This Fall launches us into the 2017-2018 Program Year – another year of learning, exploring, worshiping, and serving together in this amazing community that is Trinity Church.

In the pages of this newsletter, you will find a lot of information on some of the things that will be happening at Trinity over the next weeks and months. It’s not a complete listing! But it will tell you a lot about what is coming up. As that wonderful collect from the Book of Common Prayer puts it, I hope you will take the time to “read, learn, mark, and inwardly digest” what is offered here.

Our over-arching theme this year is Interfaith Harmony: Embracing Our Muslim Neighbors. An “interfaith theme” was identified as a part of our three-year plan when that was discerned a couple of years ago, and was made a focus for this second year of that plan. Over the past few months, a dedicated team – Jane Phillips, MaryAnn Sabelman, Anita Seipp, and Jeannie Thomas – under the leadership of Lynn Pieron and with staff support from Rev. Elizabeth – honed that theme to focus on Embracing our Muslim Neighbors, certainly a timely topic these days. There are a number of opportunities being offered over the course of this year, and those offering for this Fall are detailed in this newsletter. I hope you will engage these activities as you are able, so we can honor the wonderful work undertaken by our planning team. And so that we can learn more about a religion and a people that are so often misunderstood.

So welcome to another year serving God together in Menlo Park! I look forward to the journey we will take together.

Peace,

Matthew+

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Save the Date

September 24 - Sunday Formation Session: Receiving the Gift of TimeSeptember 29 - October 1 - The Church Retreat at The Bishop’s Ranch

October 8 - The Blessing of the AnimalsOctober 29 - All Saints & All Souls Party

November 5 - Hearts for JusticeNovember 12 & 19 - Sunday Formation Sessions on Islam

December 3 - Advent FestivalDecember 17 - Blue Christmas Service

December 24 - Christmas Pagaent & Christmas Eve Services

The Trinity Newsletter

IN THIS EDITION

Interfaith Harmony Sunday Formation on Islam

RallyHearts for JusticeFall Book Club

Sunday Formation: The Gift of TimeOWLS

Godly Play & ExplorersGodly Play Training

Church RetreatYouth Service News

Introducing Our New Family MinisterJanuary Women’s Retreat

Mission Trip ReviewYouth Confirmation

Youth Outreach: My New Red ShoesJail Ministry

Lay ChaplainsThe Rector’s ClassHome and Hope

Redwood Family House

September 2017

TRINITY PARISH NONPROFIT ORG.330 Ravenswood Avenue U.S. POSTAGEMenlo Park, CA 94025 PAID MENLO PARK, CA PERMIT NO. 78

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

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Home and Hope

Home and Hope is an interfaith sheltering program based in Burlingame and supported by more than 30 congregations on the Peninsula. It differs from more traditional shelter programs in that its location rotates among the host congregations and it is designed to offer a warm, welcoming, and guest-centered environment for the situationally homeless. Each congregation hosts three to five families, with up to 20 adults and children, for one or more weeks during the year. The families are housed in family tents while the host congregation provides all meals, children activities, and support during the stay. The guests arrive daily at 6:00 pm and return to the center in Burlingame at 7:00 am, where shelter support services are available.

Trinity Church has been a host congregation the last six years for two weeks every summer beginning in 2012. Prior to that, Trinity participated as a supporting congregation for several years providing meals and overnight hosts to host congregations every few months throughout the year.

Our continued participation in the Home and Hope program allows Trinity to be part of the larger community fabric that provides a safety net for families who are on the edge or one crisis away from becoming homeless. Our guests are always very appreciative and we share their joy when they secure housing and exit the program.

Redwood Family House

Trinity Outreach is planning another work day at Redwood Family House for the morning of Saturday, September 23 (9:00 am - 12:00 Noon). The project this year will be to work with resident families to prepare and install planter boxes with flowers on a section of the fence by the driveway entrance. It’s an opportunity for resident families to beautify their temporary home with flowers in a simple yet satisfying way, and also an opportunity for Trinity families to work side by side with them towards that goal. Volunteers should bring gloves and any favorite gardening tools.

Interfaith Harmony PreviewWe live in troubled times. Decades after the Oklahoma City bombing and 9-11, terrorism persists at home and abroad. Overt hate and assertions of white supremacy have surfaced in American society – often expressed by avowed Christians. Ironically, Islamophobia and resurgent anti-Semitism are pushing traditional Jewish and Muslim adversaries into positions of mutual support against the ignorance and fear-driven violence of Christian America. A sign of hope amidst chaos?

As followers of Jesus at Trinity, what are we called to do? This year’s Interfaith Harmony program seeks to dispel pre-conceived notions and promote knowledge, respect, and understanding of Islam, the world’s second largest and fastest growing religion. Meeting American Muslims who are eager to share their faith and perspectives will provide opportunities to liberate ourselves from the “harmful generalities” noted in the Iona liturgy. Engaging in social justice actions in defense of Muslims will foster love over hatred. (See Rally and Hearts for Justice articles in this newsletter.) Finally, in the process of learning to embrace our Muslim neighbors, each of us will gain fresh perspectives about our own faith.

So please join us on this journey of exploration, enlightenment, and encounter! A rich array of learning resources and engagement opportunities awaits you on the “Interfaith Harmony” bookshelf in the Trinity library and our webpage at www.trinitymenlopark.org/interfaith.

November Islam Sunday Formation

After a copious coffee hour of Middle Eastern or South Asian snacks, members of Trinity will have an opportunity to hear from two Muslim women, both leaders in the local community, about topics of current interest. Interfaith programming for children and youth will be offered at the same time.

Sunday, November 12:   Jihad and Pluralism in IslamAttorney and local author Sumbul Ali-Karamali will talk with us about the much misunderstood (and misused) concept of Jihad in the Muslim tradition and about the way in which Islam approaches religious pluralism.  

Sunday, November 19:  Muslim Women Beyond the StereotypesMaha Elgenaidi is Founder and Executive Director of Islamic Networks Group (ING), a non-profit with affiliates around the country that is pursuing peace and countering all forms of bigotry through education and interfaith engagement, while working within the framework of the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom and pluralism. Maha will lead us in a talk about Muslim women, helping us to go beyond stereotypes to find a richer understanding of the faith and lives of women in the Islamic tradition.  

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Pastoral Care Lay ChaplainsIn the last newsletter you learned that we are launching a new, multifaceted pastoral care program at Trinity this Fall. We know from scripture that we all have gifts given to us by God for the common good (1Corinthians 12:4-11). When we recite the Baptismal Covenant we ask for God’s help to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves. As a lay person in our congregation, perhaps you are seeking to know more about what that means for you.

In a short, 4 session course in October, you will have the opportunity to identify your particular spiritual gifts and discern how you might serve others in our community who cannot attend a weekly worship service. This can be a short-term situation, as in the case of recuperation from the birth of a baby or surgery, or it can be longer term, as in the case of someone who has permanently moved to a long-term care facility or is being cared for at home. In all these situations a regular visit from a fellow member of the Trinity community bringing news, well wishes and a smile lets them know that they have not been forgotten. As was mentioned in the previous newsletter, parents and children are welcome to join this visiting ministry. The course will also include the other skills you will need to make this kind of pastoral visit.

Please talk to Rev. Elizabeth or Sally Mancini if you would like to participant in this training.

The Rector’s Class

For some time, Rev. Matthew has offered a class over the course of the program year, with a Monday evening session and a Wednesday morning session to accommodate different scheduling needs. Usually, that class has focused on one theme or topic that has carried through the year. This year will be a little different.

