Trinity Tidings February 2017

In this season after the Epiphany, when the wise men returned to their homes with changed perspective, we also reflect on the ways in which Jesus’ birth affects our lives. The humble entrance of the Lord into the world leads us to look at our own relationships and to wonder how we are welcoming God in our midst. The Christ child’s arrival brought observers to see that the Lord welcomes intimate and interdependent connections as characteristic of the beloved community. As God’s incarnation challenges us to seek God in unexpected people and places, we as the Trinity community are looking to expand our knowledge and love of our neighbors.

We enjoyed an occasion to pursue this aim through a benefit concert held at the parish hall last month. On Tuesday evening of December 13th, the Hattiesburg Public School District Strings Orchestra performed several pieces for a packed house, showcasing the talents present in our area. We were able to raise our goal of $5,000 in support of the program, and several in attendance talked with the students and their parents at the reception afterward. Purpose and passion combined in that event, and we are seeking to join those qualities in all of our community efforts. Outreach Co-chair Becky Montague and I are looking to connect parishioners with the larger community and to communicate the many ministries already taking place within the congregation. Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26th, at 7 pm in Room 4, so please consider taking part in it.

Christ calls us at any age to learn of God, so if you know of any youth (7th-12th grades) who may be interested in taking part of our Episcopal Youth Community (EYC), please let us know! Jamie Massengale and I are excited to offer a fun, thoughtful space where teenagers can contemplate the new insights (i.e. epiphanies) that they are encountering all of the time. Plus, if you think of any fascinating activities or events, please pass them along. We desire to equip these students with the love and knowledge of Christ as they prepare to embark into the world.

For those disciples who have ventured into the world, Trinity would like to offer a group centered on Gospel reflection and action, and the “Youngish Adults” (20s/30s+) are planning to gather on Thursday, February 2nd at 7 pm in the parish hall. We will enjoy a potluck supper, followed by conversation and Compline, and it’ll be a monthly gathering. If you’re interested, please email me or contact the parish office. As we pause to ponder where Christ is forming in our lives and those around us, perhaps we’ll stumble onto an epiphany ourselves. Yours in Christ, Alex +

Compline

The brief service of Compline is the last prayer said in monastic communities before they retire for the evening. It is found on page 127 of the Book of Common Prayer and accessible to all. Many Episcopalians also say these prayers at night before going to bed. During the Epiphany Season we will offer a service of Compline at 7:30 p.m. in the church on Wednesdays. We invite you to join us and end your day in community and prayer.

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THE WEDNESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY GROUP

Is reading

Romans: A Letter from Today A Kerygma Study

Wednesdays, 10:30 to 11:45 in the Trinity Library

We welcome you to join us at any time.

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Ash Wednesday Services

March 1st - Noon and 5pm

February Commission and Guild Meetings

Liturgy Commission February 7 5:15 p.m. St. Francis Guild February 9 11:30 a.m. Daughters of the King February 12 3:00 p.m. Finance Committee February 13 5:15 p.m. Vestry Meeting February 15 5:15 p.m. Heavenly Hands Wednesdays 4:30 p.m. Teach Them to Fish Wednesdays 5:30 p.m.

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Daughters of the King!

All women of Trinity are invited to our next meeting Sunday, Feb 12, at 3:00 pm

Please bring travel-sized toiletries as we'll be making grooming bags for

Fieldhouse for the Homeless. _______________________________________________________

Newcomer Lunch

February 12, after the 10:30 a.m. Service All parishioners are invited to bring a newcomer or visitor to our newcomer lunch. Invite someone new to Trinity for a dutch-treat lunch, goody bag and a chance to meet us and us meet them! ________________________________________________________

Monday Night Book Group.

Presently meeting at Patio 44, 6 p.m.

Reading: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry

By Fredrik Backman

Trinity Talks - Upcoming Schedule of Speakers

Sundays - 9:30am - Parish Hall

Feb. 12 Sarah Feb. 19 Dabney Helms Feb. 26 Chris Tardy

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Mardi Gras Lunch

February 26th after the 10:30 service! Hosted by Parish Activities

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Narthex Greeters

Would you like to be a newcomer greeter at the 10:30 Service? We need some more team members to specifically watch out for visitors, help them sit by someone who can guide them through the service if needed. Then invite them back to the Parish hall for coffee. Introduce them around and invite them to fill out a visitor card. We’d love to have you be a part of our team! Contact Jan Moore if you would like to help or need more info!

