Check Out Pastor Valeria's Weekly Blog:
LINK
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Lent 2018
Members and Friends of Trinity Church,
In two weeks we will begin the season of Lent: Ash Wednesday is February 14 - and Valentine's Day! Chocolate or no chocolate?
I see a deep connection between celebrating a day of love and a day of observance of our own shortcomings and mortality. It is God's love that carries us through those times when we put ourselves down, when we feel broken, and when we face the fact that our lives are fragile and fleeting. It is God's love that reminds us that we are flawed, and yet we are loved and accepted for who we are. It is God's love that helps us to grow into the person God wants us to be, and it is God's love we experience through loving and supportive relationships.
I think Ash Valentine Wednesday is a great combination. It kicks off the 40 days before Easter, the season we call Lent.
During Lent, we as a Christian community are reminded of the suffering Jesus experienced as a human being: Being deserted by his closest friends, being interrogated and intimidated by religious and worldly authorities, feeling like God had forsaken him, being afraid, being alone, suffering great physical pain, being humiliated in public and finally, dying a miserable death.
This is what made Jesus relatable to us. Not the fact that he is the son of God, that he turned water into wine, fed thousands of people on a few loaves and fishes and
cured
all kinds of illnesses! That's what makes Jesus different from us. But the fact that he suffered, cried, prayed, pleaded with God and died - that's where he is one of us. And that's why this season is so meaningful. (That plus the fact that there wouldn't be any Easter, any resurrection to celebrate if it wasn't for Jesus' suffering and death. But we'll get to that on April Fools' Day!)
It is up to us as individuals and families how we observe the season of Lent. Some of us fast or give something up. (And if you need to hear this: You have your pastor's permission to begin fasting the day after Ash Valentine Wednesday. Enjoy those chocolates!) Others read a devotional or try to set more time aside to pray. Some donate to organizations that fight hunger, or make a deliberate effort to add something into their daily routine: being more kind or more patient, for example. Lent is a time to reboot your spiritual life. 40 days to make a little more time for Jesus.
I invite you to join us for our Ash Valentine Wednesday service on February 14 at 7:30. We will create a quiet, meditative atmosphere to open our minds for the deep connection we have with Jesus. Bring your Valentine!
Even better: Let God be your Valentine.
Dinner will be served at Community Meals at 6 pm. Not exactly candlelight, but a diverse group of people; the people of God here in Northborough.
I also invite you to make an effort to worship with us more regularly on Sunday mornings. Re-connect with Jesus and with others who want to do the same. Join us for our Bible study starting Sunday, February 18 at 11:30. See more information in this issue of the Tidings. What better time to delve into the word of God and grow closer together as a community of faith through conversations, than the season of Lent?
Finally, I encourage you to observe Lent together in your home. See this website for easy suggestions, great for kids and adults:
May God grant us spiritual renewal and a deeper faith!
Pastor Valeria.
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WORSHIP SERVICES ~ SUNDAYS, 10AM
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Sunday February 4th: "The Power of Jesus." Communion Sunday, Scout Sunday and Installation of new Deacons.
Sunday February 11th: "Jesus Is Changed"
Wednesday, February 14th: Ash Valentine Wednesday, 7:30 pm. A meditative worship experience to begin the season of Lent.
Sunday February 18th: "Hungry for Love." First Sunday in Lent
Sunday February 25th: Deacons Sunday with our worship band. Second Sunday in Lent
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What does worship mean to you?
Round table discussion
Sunday, February 4th (during Coffee Hour)
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The Worship Team and Pastor Valeria invite you to a conversation about what worship means to you and to us here at Trinity Church, and how together we can make it more meaningful.
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What Is the Bible?
Sundays During Lent 11:30am (First of six weeks is February 18th)
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How well do you know the Bible?
The first course of Exploring the Bible: The Dickinson Series gives a broad overview of the entire Bible, including chapters on how to select a Bible suitable for your needs, how the Bible is organized, how the collection of books that comprise the Bible were chosen, different ways that people approach the text, and what archaeology has to tell us about the text and its stories.
