Volume 72 - No. 1 | January 2020
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Message from Pastor Valeria
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About the Church and the Body of Christ
If this is not a place where tears are understood,
Then where shall I go to cry?
And if this is not a place where my spirit can take wings,
Then where shall I go to fly?
I don't need another place for trying to impress you
With just how good and virtuous I am.
I don't need another place for always being on top of things;
Everybody knows that it's a sham.
I don't need another place for always wearing smiles,
Even when it's not the way I feel.
I don't need another place to mouth the same old platitudes;
Everybody knows that it's not real.
So if this is not a place where my questions can be asked,
Then where shall I go to seek?
And if this is not a place where my heart cry can be heard,
Where, tell me where, shall I go to speak?
So if this is not a place where tears are understood,
Where shall I go, where shall I go to fly?
-- Ken Medema
I pray that Trinity Church may be a place where you can cry, speak, ask, seek, be heard, be understood, be comforted (and challenged), and where your spirit can fly!
WE are the church. You, me, all of us. We are the Body of Christ to each other, and to the world.
It's been a good year at Trinity. An eventful and busy year, but a good year nonetheless. We've grown so much, and in so many ways. God is good!
I am grateful to each and every one of you for your support and faithful dedication to Trinity Church and its mission, to fill its people with the love of God and share God's love in all the world.
And, same as every year, I don't have words to express how deeply moved I was, and how much I appreciate your gifts and cards showing your appreciation for my ministry.
I look forward to our ministry together in 2020, with Jesus leading the way.
May God bless you and yours in 2020.
Humbly and Gratefully,
Pastor Valeria
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In Case You Missed It
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch a
selection of Pastor Valeria's sermons and our worship music.
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WORSHIP SERVICES ~ SUNDAYS, 10AM
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January 5
:
with Communion, Pastor Valeria, and guest preacher Rev. Marlene Gil from the American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts
January 12
:
"God's Chosen One" with a Mission Moment from our Puerto Rico team
January 19
:
"The Epiphany of the Face," a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with Pastor Valeria and guest preacher Kevin Vetiac
January 26
:
"Trinity Church's Mission" in Fellowship Hall with brunch, welcoming new members, and our worship band
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“
Christians must live a burning, fierce, excessive, overflowing and questioning hope, not one which is timid and ready to tiptoe out of the room."-Jacques Ellul
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Third Floor Coffee House - Now held on the first floor!
Friday, January 10, 7pm - 9pm
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Please mark your calendars for Coffee House the second Friday of the month.
Purchase a VIP pass! $50 for an individual, $100 for a family, passes can be purchased at the door.
We invite you to come enjoy talented musicians performing a variety of music. You may even hear some poetry recitation. Coffee and refreshments will be served with a suggested donation.
BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug). A $5 per person donation will be accepted at the door ($10 max family).
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Celebrating Mary Kennerly's 90th birthday!
Sunday, January 12, During Coffee Hour
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Mary Kennerly's family invites the Trinity Church family to a special coffee hour on Sunday, January 12, in honor of Mary's 90th birthday. Please plan to attend this celebration in honor of our longtime member!
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Saturday Breakfast Fellowship - TOPIC: Cults and Religions
Saturday, January 18th at 8am
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The next Saturday Breakfast Fellowship will be on Saturday, January 18
th at 8:00 AM.
Our topic this month will be on cults and religions. This topic started when I read an article in the Boston Globe written by a person who had left a cult. They talked about the cult and its interpretation of Christianity as “God’s True Religion.” This got me thinking and asking questions.
There are many definitions of “cult” in dictionaries and Wikipedia. One definition (from Merriam Webster) is “A religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious.”
There are other definitions but this one will lead us into our discussion on how cults are seen by Christian organizations and how the Bible cautions Christians.
The first two links below discuss cults from a Christian standpoint and identifying cults. The third looks at cults more from a sociological standpoint. I know the last article is long; however, it has a good discussion of cults and religion.
