THE TRINITY
Summer 2013
A publication of Trinity Episcopal Church, Fort Worth
Preach, Reach, Teach. Trinity steps up, steps out 1
The Trinity Episcopalian Summer 2013 A publication of Trinity Episcopal Church www.fortworthtrinity.org 3401 Bellaire Drive South Fort Worth, Texas 76109 817-926-4631 Editor & Communications Manager Sarah Martinez, communications@fortworthtrinity.org Clergy The Rev. Carlye J. Hughes, Rector chughes@fortworthtrinity.org The Rev. Andrew Wright, Associate Rector awright@fortworthtrinity.org The Rev. Janet G. Nocher dnnocher@fortworthtrinity.org Ministers All the Members of Trinity Episcopal Church Staff & Support Team Christopher Thomas, Operations Manager cthomas@fortworthtrinity.org Jackie Robinson, Business Manager businessmanager@fortworthtrinity.org Paula Gartman, Parish Administrator trinity@fortworthtrinity.org Kimberly Cooper, Children’s Ministry Coordinator childrensministry@fortworthtrinity.org Paul Morrissey, Sexton pmorrissey@fortworthtrinity.org Melissa Pannell, Director of Trinity Episcopal School mpannell@fortworthtrinity.org Debora Clark, Director of Music & Organist dclark@fortworthtrinity.org Alan Buratto, Choirmaster aburatto@fortworthtrinity.org Bob Hunt, Folk Group Co-Director bhunt@fortworthtrinity.org Paul Warren, Folk Group Co-Director pwarren@fortworthtrinity.org Judy Cariker, Photographer jhcariker@gmail.com The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is a welcoming, Christ-centered community of congregations committed to radical hospitality. www.episcopaldiocesefortworth.org Participatory by everyone—laity, bishop, priest and deacon. Transparent in all we do. Accountable to God, one another, and the wider church. Serving, Accepting, Worshipping, Reaching Out 2
In This Issue:
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12 3
5
Mother Carlye’s Message
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Meet Father Andrew Wright
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Ministry Profile: South Central Alliance of Churches
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Bastrop bound! EYC mission trip underway
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A year to serve: Episcopal Service Corps
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Keeping the faith while in college
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Elect. Appoint. Serve. How you can help the Diocese
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Archive Department
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Ministry Group Updates
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VBS: Child’s-eye-view ahead!
Vacation Bible School Trinity Episcopal Church 3401 Bellaire Drive South Fort Worth, Texas 76109 August 5-9 9 a.m. to Noon Open to children in Pre-K to 5th grade (2013-2014 school year) Registration fee: $15 (Includes camp t-shirt and educational CD!)
Register online at www.fortworthtrinity.org (Look for the gray button on the right of the page.) Questions? Call us! 817-926-4631 4
Mother Carlye’s Message Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:105 Whenever I leave the house my dog, Abbey, is ready to go. She recognizes the cues: shoes put on, keys jingle, bag packed for the day, and a certain urgency in my energy as I get ready. When I head to the door, she is there ready to go. We have learned to spell “g – o” out loud rather than say the word because Abbey is ready every time she hears “go.” When she actually does get to go, Abbey embodies joy. Running in circles, flipping over, jumping up, and searching for her leash so she can tag along on the day’s trip, errand—or even a ride around the block. I think we all get that excited about special events, big moments, or trips—and it makes me think about times when that excitement extends to ministry. When do we get excited to serve God’s people? Most often I see that kind of excitement in children and youth. One child in our parish is planning to lead a food drive to celebrate her birthday. One of our youth has enthusiastically raised funds to build a playground for disabled children in Swaziland. Every Sunday a group of children comes racing into the church to serve as acolytes and lay ministers. They are not in a hurry because they are running late, but because they want to be vested and ready to go well ahead of the congregation arriving. That kind of excitement for ministry is so full of joy. I hope every member of Trinity gets to experience the same sense of delighted joy. Our ministry groups continue to form, plan, and develop into hubs of ministry and community. Within those hubs, relationships are growing and steps are being taken into the future God has planned for this church. It is pure fun to be a part of the discussion as groups begin to discover where God is leading us in ministry. With the start of the ministry groups we moved from asking about ministry, to following God’s lead toward ministry. In this process some things have become clear to us. As God sends more people to our parish that are new to the Episcopal Church, searching for a deeper faith, or wanting to serve God’s people, our ministries are shifting focus to helping parishioners follow Jesus, that the wider community may know his love. How do we do that? Simple. We focus on good preaching, deep teaching, and significant opportunities to reach out to people within the parish and beyond our doors. Each of us has a unique way to serve, and when we do we step into God’s ministry at Trinity. You will know you are serving in the way God has called you by the irrepressible joy that comes from doing what you were created to do. If you have yet to find that sense of joy you are invited to start visiting the ministry groups and to keep visiting until you do. Ready to go?