The 2017-2018 Rector’s class will include four different topics over the course of the year. It will begin (following this year’s Interfaith Harmony theme) with an exploration of religious pluralism from a theological perspective, drawing on the work of theologian Paul Knitter. We will look at different schools of thought within the Christian tradition on other religions, and then explore what theological frame makes sense for us today. We will move on from there to talk about that uniquely Christian concept of God, the Trinity, using a book by Richard Rohr that seeks to make this understanding of God more relevant to our own spiritual lives. Right after the first of the year, the Rector’s class will be led by a special guest, Tarek Mourad. Mr. Mourad teaches a class designed to introduce people to Islam at the Muslim Community Association in San Jose. He has kindly agreed to offer that class at Trinity, to help us better understand Islam. Finally, we will move on to finish the year with a study of Job, using another Richard Rohr book that draws on Job to explore the mystery of suffering.

The Wednesday morning session of the class will begin on September 27 at 10:30 am in the Library. Due to scheduling issues, the Monday evening session will begin on October 9. Those who will be attending the Monday evening class should plan to listen to the first two sessions using the online recordings, or should plan to attend the Wednesday morning class for those first two sessions. Please note that this year, all classes will be held in the Library.

Rally: Standing Against Hate

As a member of the Multifaith Voices for Peace & Justice, Trinity Church provided an enthusiastic alternative to a scheduled demonstration by an anti-Muslim immigration group in Santa Clara. On this sunny day in June, Trinity people joined hundreds of others in a unity rally of inclusivity and diversity.

Turns out, there was only a handful of ACT for America marchers in the “March Against Shariah” on Santana Row and Stevens Creek Boulevard –and they found themselves far outnumbered by those of us in the Multifaith rally across the street.

We were there to speak out for the core tenets in all faith traditions of truth, respect and love of neighbor. Meeting at the church in the early morning of June 10, Trinity volunteers made rally posters, then carpooled to Santa Clara to join the Multifaith demonstrators.

Trinity participants say they found most unforgettable the optimism and energy generated by such a diversity of religions, ages, races and ethnicities. It had become a morning of true American connection!

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Jail Ministry

Trinity’s Three Year Plan for Outreach spawned a new ministry, an extension of sorts from Trinity’s involvement with newly-released prisoners in Catherine’s Center.

Last Christmas our two clergy and one layperson brought communion to Level 4 women prisoners (those in solitary cells) at Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas. At Easter Rev. Elizabeth and two laypeople brought communion to Level 2 prisoners in their large multipurpose room where the women eat, sleep, watch TV and exercise. And now, a small band of volunteers, training at CIC sessions and going through security clearance, go insid on the third Sunday evening of every month for Evening Prayer.

Reflections from Trinity Volunteers

“A lifetime of praying for Prisoners and Captives, and wanting to bring hope, ritual and God’s love to those in great need motivated me to begin this ministry. Although somewhat nervous and mildly claustrophobic, I experienced a connection as we held hands through the food slot in prayer in the Level 4 cells. The prisoners were like me, not that different! This notion was reinforced in our small group settings in Level 2. A magical moment last week was my playing Amazing Grace on the flute with the inmates and volunteers singing in a suddenly-quiet cell block, when a woman in her bed on the other side of the low wall popped her head over the top and said, “That was beautiful.” We leave the service bulletins behind and I hope those prayers, psalms and lessons stay with them, along with echoes of Amazing Grace that speaks so directly to the heart.” - Laurie Hunter

“As I walk into the jail setting in Milpitas at the Elmwood Correctional Center, I pray for the power of God’s love, for each prisoner hoping to find a path out of the midst of darkness. I clutch my liturgy to my side and swallow in deep gulps. Why do I do this? I know what it is to feel at the bottom of hope and then find God’s presence. I am luck to find my calling in jail ministry. With time God gives to all of us a sense of a deep, lasting relationship. Even with trauma, shame, guilt or distrust, we share an intimacy with the love of God. As we sing Amazing Grace, tears form on the edge of my eyes and I am reminded how we long for God and for one another.” - Rhonda Smith

“I’m glad to give two hours of time once a month to care, says words of Scripture or the lectionary and pray together to my prison sisters. For years I’ve wanted embody the gospel to those incarcerated. Without this church, I’d probably not done so. I’m thankful for CIC which provides excellent training and whose chaplain led us through the hallways to the women’s dorm during my first nervous visit. As I think on this ministry, a phrase comes to mind, “God has been good to me.” I deeply feel I’m in the place I’m supposed to be, for joy as well as service.” - Carol Park

An Invitation to Hearts for Justice

Hearts for Justice: Towards Understanding: A Jewish, Christian, and Muslim ConversationSunday November 5, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm at Trinity Churchfollowed by an interfaith community resource fair

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are each deeply rooted in particular narratives, represented by our respective scriptural traditions and, in some cases, in the commentaries on those traditions. It is through these narratives – made alive through particular practices of prayer and worship – that the truths, insights, and wisdom claimed by our traditions become known. These narratives of faith seek to become a part of our own, personal narratives, to be woven into the network of stories that make each of our lives meaningful. In the encounter between sacred narrative and personal narrative, the former seeks to act transformatively upon the latter, seeking to reshape our personal narratives in what we might call a “God-ward direction” – toward greater compassion, greater justice, greater wholeness.

Yet, we often do not meet the religious traditions of others at this most important level where the stories of faith and the stories of our personal human experience interact. Instead, we tend to encounter other religions at a kind of institutional level, focusing on what we might call the metaphorical edifice or building that a living tradition inhabits, rather than on the ways in which the followers of that religion experience their tradition as alive.

So in this dialogue, we are hoping to move beyond the great and formidable edifices of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which means also to move beyond the stereotypes that we tend to have about these great traditions. Instead, we hope to give one another a glimpse into the way in which the sacred stories of these faiths have interacted with and transformed our personal stories, which is nothing less than a glimpse into what it is that is compelling to each of us as followers in and leaders of our respective traditions. And perhaps… how, especially in this season where our public discourse seems to be disorienting and divisive, our traditions invite us into a different way of talking and being together that we find thoughtful and hopeful and helpful in cultivating a heart for justice. We believe that this more personal encounter between our traditions will do more justice to each of them. And, as you will see, we will each have something to say not only about what is powerful to us in our own faiths, but how we understand our faiths to shape our interaction with the world in terms building a world that is more just.

As you hear something of our own stories, and how the sacred stories of our traditions are woven into our personal lives, we hope that you will be moved and inspired to reflect on how God might be moving within your stories through whatever sacred narratives may be a part of your lives.

Tickets (free) and more information will be avaliable soon at www.trinitymenlopark.org/heartsforjustice

Interested in volunteering with Hearts for Justice? Please contact Rev. Elizabeth Riley

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Confirmation

On Sunday, September 17, after the 10:00 am worship service, there will be an information session about Confirmation classes for all high school youth. Confirmation classes will begin on Sunday, October 8. These classes will be held once a month in preparation for the large Confirmation that takes place in June at Grace Cathedral.

All high school youth and their families are encouraged to attend the information session and to take part in the process of Confirmation. Each young person may choose to be confirmed by the Bishop of California in a large ceremony with many other young people. This can also be a great preparation for Baptism for any young person who is not but wishes to be baptized.   

Confirmation is one of the sacraments of the Episcopal Church.  It is a sacred time and process in which a baptized Christian meditates on who God is and discerns if they believe in that God.  If during that process the answer is yes then that person can choose to renew their baptism by Confirmation.  Confirming their belief in a loving God and their commitment to live God’s love out in their own life and in the wider world.   

