N E W S F R O M T R I N I T Y E P I S C O PA L C H U R C H
October, 2011
Photo updates, pgs. 2–3
Now gathered at your table
The Holy Trinity, Andrei Rublev. Ca.1410-20., Tretiakov Gallery, Moscow, 142 x 114 cm.
by the Rev. Chales Dupree
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t Morning Prayer each day I sit and stare straight ahead. I see an icon looking back at me from atop our reserved sacrament. This ancient image portrays three figures sitting around a table. They are believed to represent the three angels that visited Abraham in Mamre, to whom Abraham offered hospitality (Genesis 18). The image later came to represent the Trinity. While I don’t know their history, if these figures are meant to be Trinitarian, then they are in constant relationship with each other. My imagination has been captured by what it takes for
people to sit down at a table together. We all know that just sitting down is only a small part of the table ritual. Before we sit down, we buy the food, prepare food, lay out the dishes. After we’ve eaten, we enjoy conversation, we clear the table and wash the dishes. We go back to the routines of life: work, play, study, tend. And then, we return to the same table with the same people. I think of families that gather around their dinner tables in their homes. The climate of those occasions can be as varied as the persons who gather, yes? Our kids, for example, go through changes — physical shifts in stature, in mood, in emotional maturity. Our parents, also, go through changes of stature and mood. There are changes in the work environment, changes in relationships, changes in the dynamic of household activities. All of this we bring to the table. I remember being at the table with my family. We gathered to eat, but much more happened. The table was sometimes lively with light-hearted conversation. The table was sometimes dark and quiet. Each of us - brother, sister, mother, father, uncle, friend, guest — affected the dynamic of the table. Whether joyous or defeated, whole or wounded, pleased with our brothers and sisters, angered by our brothers and sisters, showing up at the table was non-negotiable. The table represents both mystery and might. At Trinity, the altar is our table. As the symbolic Body of Christ, it, too, represents mystery and might. At times, the altar takes us more deeply into the mysteries of the sacraments, into the presence of God. It is the place where bread and wine are made holy food and drink — where we sing with saints and angels. The altar is also the place where we come for strength. When we feel defeated, we kneel before it to be embraced by a healing, compassionate God. At the altar, we hear the story of how God has lifted us, time and time again, out of bondage and into freedom. It is where we are given food for our journey. It is the place to which we are invited to offer the pieces of our lives, knowing that only God can put us back together again. Even as a church family, it is a brave thing to gather
FO R M ATI O N
111 S. Grant St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 336-4466 | FAX (812) 336-6016 admin@trinitybloomington.org www.trinitybloomington.org
Trinity Staff RECTOR
The Rev. Charles Dupree CLERGY ASSISTANT
The Rev. Virginia B. Hall DEACON
The Rev. Connie Peppler PARISH ADMINISTRATOR
Janet Brinkworth BOOKKEEPER
Mona Baker ADULT EDUCATION/NEW MEMBERS
Ross Martinie-Eiler DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
Danica D’Onofrio
COORDINATOR OF YOUTH MINISTRIES
Jessie Gutgsell DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
Marilyn Keiser ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Jeffrey Smith
CHURCH MUSIC INTERN
Elaine Sonnenberg
round a table day after day, week after week, month after month. I believe we underestimate the effort it takes to live together as community. It is a commitment. It is a commitment to being family and living as family. It is a commitment to the responsibilities of being a member of that community and abiding by its way of life. It is also a commitment to being in relationship with those with whom you gather. What does that commitment involve? It involves support, listening, forgiveness. It involves chopping carrots and peeling potatoes. It involves prayer. It involves contributing in body, mind, and spirit, to the good of the whole. The icon at the side altar has taken on additional meaning for me as we approach our annual giving campaign at Trinity Church. There are only three people around the table in the image. Even so, I am humbled by their commitment to each other. I am in awe of their discipline, and I do
not underestimate the holy obligation it takes to come, day after day, week after week, to the table. As a priest, it is my greatest joy to be at the table with you. May the Holy Table of Trinity Church be a place of hospitality, of strength, and of mystery. May we always be open to God’s invitation to come to it and never stop extending that invitation to others. And, as our Eucharistic Prayer says, may our prayer to God always be: Now gathered at your table, O God of all creation, and remembering Christ, crucified and risen, who was and is and is to come, we offer to you our gifts of bread and wine, and ourselves, a living sacrifice. Pour out your Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Body and Blood of Christ. Breathe your Spirit over the whole earth and make us your new creation, the Body of Christ given for the world you have made. —Enriching Our Worship, Prayer II
From Sundaes for Sunday School Photos by Danica D’Onofrio
SEXTONS
Mike Peppler, Jim Shackelford
Trinity Vestry
Susan Williams PEOPLE’S WARDEN Kelly Carnahan Spencer Anspach Jim Cripe Shannon Gayk Richard Hvale Chris Johns Jonathon Karty Todd LaDow Randy Lloyd Nancy Rayfield Earl Singleton Anne Stright Larry Taylor CLERK Janet Stavropoulos
RECTOR’S WARDEN
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Trinity Topics
October, 2011
FO R M ATI O N
Youth canoe trip
Celebration to honor Marilyn Keiser by Brent Gault and Elaine Sonnenberg
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ll of you are aware of the wonderful blessing that Marilyn Keiser is to the life of Trinity. In addition to being a world-renowned concert organist, a Chancellor’s Professor Emerita of Organ at the IU Jacobs School of Music, and a past president of the Association of Anglican Musicians, Marilyn is a warm and generous individual whose contributions to our worship community are invaluable. This year we celebrate her 25th anniversary as a member of the Trinity family. We will celebrate on Sunday, October 23, during the 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services. Please join us in thanking Marilyn for her ministry to our congregation.
