New Year Update 2016

It has been an eventful new year, even though January's only about two-thirds done.

News for the Episcopal Church at large has included suspension from the Anglican Communion for three years (suspension, Presiding Bishop Curry's response).  As the Presiding Bishop has indicated, we will continue being the American branch of the Jesus Movement and continue working with the Anglican Communion in improving the conditions in the world.

News for Holy Trinity includes scheduling announcements and changes:

Bishop Brookhart will be here this Sunday, January 24, 9:00 a.m. for his annual visit and Eucharist service.

We have our monthly movie night this Saturday, 7:00 p.m.  This month will be the final in the trilogy Revelation Road Trilogy, The Black Rider:

We provide the popcorn, tea and coffee.  If you want anything else, please feel free to bring it.

Holy Trinity's Annual Meeting will be on Sunday, January 31, immediately following the service.  We're asking that you think about projects, workshops, seminars or services that we might be able to provide or participate in to get Holy Trinity's name out into the community and hopefully make people curious enough to want to come check us out.  Each of us have talents to share and things to learn.  Think about it - when's the last time you invited someone to go to church with you?

Rev. Karen King will be here starting February 28 and will provide Eucharist services as follows:

February 28     Eucharist Service

March 6           Eucharist Service

March 20         Palm Sunday

March 27         Easter Sunday

Daylight savings begins on March 13.  Sunrise on Easter Sunday is at 7:29.  There will likely at least be a Good Friday service in Holy Week, but we're still finalizing those plans.

In case you're interested, the Society for St. John the Evangelist (SSJE) is offering a Lent program in 2016, beginning February 10.  If you'd like to take part, you just need to sign up, and they will send you a daily short video and things to contemplate.  This year's program sounds really interesting, as you develop a Rule of Life for yourself.

The prayer shawl ministry continues to be very active, and is still in drastic need of knitters/crocheters.  We've been getting gifts of yarn fairly frequently, and are doing our best to keep up.

The Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement

From a message from our new Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry:

God came among us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth to show us the way.  He came to show us the way to life.  The way to love.  He came to show us the way beyond what often can be the nightmares of our own devisings and into the dream of God intending.  That's why when Jesus called his first followers, He did it with the simple words, "Follow me."  Follow me, He said, and I will make you fish for people.  Follow me, and love will show you how to become more than you ever dreamed you could be.  Follow me, and I will help you change the world from the nightmare it often is into the dream that God intends.  Jesus came and started a movement, and

We are the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement.

Near the end of Matthew's Gospel, the story of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, when Mary Magdalene and some of the women go to the tomb, to anoint his body.  When they get there, they find that the tomb is empty, the stone has been rolled away, and there is no body there.  Then they see and hear an angel, who says to them, this Jesus of Nazareth whom you seek, He is not here.  He has been raised, as He said He would be, and He has now gone ahead of you to Galilee.  There, you will see him.  It is in Galilee that the risen Lord will be found and seen, for He has gone ahead of us.  Galilee - which is a way of talking about the world.  Galilee - in the streets of the city.  Galilee - in our rural communities.  (Hey, that's us!!)  Galilee in our hospitals.  Galilee in our office places.  Galilee where God's children live and dwell.  There in Galilee, you will meet the Living Christ for He has already gone ahead of you.

A few years ago, I was in a coffee shop in Raleigh, North Carolina, just a few blocks away from our diocesan house there.  And while in line, I started a conversation with a gentleman who turned out to to be a Mennonite pastor.  He had been sent to Raleigh to organize a church in the community on the streets, without walls.  As we were talking over our coffee, he said something to me that I have not forgotten.  He said the Mennonite community asked him to do this because they believed that in this environment in which we live, the church can no longer wait for its congregation to come to it.  The church must go where the congregation is.  Now is our time to go:  to go into the world to share the Good News of God and Jesus Christ.  To go into the world and help to be agents and instruments of God's reconciliation.  To go into the world, and let the world know that there is a God who loves us, a God who will not let us go, and that that love, can set us all free.  This is the Jesus Movement, and we are the Episcopal Church, the Episcopal branch of Jesus' Movement in this world.  God bless you, and keep the faith.

Final Interview with Presiding Bishop Jefferts-Schori

We appreciate the reflections of the final day of Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts-Schori on the last nine years.  She has presided over quite a lot of changes within the Episcopal Church, and is eloquent in her discussion of the nature of humanity.

The Eucharist

You know, we will be truly blessed to have the Rev. Michael Curry as our Presiding Bishop.  This is a great view of just what the Eucharist is from the Episcopal perspective.  

Upcoming Events

Holy Trinity will have a time of meditation/prayer prior to the service, beginning at 8:40.  All are welcome to attend both the meditation and the service beginning at 9:00.

The Troy Ministerial Alliance will be holding their All-Church Sing at Faith Christian Center (25 Amber Rd) on Sunday, October 18 at 6:00 p.m.  This tends to be more modern Christian music, but it's a lot of fun worshiping with the community at large.

Holy Trinity will be having their monthly movie night on Saturday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m.  This month's movie is the first in a trilogy:  Revelation Road.  We'll provide popcorn and coffee/tea - if you want anything else, feel free to bring it.  This is open to anybody, so bring a date, a friend, a neighbor, etc.  We've also had people bring pillows or more comfortable chairs, so those are fine too. :)

Hope to see everyone there!

Remarks by the Presiding Bishop Elect

Presiding Bishop Elect Michael Curry answered some questions in a Q&A at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Charlotte, NC.  His interview can be found here.  What is most interesting to me is this statement: "Evangelism," Curry said, "isn’t about converting people – “that’s God’s job, not ours” – but is about helping them “find their way to God.”

This video above is a bit longer and informative.

In the meantime, Montana's Diocese just had their state convention.  Bishop Brookhart's address was quite informative and directly in line with the plans of the National Convention.

Most interesting for our parish was the talk given by Canon Roberts, with handouts being found here, here and here.  What Holy Trinity is looking at is being a place to help people find their way to God, and getting our own foundation down right, we'll be able to do that.

Feel free to comment - we'd be interested in what you have to say.

Movie Night Reminder

Just a reminder that we will be having movie night this Saturday, 9/26 at 7:00 pm at Holy Trinity.  The movie will be "One Night With the King", the story of Esther.  

We provide popcorn, tea, coffee and water, but you're welcome to bring anything else you'd like - including friends!

Hope to see you there!