The Rev. Carlye J. Hughes, Rector chughes@fortworthtrinity.org
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Equipped for Success? YOU can make it happen!
This August: We will collect school supplies for our Adopt-a-School partner, McLean 6th Grade. If you’re out and see a great sale, don’t pass it up! Items that are needed include: string backpacks, single erasers, packages of wide-ruled loose-leaf paper, glue sticks, Elmer's liquid glue, boxes of tissues and hand sanitizer. Pick up the full list on the visitor’s table in the Parish Hall or grab a digital copy from the Download Center in the weekly enewsletter. Donations will be accepted in the church office. 6
Q&A: Father Andrew Wright
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Outreach
South Central Alliance of Churches The Alliance is YOU
Since 1988, South Central Alliance of Churches (SCAC) has provided services to help individuals and families address immediate, emergency needs. Unforeseen circumstances have a greater impact on families teetering on the edge of poverty. The Alliance’s outreach efforts help folks get past a single, difficult situation with the hope that this will result in long-term improvements in their lives. SCAC serves our neighbors—individuals and families in three ZIP codes: 76104, 76109 and 76110. Financial stability. The Alliance ensures people maintain housing and utilities through emergency assistance with rent, electric, water and gas bills. Clients are also referred to a financial education class to promote financial literacy.
SCAC Member Churches: Trinity Episcopal Church First Congregational First Presbyterian Outland Memorial AME Zion St. Andrews Catholic St. John’s Church St. Stephen Presbyterian South Fort Worth Baptist Southside Church of Christ University Christian University United Methodist Westside Unitarian Universalist
Self preservation. During difficult times it’s vitally important that people maintain a sense of self. To assist, the Alliance can provide food, clothing, toiletry packs, baby diapers and formula. They also help clients obtain state IDs and birth certificates. Mobility program. Clients can receive bus passes and/or a gas voucher to get to a doctor’s appointment, work or another social service agency. Holiday memories. Clients have the opportunity to receive a food basket for Thanksgiving dinner, gifts for Christmas for their children and birthday boxes to help celebrate a child’s special day. Medical assistance. Clients can receive help in securing prescription medications for life-threatening emergencies. For more information: South Central Alliance of Churches, www.fwscac.org, 817-923-0486, office@fwscac.org. 8
A word from Opel Smith Director, South Central Alliance of Churches We recently checked in with Opel Smith, the director of SCAC. She says the office has been very busy. The organization’s Summer Feeding Program is underway, and Trinity is among the churches providing volunteers to serve food and do activities with the children. (Your next opportunities to help are July 24 and July 31.) We asked how else we could help…
“We could definitely use any volunteers to serve food on either or both days,” Opel says. “Also, if you know of anyone who may want to run an activity on Wednesdays for the children, that would be great. So far we have had about 10 to 15 kids each day, and the ages range from four to 14 years. We are in search of kid-friendly individuals. As far as donation needs—fans, small air conditioners, clothes, shoes and any games or arts and crafts items for the kids at the summer feeding.” Donations accepted at SCAC office at Southside Church of Christ: 2101 Hemphill Street, 76110
How YOU can help
Volunteer at SCAC’s Summer Feeding Program. Trinity will be helping on Wednesdays (July 24 & 31) at Southside Church of Christ, 2101 Hemphill St., from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We need 4-7 volunteers (ages 12 to adults) to serve lunches, monitor the tables and do various activities with the children. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up at the church (forms on table under the TV, near the kitchen) or contact Susann Eller: jeller3639@sbcglobal.net, 817-929-8817.
Donate money and/or the summer-specific items mentioned in Opel Smith’s messages above. New fans and small air conditioners are especially needed! SCAC could also put board games and arts/crafts items to use for children’s activities.
