Seeds October 29

What About Church Fundraisers?



Cup of Dunkin’, Quarter Pounder Meal, or Bag of Halloween Candy

If you were to buy one of those things every week on top of the things you usually buy each week for an entire year would it give your wallet a noticeable pinch?  No one is going to ask you in public, so you can be honest with yourself, okay?  Okay.


If you laid out an extra $5 a week for just one additional swing through the Dunkin’ drive thru, you wouldn’t really feel it at all, would you?

Would you feel it if you drove through McDonalds for a Quarter Pounder Meal once a week for a bit more than $10 a go?  I’m not asking if you’d feel it in your stomach!  We’d all feel it there!  I’m asking, would you really feel it in your wallet?  Would swinging through that drive thru once a week for the coming year make you have to give up something you did weekly this last year?


How about picking up one of those giant bags of Halloween Candy each week?  Again, I’m not asking if you’d feel it in your blood sugar numbers!  I’m asking if you spent $20 a week, each week on a bag of Halloween candy (yes the good kind!) would you honestly notice a difference in your pocketbook? 


I ask that because here is how we could all make a big difference.  If just 20 of us pledged $20 more per week, and another 20 of us pledged just $10 more a week, and another 20 of us pledged $5 more a week for 2025, we could raise our combined pledged giving from $165,968 in 2024 to over $200,000 in 2025.  Imagine the wonderful things we could do for one another and for our community with just some coffee, burger, or candy level of generosity.  



This year I’m challenging you to raise your pledge by a Dunkin’, a Quarter Pounder, or a Big Bag of Candy per week.  Whose in?  


Pastor Erik

Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is

On November 10th, many concerned about the stewardship and outreach of Christ Trinity will decide where to direct the remaining dollars in our outreach budget. The event called Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is, is one of the most popular activities we hold all year.


But not only will attendees get to spend money, they will identify where their non-monetary gifts might be and are needed. Stewardship packets were handed out in church an Sunday or mailed on Monday. There will be more available on coming Sundays. Come get involved in the good work done by Christ Trinity Church. We can't accomplish our bountiful outreach without your help.

Investiture of the 28th Episcopal Presiding Bishop

In this historic and joyful season, we invite you to pray for guidance for our church and our new presiding bishop, Sean Rowe, as he leads us in envisioning the reign of God in our midst. May our celebration unite us as a sacramental community, and may we be filled with new energy to bear witness to God’s work of redemption.

 

What: The Episcopal Church will officially welcome the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe as its 28th presiding bishop with a smaller, simpler investiture service aimed at reducing carbon footprint and increasing churchwide virtual participation.

When: Nov. 2, with a prelude featuring a “roll call” of dioceses starting at 9:30 a.m. ET. The service itself starts at 11 a.m. ET. 

Where: The service will be livestreamed on the event page and on The Episcopal Church’s Facebook page. A recording will be posted and distributed after the service. 

Save the date: Silent Film Night Nov 30

Are you looking to deepen your faith? 

Are you looking to deepen your faith? New EfM group forming!

Do you want to know more about the Bible, Christian Tradition, and Church History? In our complex world, do you find yourself longing for a group to reflect on your personal experiences and how they connect to our Christian Tradition? If so, EfM (Education for Ministry) may be for you!


EfM is a four-year Christian Formation program founded by the School of Theology at Sewanee and designed for lay (non-ordained) people. Through study, prayer, worship, and reflection, EfM groups journey together through Scripture, Church History, and Tradition to help make sense of our own Faith and the world around us. At the end of four years, it is our hope that Christians will be empowered to take on ministries in their home parishes in whatever way God calls them!


While EfM is a four-year program, we only ask that you commit one year at a time. You can learn more about EfM here: https://www.diocesewma.org/for-congregations/education-for-ministry There is a new EfM group forming in the Berkshires! If you’d like to be a part of the group or simply want to know more, please contact Brett Roberts from St. Paul’s, Stockbridge at brett.roberts25@gmail.com.

Save the date: Christmas Bake Sale December 14th

An old-fashioned Christmas Bake in our Parish Hall, December 14th 10:00 - 2:00. Come share some warm holiday spirit with us. Holiday music. Shopping Refreshments. Gifts. Community.

Calling all bakers! This year, you have the opportunity to create scrumptious baked goods of your choice. Be thinking about what you want to prepare for this fundraiser.

More information in coming issues of SEEDS.

Thank you to our wonderful Oktoberfest cooks

Cathy-Jo and Steve Willig, once again, expertly organized and led our Feast team for last week's Beer & Hymns. They were joined by Barbara Willig and Claudia Ziobro (who lent a German flare to our Oktoberfest in the serving line.) The bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato salad, peppers & onions were all outstanding! We invited our new AT ministry partner, St. Paul's, to help in the culinary preparations and they arrived with delectable and artistically prepared desserts. The St. Paul's team was led by Father Sam Vaught: Lisa Alberti, Martha Bodine, Patty Melville, Brett Roberts, and Ginny Willcox. We are grateful to all who signed up to help. We wouldn't have been able to hold this important fundraiser without knowing we could count on you.

John-Arthur Miller and Nancy King provided the music and worked behind the scenes to ensure that Beer & Hymns was joyous and welcoming. Our heartfelt thanks goes out to them for their diligent and artistic work.


Thank you also to John-Arthur, Julie & Steve Hannum, and Catherine Miller for providing their trucks and brawn for transport of the tables and chairs and to any others who helped in any way to make Oktoberfest a success.

Bible Study

The Bible study group will next meet on Friday November 8 at 1 pm in the Parish Hall. We will continue the study on the Gospel of Luke from the Books of Faith series. This is the Gospel that we will be following in our next liturgical year, which starts in Advent. This next lesson will focus on Luke 2:21-40. The theme is:   What will become of this child?


Please let Imelda Muller or the church office know if you plan to come, even if you were unable to attend the first meeting. If you would like, you can read the first two chapters of the book of Luke. All are welcome to join us.

Missing a table

We hold many different events throughout the year. Sometimes, this requires all our available furniture. We discovered this summer that we are missing one of our newer card tables. If you can help us get it back, we would be very grateful. We ran short of tables at Beer & Hymns!

Come on Sunday to remember our saints

Have a safe and bountiful All Hallows Eve.

Christ Trinity is a beautiful venue for a wedding

Link to this summer’s wedding:

https://sambackhausphotography.pixieset.com/jamesandavaleen/

WORSHIP SUNDAYS 8:00 & 10:00


Christ Trinity Church 413-229-8811

180 Main Street

PO Box 127

Sheffield, MA 01257


In-person & Livestreamed services at 10:00 Sundays:

Facebook and our YouTube channel


Our weekly worship bulletin and questions you may have about us will probably be answered at:

ChristTrinityChurch.org


The best way to get a message to the office is via email: christtrinitychurch@gmail.com



Find Pastor Erik's sermons at Rectory Ramblings erikkaras.blogspot.com



If you have a loved one who you would like us to remember in our Sunday prayers, please email us Monday morning.


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Seeds editor: Jean Chapin