole idea of infrastructure in a differ-ent way. There’s one kind of infrastructure the importance of which we all (even Congress) tend to understand, primarily because we use it most often and are willing to pay for because its benefits and the consequences of a failure to plan are so obvious. I’m referring to roads and bridges; that is, highways. Something biblical always comes to my mind in thinking about highways. I learned but have long since for-gotten many of the things I studied as an undergraduate at a small liberal arts college in northern Wisconsin (called Northland College). But I have never forgotten the school’s motto --“A Highway Shall Be There.” This is a scriptural reference that is redolent with the kind of things that fire the minds and fuel the ambitions of young people starting out in life. But, in addition to being apropos as an identifier for a school in the chilly far Northwoods, I realize now that there’s more to the motto than that. It comes from one of the prettiest passages in the book of Isaiah 35:6-8:
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
The burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
The haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes;
A highway shall be there.
And it shall be called the Holy Way . . .
Isaiah 35:6-8
At the risk of revealing my amateur status as a Biblical scholar, I think that infrastructure, in the sense meant by Isaiah, is sustaining and transformative. It is a gift from God. “Life is made of highways built by human hands” – so begins our college song. In fact, highways are emblematic of the foundation upon which our lives rest. When you get on a highway, you have a direction. A highway implies a destination, even a destiny, without which we might be aimless and in the wilderness. You don’t get on one unless you’re going somewhere in particular. Similarly, this marvelous edifice in which we worship today is a highway; it is the very infrastructure of our lives as followers of Christ. Our families are also our high-ways; our professions, our jobs, and our friends are another highway, each with its direction and obstacles. Most important, our faith is a highway.
Trinity Church in Upperville Virginia, as an institution, is part of our shared sustaining infrastructure. It is that infrastructure that has a lot to do with who we are and what decisions we make. Like any infrastructure, it supports us; everything should rest on it. And we in turn must support it. Trinity provides us with direction and we should therefore be most happy when we are providing for and sustaining it. Trinity Church is taking us forward, to our destination – however differently God might define that destination for each of us or we might define it for ourselves and others. Individually and as a community of Christians, we are builders of these highways upon which we travel. As such, you and I are the stewards of God’s creation, as we move down life’s highways and give of ourselves to build families and communities – those human infrastructures that come from the physical, intellectual, and spiritual human energy we devote to living our lives.
Let me just say that stewardship is not an obligation or the price of admission or a sacrificial offering. A pledge to Trinity Church is nothing more and nothing less than a paving stone on the highway we must all travel. We’re all doing the best we can as we manage something that ultimately belongs to someone else, namely God; whether it is our assets, finances, or relationships, the natural environment, or our domes-tic lives and children, we are custodians. It’s important work. That is the stewardship we are called upon to provide. The reason I am up here this morning is simply to remind everyone that we are stewards of this Church, the outdoor chapel, its outreach to the community, the Christmas auction, our Rector and his legacy. We must even be stewards of the stable tour – remember, it was Mary and Joseph who took history’s most important stable tour.
In my letter to the parish last week, I explained the Church’s needs. For Trinity to conduct all its ministries and activities and continue as a vital part of the community, it requires a budget of over $1 million each year. Annual pledges cover slightly over 50% of that. I celebrate your generosity but it is not sufficient. Building highways is not easy. Highways are not without obstacles. Recognizing that, we have once again established an ambitious goal this year of just under $700,000. My letter to you may be just another one of those “highway signs” but I urge you to meditate on it. Hopefully it will provide direction about how to measure the value of Trinity Church in your life.
Last summer, we were visited by Ms. Julie Simonton, Director of Congregational Development and Stewardship at the Diocese in Richmond. I thought we were going to talk about how churches do fundraising and which strategies appeal best to various communities for support. What we ended up discussing was Why Trinity Church? What does it mean to us? Where is it going? Those existential questions are simply unavoidable and Julie was not about to let us chat just about money. Whether she knew it or not, she was helping us think about what direction to take on this particular highway.
At this time of mixed emotion, as we prepare to say farewell to Rob and Janie Banse – as members of this Church, but certainly not as faithful friends – it may be tempting to pull off to the side of the road and wait to see what happens, and maybe dis-invest in Trinity Church until the Lord calls you or the road ahead becomes clearer. Don’t yield to that temptation, I urge you. Trinity Church needs your stewardship today more than ever – your dollars, to be sure, but also your time, effort, creativity, and your prayers. Rob Banse has laid many a paving stone here at Trinity during his tenure. The highway that we built together with him has been inspiring and fulfilling. We must continue his good work.
In the next few weeks, you will hear more from Trinity about stewardship. We ask that you bring your 2018 pledge card to church with you on November 18, and that you place it worshipfully in the plate. Of course, you may pledge anytime, including today. In the final analysis, I am only asking that a pledge made is thereafter a pledge kept. Your Vestry thanks you for the opportunity that your annual pledge gives us to plan wisely for the coming year and to meet the challenges and uncertainties that 2019 will bring. Let us therefore go forth and forge new directions, build new roads and bridges, and illuminate the darkness.
