March 2012 Tidings

Tidings of Holy Trinity-March 2012 1

March 2012

In This Issue Tidings from the Rector…….....1 Tidings from the Rector…….....2 Deacon’s Corner………..……...2 Gathering on Hamilton Street .2

Easter Flowers…………….…....3 ECW Garden Tour.………….. ..3

Lenten Calendars……….....…...3

Palm Crosses..……………..…...4

Lenten Services……..……….....4

Youth Confirmation Class........4 Overlook Holy Eucharist….….4

March Birthdays……....…….....4

HTC Financial Figures…….…..4 Inquirers’ Class……..………….4

“Meal in a Bag” Ministry….…..4

Taizé Service….………..…....….4

Tidings from Arizona......……..5

Mission & Outreach… ……......6

Thrivent Workshop……………6 ECW Calendar….……….….….6

HTC March Calendar…...…….7

Rector: The Reverend Mary Gustafson Home: (508) 765-4973 Deacon: The Reverend Mary K. Hicks (Retired) Home: (508) 434-2701 Secretary: Chris Bolte Office: (508) 765-9559 Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. E-mail:

[email protected] Web site: holytrinitysouthbridge.org Organist/Choirmaster: Ray Gustafson : Home: (508) 765-4973 Sexton: Kenneth Bisson Senior Warden: Lana Pieczynski Home: (508) 347-7693 Junior Warden: Nancy Waugh Home: (413)245-3307

Holy Trinity is called to recognize, communicate and celebrate God’s presence within, among and around us.

TIDINGS FROM THE RECTOR The tithe is an ancient custom of giving a tenth of our income for some holy use. In his book Whistling

in the Dark, Frederick Buechner points out that observing that forty days of Lent is “to do the same thing with roughly a tenth of each year’s days.” He suggests that Jesus, during his forty days in the wil-derness, asked himself the question “what it meant to be Jesus” and that during Lent we are to ask what it means to be ourselves. That is a particularly poignant question when asked in the context of what Bill McKibben refers to as

“de-creation.” McKibben says that’s what we’re up to today. He has a point. Species are going extinct at a rate not seen since the disappearance of the dinosaurs; they are doing so because of human impact on ecological systems. Similarly, the human presence is large enough today that we are able to warm the planet through climate change. Sea levels rise, rainfall becomes less predictable, extreme weather events become more common. So what does it mean to be you, to be human, when humans collectively hold the power to de-create?

How are we called to live with such power? Are we called to live in different ways, to release that power? What does it mean to be a steward of creation when we can also de-create? The Anglican Communion’s Bible in the Life of the Church project has developed a five-week course

for Lent 2012 titled “And It Was God.” The course enables individuals and groups to engage with a Bi-ble-wide range of scriptural passages that speak of our responsibilities in relation to the environment. Tidings from the Rector continued on page 2...


Continued from page 1……

It also offers reflections on how Anglicans in different parts of the Communion engage with the Bible with discussion questions that challenge our thinking and behavior. It’s important to point out that the Communion has adopted five “Marks of Mission.” The fifth – “to strive to safeguard the integrity of crea-tion and sustain and renew the life of the earth” – is sometimes seen as the neglected Mark across the Communion. The Sunday 9:15 A.M. Bible study as well as Sunday Scriptures and sermon will draw from the course

materials.

~Pastor Mary

GATHERING ON HAMILTON STREET The church doors will be open at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6th and Tuesday, March 20th. On both

nights, in the parish hall, soup will be ready to eat at 5:00 p.m. and will be served through 7:00 p.m. Jars of ashes, a reminder of the season of Lent, will be on the tables as a focal point for conversation. Lenten cal-

endars with family activities and daily stickers will be available together with wallet folders for daily giving.

Sunday school will be offered on these two Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. and for all children ages 4 and older.

On Tuesday, March 6th at 6:30 p.m., the stewardship prayer group will host a seminar, “Making a Dif-

ference: Sharing your Time, Talents and Treasures.” Please join us at 6:00 p.m. for soup and stay

for the workshop.

Every GoHSt Tuesday we make soup – if you like to prepare vegetables and enjoy conversation please join us in the kitchen at 4:00 p.m. You don’t need a special invite to come and join us, just come and enjoy

some hot food, conversation and fellowship. ~Tamsin Lucey

DEACON’S CORNER This month I have gotten hooked on the psalms in the readings. I use Peterson’s translation, The Mes-

sage. He began paraphrasing the psalms into modern idiom to teach his parishioners to pray and to pray honestly and openly to God. Some of the content of psalms are shocking, brutal but usually they end up praising God. (ex: Ps. 77—an Asaph psalm. Who is Asaph?)

