Jollof Rice

By Faith Kasor

Jollof rice is a popular cuisine in West Africa, this dish is served at every occasion with love and happiness.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of rice (Basmati or long gain parboiled rice)

• ¼ cup of olive oil

• ½ tablespoons butter

• 2 chicken breast (chopped) or peeled shrimps (may omit for vegan)

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (can use regular paprika)

• 1 onion (diced)

• 1 green bell pepper (diced)

• 1 red bell pepper (diced)

• 3 teaspoon fresh diced garlic

• 1-2 celery stick – optional

• ½ cup mushrooms – optional

• 4 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 can diced tomatoes

• 2 bay leaves

• ¼ tsp dried thyme (or 2 tbsp fresh will be perfect)

• 2 – 3 cups of mixed vegetables, frozen

• 3 cups vegetable stock or water

• 2 teaspoon Knorr chicken bouillon power seasoning or cubes

• Pinch of salt to your taste

• 1/4 cup cilantro or parsley to garnish

Steps

1. Add oil and butter in a heat resistant pot, then add the chicken breast, paprika, onion, celery, green/red peppers, and garlic (optional mushrooms or celery). Sauté for about 3 minutes.

2. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, bay leaf & thyme. Cook until tomatoes get slightly soft, for about 3 minutes until you see the oil/sauce getting red. Then add frozen vegetables. Add the rice next. Sauté for another 2 minutes or so.

3. Add 3 cups of vegetable stock/water, Knorr chicken bouillon and salt. Close the lid, and cook until 90% cooked, for about 30 minutes.

4. Allow the rice to continue cooking until the rice is soft. If it is not dry at this point, then switch the heat to low to allow it to dry the excess water without making the rice much softer.

5. If rice is still hard, add 1/4 cup water and cover with a heavy lid, which will allow it to steam through. Check back at 5 min and it should be ready. You want to avoid a soft rice.

6. Garnish with cilantro/parsley and serve.   

We have been informed that Temple Street will be closed to traffic starting Saturday morning at 8 a.m. We have been assured that those attending the Polly Fiddler's memorial service at 11 a.m. will be allowed to pass. However, those planning to attend at should plan additional time into their travel schedule to account for potential complications. If possible, please consider parking at on of the nearby parking garages. Alternately, the Fiddler family has decided to livestream the service which can be accessed via the button below.

Pomegranate and Fennel Salsa

By Luk De Volder

Tucked deep inside a cookbook with only salmon recipes, my wife Tiffany once discovered this gem of a salsa. In Diane Morgan’s cookbook the salsa is featured to accompany a pan-roasted salmon. Tiffany usually serves it with Arroz Blanco (Mexican White Rice). Suggested wines are a Spanish albariño or a Portuguese alvarinho. It is one of the most delicious salsas you will ever taste, but for some reason it has remained a hidden gourmand treasure. Serves 4.

Ingredients

·      1 large fennel bulb, trimmed (fronds reserved)

·      1 pomegranate

·      1 jalapeño chile, seede, derived, and minced

·      2 green onions, including green tops, finely chopped

·      ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

·      2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·      2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

·      1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

·      ½ teaspoon sugar

·      Freshly ground pepper

Steps

Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise, remove the core, and then cut the fennel into ¼-inch dice. Transfer to a medium bowl. Chop ¼ cup of the fronds, add 2 tablespoons to the bowl, and reserve the rest for garnish. To extract the pomegranate seeds, cut the fruit into quarters, and then break the seeds away from the pith using your fingertips. (I wear disposable surgical gloves that I buy at any pharmacy to keep my fingers from being stained red. I also extract the seeds under water, placing a bowlful of water in the kitchen sink to contain any squirting pomegranate juice.) Transfer the pomegranate seeds to the bowl with the fennel. Add the jalapeño chile, green onions, cilantro, extra-virgin olive oil, lime juice, salt, sugar, and a few grinds of pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside until ready to serve. (The salsa can be made up to 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 45 minutes before serving to allow it to come to room temperature.)

Note from Luk

I love pomegranates, so I usually skip the gloves. Without the jalapeño chile the recipe is still delicious. Depending on the sweetness of the pomegranates you may need to add another teaspoon of sugar.

Acknowledgment

Diane Morgan, Salmon: A Cookbook by Diane Morgan (Chronicle Books: San Fransisco, 2005), 144-145.

PrideFest New Haven is an annual event celebrating the LGTBQ+ community in the greater New Haven area during September. Volunteers are needed to help staff Trinity’s table and to be a presence declaring the wonder of the Creator’s incomprehensible love for all of creation.

