TIDINGS Trinity’s Mission: Acting in God’s love, Trinity Episcopal Church welcomes everyone to enthusiastically live the Christian faith. We call our members to worship and prayer, lifelong education, spiritual growth, cheerful giving, and active ministry with our community. All members serve as witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Vol. XXV No. 6 July 2016
From the Senior Warden by John Fay
Inside this Issue Stewardship page 2 Rector Search page 3 Christian Formation page 4 Children, Youth and Family Ministries page 4 Young Adults page 5 Mission and Outreach page 5 Trinity Connections pages 6, 7
“Here is a call for the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” Revelation 14:12 When I find a quiet moment to read the monthly edition of Tidings, I especially look forward to the opening letter. For the past eight years it was usually from Henry Hudson, but often it was penned by others. In most of these letters I read about a topic surrounding my faith; one that made me sit back and ponder an aspect of who I was as a Christian and what I was called by Jesus to do in my life. From these previous writings I considered how to cope with, and respond to, some of the very difficult issues facing life in a modern and very global society, such as how to be accepting of those who are different than me, or how do to address the poisonous effects of racism, or respond to the evil of those who rain terror. On the other hand, many past messages brought uplifting stories of joy and the strength of our community; stories of Trinity Church working with groups from other faiths to improve the lot of our neighbors who are less fortunate, or just a simple reflection prompting me to acknowledge and give thanks for the many blessings in my life. For those of you who also enjoy those reflective opening messages found in this space, I am sorry to disappoint this month. We recently experienced back-to-back lightning strikes at the Church, which damaged several of the Church’s systems. These events are prompting me to use this space to inform you of the damage caused by these events, and the steps being taken to repair the affected systems. So while not spiritually uplifting or thought-provoking, the incidents raise important issues that affect the safety and comfort of the space where we worship and celebrate the sacraments, and they bear heavily on the Church’s finances. One of the strikes hit a building on campus, and the other struck an Entergy transformer on the back side of campus, which sent an electrical surge into our systems. The latter of the two incidents is proving to be the more damaging of the two. The strikes caused damage to equipment and systems at both the Church and the School. On the Church side, we sustained damage to numerous air conditioning components, the sound system, elevator and the lighting controls. Mike West and his team (James Beard and Ian Dutcher) have been doing double and triple duty to get these critical systems back on line. Most of these systems are now functioning at only partial capacity as we await the receipt of rebuilt motors, pumps and other parts. Some of these systems were dated to begin with, and Mother Nature is simply adding to the challenge of insuring that we have a safe and comfortable place to worship and celebrate the sacraments. So this is where I put out “a call for the patience of the saints.” If you attend a service, Baptism, wedding, funeral or other event at Trinity, and it is a bit warm, difficult to hear or the lighting is a bit dim, please have patience. Know that our clergy and staff are doing all they can to allocate the manpower and available financial resources to fix these systems as quickly as possible. And if you are on campus and see Mike, James or Ian, please give them a pat on the back and say thanks for the extra effort these past two weeks. Best, John Fay, Senior Warden
Stewardship
by Raina O’Neil, Director of Development
“And can any of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your span of life?” - Matthew 6:27 I have been thinking so much lately about faith and what, in my opinion, is the ultimate contradiction, WORRY - or even worse - FEAR. It’s difficult to escape fear and worry with the barrage of news of senseless violence and vitriol that fills our media, be it the daily news or our Twitter feeds. I find that sometimes I just have to abstain from social media, and even my beloved New York Times, in order to have some semblance of peace. After all, ignorance is bliss, right? Ha! During this time of transition at Trinity, there are uncertainties, dare I say fears! The fear of the uncertain can be crippling, but only if you let it. Trinity Church has existed for over 160 years, and it will continue to do so. Our ministries will thrive, our parish will grow. The Cathedral in Denver is going through a Dean search and their own Reverend Canon Charles LaFond writes often in his Daily Sip blog about their church transition and the emotions this entails. He recently wrote “I think that fears of uncertainties kill us from the inside-out and that gratitude and generosity are the only antidote.” I like that. He goes on to write: “my prayer is that when I am frightened of insecurity and uncertainty, my head heavy with worry, God’s Holy Spirit will glow around my fears in a blaze of heavy glory, full of the pinks, purples, oranges and yellows of sunrises and sunsets - the uncertain shadows of transitions which are, in the end, nature’s great promises that all will be uncertain and well.” Amen
The results are in!! With your help, Trinity Church raised over $87,000 through GiveNOLA Day! THANK YOU!!!! We are thrilled with the results and so proud of our community! GiveNOLA Day Community-Wide Results: Over 700 participating nonprofits 28,121 gifts Total raised for nonprofits through GiveNOLA Day $4,001,086 Trinity Church Results: 115 gifts Totaling $87,075 Trinity Church placed third in total revenue raised, winning an additional $3,000 in prize money! Thank you to all who persevered throughout the day(s) to make your generous gifts! We are so grateful for you!
