Due to maintenance on our sound system in the nave, our services for the next few Sundays will be streamed to Facebook instead of YouTube. As usual, the links to our livestreamed services can be found in each week's eNews and on our online worship schedule. We will return to our regular streaming system in time for Holy Week.
The Ten Commandments are a foundational learning of our faith and guide our actions and decision-making every day. Please bring a child in your life to this important session to learn about the Ten Commandments in easy-to-understand language and apply them to our daily lives. We will break out in age-appropriate classes for activities and further learning. Questions? Contact Angela Arpino! family@trinitynewhaven.org
Trinity is looking for a volunteer to take on the role of Flower Coordinator, to oversee the seasonal decoration of the church with flowers, palms, and greens. The work of the Flower Coordinator will be focused on Altar Guild work days related to major Holy Days and seasons—for example, greening the church at the beginning of Advent; arranging potted poinsettias for Christmas; making arrangements of palms for Palm Sunday, and arranging potted flowers for Easter Day. No experience arranging flowers is necessary, though training can be made available if this is an area of interest.
If you are interested, or would like to ask further questions, please contact the Rev. Heidi Thorsen. hthorsen@trinitynewhaven.org
What a blessing it was to welcome acclaimed author Emily Esfahani Smith to our pulpit this past Sunday. Below is a reflection by Rev. Heidi Thorsen:
Lent is traditionally a time of taking on spiritual practices: adding a practice of silent meditation to your ritual, or abstaining from things we usually take for granted (food items, such as chocolate or meat, being a common choice for us modern Christians). But how do you embrace contemplation when you have a toddler running around at your heels and throwing a tantrum because you didn’t hold her plastic cow the right way? How do you abstain from food when you’re just trying to get your toddler to eat anything?
Emily Esfahani Smith’s guest sermon at Trinity asks questions like these. She reflects on Lent not only as a bestselling author for her book, the Power of Meaning, but also as a mother of a toddler and baby. She affirms that an attitude of contemplation is possible in the everyday bustle, without having to drop all your responsibilities and become a solitary monk for these 40 days.
Are you exhausted just going from one day to another, and wondering how you could ever fit a prayer, wonder, and spirituality into your busy life? I encourage you to watch Emily’s sermon (for the first time, or on repeat!). Listen while you drive to work, or while you do the dishes - and imagine how God can visit you in the ordinary places this Lent.
This Sunday, February 25, we are honored and delighted to welcome Emily Esfahani Smith to preach at our 10:30 a.m. service. Emily draws on psychology, philosophy, and literature to write about the human experience—why we are the way we are and how we can find grace and meaning in a world that is full of suffering. Her book The Power of Meaning, an international bestseller, has been translated into sixteen different languages. The former managing editor of The New Criterion, Emily’s articles and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and other publications. She has also appeared on NBC’s TODAY, CBS This Morning, and NPR. In 2019, she was a Poynter Journalism Fellow at Yale University. As a speaker, she has delivered dozens of keynotes and workshops at major corporations, conferences, and universities across the country and world. Emily lives in Washington, DC. emilyesfahanismith.com
Join us for an unforgettable evening of soul-stirring music as the legendary Sweet Honey in the Rock takes the stage at Trinity on Saturday, April 13. Sweet Honey in the Rock is a Grammy-nominated African-American a cappella ensemble that serves audiences from diverse backgrounds and cultures throughout the United States and the world. Hailed as a group with “unmistakable power” that “empowers individuals to accomplish together what we cannot accomplish alone” (NPR), they use “a stunning range of jazz phrasings and impeccable scat chops” to teach audiences “what freedom really sounds like” (Indy Week).
All proceeds from the concert will benefit the “Doing A Walden” Campaign, which will support Trinity’s future musical endeavors.
Our lives today feel busy and complicated: full of commitments, worries, and crises in need of a loving response. Amid such stress and strain, we can also experience loneliness, longing, and solitude. This Lent we invite you to slow down and abide in God (John 15:4). Each of the opportunities listed here is a way to reflect, reconnect, and re-center our lives. Whatever your choices in this busy season, Trinity is here for you, a living reminder that we are all connected to each other in Christ.
Go Deeper this Lent
"Read | Pray | Do" Lenten Stations
From now until Holy Week, visit our undercroft to view interactive stations that will help you and your family connect with important Lenten themes. At each station, you are invited to read the assigned scripture, pray with it, and then participate in the activity. Available during Sunday coffee hour and whenever the church is open.
