Election Week

Dear Trinity Church,

On election day, the church will be open all day for prayer. If anyone needs a ride to a polling station to vote, please contact the church office and will be do our best to provide transportation. May the peace of Christ be with you in what can be a stressful time.

Prayer of guidance during this election

Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States (or of this community) in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Oregon Trailblazers are back!

If you’re “vaguely middle-aged,” a parent or not, you’re invited to join us for a Pre-Thanksgiving Potluck at 5:30 PM on Saturday, November 16 at 5:30 PM in the George Thomas Room. Bring something to share. Thanksgiving foods are optional, but if you want to test your recipes before your guests show up, we can help! Childcare will be provided. 

Stewardship 2025 - A Journey Together in Faith

Dear Friends,

We are in the midst of our Stewardship 2025 drive. Your participation is essential as we look to close the gap between our expenses and donations. Thank you to those who have made a pledge and to those who have increased your pledge. The future of Trinity, its mission and ministries, depends on the participation of all it members. As in the past, we will be collecting pledge cards during the services on All Saints Sunday this weekend. Please consider dropping yours in the plate at that time.

Peace and blessings to all,

Bill Hackett and Trudy Sykes

Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving approaches and with it the 17th running of the Trinity Turkey Trot.  Registrations are pouring in and we expect another sell-out this year.  If you intend to run/walk and haven’t registered yet, don’t wait until the last minute.

We are looking for volunteers to help distribute bibs and t-shirts during the week before the race and to perform a myriad of tasks on the day of the race.  You can sign up by clicking the Volunteer tab on the Turkey Trot web site.

As in years past, we are also collecting food for the Arm in Arm pantry.  See the website for details.

TrinityTurkeyTrot.org

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

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