YOUTH OUTREACH: MY NEW RED SHOES

Beginning on Sunday, October 8, the Youth Group will be collecting new shoes for students of low-income families on behalf of the nonprofit, My New Red Shoes. Brand new athletic or sneaker shoes with rubber soles children size 8 up to adult size 12 would be appropriate to donate. Shoes can be left in labeled bins found at back of Trinity’s sanctuary. In lieu of shoes, a cash value for the shoes of $25.00 can also be donated in cash or check to My New Red Shoes.

My New Red Shoes boosts the self-confidence, educational experience and quality of life of our community’s homeless and low-income children by providing them with the gift of new shoes and the opportunity to shop for new school clothing. Visit their website at: mynewredshoes.org to learn more.

At the conclusion of the Drive, youth group will be attending an on-site service day at the My New Red Shoes warehouse in Redwood City on Saturday, November 18th. All members of the church are invited to join the youth and their families for this service day. Please RSVP to Patrick Kangrga, Associate for Youth Ministries at: Patrick@trinitymenlopark.org or call: 650-285-0940.

Book Group: Faith Club

This fall, members of Trinity are encouraged to read one of two books to grow our knowledge of things Muslim and to begin to grapple with our own stereotypes and preconceptions.

Youth, children (10 and up) and families are encouraged to read Growing up Muslim: Understanding the Beliefs and Practices of Islam by local author Sumbul Ali-Karamali. Sumbul, a Stanford grad who will be speaking at Trinity in November, shares her story of what it’s like to grow up Muslim in America. We hope to schedule a family dinner later in the fall to provide an opportunity for group discussions. Stay tuned!

The Faith Club:  A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew - Search for Understanding by Idliby, Oliver and Warner follows three New York area women as they struggle to articulate their respective faiths after 9-11. We learn how one Muslim American views her own faith – and her compatriots’ perceptions of same. The book addresses some of the hot-button issues among Jews, Muslims and Christians, and it shows – through the eyes of a Catholic-turned-Episcopalian – how the attempt to articulate one’s beliefs can lead to a deepened understanding of one’s own faith. The Faith Club provides an interesting model for ongoing interfaith discussions and an example of how conflicts and doubts shared in trusting community can help us grow in our own faith as well as in our understanding and respect for others.

Facilitated discussion groups are forming now, with three meetings planned over September and October. Sign up at www.trinitymenlopark.org/faithclub or look for sign-up posters in the courtyard during Sunday coffee hours.

Sunday Formation: Receiving the Gift of Time

Rev. Matthew will lead this Formation Session about our relationship with time, perhaps one of the most important gifts that we have in our lives. Some people find that time is a scarcer resource than money! How do we receive the gift of time in our lives? How do we give thanks for that gift? How can we be better stewards of time? A timely topic for life in Silicon Valley. This theme will be continued the following weekend at the All-Church Retreat at The Bishop’s Ranch.

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Mission Trip ReviewThis past April many members of our church and community joined the youth for their annual Bingo Dinner Fundraiser and helped raise $7,000 towards a mission trip that took place in Washington D.C. from June 17-June 24. During this week, youth participated in worship at the National Cathedral, offered several hours of community service in various organizations throughout the city, learned more about D.C. and our nation by visiting museums and going on tours, and they met with politicians and faith leaders who strive to make our government and policies work in favor of all especially those most in need. Of course, the youth had a lot of fun along the way.

The youth lived at the Mission Center at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany about a 10 minute walk from the White House. All of the youth’s volunteering was planned by a Quaker organization called Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP) headquartered in the Church of the Epiphany. YSOP focuses on partnering young people with organizations that serve the homeless and the hungry in D.C. They began by giving youth an overview of the significant number of homeless people in the D.C. area and the problems with food deserts or places where there might be limited food resources. A separate service opportunity that was also arranged by the youth group took place at an Episcopal boys school in a food desert where there was only a single grocery store for a region of city. The youth worked at a food pantry feeding the hungry. They sorted clothing at a thrift store focused on provided low cost or free work clothes for those seeking employment. They packed food at a food bank. They thought an exercise class at a senior center. The highlight of YSOP’s programming was cooking a meal and serving to a group of visitors who came to the Church of the Epiphany. The youth got to sit, play games and eat with them.

The youth toured around the city taking a cruise down the Potomac River. They visited the White House, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Memorial. They spent time in the Capital Building where they saw both the House and the Senate in Session. They had time at the Smithsonian Museum of Air and Space, Natural History, and the newly established African-American Museum.

Youth were able to spend a morning with their Congresswoman Anna C. Eshoo of the House of Representatives. Congresswoman Eshoo told them about how she got into politics, the work she has done and is doing, and answered all the questions that the youth had for her.

The Trinity Church blog contains a few post that were written by youth during the trip. A board of these blog posts and photos can be found in the Tierney Room. And youth and Patrick Kangrga, Associate for Youth Ministries will be preaching in part about this trip on Sunday, September 24.

Older Wiser Laity in Service

On the second Friday of the month at 12:00 noon, our OWLS (Older, Wiser, Laity in Service) gather for lunch and a presentation in Angus Hall. The Fall 2017 line up has some excellent speakers coming and we hope you’ll join them for this wonderful fellowship opportunity.

Friday, October 13 - Trinity Flower Guild and Arranger, Eleanor Laney.Eleanor is a landscape architect whose vision began a local program to help grow the monarch butterfly population. She will be speaking to OWLS about her work on monarch butterfly migration. As head of the Palo Alto Garden Club’s Conservation Committee, she has done much throughout the Bay Area to provide milkweed seeds and plants, where the butterflies lay their eggs. She has helped map the homes and public gardens that provide “way stations” for the monarchs.

Friday, November 10 - Trinity Youth Member, Emma HeatonEmma will be sharing about her trip to the South and learning about the Civil Rights Movement! Emma traveled as part of a school trip and will be sharing her wisdom and learnings with our OWLS community.

Friday, December 8 - Carol Sing AlongJoin the OWLS as the get in the holiday spirit with a Christmas carol sing-along!

Please call or email Alecia, office@trinitymenlopark.org (326-2083) to let us know if you will join us for lunch.

Godly Play Explorers Changes

This Fall our Children begin a new program year in our Godly Play rooms located in Trinity Hall. We have opened back up our second Godly Play room, named the Upper Room, and will be inviting our Explorers-aged children to experience Godly Play again. The two Godly Play rooms are divided in the classic Montessori-style age divisions: K-2nd grade in the Good Shepherd Room and 3rd-5th in the Upper Room.

Godly Play has been a part of our congregation for over 20 years and thanks to the early leaders of this program in our church, like Sally Mancini, we have a robust curriculum and materials that continue to deepen our children’s connection to the sacred stories, liturgical actions, parables, contemplative silence and the communion of saints. Our storytellers and adults who guide our children during these weekly Sunday morning meetings are also deepening their faith alongside our children. It is a beautiful intergenerational offering.

We encourage all children to register online (through the Trinity website) before the first Sunday School class on September 17. Cathy Sage will be leading the Godly Play program this Fall and please feel free to reach out to her if you have any questions. We are always looking for adults to assist in and out of the classroom in a variety of ways. If you are interested, please be in touch with Cathy.

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Godly Play Training

We are very excited to be hosting the bay area Core Godly Play training at Trinity this year. It will be during 3 Saturdays in the Fall and will run from 8:00-5:30. The dates are September 23, October 14, and November 18. You can register for all three, or just for one!

