Trinity Topics August 9, 2024

DEAR FRIENDS

Dear Friends,

Over the past year, there has been an ongoing conversation about how we can care for our children here at Trinity when it comes to spiritual formation. This is something close to my heart, and it is not because I have a kid here. When I first started volunteering and working for churches, it was in children’s ministry. Providing a safe space for children to learn who they are in Jesus is an incredibly important part of caring for the church body. We started down the road earlier this year when we hired Ms. Wendi to staff our nursery. She’s been a great addition to our team.

We are now ready to take the next step by expanding what we offer for our 1st – 5th grade kids. Starting Sunday, September 16, we plan to launch Trinity Kid’s Sunday School. What would it take to do this?! Great question, and this is where you come in!:

12 volunteers who would serve in pairs (2) in a single classroom
Volunteers serve once every 6 weeks
Parents can be volunteers; other parishioners especially welcome!

Here’s the support and training Trinity will provide:

Safe Church training (required) – either in-person here in My Brother’s Place at Trinity on Saturday, September 7, from 9:00 – 12:30 am. Childcare, coffee & refreshments provided. Or,
Online Safe Church training (required). Register by contacting Heather at the Parish Office – heather@trinitytoledo.org
Sunday lessons from Illustrated Ministry curriculum detailing the story, craft, prayer, and expectations for each week.
Classroom materials and supplies
Snacks

Here’s how a typical Sunday morning would go for that week’s volunteers:

Volunteers of the week meet parents and kids in the sanctuary where kids are “dropped off” to them.
At 10:05, one volunteer leads the kids upstairs to the Parish House classroom; the other brings up the rear to make sure no kids wander off.
The volunteers lead the kids through a game, a Bible story, a craft related to the story, and a snack
When the lesson is finished (10:40 am), the volunteers and kids return to the sanctuary where they meet their parents during the passing of the peace.
Kids then stay with their parents for the rest of the service.

We are excited to have a number of children worshiping with us. I know we have at least 12 volunteers who will help us kick off Trinity Kids’ Sunday School on September 16 because whenever there is an ask here, Trinity shows up! Is God calling you to this ministry?

This has been a banner year for Trinity Episcopal Church as we have launched and sustained new ministries and have seen growth during a transition period. The way y’all continue to show up to support and be present is not something I have ever experienced before in a house of worship. I am so honored to be here serving with and for y’all. If there are any questions, or if I can clarify anything, please reach out and ask me.

Grace and peace,

George Benson (he, him)
Director of Community Engagement
george@trinitytoledo.org

TRINITY PRIDE

T-Shirts - Order Deadline: August 11 at midnight It’s that time of the year again when we stand out in Pride with our incredible t-shirts! Self-ordering is available at Jūpmode’s website which you can access by clicking here. Cut off for ordering is 8/11 at midnight, and we will be handing them out after service by the Columbarium on Sunday 8/18. The colors you can choose from are light blue, light pink, and white to support our trans siblings. Shirts are $23.35 and come in infant to adult sizes. If you have any questions, please contact our Director of Community Engagement at george@trinitytoledo.org

Pride Kick-Off Family Picnic - Friday, August 23 5:30-7:30pm Join us for food, crafts, music, face-painting, story time for the kids, and much more. This year's picnic will be a potluck, so if you are able; bring a side dish to share. Hot dogs and condiments will be provided along with lemonade and water.

Pride Saturday - Parade Marchers sign up here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B084AADAC23A0FD0-50439274-saturday#/

Promenade Booth - Come represent Trinity and pass out swag and love on people at Promenade Park https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B084AADAC23A0FD0-50439231-saturday#/

Hospitality at 316 Adams - Come help swing open our doors to all who need a place to cool off, use bathrooms or need cold water from 10a - 3pm https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B084AADAC23A0FD0-50439315-hospitality#/

PRIDE DONATIONS

ARE YOU CALLED TO SERVE IN THE DIOCESE OF OHIO?

The Nominating Committee for the 208th Diocesan Convention being held November 8 & 9 in Perrysburg, are inviting clergy and lay persons to offer themselves for consideration for the slate of candidates to be nominated for elected offices in the diocese.

According to the Constitution and Canons of the diocese, the Nominating Committee will consider a variety of experiences and service. The Committee’s goal is to assemble nominations that will further Christian policies of, and concerns for, fairness, justice, and inclusiveness as outlined in the canons.

Elected office holders need to be lay members in good standing or clergy canonically resident in this diocese.

Trinity has had several of its members serve on diocese committees in the past. Here are the positions for which nominees are being sought:

Trustees

- One lay or clergy (5-year term)

Standing Committee

- One lay (4-year term) and

- One clergy (4-year term)

Diocesan Council

- Two lay (3-year term) and

- Three clergy (as determined by number of votes in order below)

- Two clergy (3-year term)

- One clergy (unexpired 2-year term)

Episcopal Community Services Development Council

- One clergy (3-year term) and

- Five lay (as determined by number of votes in order below)

- Three lay (3-year term)

- One lay (unexpired 2-year term)

- One lay (unexpired 1-year term)

If you would like to know more about any of the positions listed above – why they exist and what they do – please contact the parish office – trinity@trinitytoledo.org, (419) 243-1231.