SAVE THE DATE! Please join us for a welcome coffee hour honoring The Reverend Michael Carlisle, Interim Rector, hosted by the Women of Trinity Church (WOTC) on Sunday, July 17 after the 10:30 am service. Please extend a warm Trinity welcome to Corky and his wife Doris! 2
Rector Search
Questions and Answers –
Rector Search Committee Update The Rector Search Committee met on several occasions in the spring to plan its activities in the busy months ahead. As there are many questions about the committee’s plans, activities and goals, we thought it would be helpful to answer some of them in this issue of Tidings. Q. Based on current timing and best expectations, when does the committee expect to complete its work with a recommendation for the vestry of our new rector? A. The current schedule would have a new rector called to Trinity Church sometime next spring. There are a lot of important steps to follow in the search process, and based on the most current planning and anticipation, the process should be completed by then. Q. Just to be clear – who makes the final decision about the final rector selection? A. The church vestry makes the call with the support and concurrence of the Bishop. Q. What are the search committee’s main duties and responsibilities? A. The vestry-appointed search committee has a number of essential duties to perform, concluding with making a final recommendation to the vestry of the rector candidate(s). Primary responsibilities include conducting a parish-wide survey, hosting a number of parishioner “listening sessions,” writing a new church profile, reviewing candidate resumes and applications, interviewing candidates, traveling to selected parishes to meet “short list” candidates and hosting finalist candidates for visits to New Orleans. Q. When does all of this really start? A. The parish survey and “listening sessions” will begin in September – be on the look-out for more specific notices about that, as everyone’s participation will be essential! Using data from the survey and the “listening sessions,” the goal is to have the new church profile written by Thanksgiving so it can be distributed to all applicants. The committee will begin actual review of applicant resumes in January. Q. Is this a national search? How will potential applicants know about us? A. Due to Trinity’s long history and wonderful reputation, we will receive applications from around the country. In fact, since Henry announced his retirement last fall, we have already started receiving queries about the opening. The search committee will be working closely with the Bishop and the Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese throughout the process for communicating through national church databases to match our rector opening with the best qualified potential candidates. Q. If I have a name to recommend, to whom should I send it? A. The committee would love to receive any suggestions or recommendations about possible candidate references from parishioners. Please share them with us! You can e-mail them to one of the committee co-chairs (see below,) or put the information in an envelope and in the co-chairs’ mail slot in the church undercroft mail room. Look for more information in Tidings in the future to stay informed about the search committee’s activities and progress! If you would like to speak to someone about anything related to this project, please contact one of the co-chairs: Kathy Eastman – kbeastman@cox.net King Logan – klogan@loganbrand.com
(504) 460-7442 (504) 296-5111
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Christian Formation by The Reverend Kit McLean, Associate Rector
But now, thus says the LORD, who created you... “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine.” —Isaiah 43:1 He calls his own sheep by name…—John 10:3
Operation Nametag Trinity!!!