Sunday School Notes

Nursery – Up to Age 3 Caroline Ratliff, Nursery Worker

Brooklyn Mills, Nursery Worker

Age 3 – Atrium Jennifer Landry

Ages 4-7 – Atrium Sandy Kegerreis

Ages 8 & up – Room 7 Ward Conville

Lectionary Class, Library Stan Hauer and Tom Fortner

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Heavenly Hands needs more yarn!

Heavenly Hands made so many scarves for the homeless, thank you for your previous donations!

Their new project is to knit prayer shawls

and they are in need of more yarn!

Bring donations by the church office!

With Our Sympathy

We extend our sympathy to Jane Butler, upon the death of her sister, Judy Sclater. We extend our sympathy to Fred Drews, and his family on the death of

his wife, Bonnie Drews.

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Activity Bags

Parents did you know we have children’s activity bags for your child to sue during the services? Each bag contains an age appropriate activity sheet that goes along with the gospel reading of the day. Ages 3-6 get the small bags, and ages 7-12 get the large handprint bags

located in the narthex!

Looking Ahead to Lent From the Episcopal News Service

Episcopal Relief & Development’s 2017 Lenten Meditations is now available in English and Spanish at episcopalrelief.org/Lent. This special online toolkit includes links to order printed booklets from the Episcopal Marketplace, download a PDF copy or sign up for daily emails.

Other featured resources include hope chests, pew envelopes, bulletin inserts and special prayers. “Lent can be a time of lone introspection, but there is also tremendous power in joining together in community to examine our lives and consider what we can do to become reconciled to God, to one another and to Creation,” said Sean McConnell, senior director of engagement for Episcopal Relief & Development. “Under the theme of ‘Together We Can…’, this year’s Lenten Meditations explores how strong relationships and strong communities enable people of faith to share God’s love with each other and with the world around us.” Written by a diverse group of faith leaders and produced by Forward Movement, the 2017 Lenten Meditations reflects the spirit of Lent by focusing on love, togetherness and community. Orders placed with the Episcopal Marketplace by February 15 at episcopalmarketplace.org, over the phone at 1.866.937.2772 or via email at sales@episcopalmedia.org will arrive by Ash Wednesday, March 1.

Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday, traditionally observed on the first Sunday in Lent, is a day when congregations focus on global needs during worship services, collect a special offering and distribute Lenten Meditations booklets to invite members to make healing a hurting world a part of their own Lenten spiritual practice. More information and planning guides for this occasion, held on March 5 this year or any convenient time during Lent, can be found at episcopalrelief.org/Sunday. “Focusing on Episcopal Relief & Development during Lent puts Episcopalians in spiritual solidarity with people of faith in nearly 40 countries around the world,” said the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the House of Deputies. “Their well-loved meditation booklets give us the opportunity each day during Lent to pray and reflect about how we can seek and serve Christ in all people.” For more information about ordering Lenten materials and planning an Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday, please visit episcopalrelief.org/Lent. For over 75 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has served as a compassionate response to human suffering in the world. The agency works with more than 3 million people in nearly 40 countries worldwide to overcome poverty, hunger and disease through multi-sector programs, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework. An independent 501(c)(3) organization, it works closely with Anglican Communion and ecumenical partners to help communities create long-term development strategies and rebuild after disasters.

Garden Notes Serving God and all creation (from Trinity’s Mission Statement)

Trinity Garden

Please know that all of Trinity’s members are invited and encouraged to participate in the garden! Add a plant or two, weed, and certainly harvest and enjoy. __________________________________________________________

Rose Hill Garden Club

The Rose Hill Garden Club of Gray Center is now forming and you are invited to become a charter member. The club will support the Gray Center Farm and grow in scope as the club develops. We are planning an inaugural Garden Party at Gray Center on Earth Day, April 22, 2017. We plan to spend the morning with the Gray Center crew planting, and we are in the process of lining up a speaker for the lunch hour. Since Rose Hill (present location of Gray Center) was once home to an artist colony, we will have Jackson artist Ellen Langford on hand painting. Her painting will be raffled off Thursday. We need lots of hands to make this a success, so please join us. You can get involved by calling or emailing The Rev. Marian D. Fortner, at 601-544-5551 or trinityrectorintheburg@gmail.com.