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]
Links:
The Truth Twisters
Understanding Cults
There’s no sharp distinction between cult and regular religion
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A Conversation with Kevin Vetiac
Saturday, January 19, After Worship
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A Conversation with Kevin Vetiac on Sunday, January 19
Kevin Vetiac was our guest preacher in November 2018. His sermon was quite controversial and the Deacons, ONA Team and Worship Team had thoughtful conversations about how best to handle the situation. We've decided to invite Kevin again, to preach on Martin Luther King Sunday. Thankfully, he accepted, with the following words: "Thank you for your invitation and I am happy to accept. I agree that practicing having open and honest communication across differences is so important right now. I have a particular sermon in mind titled The Epiphany Of The Face. It's about how the infinite face of God shines through every fragile human face and our responsibilities towards one another. I think it would fit in well with King's concept of the beloved community and the work that's required to make such community happen."
During coffee hour, Pastor Valeria invites you to a conversation with Kevin about his sermon, and how we can learn from each other and move forward together. We will practice and experience Trinity Church as a place to have difficult but important conversations in a respectful and loving way!
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Worship in Fellowship Hall with Brunch
Sunday, Janaury 26 at 10am
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Join us for a time of worship, conversations, prayers, song, and food. You are invited but not required to bring a dish to share.
In the event that our kitchen will not be completed at the time, please help us minimize trash and bring your own, reusable place settings and cups.
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Adult Small Group Discussion - Book Study
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Priorities
: Adult Small Group Discussion
The Adult Ed Team will be offering a group discussion based on Anne Robertson’s book
Exploring Justice: The Ten Commandments / Priorities. We have previously used Robertson’s series on The Bible, and in this new book, Robertson looks at current social justice issues in terms of the first three commandments.
We will discuss the book in six ninety minute sessions, Sundays February 2
nd to March 8
th, and we are offering two groups, one at 11:30am and one at 7pm. Please register by using this link:
https://forms.gle/k9sMCx86ACCjHE5W7 or by calling the church office, and indicate your preferred time.
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ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
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Annual Congregational Meeting
Sunday, January 26th at 11:30am
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The Annual Meeting will take place in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, January 26th following worship. Your voice and your vote are needed as we make important decisions for Trinity's ministry in 2020.
Information for our Annual Report should be in to the church office no later than Sunday, January 5, 2019. Your help is appreciated!
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Starting December 27, Emily will be bringing her daughter Adeline to the office a few days a week.
We want to keep Emily as our office admin and make the situation manageable for her and her family so we have agreed on this arrangement on a trial basis.
We need your help in order to make this work. You will make it much easier for Emily, and for the running of the church office, if you do not visit with Adeline during office hours.
Please contact me directly with any questions or concerns you may have. We appreciate your understanding and support as we try to develop the best solution for all involved.
Pastor Valeria
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FROM OUR CHRISTIAN ED DIRECTOR
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This month our OWL program continued and December was about community as we worked together with the adults doing Worcester Fellowship lunches and Christmas Caroling.
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This month our OWL program continued and December was about community as we worked together with the adults doing Worcester Fellowship lunches and Christmas Caroling.
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Please be sure that you have filled out forms for your kid(s) if you have not done so yet before Sunday’s classes.
Be sure to fill out all forms for your child's age group.
**We are hoping to involve the kids in communion this year and I have created a sign up for kids interested in helping set up, serve and clean up after communion.**
COMING UP:
Youth Group: January 5th 1-3
Team building games like Giants, Wizards and Elves. Come and beat the challenges!
Mission Trip
LAST CALL - REGISTRATION EXTENDED:
Our teens ages 13+ will have the opportunity to go on a Mission Trip to Camden, NY from April 20-April 23 for a group called Cluster 13. This is a group that adult members of Trinity have worked with in the past.Chaperones for this trip will be Sherry Clark, Dave Gauthier, Amy and Glen Kwasny. Please use this link to fill out the participant information and return with deposit by 1/15
HELP NEEDED!!
I am going to set up an
adulting day at Trinity
and will needs adults to run different "classes". Do you feel particularly adept at budgeting, taxes, interviews, applications? Maybe you would like to show your skills of how to change oil or a tire.