I yell out to my God. I yell with all my might. I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens... Has God forgotten his manners? Has he angrily stalked off and left us? “Just my luck,” I said. “The High God goes out of business just the moment I need him” Oh God! Your way is holy! No God is great like God!... And here are verses 9 & 10 in Revised Standard Version: Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has his anger

shut up his compassion? And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” The last translation is from our Psalter, a body of liturgical poems designed for congregational use, ei-

ther by singing or reading: Has God forgotten to be gracious. Has he in anger shut up his compassion? And I say, “My grief is this: the right hand of the Most High has lost its power”. You might check this out in other translations. I go with the 1st from The Message. I’ll leave you with a thought from Romans 12:2 “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit

into it without even thinking.” Do we fit in? Blessings, Mary Hicks


EASTER MEMORIALS

During Easter services this year, you may wish to have a loved one remembered or to express special thanks to God for His blessings in your life. To do so, please complete this form and return it with your donation to the Church office by Sunday, April 1st. The money for these memorials is used for flowers given to God’s glory as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Exact wording of memorial will be: Easter gifts for flowers are given to the Glory of God… If this gift is in memory of one who has died, choose one of the following: ____ in Thanksgiving for the life of __________________________________

(Name of your loved one or ones)

OR ____ in Loving Memory of ________________________________________

(Name of your loved one or ones)

OR If this gift is in Thanksgiving of a living person, choose the following:

____ in Thanksgiving for the Blessing of _____________________________ (Name of person or blessing)

ALL DEDICATIONS: PLEASE NOTE WHO THE MEMORIAL/THANKSGIVING IS GIVEN BY:

Given by____________________________________ (Your Name/Names -Please use exact wording you would like to have published. You may use, for example, “by his family” or “by

her husband” followed by your name or you may simply use your name(s).]

Please return this information sheet, along with your offering (no donation is too small), to the church office or drop it into the offering plate by Sunday, April 1st. Please make checks payable to Holy Trinity Church with the notation “Easter Memorials” on the memo line. **Do you know someone who would appreciate Easter flowers from the church? Please write their name and address here so that the Altar Guild can arrange to bring them flowers: ________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

ECW DAFFODIL GARDEN TOUR Join us for some fun and fellowship as we enjoy an informal walk and tour of the naturalized daffodil garden paths of

John White of Woodstock, CT. Tentative date will be Satur-day, April 14th at 1:00 p.m. (Dave and time will be subject to change and will ultimately be determined by Mother Na-

ture.) We will gather at HTC 1/2 hour prior to departure to carpool. We will end our tour with a trip to Mrs. Bridges for tea for those who wish to join us. For more information on the event, contact Karen Ballou (413-245-3310). A sign up sheet will be posted in the Parish Hall in early March.

LENTEN CALENDARS

Lenten calendars with family activities, daily Lenten stickers and

Lenten wallets for daily giving will be available

on the table in the Narthex.


Holy Trinity Church Financial Figures

JANUARY 2012

Total Monthly Receipts: $18,709.80

Total Monthly Income Required for Budget: $13,931.72 Total Monthly Expenditures : $12,504.49

YEAR TO DATE

JANUARY 1 THROUGH FEBRUARY 23, 2012 Total Year-to-date Receipts: $22,563.37

Total Year-to-Date Income Required for Budget: $25,461.43 Total Year-to-Date Expenditures: $19,639.98

MARCH

BIRTHDAYS

1—John Grant

2—Susan Grant

4—Ellen Anderstrom

7—Laura Gervais

7 - Korey Libby

12—Abigail Bullard

13—Sof Kollios

24—Jennifer Lucey

30—William Meservey

31—Christopher Ballou

If we are missing anyone or have the wrong date for this month’s list, please

contact the office.

HOLY EUCHARIST AT HOLY EUCHARIST AT HOLY EUCHARIST AT HOLY EUCHARIST AT

OVERLOOKOVERLOOKOVERLOOKOVERLOOK

Pastor Mary and Ray will be offering the

Holy Eucharist in the chapel at the Overlook

Communities on Friday, March 16th, at 9:30 a.m.

Please plan to join us for joy-filled worship!

TAIZÉ SERVICETAIZÉ SERVICETAIZÉ SERVICETAIZÉ SERVICE As we continue our journey through Lent, we offer the op-

portunity to reconnect with yourself and God in quiet con-

templation. We invite you to join us for a candle light ser-

vice of Bible readings, prayers, simple chants, and medita-

tive silences. An Ecumenical service in the style of Taizé

starts at 5:15 p.m on Sunday, March 19th, in the parish

hall. Nursery care provided for children 5 & under.

