Volume 73 - No. 2 | February 2021 |
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Worship on Sunday, February 7 @ 10am:
“A Healer and a Prophet” based on Luke 7:11-17. With Communion and installation of new Deacons.
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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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This month we will celebrate love. Not just romantic love, but the love God has shown us in Jesus, the love we have for God, and the love we show others and ourselves. In Leviticus 19:18 God tells God's people, "you shall love your neighbor as yourself." And in Deuteronomy 6:5, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."
Jesus puts these two commandments side by side when he answers a question about which commandment is the greatest. “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
We love love. We love showing those we love that we love them. But loving all of our neighbors? As much as we love ourselves? Those are both hard: loving your neighbors, and loving yourself. (By the way, "neighbor" does not just mean the person who lives on your street. It means your fellow human beings, including those of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. To understand how Jesus interprets the term "neighbor," read the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37.) Some people have a hard time "loving" their neighbor, wishing them well, doing nice things for them. Others have a harder time truly loving themselves, treating themselves with as much kindness and compassion as they would treat a loved one.
Which is harder for you?
Either way, that love doesn't have to come from ourselves. We don't have to force ourselves to like someone we really dislike. We just can't get along with everyone. We can't stay in a relationship with everyone. But we can still love them with God's love, which means we view them as a beloved child of God. That softens our own, not so loving thoughts and feelings. The same is true about ourselves: when we are being hard on ourselves, when we feel guilty or think we are not good enough, we can view ourselves as God views us: as a person created in love, created in the image of God. A person who is good enough, and is worthy of love.
So there's some work for all of us to do!
And in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus takes the commandment to love your neighbor even further, by saying "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:43-44)
Love your enemies and pray for them.
That will be our theme for Lent this year: "Love your enemies and pray for them."
Who are your enemies? Are there individuals that you feel you have to fight with, that harm you? Or are there groups of people that you would consider enemies? Maybe it's an illness, or something within yourself that you are at war with. Maybe it's a political system or an ideological concept.
Who is your enemy? And what would it mean to love them and pray for them?
The first step, I think, would be acceptance. To accept difficult people, groups of people, or whatever we feel enmity towards. Accept them for who or what they are, and accept that they are part of your life. The next step might be to pray for God's love to soften the hard, difficult emotions you feel. To pray for patience with yourself, and your enemies.
The season of Lent lasts for six and a half weeks. That gives us a lot of time to pray, to reflect, and to tap into God's love. A love that overcame violence and death can certainly overcome the barriers we put up in our own hearts and minds.
So, I invite you to embark on this journey with us. Don't expect to be able to love and genuinely pray for your enemies today. Allow yourself some time. Be gentle with yourself. Don't force yourself. But open your hearts for God's love to work its magic in you.
I will be praying alongside you, and we will reflect on this in Sunday worship, as we try to grow in our faith as individuals, and as a community.
May the love of God heal and inspire us all.
Warmly,
Pastor Valeria
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WORSHIP SERVICES ~ SUNDAYS, 10AM |
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Sunday, February 7: “A Healer and a Prophet” based on Luke 7:11-17. With Communion and installation of new Deacons.
Sunday, February 14: "God, I Hide Nothing from You” based on Psalm 32 and John 8:1-11. Please have a piece of paper and pen or pencil ready.
Ash Wednesday, February 17: Worship on Facebook live at 5 p.m. Distribution of ashes at Community Meals at 5:30, for anyone else from 6:30 - 7. Please remain in your car and wear a mask.
Sunday, February 21: First Sunday in Lent. “Love Your Enemies and Pray for Them” based on Leviticus 19:17-18 and Matthew 5:43-48
Sunday, February 28: Second Sunday in Lent. “Love Your Neighbor” based on Deuteronomy 30:11-15, 19-20 and Luke 10:25-37
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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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“A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, and must empty ourselves. Give yourself fully to God. [God] will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in [God's] love than in your weakness.” Mother Teresa
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A MESSAGE FROM THE DEACONS |
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From the Chair of the Board of Deacon…
As of Jan 31st, Trinity will have a new Board of Deacons. I would like to introduce myself as the new chair. This is my third year on the Board, and really look forward to bringing Trinity into a post-COVID era.
The other members of the 2021 Board are Amy Kwasny, Kalpana Samuel, Brent Allen, Donna Miller, Barbara Sutherland, and John Fraize. Please feel free to contact any of us if you have questions or concerns. We invite you to join our Facebook worship service on Feb 7 to introduce our new Deacons, Barbara and John.
As we start the new year, please consider joining one of our ministry teams: Christian Education, Outreach, Worship, Open and Affirming, Social Justice or Finance and Property. There are also opportunities to help with our technical team that brings us our virtual programing, our church band, and our programs for children and youth. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about any of these teams.
I look forward to the day we can all be in person at church again. In the meantime, I’ll see you on Zoom or Facebook.
Warm regards,
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Ash Wednesday, February 17th
Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, the time when we focus on Jesus' way to the cross, his suffering, and death.
We will hold a brief worship service on Facebook Live at 5 p.m. Starting at 5:30, Pastor Valeria will offer "ashes to go" to Community Meals attendants as they drive through the parking lot. Other members of Trinity and the wider community are welcome to come between 6:30 and 7 to have ashes placed on their forehead in the sign of a cross. Please remain in your cars and wear a mask.
