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Shaping Our Future:
A Generous God, A Generous People
"Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness." — 2 Corinthians 3:12
We are now halfway through the house-to-house portion of our Stewardship Campaign, and I want to begin with thanks, as every conversation on Stewardship should.
To everyone who made a leadership pledge in September, and to everyone who has welcomed a circle captain or completed the online form since October 1, thank you. Your response has been generous, prompt, and full of the hope that gives this campaign its name. Shaping Our Future is not a slogan; it is what you are doing.
I am sometimes asked why the church talks about money at all. The honest answer is that stewardship was never really about money. It is about what we do with everything God has placed in our hands: our time, our gifts, our relationships, and yes, our resources. Stewardship is the practice of remembering that none of it was ours to begin with, and all of it is ours to share.
That practice starts with God. Scripture tells one long story of a God who gives. God gave creation itself, manna in the wilderness, the land, the law, the prophets, and finally God's own Son. When Jesus looks upon us, he does not calculate what we deserve. He gives freely, holds nothing back, and calls us friends. We do not give in order to earn that love. We give because we have already received it, and generosity is simply what grace looks like when it moves through the heart.
So when Trinity invites you to pledge, we are not asking you to fund an institution. We are inviting you to join a generous God in God's generous work: feeding neighbors in Graham County, housing families with Habitat, forming children in faith, singing the great hymns, and keeping a sanctuary open for anyone who needs to hear that God is for them.
If a circle captain has not yet reached you, they will soon. If you have already pledged, please receive my deep gratitude. Together, with great boldness and open hands, we are shaping the future God has in mind for Trinity.
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October Clothing Drive
Help support Appalachian Regional Ministry by donating new or gently used clothing this October. Please place donations in bags or containers—no loose clothing—and bring them to the church office by Sunday, November 1.
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Father Peter Hartwig's First Eucharist
Please welcome Father Peter Hartwig this Sunday as he celebrates his first Eucharist with us!
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Creation Care Presentation: Butterfly Highway Program
Join the Creation Care Committee on Thursday, October 22, at 10 AM in the Undercroft for the Butterfly Highway Program with Luke Bennett, conservation coordinator at the NC Wildlife Federation. Learn how you can help pollinators thrive right where you live. All are welcome.
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Fall Middle School Retreat
Middle schoolers in grades 6–8 are invited to the Diocesan Middle
School Retreat at Lake Logan, October 23-25!
Enjoy a weekend of faith, fellowship, and fun with youth from across the diocese. The cost is $225.
Register soon by clicking here.
Reach out to Debbie with questions.
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Adult Formation:
Special Guest the Rev. Dr. Michael W. Delashmutt on October 25
We are delighted to welcome the Rev. Dr. Michael W. DeLashmutt, Senior Vice President, Dean of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, and Associate Professor of Theology at The General Theological Seminary in New York City. A priest and scholar who has explored the intersection of theology and technology for more than twenty years, Michael leads adult forums and writes widely on how Christian faith meets our digital age — including his Substack, Making Theology, and regular essays for Religion News Service. He is the author of A Lived Theology for Everyday Life: Encounter God through Work, Play, and Culture (Cascade), with a book on theology and artificial intelligence forthcoming. Join us as we explore the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Humanity.
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Spooktacular Halloween Organ Progressive Concert
On October 30th, join us and our friends at Central United Methodist and First Presbyterian for our Halloween Organ Spooktacular Progressive Concert! Each of our fabulous organists (Corey Powell-UMC, Elizabeth Lajeunesse-FPC, and our very own Dr. Kevin Seal) will be offering a short "mini-recital", with treats for your children. Costumes are encouraged! The Spooktacular will begin at Central UMC at 5:00 PM.
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Upcoming Adult Formation: The Celtic Saints
November 1-22 with
the Rev. Dr. R. Scott White
Long before the Reformation, a distinctive Christianity flourished at the edges of the known world. In this class, we'll trace the life of the Celtic Church—how it took root, how it unfolded across centuries, and how it eventually merged with Roman Christianity. We'll pay special attention to the Celtic Saints of Ireland, whose stories still stir the imagination: Patrick, Kevin, Brigid, Columba, and more. The class also prepares us for the next Trinity Pilgrimage, a journey to Ireland to walk the holy ground these saints walked. Come discover a faith both ancient and surprisingly close at hand.
