Blessed Absalom Jones was the first African American priest in The Episcopal Church. Absalom Jones was born enslaved to Abraham Wynkoop a wealthy Anglican planter in 1746 in Delaware. When Abraham died, his son Benjamin brought Absalom with him to Philadelphia. After years of Absalom asking, in 1784 Benjamin Wynkoop freed Absalom by granting him a manumission. He founded the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, and was ordained a priest in our diocese. Jones died on February 13, 1818 and we celebrate his Feast Day each year on this date. There is so much more to know about Absalom, so learn more about him on the website of the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church and find his entry in this year's Lent Madness.

Begin your devotion time by praying this prayer: Dear God, through your Son’s transfiguration we see your glory revealed in the world. Help us find this glory in the highs and lows of our daily lives. Amen.

Reflect on the Way of Love together: This week’s practice in the Way of Love is WORSHIP. The revelation of God’s glory in the world around us leads us to worship. How does our worship praise God for God’s glory? What parts of our worship remind us of how God is revealed in the world around us?

Calling all youth and families! The day before Ash Wednesday is known as Shrove Tuesday (or Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), which will fall on February 16 this year. It is tradition in many places to eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday as a big celebratory meal before the more austere season of Lent begins.

Trinity has had a tradition of holding a pancake dinner on Shrove Tuesday each year. We cannot be together this year in person, but we'd still love to celebrate Shrove Tuesday with you! So, Trinity will be having a pancake decorating contest! Make pancakes for dinner and decorate them in any weird, silly, fun way with toppings or fillings or faces or whatever else you want. Then send us pictures! You can email pictures to Pastor Sabrina or Natalee.

All pictures submissions must be in by midnight on Shrove Tuesday. Pictures will be judged by members of the Children and Youth Committee and two winners will receive pancake supply gift baskets from the Swarthmore Co-op. We hope you will join in on the fun!

Lent Madness is back – and all online! Lent Madness began in 2010 as the brainchild of the Rev. Tim Schenck. You can find the OFFICIAL Lent Madness website at lentmadness.org. Here at Trinity, we hold our own Lent Madness bracket contest. 

Here’s what to do: Visit the site to learn about the saints, or pick up a Saintly Scorecard (you'll get one in your Lenten kit from Natalee). Then download and print a bracket, or use the bracket in your Saintly Scorecard. Make your best saintly predictions and fill out your entire bracket before Ash Wednesday (Feb. 17). Take a picture of your completed bracket (or scan it) and email it to AnnMarie Stanton at this special Lent Madness email address: trinity.s.lentmadness@gmail.com.

Starting on “Ash Thursday” vote daily at lentmadness.org, and check the announcements and the Trinity Facebook group for updates on our Trinity contest. (Oh, and Philly’s very own Episcopal saint, Absalom Jones, is in this year’s bracket!). You can get your Saintly Scorecard by picking it up at the church (just inside the double doors leading up to the Shero Room), or when you pick up a Lent Activity bag for your family, or by contacting Bella Englebach (bella.englebach@gmail.com).

Join us for a family-oriented walk-through Ash Wednesday event on February 17th. The church will be open from 5:30 - 6:00pm. Come whenever it is convenient, walk through the back of the church, receive a blessing from clergy, and the invitation to mark yourself and/or your family members with blessed ashes.

Lenten Devotional Bags will be available on Ash Wednesday at the church for all Middle and High School youth who would like one. They will contain meditative activities and suggested scripture for the season of Lent. Please let Pastor Sabrina know if your child would like to take one home.

The summer service trip for all interested high school and middle school students will be to Niagara Falls, NY from June 20 - 25, 2021. The trip will involve numerous service projects, such as building, painting, and working with young children in need.