Trinity Topics August 30, 2024

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RECTOR'S BLOG

Dear Friends,

It’s Labor Day weekend. You’re going to have people tell you that it’s the end of summer, but don’t believe them. The actual first day of fall isn’t until September 22, and even then, Ohio usually offers a number of pleasantly warm days in early October. But the fact is things are changing. School buses are rolling, road construction crews are finishing their projects, and the hours of daylight are growing shorter.

In last Sunday’s New York Times, Melissa Kirsch noted that, “Labor Day arrives and we shift gears, shift wardrobes and menus and mind-sets. Maybe our gaits get faster. Summer self is self-indulgent; fall self is all determination. Summer self puts things off and fall self gets things done.” I recognize myself in the mirror she’s holding up, and perhaps you do, too.

If Labor Day represents a quickening of tempo, it also represents an opportunity to reflect on work. In the late 1800’s, before President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a national holiday in 1894, many Americans worked twelve hours a day, seven days a week. Children worked right alongside adults on farms, and in factories and mines. Most people in the United States don’t work like that anymore. Yes, the Labor Department uncovers abuses from time to time – sometimes of children, more often of immigrants. But the incidents are rare.

The late Studs Terkel, host of his own well-known radio program in Chicago between 1952-1997, wrote Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, in 1974. He interviewed more than 100 people for the book – everyone from gravediggers to studio heads. How did people feel about their working lives? How did work fit into American life? Studs, in his inimitable fashion, explored these questions and others with a farmer, a strip miner, a hotel switchboard operator, a hooker, a garment maker, and a host of others. Although there were a fortunate few among those he interviewed who loved their work, most found plenty not to love, and Studs got an earful about those things simply because he was willing to listen.

In the introduction to Working, Terkel refers to the story of Adam and Eve: “To earn one’s bread by the sweat of one’s brow has always been the lot of mankind. At least, ever since Eden’s slothful couple was served with an eviction notice. The scriptural precept was never doubted, not out loud. No matter how demeaning the task, no matter how it dulls the senses and breaks the spirit, one must work. Or else.”

How do you think about the work you do? Or did? How many jobs have you held? What do you like about working? Not like? Wish was different? And, thinking about work more broadly, how can we make sure that workers of all different kinds of experience dignity and fair compensation?

The Book of Common Prayer, which provides prayers for nearly every occasion, offers this one “For commerce and industry.” May I suggest we pray it as we observe Labor Day 2024:

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life, shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your people where they work; make those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Happy Labor Day!

Blessings,

Stephen Applegate

UPDATE FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE

The search committee has recently engaged in an extensive training session focused on the practice of Evidence-Based Interviewing, led by Rev. Aaron Gerlach, our diocesan transition liaison. Strongly endorsed by the Diocese, this interview process is designed to enhance the effectiveness of the interview aspect of the search process. With this comprehensive training now complete, we are well-prepared to undertake the critical task of interviewing candidates for the position of rector.

At this juncture, the Bishop's office will play a key role by identifying and presenting potential candidates for our consideration. As we move into this next phase, there will be a period of deliberate silence. This will require us to cultivate patience and remain steadfast in prayer, trusting in the guidance and timing of the process. We ask for your continued support and prayers as we navigate this important transition.

May we be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Your Search Committee

BRING A HOSTA TO CHURCH WORK DAY

Saturday, September 21 8:30 a.m.-12:00 noon is "Bring a Hosta to Church" Plaza Work Day! We will plant hostas and native ferns in the long narrow bed that runs along the Four Seagate building, with the two compost bins at the end of it. It is shaded in the morning, and gets some afternoon sun. Split your hostas and bring a plant or more to put in the shade garden! Soil and mulch will be delivered at 8:30 a.m. We'll carry and wheel it up to the plaza, then we'll prepare the bed and plant it. Don't have hostas to bring? Everyone is welcome and wanted to help create the shade garden! There will be tasks for all so please come even if you are physically limited from carrying bags of soil, etc. The more, the merrier!

POP-UP DINNERS RETURN TO TRINITY!

Head on over to the website or sign up here for one Autumn pop-up dinner of your choosing! Remember, just one- make sure we keep room for everyone at the tables!! :)

https://www.signupgenius.com/tabs/63273D807A5C3EEC60-autumn#/

COVID-19 UPDATE

Yogi Berra, who had many notable, quotable sayings, like “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical,” once said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” He wasn’t talking about COVID-19 when he said it, but he might as well have been.

KP.3.1.1, of the Omicron family, is now the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant circulating in the United States. The number of cases has been rising since June. The sprinter Noah Lyles, gold medalist in the 100 meter dash and the 4x100 meter relay, finished with a bronze in the 200 meter – an amazing result given that he had been diagnosed with COVID before the race began. This week, Governor Mike DeWine tested positive with the illness and has started taking the anti-retroviral therapy, Paxlovid, as advised by his doctor. And an increasing number of less famous people have gotten sick.

Since church is a place where people gather indoors with others, here are some thoughts and suggestions for reducing the spread of COVID and other respiratory illnesses:

If you are experiencing symptoms, please don’t attend church in person. Trinity offers a live-stream of our 10:00 am service every Sunday, and the recording of the service is available on YouTube after Sunday. There’s a button on the parish’s home page where you can access the service – www.trinitytoledo.org
It’s okay to wear a mask! KN-95 masks will be available at the entrances to the sanctuary along with hand sanitizer. Masks aren’t required, but they are recommended for people in higher risk groups.
Wash your hands frequently. Handwashing isn’t just good for attending church – it helps reduce the spread of contagious diseases all the time.
Get a COVID shot (and a flu shot) when the new vaccines become available in early September. Check with your care provider to see if, for some reason, you should get a dose of the current vaccine before the new ones arrive.

Although immunity levels are higher because of vaccines and other reasons, some people are at higher risk for serious illness or long COVID. “Loving your neighbor as yourself,” means taking precautions that help our most vulnerable parishioners and neighbors, too! Together we can make a healthier environment possible at Trinity!

WELCOME BACK SUNDAY

You're invited to Trinity's WELCOME BACK FIESTA! September 8th 2024 right after service. With walking tacos, rock painting and a LIVE MARIACHI BAND, this is an afternoon you don't want to miss!!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Volunteer for 9/24

TSN VENDOR LUNCHES

On the third Thursday of each month, Trinity supplies the vendors of Toledo Streets Newspaper (TSN) with a buffet lunch! And we need YOUR help! Trinity will purchase the food but we will need 4-6 volunteers to help prepare the meal deliver it to the TSN Office.

Volunteer for 9/19

CHOIR IS COMING BACK!

Get ready to grab your folder and a fresh pencil because the choir is BACK! Our first rehearsal of the 2024-2025 Choir Season is Thursday, September 5th 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. And, we are always looking for new members! Do you have a song to sing? Have you wanted to try choir but don't quite have the courage? Email Chelsie at chelsie@trinitytoledo.org to see if the choir could be your next best experience! Because we are a proud multigenerational group, membership to the choir requires a pitch-matching test and a successful background check.

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.)

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:

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!

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

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