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All Saints Dinner
Sunday, November 1, 6:30 | Tuton Hall
Join us for a free family-style dinner, a candlelight reading of the names of those in our Memorial Garden, and storyteller Becky Stone. Our youth will serve, with tips supporting Youth Scholarships, and nursery care is available for children under 5. Click here to register for dinner, as reservations are required.
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Consider Joining Meals on Wheels
What could you do with an hour and a half? Join Trinity’s Meals on Wheels team and bring a hot meal and a friendly visit to a homebound senior. We take turns delivering one route on Monday mornings and would love a few more volunteers. One morning a month makes a real difference. Contact Sue Graff at sjhgraff@yahoo.com.
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Brighten Someone's Week!
Our Flower Delivery Ministry volunteers make small floral arrangements and bring them to homebound members of our church family, and we’d love to have you join us. Interested? Reach out to Peyton Evert at peytonevert@gmail.com.
| | Upcoming Events and Notes | | |
Everyone who considers themselves new to Trinity is invited to the Newcomers’ Soiree at the home of Rector Scott White and Missy Sherburne (400 Kimberly Avenue) on Friday, November 6, from 4-6 pm. Haven’t received your emailed invitation? Email rebecca@trinityasheville.org or RSVP using the QR code above.
Youth: EYC is going to Winter Lights on Sunday, November 15. Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air, walk-through light show that illuminates the gardens with millions of lights! Join us for Asheville’s Brightest Holiday Tradition!We will meet at the church at 5:15p and return at 8:00p. Please bring money for snacks. Please register by November 13 by clicking here.
High schoolers, join us for the High School Retreat, November 20–22 at Valle Crucis Conference Center. Come for the worship, the fun, and the friendships. Register by November 13 by clicking here. The cost is $225.
Join Fr. Scott for a 10-day pilgrimage through Ireland, October 4–13, 2027, tracing the sacred landscapes of Patrick, Brigid, Kevin, and the Celtic saints. From Dublin and Glendalough to Kildare, Armagh, Belfast, and the Giant’s Causeway, this journey offers prayer, history, worship, and fellowship in some of Ireland’s most beautiful holy places. Space is limited and places will be filled in the order registrations are received. Click here to register to register and reserve your spot with a $500 deposit.
Mark your calendar for the Trinity Women’s Retreat at Valle Crucis, April 9-11. More details to come!
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Schedule
- 8:00 — Holy Eucharist
- 9:00 — Breakfast in Tuton Hall
- 9:15-12:00 — Nursery Open (babies through three years)
- 9:30 - 10:30 — Adult Forum (in the Undercroft and Zoom)
- 9:30 - 10:30 — Parents in Conversation (Clark Room)
- 9:30-10:30 — Godly Play, Middle School, & High School Classes
- 10:45 — Holy Eucharist with Choir (in-person and livestreamed)*
- 5:30 — Celtic Eucharist with instrumentalists (in-person and livestreamed)
*A separate simultaneous “Service of the Word” (Children’s Chapel) for 3-year-
olds through Fifth Graders begins at 10:45 in the Redwood chapel before
everyone moves to the main nave to join their families for the rest of
communion. Participants will experience an age appropriate (Godly-Play style)
beginning to the same Eucharist taking place in the main nave: opening,
prayers, creed, Gospel reading and song and some “response time.” Our older
children help lead.
Formation
Adult Forum (Undercroft): St. Francis and the Galatians | September 27-October 18
Over four weeks, Dr. April Love-Fordham will teach from her book, St. Francis and the Christian Life, taking us on a pilgrim's road—a hike with St. Francis into the sun-warmed hillside of Assisi. Accompanying us will be the Apostle Paul. We will watch on as these two saints, eight centuries apart, wrestle with building Christian communities. How are we to live the Christian life together? She will not offer tidy answers, but good company for the asking, laced with Italian countryside, a little history, and a mystery—who is Brother Giovanni?
Parents in Conversation (Clark Room): an informal gathering of parents, grandparents, and anyone else interested to discuss life, God, and parenting.
Learn more about this year's Adult formation offerings here.
Children:
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Nursery is available starting at 9 through the end of the second service. Babies through 3 years.
Youth: 6th-12th graders meet in the youth rooms under Tuton Hall. This year, they are learning about Holy Troublemakers. Learn more about our curriculum and our youth program here.
