Volume 73 - No. 4 | April 2021 |
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Worship on Sunday, March 28 @ 10am:
Palm Sunday based on Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 and Luke 19:28-44 with Communion
Palm leaves may be picked up at Trinity on Saturday, March 27, from 10:00 - 5:00.
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A step-by-step tutorial on how to access Facebook Live, click HERE
Have your Bible, a candle and lighter ready and create a worshipful space. Maybe with a cross, a nice tablecloth, or other devotional items that are meaningful to you.
Please have a piece of bread (or crackers, chips or cookie) and cup of juice (or water, tea or coffee) ready for Communion.
Replay on Verizon channel 31 and Charter channel 191
Sundays (previous week's) at 6pm and Thursdays at 8:30am.
Emily is here to help you. If you need technical assistance please email her at [email protected] or call her (508) 614-8989 during virtual office hours and she will walk you through each step.
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MESSAGE FROM PASTOR VALERIA |
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Dear Trinity Church,
This is my last message to you before I go on sabbatical. I am grateful to the Deacons, to our lay preachers and their teacher, Rev. David Fountain, to the Worship Team, and to all of you for making this possible. I look forward to some time away - literally and figuratively. I will use it as a time to learn, to read, to grow my own spiritual practices, and to reflect on my ministry with you thus far. I will also think and pray about where God is leading us next, after COVID!
You will be hearing me say this a lot upon my return: Nothing will go back to "normal." We cannot expect life, and us, and the church to be the same as they were before the pandemic started. It has impacted and changed all of us deeply, in ways that we will only discover over time. So as we all look forward to returning to the sanctuary for worship some time later this year, please prepare yourselves for a new normal. We will need to do some things differently for everyone's health and safety, and we will want to do some things differently because this is an opportunity for us to reach people we did not reach before. It is an opportunity for us to look at what we've always done this way and ask why we've done it, and whether it still serves its purpose.
The questions guiding the Worship Team and Deacons will be: What is our message? What experience do we want to create for the worshipping congregation? And who is our "target audience?" Who is God calling us to reach that we may not have been reaching yet?
In last month's workshop, Rev. Michael Piazza said we need to design worship for those who are not yet there, but who need to be there. And the current members are asked to think less about what they personally like or dislike, and more about how worship can be meaningful to those we are trying to reach.
You have all been so flexible and adaptable as we've had to move worship online and in the parking lot. Let's keep that flexibility and adaptability as we move worship back into the sanctuary.
So, lots for all of us to think and pray about. Returning to the sanctuary will be challenging in many ways - but if we do it intentionally and faithfully, it will be a chance for rebirth, for new energy and fresh inspiration. And, of course, it will be a joyful reunion with those we have missed seeing!
I'm very excited for what God wants to do through us. I will be praying for God's guidance and for our willingness to be open for it.
I will also be praying for all of you while I am away. I know you are in good hands. You have each other, you have Rev. Lee Atherton, and you have the Spirit of God leading you.
But before I say "Auf Wiedersehen" (until we see each other again), I look forward to celebrating Easter Sunday with you in the parking lot!
Warmly,
Pastor Valeria
Please note I will not be checking my email during my sabbatical. For Pastoral Care, please contact Rev. Lee Atherton. For questions or concerns about Trinity Church please contact our Chair of the Deacons, Jean Leif, or the members of our Pastor-Parish Relations Committee.
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WORSHIP SERVICES ~ SUNDAYS, 10AM |
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Sunday, April 4: Easter Sunday in the parking lot! See more information below.
Sunday, April 11: Pastor Valeria and Mike Westberry will be leading worship from the sanctuary, with a Baptism and handbell music
Sunday, April 18: Earth Day celebration led by our Youth Group, with Brent Allen preaching
Sunday, April 25: Lay-preacher Dave Chin
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Coffee Hour before worship
on Zoom @ 9:30am
Meeting ID: 861 4930 6259
Password: 201552
Meeting Link:
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"Our mess becomes a message when God restores our mess of a life into a masterpiece." Eddie Hammett |
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SPIRITUAL PRACTICES FOR LENT |
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Pastor Valeria will be away on sabbatical from April 12 – July 18. We wish her all the best on her sabbatical. During her time away, we will be treated to ten lay-sermons from Trinity's own! These are not-to-be-missed worship services, so stay tuned!
Also, we are pleased to have Rev. Lee Atherton as our on-call pastor. Rev. Atherton will be leading virtual worship on three Sundays over the next few months, and will be available to members of our congregation for pastoral counseling, guidance, and support.