Contribute to the Trinity Christmas Giving Tree. Among the “angels” on each year’s tree are children of SCAC clients. 9
Youth Mission Trip
Bastrop bound! EYC mission trip will help residents of Bastrop, Texas Members of Trinity’s Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) will be serving at Faith Village in Bastrop, Texas, July 14-19 painting homes that were rebuilt after the devastating wildfires that burned nearly 1,700 homes and more than 34,000 acres in central Texas in September 2011. The junior-high and high-school students in EYC voted to work at Faith Village because it is an opportunity to help those in need in Texas, and allows the whole group to participate in a mission trip. Trinity’s youth group will be one of the last three groups working at Faith Village as they finish out homes previously built by other volunteer groups over the past two years. Faith Village is a joint ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Episcopal Diocese of Texas, United Methodist Church, Southwest Texas Conference; and Presbyterian Church (USA). Almost half the damaged households were defined as low income by HUD. Of those destroyed homes, 276 were uninsured, and more than half were considered “underinsured.” Trinity’s EYC is funding the trip through money raised by selling parking lot spaces during TCU football games the past few years. EYC will also pay for materials used to complete the painting jobs that week. Please include the EYC students and chaperones in your prayers as they embark on this important trip.
O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel to minister to those in need, especially our youth as they embark on their mission trip. Surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey’s end. Grant that, by the prayers and labors of your holy Church, all may be brought to know and worship you as you have been revealed in your Son; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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60 students. 10 weeks. 30 minutes. Help for a lifetime.
Administrators at McLean 6th Grade Center have identified 60 students who are English-language learners or limited English-proficient students. Each pupil needs someone to meet with them during the school day for 30 minutes once a week. For the fall semester, tutoring would take place starting the week of September 13 through the week of November 18—a 10-week commitment. Volunteer requirements: Must submit a FWISD background check form; Must commit to a regular time slot for the designated 10 weeks; Must be able to read and be willing to listen to students read books at or below a 6th grade level; Must like kids and be approachable, friendly, and fun.
Can you help? Contact Margaret Lowry, Trinity Reaching Out Ministry Group: mmslowry@aol.com
Trinity 2013 Reading Tutoring Program @ McLean 6th 11
Service
A year to serve
Genevieve Nesom tells how her year in the Episcopal Service Corps is shaping her future. Figuring out where to go after May consumed my thoughts during my senior year of college. I had few restrictions: no kids, no significant other, no stable job. Moving to a new city, finding a job, and likely ending up back home in a few months seemed like an unwise, yet unmistakably early-20’s youth impulse. I wanted to be somewhere that offered companionship and camaraderie to avoid the inevitable isolation that comes with uprooting and replanting elsewhere: having lived in a commune for two years during college, I decided to look into programs that modeled this type of shared living in a new locale.
olds. Being only slightly older than the majority of my residents, it was a peculiar adjustment. A 20-year-old mother-of-two living at Covenant House bluntly summarized the age and societal dissonance with a question that continues to resound: “How are you where you are, working for us, while I’m living here?” Working for Covenant House was draining and could feel thankless. My primary focus was to help these “kids” find housing, which also included finding a job (or securing Social Security income) and applying to housing programs, as well as ancillary services that supported this mission, such as getting rotten teeth pulled, enrolling in therapy, and procuring childcare for their own children. Education took a backseat to obtaining a job, housing, and a generally stable lifestyle; this bothered me, considering that my college experience led directly to my current employment.
I applied to and was accepted into a program in Philadelphia, Pa., called Servant Year (now the Episcopal Service Corp of Philadelphia). About a dozen such programs exist across the U.S., managed by local Episcopal dioceses, each of which offer social service opportunities unique to their region. All of the sites provide free housing and enough monthly stipend money for participants to afford bananas and oatmeal!
Working at Covenant House was a mixed bag—some days, I was touched by the determination of the kids to change their habits; others, I was frustrated by their complaints and neediness. Counselors worked either morning or evening shifts; often assigned the latter, I would return home after 11 p.m. and want to empty my head of the past eight hours’ worth of noise.