First Sundays Coffee Hour is back!
Trinity, St. Johns go to Holiday World
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With the purpose of offering hospitality and the opportunity to build community for those that attend the 11:15 a.m. service, the First Sundays Coffee Hour will take place the first Sunday of each month after the 11:15 service. Held in the Trinity Room, coffee, homemade baked goods, and sandwiches are served. This series of events is hosted by the Trinity Newcomers Commission with the goal of creating an opportunity for newcomers to get to know each other and many of our long time Trinity members.
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FO R M ATI O N
Music Notes By Marilyn Keiser
Welcome Martha Sliva
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hile the Church Music Intern has been a fixture at Trinity Church for more than 30 years, two years ago we welcomed an incoming freshman organ major as the first Organ Scholar. Joseph Ciscanik completed his two-year mentorship, and this fall we are delighted to welcome Martha Sliva as the Organ Scholar. Martha is from Naperville, IL, the sixth of eighth children, and the only blond! Her parents, who immigrated to America, are professional musicians. Martha hopes to do a double major in organ and business. She is a superb athlete, an academic wizard, and an enthusiastic and engaging young woman. She is singing with the choir this fall and will soon begin playing preludes and postludes and helping with the Sunday Evensong Service. Do welcome Martha!
New Choristers
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ate August and early September always bring new faces to the chancel of Trinity Church. During the summer, four of our wonderful singers left for New York City; Sweetbriar, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; and Hamburg, Germany. Now it is wonderful to welcome newcomers to the Bloomington community and the Jacobs School of Music. One of the things that I discussed with Hugh Laughlin when he hired me in 1985 was the incorporation of several student scholarship singers into the Trinity choir program. He went to Genevieve Daniel, the widow of a former School of Music Dean, seeking her support for this idea, and the Ralph Daniel Music Fund was born. Genevieve gave generous support to the Fund throughout her lifetime. When Bob Rayfield and Hugh Laughlin died in 1999, both Nancy Rayfield and Nancy Laughlin designated the memorial funds for the music program at Trinity. Those three funds (the Daniel, Rayfield and Laughlin funds) have now been combined into one fund. At this point in time the Daniel Funds provide the scholarships for five students, and four scholarships come from the Trinity Church budget. The gift of choir scholarships provides a supreme outreach to these students. I consider that part of the
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choir’s training is Christian formation. These choristers are a gift to us, but the community of Trinity is also a great gift to them. Several years ago, Don Jones suggested that I write to several former choristers and ask them for statements about what it has meant to them to sing in the Trinity choir over the years. He made a file of them, and although I did not see all of them, I was really touched as I read of the importance of the spiritual dimensions of being at Trinity, of formation and education, of community and support that have been gifts to these choristers. Many members of the choir provide a real community of support for these young singers, attending their recitals, operas and other performances around town. When Brian Doherty, who sang with us for two years, was appointed a choral scholar at Exeter Cathedral in England, he wrote,” The opportunity to sing with such a fine choir has truly been a very important and wonderful experience. It is because of this experience that I had the wherewithal to really apply myself and make my plans for going abroad. England would not be in my future if it were not for my time at Trinity.” Christina Pier sang with the choir for seven years. After she won the Met competition, she left Bloomington to sing with the Miami Grand Opera and returned in the fall of 2004 to complete her degree. As soon as she knew her plans, she asked if she could come back and sing again at Trinity. Alison Bacich left the choir because of a conflict with her new job as a waitress, but three weeks later she wrote to me and asked if she could come back to the choir. She said she really missed the community of the choir. After Audrey Snyder graduated with her MM this May, she wrote to me: “This choir has become another family for me…You (all) have inspired me to reach my career goals maintaining musical and personal integrity; and to never settle for anything less than that. I will always keep my time and experiences here close to my heart.” After a recent IU Organ Alumni gathering, David Coleman wrote: “It was so much fun being back in Bloomington and at Trinity. We all remarked how nice it was to be back, and how much it feels like a home away from home.” Daniel Shirley wrote the same message to me last spring when he and Caitlin graduated from IU: “The Trinity choir has been our home.”
Trinity Topics
October, 2011
MINISTRIES
In From the Cold: Trinity and the Interfaith Winter Shelter By Gretchen Horlacher
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hree years ago, Trinity Bloomington decided to open our doors to those without a place to sleep during the winter months. After that initial year, we joined with dozens of other faith communities to continue to offer a warm and safe place to sleep for homeless men and women in danger of hypothermia during the coldest months of the year. In this our fourth year, we are continuing this critical ministry; the shelter will be open from Nov. 1 to March 31. Unfortunately, each year has seen an increase in the number of people who need assistance. Many people have helped make this project a success, from the people serving on boards, to those who stay at Trinity for a few hours
a night, to those who have provided financial support and other needed supplies, to those who pick up and deliver the laundry. This year in particular, Trinity needs more volunteers from within the Trinity family. There is literally a job for everyone! This year, Trinity will be providing shelter in its Great Hall on Wednesday nights from 9 pm to 7 am. Training is required for those called to serve at the shelter itself. This training will introduce you to the mission, philosophy and goals of the Interfaith Winter Shelter. You will learn about its history, a variety of ways to serve, different shift duties, and how to sign up to volunteer. You should also attend a site-specific training when you have chosen where and when you will volunteer. You may attend any of the following
training sessions, regardless of where you intend to volunteer: October 9, 2-4 p.m. at First Christian Church (probably should delete this one as Topics will not come out in time) October 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at First United Church October 30, 2-4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church Please prayerfully consider how you might help Trinity continue this vital mission. You may contact Mother Virginia Hall, Deacon Connie Peppler, or Gretchen Horlacher for more information.