YOUTH CONFIRMATION CLASS

WILL BE HELD ON SUN-DAY, MARCH 25TH, AT

12:00 NOON.

INQUIRERS’ CLASS

Did you know that there is an on-going Inquirers’ Class that meets monthly after Sunday 10:15 a.m. worship and you are invited? Our

next monthly class session will be held Sunday, March 18th, around noon. We are using material from books titled Your Faith Your Life and Glorious Companions. Pastor Mary leads this class.

“MEAL-IN-A-BAG” MINISTRY FOR THE ST. MARY’S FOOD PANTRY Thank you for making the meal in a bag ministry possible! 7 meals were delivered at the beginning of February to St. Mary’s Food Pantry. As we each come together with a “loaf or fish”, collectively we provide a meal for a family in need. The poster board (look for the new format) will be set up at the back of the church on Sunday, March 11th. Please take a label or two and bring the food to church for the 4th Sun-day, March 25th, when Pastor Mary will bless the food. Please note that the bas-

kets for collecting the food are NOW located in the church. With Love, Peace and Joy, in our hearts and Service & Ministry on our minds. Pat

Bair, Marlene Duke, JoAnne Markey, Josh Spooner and Tamsin Lucey.

LENTEN SERVICES Please join us at 6:00 p.m. every Friday thru April

6th at Holy Trinity Church to pray the Stations of the Cross.

JOIN US ON PALM

SUNDAY, APRIL

1ST, AT 9:15 A.M.

IN THE PARISH

HALL FOR THE MAKING OF PALM

CROSSES!


TIDINGS FROM ARIZONA Dear Pastor Mary, Ray and Friends,

I attended the BORDER ISSUES FAIR held at a local church and sponsored by many humanitarian or-ganizations. Since we live only 45 minutes from the Arizona/Mexico border, and since many migrants walk in the desert areas right behind our Green Valley dwellings, we are faced with thinking about these issues almost daily. Articles about migrants are in the papers regularly, and we might even see them walking along roads, and even the major highways without realizing who they are: men, women and children from Central America and Mexico. Generally they are on their way to Tucson, Phoenix and points all over the U.S. - perhaps even to Southbridge, if they have family there or work prospects.

But the crossings are very dangerous. Right now it is very cold during the night, and most of their trav-eling is done at night, in the dark, without flashlights, to keep them from being picked up by border agents or attacked by bandits and drug smugglers.. They need to walk about 65 miles as fast as possible, carrying water, some food, dressed for cold nights and warm days. They suffer from dehydration, hypo-thermia, bites from snakes and scorpions, lacerations from various types of cactus. Inadequate shoes lead to terrible blisters on the bottoms of their feet. When I hear these stories, I cannot imagine myself doing what they feel they must do! I would not have the strength and endurance.

And that is why there are many humanitarian organizations, many faith-based, working here in south-ern Arizona along the 262 miles of border. SAMARITANS is one of these groups, and in the past two years I have gone out on "searches" with other members. Usually a group of three or four will travel in a van that carries water, food, clothing, blankets and basic medical supplies. We look for migrants along rural roads at the edge of the desert, under overpasses where they might be hiding and resting, and along washes and arroyos where they follow trails. We can help them if they ask for it, but cannot transport them. If they are injured and wish to return to Mexico, we can call Border Patrol, have them picked up, and transported back to the border or a hospital. On Christmas Day, two students from New York were out on a search with members from Humane Borders. They came across a woman who had been as-saulted and raped; she had a punctured lung. They transported her (against the law) to border patrol agents, a helicopter was called in, and she was taken to a Tucson hospital and is alive!

About 200 migrants die every year in southern Arizona. Those are the bodies that are found. The esti-mate is really much higher, because some missing are never discovered in this huge desert area. Imagine the suffering they have gone through, and the suffering and grief of their families. Most of these travelers are Christian men and women who carry prayer cards and pictures of the Virgin of Guadalupe. They are believers who call on her for a safe crossing.

I too must consider what my responsibility to them is. How can we make our borders less dangerous? Do we need to consider the migrants as criminals and illegals? Can we set up policies that allow them to come to work and return safely to Mexico? What are the political parties saying about these issues?

I wish you were here to go out on a search with me and to see what they leave behind in the desert when they can no longer carry their belongings. Please keep the Samaritans and others like them in your prayers so that we may help, rescue and prevent deaths in our desert. Please pray for all those crossing the border.