Servant Year was based out of a weathered four-story granite rectory in Germantown, a neighborhood sandwiched between the outlying suburban idyll of Chestnut Hill, and the impoverished neighborhoods of North Philadelphia. Here, six young adults, typically between the ages of 22-35 with a requisite bachelor’s degree, worked at select social service agencies around the city. I was placed at a nearby crisis shelter named Covenant House, which provided transitional housing for homeless and runaway 18- to 21-year-
In the end, I learned that social work wasn’t for me. Had I committed to an independent job in a new city, I probably would have ended up back in my bedroom in Fort Worth to start over. I was fortunate that Servant Year provided me the chance to freely explore a 12
new profession—in fact, this was a key selling-point of the program. Some of my housemates knew what they wanted to do after they had completed their year of service; some were even hired by the same agency at which they had been placed. Others had advanced degrees and simply wanted a year of service and a modest lifestyle. My own interests in Servant Year lay somewhere between professional advancement and an opportunity to travel: I had a sense of the sort of work that I found compelling, but little practical experience in it. My roommates and I didn’t become best friends; nonetheless, we connected with and supported one another in the midst of a strenuous, transitory time. Our house numbered about seven participants during my year of involvement. The goal population for Philadelphia’s program is closer to 40, which led to a leadership overhaul in the last few weeks of the program. I’m proud of the Episcopal Church for providing an ambitious and ever-expanding program for young adults making the difficult transition from advanced education to professional career. Over the past few months I’ve been applying to jobs in Philadelphia. To my surprise, I’ve found that my year of service is respected in a variety of unrelated fields. I had assumed that social work had a reputation for being a “soft” profession, one in which feelings dominated critical reasoning. The general response has been quite the opposite, however: an appreciation for our time and willingness to take on difficult jobs. It’s been a tumultuous year for me, moving into yet another new home, and piecing my life together in anticipation of the end of my program, but ultimately I’m satisfied with what I learned during Servant Year. I worked with a population about which I’ve long been curious and experienced first-hand the challenges facing homeless youth, working to escape a seemingly-endless poverty cycle. On a personal level, I fell in love with the city of Philadelphia, made new friends outside of my program, and was able to pursue my own interests unselfconsciously, reassured in part through my work in social services. Service programs such as mine foster connections between young adults seeking meaningful post-collegiate employment, while addressing a demographic that increasingly considers the Church irrelevant. It is this particular symbiosis that allowed me to engage more deeply with not only with Episcopal and greater Philadelphia-area communities, but with myself as well.
“Servant Year was based out of a weathered four-story granite rectory in Germantown, Pa.”
Genevieve Nesom (center, black coat) says her servant year has helped her engage more deeply with the Episcopal Church, the community she’s serving and herself. 13
Faith
Keeping the faith while in college By David R. Smedley A few weeks ago, when Trinity members who were new high school graduates were recognized and literally blanketed, it occurred to me that some resources for students heading off to college might be an opportune subject. And the recent Trinity forum on Faith and Finances reinforced this thinking. With students preparing for new student orientations, now is an excellent time for parents and children to have discussions about a number of issues: 1) preparing for college—what am I going to do and how?; 2) keeping the faith in college—how to retain faith principles while a college student; and 3) being a good steward— honoring the Body of Christ through sound principles of managing resources.
The BCP comes in all shapes and sizes—from small travel editions to ones that also contain The Hymnal 1982 or the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Holy Bible. Even as a good Lutheran, I have a great deal of respect for the BCP, both as a significant document of church history, and a significant book for spiritual development through prayer and recitation of the Daily Office, and because much of our liturgical practice is based on liturgy and prayers in the BCP—we literally borrowed from it! Oh, so your children won’t read the actual BCP? How about encouraging them to download the pdf to their Dropbox account (or similar derivative) so they can access it on their portable devices? Church Publishing provides a pdf of the BCP on this website. They also provide an e-book version, for use on your Amazon Kindle, Kobo, or other similar device. Another good place to get the BCP in different formats is the Justus Anglican website.
As a professional student aid administrator for 20 years (I’m a compliance officer for the student financial assistance office at The George Washington University), through adjunct teaching in urban studies and political science, and as a former Lutheran seminarian, I have been keenly interested in all of these issues. “Student Affairs,” as a profession in higher education administration, has placed renewed emphasis on the role of religion in student persistence through to degree attainment and their formation as responsible adults. The major student affairs professional associations have a section dealing with student affairs and religion/faith. Higher education researchers have been focusing on student attitudes towards religion in their lives.