Virtual Retreat: A Pilgrimage to God and Self
Every Thursday in Lent from 4-5 p.m., join Lilian Revel and Rev. Luk De Volder to explore different forms of prayer and meditation and learn from the wisdom of the mystics. We will follow Jesus, Hildegard von Bingen, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, Etty Hillesum, and Teilhard de Chardin. All are welcome; no need to attend every session. Click here to join via Zoom.
Lenten Devotionals: Abide in Prayer
Write a prayer to share with our community as we accompany each other on our Lenten journey. These prayers will be published on a weekly basis in our eNews and online. Learn more here.
One-on-One Pastoral Conversations
One way to re-center is through sharing what is on your mind and heart with a pastoral listener. Our pastoral care team extends an invitation for you to schedule a one-on-one conversation.
Rev. Luk De Volder | ldevolder@trinitynewhaven.org
Rev. Heidi Thorsen | hthorsen@trinitynewhaven.org
Lilian Revel | pastoralcare@trinitynewhaven.org
Events
Lent Soup Suppers
There's still time to sign up for a Lent Soup Supper! Get to know your Trinity family better over fellowship and a shared meal. Hosts provide the soup; guests are welcome to bring sides, a beverage, or dessert. Trinity will provide materials for a short prayer service and "icebreaker" questions for more conversation during the meal. Pick a date and location that works best for you! RSVP by signing up in the narthex after church, or email Rev. Heidi (hthorsen@trinitynewhaven.org). Details (including the host's address) will be provided to those who RSVP.
Thursday, Feb. 29 at 5:30 p.m. | Hamden | Leigh Cromey & Rich Walser
Saturday, Mar. 9 at 11:30 a.m. | New Haven (family-friendly option!) | Marge Eichler
Saturday, Mar. 16 at noon | Beacon Falls | Bob Scott & Jim Rothgeb
FULL: Tuesday, Mar. 19 at 5:30 p.m. | West Haven | Barbara Jerry
Stations of the Cross & Fish Fry at St. Luke's
Join St. Luke's Episcopal Church (111 Whalley Ave.) every Friday in Lent for a Fish Fry ($14) at 5 p.m., a Bible Study at 6 p.m., and Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. Stay tuned for a date when Trinity will join as a group!
Sermon Drama on March 17
The Trinity Players will present a Lenten sermon drama during our 10:30 a.m. service on March 17 (Fifth Sunday in Lent). More details to come!
Holy Week
Palm Sunday: March 24
7:45 a.m. – Liturgy of the Palms & Holy Eucharist, Rite I
10:30 a.m. – Liturgy of the Palms & Holy Eucharist, Rite II
2:00 p.m. – Chapel on the Green
Maundy Thursday: March 28
2:00-4:00 p.m. – Chapel on the Green with Foot Washing & Health Fair
7:30 p.m. – Mass of the Lord's Supper
Good Friday: March 29
12:00-3:00 p.m. – The Seven Last Words of Christ
7:30 p.m. – Solemn Liturgy of the Lord's Passion
Holy Saturday: March 30
7:30 p.m. – The Great Vigil of Easter
Easter Sunday: March 31
7:45 a.m. – Holy Eucharist, Rite I
10:30 a.m. – Festival Choral Eucharist, Rite I
11:45 a.m. – Easter Egg Scramble
2:00 p.m. – Chapel on the Green
View our events calendar for more details about Holy Week.
This Lent we invite you to write prayers for our community as we accompany one another along our journey of prayer and self-reflection. These prayers will be shared on a weekly basis in our eNews and online.
How to sign up:
Email Rev. Heidi (hthorsen@trinitynewhaven.org) to sign up for a particular week. You will receive a reminder the week before. Rev. Heidi will compile the prayers, and they will be shared in the following week's eNews and online (website and Facebook). Take inspiration from each Sunday's readings by clicking the links below.
Second Sunday in Lent (deadline Feb. 20)
Third Sunday in Lent (deadline Feb. 27)
Fourth Sunday in Lent (deadline Mar. 5)
Fifth Sunday in Lent (deadline Mar. 12)
Holy Week (deadline Mar. 19)—reflect on any of the readings from Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, or Holy Saturday
How to Write a Prayer:
Prayers can be written like a poem our journal entry, or you could follow the traditional format of a "collect." Collects are short prayers used in common worship, typically separated into three parts:
Attribute: a statement of who God is (describes what God has done in the past and what you will ask God to do)
Ask: describe how we are asking God to help us
Amen: typically in a Trinitarian form (e.g., through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, etc.)