Daughters of the King: A Sisterhood By Heather Rose Lake
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was an only child, and when I was little, my deepest wish was to have a sister. I wanted to have someone who, no matter what happened, would always be there for me, always love me and would be there to share my interests and dreams. When I came to Trinity, I was a quiet, shy person who had trouble making friends, yet I wanted so badly to belong. After I got baptized and confirmed I felt on firmer ground and started to feel part of the church, but I wanted to do more. I heard then about Daughters of the King. Here were the sisters I had always longed for. We would be a mini-family within the church as a whole. We would learn more about Jesus and His teachings and carry them Trinity Episcopal Church
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out into the world through good works and evangelism and prayer. We would be intricately involved with the church by being there to serve the clergy and the church as a whole. We would try to live a life of purity, spiritual balance and divine love for all. And that is exactly what I have found. These are the most refreshingly selfless women I have ever had the pleasure to meet. They love to help others, love to learn more about their spirituality and how to apply it in their daily lives and how to take the notion of radical hospitality to the extreme. I am so much more enriched by being part of this special group of women. When I am with them in our meetings or during our times of service, I truly understand the term “Born from Above.”
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OUTREACH
“Each One, Feed One” food drive fills shelves by Marie Shakespeare
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onroe County United Ministries annual food drive was held August 25-28, exceeding its goal to collect 15,000 pounds of groceries to replenish its emergency food pantry. In all, 16,305 pounds of groceries were donated. Thank you to the Trinity volunteers who donated their time and enthusiasm on Saturday afternoon at the Jackson Creek Kroger: Ginny McNellen, Jim Witten, Ruth Witten, Alex May, Ben May, Grace May, Norm Crampton, Mary Alice Crampton, Isabel Planton, Jennifer Lloyd, Heather Lake and Sianeh Duana. And thank you to the many Trinity parishioners who donated groceries and funds to this community-wide food drive. “Come, Oh blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food…” —Matthew 25:34-35
ABOVE: Ben, Alex, and Grace May RIGHT: Jennifer Lloyd FAR RIGHT: Sianeh Duana
Little Shoes collection no small feat!
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ittle Shoes for Little Feet Update: We have collected 25 pairs of shoes of all shapes and sizes for Monroe County Head Start! Thank you to all the families who donated shoes!
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Trinity Topics
October, 2011
OUTREACH
How Trinity Church helps “Circles” By John Fox and Jennifer Lloyd
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t 5:30 pm each Thursday, in the high-ceilinged Activities room at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, three groups gather for dinner and a meeting. The first is a group of families – many with small children – who are experiencing the varied challenges of poverty but nonetheless have the vision and drive to work toward a brighter future. The second group consists of social service workers and adult community volunteers who are committed to coaching and mentoring the first group in their efforts. Members of the third group are volunteer cooks and servers who facilitate the meeting of the first two groups by providing a free, delicious dinner that allows the families and volunteers to eat and relax together before settling to the work ahead. This is the regular meeting of the Circles Initiative, the local incarnation of a national program, hosted in our community by the non-profit South Central Community Action Program. Circles teaches low-income adults (called “Circle Leaders”) selfand community-assessment and goal-setting, and provides education in strategies to achieve the goals necessary to lift themselves and their families from poverty. Circle Leaders are matched with community volunteers (“Allies”) who provide support and mentoring as they work to achieve their goals over the duration of an 18-month commitment. Trinity has supported this program over the last three years by providing one dinner each month at the weekly meeting. Trinity volunteers prepare and serve a buffet meal to the 60 or more adults and kids Trinity Episcopal Church
who turn out for the regular meeting. This dinner is a key component of the Circles program – having the meal available removes a significant barrier to having busy families attend an evening meeting; sharing a meal together strengthens the bonds among the Leaders and Allies. Community involvement and “giving back” are emphasized in the Circles program, and Trinity has been a happy recipient of this good will. This year and last, Circles Leaders joined with Trinity at the Homeward Bound Walk and provided hundreds of cookies for the Ice Cream Social that also served our homeless Sunday meal guests. And Circles participants have also come out for Trinity work days, cleaning and preparing our sanctuary for holiday services. The nexus that is formed when Circles Leaders, Allies, and Trinity volunteers come together for the Thursday meal is a celebration of our mutual service, appreciation, and dedication to fighting back against poverty. As the meal ends, the kids
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run off to childcare and homework help, the Circles Leaders and Allies move into a conference room to begin the evening’s work, the Trinity volunteers clean up and pack leftovers for hungry families to take home. Mission accomplished. To learn more about the Circles Initiative or explore the possibility of becoming an Ally, visit www.insccap.org. To get involved with Trinity’s monthly dinner, watch the “Serve” section of the bulletin and e-notes, or contact Jennifer Lloyd at jen.lloyd@comcast.net. PAGE
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OUTREACH
2011 Outreach Grant Recipient Profiles by Marie Shakespeare
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hese early autumn evenings are growing cooler, and as the leaves begin to turn I find myself thinking ahead to the Thanksgiving holiday and my father’s favorite table grace: “We thank thee, Lord, for this our food; For life, for health, and every good.” We share our thankful bounty with 13 Trinity Outreach Grant recipients. Ten of the organizations were profiled in past issues of Topics. The remaining three are:
The Rise Rooftop Garden TOBY STROUT WWW.MIDDLEWAYHOUSE.ORG
The Rise is a transitional housing program associated with Middleway House. The grant helped complete their rooftop garden, which had a modest but very successful start last season providing fresh greens for Middleway Food Works grown by residents of The Rise. The project involves renewable resources, encourages residents at The Rise to develop self-reliance as they transition into jobs, includes children, and has volunteer opportunities for Daughters of the King (DOK member, Ruth Witten sponsored the application).