WANTED
TEACHERS
: CE in K-4, 5-8 or 9-12
WANTED ADULT: Youth Group helpers
I need at least one adult once a month
WANTED ADULT: Builder / Handy Person
an adult who is good with building and can help us build a neighbor chair.
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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.
Trinity Church of Northborough
23 Main Street Northborough MA, 01532
Middle School: 4pm - 5:30pm
High School: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
January 3rd, 17th, & 31st
For more information please contact:
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At their November meeting, the Board of Deacons passed a gun violence resolution. We will be presenting the resolution to the congregation for a vote at our Annual Meeting on January 27th.
During coffee hour after church on January 19th, copies of the resolution will be available and a Deacon will be on hand to answer any questions.
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KITCHEN RENOVATION
PROJECT UPDATE
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We are getting ever closer to finishing in the kitchen.
The final electrical work was finished in the middle of December and we passed that inspection!
The stove and dishwasher have both been connected and tested with success!!
The counter tops were installed the day after Christmas. If you haven’t seen them yet, stop by and take a look before or after worship.
The final plumbing should be done around New Years followed by the final plumbing permit.
After that, we will ask the town for the final inspections.
Hopefully the next Tidings update will simply say “Finished!”
Many thanks to everyone who has supported us both financially and with work through this project.
From all of us on the kitchen team,
Tom Danforth
Mary Kemp
Martha Michalewich
Nancy Robbins
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Food Pantry Donations
Bag Distribution: January 12th
Bag Collection: January 26th
Thank you to everyone for your generosity!
We will pass out the bags on the second Sunday of the month with a list inside indicating the most needed items as well as a special item for the month, but we will have the bags available every week on the bench in the back of the Sanctuary (in case you do not come to church on the second Sunday and you still want to participate).
We will continue to collect the bags the fourth Sunday and deliver them to the Food Pantry, but if you are unable to be in church that Sunday, there is a bin in the hallway marked, “Food Pantry” and you can drop off your bags there any time.
The Food Pantry right now has many more canned vegetables than they can use, so please think about other items to donate. Meals in a can are always welcome.
Thank you,
Martha Michalewich, Mary Kemp and John Posluszny
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Worcester Fellowship
Sunday, January 19th, Worship @ 1pm
NEW LOCATION through 2/23:
All Saints Episcopal Church (Outside)
10 Irving Street, Worcester
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We need donations!
Faith Foundations will be making lunches to donate on January 19th. Donations of food or small monetary amounts towards lunch supplies are welcome.
Join us on the Worcester common at 1pm for an outdoor service.
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Dismas House Needs Your Help
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From Dismas House:
Many thanks for your support for Dismas this holiday season! Please consider supporting Dismas. There are multiple ways to help our communities of former offenders working to turn their lives around. These include:
2, We also are looking for donations of cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, gift cards for the men, and new heavy hooded sweatshirts. These can be brought to the house - 30 Richards Street, Worcester.
Best regards to you and your family this holiday season, and we hope while celebrating you will find the time and energy to support those in need in our community!
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COOKIES FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
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It's almost time to start baking!
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Now that the holidays have passed we want to know what your favorite cookie recipes are. As we think ahead to our annual “cookies for college students” it isn’t too soon to start planning to bake your favorite cookie recipes. Cookies get sent out February 9th.
Due to allergies, please do not use recipes containing nuts and/or peanut butter.
We are also in need of packing materials. If you have any bubble wrap or styrofoam peanuts please drop them off in the church office or give them to Barbra Sutherland.
There will be more information to come but we wanted to get you all thinking ahead.
Happy New Year.
Barbra Sutherland and the Cookies for College Students Team
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Drivers Needed
Occasionally we have requests for a ride to church by folks who have no transportation. The Pastoral Committee is compiling a list of Trinity folks willing to give rides to those wishing to come to church.
If you would like to be included on the "Driver" list please contact Carolyn Squillante:
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“Count Your Blessings” Thrift Shop is having a
buy one, get one free sale in January! Higher price prevails.
