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Many thanks to the Rev. Heidi Truax who celebrated Mass with us this past Sunday.

This Sunday September 6 at 9am, Mary Smegielski will lead Morning Prayer, and Tiffany Santiago will preach. We hope you can join us!

Dealing with Unique Visitors

Right before Morning Prayer started on August 23, a newcomer walked around the church and took many photos and videos of the church - not unusual, as the church is beautiful and people like to photograph it. She then walked into the Upper Parish Hall, and that's when I followed her, as I wanted to make sure she didn't walk into any restricted areas of our building. She asked me where the water fountain was, and I said we did not have any water fountains in the building. She said she would be back later, and she left - she did not stay for the service.

I then walked out to the porch on Water Street, and saw two men sleeping under a blanket, and a third man sitting with his cell phone. I told them they could not stay, as we have signs posted "No loitering." The two men started to gather their things, and the man with the cell phone asked me what denomination we were. I gave him my elevator speech about the Episcopal Church, and invited him to join our service, which had just started. He did not come in, but the two other men did, and they stayed for Coffee Hour - all are welcome at Trinity, and all are welcome at Coffee Hour if they attend the service.

(If someone has not attended the service or is not attending Adult Formation, we respectfully ask them to leave Coffee Hour, as Coffee Hour is for people who are participating in events at Trinity.)

Shortly after the the service began, there was a commotion by the church entrance - a woman was very upset and was asking for the pastor, and requesting prayers immediately. She knew my name, and I then recognized her as Kathy, a woman who used to come to church here with her daughter a number of years ago. I explained that we had no pastor at this time, but she could certainly pray with us, and speak to the chaplain (Naomi) after the service. She sat in the back of the church with me and Lynn, and then spoke to and prayed with Naomi. She stayed for Coffee Hour.

As we often say, all are welcome at Trinity. If someone is going into areas they are not allowed (e.g. the rectory, the sacristy), they should be told they cannot go there. If they refuse, or if they are creating a disturbance and refuse to leave, 911 can be called so that a police officer can assist.

If someone is having a mental health crisis (e.g. having suicidal thoughts, responding to hallucinations) but not breaking any laws, you can call the Mobile Crisis Team at 860 482-1560, and they will send two people to talk to and evaluate the person in question.

All are welcome at Trinity, and it sometimes takes a village as we try to live up to that ideal.

~Conrad Sienkiewicz

Who doesn't like a good bedtime story?

Your Vestry would like to try on the periodic practice of Compline, the last of the daily offices of the church.

The service is quiet. There is no music. There are prayers and short readings. And it is quite short.

It has been described as the liturgical version of putting on your pajamas and brushing your teeth before bed.

If this sounds like something you might enjoy, keep your eyes peeled in this space for some upcoming Compline Services! 

We hope to see you there.

Adult Formation

Adult Formation is discussing Makoto Fujimura's book Art and Faith: a theology of making.

Conceived over thirty years of painting and creating in his studio, this book is Makoto Fujimura’s broad and deep exploration of creativity and the spiritual aspects of “making.” What he does in the studio is theological work as much as it is aesthetic work. In between pouring precious, pulverized minerals onto handmade paper to create the prismatic, refractive surfaces of his art, he comes into the quiet space in the studio in a discipline of awareness, waiting, prayer, and praise.

Ranging from the Bible to T. S. Eliot, Mark Rothko, and Japanese Kintsugi technique, he shows how, unless we are making something, we cannot know the depth of God’s being and God’s grace permeating our lives. This poignant and beautiful book offers the perspective of, in Christian Wiman’s words, an “accidental theologian,” one who comes to spiritual questions always through the prism of art.

We have some copies available for purchase (see Bobby Naeher) or you can contact their local bookstore."

If you have any questions, please email Bobby Naeher at robertnaeher@gmail.com.

All are welcome, and completing the reading ahead of time, while helpful, is not a requirement. We all benefit when multiple voices are heard!

Attention all book lovers, C.S. Lewis lovers, fellowship and discussion lovers:

We have begun, in partnership with Trinity Lime Rock, a monthly discussion group to read and explore C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. Lewis, famed Oxford professor, scholar, and Anglican writer gave a series of radio addresses making a case for the essentials of the Christian faith, and later put these into book form. Speaking during WWII, he was clearly addressing the relevance of Christian faith in a time of violence, tribalism, and existential conflict between democracy, fascism, and terror. Given our world today, his thoughts continue to have resonance.

Please consider joining us! Our reading and discussion schedule is below. Even though we've started, each session can stand on its own and feel free to jump in at any point. We meet from 7-8 PM in the Upper Parish Hall and online. See Bobby Naeher or Ella Frauenhofer for more details. All readings are from Mere Christianity. 

• Sept 20 - Book 3: 7-12
• Oct 18 -  Book 4: 1-6
• Nov. 15- Book 4: 7-11

Quesyions? Contact Bobby Naeher.

COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We definitely need some people to step forward and host Coffee Hour - September is wide open!

Remember - 
no hosts, no Coffee Hour.

Hosting Coffee Hour is very easy and very appreciated! Just sign up for a date, then bring in some snacks (home-made or store-bought), set up the table, percolate percolate percolate, then clean up.

If you have any questions, please ask Ella, Tiffany or Richard. The sign-up is in the Upper Parish Hall.

Happenings Around Town and Beyond...

Some of you may remember Ron Dukenski, a former parishioner at Trinity. He is performing in "My Dearest Friend" at Heritage Village, and the details are below. Please contact him at rdukenski@gmail.com to reserve your ticket!

SOUND HEALING

IN OCTOBER!

If you have an announcement or event that you would like publicized, or if you are a parishioner involved in an event that you would like to share with the parish, please send it to The Portal at announcements@trinity-torrington.org, and we can then direct your announcement to the best method of communication.