Owen County Humane Society AMANDA JANEWAY OWENCOUNTYHUMANESOCIETY@ YAHOO.COM
This grant contributes to building a fenced dog run and repairing the existing kennel, and is sponsored by
Trinity staff member Mona Baker. We are reminded of the tradition of St. Francis, and that the way people treat animals reflects the way they treat fellow humans.
Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) ELIZABETH STURGEON STURGEON@VIMMONROECOUNTY.ORG
The mission of VIM is strengthened through this grant to purchase diabetic testing equipment, and to contribute to the Social Worker’s discretionary fund. This is the third grant application from VIM in the past 4 years, and they have used the funds very effectively to help provide health care to the growing number of uninsured citizens of our community. Parishioner and VIM supporter Hilary Hamilton sponsored this grant.
Outreach Grant Applications available soon!
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o you volunteer for a community organization in need of support? Apply for a grant of up to $1,000 – applications will be available on-line and at Forum during Advent. Completed applications will be accepted during the month of January 2012, with funds distributed in March. Questions? Contact Virginia Hall vhall@trinitybloomington.org or Marie Shakespeare mshakesp@indiana.edu. Trinity Outreach vows to seek and serve Christ in all persons, in love.
Episcopal Public Policy Network By Jennifer Lloyd
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o you ever wonder what the Episcopal Church’s stance is on matters of national and international concern? Are you interested in gaining a Christian perspective on matters debated in Congress? Would you like to become an advocate on issues of poverty and social justice but don’t know where to start?
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Visit www.episcopalchurch.org and click on the “Advocacy” link. There you can learn about the Episcopal Public Policy Network, a part of the Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations. You can also sign up to receive electronic Action and Policy Alerts to let you know about what’s at stake in pending Congressional actions and how to contact your representatives to share your thoughts.
Trinity Topics
October, 2011
PILGRIMAGE
On Pilgrimage: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God By Mother Virginia+ ur first encounter with pilgrims was probably in elementary school when we heard of the pilgrims who yearned for a new land. As Christians, we gradually learned that our forefathers, Abraham and Moses, were on a pilgrimage to a new land, one that they yearned for but never saw. Today pilgrims go in search of a new understanding of God: who God is and where God resides in our souls. Pilgrims are called by a deep yearning to encounter the sacred in a variety of places. In 1959, I heard a call to go to Africa by an African-American Presbyterian minister, Dr. James H. Robinson. His dream was to take young Americans and expose them to the Dark Continent, engaging them in a cross-cultural experience that would change their lives, and it was hoped, the world of the future. This would be done through a partnership with a local African community working in a project of their own need and design. We Americans would be co-workers, not architects or imperialistic do-gooders. It was a new concept at the time, along with the Peace Corps. Two years later, in 1961, I heard a second call, captured by Dr. Robinson’s vision in the words of William Sloane Coffin as he spoke to my freshman class at Wells College. The dream, Operation Crossroads Africa, became real as it stirred a desire in me to know more about race relations and led me to join a group of about 100 college students for a summer. My team of 11 went to Dahomey, a French colony seeking independence, now Benin, in West Africa, to build schools. Fast forward through the Civil
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Trinity Episcopal Church
Rights Era, a second trip to East Africa to the International Women’s conference in Nairobi in 1985, and a time of service in Guatemala, to the present. This time the call is not to build schools or to gather with 15,000 women or to teach. It is to engage in a deepening call to learn about the depth and breadth of God’s love and mercy in a country torn by years of the violence of the apartheid system that condoned the separation of peoples by their skin color: separate and NOT equal. Now in the throes of post-apartheid corruption, broken dreams, and an AIDS epidemic, South Africa is finding out how difficult it is to live out the dream of a Steve Biko or Desmond Tutu, of Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King, Jr., or of many others who have given their lives in the struggle for equality, justice and a true solidarity for the survival of their people and land, the Rainbow nation of South Africa. A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place. It is traveling to a new place hoping to discover God and oneself in new ways, to uncover the deepest desires of the soul and discover once again, for the first time, the miracle of life—new life—by seeing with new eyes. We are not in control of what we will encounter nor of our reactions to it. In that way we draw upon the undiscovered resources God has given us if we allow ourselves to be open. Language, cultural customs, music, sights and sounds challenge our own customs and values, causing us to reevaluate everything we think, say or do. On October 5, I will leave with nine others to make this pilgrimage, guided by Mpho Tutu, Bp. Tutu’s daughter, to South Africa. We will visit sites that have become sacred
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for the people who have lost their lives in the struggle for justice: Soweto: home of the 1976 uprisings and police shootings; The Constitutional Court representing the past and present quest for justice; The Apartheid Museum that houses the memories of the struggle for racial equality and past atrocities; A Game Park where Africa’s mighty animals roam free, protected from poachers, to remind us of our interdependence with our planetary companions; Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, then released to become the first native African President; Capetown, a symbol of the beautiful Cape that was once the free home of the Dutch settlers and a destination point for sea travelers and Festive celebration of Archbishop Tutu’s 80th birthday. While walking this path of suffering, slavery, unbelievable beauty and incomprehensible violence, we will seek to learn more about how to reconcile the best and the worst that we human beings are capable of by reflecting on the process of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. What will all of this mean? The pilgrim can only tell that story along the way and upon return. I look forward to returning to Trinity at the beginning of November to share bits and pieces of this journey that unfold as I learn how to tell you about it. Please pray for me while I am gone, as I will hold you in my heart and God’s love in a distant land far away. PAGE
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STEWARDSHIP
A Note about our Faith and Environment by Jessie Gutgsell
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n the last days of August, I attended a weeklong eco-justice immersion program in Seattle, Washington, sponsored by the National Episcopal Church. The program called upon young adults of the church to come together to network and learn about what our Church is doing in the global sustainability movement. Trinity and the Diocese of Indianapolis sponsored my trip to Seattle, and in return, I will bring back what I have learned to our community. I want to begin this sharing process with an article written by one of my fellow conference attendees who eloquently describes our experience. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have, and keep your eyes/ears open for more information!
