The next Trinity Book Group meeting will take place on Zoom on Wednesday, December 4, at 7:30 p.m. to discuss James by Percival Everitt. It is described as "a brilliant, action-packed reimagining ofThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view."
If you would like to know more or to join via Zoom please email Jenny Briggs . jenniferobriggs@gmail.com
Baptism, Confirmation, and Reaffirmation are important moments in a person’s journey of faith where we take a step of commitment, in the context of our liturgy and our community. Baptism is open to everyone from infants to adults. Confirmation, though frequently associated with teenagers who make a mature commitment to their faith, can also be a meaningful step for adults who come from a different church or faith tradition. Reaffirmation, in a similar way, can mark a moment of change in a person’s life when they want to reaffirm their faith.
Each of the above involve some level of commitment, usually including group classes or individual meetings. Each of the above take place in the context of a community worship service. If you are interested in knowing more, for yourself or for a loved one, reach out to Rev. Heidi. hthorsen@trinitynewhaven.org
Dear Friends of Trinity,
This upcoming Sunday is Giving Sunday. We hope to finalize our Stewardship Campaign soon. Receiving your pledge this week will help us to prepare our 2025 budget will clarity and confidence.
The Trinity community is a gift that each of us receives in a different way. Our youngest members are given the gift of Trinity in the form of baptism and the congregation’s promise to support and guide them as they grow. Our oldest members find in Trinity the gifts of connection, warmth, and homecoming. Still others receive the gifts of welcome, wonder, music, care, spiritual and material sustenance, purpose, prayer, peace, and joy. When we sharein these gifts as a church community, we are all Growing In Faith Together.
We ask for your financial gift in the form of an annual pledge in support of our church community’s continued growth together. It will come as no surprise or secret that costs associated with the fundamental running of the church have risen significantly in recent years. Though many parts of a church budget—building maintenance, website fees, insurance payments—are decidedly unglamorous, they are the rich garden soil in which all of our programs are planted and can put down roots. Your annual pledge, through this foundational support, has a powerful ripple effect into the Trinity community, the New Haven community, and beyond. Your contribution to Trinity supports:
Chapel on the Green, which provides around 100 of our neighbors on the Green with thousands of Sunday meals and a spiritual community that embraces them where they are, as they are.
Music at Trinity, including the new Choristarters program which works with children as young as four to plants the seeds of a musical education and a lifelong love of singing.
Children, Youth & Family Ministry, which provides a spiritual foundation for children as they grow to know God’s love and childcare resources that allow parents to see to their own spiritual wellness.
Luk and Heidi’s leadership of the daily running of Trinity, including a rich liturgical framework with several weekly services, excellent preaching, and pastoral care.
To support the sustainable growth of our community, this year and for years to come, we hope that you will consider doing things a little differently this year. “Differently” might mean pledging for the first time in a while (or ever!), increasing your pledge amount as you are able, or giving of your time and talents. Together, all gifts large and small will nourish our community.
Please make your pledge by clicking the buttons below. There are two options for pledging:
Make a secure pledge online via Realm; or
Download, print, and mail a paper form to 950 Chapel Street, Fl. 2, New Haven, CT 06510.
If you have questions, please email Office Manager Kyle Picha. communication@trinitynewhaven.org.
Always growing in faith together,
The Stewardship Team
Rev. Heidi will be one of many speakers at an event at De Gale Field this Sunday, November 17, commemorating World Day of Remembrance for Road and Traffic Victims. Event details are below, if you would like to attend. Please keep victims of traffic violence in your prayers—and if you or a loved one are still processing a significant injury or death, always feel free to reach out to one of our clergy for ongoing prayer and pastoral support.
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On Sunday, November 17, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., families of traffic crash victims, road safety advocates, elected officials, and community members will gather at De Gale Field at Goffe Street Park to commemorate World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and advocate for change in Connecticut.
Family members will share their stories of loss, including Sherry Chapman of Coventry and Carri Roux of Farmington, who both lost their young sons in crashes and have worked tirelessly to create safer roads in Connecticut. We will also honor Yusef Gursey, a member of the New Haven Peace Commission and Greater New Haven Peace Council who was killed by a driver while walking in New Haven in April.
These deeply personal stories will be followed by comments from state and community leaders, including Senator Richard Blumenthal, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, State Representative Roland Lemar, CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, and DESPP Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins. There will be a roll call of pedestrians and bicyclists who have died on Connecticut roads, and a display of over 300 small flags to represent those lost since last year’s observance. Attendees are encouraged to carry photos of victims.