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The Worship Team has ordered two Lenten devotionals for you to choose from (or use both!). One is a simple, one-page calendar with an inspirational thought or suggested action for each day. Download it here.
The other is a devotional guide based on the Psalms. Each day includes a Psalm reading, a reflection for adults, one for children, questions for going deeper, and a coloring page. Download it here.
We hope that one or the other will be meaningful to you as we embark on the journey of Lent together.
In order to save paper and resources we encourage you to read your devotional on your computer or device.
If you prefer a printed copy but do not have access to a printer please contact Emily and she will print a copy for you.
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Everyone has one Sermon in them.
Yes, you have, residing in you...at least one “good” sermon waiting to come out. Our winter Lay-Sermon Workshop will help you give it “voice.” Rev. David Fountain will lead a four session (Feb. 17, 24, March 17, 24) Zoom workshop to give it life this winter. While Pastor Valeria is on her spring sabbatical, we will enjoy some of them to lend an exciting lay perspective to the virtual pulpit (on Zoom). Teens and adults welcome!
Want to know more? Sign up with the church office by February 9, and David will contact you about the classes and how easy and actually, well...fun it is to share your message with the congregation.
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PASTOR PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE |
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Continuing with sharing our Community Covenant:
We will strive to act with gentleness toward one another, expressing our thoughts and feelings appropriately, speaking as individuals from our own personal experience, from “I” not from “we” or “they”.
A third party will be utilized (for example, a member of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee) to most effectively communicate with each other when there is conflict or disagreement. Confidentiality will be respected.
As mentioned before, if you have any questions or comments, please contact any member of the Committee.
Forest Lyford
Kristine McLaughlin
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FROM OUR CHRISTIAN ED DIRECTOR |
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During the month of January we started the month with some dream boards and used those to enter into 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 lookout for more information about how you can help. |
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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. The hope is that if we get enough snow we can meet up in person for some snowshoeing.
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Upcoming Dates
We will now be meeting via zoom due to the cooler weather. This link will also be the one to use.
The Zoom will begin at 11:05
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 872 7270 9342
Passcode: 780687
Youth Group Dates
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 893 1102 0507
Passcode: 572551
Youth Group will occur via Zoom on 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26
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. For more information please contact Pastor Valeria at [email protected]
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Coffee or Tea with Pastor Valeria on Zoom
Wednesdays @ 9am
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Chat with Pastor Valeria 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, February 6th & 20th)
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In February, we’ll have two Breakfast Fellowships, one on the 6th and one on the 20th.
For more information or to add yourself to the Saturday Breakfast Fellowship email list, please contact Tom Danforth at [email protected]
Tom
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Information Session about COVID Effects on Mental Health
Monday, February 22 @ 7pm
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Northborough's Family and Youth Services created a 17-minute informational video for us to share with our community. We invite you to watch this together and learn about available resources in Northborough and Massachusetts.
Join us on Zoom on Monday, February 22, at 7 p.m.
Zoom Meeting Link:
Meeting ID: 898 7736 8748
Passcode: 792289
Phone: +1 929 436 2866
If you don't want to join the meeting but would like to watch the video on your own (it's in PowerPoint), please contact Pastor Valeria.
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Worcester Fellowship Needs You! |
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. We do not have any upcoming dates established for providing lunches yet but when we do, 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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For the month of February 2021, Our Father's Table will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Fight Hunger Bag at the Hannaford store located at 193 Boston Post Road West, Route 20, Marlborough MA. |
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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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Can you or someone you know check any of these boxes?
□ Are you feeling isolated?
□ Have you survived COVID-19 or are fighting it?
□ Are you a health or mental health worker providing services during the pandemic?
□ Do you have children who are being remote-schooled?
Would you or they like to receive some support, resources, possible coping strategies, and connection to others?
The MassSupport series of free and confidential virtual coping groups begins Tuesday, January 26th and will focus on these topics. With so many feeling isolated and/or stressed, connecting with others who share similar experiences can be invaluable. Sharing and reflecting in a supportive space with others who understand can enhance coping skills and strategies, reduce anxiety and stress, create a sense of connection and community, help us to process, learn about our strengths, and gain new ideas. Resources are also provided.
Groups will last about 90 minutes and participants do the vast majority of the talking. A brief educational component is included. While trained, caring counselors and clinicians facilitate, these groups are not therapy.
You can attend one group session or multiple. If these dates/times do not work for you or you want to set up a free coping group for your workplace or organization, please contact [email protected]. Register in advance today using the links below!
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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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Grotonwood and Oceanwood Camperships |
Since overnight camps had to be canceled this summer, Central Association will offer a campership of $100 for each camper who registers for any of the fall or winter camps.
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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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~ The family of Kenneth Morse who passed away on January 25.
~ 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 Pastor Valeria at the church office, 508-393-8156.
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Deadline for March Tidings |
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Please be sure to have all your info for the March Tidings in to the church office by Sunday, February 21. 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 Pastor Valeria's voicemail on the church phone. (Please note Fridays are Pastor Valeria's day off and she will not check her voicemail. In case of an emergency please listen to her voicemail message for her cell phone number.)
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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