Spreading the Seeds of Eco-Justice by Ashley Graham-Wilcox
Converging from Massachusetts, Arizona and everywhere in between, 17 young adult members of the Episcopal Church gathered in Seattle last week for the first “Eco-Justice Immersion Experience,” organized by the Episcopal Leadership Institute for Young Adults. The “Eco-“ prefix is intentionally vague, as the conference brought both ecologic and economic concepts to the table for discussion, reflection and action. From college students and camp staff, to youth ministers and postulants, attendees came together with distinct intentions: Heather Anderson of
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Memphis, Tennessee, a children’s and youth minister, was looking for real, down-and-clean ways to help green her congregation. Joe Domko of Boulder, Colorado, had been feeling stagnant with his daily actions to help the earth, and was looking for motivation, which he found in an early conversation on the Tar Sands protests: “I feel like maybe it’s time to get arrested.” It comes from a serious place, but a comment like this is bound to draw a laugh – and, all week long, laugh we did. “As transformative as it was, I still can’t believe how much we laughed,” reflected Janna Payne of Toronto. We laughed in a food court (one with compostable food trays, no less), at gas stations, and lakeside. We laughed with one another, and – maybe once or twice – at one another. Maybe we were laughing because 14-hour days of soul-searching can be exhausting, and your body doesn’t know what else to do. Maybe it was the sheer joy of being surrounded by likeminded folks. Or
maybe it’s because as young Episcopalians, it’s exciting to be leading a charge that’s been called the civil rights movement of our generation. When we weren’t laughing, we were exploring heady topics like the impact of the nation’s ninth largest port on city neighborhoods, or the opportunities for shifting our communities’—and our world’s – economies from a straight-line of supply to consumption into a circle of sustainability. But we weren’t delving into these topics just in theory. In one another, and around Seattle, we saw inspiring need for and empowering action in eco-justice. We explored interfaith opportunities: Nationally, Earth Ministry advocates for the environment on behalf of all faith communities, while locally, Clean Green Farms sells pesticide-free produce at – as Rev. Robert Jeffrey calls them – “Dollar Store prices,” supported by both New Hope Missionary Baptist Church’s and St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral of CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
Trinity Topics
October, 2011
STEWARDSHIP
Mindful Giving By Mary Ann Hart
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hat does it mean to be mindful? Jon Kabat-Zinn, a famous teacher of mindfulness meditation and the founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center describes it this way: “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” Left to itself, the mind wanders through all kinds of thoughts including thoughts expressing anger, craving, depression, revenge, self-pity, etc. As we indulge in these kinds of thoughts, we reinforce negative scenarios in our thinking and may even convince ourselves that they are the truth. In a state of mindfulness, by directing our awareness away from such thoughts and towards some “anchor,” we can stop rehearsing negativity and instead create a space where calmness and contentment can grow. Money can be a loaded subject. What are your thoughts when you open the letter about Trinity’s Annual Campaign? Amid all the reminders of God’s abundance and many gifts to us is the pesky fact that we are asked to name a specific dollar amount that we intend to give to Trinity during 2012. There’s the card. There’s the blank space with the dollar sign. Uncomfortable yet? How can we apply mindfulness to giving? Our minds race to thoughts of scarcity, and dire scenarios of deprivation if we were to substantially increase our giving. As you ponder your annual offering amount, take a look at those thoughts. Are they perhaps a little exaggerated? Are they grounded in reality? Of course there is always the possibility that disastrous circumstances might enter your life, but do your thoughts of scarcity really reflect your current reality? Now direct your thought to your “anchor”. You will have your own description, but for now, let’s just call it “God’s faithfulness”, or “God’s abundance”. In quiet reflection, be receptive to thoughts of abundance. The smile of your child, the touch of your partner, the satisfaction of your work, the antics and faithfulness of your companion animal, the enjoyment and skill that you bring to an avocation – music, sport, cooking….. Don’t you feel richly blessed, and in ways that are not your possessions? Giving is a spiritual discipline. Like meditation, it
Trinity Episcopal Church
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is a practice that is built over time, in the same way a musician builds technique over hours of practice, or an athlete in training. Forming the holy habit of giving requires repetition, just like teaching good manners to a child. “What do you say?” – “Please.” “What do you say?” “Thank you.” Every time we spend money, we are making a decision about need, value, and priorities. In mindful giving we choose to offer back a part of our abundance, and each gift teaches us that we can be more generous, more free with our resources. Every time we give with mindfulness and intent, we are teaching ourselves the holy habit of giving. Like all spiritual disciplines, giving is transformational! As you grow in assurance that giving more is possible, you can raise your percentage with confidence How much? The Old Testament rule was the tithe. Ten percent was to go to God. This goal may sound like a long stretch, and it’s tempting to just round up to some nice sounding number just a little higher than last year’s pledge. But to give mindfully, with intent, it is helpful to identify a percentage of your income that you can give. Then your gift is not a random amount. It has a relationship to the sum of your assets. If you have been at Trinity for a while, you realize that every year there is more transparency about our finances: you can see specific information about the budget, and how it supports our missions and programs. We are proud of our amazing growth, energy, and activity at Trinity, but the troubling fact is that our spending totals more than our giving. The deficit is finessed via our endowment, and this is not a sustainable solution. Those of us involved with the Annual Campaign for Stewardship have one goal which is even more important than a target dollar amount: to have everyone in the parish either begin or continue on a journey of mindful giving. To each as he or she is able. Be prayerful. Be mindful. Every gift is precious to God.