There are a number of iPhone/iPad apps for the BCP that one can download, usually for a nominal fee. How about reading the Daily Office, or at least the Sunday readings? There are a number of websites that provide the Revised Common Lectionary: The Episcopal Church (readings only listed; not provided) The Lectionary Page The Lectionary Vanderbilt Divinity School Library (includes a link to download the lectionary calendar to Google calendar, iCal, or Outlook)
Keeping the faith: Episcopal Resources You might want to encourage your children to own and regularly access The Book of Common Prayer. 14
The Daily Office is available from Mission St. Claire. (There’s also an iPhone/iPad app for this site.)
College is often a time to form a sense of vocation – a sense of calling – if it hasn’t been done already in high school, and focus on this at the start of a college education is important in order to make appropriate academic choices in terms of a college major, as well as being a responsible citizen. Parker Palmer’s book, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. (Jossey-Bass, 1999) ISBN: 978-0787947354, is probably the best in terms of contextualizing vocation and faith together. It’s small and accessible, and Palmer uses examples of famous people he admires to highlight his argument.
The Episcopal Church maintains a database of Episcopal Campus Ministries, and you can access that to search for those closest to the higher education institution your children are going to, or are considering. Episcopal Youth and Campus Ministries also maintains a Facebook page. Listserv for Daily Bible Readings The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)—my denomination (and with whom The Episcopal Church has full communion)—hosts a listserv that delivers to your email the daily office reading for the day. On Sunday, it would be the Gospel reading. To sign up, visit this site.
Honoring the Body of Christ Honoring the Body of Christ involves being good stewards of our resources – our minds, our bodies, our spirit, our possessions, and our infrastructure. As a student aid administrator, I’ve been very focused on the issue of financial literacy/education for students, given skyrocketing student loan debt and the predatory nature of alternative student loans and other forms of consumer credit. Because of this, I have been working for GW on developing a resource list of financial literacy resources, and the current version is available here, although it’s undergoing revision.
Books on transition to college Derek Melleby. Make College Count: A Faithful Guide to Life + Learning (Baker Books, 2011). ISBN: 978-08010-1397-3. This is a nice, small book that provides a very nice discussion about how your faith, and the practice of your faith, intentionally, will help college students to grow, and how your faith and faith practice may influence a choice of college major, the company one keeps, and the legacy one will leave in life. It’s small and very accessible.
Many guaranty agencies (many of whom are now federal student loan servicers) have developed excellent financial literacy programming and services. Typically online content, some of the better ones involve synchronous or asynchronous learning through webinar formats along with downloadable content. Texas Guaranteed has one of the better guaranty agencies financial literacy programs/services. It’s offered for free to schools in Texas. Community-based organizations with missions that focus on college access or success may also be eligible to participate. If you and your children are interested and cannot access TG’s resources through your school, contact me by email at
Alex Chediak. Thriving at College. (Tyndale, 2011). ISBN: 978-1-41433963-4. This is a little preachier than the Melleby book. It has four parts, with different things that, according to the author, “matter”: 1) college matters; 2) relationships matter; 3) character matters; and 4) academics matters 15
Faith
Continued from page 15
drsmedley@gmail.com and I’ll give you access through GW’s participation in this program. A complete list of all guaranty agencies’ offerings is included in our resource document, cited above. Finally, I want to recommend Douglas A. Hicks. Money Enough: Living Faithfully In The Global Economy (Jossey-Bass, 2010). ISBN: I’ve given away this book three times already— that’s how highly I think of it. It’s a terrific, realistic discussion about being Christian and dealing with money in a consumerdriven world. It offers reflections for people of faith and anyone who wants to connect their daily lives with their faith in a more integrated way. It realistically explores how to apply Christian principles to rethink practices of faith as consumers, investors, and earners, and contains ideas for meeting the everyday pressures, questions, and anxieties of economic life within Christian faith. I highly recommend this book as a very good family resource.
Saturday Suppers Start in September!
P.S. - Don’t forget! If you use Amazon for book ordering, use this link and Trinity will receive a portion of the proceeds!
Our Saturday Supper series restarts in September. Hosts provide the place, tableware (paper/casual is fine) appetizer, coffee, tea and water. Guests bring the rest! If you would like to host a Supper please contact Mary Sheldon: mwssunscap@sbcglobal.net
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Diocesan News
Elect. Appoint. Serve. Demi Prentiss, Diocesan Ministry developer, encourages Trinity parishioners to consider voluntary positions Q. Is there a pressing need for volunteers for particular positions?