This is a great way to be introduced to Godly Play, the formation program for our children here at Trinity. And it is free for Trinity members!! We have a need at Trinity to increase the number of Godly Play teachers we have, so that teaching remains a joy for our teachers and doesn’t start to feel too demanding. Most teachers would tell you their own spiritual journey has been enriched through their Godly Play ministry.

Di Pagel, the instructor, is wonderful and inspiring. I highly recommend that you come if you can. If you complete all three trainings, you will earn a Core Training Certification. You will need to register separately for each training session. Registration will be free for Trinity members, just email Cathy (cmsage@gmail.com) for the promo code. To register, pleasego to the Trinity website.

January 19-21 2018 Women of Trinity Retreat

Living As The Fabric of Our Creator: Being Divine in All Aspects of Our Life and Being

We invite all women of Trinity to a special weekend combining spiritual growth, building community, fun, and relaxation. It will be held at the Bishop’s Ranch, a beautiful Episcopal retreat center in the Russian River Valley near Healdsburg.

Retreats often draw in seekers looking to connect with God. However, It is not enough to worship or to pray to Spirit or Christ or God; we are called to actually embody this holy consciousness.

This retreat will provide practice and practical means to expand our self-understanding. We will utilize story, humor, conversation, personal journaling, guided meditation, poetry, silence, beauty, healing exercises, ritual and movement - along with anything else that suits our purpose and fancy. It is designed for anyone who is a seeker, who longs to connect to “more” in their life, who is willing to expand their soul and consciousness. It is for those who are (or want to be) open minded and open hearted.

In addition to the work of personal discovery, the retreat is for all women of Trinity, wherever you are on your faith journey. It is a place to connect and create community with other members and friends of our church home. There will be opportunities for yoga, art, music, relaxation, and worship. We hope you’ll join us at The Bishop’s Ranch, a beautiful Episcopal retreat center in Healdsburg, for this special weekend together. Registration will open in October.

Facilitator: Mary Ruth QuinnMary Ruth is a spiritual director, wife, mother, friend, energy healer, and daily appreciator of Life. She studied at Brown University, the University of Chicago, and the Jesuit School of Theology. She has taught at St. Patrick’s Seminary and the Child & Family Institute. It is an honor for her to return to the Trinity Women’s Retreat, having done several with them 25 years ago.

Church Retreat

Please join us for our annual retreat at the Bishop’s Ranch in Sonoma County, near Healdsburg, beginning Friday evening, September 29 and ending with lunch on Sunday, October 1. The theme for this year’s retreat will be Receiving the Gift of Today, and the program portion of the retreat will be led by Jennifer Kitt. Jennifer is an active member of Epiphany Church in San Carlos, where she is deeply involved in Godly Play, among other activities. Beyond her church involvements, Jennifer is also an Assistant Vice President at Stanford, where she oversees development for the Stanford Hospital and Medical School.

In addition to our Saturday morning program time, we will provide plenty of free time to enjoy the Ranch and its beautiful surroundings, and we’ll conclude on Sunday morning with a special worship service that retreat participants will help to design.

Registration is available now online, or pick up a registration form at the back of the church. We never want cost to be a barrier to participation, so if you would like assistance, please speak confidentially with Rev. Matthew.

On the Sunday of the retreat (October 1), services will still be offered in Menlo Park at their usual times.

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Youth Service News

Trinity’s Youth group is up to a lot this year. One of the focuses Youth Group is service opportunities. From Menlo Park to San Francisco and beyond, youth group members will in a variety of ways show people the love of God in real and tangible ways. Youth group invites members of the wider congregation to participate in all these opportunities working and ministering along side one another. Any person who wishes to participate or contribute in some way is welcome. Find instructions below and feel free to reach out to Patrick Kangrga, Associate for Youth Ministries at Patrick@trinitymenlopark.org or call: 650-285-0940 with questions or to RSVP for any of the following events:

Service Day: San Francisco/Marin Food Bank @ San Francisco- 10/7 From 12:30 pm -3:30 pm.  Youth Group begins its year of service. The San Francisco/Marin Food Bank provides food for 30,00 families and so many more individuals.  There are currently 30 available spots for youth, their families and friends, and members of the congregation. Please join Youth Group at the warehouse to sort and pack food for those in need.  

 My New Red Shoes Drive - 10/8 through 11/17 Youth Group’s year of service continues with a shoe drive for My New Red Shoes. My New Red Shoes focuses on improving the educational experience and quality of life for children in need by providing them with a pair of brand new athletic shoes and the opportunity to shop for school clothing. The congregation is invited to help the youth group by donating a pair of brand new shoes or making a $25 contribution towards the purchase of a pair of shoes. 

This service project culminates with a day of service at the My New Red Shoes warehouse in Redwood City where the Youth Group will work and members of the congregation are invited to join.

There With Care

Youth Group will be serving at the There With Care warehouse on Saturday, February 10. There With Care works with families who have a child facing critical illness. Much of the time and energy of families is focused on the needs of their sick child and so even day-to-day task and needs can be difficult. There With Care steps in by doing such things as providing groceries. Youth will help supply and make Easy Meal Care Bags which can provide family members with a bit of food while they are waiting around the hospital or that will hold them over until they can get more substantial groceries. The Youth and the congregation are invited to donate items for these kits or to donate the cash value of one of these bags in cash or check which is $25. Members of the congregation are invited to join Youth Group on February 10 to help assemble these kits.

Introducing Aaron Klinefelter

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Klinefelter as our new Associate for Children and Family Ministries. Aaron will begin his ministry at Trinity on Sunday, September 24. This means that he will be part of our Church Retreat at Bishop’s Ranch the weekend of September 29 - October 1.

Aaron comes to us highly recommended by those who have worked with him in the past and, after spending some time with him, I could see why. The Family Ministries Commission met and interviewed Aaron, and was also impressed. We all believe he will be a great fit for our congregation. After consultation with the Vestry, I was very pleased to extend Aaron an invitation to join us here at Trinity, and he is as excited to begin working with us as we are with him.

As you will read below, Aaron currently lives in Berkeley with his family, where he is finishing his studies at Church Divinity School of the Pacific on a part-time basis over the next two years. He and his family expect to move over to the Peninsula next summer. At this time next year, Aaron’s oldest will be starting high school, and since it is her parents’ hope that she will not have to change schools until she graduates, Aaron hopes to be able to remain at Trinity for a while.

We look forward to welcoming Aaron and his family on September 24! Below, under my signature, you will find some words from Aaron himself as he and his family anticipate becoming a part of the Trinity family.

