God entered into our humanity in the person of Jesus, calling us to recognize in each other our beautiful, God-given distinctions, and to find them a source of vitality. The gospel of Jesus Christ calls us to live with arms outstretched and hands open, not to cling to the provision God has given, but to share with others from our abundance.
Br. Jim Woodrum, SSJE
Dear friends,
As we approach the week of our national secular holiday, Thanksgiving, I am giving thanks for this faith community and for each one of you. Brother Jim (quoted above) reminds us of the gift of our “beautiful, God-given distinctions,” each of us created in the image of God, and yet uniquely made with our gifts, skills, limitations, interests, and loves. How wonderful that God has called us to be together in Trinity Church at this time, to witness to the “Love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor.13:7)
It is a great blessing to be your rector, and to share with you in the life of faith and service to our Lord Jesus Christ. I am thankful for each one of you, for our amazing staff, vestry officers and members, lay leaders for our wide range of ministries serving our local community and the world, and for every person, prayer, offering, LEM visit, flower arrangement, card sent, smile, kind word that comprises our life together here at Trinity. I am thankful for our beautiful worship on Sundays and throughout the week, for our choirs who bring their hearts and their faithful, lovely voices to lead us in our praise of God. Perhaps you are thankful for these things and more? As Br. Jim suggests, we are to love God with open arms and unclenched hands…how do we do this? Here are three ways:
Bring your hands together in prayer: pray for your Trinity Church, for your clergy, staff, volunteers, for one another, and for our ministry partners who work to combat hunger, homelessness, and to bring educational opportunities to young people and those who are in prison. Pray for our present and for our future as God’s witnesses here in Concord, MA.
Bring your whole distinctive self to church on Sundays, either in person at 8 a.m. in the Chapel or at 10 a.m. in the Main Church or via the miracle of technology through our trintychurch.org/worship livestream at 10 am. When we are together, we are strengthened not only by the bread and the wine, but by being with one another.
Use your hand to fill out your pledge card! You can do this the old fashioned way by filling out a pledge card with a pen and bringing it to church or mailing it in; OR you can go to trinityconcord.org/donate on your computer and fill out an on-line pledge form.
Friends, when we are thankful together, offering up our best, distinctive gifts, and supporting our mission of faith with our money, we are honoring the One who calls us brothers and sisters. And we are honoring each other, our brothers and sisters in Christ. Please join me in pledging for Trinity 2024…it’s going to be a fabulous year of fellowship, worship, lights!!, communion and community. You really do not want to miss any of it.
Thanksgiving blessings to all,
Nancy+
Photo credit: N. Hagner - Trinity’s quilt square in the diocesan quilt at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center.