The Weekly News

our weekly announcements inserted in the Sunday Bulletin DEADLINE each week is Monday.

The Weekly News is approved on Tuesday and printed on Wednesday.

Email your announcements for “The Weekly Grail” to: trinityadm509@aol.com

Please put in the subject line: Weekly News. __________________________________________________________

OFFICE HOURS: Monday – Thursday 8:30 to 4:30

Friday 8:30 to 12:30

Web Site: www.trinityhattiesburg.dioms.org

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DEADLINE FOR THE MARCH TIDINGS

Friday, February 24th, 10 A.M.

We will fold the tidings Wednesday, March 1st Email to: trinityadm509@aol.com

Hymns for February Feb. 5 381 Thy strong word did cleave the darkness 499 Lord God, you now have set your servant free 488 Be thou my vision 372 Praise to the living God Feb. 12 304 I come with joy to meet my Lord 440 Blessed Jesus, at thy word 635 If thou but trust in God to guide thee 344 Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing 347 Go forth for God; go to the world in peace Feb. 19 518 Christ is made the sure foundation 379 God is Love, let heaven adore him 516 Come down, O Love divine 395 Creating God, your fingers trace 637 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord Feb. 26 460 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus 427 When morning gilds the skies 137 O wondrous type! O vision fair 328 Draw nigh and take the Body of the Lord 618 Ye watchers and ye holy ones

Musical Notes

Tuesdays at Trinity begins March 7th

The annual Tuesdays at Trinity concert series begins on March 7th!

March 7 Larry Panella Jazz Trio March 21 Richard Kravchak, Oboe and Nicholas Ciraldo, Guitar March 28 Ellen Elder, Piano April 4 Hsiaopei Lee, Viola

FREE 30 minute recital each week

Immediately following the recital, the Merry Marthas will serve a delicious lunch in the parish hall for only $10. This includes a main

meal, dessert, tea and coffee.

Please invite your friends and family to come and enjoy great food, great music, and great fellowship.

.Treasured Trinitarian: Ellen McKenzie

By Susan E. Steadman

The term cradle Episcopalian is used to describe someone who was born, baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church. This lifelong commitment and involvement in the Episcopal faith is more unique in the climate of change that we witness in all areas of life. This month’s Treasured Trinitarian has not only spent her entire life as an Episcopalian, but she is also a “cradle Trinitarian.”

Ellen McKenzie “landed at Trinity by birth.”

“I have always been grateful that I was born into a Church where I belonged,” she said.

“My first memory of Trinity is sitting in my Great Grandmother’s pew (fourth from the front on the right side, with her cushion) on Sundays.” She recalls that her grandmother gave her pencils to draw on the bulletin so she would be quiet and behave.

What makes Trinity special to Ellen? “Trinity is special to me mainly because of the sense of family I feel there, not only to the connection to my own actual family but to the whole community. Knowing that generations have been coming to Trinity sitting in the same pews and hearing the same words and taking comfort and strength from them and when they leave church on Sundays, spreading that comfort and strength through the whole community is a very powerful thing to me.”

Ellen’s prayer for Trinity is that it continues the good work that has been done and for the church to continue to grow.

As a lifelong member many activities have nurtured her spiritually but she notes in particular that “taking EFM was spiritually enlightening to me.” She also enjoys working on the Flower Guild. “I find it very fulfilling to create something, hopefully pleasing to others, using some of God’s beautiful creations, flowers.”

Her favorite hymns are “Joyful, Joyful, we adore thee,” “Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones,” and “Hallelujah Sing to Jesus.”

A glimpse into the life of this month’s featured Trinitarian demonstrates service, commitment and humility.

And, in case you weren’t aware, her mama is that lady who is known for her sweet rolls.

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PRAYER LIST REQUEST FORM Please add the following individual to the prayer list. Date_________________

Name_________________________________________________________________

Submitted, with permission from the above named person, by____________________________________________________________________

Brief explanation (family member, friend, military deployment, etc.) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Please return this form to the church office or place in the Sunday collection bas-ket. Names will remain on the prayer list monthly. Those who continue to need our prayers may be resubmitted for one month from the date submitted.