This six-week course will be offered as a Lenten study on Sundays at 11:30, starting February 18. Please register through the church office by Friday, February 9, so study guides can be ordered ($11.00 per person). Emily Donovan by email, [email protected] or by phone (508) 393-8156.
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A big
THANK YOU
to Cheryl and other helping hands who have been setting up, providing snacks, and cleaning up after coffee hour!
This month, a few groups and individuals have signed up to provide snacks for coffee hour. February 4, 11 and 18 are covered. If you, your team, your family or a group of friends would like to offer the gift of hospitality to each other at Trinity, please contact Pastor Valeria.
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Ash Valentine Wednesday
February 14th at 7:30pm
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Begin the season of Lent as a faith community in prayer, song, and receiving the ashes on Wednesday, February 14, at 7:30 pm.
This ancient ritual is a cleansing and grounding experience to remind us of God's unconditional and healing love.
Let God be your Valentine!
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THANK YOU - From Mission Trip
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December 26th to December 31st, David and John Posluszny from the Trinity Outreach Team along with two others, Pat and Gina, from an ABC Church on Cape Cod had a very productive trip to Clendenin, West Virgina. The Clendenin community continues to recover from the floods of June 2016 and the teams were able to help to restore two flood damaged homes.
The Outreach team was hosted by the Clendenin First Baptist Church. Outreach volunteers stayed in the FBC Social Hall that they helped to restore on a mission trip last year.
Thank you to the Trinity Church community who helped support the food drive to stock shelves in the Clendenin food pantry which had been depleted. $650 of cash donations plus several bags and boxes of much needed food items were collected from Trinity Church.
To see more photos of this trip along with a video, courtesy of David Posluszny please click the link below.
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Worcester Fellowship
Sunday, March 18th 9am
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See you in MARCH!
We need volunteers! Worcester Fellowship will be making lunches to donate on March 18th before worship at 9am.
Donations of food or small monetary amounts towards lunch supplies are welcome.
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Hope for Housing ~ THANK YOU
Ongoing
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A big “Thank You!” to June and Buzz Hamilton for their many years of dedicated service to the Hope for Housing Gift Card Program at Trinity. Nancy Robbins will be the new contact person for this valuable program that provides funds which enable families to stay in their homes during difficult times. Retailers donate a portion (2-10%) of sales of their gift cards to the program. Individuals purchasing the gift cards receive full value of the cards when they shop. If you don’t already purchase gift cards through this program, please consider doing so. Cards are currently available for CVS, Dunkin Donuts, Hannaford, Panera, Shaw’s and Stop & Shop. Please contact Nancy Robbins
[email protected]
for more information, or if you would like to volunteer to sell cards occasionally during coffee hour.
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FROM OUR CHRISTIAN ED DIRECTOR
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Faith Foundations
The New Year has been off to a great start! It has been wonderful to see all the kids on Sundays! I would also like to extend a BIG thank you to the generous donor who has made it possible to run a Youth Group once a month. The teens were able to participate in their first one this past Sunday with a pizza and game night!
As promised the youth portion of the Trinity website (
CLICK HERE
) has gone through a transformation and now has a lot more content which includes curriculum for the month, youth group information, service opportunities, special video clips and articles and any paperwork for programming that can be easily printed now from the site. Still to come will be tours and a view into portions of our youth programming videos as well as faith based games the kids can play. Thank you to Emily for all her hard work getting my ideas on the screen.
There is also now an instagram page titled Trinitychurchyouth which will be used to showcase fun things the kids do and fun challenges for the teens through Faith Formation and Youth Group.
PLEASE HELP!
It is time to fill the volunteer calendar for the New Year. We could really use your help and I promise to make it as easy and fun as possible :-)
We need acolytes! Is your child in grade 4 or above? We would love for them to be involved! All that is required is to please be sure to be at Trinity by 9:50 on the Sunday you are volunteering. Use this link to pick a week(s).