- Rev. Matthew Dutton Gillett

Greetings! I am so excited to meet you all and join in the good work that Trinity is doing. I look forward to worshiping and serving with you and getting to know the children and families of Trinity. Presently, our family lives in Berkeley where I’m finishing up an MDiv at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific on my way to ordination in the Episcopal Church. We moved to Berkeley a couple years ago from Cincinnati, Ohio. My wife, Sarah, and I have three kids – Cloey (13), Timothy (10), Elizabeth (7) and a beloved Chocolate Lab named Journey. Our family loves exploring the Bay Area, hiking, bike riding, and creek splashing. I’m partial to a really good cup of coffee and would love to drink a cup with you as I learn the stories and dreams of the people of Trinity. I have been engaged in the work of children’s and family ministry for much of my 20 years of serving the church and I deeply believe in God’s call for all of us to live whole-hearted, love-overflowing lives. I sense that God is up to something at Trinity and I, and our whole family, are eager to be a part of this new thing. So, let me know when you are free for coffee. I’m looking forward to it! - Aaron Klinefelter

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Youth Service News

Trinity’s Youth group is up to a lot this year. One of the focuses Youth Group is service opportunities. From Menlo Park to San Francisco and beyond, youth group members will in a variety of ways show people the love of God in real and tangible ways. Youth group invites members of the wider congregation to participate in all these opportunities working and ministering along side one another. Any person who wishes to participate or contribute in some way is welcome. Find instructions below and feel free to reach out to Patrick Kangrga, Associate for Youth Ministries at Patrick@trinitymenlopark.org or call: 650-285-0940 with questions or to RSVP for any of the following events:

Service Day: San Francisco/Marin Food Bank @ San Francisco- 10/7 From 12:30 pm -3:30 pm.  Youth Group begins its year of service. The San Francisco/Marin Food Bank provides food for 30,00 families and so many more individuals.  There are currently 30 available spots for youth, their families and friends, and members of the congregation. Please join Youth Group at the warehouse to sort and pack food for those in need.  

 My New Red Shoes Drive - 10/8 through 11/17 Youth Group’s year of service continues with a shoe drive for My New Red Shoes. My New Red Shoes focuses on improving the educational experience and quality of life for children in need by providing them with a pair of brand new athletic shoes and the opportunity to shop for school clothing. The congregation is invited to help the youth group by donating a pair of brand new shoes or making a $25 contribution towards the purchase of a pair of shoes. 

This service project culminates with a day of service at the My New Red Shoes warehouse in Redwood City where the Youth Group will work and members of the congregation are invited to join.

There With Care

Youth Group will be serving at the There With Care warehouse on Saturday, February 10. There With Care works with families who have a child facing critical illness. Much of the time and energy of families is focused on the needs of their sick child and so even day-to-day task and needs can be difficult. There With Care steps in by doing such things as providing groceries. Youth will help supply and make Easy Meal Care Bags which can provide family members with a bit of food while they are waiting around the hospital or that will hold them over until they can get more substantial groceries. The Youth and the congregation are invited to donate items for these kits or to donate the cash value of one of these bags in cash or check which is $25. Members of the congregation are invited to join Youth Group on February 10 to help assemble these kits.

Introducing Aaron Klinefelter

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Klinefelter as our new Associate for Children and Family Ministries. Aaron will begin his ministry at Trinity on Sunday, September 24. This means that he will be part of our Church Retreat at Bishop’s Ranch the weekend of September 29 - October 1.

Aaron comes to us highly recommended by those who have worked with him in the past and, after spending some time with him, I could see why. The Family Ministries Commission met and interviewed Aaron, and was also impressed. We all believe he will be a great fit for our congregation. After consultation with the Vestry, I was very pleased to extend Aaron an invitation to join us here at Trinity, and he is as excited to begin working with us as we are with him.

As you will read below, Aaron currently lives in Berkeley with his family, where he is finishing his studies at Church Divinity School of the Pacific on a part-time basis over the next two years. He and his family expect to move over to the Peninsula next summer. At this time next year, Aaron’s oldest will be starting high school, and since it is her parents’ hope that she will not have to change schools until she graduates, Aaron hopes to be able to remain at Trinity for a while.

We look forward to welcoming Aaron and his family on September 24! Below, under my signature, you will find some words from Aaron himself as he and his family anticipate becoming a part of the Trinity family.

- Rev. Matthew Dutton Gillett

Greetings! I am so excited to meet you all and join in the good work that Trinity is doing. I look forward to worshiping and serving with you and getting to know the children and families of Trinity. Presently, our family lives in Berkeley where I’m finishing up an MDiv at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific on my way to ordination in the Episcopal Church. We moved to Berkeley a couple years ago from Cincinnati, Ohio. My wife, Sarah, and I have three kids – Cloey (13), Timothy (10), Elizabeth (7) and a beloved Chocolate Lab named Journey. Our family loves exploring the Bay Area, hiking, bike riding, and creek splashing. I’m partial to a really good cup of coffee and would love to drink a cup with you as I learn the stories and dreams of the people of Trinity. I have been engaged in the work of children’s and family ministry for much of my 20 years of serving the church and I deeply believe in God’s call for all of us to live whole-hearted, love-overflowing lives. I sense that God is up to something at Trinity and I, and our whole family, are eager to be a part of this new thing. So, let me know when you are free for coffee. I’m looking forward to it! - Aaron Klinefelter

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Godly Play Training

We are very excited to be hosting the bay area Core Godly Play training at Trinity this year. It will be during 3 Saturdays in the Fall and will run from 8:00-5:30. The dates are September 23, October 14, and November 18. You can register for all three, or just for one!

This is a great way to be introduced to Godly Play, the formation program for our children here at Trinity. And it is free for Trinity members!! We have a need at Trinity to increase the number of Godly Play teachers we have, so that teaching remains a joy for our teachers and doesn’t start to feel too demanding. Most teachers would tell you their own spiritual journey has been enriched through their Godly Play ministry.

Di Pagel, the instructor, is wonderful and inspiring. I highly recommend that you come if you can. If you complete all three trainings, you will earn a Core Training Certification. You will need to register separately for each training session. Registration will be free for Trinity members, just email Cathy (cmsage@gmail.com) for the promo code. To register, pleasego to the Trinity website.

January 19-21 2018 Women of Trinity Retreat

Living As The Fabric of Our Creator: Being Divine in All Aspects of Our Life and Being

We invite all women of Trinity to a special weekend combining spiritual growth, building community, fun, and relaxation. It will be held at the Bishop’s Ranch, a beautiful Episcopal retreat center in the Russian River Valley near Healdsburg.

Retreats often draw in seekers looking to connect with God. However, It is not enough to worship or to pray to Spirit or Christ or God; we are called to actually embody this holy consciousness.

This retreat will provide practice and practical means to expand our self-understanding. We will utilize story, humor, conversation, personal journaling, guided meditation, poetry, silence, beauty, healing exercises, ritual and movement - along with anything else that suits our purpose and fancy. It is designed for anyone who is a seeker, who longs to connect to “more” in their life, who is willing to expand their soul and consciousness. It is for those who are (or want to be) open minded and open hearted.

In addition to the work of personal discovery, the retreat is for all women of Trinity, wherever you are on your faith journey. It is a place to connect and create community with other members and friends of our church home. There will be opportunities for yoga, art, music, relaxation, and worship. We hope you’ll join us at The Bishop’s Ranch, a beautiful Episcopal retreat center in Healdsburg, for this special weekend together. Registration will open in October.

Facilitator: Mary Ruth QuinnMary Ruth is a spiritual director, wife, mother, friend, energy healer, and daily appreciator of Life. She studied at Brown University, the University of Chicago, and the Jesuit School of Theology. She has taught at St. Patrick’s Seminary and the Child & Family Institute. It is an honor for her to return to the Trinity Women’s Retreat, having done several with them 25 years ago.

Church Retreat

Please join us for our annual retreat at the Bishop’s Ranch in Sonoma County, near Healdsburg, beginning Friday evening, September 29 and ending with lunch on Sunday, October 1. The theme for this year’s retreat will be Receiving the Gift of Today, and the program portion of the retreat will be led by Jennifer Kitt. Jennifer is an active member of Epiphany Church in San Carlos, where she is deeply involved in Godly Play, among other activities. Beyond her church involvements, Jennifer is also an Assistant Vice President at Stanford, where she oversees development for the Stanford Hospital and Medical School.

