It's been a busy summer here at Trinity and it went by quickly! I hope you had some time away, some time to relax, enjoy and be refreshed. 

We're excited to welcome you back with a variety of events and activities that will help us grow together in our faith and build stronger relationships. 

"Be Love." These words jumped out at me as a suggested theme for worship. 

This summarizes who God is calling us to be: God is love, and God calls us to love. But as human beings our love is not always pure and unconditional. "Be love" means, be the love that God is. You don't have to be perfect in YOUR love. Be the love that God created you with. Be the love that God fills you with. Be the love this world so desperately needs . 

If that sounds trite and naive to you, think about how difficult it is to really live that way. And how transformative. To BE LOVE. 

Trinity Church is a place where we grapple with that: How can we "be love" to everyone, when we are all so different, and we don't always want or need what others want and need? How can we all still call this "our" church, even if it's not the same that it was three, ten, or fifty years ago?

Here's how: with the help of God. There is no other way. If we trust God's Spirit and follow where God is leading us, we will BE LOVE. To those who walk through our doors regularly, and those who don't.

I'm excited for what the Worship Team, CE Team, Adult CE Team, ONA Team, Outreach Team and Task Force have planned for the fall. I'm excited that the Pastoral Care Team and others are working on us being more hospitable and welcoming to visitors on Sunday morning. I'm excited and incredibly grateful for all of you who care enough about Trinity to invest your time and talents here. 

I know some of you are worried. Some feel disconnected or dissatisfied. 

And some have just joined us recently. We welcome you!

May these words from the Apostle Paul encourage and inspire us: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28.) Today, we might say: "There is no longer gay or straight, there is no longer traditional or modern, there is no longer old or young; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." All of us are one in him. 

I believe, 100%, if we continue to BE LOVE, God's love, to each other (and to ourselves), God will show us the way. 

Let's be compassionate. Let's be kind and patient, honest and respectful, open and willing to learn from each other. Let's forgive and not judge. Let us be constructive and positive in our criticism of others. And, let us trust God. 

Be love, be blessed. And be open for what God can do through us.

Faithfully yours,

Pastor Valeria.

Sunday September 9: W ith guest preacher Rev. Mary Day Miller, Executive Minister of The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts. She will present Pastor Valeria with her certificate of standing in the American Baptist Churches. We will also welcome our choir back.

Sunday September 16: Applefest! We will be worshiping God by spending time with the community, offering hospitality, live music and our Blessing Bags outreach project. 

 Our worship theme for the fall will be "Courageous Prophets of the Hebrew Bible." We will be looking at the roots of our faith and how they can be meaningful in our lives today.  

Sunday September 23: Welcome back to Faith Foundations! Worship Theme: "Our One and Only God," based on Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Sunday September 30: "Longing for the Fleshpots of Egypt," based on Numbers 11, with our worship band.

Except for the Sundays that our band will be playing, the choir and Pastor Valeria will be in the choir loft, wearing robes. 

“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless." - G.K. Chesterton

Faith Foundations

Happy Fall!!

I hope all your kiddos have had a good start to school and I look forward to seeing them again in a couple of weeks for Faith Foundations! We will kick off our year on September 23rd with our first class followed by some fun and games down in Fellowship Hall. During Applefest (Sunday, September 16th) there will also be plenty for the kids to do and we could also use some volunteers in our dunk booth (Gr 6 and up) as well as helping out in our Blessing Bags community service area. If your child (children) are interested please contact me.

Our nursery is getting a makeover as well as a new preschool curriculum, many new ideas for our K-12 curriculum will be implemented, there will be opportunities for our kids to participate more with our bells and chorus and our Youth Group will begin again in October. I also hope to host a career night for our youth this fall and will be asking any and all of our adults willing to share about the career they have now or a career they have since retired from to participate!

It is going to be an exciting year! As always part of our success comes from our volunteer teachers. If you are willing to help lead or assist with a group (K-5, 6-12 or nursery) please let me know! You do not have to be a teacher or have even ever taught kids. I prepare everything you need! Use this link to have your Faith Foundations form ready https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/c41580_3a1c3ee2269b4a2e9c63ad2a011dce4f.pdf

Be on the lookout for a letter that will include a calendar of your activities!

See you all soon!