Closed New Years Day
Open Wednesdays, 9am to Noon and Saturdays, 10am - 1pm.
Donations of gently used clothing can be dropped off in the marked bin in the church hallway.
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Puerto Rico Raffle Results
Thank you for supporting the quilted Christmas tree raffle. Linda Ferraro (Trinity) won the wall hanging and $400 was raised to help with the mission work in Puerto Rico in Feb 2020.
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Coffee Hour is an important part of our Sunday morning and it is a great way for people to connect and for us to welcome guests to our church. Please join us after worship for coffee and a snack, and the opportunity to connect with old friends and meet new friends.
If you are interested in helping to host coffee hour, please see Michele Wheelock during coffee hour or contact her at
[email protected].
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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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Did you know your shopping can earn Trinity money?
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.
- Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com
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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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Online giving is now available through Trinity's website!
Start your online giving here:
LINK
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For those situations where a person feels inspired to make a donation in support of Trinity’s mission, online giving is now available on Trinity’s website to make giving easier.
- After a person clicks the DONATE NOW link on Trinity’s home page, online giving provides them with multiple options of which fund or ministry they can direct their gift.
- Payment methods include an electronic funds transfer from a checking or saving account, a debit card payment or a credit card payment.
- The first time that a person uses online giving, they can set-up their profile so that they will not have to re-enter the information, and they will be able to access their online giving history.
- IMPORTANT: Current members and regular donors do not need to change how they currently give to Trinity (collection plate, e-checks, etc.), if it works for them. Online giving is being made available primarily as a convenient payment method for spontaneous givers. Unlike other payment methods, Trinity is charged processing fees for each transaction by VANCO, our electronic payments vendor.
If you have any questions about online giving, please contact Pete Carlsen, Treasurer @
[email protected]
.
Start your online giving here:
LINK
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IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
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~ People struggling with an addiction, and their families
~ People suffering from a mental illness, and their families
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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Pastor Valeria will be at Inhouse Coffee on Wednesday mornings from 8:30am to 10am. Inhouse is located at 17 West Main Street. She's looking forward to seeing you and making more connections to local businesses, and to people who live and work in Northborough. She will talk to anyone, not just members of Trinity. Help us spread the word!
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Community Meal
- Community Meal will be at Church of the Nativity (45 Howard Street, Northborough) until the Trinity kitchen renovation is complete.
Join us each Wednesday, 6pm. 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!
Coleman House Service
-
Tuesday, January 21st at 2:30pm.
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Christmas Tree Removal
Sponsored by
Troop 101 Northborough BSA
Before January 11, 2020
On Saturday, January 11, 2020 before 8:30 AM
Leave your tree(s) near the curb.
Place an envelope
on your door
with $8 per tree (cash or check payable to “BSA Troop 101 Northborough”)
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Did you know that the Northborough Free Library has an outreach program that connects homebound residents to all the services that the Library has to offer? The program is called
Library On The Go
.
The objectives of this program are to engage homebound Northborough residents in the community and determine their library and information needs, and deliver library materials, including print and non-print materials so that they can continue to read, listen and view items tailored to meet their recreational interests. We want to provide the full range of our borrowing services and help make local residents who happen to be homebound, either short or long term, feel connected to the community and the Town in which they live. In short we want to bring the Library to their doorstep
.
For more information, contact Rick Starzyk, Outreach Coordinator at 508-393-6025 or [email protected].
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Did you know you can donate your gently used appliances, furniture and building supplies? And also purchase all these items at a low price while benefiting Habitat for Humanity?
More info here:
What and how to donate:
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Deadline Date ~ February
Tidings
Please be sure to have all your info for the February Tidings in to the church office by Sunday, January 26, 2019. 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 - 2:30pm
Tuesday: 9am - Noon & 1pm - 2:30pm
Wednesday: 9am - 10:30am & 11:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday: 9am - Noon & 1pm - 2:30pm
Friday: 9am - Noon & 1pm - 2:30pm
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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