In addition to our Saturday morning program time, we will provide plenty of free time to enjoy the Ranch and its beautiful surroundings, and we’ll conclude on Sunday morning with a special worship service that retreat participants will help to design.

Registration is available now online, or pick up a registration form at the back of the church. We never want cost to be a barrier to participation, so if you would like assistance, please speak confidentially with Rev. Matthew.

On the Sunday of the retreat (October 1), services will still be offered in Menlo Park at their usual times.

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Mission Trip ReviewThis past April many members of our church and community joined the youth for their annual Bingo Dinner Fundraiser and helped raise $7,000 towards a mission trip that took place in Washington D.C. from June 17-June 24. During this week, youth participated in worship at the National Cathedral, offered several hours of community service in various organizations throughout the city, learned more about D.C. and our nation by visiting museums and going on tours, and they met with politicians and faith leaders who strive to make our government and policies work in favor of all especially those most in need. Of course, the youth had a lot of fun along the way.

The youth lived at the Mission Center at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany about a 10 minute walk from the White House. All of the youth’s volunteering was planned by a Quaker organization called Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP) headquartered in the Church of the Epiphany. YSOP focuses on partnering young people with organizations that serve the homeless and the hungry in D.C. They began by giving youth an overview of the significant number of homeless people in the D.C. area and the problems with food deserts or places where there might be limited food resources. A separate service opportunity that was also arranged by the youth group took place at an Episcopal boys school in a food desert where there was only a single grocery store for a region of city. The youth worked at a food pantry feeding the hungry. They sorted clothing at a thrift store focused on provided low cost or free work clothes for those seeking employment. They packed food at a food bank. They thought an exercise class at a senior center. The highlight of YSOP’s programming was cooking a meal and serving to a group of visitors who came to the Church of the Epiphany. The youth got to sit, play games and eat with them.

The youth toured around the city taking a cruise down the Potomac River. They visited the White House, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Memorial. They spent time in the Capital Building where they saw both the House and the Senate in Session. They had time at the Smithsonian Museum of Air and Space, Natural History, and the newly established African-American Museum.

Youth were able to spend a morning with their Congresswoman Anna C. Eshoo of the House of Representatives. Congresswoman Eshoo told them about how she got into politics, the work she has done and is doing, and answered all the questions that the youth had for her.

The Trinity Church blog contains a few post that were written by youth during the trip. A board of these blog posts and photos can be found in the Tierney Room. And youth and Patrick Kangrga, Associate for Youth Ministries will be preaching in part about this trip on Sunday, September 24.

Older Wiser Laity in Service

On the second Friday of the month at 12:00 noon, our OWLS (Older, Wiser, Laity in Service) gather for lunch and a presentation in Angus Hall. The Fall 2017 line up has some excellent speakers coming and we hope you’ll join them for this wonderful fellowship opportunity.

Friday, October 13 - Trinity Flower Guild and Arranger, Eleanor Laney.Eleanor is a landscape architect whose vision began a local program to help grow the monarch butterfly population. She will be speaking to OWLS about her work on monarch butterfly migration. As head of the Palo Alto Garden Club’s Conservation Committee, she has done much throughout the Bay Area to provide milkweed seeds and plants, where the butterflies lay their eggs. She has helped map the homes and public gardens that provide “way stations” for the monarchs.

Friday, November 10 - Trinity Youth Member, Emma HeatonEmma will be sharing about her trip to the South and learning about the Civil Rights Movement! Emma traveled as part of a school trip and will be sharing her wisdom and learnings with our OWLS community.

Friday, December 8 - Carol Sing AlongJoin the OWLS as the get in the holiday spirit with a Christmas carol sing-along!

Please call or email Alecia, office@trinitymenlopark.org (326-2083) to let us know if you will join us for lunch.

Godly Play Explorers Changes

This Fall our Children begin a new program year in our Godly Play rooms located in Trinity Hall. We have opened back up our second Godly Play room, named the Upper Room, and will be inviting our Explorers-aged children to experience Godly Play again. The two Godly Play rooms are divided in the classic Montessori-style age divisions: K-2nd grade in the Good Shepherd Room and 3rd-5th in the Upper Room.

Godly Play has been a part of our congregation for over 20 years and thanks to the early leaders of this program in our church, like Sally Mancini, we have a robust curriculum and materials that continue to deepen our children’s connection to the sacred stories, liturgical actions, parables, contemplative silence and the communion of saints. Our storytellers and adults who guide our children during these weekly Sunday morning meetings are also deepening their faith alongside our children. It is a beautiful intergenerational offering.

We encourage all children to register online (through the Trinity website) before the first Sunday School class on September 17. Cathy Sage will be leading the Godly Play program this Fall and please feel free to reach out to her if you have any questions. We are always looking for adults to assist in and out of the classroom in a variety of ways. If you are interested, please be in touch with Cathy.

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Confirmation

On Sunday, September 17, after the 10:00 am worship service, there will be an information session about Confirmation classes for all high school youth. Confirmation classes will begin on Sunday, October 8. These classes will be held once a month in preparation for the large Confirmation that takes place in June at Grace Cathedral.

All high school youth and their families are encouraged to attend the information session and to take part in the process of Confirmation. Each young person may choose to be confirmed by the Bishop of California in a large ceremony with many other young people. This can also be a great preparation for Baptism for any young person who is not but wishes to be baptized.   

Confirmation is one of the sacraments of the Episcopal Church.  It is a sacred time and process in which a baptized Christian meditates on who God is and discerns if they believe in that God.  If during that process the answer is yes then that person can choose to renew their baptism by Confirmation.  Confirming their belief in a loving God and their commitment to live God’s love out in their own life and in the wider world.   

YOUTH OUTREACH: MY NEW RED SHOES

Beginning on Sunday, October 8, the Youth Group will be collecting new shoes for students of low-income families on behalf of the nonprofit, My New Red Shoes. Brand new athletic or sneaker shoes with rubber soles children size 8 up to adult size 12 would be appropriate to donate. Shoes can be left in labeled bins found at back of Trinity’s sanctuary. In lieu of shoes, a cash value for the shoes of $25.00 can also be donated in cash or check to My New Red Shoes.

My New Red Shoes boosts the self-confidence, educational experience and quality of life of our community’s homeless and low-income children by providing them with the gift of new shoes and the opportunity to shop for new school clothing. Visit their website at: mynewredshoes.org to learn more.

At the conclusion of the Drive, youth group will be attending an on-site service day at the My New Red Shoes warehouse in Redwood City on Saturday, November 18th. All members of the church are invited to join the youth and their families for this service day. Please RSVP to Patrick Kangrga, Associate for Youth Ministries at: Patrick@trinitymenlopark.org or call: 650-285-0940.

Book Group: Faith Club

This fall, members of Trinity are encouraged to read one of two books to grow our knowledge of things Muslim and to begin to grapple with our own stereotypes and preconceptions.

Youth, children (10 and up) and families are encouraged to read Growing up Muslim: Understanding the Beliefs and Practices of Islam by local author Sumbul Ali-Karamali. Sumbul, a Stanford grad who will be speaking at Trinity in November, shares her story of what it’s like to grow up Muslim in America. We hope to schedule a family dinner later in the fall to provide an opportunity for group discussions. Stay tuned!

