Trinity Topics November 28, 2025

Click here to see a web copy of this email

You are receiving this message because you are subscribed to Major Trinity Communications.

DEAR FRIENDS

Dear friends,

Last weekend, we celebrated the last Sunday of Ordinary Time with the Reign of Christ, which is the end of our liturgical calendar. This Sunday, November 30, is the first Sunday of Advent.

Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation of the coming of Jesus. It begins four Sundays before Christmas. How will you know we’ve reached the season of Advent? In church, paraments (decorative cloth covers, hanging, and clergy vestments) will be blue or purple, we’ll have the advent wreath with candles we light each week, and the church will be decorated with evergreens (PS - join us for the Greening of the Church the morning of Saturday, November 29).

In past years, we’ve shared commercially published Advent devotionals to support and daily guide us on the journey of Advent. This year as you already know, we have a special offering: an Advent devotional by and for the people of Trinity Church. Members of our community were provided a set of readings appointed for a specific day in Advent. They read, meditated, and prayed with the readings, then wrote a brief reflection on one or more of the readings. Each page includes space for your own notes, reflections, and prayers. You can use the devotional individually or discuss reflections with family and friends.

Let me close with a quote from the devotional: “No doubt, this can be a busy time of year. Our culture (and sometimes our church) tends to encourage us to busyness: cleaning, decorating, shopping, attending special seasonal events and services, cooking, baking, and eating. Please know that we offer this book of reflections as an invitation only, not as one more item on your to-do list. If you aren’t able to use it this year, or if you start but can’t finish, or if you use it in fits and starts, it’s OKAY. This is a no-guilt, no-shame invitation.”

May your journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus at Christmas bring you hope, peace, joy, and love.

Jolene Miller, on behalf of the Spiritual Formation Committee

PS - Curious to learn more about Advent? Check out Advent 101.

GREENING OF CHURCH

Saturday, November 29 - The first Sunday of Advent greets us early this year, on November 30. Take a step back from those Thanksgiving leftovers and come join the fun at 9:30am on Saturday, November 29. Kids are encouraged to attend!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/greening

HELP PORTRAIT

Trinity is bringing back Help Portrait for the first time in six years. We will be opening our doors and welcoming all peoples to get a photo taken with their family or individually, and Santa! In order to make this happen, we will need 12 volunteers from 9:30-2:30 on 12/6. There is a sign-up genius you can access by clicking here! Questions? Contact George Benson at george@trinitytoledo.org

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

BOOK CLUB

November 30 - Join the always spirited discussions at Trinity's November Book Club via Zoom on Sunday, November 30 at 6:30pm. Fredrik Backman's Anxious People will be the perfect anecdote before busy holiday schedules set in. "Humorous, compassionate, and wise, Anxious People is an ingeniously constructed story about the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope—the things that save us, even in the most anxious of times." ~ Good Reads Sign up here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/TrinityNovemberBook

We’ve all had that moment: Your Christmas cookies are so good, you just know you could win a prize for them. Your wait is over!! Bring a batch to share after church on Sunday, December 14. This Bradley Bash is all about sharing your favorite cookies. What’s not to like?? This will not be a cookie exchange—just bring 2 dozen to share for fun. We’ll have cocoa and milk and trophies. We’ll also have a few simple ornaments for the kids to hang on their tree. Any questions? Talk to Becky Koskinen, Kyle Grefe, Chelsie, or Heather.

POINSETTIA ORDERS

We will be filling our sanctuary with stunning red poinsettias again this Christmas Eve for all three worship services. Honor a loved one and help decorate all at once. The plants are $12 each. Two options - fill out the form in this link: Poinsettia Order Form or complete one at church on Sunday morning. Forms and envelopes and drop box all at the back of the sanctuary in the Coffee Hour area. You can also pay for them online by selecting Christmas Poinsettias from drop down menu. And if you need help, you can always reach out to Heather Meyer! DEADLINE: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19

ALL SAINTS PARISH - NEW INITIATIVE

Starting in January, our siblings at All Saints Episcopal will be hosting a commodities pantry that will run from 11:30a - 1pm the first and second Sunday of the month. Trinity is very excited to be supporting this pantry, so please drop of toilet paper, paper towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, and feminine hygiene materials at the donation station by the guestbook podium. If you have any questions, please contact George Benson at george@trinitytoledo.org

WEDNESDAY NOON SERVICE IN CHAPEL

TRINITY'S PRAYER LIST

Trinity continues to have 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). All prayer requests are shared only with a small intercessory prayer group who, along with parish clergy, offer recurring prayers for each request. 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; having an “expiration date” simply prevents 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

Indigenous boarding school research groups merge as Truth, Justice and Healing Commission

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church is entering a new phase of reckoning with its historic complicity in the federal Indigenous boarding...

Pittsburgh traveling choir brings live music to the pews in underserved communities

[Episcopal News Service] The Diocese of Pittsburgh, though based in a large city, has many small churches in rural areas of southwestern Pennsylvania...

Louisiana bishop issues statement on looming immigration enforcement operation in New Orleans

[Episcopal News Service] The Trump administration, after deploying troops to Los Angeles, Chicago and other major U.S. cities to assist in...

South Carolina honors first Black priest in the diocese, celebrates diversity

[Episcopal News Service] One year after an initial gathering for a solemn worship service of lament and repentance, the three historically Black...