2ND ANNUAL COMMUNITIES AGAINST VIOLENCE MARCH

2nd Annual Communities Against Violence March and Unity Day

Saturday, August 17 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Smith Park, 998 Dorr St. Free, open to all. Sign up here. Sponsored by Sisters 4 Unity. Contact them at 567-215-0045 or Sisters4Unity419@gmail.com.

BOOK CLUB

Book clubbers! We’re taking a bit of a hiatus for July and August but add this to the late summer reading list so it’s fresh in your mind for discussion on September 8.

(*Our library has print, ebook and audio copies.)

CALLING ALL HOSTS!

Are you a born host? Do you love creating community around a table with a delicious meal? Then Parish Life wants YOU! Trinity's Pop-Up Dinners are coming back, and we're looking for hosts wanting to create fabulous dinners and host new and old friends in the Trinity Community. You can sign up here, and the Parish Life Team will be in contact soon.

WHO IS JESUS ANYWAY?

Grab a snack at coffee hour and join us in the Walbridge Room as we begin to explore who Jesus is, using Diana Butler Bass’ book Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence as a springboard. (Here is a video of the author introducing the book if you’d like to learn more.)

These discussions are open to everyone, whether you have read the book or not, whether you can attend all the sessions or not, whether you know who Jesus is to you or you have no clue. Here are some questions to ponder for this week (Jesus as teacher; Jesus as friend):

What has been your understanding of Jesus throughout your life? How have you seen that change over the years?
“Jesus calls us friends. God reaches toward us, not as a fearsome master or judge, but a friend, beckoning us to reach back” (p. 16 of the book). Do you view Jesus as a friend of yours? Why or why not?
Which of the teachings of Jesus is most compelling or attractive to you? Which teaching is most challenging or frustrating? Why?

The rough schedule for the rest of the sessions:

August 4: No session

August 11: Jesus as Lord

August 18: Jesus as Way

August 25: Jesus as Presence

September 1: Bonus session: The Universal Jesus

If you have any questions, contact facilitators Jolene Miller and Amy Saylor. Bring your questions, we’ll bring ours!

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE PLAZA?

Sunday, August 11 @ 11:15 a.m. My Brother's Place

What's Next for the Plaza? Come help plan what our next steps will be to continue bringing our plaza to life. What furniture do we need? Could we plant one more bed this fall? Maybe hostas in the bed along the side of the Four Seagate building, which only gets shade? Other ideas? What uses do you envision for the plaza? Let's celebrate the progress we've made and the wonderful volunteers that have made it happen, and think together about what's next.

Through August 18 we are asking for donations of 8oz water bottles and hard candy for Pride! You can drop them off at our “drop off station” by the columbarium. PLEASE, no chocolate as it tends to melt in the August sun. Any chocolate donated will be considered a tithe for our Director of Operations. If you have any questions please contact our Director of Community Engagement through email at, george@trinitytoledo.org

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY

Sunday, August 18 1:00-3:00 p.m. Epworth United Methodist Church, 4855 Central Ave. Presentation of the City of Toledo’s Comprehensive Plan for Neighborhood Safety
Malcolm Cunningham, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement (MONSE), will provide an overview of the City of Toledo's new Comprehensive Plan for Neighborhood Safety. Malcolm will host an interactive forum after the plan presentation. Many people from the community have been working on this plan over the past year, and it is bearing fruit in reducing gun violence. Come learn about the positive steps our community is taking! Free, open to all. Sign up here.

Download information flyer here.

Diocesan Office for Mission Peace and Justice

Click here for the resources page.

TRINITY PRAYER LIST

Did you know that Trinity has an active prayer list? If you’d like prayers for yourself or for someone you know, you can request them by contacting the Trinity office (trinity@trinitytoledo.org or 419-243-1231) or our interim rector, Stephen Applegate (in person or via email at stephen@trinitytoledo.org).

At the moment, all prayer requests are shared only with a small intercessory prayer group who, along with parish clergy, offer recurring prayers for each request. This is not a closed group. If you want to join Trinity parishioners who’ve committed to the practice of regularly praying for others, ask Stephen about joining the prayer team.

When a request is received, it remains on the prayer list for four weeks before it’s taken off. Requests can always be renewed or submitted again. However, having an “expiration date” will prevent the list from overflowing with prayer requests that are out of date.

TRINITY@HOME LIVE-STREAM

Trinity@Home is now a live-stream of Trinity’s 10:00 am in-person service with an interactive chat.

www.trinitytoledo.org/live

EPISCOPAL NEWS SERVICE

Justice Sonia Sotomayor visits Kansas City Episcopal church to watch musical rehearsal based on her book

[Episcopal News Service] Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor made a stop at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Kansas City, Missouri, last weekend to watch the first workshop, or draft, of […]

Medical staff share realities from the field in Gaza

[World Council of Churches] On Aug. 7, a delegation from the World Council of Churches, accompanied by partners from the Middle East Council of Churches, ACT Alliance and Caritas Internationalis, […]

Anglican leaders in the UK speak out against hatred and violence

[The Church of England] In response to riots and other violence taking place across the United Kingdom that have been fueled by misinformation online, the far-right and anti-immigration sentiment, Archbishop […]

Five Massachusetts churches have Pride flags, symbols torn down in acts of vandalism

[Episcopal News Service] St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Framingham, Massachusetts, was one of five churches in the state that experienced anti-LGBTQ+ vandalism in the past 10 days. The five churches […]