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36 Main Street, Newtown, CT | | |
Toward a paperless stewardship experience
It’s the middle of October and as I write this I am looking out the kitchen window. I see brilliant colors enhanced by the soft sunshine of fall. It is a bountiful time and at Trinity we have much to celebrate. The reinstallation of our beloved Ascension window is completed. The new roof that will keep our glorious church dry for decades to come is nearly completed. Our outreach efforts continue to have a positive impact in our community and beyond. Our children’s ministry is strong and growing. Our choir and musical programs are expanding. God is good!
We are now at the halfway home point of the 2026 Stewardship campaign. The bounty described above is made possible in large part by your generous commitment to the 2026 stewardship drive. If you haven’t returned your pledge card (life gets busy!), we have a solution for you. You can click the link below which will take you to the Trinity Pledge 2026 page. With a few clicks and taps your pledge will be complete.
www.trinitynewtownct.org/pledge-2026.
If you find you need help negotiating the Pledge 2026 page, I will be at coffee hour with a computer ready to help you enter your pledge information. I look forward to a long line at coffee hour!
God’s blessings upon you!
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All Saints Sunday, November 2, 2025
Beloved Ones, we will celebrate All Saints Sunday on November 2nd at our 9:30 AM service of Holy Eucharist. We invite you to share names in advance with our church office if you would like them read aloud in worship.
We also invite you to bring photos of your Saints, your loved ones, to place in the nooks and crannies around our historic Sanctuary. Oh, the stories such pictures tell! They are a visible reminder of an invisible truth: the communion of saints are surrounding and upholding us, always.
As we age, the more Saints we know. To become older is to be filled with memory, with grief - which, sometimes, melts into wisdom; and, occasionally, flares into deep, abundant joy at the beauty of this life, of relationship, despite the loss.
All Saints Day. A day when we can almost see through the veil between this world and the next; a day when we glimpse eternity. On All Saints Day, we remember those saints of Christian history who exhibited unusual courage, extravagant generosity, and peace in the face of adversity. We remember those who gave even their very lives.
We remember as well our own saints, those who taught us courage and honesty, how to love and do justice and walk humbly with God. Perhaps they were not famous people, but they were good and faithful and helped, in their own way, to build the kingdom of God on earth.
They are here, with us! They are in us, among us, between us … all around us. Invite a friend to pray with us on All Saints Sunday.
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🎃 All-Parish Pumpkin Carving Event! 🎃
Sunday, October 26th
Immediately after church in the Glover Community Room
Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of pumpkin carving for a great cause! We’ll be displaying our creations as part of Trinity’s 9th Annual Great Pumpkin Challenge.
$5 per pumpkin — and 100% of donations will benefit the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a nonprofit founded in 1988 by Paul Newman. This incredible organization provides free year-round camp experiences for children with serious illnesses, giving them the opportunity to build lasting friendships and unforgettable memories.
Let’s carve out some time for fun, fellowship, and giving back. All ages welcome!
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Halloween Candy Collection!
Candy collection bins are out at each entrance. Please help us support Newtown's epic Halloween on Main!
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Halloween at Trinity
Trinity is the place to be on Halloween! Every year, we have our front lawn lit up with Jack-O-Lanterns for the Great Pumpkin Challenge (more on that next week!) We need volunteers to hand out candy to all the trick-or-treaters. Please click here to join in the fun!
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The Little Pantry Appreciation
Thank-you for your support!
We celebrated the opening of the Little Pantry in October of 2023, almost a year after the idea was conceived.
The Little Pantry has been thriving ever since. Records kept from 2024 through 2025 indicate the growth in awareness and the need in the community.
Thanks to our parisheners and support from the community we donated 3582 items of non-parishables in just 4 months from April - July, 2025.
In addition, we now have a Free Books for Kids attached to the pantry box in the parking lot. Please enjoy this selection of books from the CH Booth Library and thanks to Cathy & Tony Filiato for initiating the project!
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Seeing the need beyond our walls
We asked for soup and you delivered! The soup shelf is full in the cupboard room, ready for the cold weather.
While not a necessity, small cans of ground coffee are appreciated. How about Hot Cocoa packets for the kiddos!
If you buy toilet paper in bulk how about donating a few roles from the package. We individually wrap them in tissue paper for our customers.
Other priorities:
Canned meat, pasta sauce, laundry detergent,
dish soap and canned fruit
Gift cards are welcome. We can do the shopping!
Thank you all for your generosity!
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Dear Parishioners,
We are including the annual Impact Report 2024-2025 for Laundry Love of Greater Danbury for your consideration. A few hard copies will be available at the side door. Our very own Nancy Cole designed this powerful document. As a charter member of LLGD, Trinity has faithfully fulfilled its annual pledge,
provided volunteers and drawn private donations. Through this continuous support, Trinity has helped LLGD grow substantially
in the Danbury community. Should you have any questions about LLGD, please contact Carol Bigman at (203) 300-8338 or bigmancarol@gmail.com. Thank you!