This event aligns with over 70 communities nationwide recognizing the impact of traffic violence. In 2023, U.S. traffic crashes claimed 40,990 lives—almost equal to gun-related deaths—and resulted in over 2.7 million emergency room visits. The U.S. has the highest traffic death rate among 29 high-income countries analyzed by the CDC.
In Connecticut, more than 310 people died in crashes in 2023, including at least 64 pedestrians and bicyclists. Preliminary results show that as of November 7, 2024, Connecticut has lost 284 lives to traffic crashes, with at least 58 being pedestrians and bicyclists.
“Traffic violence is preventable, and we are committed to raising awareness of this crisis. No one should die on our streets while walking, biking, or driving,” says Amy Watkins of Watch For Me CT. “We must overcome complacency about the tens of thousands of preventable deaths and advocate for safer road designs, lower speed limits, and higher vehicle safety standards.”
Our full event schedule for Advent & Christmas has now been posted to our online calendar! We're excited to introduce a number of new community events and liturgies, including but not limited to:
Camp Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 8 (scroll for more info)
A Parishwide Potluck & Carol Sing on Friday, Dec. 20
A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols on Sunday, Dec. 22
And of course, we continue many beloved parish traditions including our annual Christmas Concert (Friday, Dec. 13), our Christmas Pageant with live animals (Sunday, Dec. 15), and our Festival Choral Eucharist on Christmas Eve. Join us as we prepare for the coming of the Lord!
After last Tuesday’s election, let us join each other in prayer for our country, its wellbeing and its future, and for God’s blessing and protection for the President and the President-elect.
However the impact of last Tuesday’s election may affect us, either with celebration or sorrow, we follow Christ and his higher principles—the values of God’s Kingdom among us. At Trinity on the Green, we stand together on this safe and common ground of our faith. We continue to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with our Lord. And in light of this election, we are called to bring God’s hope to each other, to our fellow citizens, and to our elected officials. This also includes that your clergy are available to talk if you are looking for support or guidance.
Our Book of Common Prayer offers us the following prayer for our country. Let us keep it close to our hearts:
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.
Our Children, Youth, & Family Ministry is looking for about 50 pinecones for a craft project at Camp Christmas in December. Do you have any in your yard that are 4 inches or bigger? Contact Angela Arpino if you do! Pinecones are needed by Sunday, December 1. family@trinitynewhaven.org
Chapel on the Green celebrated its 16th anniversary this past Sunday! 16 years on the Green, creating loving community that nourishes souls and bodies and striving to offer the extravagant welcome that Jesus offers us. An enormous thank you to Lisa Levy, our Community Care Minister, for all she does in making this important ministry happen. Thank you, Lisa!
It was the spookiest day of the year, and Trinity was full of costumes and candy all week. From an all-choir Halloween party featuring some incredibly creative crudite and mummies in a blanket to a special all-ages concert with the New Haven Chorale to debut performance from the Choristarters, it’s been all treats as far as we’re concerned!
In the Christian calendar, November is the month when we remember those who have gone before us and rejoice in the promise of the resurrection. We invite you to join us in person or online this Sunday, November 3, as we jointly celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. In particular, we draw your attention to three special liturgies:
At 9 a.m., the Parish Choir will lead us in our monthly service of Choral Morning Prayer featuring music of Herbert Brewer, George MacFarren, and Alice Parker. All are welcome!
At 9:30 a.m. in the undercroft, join our Children, Youth, & Family Ministry for a gentle, child-friendly prayer service inspired by Disney's Coco. Remember with love the ancestors from your family as we celebrate All Saints and All Souls. Please bring photos or drawings of those for whom we will pray.
At 5 p.m., we offer our annual Choral Eucharist for All Faithful Departed, featuring Maurice Duruflé's Requiem (Op. 9) sung by the Choir of Adults & Girls and the Boys Choir. This year's service will be slightly different: we will read the names of departed loved ones and friends at 4:30 p.m., and Choral Eucharist will begin at 5 p.m. The service will conclude with a blessing at the Columbarium, after which all are invited to remain in the church for private prayer.
Our beloved Chapel on the Green is celebrating 16 years of faithful service this Sunday, November 3. We would love for anyone and everyone to come out 2 p.m. to support our community as we celebrate a blessed sweet 16. We will have special music that day: in addition to our usual bucket drums, we will have a guest song leader, Leah Smith from First Baptist Church in Branford. We will also have a sweet dessert offering, a rosary/healing prayer table, and an All Saints photo booth to highlight the blessedness of our community. Join us as we celebrate the resilience of our COTG community together!
