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Trinity Tidings

The E Newsletter of Trinity Episcopal Church, Sutter Creek


November 2016



In This Issue
Rector's Report
Did You Know?
Project Thanks
Festival of Carols
Food Bank Donations
Trinity Singers Rehearsals
Birthdays this month
Would You Like to Contribute to the Newsletter
 
 
 
 
Rector's Report for November 
 
Last week, I was invited to attend the Clergy/Court Conference sponsored by the Superior Court of CA in Sacramento.  It was held at the SALAM Center which is an association of Muslims in the region.  This was an interfaith gathering of clergy and court justices, who seek to balance justice with mercy.  It is no surprise that in our country, religion has deeply influenced and shaped public policy, politics, institutions, morality and ethics.  Our court justices are also influenced by religion in America and many of them follow a religious tradition of their own.  Both clergy and judges spoke on the subject of justice & mercy and how these 'two sides of the same coin' influence their understanding and judgments.  Here are a few of their insights:
*"God's mercy will always supersede God's justice & anger."
*"If you do not include compassion with decisions regarding mercy and justice, they are incomplete."
"Justice does not mean vengeance.  Restorative justice allows for mercy and healing.  Retributive justice is based on punishment."
*"There are principles higher than the letter of the law."
*"Unfortunately, discretion in sentencing offenders of the law has been increasingly limited by the electorate.  It has become more difficult in California for judges to mete out mercy when needed."
*"A person of faith must have a well-informed conscience, an informed intellect, and a comprehensive understanding of their faith tradition and society in order to move forward and advocate for a world that includes both justice and mercy."
This last insight was perhaps the most profound for me.  Being a Californian and a voter, I am often overwhelmed by the number and complexities of the propositions that are placed on the ballot each year.  The last thing I want to do is to vote on a proposition without reading it in full and without as much knowledge as possible.  The commercials on the TV are not helpful and are often paid by "big money" who care little about the common good.  So this year, I attended an informative seminar detailing the propositions while Steph accessed the League of Women Voters' web site.  We then sat down together and discussed each proposition.  And while we voted differently on some issues, we felt that by exerting the effort to be "more informed," we could better support and "advocate for a world that includes both justice and mercy."
Below, are some prayers for Election that are found in our Book of Common Prayer. I encourage each and every one of you to pray these prayers, to vote your conscience based on your Baptismal Covenant, to become well informed of the issues, and most importantly TO VOTE!  May "our divisions be healed and may we live in justice and peace through Jesus Christ our Lord." {BCP}
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Karen Siegfriedt+

Prayers for the election:
Collect for Social Justice (BCP pg. 823) Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the people of this land], that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect For an Election (BCP pg. 822) Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States (or of this community) in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect For the Nation (BCP pg. 207) Lord God Almighty, who has made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace: Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Collect For our Country (BCP pg. 820) Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
Photos of Activities at Trinity in October: 
Parish Picnic: Fun, Fellowship, Food & Worship at Detert Park

