Trinity’s News

march 2010

A worship service will precede the business meeting, and will begin at 11:30 AM.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS
OBSERVANCES CONTINUE

Trinity continues it observance of Lent with the observance of the devotions which center around the Stations of the Cross.

Joining with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, the remaining services are scheduled as follows (beginning at 7:00 PM):

• March 5th - St. Mary’s
• March 12th - Trinity
• March 19th - St. Mary’s
• March 26th - Trinity

A gentle reminder that Evening Prayer services will be suspended during the time that we are worshipping together.

TRINITY-ON-THE-MOVE
OBSERVES A LENTEN DISCIPLINE
MARCH 10TH

Eating fish for Lent is an ancient tradition of the Church.

This month’s Trinity-on-the-Move will offer plenty of opportunity to keep that ancient practice as we meet at the Jack Russell Fish Company in Benton on Wednesday, March 10 th, beginning at 6:00 PM.

A sign-up sheet is posted in the Parish Hall to indicate your interest in attending.

VESTRY
WILL MEET SUNDAY, MARCH 14TH

THIRD TUESDAY STUDY GROUP
FOCUSES ON THE PROPHET SAMUEL

In March, the Third Tuesday Study Group will take up the early prophet Samuel, who anointed the first two kings of ancient Israel, Saul and David.

Meeting time is 6:00 PM on Tuesday, March 16th, at the Rector’s home.

Do join us!

RUMMAGE SALE:
A SUCCESS

The Rummage Sale, sponsored by the St. Anne’s Guild, was a resounding success. Net proceeds have totaled $1,555.81, as of press time. Additional monies are expected to raise that total.

The Guild wishes to thank all those who worked to set up the Parish Hall in advance of the sale, who sorted and organized the merchandise, who worked the day of the sale, and who assisted with cleaning up afterward.

WEDNESDAY MORNING
INFORMAL DISCUSSION GROUP
CONTINUES TO OFFER INTERCESSORY PRAYERS

The Wednesday morning Informal Discussion Group (which is also informally known as the “Happy Wanderers”) continues a practice which was begun last month: offering prayers in response to requests that are made during the Sunday morning service.

Yellow forms have begun to appear in the pews, and may be placed in the basket at the back of the church as you leave on Sunday mornings.

FAITH-IN-ACTION:
HAITI RELIEF OFFERING

“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead….Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.” (James 2: 17, 18b).

The writer of the Letter of James links the need for having faith, and for demonstrating the presence of that faith by what we do.

Trinity lived out this spiritual maxim as we received an offering to assist the people of Haiti, following the devastating earthquake there. Trinity’s offering totaled $1,110.00 in support of relief and recovery efforts.

Deepest thanks to the Trinity family for your faith, and for your works!

GIVING THANKS
Ever think about the ice that’s used for our annual Chili Luncheon, for Parish Dinners, and so forth? Throughout the year, Trinity uses a good bit of ice.

Thanks to the generosity of Sharp’s Food Market, Trinity has been able to have a steady supply of ice for these functions, and all of it has been provided without cost.

So, next time you’re in Sharp's, take a moment to thank them for their gift to the Church.

Parish Prayer List for March
Annie, Loren & Pauline Ellis, Doris Williams, Blake, Warren Hattendorf; T. J. Collier, Ann; Grace; Barbara; Fred & Laura; Jim; Nicole; Sharon; Bette; Patricia; Jeff; Esther Bassett; Phil; Emerson; Mary Ellen; Eugene; Marty; Kathy; Jacob & Sarah; Norma; Ann Nancarrow, Michael Reginato, Bill; Clay & Yuko; Sue; Pat Lusby; Hope in Christ Ministries, The Standing Committee of the Diocese and the election process for a new Bishop Coadjutor.

Birthdays and Anniversaries for March
Shirley LaVielle (4th); Pat Alexander (6th); Minor Pace (6th); David Walters (7th); Don Fletcher (9th); Brian Lewis (10th); Marian Thompson (14th); Ellen Irish (17th); Jacob Bruce (22nd); Fr. Bill Malottke (24th); Fr. Gene Tucker (26th); Fr. Maurice Lee (26th); Goff & Sheila Thompson (31st).
See an addition or correction that needs to be made? Please let the Rector know. (Thanks!)

Inspiration for March
“Lord God, who didst inspire thy servants John and Charles Wesley with burning zeal for the sanctification of souls, and didst endow them with eloquence in speech and song: Kindle in thy Church, we beseech thee, such fervor, that those whose faith has cooled may be warmed, and that those who have not known thy Christ may turn to him and be saved; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.”

- Collect for the Feast of John & Charles Wesley, Priests (March3rd)

RECTOR’S RAMBLES

“John and Charles Wesley were never Methodists.” Try telling that to one of your Methodist friends sometime, and see what reaction you get.

Strictly speaking, the statement I’ve made is true: Neither Wesley brother was intent on starting a new part of the Christian family, the one we now know as the Methodist Church. To the end of their very long lives (John lived to be 87, and Charles was 80 at his death), they were loyal members of the Church of England, and both were priests. Both were also Oxford graduates.

But, in another sense, the development of what they called a method of spiritual discipline (which would become the basis for the name of the church that would follow their leading and example) did lead to an eventual break with the Church of England (but only after their deaths).

What was it about the Wesleys and their spiritual methods that met with such success in England and in America (they were both present in Savannah, Georgia for a short period in the mid-1730s)?

Their spiritual journey began in a surprising way, for both were sons of a Church of England rector, Samuel Wesley, who was a High Churchman, serving in Epworth. Both sons adopted this sort of churchmanship, being devoted to formal, sacramental worship.

But along the way, each one had an individual conversion experience, an inner renewal. Each brother experienced this strange warming (the way John described the experience) in 1738, a few days apart. Thereafter, their preaching became much more personal, much more emotional, much more urgent. The reactions of those who heard them preach also changed, and noticeable results followed.

The Church of England’s reaction to all of this was cool, for Anglicans in that day valued rational thought as a proper response to God. The Wesleys’ enthusiasm was frowned upon.

What lesson can we draw from these two fine, Anglican priests, whom we remember each year on March 3rd? Simply this: Sacramental, formal worship (which is our legacy here at Trinity Church) is of immense value. But such worship is to be coupled to an inner spiritual renewal in which we meet God personally. These two aspects of the Christian life and walk are inseparable. One nurtures the other.

Thanks be to God for the life and work of John and Charles Wesley.

- Fr. Gene Tucker, Rector