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a084dafa92ca31-acolytes
Youth Group Spring 2018
Schedule:
2/25 7-9
3/25 7-9
4/29 7-9
6/10 7-9 OUTING*
*The outing is earned by attending 2 out of the 3 Youth Group meetings and one community service project through Trinity. Community Service can come through Worcester Fellowship lunches, Community Meals, Coleman House, being an Acolyte at Trinity or through a program our Youth group designs.
Worcester fellowship lunch help dates:
March 18th
April 15th
Community Meals help date:
Feb 21st
Acolyte Service:
2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/22, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27
Coleman House
Dates TBD
Don’t forget we now have a great lending library for youth and teens upstairs!
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ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION TEAM
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Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to our recent survey. It is clear that there is an interest in opportunities for discussions in order to learn, grow our faith, and connect with one another.
The survey indicated the greatest interest in the following topics:
·
Faith discussions
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Bible study
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Interfaith discussions
·
Current events
Based on these results, the Adult CE Team is planning four or five small-group discussions over the course of the next year. Some groups will meet for four to six weeks, providing an in-depth exploration of a topic, and others will be a one-time meeting.
For our kick-off adult-learning event, I would like to invite you to a series entitled, “What is the Bible”, a six-week overview of the Bible, including how it is organized, how the books were chosen, how it has been interpreted, and how archaeological findings influence what we know about the Bible. This course, designed by the Massachusetts Bible Society, promises to teach us things we didn’t know about the Bible in a fun and engaging way. We will meet after church for six weeks, starting Feb 18
th. Sign-up and reserve a study book ($11) through the church office. We hope you can join us!
Jean Leif
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COOKIES FOR COLLEGE KIDS!
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Attention, Parents of College Students
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During the week of February 11th, The Friendly Visits team will be mailing out boxes of cookies to our kids away at college.
If you want your student to receive some sweet greetings from their Trinity church family please send their name and full
college address
to:
[email protected]
by
February 1st
. We are asking any cookie bakers to bake a batch
(NO NUTS PLEASE)
and deliver them to the church kitchen by Saturday, February 10th or bring them to church on Sunday, February 11th – just mark them ‘COLLEGE KIDS’.
Our team will box them up on Sunday/Monday and mail them out to nourish and remind our college students that we are thinking of them. Your support will be much appreciated. THANK YOU!
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Thank you for all of the arts and crafts supplies and toys that were collected . A big thank you to all. We filled 3 boxes.
BARB Sutherland
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Altar Flowers Needed 2018
ALTAR FLOWER SIGNUP!
FEBRUARY flowers needed!!
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Trinity now has online sign-ups for altar flowers! We would appreciate your help signing up to take a Sunday. Please click on the link above or below and after you choose a date to bring altar flowers there is a comment section where you can add the blurb you would like written in the Sunday bulletin. Signup Genie will automatically send you an email reminder six days prior to the day you signed up to bring flowers.
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Safe Church Training
Sunday, February 4th 11:30am
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Anyone who currently works with or is interested in working with children, please attend our Safe Church training. See Sherry Clark or Jean Leif for more information.
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Messy Church - **NEW DAY ADDED**
Tuesday, February 6th 11am & Saturday, February 10th 3pm
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Messy Church has added a new day and time! Now being offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Tuesday, February 6th and Saturday, February 10th, you are invited to “Messy Church” – a church that is fun, creative, and messy!
We will sing songs, hear a story from the Bible, do a messy craft and have snacks.
All kids age 6 and under are welcome (their parents, grandparents, siblings and friends, too).
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See you in MARCH!
Please contact Janet Robbins for more information,
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Fellowship Breakfast (Topic: Assisted Suicide)
Saturday, February 17th 8am
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Saturday Breakfast Fellowship will be on Saturday, February 17
th at 8:00 AM.
This month, I want to talk about assisted suicide. It is a moral thing to do? Does it go against medical teaching and the Hippocratic Oath? Is it the right thing to do so people can die in peace? Please join us for a good discussion.