This year PrideFest will be on Saturday, September 7, in The Ninth Square District from 12-6 p.m. Volunteers are needed to staff the table and to welcome people to Trinity if they wish to sightsee or pray. The Spirit will call people as they see fit; we can only facilitate.

Contact Bill Pagano if you're interested or have any questions. paganob944@gmail.com

Sack Lunches

By Lisa Levy

“Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30).

Each and every week, these are the words that invite people into worship at Chapel on the Green, Trinity’s 2:00 p.m. outdoor service and meal that centers the experiences of people who are unhoused. The clergy, volunteers, and parishioners strive to practice the radical and inclusive love of God by building a community where all are welcome, building a spiritual home for those who may not have had one for many years.

After the service, a volunteer congregation serves the meal: sometimes it is a hot meal, baked ziti, or soup or burgers, but most often, it is sack lunches. The sandwiches are simple to make: turkey and cheese, ham and cheese, or peanut butter and jelly; they are sustenance for a community of people, many of whom experience hunger or food insecurity on a daily basis.

This recipe invites the Trinity congregation into the process of making 100 or more sandwiches, with the hope that you, too, will feel called to make sack lunches for a Sunday at Chapel on the Green.

Ingredients

·      10-12 loaves of bread (white or wheat)

·      7 pounds of sliced turkey

·      7 pounds of sliced ham

·      4.5 pounds of sliced cheddar cheese

·      4 pounds of peanut butter

·      2 pounds of jelly

·      100 pieces of soft fruit (oranges, bananas, or applesauce)

·      100 bottles of water

·      100 reusable bags

·      Food prep gloves

·      5-6 people (though more hands and hearts are always welcome!)

Steps

1.     Make stations: one for turkey and cheese; one for ham and cheese; one for PB&J

2.    Lay out the bread, slice by slice

3.    Assemble sandwiches: about 50-55 turkey and cheese (this is consistently the favorite choice); 30-35 ham and cheese; and 15-20 PB&J

4.    Come to CotG to join the community in worship and prayer; stay to help serve lunch!

Energy Balls

By Rev. Heidi Thorsen

“The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat” (Mark 6:30).

On the day I got home from the hospital after my daughter was born, my mother-in-law arrived on our doorstep ready to help, with these “Energy Bites” in a plastic bag. I remember them as a lifeline in those early days of breastfeeding and learning to be parent. Somehow, in my postpartum daze, the name of these changed from “Energy Bites” to “Energy Balls”—an in honor of that wild time, that’s still what I call them. These can be enjoyed just about anywhere at any time, including standing in front of the glow of a refrigerator at 2am. Makes 14-16 bite-sized balls.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup almond flour – with an extra ¼ cup on hand

• 1 cup old fashioned oats

• 1/2 cup peanut or almond butter

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

• 1/4 cup dried cherries

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1/4 cup honey

• 2 Tablespoons chia seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• Pinch of salt

Steps

1. Stir together all the ingredients, starting with just ½ cup almond flour. If the mixture sticks to your hands, add more almond flour one table spoon at a time until mixture can easily be rolled into 1 inch balls.

2. Place balls into a storage container and refrigerate until set. Stays fresh 4-5 days.

Attribution

“No-Bake Cranberry Chocolate Almond Energy Bites.” Iowa Girl Eats. iowagirleats.com/no-bake-cranberry-chocolate-almond-energy-bites/. Accessed 16 July 2024.

With sadness, we share the news of the passing of longtime Trinity member and carillonneur David McKeand. His funeral service will be held on Wednesday, July 24, at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity Church. We invite all parishioners to join us in honoring Dave's life and legacy and accompanying him in his journey to eternal li

Tea

By William Margraf (click here to read his sermon from July 14)

For thousands of years, tea has provided an essential way to unwind, collect oneself, and gently insist that you deserve a quiet moment to pause, reflect, and restore yourself.  Tea drinkers around the world have found how Tea fortifies the tea drinker so they can re-engage their day feeling heartened and renewed.  It has been said, "Tea restores."

Making tea is simply more than some hot water in a mug.  It is about giving yourself some time to be soothed from a busy day.  It is about honoring you.

I have found the interplay between boiling water, tea, and air is key to achieving a deep, full favored tea. Despite these deceptively simple ingredients, Tea is something to be savored perhaps like a good wine.  And like the appreciation of a good wine, having the time and space to enjoy tea makes it more than simply a beverage.  Pouring hot water over a tea bag will not produce the restorative and gently re-energizing conditions for the ideal cup of tea.  Thankfully, preparing tea is not rocket science.

