Trinity Episcopal Church PROGRESSIVE Inclusive
CREATIVE DOWNTOWN
2021 Annual Pledge Drive Twenty Third Sunday After Pentecost
Trinity@Home
October 31, 2021 9:00am
Welcome to Trinity Episcopal Church Good morning and “welcome home” to Trinity! Whether you are new to our community or have found yourself coming back again and again, we want you to know you are both welcome and wanted here among us. For some, church is as comfortable and familiar as a good pair of jeans, or like coming back to your childhood home (if it is one filled with good memories). For others, church might be like visiting a foreign country where you experience unfamiliar language or customs. And then, sadly, for some, church has become equated with feelings of hurt, shame or rejection. We get all of that and believe church can be different. We are a diverse community of seekers, believers, and doubters held together by the hope that together we are better, kinder, and more courageous when we stand side by side and face into the challenges of our lives and in the world together. We challenge the practices of our tradition that have at times kept others out and instead embrace Jesus’ mandate to welcome all, no exceptions, as a core value. And, we get that if people are brave enough to either walk through the doors of a big gothic-looking church in downtown Toledo, or tune in to Trinity@Home on line, we better be serious about being explicitly progressive, inclusive and creative in all we say and do. We love our Episcopal tradition, AND we love people from all walks of life even more! It is our hope and prayer that together we will navigate our way through each gathering, worship service, opportunity to serve, class, meal and social time together with humility, grace and laughter all infused with radical hospitality. So thank you for being here today; for trusting the yearning that brought you through those ancient doors. May we all find our way into the heart of God’s love as we make room for each other in this community and this world- we believe we are better and love more when diversity is celebrated and the bounds of God’s love are stretched wide. This bulletin is a guide to accompany you through the “liturgy”- meaning the “work of the people”- which is how our tradition approaches worship. It does indeed take a village bringing all of its gifts together to create our expression of gratitude and devotion week after week. Here is a quick little guide to help you follow along as we worship together: • • •
Italicized Print = singing Bold Print = everyone is invited to join in reciting a prayer/reading Bold & Italicized Print = everyone is invited to join in singing.
Welcome Home! May you never forget you are loved, Lisa The Rev. Dr. Lisa Tucker-Gray, Rector www.trinitytoledo.org 2
The Liturgy of the Word Prelude
Consolation No. 4
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
(Brian Buckner)
Welcome Opening Song
The Rev. Dr. Lisa Tucker-Gray
In Christ, There is No East or West
African American Tune
(Trinity Singers)
African American Heritage Hymnal 399 Galatians 3:28; John Oxenham, 18-52-1941 Tune: African American; adpt. by Harry T Burleigh, 1866-1949
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Collect of the Day
The Work of the People
Earth as the Original Liturgy
by Christine Valters Paintner
Listen to how everything sings: the streams and stones, leaves and branches, fish and fur-covered ones, birds leading the chorus. See how your desire to praise is echoed in every living thing, how in quiet moments the heart is moved to gratitude
for all of Creation, for the lavish abundance of it all, how nothing is earned, no achievements are needed. May you simply show up with breath, blood, and bones, and your loving attention to hymns erupting everywhere, until you can no longer tell where yours begin and nature’s ends.
First Reading Reader:
Ruth 1:1-18 A reading from Ruth.
Read by Heather Meyer
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughtersin-law, "Go back each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people." But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me." Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you!
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Where you go, I will go; Where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die— there will I be buried. May the Lord do thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!” When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.
Reader: People:
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
THE PSALM
Psalm 119:1-8
REFRAIN
REFRAIN Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who live with spiritual integrity! Blessed are those who honor the Inner Being, who follow You with their whole heart, Who enfold the world with love and walk on peaceful paths! You have shown us the way of Truth, the way that leads to freedom. O, that I might ever reflect the Light! Then I shall know inner peace, as I surrender myself into your Hands. I will praise You with a grateful heart, as I lean on your great kindness. As I forsake the path of darkness, O have mercy on me! REFRAIN
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Psalms for Praying
The Second Lesson
Now I Become Myself
Read by Mary Beroske
by May Sarton
Now I become myself. It's taken Time, many years and places; I have been dissolved and shaken, Worn other people's faces, run madly, as if Time were there, terribly old, crying a warning, "Hurry, you will be dead before--" (What? Before you reach the morning? Or the end of the poem is clear? Or love safe in the walled city?)
from wish to action, word to silence, my work, my love, my time, my face gathered into one intense gesture of growing like a plant. As slowly as the ripening fruit fertile, detached, and always spent, falls but does not exhaust the root, so all the poem is, can give, grows in me to become the song, made so and rooted by love.
