Trinity Times Electronic Edition 03/08/99

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Week of March 8, 1999

(Last updated 11/29/99 09:35 AM)

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Bishop Shield

A Pastoral Letter from the Bishop to the People of the Diocese

Dear Friends in Christ:

In the ten years during which I have served among you and with you as your Bishop, I have come to have the deepest respect and love for the people of this Diocese. We have benefited from God’s incredible grace in our life and ministry and from the hard work in which so many of you have engaged to strengthen the mission and life of this church in faithful response to our Lord. Victoria joins me in giving thanks for these rich and wonderful years.

This letter serves to announce my plans to retire as your bishop in November. I am calling on the Diocese to begin the process for the election of the next diocesan bishop, the Seventh Bishop, of West Virginia. This will provide for a smooth transition from this Episcopate to a new one, and for the work to which God calls this

church as you begin the new millennium. Much of the work to which we committed ourselves together for this Episcopate is coming to fruition, and it is time for a new chapter.

It is time for me to turn to some different dimensions of ministry with a focus on all that we have learned together about baptismal ministry, small church and regional ministry. I pray that in this way I may continue to be helpful to the people of God as we continue to strengthen the mission of the church and recover the important dimension of baptismal ministry in which we all share.

Victoria and I have purchased a piece of land in the Eastern Panhandle, where we are building our retirement home. Our wonderful experience among you and our growing appreciation of this beautiful State have drawn us to remain in West Virginia. We have come to love both the people and this State and we look forward to enjoying many more years in West Virginia.

Please keep Victoria and me in your prayers in the coming months. I also ask that all of us pray for the Diocese during this transition, that we may both celebrate our life together in Christ and discover discerning gifts of the Holy Spirit as the Diocese moves forward in new directions.

Faithfully in Christ, John H. Smith, Bishop

Faith @ Fifth message

Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,

This time of year I am always amazed at the acceleration in the pace of life. From a sort of winter hibernation, we seem to explode into a myriad of events, activities, and other "stuff." It is dizzying. Just looking at this issue of The Times can be dizzying: Mothering Sunday, Love-In-Action, Wednesdays in Lent, this meeting, that fellowship activity. The level of busyness in a congregation has never been size-related, and even if it had, Trinity would challenge the theory. We may not be big, but we sure are active!

On the whole, I would not have it any other way. Still, the old axiom, "If the devil can’t make you his, he’ll (or she’ll) make you busy" holds true. Lent is a time of reflection, repentance, prayer, and reading and meditating on God’s Word. It begs the question, "How are we doing on the things of Lent?"

Is the busyness creeping in? Are activities crowding out the places and spaces in your life for God time. (It’s all God’s time, really, isn’t it!) Take heart. Do not be discouraged. It is not too late. Even if Lent is getting away and the things you had every honest and devout intention of including have escaped you, you can start now. God will help, just make a sincere request and make yourself available for the response.

Faithfully,

Scott+

Good for the Outside
Good for the Inside

March 17th Salvation History, part 1, Led by Fr. Hunter

March 24th Salvation History, part 2, Led by Fr. Hunter

Bring your Bible and take a journey that is our journey from Creation and the Valley of the Dry Bones to the Pavement and the empty tomb. Two evenings you will surely want to attend.

Also on these evenings be sure to include your young people — J.D. Williamson (3/17) and Tommy Borderick (3/24) are part of a GREAT offering from Connie Waterman and our youth ministry.

Stations of the Cross

Come Walk the Road With Jesus
From Pilate’s Seat To A Borrowed Tomb

****

Pray the Stations of the Cross At Trinity Church
5:15 pm Fridays in Lent

On Good Friday there will be an ecumenical
Stations of the Cross through downtown Parkersburg
12:00 noon
and beginning at St. Francis Xavier Church

(Sponsored by The Downtown Clergy Group)

Prayer for Aging

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy.

With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it at all, but Thou knowest Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others’ pain, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a Saint – some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And, give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. AMEN.

-As printed in The Messenger, St. David’s Episcopal Church, Spokane, WA

Mothering Sunday

Mothering Sunday is an Anglican tradition with its roots in ancient Christianity. In former times, Lent was the season believers were prepared for baptism, spending forty days in fasting and study, with baptism on Easter Eve. On the fourth Sunday in Lent, (this year March 22) Mother Church sang her exultation over the approaching increase of her children, chanting "Rejoice, O Jerusalem."

A measure of relaxation was given on this Sunday, so that the faithful might not break down under the severe strain of the Lenten fast, but continue the restrictions with refreshed spirit, thus, "Refreshment Sunday."

This same Sunday can also be called "Rose Sunday," from an ancient practice of carrying a rose when returning from the celebration of Mass. Originally the rose was a natural one, but from the 11th century on, it was made of gold. Prayers, often praising the ministry of women, were also offered.

In England, the term Mothering Sunday came from a popular observance toward the end of the Middle Ages. Apprentices and servants were allowed to go home to visit their "mother church," the church where they had been baptized. They brought gifts to the altar, and on the same day they also visited their own mothers bringing flowers and simnel cake.