The Faith Club:  A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew - Search for Understanding by Idliby, Oliver and Warner follows three New York area women as they struggle to articulate their respective faiths after 9-11. We learn how one Muslim American views her own faith – and her compatriots’ perceptions of same. The book addresses some of the hot-button issues among Jews, Muslims and Christians, and it shows – through the eyes of a Catholic-turned-Episcopalian – how the attempt to articulate one’s beliefs can lead to a deepened understanding of one’s own faith. The Faith Club provides an interesting model for ongoing interfaith discussions and an example of how conflicts and doubts shared in trusting community can help us grow in our own faith as well as in our understanding and respect for others.

Facilitated discussion groups are forming now, with three meetings planned over September and October. Sign up at www.trinitymenlopark.org/faithclub or look for sign-up posters in the courtyard during Sunday coffee hours.

Sunday Formation: Receiving the Gift of Time

Rev. Matthew will lead this Formation Session about our relationship with time, perhaps one of the most important gifts that we have in our lives. Some people find that time is a scarcer resource than money! How do we receive the gift of time in our lives? How do we give thanks for that gift? How can we be better stewards of time? A timely topic for life in Silicon Valley. This theme will be continued the following weekend at the All-Church Retreat at The Bishop’s Ranch.

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Jail Ministry

Trinity’s Three Year Plan for Outreach spawned a new ministry, an extension of sorts from Trinity’s involvement with newly-released prisoners in Catherine’s Center.

Last Christmas our two clergy and one layperson brought communion to Level 4 women prisoners (those in solitary cells) at Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas. At Easter Rev. Elizabeth and two laypeople brought communion to Level 2 prisoners in their large multipurpose room where the women eat, sleep, watch TV and exercise. And now, a small band of volunteers, training at CIC sessions and going through security clearance, go insid on the third Sunday evening of every month for Evening Prayer.

Reflections from Trinity Volunteers

“A lifetime of praying for Prisoners and Captives, and wanting to bring hope, ritual and God’s love to those in great need motivated me to begin this ministry. Although somewhat nervous and mildly claustrophobic, I experienced a connection as we held hands through the food slot in prayer in the Level 4 cells. The prisoners were like me, not that different! This notion was reinforced in our small group settings in Level 2. A magical moment last week was my playing Amazing Grace on the flute with the inmates and volunteers singing in a suddenly-quiet cell block, when a woman in her bed on the other side of the low wall popped her head over the top and said, “That was beautiful.” We leave the service bulletins behind and I hope those prayers, psalms and lessons stay with them, along with echoes of Amazing Grace that speaks so directly to the heart.” - Laurie Hunter

“As I walk into the jail setting in Milpitas at the Elmwood Correctional Center, I pray for the power of God’s love, for each prisoner hoping to find a path out of the midst of darkness. I clutch my liturgy to my side and swallow in deep gulps. Why do I do this? I know what it is to feel at the bottom of hope and then find God’s presence. I am luck to find my calling in jail ministry. With time God gives to all of us a sense of a deep, lasting relationship. Even with trauma, shame, guilt or distrust, we share an intimacy with the love of God. As we sing Amazing Grace, tears form on the edge of my eyes and I am reminded how we long for God and for one another.” - Rhonda Smith

“I’m glad to give two hours of time once a month to care, says words of Scripture or the lectionary and pray together to my prison sisters. For years I’ve wanted embody the gospel to those incarcerated. Without this church, I’d probably not done so. I’m thankful for CIC which provides excellent training and whose chaplain led us through the hallways to the women’s dorm during my first nervous visit. As I think on this ministry, a phrase comes to mind, “God has been good to me.” I deeply feel I’m in the place I’m supposed to be, for joy as well as service.” - Carol Park

An Invitation to Hearts for Justice

Hearts for Justice: Towards Understanding: A Jewish, Christian, and Muslim ConversationSunday November 5, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm at Trinity Churchfollowed by an interfaith community resource fair

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are each deeply rooted in particular narratives, represented by our respective scriptural traditions and, in some cases, in the commentaries on those traditions. It is through these narratives – made alive through particular practices of prayer and worship – that the truths, insights, and wisdom claimed by our traditions become known. These narratives of faith seek to become a part of our own, personal narratives, to be woven into the network of stories that make each of our lives meaningful. In the encounter between sacred narrative and personal narrative, the former seeks to act transformatively upon the latter, seeking to reshape our personal narratives in what we might call a “God-ward direction” – toward greater compassion, greater justice, greater wholeness.

Yet, we often do not meet the religious traditions of others at this most important level where the stories of faith and the stories of our personal human experience interact. Instead, we tend to encounter other religions at a kind of institutional level, focusing on what we might call the metaphorical edifice or building that a living tradition inhabits, rather than on the ways in which the followers of that religion experience their tradition as alive.

So in this dialogue, we are hoping to move beyond the great and formidable edifices of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which means also to move beyond the stereotypes that we tend to have about these great traditions. Instead, we hope to give one another a glimpse into the way in which the sacred stories of these faiths have interacted with and transformed our personal stories, which is nothing less than a glimpse into what it is that is compelling to each of us as followers in and leaders of our respective traditions. And perhaps… how, especially in this season where our public discourse seems to be disorienting and divisive, our traditions invite us into a different way of talking and being together that we find thoughtful and hopeful and helpful in cultivating a heart for justice. We believe that this more personal encounter between our traditions will do more justice to each of them. And, as you will see, we will each have something to say not only about what is powerful to us in our own faiths, but how we understand our faiths to shape our interaction with the world in terms building a world that is more just.

As you hear something of our own stories, and how the sacred stories of our traditions are woven into our personal lives, we hope that you will be moved and inspired to reflect on how God might be moving within your stories through whatever sacred narratives may be a part of your lives.

Tickets (free) and more information will be avaliable soon at www.trinitymenlopark.org/heartsforjustice

Interested in volunteering with Hearts for Justice? Please contact Rev. Elizabeth Riley

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Pastoral Care Lay ChaplainsIn the last newsletter you learned that we are launching a new, multifaceted pastoral care program at Trinity this Fall. We know from scripture that we all have gifts given to us by God for the common good (1Corinthians 12:4-11). When we recite the Baptismal Covenant we ask for God’s help to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves. As a lay person in our congregation, perhaps you are seeking to know more about what that means for you.

In a short, 4 session course in October, you will have the opportunity to identify your particular spiritual gifts and discern how you might serve others in our community who cannot attend a weekly worship service. This can be a short-term situation, as in the case of recuperation from the birth of a baby or surgery, or it can be longer term, as in the case of someone who has permanently moved to a long-term care facility or is being cared for at home. In all these situations a regular visit from a fellow member of the Trinity community bringing news, well wishes and a smile lets them know that they have not been forgotten. As was mentioned in the previous newsletter, parents and children are welcome to join this visiting ministry. The course will also include the other skills you will need to make this kind of pastoral visit.

Please talk to Rev. Elizabeth or Sally Mancini if you would like to participant in this training.

The Rector’s Class

For some time, Rev. Matthew has offered a class over the course of the program year, with a Monday evening session and a Wednesday morning session to accommodate different scheduling needs. Usually, that class has focused on one theme or topic that has carried through the year. This year will be a little different.

The 2017-2018 Rector’s class will include four different topics over the course of the year. It will begin (following this year’s Interfaith Harmony theme) with an exploration of religious pluralism from a theological perspective, drawing on the work of theologian Paul Knitter. We will look at different schools of thought within the Christian tradition on other religions, and then explore what theological frame makes sense for us today. We will move on from there to talk about that uniquely Christian concept of God, the Trinity, using a book by Richard Rohr that seeks to make this understanding of God more relevant to our own spiritual lives. Right after the first of the year, the Rector’s class will be led by a special guest, Tarek Mourad. Mr. Mourad teaches a class designed to introduce people to Islam at the Muslim Community Association in San Jose. He has kindly agreed to offer that class at Trinity, to help us better understand Islam. Finally, we will move on to finish the year with a study of Job, using another Richard Rohr book that draws on Job to explore the mystery of suffering.