Example (Proper 28):
Attribute: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning
Ask: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ
Amen: Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
You can take the above format and be creative with it, or let your words be more freeform. Be in touch with Rev. Heidi if you have questions or would like input in the prayer writing process.
A grief support group offers a safe and compassionate space for individuals coping with loss to share their experiences, receive understanding and support, and navigate their emotional journey together. We are currently exploring the idea of organizing such a support group at Trinity and would like to know if there is any interest among our parishioners. If you are interested or have ideas, please email Lilian Revel.
Yale Divinity School invites you to its annual Taylor Lectures, given this year by former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. The lectures are titled "The Claims of Solidarity: A Conversation in Theology and Ethics" and are spread over the course of three days: February 21, 22, and 23.
All three of the talks will be given at 5:30 p.m. in Marquand Chapel (409 Prospect Street). Free parking is available near YDS in the Betts House or Greenberg Center lots, as well as in Lot 14, Lot 15, and on nearby streets. Visit Yale's campus parking page to see the exact locations of these lots.
Rowan Williams is a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian, and poet and was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury. He is also Honorary Professor of Contemporary Christian Thought and former head of Magdalen College, Cambridge. Retired in Wales since 2020, he is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and public affairs and several collections of poetry. Bishop Williams says of his Taylor Lectures, “Solidarity is a common theme in ethical discussion and plays a key role in modern Catholic social teaching. But what are the roots of this language? Does it seek to avoid necessary conflict and struggle, or does it offer a radical alternative to tribal and destructive social patterns? The lectures will treat these and other questions and suggest where we might look both for theological grounding and theological critique.”
Due to the severe winter storm forecast to hit the northeast tonight and tomorrow, St. PJ's has cancelled their Mardi Gras party. We look forward to collaborating for another event in the future, and in the meantime, we hope everyone stays safe!
This monthly, kid-friendly service invites families (and parishioners) to gather in the undercroft at 10:35 a.m. for their own version of Sunday worship. Special guests David Lindsay and Kathleen Schomaker will lead us in song this Sunday as children participate as readers, musicians, and ushers. Afterwards, our Baby Blessings Play Group meets in the nursery to play and make friends. Join us!
In these sessions we will explore different forms of prayer and meditation and learn from the wisdom of the mystics—including Jesus, Hildegard von Bingen, Meister Eckhart, Julian of Norwich, Etty Hillesum, and Teilhard de Chardin.
The retreat meets via Zoom every Thursday during Lent (beginning February 15 and ending March 21). All are welcome—please email Lilian Revel if you wish to attend. pastoralcare@trinitynewhaven.org
Last Sunday, February 4, Trinity held its nineteenth African American Read-In organized for the final time by dedicated parishioner Eleanor Q. Tignor. With a slavery documentary screening in 2023, this year's Read-In marked twenty years of honoring Black History Month as a community. We are so grateful to Eleanor for her tireless work in putting this event together every year. Eleanor has shared the following words with the parish:
I wish to thank the 22 readers who participated in the February 4th Read-In. Each one had signed up in advance and came well prepared, presenting to the enthusiastic audience, for which we were all grateful, a diversity of writings by African Americans, ranging from slavery to the present day. The themes of peace, love, joy, dreams, faith, hope, equality, and others in past and present Black writings blended effectively and kept our attention.
As the coordinator who needed certain assistance and support for our 19th Read-In, I give special thanks to Lilian Revel, Warner Marshall, The Rev. Heidi Thorsen, Jeff Perron, and as always to Walden Moore, for setting the stage with “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sign,” sung by all at the conclusion of each service. To the whole church, thanks for your thanks to me—that huge beautiful floral bouquet.
Eleanor Q. Tignor
Next Sunday, February 18, is our Annual General Meeting. This year's AGM will follow a slightly different format: the agenda items will take place during the 10:30 worship (and will be abbreviated from previous years), after which there will be an informal Q&A with parish leaders and an extended coffee hour in the undercroft. There will be no luncheon as in years past. We hope you can join us!
Click HERE to peruse our 2023 Annual Report and reflect on the ways the Holy Spirit has been moving in our community this past year.