(though some are for one year—notably deans and sub -deans, who convene the deanery meetings and serve on the executive council with voice but no vote).
A.We particularly need folks with a finance background to assist and work with our diocesan finance workgroup. We also need folks with a passion for Christian formation to continue the outstanding work that has been done by the diocese, particularly in the early days following the reorganization of the diocese. In the next few months, we also have a need for people willing to do data entry and to hand-address a large number of envelopes. The deaneries need people to attend deanery meetings who have a commitment to the diocese (regardless of whether they have been elected convention delegates), in order to have input into and learn about diocesan work. We need convention delegates who will actively engage with the issues coming before convention. And we always need folks with experience in governance and organizational development to work with us in all kinds of areas constitution and canons, the structures workgroup of the executive council, and the congregation development workgroup of the EC.
Q. What makes this type of service so fulfilling? A. For the individual, there’s great fulfillment in utilizing your gifts in service of God’s dream for the diocese. It’s also an opportunity to come to know some amazingly talented, committed people, and to work in a uniquely challenging and ground-breaking situation. Here in Fort Worth we have the opportunity to “do a new thing,” bringing new energy and expertise to the larger church. We are asking people to spot where the Holy Spirit is working, and then to help us get in step and work to further God’s work. Q. What is the next step for people who want to learn more about serving? A. For elected positions in the diocese, the nominations committee is beginning its work. Members will be visiting congregations and deaneries to solicit nominations for the diocesan standing committee, for deputies to General Convention in 2015, for members of the diocesan disciplinary board, and for a trustee for the University of the South. Watch the diocesan website for further information and a nominations brochure that can be downloaded and printed, or email nominations.committee@edfw.org.
Q. What are the requirements to serve? A.The chief requirement is a passion to serve and a passion for the area of service. For elected positions, laity need to be members “in good standing” in a congregation in the diocese. There are also many opportunities for service for people just newly coming to us.
For non-elective positions, there are always opportunities to serve. Please contact me (Demi Prentiss, demi.prentiss@edfw.org; 817-534-1900), so we can have a conversation about what God might be calling you to do.
Q. What kind of time commitment is required for these positions? A. Most elected diocesan positions are a 3-year term
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Archive Department In each issue of The Trinity Episcopalian we’ll delve into the Archive to explore the rich history of this vibrant congregation. If you have further questions about information printed here, or if you have items you’d like to donate to the Trinity Archive, please email archives@fortworthtrinity.org. Your archive team: Karen Shepherd, Vicki Blanton, Lynne Stanley, Becky Roach.
The cover of a brochure from the 1950 church building campaign aimed at building the “children and young people’s building” (later Parish Hall). 18
A glimpse inside that same 1950 brochure shows the tight quarters that were use for Sunday School classes.
Fast forward to the 90s! At left is the cover of the brochure describing Trinity’s “Second Century” fund campaign. This initiative resulted in acoustical renovations, installation of Terrazzo floors, a beautiful new pulpit and many other improvements.
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Ministry Group Updates
Ministry groups make strides Learn how they’re serving Trinity Episcopal Church If you regularly attended Trinity’s Sunday Forums last fall and this spring you likely heard the term “ministry group” in many presentations. But what IS a ministry group? Here’s our working definition: “A group of parishioners united by common interests and/or callings that meets regularly to deepen the bonds of fellowship, and to grow in Christian faith. A ministry group is the primary entryway into the life of the parish and as such will be offered to all members and newcomers at every opportunity.” Over the past few months “ministry groups” have transformed from a concept on paper to living, active units focused on discerning and acting upon God’s call. Many ministry groups have already formulated a mission statement to keep their members on track. At each meeting, team members discuss how they’ve encountered God’s presence and how they’ve been living out their ministry. In short: Ministry groups strive to do more than just “committee work.” Starting in this issue of The Trinity Episcopalian, we’ll provide a quarterly update on the progress of our ministry groups. If you’d like to learn more or get involved in a particular group, contact the church office: 817-926-4631, trinity@fortworthtrinity.org. We will put you in touch with the co-leaders of the group you’re interested in. Christian Education Ministry Group R. Jefferson George, reporting
oped within us and how that vision grew. Our desire as a group to share our vision of the future of the parish was also a large part of our discussion; however it is not only our vision of the parish, but of ourselves in God’s church. We all have a personal vision of God in our lives and how God manifests from our lives and into the world we live in.
