Holy Trinity Parish Church, Sutton Coldfield May / June 2020
Every Sunday in lockdown we are bringing you our fun and interactive children’s videos. Be sure to check our Facebook page (@HolyTrinityChurchSC) for more information. A special thank you to Chris Chubb from Beacon Heights Digital who has helped spearhead our digital efforts to ensure that these edited videos hit your screens each week..
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From the Editors ... ...to
Trinity Mini During these unprecedented times our normal routines have changed as we continue to adapt to lockdown. Like many, we have taken great comfort in the support and love of those around us—both within our Church family and the wider community. In this reduced edition of Trinity Magazine, we hope that we can help bring you some joy and peace as we move forward on this journey and remember that God is our strength. Stella, Louise & Johanna
Our new church history book
We are still expecting to publish the church history book as planned in June. Many people have already pre-ordered copies and the publishers (History Press) are still working, albeit with reduced hours, so wish to keep to their schedule as much as possible. We will alert people nearer the time, as we have information, about distributing copies if we are not back in church and also let you know how you can buy a copy. Useful contacts: Rector: John Routh, 0121 311 0474 (Rectory) john.routh.htsc@gmail.com Editors: s_thebridge@yahoo.com / louisejharden@hotmail.com / Johanna.paul@hotmail.co.uk Prayer requests: Please send to our curate, Revd Leanne Carr: rev.leanne@outlook.com
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Church Sessions It has been heartening to see the number of people joining the Sunday morning service and downloading the children’s videos each week. Our lockdown period now covers a period of great celebration in the church’s year. We have had Easter Day and the following Sundays where we hear how the disciples learnt, following a period of mourning and sorrow, that Jesus was alive, and they began to see the possibilities of a new promise of eternal life. Thursday 21st May (forty days after Easter) is Ascension Day, followed on 31st May by Pentecost (literally 50 days after Easter) when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church. A week later it is Trinity Sunday (7th June), a very special date in our church as it is our Dedication festival. As a previous Rector once pointed out – other churches are dedicated to one or more of the Saints, we have God himself! Did you know there is a painting depicting the Holy Trinity in our church – the only one on a wall there? Do you know where it is?* Our New Testament readings for May cover a number of the stories in the Acts of the Apostles culminating at Pentecost in the famous passage (Acts 2: 1-21) where a violent wind appears and the disciples are covered in tongues of flame, enabled to speak in languages they did not know, so that the audience could hear and understand in their own tongues. Peter addresses the crowd, recalling the prophecy of Joel of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and great portents before the coming of the Lord’s day, when those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.
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On Trinity Sunday a prophecy from Isaiah in Chapter 40 is read, and then we hear readings from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (chapters 5 and 6). While we have heard parts of John’s Gospel through May, in June we change to that of St Matthew, and the very last verses of that Gospel on Trinity Sunday itself (Matthew 29: 16-20). It is a wonderful affirmative ‘sending out’ with Jesus telling the disciples from the mountain to “Go and make disciples of all nations” by baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the blessed and holy Trinity. *The painting of the Trinity is above the entrance to the Vesey Chapel
Christian Aid Week – it’s still happening!
This is held every May and relies on house to house collections and events across the country to raise much-need funds to relive poverty all over the world. The Week this year is 10th to 16th May. Of course there can be no collections in person, so everything is going ‘virtual’. There will be daily live-streamed services with guest speakers and a daily fun quiz. In addition, giving will be possible by e-envelope from the site. Do check on all of these on the CAW website: www.christianaid.org.uk 5
Our curate …
It seems impossible, especially with all that has happened these last months and with the church currently closed, to realise that our curate, Revd Leanne Carr, will have been with us a year at the end of June. Normally she would have attended a retreat and then been ordained a priest at a special service in Birmingham Cathedral at this time, along with others who were ordained deacons last June and then went off to their various parishes. Ordinations are often around the time of St Peter’s Day (29th June, also known as Petertide, which commemorates the martyrdom of both St Peter and St Paul), as he was the founder of the church and the first priest from whom all now claim ‘apostolic succession’ when ordained by a Bishop. We expect the Diocese to make arrangements for ordinations to take place just as soon as public worship of some kind is possible again. Meanwhile we give thanks for all that Leanne has brought to our church in ministry and worship, and pray for her and her family going through this time of added uncertainty. 6
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Baptisms
We welcome these children into new life with God, as part of our church family 15th March
Thomas Jude Wright Buddy Thomas Doughty
Funerals We remember all who have died and ask for God’s comfort to sustain all who are bereaved 17th March 25th March April 28th April
Lily Duggan Joan Edna Hill Margaret Arlene Gilmore Patricia Anne Cross
Bible Verse “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” Psalm 46:1-3 7
Quizzes have turned out to be the UK’s favourite hobby during lockdown as we use the opportunity to catch up with friends and family. Our first visual quiz night took place on 23rd April and what a success it was! Thank you to Nick Revell for being a fantastic quiz mater. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on our future quiz plans!
Christian Aid Week: See page 5 for Page more information on how you can get involved from home . . .