As part of our efforts to extend the warmest possible welcome to our Interim Rector, The Reverend Michael Carlisle, and his wife, Doris, the Christian Formation, Communications and Greeter teams will be providing nametags beginning on Sunday, July 17. An email from Kriste Buck, our Database/Website Manager, will be coming to your inbox soon requesting that you review/update your contact information and also let us know how you would like your name to read on your nametag. If you do not use email, please call Kriste at 670-2513 or Raina O’Neil at 6702537. We thank you in advance for your participation in this important ministry of hospitality.
Adult Christian Formation
Sunday mornings at 9:15 am, John Zeller has been leading a study of St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans in the Moore Library. “The Twelve Steps Are for Everyone” continues to meet at the same time in the Board Room.
Summer Faith & Film Series This exciting summer program will gather for monthly discussion to examine issues of our formal and personal faiths as we do, or do not, encounter them in contemporary “movies.” Each month, a group viewing of the selected film will be scheduled on a Thursday from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm in Bishop Polk Hall, although members may choose to view the film on their own. The discussion will then take place on the following Sunday, from 9:15 am - 10:15 am in the Parish House. Please contact Ashley Eastham at aeastham@trinitynola.com or 670-2426 with any questions. July Film: Dead Man Walking (1995) Rated: R VIEWING: Thursday, July 7, 6:00pm DISCUSSION: Sunday, July 10, 9:15am
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August Film: The Way (2010) Rated: PG-13 VIEWING: Thursday, August 11, 6:00pm DISCUSSION: Sunday, August 14, 9:15am
Children & Family Ministries by Ashley Bond, (abond@trinitynola.com) Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries
Children’s and Youth Ministry
During the summer, we offer a children’s Community Sunday School class from 10:30-11:00am in the Library. Children then join their parents for communion. To give our faithful Godly Play teachers a break, please consider signing up to lead a Community Sunday School class this summer. All materials provided! Sign up for as many slots as you like. This is a great way to support our Children’s Ministry over the summer and give back to those who faithfully teach our children during the school year. Dads are encouraged to sign up, too! bit.ly/SummerSundaySchool
Monday – Friday, July 25-29, 9am-12pm. $35 per child. Children, teen and adult volunteers will get a chance to participate in mission work, Godly Play, games, music, and a lunchtime feast. Please contact Ashley Bond to volunteer your time, donate snacks or if you have any questions.
colytes recognize their A service as an offering to God, by assisting the clergy and making a contribution to the spiritual life of the congregation. All rising 4th graders (and anyone else grades 4-12) are invited to join this vibrant ministry. A training for new and/or less experienced acolytes led by Father Mitch and assisted by Acolyte Captains Wicker Perlis and Tanner Tresca is scheduled for Sunday, July 10 immediately following the 10:30am service. To join this ministry, contact Ashley Bond at abond@trinitynola.com.
Young Adults
by Ashley Eastham, Young Adults Minister (aeastham@trinitynola.com)
Mission and Outreach
Young Adults Potluck at The Robinsons’
Please join us on Wednesday, July 20 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, hosted by Rachel Robinson (1632 Constantinople, NOLA 70115). Please bring a dish to pass, dessert and/or beverage to share! Please RSVP to aeastham@trinitynola.com by Tuesday, July 19.
Presiding Bishop Curry at Christ Church Cathedral
On Sunday, July 31, at 10:00 am Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be preaching at Christ Church Cathedral (2919 St. Charles Ave, NOLA 70115), with a reception following. PB Curry will be in town for the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) annual convention. A group of Trinity young adults will attend, so let’s plan to sit together! Contact aeastham@trinitynola.com if you are interested.
