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Church
News...
By Jean Barrinton
Fall is
coming, Bev Mar wrote last month, and with it a new season. As
the writer of Ecclesiastes said, “To everything there is a
season and a time for every matter under heaven.”
We at Trinity, like the rest of the world since Covid, have been
reassessing our life in this part of the world. Sometimes, a
time away from what we are used to can give us new vision and
open us to new ideas. In the early months of Covid there was no
gathering of community for worship, then when we were allowed to
open the doors, the doors were shut because of a dangerous
building. When it was decided that worship in the parish hall
would be safe – we had to figure out what that would look like
with no organ, just a piano, folding chairs and a makeshift
altar. We just went with what we had and what we knew.
By early December of 2022 we were allowed back into the
sanctuary for worship. We were excited! For several years,
Father Chuck Cannon and Pastor Gina Gaudet led worship at
Trinity, each serving two weeks a month. Sylvia Schoenberg for
almost her entire life was our organist. Sylvia, at 90, retired.
Father Chuck did his last service on Christmas Eve 2022 and also
retired. Pastor Gina was on the Canadian side of the border. If
worship was to happen, it was going to have to look different.
Minister Bev Mar, who had done several meditations at the church
prior to Covid was willing to try to do those on some Sundays
for worship. Lucy Williams learned about Jazz Vespers and
brought that to our worship repertoire. I was asked to come back
and lead some services. New musicians had moved into the
community. The spirit was moving among us.
Once the border opened again, Pastor Gina was able to return.
She covered two services a month, Bev and I each took one and
Lucy arranged Jazz Vespers to happen when they could. Worship
looked very different than it did prior to the Covid shutdown.
And we all liked it! It felt new and fresh and like the spirit
was blowing through our heads and hearts.
We talked, we prayed, we wondered what this new thing that was
happening was about. We talked about what we would like our
congregation to be for others and for ourselves. We reflected on
God’s word (which we do not interpret literally but do consider
sacred). Matthew 28:37-40 Jesus says, “You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with
all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And
the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
And Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you, but to do
justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with God.”
We have come to this vision:
We believe the purpose of a congregation beyond worshiping God,
is to be a loving, helpful, welcoming place for all; regardless
of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, those with religious
history and those with none at all. We strive for the
inclusivity that Jesus taught. We also want a community that is
free of violence and the threat of violence, in word and deed. A
safe place for all.
We believe worship is intended to be:
Where worship and praise are given to God in various ways that
are meaningful to a variety of people; A place for all people to
develop their spirituality and their relationship with God in
ways that are meaningful for them; Encouraging of people’s God
given gifts, so those gifts may be shared to God’s glory with
each other and the world.
In light of this vision, we will, over the coming few months, be
restructuring our worship in the following way:
1st Sunday: Contemporary Worship with Pastor Gina
2nd Sunday: Interfaith Worship with Interfaith readings,
concepts and themes with Minister Bev
3rd Sunday: Theme or Healing Focused Worship facilitated by
one/all of Trinity pastors and/or a guest
4th Sunday: Traditional Liturgical worship and communion with
Pastor Jean
5th Sunday: Jazz Vespers hosted by Lucy Williams
We invite you to join us every Sunday or on the Sunday that
speaks to your spirituality, as we all learn ways to be in
closer relationship with God and each other. Worship begins at
11 a.m. at Trinity Church, 1880 APA Road. This is God’s church
and there is a place for you here. |