The links to opinion articles in the Boston Globe and letters in response to them are below.
I hope you will join us on the 17
th for fellowship and conversation.
As usual, we will start with breakfast and follow with fellowship and discussion.
For more information or to add yourself to the Saturday Breakfast Fellowship email list, please contact Tom Danforth at
[email protected]
Articles:
Letters:
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UNO's Dough Rai$er
Sunday, February 18th & Monday February 19th
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UNO’s Dough Rai$er – February 18th & 19th to benefit Trinity Church! UNO will donate up to 20% of your check! Dine-In or Takeout! UNO of Westborough (225 Turnpike Road). Pick up a coupon in the church office or print this one!
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Registration starts in February!
March 10th, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
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Join Trinity Church for our annual Chili Cook Off! Win bragging rights in three categories:
- Best Taste
- Under 13 years old
- Most Creative Display
Sign-ups will be held after worship during the month of February. For more information or to sign-up please contact Linda Corbett,
[email protected].
No entry fee and admission for tasters is free. Cast your vote for $1 each. Also enter to win a raffle!
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Mystery Dinner Theater - Calling all actors!
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Calling all actors, stage hands, wait staff, make-up artists, and ticket sales !!
We’re planning a Mystery Dinner Theater for this April. The date is TBD.
If you are interested in having a great time and to help to raise some $$ for Trinity, and can either act, help with the stage/props, make-up, wait tables, or ticket sales, please contact either Linda Corbett or Fran Hemstreet asap at:
[email protected] and
[email protected].
We hope to hear from you!
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Ongoing Events at Trinity
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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 is February 6th. 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
- Count Your Blessings Thrift Shop at Trinity Church is open every Tuesday 10am - 3pm and Saturday 10am - 1pm. Gently used clothing and shoes for all genders and sizes! Infant to plus sizes available. Donations of clothing and shoes are welcome, please drop off any donations during thrift shop hours or church office hours (see below).
Give us a review on Google!
Coleman House Service
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Let's bring church to those who can no longer come to us! Help with singing and serving Communion is always needed and appreciated. Tuesday, February 27th from 2:30 - 3:30 pm.
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Festive Breads w/Pastor Valeria
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No Festive Breads February 21st.
Pastor Valeria is at Festive Breads every Wednesday from 8:30 - 10am and looks forward to your visit! Festive Breads is located at
299 W Main St
in Northborough, near Romaine's.
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Did you know your shopping can earn Trinity money?
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Trinity Church is set up as a charity on iGive! Please consider downloading the app or shopping through the iGive site and a percentage of your purchase will be sent to Trinity Church! This does not cost you any extra money, the donation comes from the stores you already shop at.
Please consider shopping through iGive to help support Trinity.
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Trinity is on Amazon Smile!
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You shop. Amazon gives.
- Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice.
- AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
- Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com
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Help us get the word out about Trinity Church and its ministries!
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IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
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If you know of someone who is hospitalized, ill, suffering from the loss of a loved one, or troubled in some way and in need of a pastoral call, please call Pastor Valeria at the church office, 508-393-8156.
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Shir Joy Chorus Open Rehearsals - Sunday, February 4th 7pm - 9:15pm
Shir Joy Chorus begins its spring season with open rehearsals on Sun., January 28th and Feb. 4th from 7:00-9:15 pm. The Chorus is seeking new singers, especially basses, although all parts are welcome. Regular rehearsals are on Sunday evenings and are held at Congregation B'nai Shalom in Westborough, which generously donates rehearsal space to us. For more information, visit our website
www.shirjoychorus.com
, facebook page or instagram; email us at
[email protected]
; call
508-366-7175
; or come to an open rehearsal.
Our open rehearsals will include a meet and greet, section placement, and registration. You can observe the rehearsal or join right in with the singing. Our director, Nan Gibbons, as well as members of the Board will be available to chat and answer questions.