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Intercessory & Contemplative Prayer: Wednesdays,10:45 to 11:15am, in the Redwood Chapel. No sign-up is necessary. Contact Sue Graff at sjhgraff@yahoo.com or the church office with questions.
Midweek Eucharist Every Wednesday, we offer a midweek worship service at 11:30.
Women’s Bible Study meets Tuesdays at 9:30 in the conference room (and online) to discuss the Scriptures appointed for the upcoming Sunday.
The Trinity Caregivers’ Group meets by Zoom on the second Friday of each month at 1 pm, offering a confidential space for those caring for loved ones with dementia, facilitated by geropsychologist Dr. Corkie Morrill. Contact corkiemorrill@charter.net or call (828) 508-8527.
Facilitators Sharon Lechner and Page McCorkle invite you to the Becoming Beloved Community book group. Members discuss the intersection of social and environmental justice with the dominant culture of white supremacy. 10/28 - The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community by Stephanie Sellers. Email pageconnermccorkle@gmail.com with questions.
The Second Chapter Book Group is a welcoming ladies’ group meeting every even-numbered month on the second Thursday at 10:00 AM in the Clark Room. The next meeting is on December 10. Contact Barbara Fotinos for details: bfotinos@gmail.com.
AA meetings: Monday–Friday mornings at 7:00 AM, Tuesday & Friday evenings at 8:00 PM, Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM, all in the Undercroft. Al-Anon and Alateen meet Sundays at 5:00 PM in the Youth Rooms; AA for Women meets on Saturdays at 8:30 AM in the Clark Room.
The next Daughters of the King meets the third Sunday of every month (except for July). The mission of the Order is “the extension of Christ’s Kingdom through Prayer, Service, and Evangelism,” lived out through a personal Rule of Life that always includes a Rule of Prayer and a Rule of Service."
The Brotherhood of St. Andrew meets twice a month. Their social meeting is on the last Tuesday of the month. The Sunday worship meeting is paused during the summer and will resume September 6.
Literary Ladies Book Club, meets at noon on the fourth Thursday of odd-numbered months. The next meeting is July We gather in homes, share a potluck lunch, and discuss novels, memoirs, nonfiction, and even poetry chosen together at the January meeting. Text or email Erwin Gunnells at 838-216-6282 or erwin2@bellsouth.net to join in.
| | Trinity Church has a decades-long history of holding Education for Ministry (EfM), which Helene impacted. But now is the time. EfM is a small group-centered (seminary-led) formation program of biblical study and theological reflection. We are starting a new group in January. If you are interested, please contact Phyllis Smith (smith25200@bellsouth.net) or the Rector (scott@trinityasheville.org). Click here to learn more about these classes on the EfM website. | | |
Did you know that Trinity is equipped with a hearing loop in the main section of the church? This assistive listening system is designed to transmit sound directly to hearing aides that are so equipped.
During Communion at the 8:00 and 10:45 services, a prayer station is available in the Tower Room. After receiving Communion, you are invited to receive prayer and anointing for yourself, others, or any need—spoken or unspoken. All are welcome.
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Creation Care Corner:
"A single cup of healthy soil holds something on the order of two hundred billion bacteria, twenty million protozoa, a hundred thousand meters of fungal thread, a hundred thousand nematodes, fifty thousand tiny arthropods….Your own body, for what it’s worth, carries something like thirty-nine trillion microbial cells that influence your health in ways medicine is only beginning to map. Earth is alive in the same literal sense you are — an unfathomably dense, interdependent web of living things, not a rock with some plants growing on top of it." -Randy Woodley
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A Note About Our Prayer List:
Please note that names will remain on the Prayer List for six weeks. If you notice someone has been removed and would like for them to stay on the list longer, please contact Kat - kat@trinityasheville.org.
| Photo and Video Policy: To view our policy regarding media and minors, click here. | |
Listen to our podcast: 60 Church Street
Subscribe to our podcast on all major platforms. If you missed the Sunday homily or if you just want to listen to it again, this is a great way to do so on-the-go. Click here to listen!
| If you joined a Supper Club, don’t forget these upcoming dates! 11/8, 2/21, & 4/25. | | |
Check out pics from our community life here at Trinity:
We post pictures from our events for you to enjoy! Click here to view our Flickr gallery.
