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36 Main Street, Newtown, CT | | |
An Invitation to Holy Week at Trinity Church
Beloved of Trinity Church, on behalf of the leaders and staff of our parish, I wish you many
blessings in this upcoming Holy Week. Let us ponder the mysteries of our faith, together.
Palm Sunday - March 29th 9:30 AM
We invite you to pray with us on Palm Sunday. In our Episcopal Church tradition, our liturgy begins with a celebratory procession with Palms, then moves to a somber reading of Christ’s Passion – this year from the Gospel of Matthew.
We will begin our worship downstairs in the hall below the Sanctuary. After blessing our Palms, we will process up the driveway and enter the front red door of the Church to our seats. If you prefer, you may sit in the Sanctuary, and wait for the congregation to process in.
Stations of the Cross – Tuesday March 31st 6:30 PM, Wednesday April 1st 12:15 PM, Friday April 3rd 12:15 PM
Please join us to pray the Stations of the Cross in the Sanctuary, a simple procession of prayer around our Church – approximately half an hour. All are welcome at any of these gatherings.
‘The Pascal Triduum’
Maundy Thursday 6:30 PM, Good Friday 6:30 PM, and Easter Vigil 6:30 PM
I invite you to be present for our observance of the ‘Triduum,’ the most holy time in the
Christian liturgical year. Maundy Thursday begins ‘The Paschal Triduum’ – meaning, ‘the three days.’
Since the days of ancient Christianity, the three services of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil are one continuous liturgical event. This liturgy represents the heart of the Christian faith, the message of salvation, and the healing power of redemption.
The Triduum commemorates the Paschal mystery - the Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, Christ’s Passion, his Crucifixion, his descent to the dead, and his glorious resurrection at the Great Vigil of Easter. During these three days, we pass over with Christ from death to life.
We will remember each event in the drama of salvation and enter together into the mystery of dying and rising again with Jesus Christ. May the peace of Christ be with you all.
Easter Sunday, April 5th 9:30 AM
We will celebrate with joy Christ’s resurrection on this festive day – with the Hallelujah Chorus and an Easter Egg Hunt for children immediately following.
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Easter Collection: World Central Kitchen
This Easter, Mission and Outreach invites you to join us in supporting World Central Kitchen (WCK), our chosen beneficiary for the Easter Collection. When disaster strikes — whether a hurricane, an earthquake, or a humanitarian crisis — WCK deploys chefs and volunteers to set up kitchens on the ground and serve hot, dignified meals to affected communities, often within hours of an emergency. They operate on a simple but powerful conviction: that feeding people is not optional or conditional, but a shared human responsibility. Through your generous gift, you will help bring not just food, but dignity and solidarity to brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering. Envelopes will be available in the pew, or you may give online. Whatever you are able to offer, know that it will make a real difference.
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Defibrillator Training
As part of the new Parish Nurse program Trinity has purchased a new Automated External Defibrillator. We are excited to have this technology on site.
Immediate CPR with the usage of an AED can double, or even triple survival rates. This machine is meant to be used by anyone. We will be offering classes for training by a CPR Instructor. The next training will be offered on Sunday, April 12th after service in the Johnson Library and will take about 15 minutes. Please join us!!
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This Sunday, we arrive at Palm/Passion Sunday, standing at the threshold of Holy Week. This Sunday begins with celebration as we sing “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” with palm branches and voices raised as we acknowledge Jesus’ triumphant ride into Jerusalem. Yet, we know the story does not end there. In the same morning of worship, we read the story of the Passion, walking with Christ through betrayal, suffering, and the cross. It is, in my opinion, the most powerful transition in the church year, and the music reflects that shift. Within about an hour, we will move from “Hosanna’s” to a silent dismissal without a glorious recessional hymn or grand organ postlude.
Our choir has been preparing with great dedication for this week, offering music that guides us through these profound moments of reflection and worship. Their work has not only been musical, but deeply prayerful so that the music will help us to hear, to feel, and to be fully engaged in the Word. As we gather this Sunday and move into Holy Week, may we come with open hearts, ready to journey together in the story of our salvation. And in just ten short days, we will be joyfully singing of the resurrection. Dust off your Hallelujah Chorus, because it’s just around the corner!
In Christ,
Jennifer
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As we continue our Lenten journey, last week in church school we explored the story of the Last Supper. We talked about how this special meal is one we celebrate every Sunday during communion. We also discussed how we remember the washing of feet on Maundy Thursday as a symbol of Jesus’s love to us, and his command to love and help each other.
During our time together, we made our own “God’s Eyes,” traditional symbols of God’s love and protection. As we worked, we helped one another and shared our yarn, practicing the very acts of care and kindness that we are called to show within our church community. The kids all enjoyed making these, some even sharing stories of how they made them before in other years.
This week we will celebrate Palm Sunday in church school. Here at Trinity, we start our Palm Sunday worship service with the palm procession. This moment of joyful parading is a time when we can feel what it may have been like for the crowds to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem. Ater the palm procession concludes, the children will follow Rev Allison into church school where we will learn to weave our palms into cross shapes, a popular meditative practice many Christians do during Holy Week.
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Weekly Happenings
Trinity's nursery is open every Sunday from 9:15 - 11:15, and is professionally staffed by Wee Care Nanny Agency. Click here to review the nursery guidelines.
Trinity's Grief Support Group runs every first and third Thursday of the month from 4-5:15pm, and is open to all.
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Glass and Elevator Doors Open until 9:45am on Sunday Mornings
Trinity’s Ushers offer wonderful hospitality on Sunday mornings! We want all –
especially visitors or newcomers! - to experience their welcome. For this reason, we
believe it is important for people to enter doors that are attended after worship has
begun on Sunday mornings.
If you arrive after 9:45 on Sunday, please enter through the historic red doors on Main
Street. Please speak with Rev. Andrea if you have any questions.
| | Should you wish to make a donation to LL, please mail a check to First Congregational Church of Ridgefield (FCC), 103 Main Street, Ridgefield, Ct 06877. The memo line should read LLGD or click here. | | |
New Process for Vouchers
Vouchers can now be submitted virtually. There is a new page on Trinity's website (Vouchers). Please use this online form as a way to submit vouchers. If you need help learning this new system, please contact Kim.
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Praise and Thanksgiving
For those requesting our prayers
Maureen, Marie, Jennifer, Jacky, Gail, Bode, Gracie,
Martha, Shirley, Dan, Barbara, Caroline, Brent, Judy, Kathy,
Peter, Abby, Rich, Cherie, Paula,
Larry, Elizabeth, Annmarie, Darryl, L. Bertha
For those celebrating a birthday this week
Mackenzie Hughes, Joan King, Donna VanWaalwijk, Melissa Olmstead, Katie Lye
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