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COMMUNITY SPIRIT
A Letter to the Parish August 31, 2011 Dear Friends, I’m writing with some happy news. On October 12, in the state of New York, Matthew Cole and I will be married. Matthew and I have been partners for 16 years. Our intention has always been to marry. We had hoped to reside and work in a state that recognized same-sex marriages. Alas, that is not to be the case in Indiana any time in the near future. Another important piece of the puzzle is that the Church Pension Group recently voted to extend pension and insurance benefits to legally married, same-sex partners. This is a huge step for the church and a great show of support for same-sex couples. We still maintain connections in Woodstock, so New York feels like the appropriate place for the legal aspect of marriage. But we don’t want to exclude the Trinity community from the celebration. You have been so wonderful to Matthew and me since we arrived over three years ago. You have embraced us and welcomed us both individually and as a couple. You can never know
how much this means to us. We would like for the Trinity community to join us at a blessing of our union at Trinity Episcopal Church on Saturday, October 29, at 10 a.m. Bishop Waynick will preside at this service, which will be followed by a simple reception in the Great Hall. Again, thank you for all of the support that you have extended to me and to Matthew. We are so happy to be a part of the Trinity community and I am honored to be your rector. Truly, this parish is a blessing and I give thanks every day for you and for it. With every hope that you had a safe and relaxing summer, I remain Faithfully yours, The Reverend Charles T. Dupree P.S. Please, no gifts. If you feel called upon to express your thanksgiving, please make a donation to the Trinity Second Century Fund. Information about the Second Century Fund may be found on the Trinity website, www.trinitybloomington.org
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Seattle. We were encouraged to remember the grief that drew us to environmental justice, and to celebrate the joy that we can get from it, by Reverend Carla Prine. We were inspired to green our own congregations by the progress made at Emmanuel on Mercer Island outside of Seattle. We were moved — to laughter of course — by the sheer profoundness of Brian Sellers-Petersen from Episcopal Relief and Development telling us, “Everything you need to know about Christian formation, you can learn in a vegetable garden.” In that one sentence, he articulated our week. Green isn’t a fad. We’re not drawn PAGE
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to it because it’s hip. We are called to advocate for the Earth out of a deep sense of love and respect. Love for the generations that we will never know. Respect for the soil that we came from. We are from dirt; and to dirt we will return. (You can quote us — and Genesis — on that.) To take care of the earth effectively, to further our Christian formation, last week’s conference attendees will look to a garden for direction. We will honor simplicity— sun and water are really all a garden needs — and celebrate even the tiniest of environmental victories in our own communities. A zucchini left on stalk too long will grow too large, get watery, and lose its flavor. So must we constantly
tend to our own and our communities’ shifting needs and abilities. And we’ll deal with the weeds. We’ll remember that Jessie Dye from Earth Ministry excused us from “environmental sainthood.” We will confront obstacles, lose some battles, and move on to the next. As we take home resources — from 200 practical tips on how to green a congregation, courtesy of the Bishop’s Committee for the Environment of the Diocese of Olympia, to an ever-growing list of book recommendations — more than that, we take home a renewed connection to our communities, our church, and our call. And now, we sow.
Trinity Topics
October, 2011
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Why I am Episcopalian New Life By Margie Taylor
By Ken Bardonner
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I awake there are babies crying, laughing I have babies I remind myself (at my age!) Now I will always have been a father
n 2006 I made a decision to become Episcopalian after decades of membership in a large Protestant faith. I thought that our grown children might need an explanation of why I left the denomination of their childhood, so I developed a list of 10 reasons I made the move. I fell in love with Trinity, and my love keeps growing throughout the seasons of every year. 10. Episcopalians are practical people. We feel that we are all called to be good Christians, to minister to the sick and the poor. We will help build a house, give food and clothing to those in need. 9. The Episcopal Church respects other religions, in our country and around the world. We’re not called to convert others, but to show respect. 8. The Episcopal Church assumes that church members are mature, competent, intelligent human beings capable of taking responsibility for our own growth. We feel obligated to use our minds to reason, study, investigate, and consult. Critical thinking is encouraged. Every important question has a range of possible answers. Differing opinions and diversity make the church interesting and stronger. 7. The Bible is not a rule book. It is a collection of writings produced at different times in history. It must be understood in the context of when each book was written. There is freedom to interpret scripture. 6. Tradition is respected and ceremonies are comforting. There is a common pattern of worship in Episcopal churches all around the world. No matter where I am, the worship service will be familiar. Episcopalians find our ‘center’ in common worship, and go out to serve, according to each person’s gifts and opportunities. 5. The focus is on praise rather than on sin, redemption, guilt or failure. 4. Episcopalians believe in participating in the worship service. We stand, sit, kneel, and walk to the altar for communion. We use our bodies as well as our hearts and minds to ‘be there.’ 3. The Episcopal Church has a history of involvement in social and political issues. We are called to do what seems right in our community, nation and world. We’re concerned about energy, the environment, world affairs, education, and health care. 2. It is comforting to be with others of like minds. There is open-mindedness, tolerance, and acceptance. 1. Episcopalians drink wine at church dinners!