Love to you all, Suzy Sharp


MISSION AND OUTREACH

The Missions Committee expresses its thanks to the congregation for the generous giving in 2012 to the MISSIONS PLATE during Holy Eucharist. The year ended with a special emphasis on raising money

for the “Animals for Christmas” program of the World Vision Mission. We are grateful for the $863 that you gave!

Our first project this year, as last year, was raising $300 for the support of Ruvarashe Chido Chanakira

through the Balm in Gilead Ministry. Ruvarashe is the youngest daughter of Methodist Pastor Reuben and Mrs. Anna Chanakira of Harare, Zimbabwe. We have raised that support and as of February 12th had also raised $52.73 towards our goal of $500 for David and Chris Holland who are on the staff of “Youth

With A Mission” (Y-WAM), an interdenominational mission. Y-WAM is a very large mission that currently works in 1,000 locations in 180 countries with over

18,000 workers. While it started with an emphasis on training youth to share the Gospel in word and deed, Y-WAM workers now include people of all ages, and every year Y-WAM trains 25,000 people for

short-term missions! David Holland is the brother of our Senior Warden, Lana Pieczynski.

Respectfully Submitted, John A. Lindsay, Chair

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: SHARING YOUR TIME, TALENTS AND TREASURES Chances are, you already share your time, talents and treasures. So how can you make your giving

even more meaningful? Find out during a free educational workshop, “Making a Difference: Sharing your time, talents, and treasures.” Join us for a free workshop Making a Difference is an interactive workshop that can help you learn how to make more intentional

giving choices that align with your values. During the workshop you’ll: • Identify the values that are most important to you. • Explore ways to share your resources to make a difference. • Create a personal giving plan. The workshop will be presented by Thrivent Financial representative, Mimi A. Boxwell. When:: Tuesday, March 6th, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Where: Holy Trinity Church Sign up for this FREE event today!! There will be a sign up form on the table at the back of the church. *If you would like to join us, soup will be available at 6:00 p.m.

ECW CALENDAR March 18th—ECW Meeting—fellowship and cleaning and reorganizing of the Book Nook.

April 14th—Parish Outing—Garden Tour

May 1st—During GoHSt, we will make loaves of sweet bread to freeze and later give to new parish members and visitors.

June 15th—Bishop’s Visit and Confirmation. Join us as we pool our collective talents to prepare the reception for this excit-

ing event.

*VESTRY MEETING MINUTES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE TABLE IN THE NARTHEX!


Holy Trinity Church

PO Box 685 446 Hamilton Street

Southbridge, MA 01550 Office Phone: (508) 765-9559

E-mail: [email protected] Web site: holytrinitysouthbridge.org

Office Hours:

Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

*unless otherwise noted*

The Reverend Dr. Mary Gustafson, Rector The Reverend Mary Hicks, Retired

Deacon

The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts

The Rt. Reverend Gordon Scruton

Sunday Services 8:00 a.m. Rite I Holy Eucharist (said) 10:15 a.m. Rite I Choral Holy Eucharist

Save These Dates Daily in March—9:15 a.m.—Morning Prayer

Tuesdays in March—7:30 p.m.—Bible Study—HTC

Wednesdays in March—7:30 p.m.—Choir Rehearsal

Fridays in March—6:00 p.m.—Stations of the Cross

Sunday, March 4—12:00 Noon—Vestry Meeting

Tuesday, March 6—4:00 p.m.—Gathering on Hamilton Street

5:00 p.m.—GoHSt night Sunday School

6:30 p.m.—”Making a Difference” Workshop

Sunday, March 11—2:30 p.m.—Overlook Bible Study

Monday, March 12—7:15 p.m. – Stewardship Prayer Group

Wednesday, March 14—APRIL TIDINGS ARTICLES DUE

3:45 p.m.—Daughters of the King—HTC

Friday, March 16—9:30 a.m.—Overlook Holy Eucharist

Saturday, March 17—2:00 p.m.—Healing Prayer Group

Sunday, March 18—12:00 Noon—Inquirers’ Group

5:15 p.m.—Taizé Service

Tuesday, March 20—4:00 p.m.—Gathering on Hamilton Street

5:00 p.m.—GoHSt Night Sunday School

Sunday, March 25—12:00 Noon—Youth Confirmation Class

2:30 p.m.—Overlook Bible Study

Monday, March 26—6:30 p.m.—Young Parents’ Group—HTC

Holy Trinity Church, Episcopal 446 Hamilton Street PO Box 685 Southbridge, MA 01550

Documents

March 2012 Tidings