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Subscribe to Stories That Matter:
Trinity has a second blog - Stories that Matter. We invite you to subscribe to it! Click here to view Stories That Matter. When you subscribe, you will be notified when a new post is made to these blogs and when livestream posts are created. It's a great way to stay "in-the-know" here at Trinity.
| Next Sunday’s Lectionary Readings (for 10/25): Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Matthew 22:34-46 | | |
Volunteer
Check out Trinity’s website to learn more about opportunities to serve the church and world.
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Lake Logan Volunteers: Join us every Thursday for fellowship and service including painting, repairs, and landscaping. Contact Carlyn (carlynpheil@gmail.com) or Fred (fredfairhead@att.net).
Serve Meals with Church of the Advocate Help serve Sunday meals to the unhoused after the 10:45 AM service at Church of the Advocate. No cooking skills needed. Contact Rev. Mike Reardon (mike@trinityasheville.org).
The Appalachian Regional Ministry partners with churches and leaders in Graham County to support one of our region’s poorest communities. Join us on monthly trips to Robbinsville to cook, distribute food, and serve alongside local leaders. Everyone is welcome! To get involved, contact the church office for Tom Goodrich’s info.
ABCCM: ABCCM is a significant ministry in our community; our Rector is on the board. Explore the many opportunities to volunteer.
Trinity Cooking Team for Transformation Village Trinity has a team that cooks for Transformation Village, a ministry of ABCCM that provides up to 100 beds for homeless women, mothers, children, and veterans. We need up to ten volunteers. Contact Debbie Cox to let her know you’d like to help: debbie@trinityasheville.org.
Help cook and serve breakfast from 8:00 to 9:30 on Sundays. Tom Griffin and Debbie Cox do most of the work, but help scrambling eggs or flipping pancakes is greatly appreciated! Sign up on the bulletin board in Tuton Hall or contact Debbie Cox at debbie@trinityasheville.org.
Outreach is a team of Trinitarians concerned about helping those less fortunate in our community. We meet every other month to plan ministries like Habitat for Humanity and Red Bag collections for needy charities. If you would like to help, please contact the church office for more information.
| | | | You can donate to Trinity however is convenient for you. Our address is 60 Church Street, Asheville, NC, 28801. Text “trinityavl” to 73256. You can also use the “Give” button on our website. Thank you. | | Trinity Clergy, Staff, and Vestry | | |
The Following Immediate and Ongoing Prayer concerns remain for a period of six weeks
unless they are intentionally renewed by calling the church office.
Immediate Concerns: Jason Hamlin, Anna Fitch Courie, Carey Mitchell, Chris Bradley, Adaline Parks, Jeanette Sparks, Jack Work, Elizabeth Link, Aldo Delpino, The Rev. Judy Norton, Rich Boulter, Ginny Parks, Ted Sherburne, Tom Goodrich
For Those in Service to Our Country: Lt. Cmdr. Alexander M. Ford (son of John Mark and Charlene Ford), WO. Brendan Gilbert (grandson of Curt Gilbert); Davis N. Graham, Lieutenant J.G. (grandson of Jane Clark), Gerald Welker, Jr, US Air Force Band (son of Leslie Welker), SN John Work, US Navy (son of Becky & Jack Work), CPT Crystal Frutchey, NC National Guard (cousin of Jennine Hough), Charles Nause, Navy Seal (friend of the Shaws), Lt. Noah Hasty, US Navy (son of Hadyn & Terry Hasty), and Maj. Matthew Dugan (nephew of Aimes Pugh).
Birthdays (October 18-24): Nancy Allison, Owen Alspaugh, Griffin Groh, Hannah Horine, Matt Lynch, Luke Bleynat, Collier Graham, Woody Langdon, Pamela Shelton, Thomas Brosnan, John Mitchell, Haley Stevenson, Dave Woodard, Henry Chandler, Custis Covington, Billy Ray, Izzy Weinberg, Leslie Casse, Christopher Jackson, Page McCorkle, Coco Thomas, Linda Watt, Jas Gentling, Nia Katechis, Anne Carter Tepper, Bill Morrissey
Anniversaries (October 18-24): Jim & Kristi Goodrum, Nancy Ackermann Cole & Don Cole, Tim & Tonya Fotinos, Jeff & Nancy Howden, Lynn & Will Penny
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Have an an announcement for Friday emails?
If you would like your group's announcement to be included in the Friday emails or the Sunday Times, please email Kat Lomuscio.
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