The Trinity Christian Education Ministry Group formed in April and has been meeting monthly to build relationships with each other as we look prayerfully at adult learning in our parish. It has been a wonderful experience to talk with each other and to hear what has been on our minds and hearts in our personal journey toward God. Each member of the committee has made a contribution to the ideas that are coming forth and though we have not come to a final consensus of how to move forward, we have developed a guide and are meeting again in July and August to map out the coming year.
Together, we have discussed our need for visioning and mission and what that process might look like in Christian Education and what our role might be to the parish. Stewardship and the meaning of stewardship in the church has also been of great interest to us and, once again, what role does Christian Education play in developing an understanding of stewardship of God’s gifts to us and in turn our gifts to God’s people. Prayer and the practice of prayer has created a wealth of conversation and we look forward to developing topics in Christian Education that lead us into an un-
We have talked about discipleship and how being a disciple of Christ is manifesting in our lives and how we might be able to share our experiences. Questions seemed to come naturally about how our vision devel20
derstanding and practice of prayer in our personal lives and in our parish lives.
ing the personal experiences of ministry members about the joy, peace, fulfillment that has come to them through giving.
One topic that caught everyone’s attention was a summer reading list. We thought that having a focus on God over the summer would lead us toward an understanding of our mission and vision as we move through the months ahead. Mother Carlye has published a reading list and I believe that everyone will be able to find at least one book of interest that can count as a summer read.
The group lived out its ministry through the gift of time, talent and thought that were given to make our meeting productive, but with a spiritual base. (Meeting #2) Our group encountered God’s presence in our recognition of the grace and blessings that he has bestowed on us and others in the parish, a level of grace that we must return to the extent that we can. We focused on ways to prayerfully and gratefully till the financial soil of Trinity in hopes that God will move people to pledge proportionally.
In August we will throw a Beach Party so that you can bring your summer reading and visit with everyone in the parish. Bring your beach chair, your book, a little sand and a beach ball, and something cold to drink and we will have some hamburgers and hot dogs and maybe a little Frito Chili Pie. Then we can visit and share our summer reading in Christian fellowship as the summer wanes and fall beckons the changing year.
Building & Grounds Ministry Group Judy Cariker, reporting
This group has also met multiple times, and has already formed some sub-groups to tackle specific, pressing projects. Below you’ll find their mission statement and insights gleaned from one of their first largegroup meetings. ~Ed.
The next meeting of the Christian Education Ministry Group will be Saturday, July 20 in the Library at 10 a.m. If you are interested in Christian Education at Trinity Church, please feel free to join us and know that you are welcome in God’s church. Contact me with any questions: R. Jefferson George, 817-7068175, rjeffgeo1952@att.net.
Building and Grounds Ministry Group exists to provide stewardship of our property, to make it safe and inviting, a beacon to all, and to inspire others to care for God's gifts to us. God showed up in the building of new relations as we discussed the previous garden guild ministry and what might happen to it in the future.
Stewardship Ministry Group Barbara McColm and Mary Volcansek, reporting
This group has met multiple times, and is already hard at work preparing for this year’s stewardship campaign. The following statements offer insight on discussions that occurred during the group’s two initial meetings. ~Ed.
We lived through our mission statement in our discussions about the need for upkeep of Trinity’s landscaping and the need for a building policy document.
Communications Ministry Group Judy Cariker, reporting
(Meeting #1) The Stewardship Ministry Group encountered God’s presence through sharing and hear-
Trinity’s Communications Ministry Group was among 21
Ministry Group Updates (Continued from page 21)
sticks, Elmer’s liquid glue, boxes of tissues, and hand sanitizer.
the first groups formed after the concept was introduced. Some “backtracking” was necessary to establish our specific purpose. Together we came up with the following mission statement: “The Communications Ministry Group helps Trinity to share the story of Christ’s Love with all.”
Donate your gently used clothing. Spending some time purging your closets this summer? Take your gently used items to Opening Doors for Women in Need, another of Trinity’s ministry partners. (3507 Horne St., 76107) You donations will help stock the organization’s resale shop: A Foot in the Door Resale Boutique (3924 W. Vickery Blvd., 76107)
At the most recent meeting our group encountered God’s presence in sharing observations about our immediate neighborhood and ways we can reach out. The group lived out its ministry by establishing its written mission and purpose statement.