Rev. Lee Atherton is an ordained pastor, a fire chaplain, and an end-of-life, grief support, and resilience coach with over 15 years experience. Lee writes, “My passions are to help people live their dying by discovering the beauty in the process and the gifts to be found; and to journey with people through the whitewaters of grief, navigating the chaos until they reach the tranquil pool of stillness.” Recognizing the demands of anyone in the helping or caring professions, Lee offers programs in resiliency for chaplains, clinicians, clergy, first responders, and others who serve others as life comes to a close.
Lee has been attending some of our small group and team meetings so that we can all meet her. We welcome her, and look forward to working with her in Pastor Valeria’s absence. You may contact her by phone (508) 308-7116 or by email [email protected]
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What’s In A Name?
“Then God said to him, ‘This is my covenant with you: You’ll be the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham.’”
Greetings to all of you!
As I write to you on this beautiful March day, I am looking out at my garden full of crocus and ready-to-burst daffodils. I won’t think about the little hill of snow that the sun’s rays don’t hit. Spring is here! Easter is coming! New life is all around us!
“What’s that got to do with names?” you ask. There are many times in scripture when one’s name changes. When God gave a new name, it was usually to establish a new identity. Abram became Abraham. Sarai became Sarah. Simon became Peter. And Saul became Paul.
By way of introduction, I thought sharing my new name might pique your interest. I also have names on my mind for another reason, but more on that another day. ☺ My birth name was Nancy Eleanor Martel. It wasn’t a name I really loved and always used to say I was going to change it when I got to be an adult! Little did I know it would happen when I least expected it.
I hadn’t thought about it in ages! Yet one perfect summer day while I was in seminary words came to me. Not words I heard or saw, but words that couldn’t have been more clear if they were shouted right next to me. “Your name is Lee Mary Atherton.” It made me stop in my tracks! “Dang! What just happened?!”
I came to know that it could be no other than the voice of God recognizing the amazing ways my own life had been transformed as I answered God’s call. Each name is tremendously powerful by themselves.
I am founder of CoachRev @the CrossRoads where I and my crisis response dog Shadow serve
People who are dying or grieving; and chaplains, clergy, hospice workers, funeral directors and all who care for them at this time of transition. We’re also part of a crisis response team for first responders. I’m a life-long resident of Marlborough, live with my partner Rick, and my service dog Shadow. I have three grown children; oh! – and a brand new grandbaby as of this morning [the other reason I had names on my mind]! My hobbies include my marine aquarium, puzzles, and my gardens.
Wishing you all peace on the journey!
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Trinity Church of Northborough invites the community to participate in a COVID-19 interpretation of the Stations of the Cross, to reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus in light of our current situation, offering healing and hope to all who live and work here. Participants are invited to stop at various locations including town hall, nursing homes and the police headquarters for a brief Bible reading and prayer. This can be done at any time, following a guide that can be accessed here: CLICK HERE
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Easter Sunday - Worship in the Parking Lot
Sunday, April 4 @ 10am
Bring your own chairs or remain in your cars. Please wear a mask and observe social distancing guidelines. The service will also be live streamed to Facebook.
We will offer an interactive Easter egg hunt for our kids. If you'd like to participate please bring a basket of individually wrapped candy (no nuts, please) or small toys. Decorate your cars!
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PASTOR PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE |
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The Pastor Parish Relations Committee, or PPRC, consists of three people whose purpose is to “support and sustain an open and healthy relationship between the pastor and the members of the congregation…and to ensure open and honest communication amongst all parties.” The key word in this statement of purpose is “communication” which has a Latin root “COMMUNIS” meaning “shared by many or all.” Sharing by open COMMUNIcation is essential for a healthy COMMUNIty in COMMUNIon with God and the teachings of Christ.
If you would by willing to share constructive COMMents about the church leadership, please COMMUNIcate with one of COMMittee members.
PPRC Members:
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FROM OUR CHRISTIAN ED DIRECTOR |
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During the month of March we continued our studies of poverty and the bible. We will be focused on this for the next couple of months as we examine the many different aspects that play into poverty in this country. Part of that will be to examine the way social injustice and race come into play. In order to be part of the solution we will be fundraising for uniforms for an elementary school in Worcester. The school community has been particularly hard hit by the economy and covid and Worcester currently has over 1300 homeless students. Please be on the look out for more information about how you can help.
I am SO happy to announce that starting on April 11th we will again begin having Faith Foundations in the Trinity parking lot. As long as weather is above 50 and it is not raining please plan on bringing a chair and meeting us for class at 11:20. On days that it is raining or under 50 degrees we will continue to use the Zoom links below.
I will also be fully vaccinated at this point.
