October 21, 2021
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The last year and a half has changed our lives. While we know many of us have experienced grief and pain during the pandemic, we also want to look at the blessings from this time. We believe that the pandemic has been a time of letting things go and laying fallow. In that rest, pause and lack of activity, we have found unexpected gifts presented to us. The gift of time, the gift of reflection, and the gift of connection—even in pandemic isolation.
You have been a gift to us. We want you to know how thankful we are that you have been willing to change the way you “do church” and to continue to be The Church of the Holy Trinity community through everything. We are inspired by your adaptability, your generosity, by the unbelievable things we have accomplished together, by your kindness and compassion, and by the unseen work you have done in the service of God and our church community. We cannot say thank you enough.
We have begun the slow transition out of quarantine and toward the post-pandemic Church of the Holy Trinity. And because we have all been changed, the church is different, too. In the past, we relied on staff and a small handful of volunteers to do the bulk of the ministry for us. This is not a sustainable model for a growing church. It also does not allow for the gifts of the congregation to be lifted up and valued – and we have an unbelievably talented congregation. We believe that collaboration brings out the best in everyone.
We live this out in our shared ministry as Co-Rectors, and we partner with the leaders of this congregation because we know that we can best hear God’s call to us in community with others. As we begin the build up the church again, we need EVERYONE’s talents and hands and investment. We need you to come to the events and services that feel safe to you. We need your hands to help make the space beautiful again, your voices to lift in song, your heart to serve. We need your wisdom, compassion, faith and creativity to help us discern what it means to be The Church of the Holy Trinity in 2022.
We are not going to send time and talent cards, as we have done in years past; nor are we going to ask you to commit to doing just one new thing. Instead, we ask you to commit your whole self to this community; to look deeply at the gifts God has given you, and offer them back to the church. Do you love to cook? Share that love with the folks we serve on Sunday nights. Do you love to doodle? Share your art on the bulletin cover one week. Do you love to putter around the house fixing stuff? Come help Demetrius for a day. Do you love to reorganize and declutter? Well, after a year of not being in the building regularly, we could use your eye! Do you love to read? Share your love with the kids on the puppet show. Do you love to write notes? Share your love with encouraging notes to your fellow parishioners. There are so many ways to share your talents, and we need every single one of them right now. We cannot be the church without YOU.
Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing with you short videos with your fellow parishioners reflecting on the gifts they received during the pandemic and the gifts they want to share with the church this next year. As you watch these, we want you to consider what gifts you have been given and what gifts you will share with the church this year. Don’t overthink it. We need your gifts. If you don’t know how we might use them, just ask us! We promise you, we can find a place for you to use them.
In love,