Save and donate the freebies you get from your dentist visit. Going to the dentist? Save the toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss you receive. The AIDS Outreach Center has recently opened the Geisel-Morris Dental Clinic, and they can use all the toothbrushes we can provide!
Trinity Reaching Out Ministry Group Margaret Lowry, reporting
Volunteer as part of the Summer Feeding Program. Trinity provides volunteers to help serve food at the Summer Feeding Program, sponsored by the South Central Alliance of Churches. Please sign up to volunteer. Forms are available in the Parish Hall or you can email Susann Eller: jeller3639@sbcglobal.net.
This group just wrapped up its initial formation meeting. They saw an immediate need to share some ways parishioners can support our ministry partners during the summer months. ~Ed. Summertime brings lots of travel and fun! It also brings many opportunities for service in our community. We’ve identified several easy ways to help Trinity’s ministry partners during the summer months. Save and donate your hotel toiletries. Trinity collects individual-sized toiletries to donate to the Presbyterian Night Shelter. When you’re on vacation, make sure to bring home all the extra toiletries the hotel provides (e.g., soap, shampoo, conditioner and disposable razors) and drop them in the collection box. It won’t cost you a thing but will bring a real benefit to someone in need. Start stocking up on school supplies. We will collect school supplies for McLean 6th Grade in August. If you’re out and about and see a great sale, don’t pass it up! Instead, please stop and stock up! Items that are needed include these: string backpacks, separate erasers, packages of wide-ruled loose-leaf paper, glue 22
Vacation Bible School
Child’s-eye-view ahead! By Kimberly Cooper, children’s ministry coordinator This morning my 7-year-old daughter put a sign on her bedroom door with a picture she had drawn of a little girl. There was a red circle around the little girl with a line through her. The words on the sign said “No Anya.” (After a little chuckle) I went in and asked Gloria why she had made the sign. Turns out she was frustrated that 2-year-old Anya wasn't playing according to the rules Gloria had set. Together we asked Anya how she wanted to play. Gloria gave 5 minutes of attention to Anya doing what she wanted to do. After that Anya was much more interested in Gloria's ideas and Gloria had a better understanding of what Anya could do.
described how VBS is actually a benefit to the adults doing the work. It is an opportunity to practice being “one body” working together doing the work Christ has assigned to the church. VBS is actually an opportunity to give support to children’s ministry in a small dose that everyone can do—even people who aren’t normally called to work with children.
Trinity would never be a place that hangs signs on the door prohibiting children. We are a place that has Sunday School, Children’s Church and Vacation Bible School. VBS in particular is a macro version of the 5 minutes Gloria spent doing things on Anya’s level. It is one week in which things are done on a kid’s level. It is an opportunity for grown ups to better understand what kids can do and approach Christ like a little child. It is an opportunity for kids to have FUN while growing in their knowledge of Christ.
This year we have many different ways for the adults of Trinity to participate. The weekend of August 3 & 4 there will be time to set up and decorate the Parish Hall with a mountain theme. The program will run August 5-9; 9 a.m. to noon. We still need people to help lead the crafts, organize and hand out the snacks, and shepherd (guide) the kids between the activities. Please prayerfully consider setting aside some time to help with this. Please feel free to give me a call (817845-9089) with any questions or ideas you may have. Also, if you have told me verbally that you want to help in some way please take a few minutes to fill out the form on the church website. We will have a meeting on Sunday July 21 at 10:40 a.m. (following the 9:15 service) to make sure everyone is clear about the schedule and to clarify the role each person will play.
As a child, the highlight of my summer was always Vacation Bible School. Even though I always had trouble getting up early for school, I had no problem jumping out of bed every morning the week of VBS. It was a smallish church, but we had some spectacular productions. The week was fun, exciting, and profound. I am still friends with the kids from VBS and my sister and I have taught my girls the songs we learned 30 years ago.
This is also the time to get kids (entering pre-K through 5th grade) registered for VBS on the church website. You can pay the $15 fee by PayPal immediately or bring/mail a check to the church office. People volunteering with the program can have the fee reduced.
When I did a quick Google search of “benefits of VBS,” none of the above was listed. Loads of sites 23
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