On April 4th we will not have Faith Foundations because there will be a parking lot service for Easter, with an Easter egg hunt.
On April 18th the kids will be doing an Earth Day service which will be via zoom. I will be reaching out to families looking for youth volunteers for various parts of the service. Brent will be providing the lay sermon that day.
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We are in need of teachers and assistant teachers. Sherry preps all the material and sends it to teachers to preview before Sunday. If you can help please email her at [email protected]. It is a wonderful way to spend some time with our youth and cultivate intergenerational relationships.
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Youth Group
Our teens have been meeting up on Friday night zooms for some virtual game playing. We will continue to meet on Friday nights at 7 but we will also have an in person Youth Group outing to Tower Hill on 4/23.
Our teen room was gifted with a very exciting donation this month. Emily’s family gifted a beautiful play table that converts to air hockey, pool and ping pong. We are so thankful for this amazing gift as well as the help of Sherry’s husband, son and son’s friend for their very generous help in getting it moved into the third floor.
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Zoom Links
The Zoom will begin at 11:15
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 872 7270 9342
Passcode: 780687
Youth Group Dates
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 893 1102 0507
Passcode: 572551
There will be a variety of games to play together as well as planning for our fundraiser for Worcester public school uniforms.
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Zoom Bible Study
Mondays @ 1pm
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Want to connect with other Trinity people while we are self-isolating? Join us for an informal Bible study on Mondays at 1pm via Zoom. Each week we will select a chapter or passage of the Bible, and discuss what it means to us.
Jean Leif will be facilitating. Email her at [email protected] (include your name) for log-on information.
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If you or someone you know recently lost a loved one and is looking for a safe space to share your experiences with others, you are welcome to join our grief support group. The group now meets weekly on Zoom, every Thursday at 7 pm.
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Coffee or Tea on Zoom
Wednesdays @ 9am
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Chat on Zoom, Wednesdays at 9am.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 954 033 518
Password: 569713
Dial by your location
+1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 954 033 518
Emily is here to help you. If you need technical assistance please email her at [email protected] or call her (508) 614-8989 during virtual office hours.
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Saturday Breakfast Fellowship
The first and third Saturday @ 9am (Saturday, April 3rd & 17th)
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In April, we’ll have two Breakfast Fellowships, one on the 3rd and one on the 17th.
The Fellowship on April 3rd will just be a fellowship gathering. This is an opportunity for us to stay connected on Zoom.
At this point, I don’t have a topic for our meeting on the 17th fully defined. Please stay tuned and I will have an update in one of the weekly emails.
I hope to see you on both the 3rd and the 17th.
For more information or to add yourself to the Saturday Breakfast Fellowship email list, please contact Tom Danforth at [email protected]
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Worcester Fellowship Needs You!
Donations needed by Saturday, April 17th
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Hello! My name is Savannah from our Trinity Church Outreach team. I have written this article to inform you about this wonderful opportunity that some of you may want to participate in. “Worcester Fellowship imagines a church where people with housing and people without housing gather together to share worship, to build community, to know God’s infinite love and find ‘home’ as part of the Body of Christ, the Church.” Worcester fellowship is a way to give back to the community. One of the ways that we support Worcester Fellowship is by providing lunches which are handed out at Sunday outdoor worship services. These lunches then are given to people in need in Worcester. Our next upcoming dates for providing lunches are April 18th and June 20th, we welcome everyone’s support. The lunches include sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, juice boxes, water bottles and pudding. If you would like to participate with financial gifts, to help make lunches, and/or deliver lunches and attend the worship please contact me ([email protected]) (or John ([email protected]). Thank you!
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These are challenging times for many. If you are not financially impacted by the current situation we ask you to prayerfully consider increasing your support to Trinity Church, to make up for those who cannot meet their pledge, so we may continue to do God's work through Trinity Church. Thank you for your faithful, generous giving!
Please make your checks payable and mail them to Trinity Church:
23 Main St
Northborough, MA 01532
You can also use “bill pay” and have your bank mail a check to us on a regular schedule set up by you, at no cost.
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Did you know your shopping can earn Trinity money?
Shop at your convenience all year!
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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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.
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Support Trinity Church by choosing it as your charitable organization at smile.amazon.com
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INTERFACE is a program of William James College designed to increase awareness of mental health issues impacting children, families, and adults and to facilitate access to appropriate outpatient services. Resource information and or provider referrals from trained resource and referral counselors can be obtained by calling the INTERFACE Helpline at 888-244-6843 Ext. 1411. The Helpline is available Mon. – Fri. from 9 am – 5 pm. The website has additional information and guides to assist with the process of seeking outpatient mental health services.