Gently-used or new shoes are being collected by our Spirit Quest Youth Group for the unhoused and our friends at Chapel on the Green. Boots, sneakers, and all comfortable styles will be accepted before and after all services on Sunday, November 24. Thank you for your donations!
Recently, we wrote to you with the exciting news of the upcoming dedication of a new stained-glass window which celebrates the legacy of sacred music at Trinity on the Green. Shortly after our announcement, we were contacted by the company contracted to design, fabricate, and install the window—a small, family-owned enterprise called Mezalick Design Studio. Due to an on-the-job injury suffered earlier this summer by the proprietor, Michael Mezalick, the completion and installation of Trinity’s window must be postponed as Michael seeks additional treatment. Artisans of Michael’s caliber are a rare and precious resource to the broader American community of the faithful, and we fully support Michael taking the time required to make a complete recovery. We hope you will join us in keeping Michael and his wife Nidia in our prayers in this challenging time.
As a result of this necessary delay, the Window Dedication Evensong scheduled for November 10 will be postponed until the spring. Trinity’s office will remain in communication with Mezalick Design Studio to establish a revised installation schedule as soon as Michael’s health allows. Once this schedule is in place, we will announce the revised plans for our dedication festivities.
As our Stewardship Appeal continues, we invite you to make a personal goal of submitting your pledge to the church office no later than Sunday, November 17. We observe this day as Giving Sunday, on which we will offer prayers in thanksgiving for our community’s many contributions.
Of course, we will still be able to receive pledge commitments after that date. But we hope you will work with us to make an earlier commitment so we can confidently craft our budget and plans for the coming year.
Click the links below to make your pledge. If you need assistance, please call the church office (203-624-3101). Thank you for your generosity!
Applications are open for the Justina O. Anako Memorial Scholarship, a $1,000 grant awarded annually to a graduating high school senior or undergraduate student planning to pursue or currently studying a STEM field. This scholarship is specifically for women of color who are residents of Connecticut and demonstrate financial need.
Open to both members and non-members of Trinity Church on the Green.
Must identify as a woman of color pursuing a STEM field.
Must be a graduating high school senior or current undergraduate student.
Must be a resident of Connecticut.
Applicants must demonstrate financial need through a written statement.
Completed applications and unofficial transcripts must be received by December 1st. For inquiries, please contact Kyle Picha. kpicha@trinitynewhaven.org
Hello Trinity community!
I am writing to share some personal good news, which is that Will, Selma and I are expecting an addition to our family. I am pregnant, with a due date in late April—anticipating maternity leave May through July.
While I know my absence will have an impact on our community, I also know that we are in very good hands in terms of pastoral and lay leadership. Luk and I are already in conversations to secure supply clergy who will help with services throughout this time.
We are grateful for all the blessings of this life, including our Trinity community.
Peace and Love,
Rev. Heidi
Young Adult Episcopalians (YAE) is hosting a Halloween event at St. Thomas's Episcopal Church (830 Whitney Ave.) at 7:30 p.m. Spend your Halloween around the campfire with other young adults in the YAE community; newcomers welcome! We’ll begin with a brief service of prayers for All Hallows Eve, followed by s’mores and fellowship. Costumes are encouraged!
Meet outside near the corner of Cliff St. and Whitney Ave., across from Edgerton Park. YAE is open to young adults ages 21 to 39ish.
At coffee hour on Sunday, November 3, parishioner Faith Kasor will be making Liberian Jollof Rice—the same recipe from her sermon during our summer series on food and faith. Come with a hungry stomach! All donations at coffee hour will go towards Girl Uplift, Faith’s organization of choice, benefitting girls’ education and empowerment in Liberia.
*Dietary note: Jollof Rice contains chicken
This Sunday we begin a series of Choral Evensongs celebrating women saints. We kick off this series with St. Teresa of Avila, whose feast day is traditionally celebrated on October 15. The Choir of Adults & Girls and the Boys Choir will sing music by Joanna Forbes L'Estrange, Herbert Murrill, and David Ogden. Join us at 5 p.m.!
On Sunday, November 3, we offer our annual Choral Eucharist for All Faithful Departed, featuring Maurice Duruflé's Requiem (Op. 9) sung by the Choir of Adults & Girls and the Boys Choir. This year's service will be slightly different: we will read the necrology (names of departed loved ones and friends) at 4:30 p.m., and Choral Eucharist will begin at 5 p.m.=
To add names to our necrology, please fill out THIS FORM by Thursday, October 31, at 12 noon. You can also email names directly to our Office Manager, Kyle Picha. kpicha@trinitynewhaven.org