Lord, we pray that you open our hearts to the spirit of giving. Help us to prayerfully work on the infrastructure of a life of good deeds for ourselves and for others on the road to our destination.
Surely, “a highway shall be there. And it shall be called the Holy Way.”
Amen
Stewardship Progress Report
As of November 25, Trinity received 2019 pledges from about one-third of the congregation, total-ing $313,000. Our 2019 goal is $675,000 to cover slightly more than half of our personnel and other operating costs. We have some distance to go, fellow parishioners.
Have you made your pledge to Trinity for 2019?
This is a time of transition here at Trinity Church as well as in the nation and the world. At Trinity, we know that – like a rock – you are always there to provide help and support. Steadfast support for Trinity is an example for others and a material representation of your affection for the Lord and for our community. As a Steward of Trinity, you are helping manage and protect that which belongs to God. We hope you agree that we are Stewards of the lives we are given, stewards of this church, the outdoor chapel, stewards of the environment, and much more. These are God’s gifts on loan to us. We each must decide how to re-pay that loan. Growing in our spiritual lives means, in part, growing in our lives as stewards of Trinity Church, one of God’s many gifts.
Please consider sending in a pledge card before the end of December if you haven’t already done so. Consult your financial advisor to find out how a contribution to Trinity can work to your benefit. If you need a pledge card, please call the Church office.
If you have not fulfilled your pledge for 2018, we hope you can do so promptly.
Music Notes December 2018
This Christmas is the 200th anniversary of “Silent Night”. Here is a brief history accord-ing the great source of all wisdom, Wikipedia.
The song was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, a village in the Austrian Empire on the Salzach river in present-day Austria. A young priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had come to Oberndorf the year before. He had written the lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" in 1816 at Mariapfarr, the hometown of his father in the Salzburg Lungau region, where Joseph had worked as a co-adjutor.
The melody was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, schoolmaster and organist in the nearby vil-lage of Arnsdorf. Before Christmas Eve, Mohr brought the words to Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for the Christmas Eve mass. It is unknown what inspired Mohr to write the lyrics, or what prompted him to create a new carol.
According to Gruber, Karl Mauracher, an organ builder who serviced the instrument at the Obendorf church, was enamoured with the song, and took the composition home with him to the Zillertal. From there, two travelling families of folk singers, the Strassers and the Rainers, included the tune in their shows. The Rainers were already singing it around Christmas 1819, and once performed it for an audience that included Franz I of Austria and Alexander I of Russia, as well as making the first performance of the song in the U.S., in New York City in 1839. By the 1840s the song was well known in Lower Saxony and was reported to be a favourite of Frederick William IV of Prussia. During this period, the melody changed slightly to become the version that is commonly played today.
Over the years, because the original manuscript had been lost, Mohr's name was forgotten and although Gruber was known to be the composer, many people assumed the melody was com-posed by a famous composer, and it was variously attributed to Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven. However, a manuscript was discovered in 1995 in Mohr's handwriting and dated by researchers as c..1820. It states that Mohr wrote the words in 1816 when he was assigned to a pilgrim church in Mariapfarr, Austria, and shows that the music was composed by Gruber in 1818. This is the earliest manuscript that exists and the only one in Mohr's handwriting.
As we do every year, we will sing some version of Silent Night at each of our Christmas Eve Services. However, at the 11:00 service we will sing it with guitar accompaniment just as it was written 200 years ago. We may even throw in a verse in German.
Wreath Making at Trinity
Please join us on December 2nd after the 10:30 service for our Advent Wreath Making!
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, and 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 Holy Eucharist
The Church Office will be closed from Noon on Dec 21 and reopen on Jan 2.
Important Upcoming Dates
December 2: Advent Wreath Making after 10:30 Service
December 5&6: Christmas Auction Set up
December 7: Christmas Auction Shop & Bid 5-7pm
December 9: Christmas Auction after 10:30 Service
December 14: Musica Viva 7:30pm
December 15: Men’s Breakfast - 8am - Men’s Bible Study - 9am
December 16: Lessons and Carols - 4pm
December 17: Vestry Meeting - 6:30pm
December 22: Pageant Rehearsal - 9am
December 22: Flower Guild Decorates - 10am
December 24: Services at 4pm, 8pm, 11pm
December 25: Service at 10:30am
December 30: Services 8am & 10:30 Baptism(s)
Sighting of Nicholas Bishop of Myra
DECEMBER 2ND, AFTER THE 10:30 SERVICE
THERE MAY BE A POTENTIAL SIGHTING OF THE BISHOP OF MYRA
Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, was a Bishop who lived in the fourth century in a place called Myra in Asia Minor (now called Turkey).
St. Nicholas was a Christian bishop who helped the needy. After his death, the legend of his gift-giving grew.
St. Nicholas transformed into the legendary character called Santa Claus, who brings Christmas presents to children around the world.