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A rewarding and fun afternoon of service on Nov 9
On November 9th, the Youth of Trinity along with Mission and Outreach will travel to New Haven to Chapel on the Green and hand out meals to those in need.
After our service at Trinity, we will make sandwiches in the kitchen at Trinity, pack up cold meal bags and go to New Haven. The event includes an outdoor service with music and communion and handing out food bags. We meet at 12:30 to carpool to the event.
Please join us in this rewarding fellowship, either by making sandwiches or joining us in New Haven at: Trinity on the Green, 230 Temple Street , New Haven, CT.
Words from a past participant:
"Going to Chapel on the Green is an opportunity to be part of what Jesus has called us to do: 'love one another as I have loved you'. Jesus set the example of caring for all people, most especially the least and the last, in body, mind and spirit. As we share the Eucharist with people whose lives are so different from ours we are all fed spiritually and we remember that we are all one beloved people of God. After the Eucharist when we distribute food we have made to those in need, we follow Jesus' example of caring for people physically. We become keenly aware of how privileged we are and are humbled and blessed to be able to give back." Cindy Anderau
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I am thrilled to announce an upcoming concert on Friday, November 15h at 7:00pm right here in our beautiful Trinity sanctuary. This special evening will feature songs from Broadway, film, and rock; music that might surprise you with the depth of faith and hope woven into its familiar melodies. Throughout the performance will be scripture readings that connect these beloved songs to our shared faith story, inviting us to discover how God’s truth can shine through even the most unexpected places.
The concert will feature a gifted cast of local singers, including several of Trinity’s own, backed by a live band, for an unforgettable and unique experience in our beautiful worship space. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $20, and everyone is welcome. Following the performance, all are invited to a lovely reception in the Glover Room for fellowship and refreshment.
Come and experience how the language of music- whether from the stage, the screen or the radio- can lead us into moments of reflection, joy, and a deeper faith.
In Christ,
Jennifer
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During the fall, we are focusing on God's promises. This week we will explore the story of Noah and the flood, learning about God’s covenant with Noah and the symbol of that promise, the rainbow. Rainbows remind us that God is always with us, even in stormy times. Next, we’ll move into the story of Abraham and God's promise to him that his descendants would be as many as the stars in the sky. And we are a part of that great family of faith!
Speaking of…on October 26th we will be having our annual children’s Halloween costume parade! All children are invited to wear their Halloween costume or festive clothing to church. During the service, the children will parade down the church aisle while singing some fun, festive songs they've been learning in Church School. Invite friends and family to come enjoy the celebration!
Then join us after church in the Glover Community Room for pumpkin carving for a great cause! We will have sugar pumpkins for the children to paint.
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Halloween Festivities – Community Outreach in Action
Our youth will once again be hosting our annual Halloween night event on Friday, October 31st, and we need all hands on deck! Every year, we open the church to the community for hospitality and to provide restroom access. It’s a popular and well-loved tradition, but it takes a team to pull it off.
We’ll have a volunteer sign-up available throughout October, and we’d love for both parents and youth to participate — especially in helping hand out candy and supporting the welcoming environment we aim to create.
Here’s the Halloween timeline:
- October 19th – Youth meeting in the church library: we'll review our Kiva work and finalize plans for Halloween, including logistics and responsibilities.
- October 25th (9:00 AM) – Set up scaffolding out front in preparation for Halloween.
- October 26th – Pumpkin carving with the parish! We’ll need youth volunteers to help set up, carve pumpkins, and enjoy the festive spirit.
- October 31st (4:00–8:30 PM) – Halloween Night Event. Volunteers needed to assist with candy distribution, hospitality, and facility access.
Giving Back: Chapel on the Green – Sunday, November 9th
On Sunday, November 9th, our youth group will participate in Chapel on the Green, a mission-centered outreach where we serve meals to the homeless in New Haven. During our regular meeting time, we’ll make sandwiches and then travel together to New Haven for the service.
We usually return by 3:00 PM, and we encourage parents to join us — not only to share in the experience, but also to help with transportation, as parking is limited, and commuting together helps. This is a truly rewarding day of service and connection, and we hope to see a strong turnout.
With gratitude,
Noel Bellesheim & Frank LaBanca
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Celebration of Life for Rick Natoli
Trinity will be holding a Celebration of Life for Rick Natoli on Saturday, October 18th at 2pm. The service will be followed by a reception in the Glover Room.
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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.
Trinity's Chronic Pain Support Group runs the last Wednesday of every month from 4-5:30pm 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, Alveta, Bode, Gracie, Martha, Shirley, Dan, Barbara, Caroline, Brent, Judy, Kathy, Peter, Lindsey, Joann, Rich, Dennis, Larry, Abby, Rich, Betsy, Walt, Tom, Alice, Ali
For those celebrating a birthday this week
Elaine Breitling, Thomas Traczyk, Prudence Cooney, Patrick Corrigan, MeghanFelli, Laurie Veillette, Jan English, Bernadette Shouvlin
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