The Northborough Library Memory Cafe - Wednesday, February 7th 2pm
The Apple Café is a welcome place for individuals with memory challenges and their caregivers, family and/or friends to get together to share conversation, activities, entertainment and refreshments in a supportive and social environment. There is NO COST and all are welcome!
Pancake Breakfast and Used Book & Game Sale - Saturday, February 10th
8am - Noon (pancakes 8:30am-10:30am)
Food, community, and a huge selection of books and games. $5 per person for breakfast. Most books and games for just $2! All proceeds will help support the Peaslee 5th Grade trip to Nature's Classroom.
Cyber Security and Password Management - Saturday, February 10th 10am-11:30am
Join us for this interactive, knowledge sharing workshop on cyber security and password management led by library volunteer an consumer technology specialist Abhijeet Nikte.
Topics for discussion include:
· What you can do to help keep your identity and information secure online
· How to avoid common pitfalls in managing your online accounts
· Best practices for creating and managing passwords for all your online accounts
· Tools, tips and tricks to stay safe and secure online
Bring your questions, concerns and experiences!
Please register only one family member for this workshop. If you or one other family member or guest would like to share a public computer, or bring in a laptop, tablet or mobile device to use during the workshop you are welcome to do so!
All You Need Is Love - A Very Special Community Showcase
Sunday, February18th 5:30pm - 6:30pm
MORE INFO
Community Showcases are a wonderful opportunity for musicians amateur and professional alike to come and enjoy sharing music together (with no prior connection to KAM required). Like open mic but without the mic part. Just want to come and listen? . . . that's great too!
Remember: Community Showcases are for anyone who performs or just loves music. You don't have to be a KAM student . . . you could be a relative, neighbor, classmate, colleague, etc. So tell other musical people you know.
Photoshop FUN: Review of Basics & More - Tuesdays for six weeks, 2/20-4/3
The Northborough Free Library is offering a new 6-part series of classes on Photoshop FUN: Review of Basics & More on Tuesday evenings from 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm from February 20th - April 3rd, 2018. The classes will be held in the Library’s Conference Room located on the main floor. The classes are open to those aged 14 and older who are interested in learning how to use Photoshop Elements to edit their photographs. The classes will be taught by photographer Jeanine Vitale whose studio, Prism Point Photography, is located in Northborough. The following topics will be covered in the classes:
- Review of basics: Cropping, burning, dodging
- Clone tools, selection tools, edit/transform
- Basic layers
- New ideas: Blend modes, reflections and shadows, handling type, paths and shape layers, actions
Note: Photoshop Elements 2018 MUST BE PURCHASED prior to the first class. The cost is $27/license. Older versions are also acceptable.
FED UP: Film and Discussion - Wednesay, February 21st 10am
Join Registered Dietician Judy Palken for a screening of the film FED UP, followed by a discussion.
According to the producers of the film, everything we’ve been told about food and exercise for the past 30 years is dead wrong. FED UP is the film the food industry doesn’t want you to see. From Katie Couric, Laurie David (Oscar winning producer of AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH) and director Stephanie Soechtig, FED UP will change the way you eat forever.
Facilitator: Judy Palken, MNS, RD, LDN Judy Palken is a registered dietician from Northborough with over 30 years of experience in nutrition. Judy works in nutrition and health research at University of Massachusetts Medical School, and teaches nutrition classes in the community.
No registration is required. Please join us for this film and discussion!
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Deadline Date ~ March
Tidings
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Please be sure to have all your info for the March issue of
Tidings in to the church office by Sunday, February 25, 2017. Your help is appreciated!
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TRINITY CHURCH
23 Main Street ~ Northborough, MA 01532
(508) 393-8156
Office Hours:
Monday 9am - Noon & 1pm - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 1pm
Wedesnday 9am - 10:30am & 11:30am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - Noon & 1pm - 3pm
Friday 9am - 3pm
Rev. Valeria Schmidt, Sr. Pastor
Trinity Church is an Open & Affirming / Welcoming & Affirming Congregation
Trinity Church's mission is to fill its people with the love of God
and share God's love in all the world.
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