It is from this background that the Episcopal Churchwomen in our diocese established their LOVE-IN-ACTION program some years ago, underlining a way of giving to diocesan needs. Trinity Church, Parkersburg, often celebrates this fourth Sunday in Lent – Mothering Sunday -- with simnel cake at Coffee Hour.

Love-In-Action

Now that we begin the last year of this century and this millennium, it is time to look at all our programs to be certain they have been given our best support. This is a reminder to inform everyone about the Love-In-Action projects which were planned last September at the Women’s Ministries board meeting. The following gifts were approved for 1998-1999:

Church Periodical Club:		$200.00
Campus Ministries:	Marshall Univ. WVU	500.00 500.00
Peterkin Take a Friend Scholarship Fund:		$1,500.00

These are "must" gifts. In addition, it is hoped that previous support to the Big Ugly Creek Scholarship for College program can be continued. This is an educational investment program for youth of Lincoln County.

Last year fifteen churches made donations to Love-In-Action and at the September Women’s Retreat we set a goal to double that number of donors.

Please include Love-In-Action in your list of donations. Mothering, or Refreshment, Sunday (March 14, 1999), all Episcopalians, both men and women, are reminded to make a contribution to Love-In-Action.

Connie’s Corner

Trinity’s Lenten Evenings will also feature a program for our young people. March 3 we talked about forgiveness, and watched "God Wants Me to Forgive them?!?" a VeggieTales video dealing with our subject.

March 10th, we will be introduced to Habitat for Humanity.

March 17th we will be joined by J. D. Williamson who will present a program tying in Lent and St. Patrick’s Day.

March 24, we will talk about Jesus, the Light of the World, and Mr. Tommy Broderick will show us how to make candles.

Come and join us for some great activities!

Faithfully, Connie

Prayer List

Please hold these people, events and circumstances in your daily prayers. Also, we encourage you to always say a prayer for those unknown persons who have no one to pray for them. By-the-way, please remember to renew prayer requests weekly.

Tom Patrick, Charlotte Martin, Larry Bellew, Nellie Taylor, Terri Hindman, Alex Northrup, Mary Carolyn & Bill Mildren, Sr., Donna Tyo, Ruth Greer, Ray Hofmann, Mazie Smith, Mary Glen Rice, Maggie Crofton, Mary Harlow, Butch Shaver, Carr Leavitt, Esber Tweel (priest) and Rocky Rachell (priest), Gladys Fitcher, Lu Reindle, Juliette McIntire, Virginia Stealey, Pete Perry, Emma & Gene Beatty, Julia Batten, Julia Davis, Earl Bee.

This Sunday is sometimes known as Mothering Sunday. It is a great time to remember all those who nurture and care for us with prayers of Thanksgiving.

Ministers for Sunday, March 14, 1999

Chalice Bearers: Carol Olson, Susie Fitcher, Eric Lawson, Hamp Fitcher
Lectors: Carol Olson, Susie Fitcher, Anna Zivkovich, Charlotte Dauphin
Ushers: Charlie Culbertson, Jim Full, Forbes Hiehle, Gary Vincent
Acolytes: John Northrup, Sarah Johnson, Megan Gyongyosi
Coffee Hour Hosts: Elaine & Jim Dauphin

Proper for the 4th Sunday in Lent
1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 23 Ephesians 5:(1-7) 8-14 John 9:1-13 (14-27) 28-38

Altar Guild for March: Check you schedule for weekly assignments

Outreach Items of the Month

	Shampoo
	Combs & Brushes
	Peanut Butter
	Canned Meat

Please place in basket at the back of the church

NEW GRACE
New Grace, a contemporary Christian music group, will perform Friday, March 12, at 7:30pm at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. New Grace is a music ministry composed of students from Grove City College located in Grove City, PA. A Sundae Bar treat will follow the performance, and a love offering will be collected to help defray the expenses for the group.

A Groundbreaking Event

Saturday, March 13, at 2:00 pm, Habitat for Humanity will break ground on the newest Habitat home, a site that was donated by the family of Helen Gerwig. This house will be built by all WOMEN, and is called "Women Raise the Roof." Carol Olson, our Sr. Warden, and several other women of Trinity are anchoring this project. Please show your support by your presence.

Pray it’s Holy Pride —

‘Cause We Sure are Proud!

Congratulations to Carol Olson, a winner of the WEALTH Award.

This is an annual award given by the YWCA and Altrusa. Carol was nominated along with Trish McKay for their work in leadership of Habitat for Humanity’s "Women Raise the Roof" project. KUDOS TO CAROL!

The banquet to honor this year’s winners will be March 30. Details to follow.

For young people and those who love them

Words

Some words are like buckets that carry lots of things.
Some words are hornets that leave some nasty stings.
Some words are like music that make us want to sing.
Some words are like messengers, that have good news to bring.
Some words are like hammers, that beat upon your day.
Some words are like pillows, that soften what you say.
So when you open up your mouth, and have some words to share,
Be sure those words are just the words to show you really care.
Soft words are pillows for hurts.
A gentle answer will calm a person’s anger.

Proverbs 15:1

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