Jr. Warden David Hoos mitigating drainage problem that causes winter flooding on the west side of church.
Fall Workday at Trinity
Did You Know? 
- Bible study on the Book of Acts continues on the first Sunday of each month at 9:40am.
-Don't forget to turn your clocks back 1 hour when you go to bed on Nov. 5th.
- On November 6th, we will include a Service of Remembrance for all those whom we have loved and lost.  Remember to add the names of your loved ones in the special book and we will read their names at both services.
-November 10th, Trinity Travelers are tripping off to Columbia, CA. Meet at the church at 9am to join them for a fun day.
-November 19th, a group from Trinity is going to a free Festival of Carols concert at Ione United Methodist Church. Donations benefit the Interfaith Food Bank. Meet at Trinity at 2pm to carpool. Dinner at Clark's after the concert.
- We are asking all people at Trinity to make a commitment of time, talent, and treasure by filling out a pledge card and passing them in before November 20th.  On that day, we will have a special service of Thanksgiving and offer them to God as a sign of our stewardship to the mission of God's Church.
-On Nov. 30th at 6pm there will be a pre-budget meeting in the Undercroft at Trinity. All parishioners are invited to attend.
-Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby have said that they are "undeterred" by the "serious obstacles" to full unity between Anglicans and Roman Catholics. In a Common Declaration, issued in Rome Oct. 5, the two say that the differences "cannot prevent us from recognizing one another as brothers and sisters in Christ by reason of our common baptism. Nor should they ever hold us back from discovering and rejoicing in the deep Christian faith and holiness we find within each other's traditions."
Project Thanks
We have a tradition at Trinity of participating in Project Thanks, which provides Thanksgiving boxes to needy families in Amador County. This is a fun and rewarding activity for everyone. Trinity is committed to provide 40 families with a Thanksgiving box this year.  We do this by collecting canned goods, turkeys and money to purchase needed items and then distributing them on Sunday, November 20th.
This year the Food Bank received 869 applications for Project Thanks. In order to participate in this program the client must have used the services of the food bank at least six times since 1/1/16. There were 200 applicants that were denied. Of the 669 applicants, 409 were adopted by either a church or organization. Thirty-three more will be covered through cash donations; however, there are still 177 applicants that have not been sponsored. The Food Bank makes every effort to secure funds, donations and turkeys to provide everyone with a Thanksgiving dinner. Any extra donations will be distributed on Wednesday, November 23rd.
We will start collecting items on Sunday, October 30th , and end on Sunday, November 13th. Of course we need 40 turkeys, but other items needed are stuffing mix, canned yams/sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, green peas, black olives, cranberry sauce, and chicken stock. Trinity also purchases rolls, pumpkin pies, potatoes, carrots, celery, lettuce, oranges, apples, milk, eggs and butter. When we are finished, each family receives a complete Thanksgiving meal. All leftover donations are returned to the food bank for distribution as well as any money to help purchase needed items.
Volunteers are needed on Friday and Saturday to shop and organize the canned goods and produce. On Friday, November 18th we will do the shopping for the nonperishables to supplement donated items. We will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Jane's Hall and organize the canned goods and then go shopping. We organize by teams and stores and purchase items on sale first. This process takes about four hours.  On Saturday, November 19th, there will be a produce packaging day. We will meet at 10:00 am in Jane's Hall and repackage the bulk items in plastic bags for distribution and it usually takes less than two hours depending on help. On Sunday, November 20th, we all bring our turkeys to church and leave them in the parish hall. 
Come join the fun on November 20th at 9:30 am and help fill the boxes with canned goods and produce.
The magic continues after coffee hour with Thanksgiving boxes being distributed from 1 to 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed in the kitchen to fill orders for milk, butter, eggs and pie. Folks are also needed to help participants pick up their Thanksgiving boxes and carry them to their cars.
A sign-up sheet will be available on Sundays. Contact Steph Sherman or Noreen Lafferty to volunteer.
Thank you for your generosity and support of this project.
Steph Sherman and Noreen Lafferty, Co-chairs
Festival of Carols
You are invited to the 17th annual Festival of Carols to benefit the Interfaith Food Bank of Amador County. A series of free concerts will be held at the Ione United Methodist Church at 150 W. Marlette St. in Ione. The series is as follows: 
 Nov. 18, 6pm: African Style- A cappella
     Nov. 19, 3pm: Festival Orchestra & Choir
     Nov. 19, 6pm: Festival Orchestra & Choir
     Nov. 20, 3pm: Sacramento Baroque Soloist
For more information go to www.icchoirs.org 
Food Bank Donations

The Food Bank's cart, in the sanctuary, yielded 88 lbs. of food in October. Total giving in 2016: 1,570 lbs. of food.

 

Trinity Singers Rehearsals
All are invited to join the Trinity Singers/Worship Team! Rehearsals are the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 7PM. Bring your voices, your instruments, and a heart for worship and praise! For more information, please contact Carol Harper at 916-604-1872 or email carol@worshipattrinity.com . Web site: WorshipAtTrinity.com.
November Birthdays

The following members of our church family are celebrating birthdays in November!

     

 4th- Deb Walker

6th- Roberta Ross

14th- Sandi Pietronave

18th- Bob Miller

24th- Steve Martin

  24th- Jean Suggs

  27th- Meredith Miller

 

If you are celebrating a birthday in November, but you don't see your name listed here, please contact our Parish Administrative Asst.

Would You Like to Contribute to the Newsletter?
If you have an article of interest to the congregation that you would like included in the newsletter, please email it to the office, office@trinitysuttercreek.org by the 20th of the month. It will be included in the next month's newsletter.