Sherry

[email protected]

508-254-2217

A group spent several hours last Saturday sprucing up the front yard of the church. After weeding, edging, trimming, planting, and mulching it looks wonderful and welcoming. 

Thank you to all who donated perennials and labor. 

Check it out!

Your Friendly Visits Team (an arm of the Pastoral Care Ministry) is recruiting new members to join them in visiting and/or sending a note, a card or just making a phone call to our Trinity members who are now unable to attend regular services. The majority of these folks on our list are local, either in their home, or in assisted living communities and welcome hearing from us either by a phone call, note or personal visit. In addition, notes are also sent to people who are mentioned during ‘Celebrations & Concerns’ during Sunday services.  Those of us who are on this team will tell you what a rewarding experience you will find it to be. And, we are also seeking more folk to help with welcoming visitors on Sunday mornings.  We could really use your help. If you are interested please talk with any member of our team: Barbara Lewis, Jodie Martinson, Carolyn Squillante or Muriel Swenor.

The “Count Your Blessings” Thrift Shop will be celebrating a “Grand Re-Opening” on Saturday, September 15 ^th , from 10am to 3pm during Applefest. Come and check us out in our new location, across from the church office (formerly Room 106). We are now selling gently used handbags and jewelry, as well as adult and children’s clothing and footwear.

 

Thrift shop hours of operations are Tuesday, 10 – 3 and Saturdays, 10 – 1. (Applefest Saturday we will be open from 10 -3).

 

Donations of gently used clothing can be dropped off in the marked bin in the church hallway starting at the end of September.

 

We are also looking for more volunteers to “work” at the shop on Saturdays and/or Tuesdays.  Please contact Linda Corbett if you are interested: [email protected]  or 508-688-9392

Yard Sale - Vendors needed!

Sunday, September 16th 9am to 3pm

Yard Sale Vendor APPLICATION

Do you own stuff that you are ready to sell to a new loving home? Or maybe you are in the market to buy! Whether you are shopping or selling stop by the Trinity Yard Sale! This community yard sale will be part of the Applefest activities at Trinity Church. We have room for 15 yard sale vendors so hurry and get your applications in to reserve your spot. 

 

Application Fees: The fee is $30 per space. Checks should be made payable to Trinity Church – Applefest 2018 and mailed to Trinity Church along with signed agreement (see above). Yard Sale Vendor APPLICATION

Saturday Morning Hiking 9:30am - Our informal Trinity Church Hiking Club has started back up! We meet at the church most Saturdays at 9:30am and walk on one of the many Northborough trails. Everyone is welcome (dogs included). To receive weekly notifications via email please contact Wade Robbins at [email protected]. Please consider joining us for a time of nature appreciation and conversation.

Grief Support Group - Come support and share with others who experienced loss. A Grief Support group is held the first Tuesday of each month, 7:30pm in Room 105. Next meeting date October 2nd. All ages are welcome. If you have questions, please contact Carey Rublesky, 774-258-1814.

Community Meal - Join us each Wednesday, 6pm in the Fellowship Hall. The meals are free but donations toward the voucher fund are accepted. Each Wednesday at 6pm there is a new community group hosting the meal. Please join us!

Thrift Shop - Grand opening in our new location, Saturday, September 15th at 9am. Thrift shop hours of operations are Tuesday, 10 – 3 and Saturdays, 10 – 1. Donations of gently used clothing can be dropped off in the marked bin in the church hallway starting at the end of September. Give us a review on Google!

Coleman House Service - Tuesday, September 18th from 2:30 - 3:30pm.

Shir Joy Chorus - Seeks New Singers

Open Rehearsals: Mon., Oct 8th & Sun., Oct. 14th 7:00-9:15 pm

Congregation B'nai Shalom, 117 E. Main St., Westborough

More info: www.shirjoychorus.com , [email protected] , or 508-366-7175

Come join the Joy! Shir Joy Chorus, Central MA's Jewish Community Chorus, is seeking new singers for its winter concert in Feb. Open rehearsals will be held on Mon., October 8th and Sunday, October 14th from 7:00-9:15 pm, when potential members can observe or join right in. Regular rehearsals are Sunday evenings and are held at Congregation B'nai Shalom (117 E. Main St., Westborough, MA), which generously donates rehearsal space to the chorus. Members come from a variety of area towns, including Worcester, Westborough, Northborough, Marlborough, Auburn, and Medway, and carpooling can be arranged.