Community Support Request

Dear Trinity,

Our beloved Char is in need of some wheels. Being a recent seminary grad and continuing their academic work at Rutgers and Catholic Charities Trenton, they have many obligations that necessitate the need for reliable transportation. For the last six months, they have been relying on borrowing friends’ cars. If you or someone you know is willing to donate a car, sell one for a reasonable price, or loan one through May when they graduate, please reach out to me.

Thank you in advance for your generosity,
Paul  

Stewardship Update

Dear Trinity Church,

Our revenue is less than our expenses. Last year our pledges totaled just over $1.0 million – a significant improvement over the several Covid years but still off earlier highs. Our plate contributions including Christmas and Easter are about $110,000. Rent from our properties totals about $200,000. Bequests and other gifts are usually around $25,000. In recent years we have relied on our endowment to cover the rest, withdrawing more than we have earned – a practice that is not sustainable long term.

When you ask yourself, “Who is Trinity Church to me?” I hope you find that Trinity is not just a building—it’s a home, a community, and a place where we all come together to do God’s work. Your pledge, however large or small will open the door to sustaining Trinity’s mission today and into the future as we continue this journey together.

In Christ, Bill Hackett and Trudy Sykes

Rico

Dear Beloved of Trinity,

On Monday morning, we noticed that our beloved dog, Rico, wasn’t doing well. In fact, he hadn’t been for a few days, and truthfully, he had been in decline over the past year. Rico, who was not young by any means, had been living with diabetes, requiring two insulin injections a day. He also had arthritis. Yet, despite these challenges, he remained a faithful and loving part of our family ever since we adopted him from SAVE over 11 years ago.

We always knew that the day would come, and you know the day I mean, but we never imagined it would be Monday. After taking him to the vet, they ran tests, and the results were not good. Rico was in critical condition, and the cost to stabilize him was high, with no guarantee of recovery. As a family, we made the difficult decision to let him go. We gathered together—both in person and by video call—shared our goodbyes, offered our prayers, and gave Rico a final blessing.

And then, with a simple nod to the vet, a word of consent—“okay”—the decision was made. This little creature, who had been a constant source of love and joy in our lives, was going to die.

I’ve hunted and fished before, where the taking of life is part of the process. But this felt profoundly different. It was the weight of that single word—“okay”—that brought the finality of ending a life so dear to us.

In reflecting on this, I’m reminded of how words have immense power. Just as a word can end a life, it can also bring life. God spoke, and through that divine Word, creation came into being. In our own way, with our words—of hope, love, grace, and mercy—we too can create, heal, and bring new life into being.

Life is fragile, and the boundary between life and death often feels thin. Words of fear, despair, and loneliness can weigh us down, but we hold onto the assurance that the ultimate Word—Jesus, the Word made flesh— brings true life and love into the world.

In this unpredictable world, filled with all kinds of words that carry countless meanings and consequences, may our words be ones of love, hope, grace, and life.

Blessings to our beloved Rico.

Peace and love to you all,

Paul

Journeying Together in Faith!

Dear Trinity Church,

Each year on Kick-Off Sunday, we gather with excitement and hope to begin a new chapter in our shared journey. In these moments, I pray that we reflect on just how much Trinity Church enriches our lives. More than a place of worship; Trinity is our spiritual home—a source of strength that sustains us through the many seasons of life. Faithful stewardship calls us to recommit ourselves to this sacred place, our church home where we gather, grow, and serve.

Stewardship means not only maintaining the physical walls of our beloved church but also nurturing the spiritual and communal bonds that make Trinity a true home for all of us.

To continue this important work, we need your support. Your generosity helps us expand our ministries, care for our sacred space, and ensure that Trinity remains a beacon of hope and faith, both in Princeton and beyond.

As we embark on our 2025 stewardship campaign, I invite you to prayerfully consider how you will support Trinity Church. Whether through financial gifts, volunteering your time, or sharing your talents, every contribution strengthens the fabric of our community and moves us closer to fulfilling our mission. You may make your pledge online here; stewardship letters have been sent via US Postal Service as well.

I am profoundly grateful for all the ways you have supported Trinity Church in the past, and I thank you in advance for your continued generosity. Together, we can embrace the opportunities and meet the challenges before us, ensuring that Trinity remains a welcoming and vibrant spiritual home for all. To that end, I ask you to prayerfully consider making a pledge for the 2025 calendar year. 

Thank you for your faithful generosity and commitment to our beloved Trinity Church.

Forward we go - Journeying together in faith!  

With blessings and gratitude,

Paul

All Shall Be Well … A Morning of Quiet Contemplation

Take a respite from the world for a morning of quiet contemplation, with selected sayings from Julian of Norwich’s Long Text of the Revelations of Divine Love in contrast to its fourteenth century context.

Saturday, October 26th, 9:00AM-12:00PM with Bonnie Bivins in Trinity Church’s Thomas Room next to Pierce Hall.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu on the Anglican Order of Worship

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. His social and political perspectives and his theological efforts to bring eleven ethnic cultures into one communion are integrated into his thoughts in each section on the Anglican Order of Worship, as captured in the Rev. Michael Battle’s book Reconciliation. Join Bonnie Bivins in the continued discussion of how this understanding relates to our worship of the Holy Eucharist.

We will meet in the Flemer Library on Sunday at 9:30 AM.

Free Tickets to Ndlovu Youth Choir

October 26th, 7:30pm, Richardson Auditorium

The astonishing sound of the Ndlovu Youth Choir first enchanted the world five years ago during the choir's successful run on America’s Got Talent. Now we are fortunate enough to be able to see them in person, right here on the stage of Richardson Auditorium. Don’t miss the chance to watch South Africa’s finest young performers, supported by, and performing with, the Princeton University Glee Club!

Ticket Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScob70hslI3xzYbAMxdgICtMbSaF2BCGWj0dse9eBG8KdOPbg/viewform?usp=sf_link

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