Ingredients

·       Cold tap water

·       Tea kettle or electric tea kettle or even a regular pot

·       Black tea (English Breakfast, Earl Grey, or your favorite supermarket brand) 

·       Milk (your preferred milk or milk alternative)

·       Teapot

·       Cup (with saucer, if desired)

·       Time

Steps

1.      Heat cold, fresh tap water until it comes to a boil.

2.     Pour about a cup of the boiling water into the tea pot.

3.     Swish the boiling water around the teapot until the sides the pot feel warm or even hot.  Warm teapots, like warm people, offer a hospitable place for the tea to be at its best.  

4.     Pout that water out.

5.     Begin pouring boiling water into the teapot so the water in the pot seems like there is a tempest stirring.

6.     While pouring the tempestuous water, toss in three to five tea bags or a few teaspoons of loose tea. 

7.     With a towel or a tea cozy, cover the tea pot.  Allow the tea to steep for about five minutes.

8.     In the meantime, pour some boiling water into the tea cup.  This helps the cup ‘greet’ the tea with warmth.

9.     When you are ready to serve the tea, pour half a cup of tea into your tea cup.  Lift the teapot lid for a moment, allowing some air in, and then resume pouring.

10.  If desired add milk and/or sugar or honey.  

11.    Enjoy your cup of tea!

Call for Prayer at this Time of Political Violence

Dear Trinity parishioners and friends,

Yesterday our country learned about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. American leaders across the political spectrum as well as state leaders from all over the world fiercely condemn this act of political violence that is thoroughly anti-American and counter to the values of our American democracy. 

At this moment in our country’s history, our parish, Trinity Church on the Green, together with all churches in America, equally condemn this political violence. We join each other in prayer for the well-being of Donald Trump, for strength for our current President Joe Biden, and for all leaders of our democracy. At this time, it is hard to take for granted the importance of joint prayer for unity and peace in our country. Let us call on our Lord for protection and guidance that is much needed at this hour. We invite you to pray together the Prayer for Our Country from the Book of Common Prayer (p. 820):

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thank you for joining each other in prayer. May God protect our leaders, guide them and fortify them, and may we all service our country and its future.

+Luk and Heidi

For comfort and safety during this week’s heat wave, we have made the decision to gather for worship in the air-conditioned undercroft this coming Sunday for both our 7:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services.

We plan to livestream the 10:30 a.m. Eucharist though we ask for your patience in case of any delays or issues. The undercroft is not connected to our usual livestream equipment, which may cause unexpected changes in the livestream service.

We recognize that there is some loss when we are not able to worship together in our beautiful nave, though we hope this shift will inspire us to encounter God and one another in refreshing (and cool!) ways this coming Sunday. Many thanks to staff, volunteers, and parishoners for your flexibility and faithfulness!

As part of our summer sermon series on the relationship between food and faith, we invite members of our community to submit recipes to a shared Trinity Cookbook. Our hope is to sell copies of this book at our 2024 Christmas Market. Multiple submissions are welcome!

From July 14 to August 18, six preachers will reflect on the relationship between food and faith through the lens of personal storytelling and scripture. All preachers will submit a recipe alongside their sermon, which ties in with the themes of the sermon in some way.

July 14 – William Margraf

July 21 – Rev. Heidi Thorsen

July 28 – Lisa Levy

August 4 – Rev. Luk De Volder

August 11 – Faith Kasor

August 18 – Rev. Peter Sipple

CYFM's "Eat, Pray, Play" event will now take place on Sunday, July 28 at 4 p.m. RSVP by July 25 to family@trinitynewhaven.org. The address will be provided upon RSVP.

Join the Assis-Alsamarai family as they open their home to us for a night of fellowship and food! The children play with our childcare providers as the adults relax and enjoy a good meal in the company of other adults. Meal and beverages provided by Trinity’s CYFM. Please bring a dessert if you are able.

We're adding another Family Pew to our Nave and need a rocking chair to assist parents with little ones. Do you have a rocker that is sturdy, quiet, and in nice condition? Contact Angela if you can help. family@trinitynewhaven.org

One of our Chapel on the Green parishioners has just moved from homelessness into housing, and she is overjoyed; however, she is sleeping on the hardwood floor for lack of a bed. We have already found a gently used air mattress as a temporary solution. Many of you have blessed us with offers of sofas and dressers over the last couple of weeks for another COTG parishioner; might any of you have a gently used bed? Please contact Lisa, our Outreach Coordinator. cotg@trinitynewhaven.org

A memorial service for Polly Fiddler will be held at Trinity Church on Saturday, August 10, at 11 a.m. Polly has been at the heart of our Trinity parish and the New Haven community for decades. We will remember her with so much love and friendship, that she shared so generously with all of us. Let us join Polly and Andy in prayer, for the rest of Polly's soul and for consolation and comfort for Andy in this time of grief.