Written with information from: Welcome to the Episcopal Church by Christopher L. Webber, 1999, Morehouse Publishing, Harrisburg, PA Welcome to Sunday by Christopher L. Webber, 2003, Morehouse Publishing, Harrisburg, PA Those Episkopols by Dennis R. Maynard, 1994, Dionysus Publications, Rancho Mirage, CA Trinity Episcopal Church
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I am married now not just to my wife but also to my children, our offspring Now I am become the fulcrum between past and future generations I feel the weight, before and after me I am strong; I am that strong, I tell myself It is not just my wife who pushed these children into the world, this world, the only world we have to offer Baby William may have some reservations Baby Kenneth is full of talk overflowing our babbling brook; William is not sure what to think of this tainted world, he’s our little philosopher For now we must protect them How to ease them into the world Teach them to balance toughness and tenderness fear and courage; honesty and compromise and I must do the same; they are watching me I face the future, our future; I must not blink PAGE
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COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Book review OUT OF THE SKIN INTO THE SOUL: THE ART OF AGING, by Dorothy Albracht Doherty and Mary Colgan McNamara. San Diego, CA, LuraMedia (1993).
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eaders of this book can be creative about using material already in their minds and experiences, material they have collected through living their own lives. The authors show how to use this knowledge to make aging easier—and to think of aging as an art. Through the highly engaging ancient art of story telling, authors Dorothy Albracht Doherty and Mary Colgan McNamara use five fables to illustrate the
BUT WHEN YOU ARE OLDER … REFLECTIONS ON COMING TO AGE by Donald X. Burt. The Liturgical Press (1992.)
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hen Donald X. Burt wrote “The last mark that I shall make in my copybook will be a solitary spiral that spins off the page into eternity,” he captures the essence of his inner self of peace and harmony. He confronts his waning years optimistically, but he does not avoid the painful moments which his life’s path has thrown him, nor the challenges – medical or spiritual -- which he may yet face. The “Lord of Heavens” will communicate with Burt until the very end, even while “sparks of intelligence” continue to delight and confound him throughout all time. His “solitary spiral” evokes the recurring hints of the “Divine Lover” with whom he will share the rest of his eternal life. An Augustinian and a retired
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aging journey. Just imagine having five new thoughts to explore in the later years of your life! The purpose of the book is to move you from your skin or physical life experience, toward a real soul experience. Each fable begins a chapter. The authors retell the fable in a free verse mediation and in a prose essay, looking for more meaning. These poems and essays are easy to read and even the type size is comfortable for aging eyes. The fables are about several large and small animals, an elder person, a hermit crab and a sea shell—a curious variety of subjects to illustrate the art of aging.
professor of philosophy, the author offers forty brief meditations which recount the hopes and fears motivating his “coming to age;” Burt’s spiritual mentor, the greatest of fifth century saints from Hippo, renounced his impurities to imitate the life of Jesus, becoming a writer whose works would inspire Burt throughout his long career in the Church and in academe. These meditations provide a succinct introduction to Augustine’s works for those who are unlikely to study his eight treatises. The twenty-first meditation entitled “Images of Life: the Sower” explores Matthew 16:25, “A person must lose life in order to save it” and Augustine Sermones 313D, “As one scatters grain which he had carefully gathered, so we must pour out our life in order to find it forever.” Speaking of “dear ones who have sowed their love in our hearts,” Burt suggests that people of faith console themselves with the harvests of the
I recommend this book as a creative reading experience as well as for its wisdom about aging. Lifework exercises and an annotated bibliography at the back of the book are useful and show how the authors formed their ideas and ways to continue searching. —submitted by Betty Yoder
fruits of their past and {diminishing} present relationships; he relates his rock-solid conviction: “I make my eternal life gold because my faith tells me that whatever the joys of this life may have been, they are dark compared to [the] blazing happiness of eternity.” Parishioners who agree with Burt that “We must think about death now courageously and wisely if we are to live authentically today,” will study these meditations over and over, never tiring of his patient and simple wisdom. —submitted by Stanley Hamilton
Trinity Topics
October, 2011
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
More good news November
10 Alistair and Jennifer Andrews 15 Christine and Robert Conrad 29 Tricia and Dan Souhrada