Medical Mission 2016
Trinity Medical Mission 2016 For the 24th year, Trinity sponsored a medical mission to Central America. For the last 14 years, the team has based in Jinotega, Nicaragua, and worked in remote mountain villages. Under the able and indefatigable leadership of Dr. John Hevron and his wife, Mary Margaret, and with the assistance of many long-time veterans including Scott Kellermann, Ivens Robinson and Margaret Milling, an average of 500 patients a day were seen who otherwise have no access to basic healthcare. Dental and veterinary services were provided as well. This year the team of 50+ came from California, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, South Carolina, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania as well as Louisiana. We were joined daily by local translators and drivers. Each morning and evening we gathered for prayer and discussion, and two Eucharists were held during the week. A local congregation generously offered the use of their church and joined us for our final bi-lingual Eucharist which was filled with much joy and laughter, demonstrating once again that God’s love is a universal language accessible to and understandable by all. At the end of the worship service, the pastor asked us to convey how much the Trinity Medical Mission means to his congregants and his community, and we made a “prayer pact” to hold each other’s churches in prayer. Heartfelt thanks to all who prayed for and otherwise supported this ongoing ministry of healing and hope. -The Reverend Kit McLean
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Trinity Connections
Pastoral Care
by Maria Elliott, Director of Spiritual Life
Saint Augustine once said, “People go abroad to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars and they pass by themselves without wondering.” Whether you are spending time appreciating wonders at home or somewhere else, my prayer for you and for me is to take time this summer to appreciate the wonder of your own body, your own life and circumstances, and the amazing gift of your own individuality.
Out and About August at the Ogden!
Please save these dates and reserve your space for two opportunities to go out and about with Trinity friends. To make a reservation call or email Maria Elliott 670-2535 or melliott@trinitynola. com by August 5. Thursday, August 11 meet at Trinity at 9:30 am to go together to see the Ogden’s collection including Louisiana Contemporary, a statewide, juried exhibition that promotes contemporary art practices in the state of Louisiana, provides exhibition space for the exposition of living artists’ work, and engages a contemporary audience that recognizes the vibrant visual culture of Louisiana and the role of New Orleans as a rising, international art center. Museum is free on Thursdays. We will plan to have a Dutch Treat lunch at The American Sector following our tour. On Thursday, August 18 - Ogden After Hours will present singer-songwriter Kristen Diable who will perform from 6:00-8:00 pm. Join us for an evening of music and art - $13.50 or Free for Ogden Museum of Southern Art members. ...also on Thursday, August 11, come to Trinity’s Film Series (see page 4). September at the Solomon Center! Please join Trinity Out and About for a quiet day with The Reverend Kit McLean on Friday, September 23 at the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center in Robert, Louisiana. Save the date and plan to spend the day with us as we offer our gratitude for nature and enjoy this beautiful facility together. There will be a charge for lunch TBA. 6
Loaves and Fishes Africa As we enter the warmest part of the summer months in Louisiana, I am grateful for the humidity. Yes, you heard me, grateful! A friend who has been to Kenya described the conditions that our dear friends Moses and Esther work in as 95 degrees with no humidity, very little water, no air conditioning, no sewerage system and little hope. In these dire economic and politically charged circumstances Loaves and Fishes volunteers minister to Nairobi’s poorest of the poor with the simple idea that clean drinking water and an occasional meal, accompanied by prayer and care, can make a difference. One water filter is only $20 and can support a family for a year. Please consider a gift to Loaves and Fishes Africa knowing you may be offering a life-line to someone! This ministry was inspired by our Trinity Loaves and Fishes ministry and is a wonderful opportunity to move beyond ourselves and offer Christ’s love to those known only to Him. Click here to donate https://trinitynola.com/donatenow or send your check to Trinity Church with Loaves and Fishes Africa in the memo. Thank you for your prayers and support.
Advisory Board Openings
The Trinity Loaves & Fishes ministry has a limited number of openings on its Advisory Board. If you are interested in getting involved in this ministry or would like more information on the duties of a TLF Advisory Board member, please contact the TLF Coordinator, Scott Webster at tlfcoordinator@trinitynola.com or at (504) 418-1613. Bring your talents and connections to enrich this vibrant ministry!
Trinity Connections TEEP marks its 49th session and 50th year of ministry!