A number of people in our Trinity community are Indian and Southeast Asian. We are gathering a group of these parishioners this Sunday, July 7, after the 10:30 service in the undercroft to discuss the possibility of starting a group. If you have questions, please email Rev. Heidi. hthorsen@trinitynewhaven.org

This summer we have a few opportunities for individuals to step up and volunteer to make our church a more hospitable place. These opportunities are on top of the ongoing work of our usher team (thank you!).

1. Serving at Coffee Hour: We are looking for volunteers who can sign up for a Sunday to help stand by the kitchen island in the undercroft, welcome people, and assist with serving food during Coffee Hour. Food will be provided by staff or vestry on most Sundays, though additional contributions are very welcome.

2. Name Tag Greeter: Stand by the door and help people find their name tag on the magnetic board, or help them a name tag if they don’t already have one. We are coming up on the one-year anniversary of our new name tags, and many people have expressed their gratitude for name tags as a way of getting to know others better. Help us continue this ministry of welcome.

Reach out to Rev. Heidi if the above opportunities interest you. hthorsen@trinitynewhaven.org

This Sunday, June 30, marks Walden Moore's last day as Director of Music at Trinity on the Green. Please join us for our 10:30 service in person or online as he leads our music in worship one last time. Our hearts are heavy knowing that he will no longer be passionately conducting our choirs or effortlessly playing Sister Soosie, but we are grateful that he will continue to offer his gifts to God and the good people of St. John's Episcopal Church, West Hartford, as their Interim Director of Music in the fall.

For 40 years, Walden has formed the minds, hearts, and musicianship of hundreds of young choristers, adult singers, and organists who—even after many decades—look up to his musical prowess, great faith, and generous spirit. Throughout his tenure, Walden has overseen and developed a robust chorister program (one of the few remaining of its kind), fostered excellence and a love of singing in our parish choir, and attended to the many administrative and pastoral needs of our church—all the while serving as lecturer in organ at Yale and guest clinician at choir festivals around the nation. Walden’s unwavering commitment to educating young people also led to the founding of the Choir of Adults and Girls in 2003 and a “long purple line” of organ scholars from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music.

Our prayers are with you, Walden, as you begin your next chapter. May this parish always be a home to you. From the bottom of our hearts, we say thank you!

Come, labor on.

No time for rest, till glows the western sky,

Till the long shadows o'er our pathway lie,

And a glad sound comes with the setting sun,

"Servant, well done!"

Our hearts are heavier still as we also bid farewell to our Organ Scholar, David Preston. David graduated last month with his Master of Music in organ from the Yale School of Music. Next fall, he will begin pursuing a second master's degree in harpsichord at Stony Brook University where he will study with Arthur Haas. David will also serve as Associate Organist and Choirmaster at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Long Island. Congratulations and Godspeed, David!

Our new Organ Scholar from the incoming class at Yale will be announced soon.

While the summer is normally a mellower time for church communities, this was not the case at Trinity. The life of our parish was in full swing this past week—check out some highlights below:

Our Boys and Girls Choirs embarked on a brief trip to Boston. While their arrival was delayed slightly due to the Celtics parade, they enjoyed visits to Quincy Market, the New England Aquarium, and a Duck Boat tour. Last Sunday they sang the morning Eucharist at Trinity Church, Copley Square, where former Organ Scholar Jerrick Cavagnaro serves as Associate Director of Music. Thanks to the good folks at Trinity for their warm welcome, and to our music staff for organizing the trip!

Children, Youth, and Family Ministry gathered at Best Video in Hamden for a screening of Pixar's Inside Out. More than 30 parishioners of all ages laughed, cried, and enjoyed some delicious pizza! The event was part of CYF's at-home summer program, Caring Together, which focuses on good mental health and caring for ourselves throughout the summer months.

Trinity parishioners joined St. Luke's Episcopal Church for a Faith-Full Juneteenth Festival. Attendees enjoyed music by the St. PJ's Jazz Collective and St. Luke's Steel Band. The rain and thunder held off until right when the event ended! May we see one another as God sees us and renew our commitment to freedom and justice every day.