BIRTHDAYS 1 Jennifer Daniel 2 Ann Mitchell 3 A.J. Day 4 Katy Tilghman 5 Joan Martin 5 Libby Tilghman 6 Betty Rose Nagle 8 Beatrice Carrol 0 Steve Hale 10 Pat Martin 13 Laila Salibi-Cripe 14 Elisabeth Siena 15 Don Freund 15 Mary McMullen 17 Catherine Brassell 18 James McGibbon 19 Michael Molenda 19 Allison Sweeny 19 Jenna Sweeny 21 Diane Singleton 25 Betsy Mills 25 Erin Duffin 26 Henry Gehrenbeck 27 Weezie Smith 27 Anne Jones 28 Sharon Herzel 28 Gretchen Horlacher 28 Cooper Macy 29 Connie Peppler 29 William Beheler
December
BIRTHDAYS 1 Prince Butler 2 Don Jones 2 John Terrell 2 Jay Hagenow 3 Megan Wade 3 Sarah Williams 4 Hal Taylor 5 Kimberly Hurley 5 Janet Stavropoulos 5 Mike Snow 6 Nathan Stanger 9 Elizabeth Watson 10 Mike Peppler 11 Jim Cripe 12 Jeannie Denning 12 Ann Marie Thomson 12 Stephen Reed 13 Travis Wade 15 Mary Ann Keko 15 Samuel Stright 16 Laurel Cornell 16 Matt Siena 16 Jennifer Andrews 17 Jeff Snow 18 Elizabeth Johnson
ANNIVERSARIES
20 20 21 22 23 26 26 26 26 28 28 30 31
Lynn Cochran Ian Wilson Ric Hahn Nancy Hutchens Todd LaDow Rae Stoll Tristra Newyear-Yeager Stephen Mills Adam Foltzer Gates Agnew John Harvey Carol Wise Emily Hurley
ANNIVERSARIES 17 John & Victoria Hurt 31 Larry and Margi Taylor 31 Nick & Diana DauSchmidt
January
BIRTHDAYS 1 Catharine Hoff 2 Bill Tilghman 3 Sue Robinson 3 Bob McNellen 5 Jane Martin 6 Dorothy Trulock
6 6 6 7 12 14 16 18 20 21 22 22 24 24 25 27 28 28 28 29 29 29 29 30 30 31
ANNIVERSARIES Scott & Jennifer Jones
Is your November, December, or January birthday or anniversary missing? Update your info with Janet Brinkworth, our parish administrator, (812) 336-4466 or admin@trinitybloomington.org.
TRINITY TOPICS Trinit y Topics is a published by Trinity Episcopal Church, Bloomington, Ind. All contents Copyright Š 2011 Trinity Episcopal Church. Permission to reprint any part of Trinit y Topics must be obtained in writing from the managing editor. Trinit y Topics is published monthly.
EDITOR
Georgia Parham DESIGNER
Kelly Carnahan CONTRIBUTORS
Ken Bardonner Submit an article: The heart of Trinit y Topics is writing by its Janet Brinkworth members. Whether you choose to write about an area of expertise, Matthew Cole a Trinity event, or a current news topic, your information may interDanica D’Onofrio est and assist members of the Trinity community. Articles are due John Fox to the editor by the third Thursday of the preceding month. While Brent Gault all articles are considered, preference is given to those with direct relevance to Trinity Episcopal Church, its activities, and its mission. Ashley GrahamWilcox Address changes: Send updated contact information to Janet Jessie Gutgsell Brinkworth, Parish Administrator, by postal mail, or e-mail admin@ the Rev. Virginia Hall trinitybloomington.org. Trinity Episcopal Church
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Mary Ellen Brown Elaine Wilson Ian Knox Ian Yeager Jennifer Lloyd Giles Knox Diane Day Ellie McGhee Benjamin May Glee Tilson Nzzy Afoaku Isabel Parham Jim Parham Michael McCarty Paul Bloemendaal Bronwyn Kramer Art Robertson Mark Hurley Jody Hays Archie Smith Molly Delevett Catherine McGibbon Ethan Andrews Judy Granbois Terra Moser Lydia Finkelstein
Stanley Hamilton Mary Ann Hart Tamara Hallet Stanley Hamilton Gretchen Horlacher Bob and Cate Hyatt Marilyn Keiser Heather Lake Jennifer Lloyd Ross Martinie-Eiler Marie Shakespeare Elaine Sonnenberg Margie Taylor Betty Yoder
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NEWCOMERS
Trinity Inc begins third year rinity Inc. is a program designed for everyone who has recently started attending Trinity Church, from seasoned Episcopalians who have just moved to the area to those just starting a relationship with the church. Designed to help those who are new to the Trinity community, Trinity Inc covers a variety of topics from a compete tour of the facilities and meeting the staff to learning about Trinity’s role in the worldwide Anglican Communion. We start with a short service held in the church at 5:30 p.m. Then we move to the Great Hall for a delicious meal and program. There are always vegetarian options included in the dinner. The programs are designed to help you know more about Trinity Church, the Episcopal Church, yourself, and your journey with God. Childcare is provided. You are encouraged to attend all sessions. The complete schedule is on the web under “I’m New.” We hope to see you there! Please RSVP to Ross Martinie, at trinitymartinie@gmail.com
“We visited a number of local churches in our quest for a church home. We found Trinity to be different in a number of ways. Trinity has gone well beyond special name tags and bright, shiny welcoming banners. They are as intentional about welcoming new folks as they are about serving those in need. Trinity Inc. is just one of many ways they do this. During these sessions we were able to learn not only about the church’s service, the governance, the financial picture, and other practicalities, but we made some great friends as well. We will always appreciate the warm welcome we felt those first few sessions. We would encourage others to join Trinity Inc. - such a great way to ease in, to immediately feel a part of this warm and supportive community of worshipers.” — Bob and Cate Hyatt PS: And oh yes, the food –AWESOME!!
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