The Wednesday morning session of the class will begin on September 27 at 10:30 am in the Library. Due to scheduling issues, the Monday evening session will begin on October 9. Those who will be attending the Monday evening class should plan to listen to the first two sessions using the online recordings, or should plan to attend the Wednesday morning class for those first two sessions. Please note that this year, all classes will be held in the Library.

Rally: Standing Against Hate

As a member of the Multifaith Voices for Peace & Justice, Trinity Church provided an enthusiastic alternative to a scheduled demonstration by an anti-Muslim immigration group in Santa Clara. On this sunny day in June, Trinity people joined hundreds of others in a unity rally of inclusivity and diversity.

Turns out, there was only a handful of ACT for America marchers in the “March Against Shariah” on Santana Row and Stevens Creek Boulevard –and they found themselves far outnumbered by those of us in the Multifaith rally across the street.

We were there to speak out for the core tenets in all faith traditions of truth, respect and love of neighbor. Meeting at the church in the early morning of June 10, Trinity volunteers made rally posters, then carpooled to Santa Clara to join the Multifaith demonstrators.

Trinity participants say they found most unforgettable the optimism and energy generated by such a diversity of religions, ages, races and ethnicities. It had become a morning of true American connection!

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Home and Hope

Home and Hope is an interfaith sheltering program based in Burlingame and supported by more than 30 congregations on the Peninsula. It differs from more traditional shelter programs in that its location rotates among the host congregations and it is designed to offer a warm, welcoming, and guest-centered environment for the situationally homeless. Each congregation hosts three to five families, with up to 20 adults and children, for one or more weeks during the year. The families are housed in family tents while the host congregation provides all meals, children activities, and support during the stay. The guests arrive daily at 6:00 pm and return to the center in Burlingame at 7:00 am, where shelter support services are available.

Trinity Church has been a host congregation the last six years for two weeks every summer beginning in 2012. Prior to that, Trinity participated as a supporting congregation for several years providing meals and overnight hosts to host congregations every few months throughout the year.

Our continued participation in the Home and Hope program allows Trinity to be part of the larger community fabric that provides a safety net for families who are on the edge or one crisis away from becoming homeless. Our guests are always very appreciative and we share their joy when they secure housing and exit the program.

Redwood Family House

Trinity Outreach is planning another work day at Redwood Family House for the morning of Saturday, September 23 (9:00 am - 12:00 Noon). The project this year will be to work with resident families to prepare and install planter boxes with flowers on a section of the fence by the driveway entrance. It’s an opportunity for resident families to beautify their temporary home with flowers in a simple yet satisfying way, and also an opportunity for Trinity families to work side by side with them towards that goal. Volunteers should bring gloves and any favorite gardening tools.

Interfaith Harmony PreviewWe live in troubled times. Decades after the Oklahoma City bombing and 9-11, terrorism persists at home and abroad. Overt hate and assertions of white supremacy have surfaced in American society – often expressed by avowed Christians. Ironically, Islamophobia and resurgent anti-Semitism are pushing traditional Jewish and Muslim adversaries into positions of mutual support against the ignorance and fear-driven violence of Christian America. A sign of hope amidst chaos?

As followers of Jesus at Trinity, what are we called to do? This year’s Interfaith Harmony program seeks to dispel pre-conceived notions and promote knowledge, respect, and understanding of Islam, the world’s second largest and fastest growing religion. Meeting American Muslims who are eager to share their faith and perspectives will provide opportunities to liberate ourselves from the “harmful generalities” noted in the Iona liturgy. Engaging in social justice actions in defense of Muslims will foster love over hatred. (See Rally and Hearts for Justice articles in this newsletter.) Finally, in the process of learning to embrace our Muslim neighbors, each of us will gain fresh perspectives about our own faith.

So please join us on this journey of exploration, enlightenment, and encounter! A rich array of learning resources and engagement opportunities awaits you on the “Interfaith Harmony” bookshelf in the Trinity library and our webpage at www.trinitymenlopark.org/interfaith.

November Islam Sunday Formation

After a copious coffee hour of Middle Eastern or South Asian snacks, members of Trinity will have an opportunity to hear from two Muslim women, both leaders in the local community, about topics of current interest. Interfaith programming for children and youth will be offered at the same time.

Sunday, November 12:   Jihad and Pluralism in IslamAttorney and local author Sumbul Ali-Karamali will talk with us about the much misunderstood (and misused) concept of Jihad in the Muslim tradition and about the way in which Islam approaches religious pluralism.  

Sunday, November 19:  Muslim Women Beyond the StereotypesMaha Elgenaidi is Founder and Executive Director of Islamic Networks Group (ING), a non-profit with affiliates around the country that is pursuing peace and countering all forms of bigotry through education and interfaith engagement, while working within the framework of the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom and pluralism. Maha will lead us in a talk about Muslim women, helping us to go beyond stereotypes to find a richer understanding of the faith and lives of women in the Islamic tradition.  

This Fall launches us into the 2017-2018 Program Year – another year of learning, exploring, worshiping, and serving together in this amazing community that is Trinity Church.

In the pages of this newsletter, you will find a lot of information on some of the things that will be happening at Trinity over the next weeks and months. It’s not a complete listing! But it will tell you a lot about what is coming up. As that wonderful collect from the Book of Common Prayer puts it, I hope you will take the time to “read, learn, mark, and inwardly digest” what is offered here.

Our over-arching theme this year is Interfaith Harmony: Embracing Our Muslim Neighbors. An “interfaith theme” was identified as a part of our three-year plan when that was discerned a couple of years ago, and was made a focus for this second year of that plan. Over the past few months, a dedicated team – Jane Phillips, MaryAnn Sabelman, Anita Seipp, and Jeannie Thomas – under the leadership of Lynn Pieron and with staff support from Rev. Elizabeth – honed that theme to focus on Embracing our Muslim Neighbors, certainly a timely topic these days. There are a number of opportunities being offered over the course of this year, and those offering for this Fall are detailed in this newsletter. I hope you will engage these activities as you are able, so we can honor the wonderful work undertaken by our planning team. And so that we can learn more about a religion and a people that are so often misunderstood.

So welcome to another year serving God together in Menlo Park! I look forward to the journey we will take together.

Peace,

Matthew+

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Save the Date

September 24 - Sunday Formation Session: Receiving the Gift of TimeSeptember 29 - October 1 - The Church Retreat at The Bishop’s Ranch

October 8 - The Blessing of the AnimalsOctober 29 - All Saints & All Souls Party

November 5 - Hearts for JusticeNovember 12 & 19 - Sunday Formation Sessions on Islam

December 3 - Advent FestivalDecember 17 - Blue Christmas Service

December 24 - Christmas Pagaent & Christmas Eve Services

The Trinity Newsletter

IN THIS EDITION

Interfaith Harmony Sunday Formation on Islam

RallyHearts for JusticeFall Book Club

Sunday Formation: The Gift of TimeOWLS

Godly Play & ExplorersGodly Play Training

Church RetreatYouth Service News

Introducing Our New Family MinisterJanuary Women’s Retreat

Mission Trip ReviewYouth Confirmation

Youth Outreach: My New Red ShoesJail Ministry

Lay ChaplainsThe Rector’s ClassHome and Hope

Redwood Family House

September 2017

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