TIDINGS Trinity’s Mission: Acting in God’s love, Trinity Episcopal Church welcomes everyone to enthusiastically live the Christian faith. We call our members to worship and prayer, lifelong education, spiritual growth, cheerful giving, and active ministry with our community. All members serve as witnesses to Jesus Christ.
Vol. XXV No. 11 November 2016
FROM THE INTERIM RECTOR by The Reverend Michael E. Carlisle
Inside this Issue Stewardship page 2 Adult Formation page 3 Pastoral Care and Spiritual Growth page 3 Children, Youth and Family Ministries page 4 Young Adults page 5 Trinity Connections pages 5, 6, 7
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The scripture says “honor the Lord with the first fruits then your plate will be filled with plenty.” I have learned that God in God’s generous mercy is always ready to build me up to pour out love and to surround me with goodness. The problem is I don’t always get it. I don’t get it because I withhold. These first fruits the scripture is talking about for me is usually about money. I would like to think I don’t need or care about or ever wish for money--but I do. When I get it right and put my money with the Lord first, then my plate is filled. The church teaches us that we return to God a tenth of all that we have. It really doesn’t matter if we made it, inherited it, found it, the government paid it to us -- the first fruits are to be returned to God as a thanksgiving for all the other 90%! I have found as I part with that one thing that I hold dear -- my money -- soon after that I was willing to part with other things, things that prevent me from being who God created me to be - like selfishness, stubbornness, refusing to listen to another point of view. Really all of the things that call me away from the love that God has for me. On Sunday, November 6 we will celebrate All Saints Day. We will remember all those who have gone before us to make the world a better place and who have worked to make Trinity Church the church God would have it be. We will also baptize new people into the life of Christ. I want to ask each of you to follow the teachings of your church and return 10% of your income to the work of God through Trinity Church. Doris and I will be pledging 10% of what you pay me to be interim rector and we ask you to join us in this venture of joy and celebration. We will place our pledge cards in the large alms basin as we come to the altar for communion and the pledge cards will all be blessed -- blessed so that we may be more strong and true to be the people God has created us to be. We ask the Lord to take what we give now and transform us to be the people who have joined the Generosity Movement, so that we may know the truth that generosity changes every thing.