Family Youth Services can be reached at 508-393-5020 for information on this program and all other programs it offers.
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United Way of North Central MA (UWNCM) is partnering with FamilyWize to provide North Central community members access to affordable prescription medications. Through this program UWNCM hopes to help ensure greater health and financial stability to community members. The FamilyWize card is Is free – it’s like a coupon that you can use as often as you want. For more information please see the UWNCM website.
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Call2Talk is the Mental health helpline of Mass2-1-1, the statewide human service information and referral platform powered by your local United Way. Call2Talk answers calls through Mass2-1-1, its direct telephone line and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It also answers texts in partnership with Crisis Text Line.
Besides its primary function as a helpline, Call2Talk also provides the following:
- TeleCheck – A phone check-in service for elder adults operated in partnership with BayPath Elder Services and Advocates, Inc. Trained call-takers contact seniors weekly to provide support and friendly conversation following sudden life changes.
- MetroWest LOSSteam – The MetroWest LOSSteam works with area police departments to offer immediate on-site peer emotional support to suicide loss survivors. (in Ashland, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Sherborn, and Sudbury)
- Community Education – Call2Talk offers best practice awareness trainings for community members and agencies including: Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training, Mental Health First Aid, safeTalk and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).
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Mental Health:
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
NAMI Metrowest (Marlborough-Framingham):
Addiction/Substance Abuse Disorders:
The Mass Substance Use Helpline
Worcester Area Intergroup (Alcoholics Anonymous)
Domestic Violence:
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is offering assistance and safety planning 24/7
- 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
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TTY 1-800-787-3224 o If you’re unable to speak safely, you can chat online, or text LOVEIS to 22522
MA SafeLink MA Statewide Toll-Free Domestic Violence Hotline 1-877-785-2020
Food Assistance:
Northborough Food Pantry
Wednesdays 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Thursdays 6:30 - 8 p.m.
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GSA Link
The Link that Connects
The GSA Link is a project connecting local GSA high school and middle students to collaborate, share ideas, and socialize in a SAFE space. LGBT and allied high school students are welcome.
For more information please contact:
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Watch Sunday's worship using the link below. You do not need to have a Facebook account to view this video!
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Subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch a
selection of Pastor Valeria's sermons and our worship music.
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Community Meal Take-Out
We have resurrected Community Meals but in a to-go manner and we need your help.
We will be ordering $5 meals from local food establishments and distributing them to our community meals guests to-go, every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Trinity Church. Various organizations have committed to monetary donations for these entrees. But, you can't have a meal without servers, water and dessert. We are looking for volunteers to sign up to donate a case of water or 2 dozen individually wrapped desserts and/or stand in the parking lot and deliver the meals to guests in their parked cars. All guidelines of social distancing will be observed.
If you are interested in helping, please see the available opportunities and sign up here:
To donate towards the purchase of meals, please make your checks out to "Helping Hands Association" with "Community Meal" on the memo line, and mail them to Northborough Helping Hands, P.O. Box 383, Northborough, 01532.
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NATICK COMMUNITY-SENIOR CENTER’S ONLINE PROGRAMS
Mindfulness Meditation with Sharon Meets every Thursday, 1-1:40 pm, free. This meditation is audio only and participants are muted during the meditation portion. Everyone is welcome to join for some guided, some quiet and some reflection with Q & A and sharing. Email [email protected] to receive the Zoom link (different each week.)
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Are you interested in being added to the online church directory?
Please use the instructions HERE to add yourself and your family to the Trinity Church online database.
If you need any assistance connecting to the online directory please contact the church office:
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IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS |
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~ Everyone who is currently in cancer treatment.
~ Everyone affected physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially by COVID-19.
~ Nursing home residents, their families, and staff.
~ All first responders, health care workers, grocery workers and anyone who is working on the front lines.
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 Rev. Lee Atherton, (508) 308-7116.
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Please be sure to have all your info for the May Tidings in to the church office by Sunday, April 25. Your help is appreciated! |
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TRINITY CHURCH
23 Main Street
Northborough, MA 01532
(508) 393-8156
Virtual Office Hours:
Emily is working from home. Please email her or leave a message on the office voicemail. This will be checked daily.
Monday: 9am - Noon & 1pm - 2:30pm
Tuesday: 9am - Noon & 1pm - 2:30pm
Wednesday: 9am - 10:30am & 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Thursday: 9am - Noon & 1pm - 2:30pm
Friday: 9am - Noon & 1pm - 2:30pm
Rev. Valeria Schmidt, Sr. Minister
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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