Come Celebrate TEEP Sunday! July 10 the Trinity Educational Enrichment Program campers will highlight their awesome artwork, music and dance, and other great projects at the 10:30 service. Please join us as we celebrate their creativity and hard work! A summer spent at TEEP can change the lives of New Orleans children. TEEP is funded entirely though donations and grants. To support this important ministry, please visit www.TrinityNola.com/donatenow and select TEEP from the drop down menu, or send a donation to Trinity Church with TEEP in the memo line. Thank you for your generous support!
Trinity Artist Series Sundays at 5 pm July 3 PATRIOTIC program with Albinas July 10
Prizgintas on the 5000 pipe tracker organ.
July 17
Vive La France: BASTILLE DAY celebration with Albinas Prizgintas, the Merry Antoinettes, Fritzgerald Barrau, trumpetist and more...
Donald Blum, pianist. Jazz and Pop.
July 24 Christian Martin, pianist, with Jack Craft, cellist. Music by Telemann, Schumann, and Prokofiev. July 31
David Bode saxophonist extraordinaire with pianist Jesse Reeks. Music from Russian, German and American composers.
Every Tuesday at 6 pm Organ and Labyrinth with Albinas on the 5000 pipe tracker organ. From classical baroque to vintage rock and popular tunes.
Endowment by Maria Elliott
This spring we have received a number of new additions to our Trinity endowment. Some are made at the end of life, to honor the one who lived in faith, and some at the beginning to mark the hope of life unfolding. Whether at Baptism, or Confirmation, or a wedding or graduation, I think of enrolling someone in the Trinity Perpetual Memorial and Endowment Fund as rolling out a red carpet of faith for them to walk on as they move through life. Please consider enrolling yourself or someone you love as a means to claim the inheritance of the faith we all share. The income from this fund sustains our church now and into the future. Please consider enrolling yourself or someone you love as a means to claim the inheritance of the faith we all share. You can do so for as little as $100 and then watch the fund grow and sustain our church for the future, wherever it may lead us. You can see the complete 2015 publication at http://www.trinitynola.com/page.aspx?pid=809 Living Endowments established since May 15, 2016 Heidi Frances Hayne In honor for her graduation from High School and her service to Trinity as an acolyte Patrick Morrison McCausland Celebrating his 70th birthday and his very grateful life Anne and Robert L. Swayze Celebrating their marriage Memorial Endowments since May 15, 2016 Clara Frances Drake (1947-2015) Beloved Sister of Carl Eugene Drake Henry HonorĂŠ St. Paul III (1952-2015) Loving husband and father John (Jack) Giffen Weinmann (1928 - 2016) Lifelong and devoted member of Trinity Church
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Clergy
Worship Schedule
The Right Reverend Morris K. Thompson, Bishop The Reverend Michael Carlisle, Interim Rector The Reverend Mitchell Smith, Associate Rector The Reverend Katherine McLean, Associate Rector The Reverend Alyce Jefferson, Deacon The Reverend Jay Albert, Deacon The Reverend Gary Taylor, Head of Trinity School The Reverend Dr. Hill C. Riddle, Rector Emeritus
SUNDAY 7:30 AM: Morning Prayer in the chapel; 8:00 AM: Eucharist in the chapel; 10:30 AM: Eucharist in the church; 5:00 PM: Trinity Artist Series in the church; 6:00 PM: Eucharist in the chapel
Vestry
TUESDAY 7:30 AM: Eucharist in the chapel
John Fay, Jr., Senior Warden Barbara Waller, Junior Warden Kelly Duncan, Clerk of Vestry Keith Crawford, Treasurer Dawn Buckley, Elaine Haney, John Hevron, Ellinor Howard, Susu Kearney, Gordon Kolb, King Logan, Chris Martin, Margaret Murphy, Marguerite Redwine, Jonathan Shaver, Jim Theis John Wogan, Chancellor Karyn Kearney, WOTC President Sandy Villere, Trinity School Board Chair
MONDAY through FRIDAY 8:30 AM: Morning Prayer in the chapel
THURSDAY 10:30 AM: Holy Eucharist and Healing Service in the chapel
The Church Office will be closed on July 4.
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