Now to stand still, to be here, feel my own weight and density! The black shadow on the paper is my hand; the shadow of a word as thought shapes the shaper falls heavy on the page, is heard. All fuses now, falls into place
Gradual
Now there is time and Time is young. O, in this single hour I live all of myself and do not move. I, the pursued, who madly ran, Stand still, stand still, and stop the sun!
Brown Skinned God (by Phuc Luu, The Work of The People)
Brown skinned God Look upon the world you have entered with compassion Even to those who hung you up on that tree For healing the sick and being with the despised For seeing us as your image, mirror of the divine, all daughters and sons Helping them to paint a canvas with their pain, rendering their cries into poetry Words heard without need for refrain As you sink down into the cursed cross,
suffocating, you breathed your last Brown skinned God, Do not abandon us, Both those who hung you there and those who took you down to clean your battered and bloodied body treating it as if it were the same, the same flesh and blood, the same fragile skin that thing that separates you from me that thing we all share.
THE GOSPEL Deacon: People:
Mark 12:28-34 The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Mark. Glory to you, Lord Christ.
One of the scribes came near and heard the Saducees disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 6
The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question. Deacon: People:
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon
Karen Keune, Trinity guest preacher Trinity Member
Sharing our Trinity Story
The Rev. Lisa Irwin UCC Pastor, grew up at Trinity, currently living in the UK at Durham University
Affirmation of FAITH
From Ross Mackinnon, Glen Waverley Uniting Church Led by Sheila Otto
We believe in God, our Maker, and Creator of the universe. God created the Earth and all that is in it and saw that it was very good. We believe that God has called us to protect and care for the Earth – its landscapes, waterways, oceans and skies, its flora and fauna, and its human inhabitants. We believe God calls us to consume only what we need, and not unthinkingly to grab what we want out of selfishness and greed. We believe in Jesus the Anointed One, Preacher, Teacher and Healer, sent by God to show us the way to live and to love. Jesus teaches us still. His message of God’s Reign, a Reign of peace, justice and love, a Reign which favors the poor and the pariahs is our eternal goal. We believe we are called to work with God to make this Reign a reality for all people. We believe in God’s Spirit, a powerful moving motivator, available to us at all times, 7
to be used by us to show God’s great love to those in need. We believe in God’s community of saints, past, present and future – this great gathering of people working for the greater good. We are grateful for God’s saints down the ages – Christian thinkers, Christian pioneers, renewers of society, reformers of the church, faithful servants, people of prayer and witnesses to Jesus. May we be numbered among them. Blessed be God for ever. Amen.
The Prayers of the People Please join the leader in sharing the responses in bold.
Offered by Courtney Rahe
Leader:
In peace, let us pray to a God of many names- source of all transforming Love.
People:
For the Church of God, striving to be the best version of itself being radically transformed into the most generous of places, filled with generous people willing to grow, learn and serve as agents of change filled with love, generosity and truth transforming our community and your world; May your transforming love guide us and shine through us.
Leader: People:
For the leaders of our nation, and the leaders of all nations; May your transforming love instill in them compassion and good judgment, and guide them in the ways of justice and peace.
Leader:
For all who hold authority in your Church, that they may embrace radical transformation to embrace your ways of love and peace as they lead; May your transforming love inspire them with creativity, renew their energy, and give them wisdom and courage.
People: Leader: People: Leader: People: Leader: People:
For blessings on all of our human endeavors, and for the just and proper use of the beauty and abundance of creation; May each of us love and serve you in ways that transform our communities and beyond freeing your world from poverty, hunger and oppression. For the sick in body, mind or spirit, especially those on our Trinity prayer list and for those we now name in our hearts. May your transforming love bring hope and healing to all who suffer. For all who have died, for those who grieve, and for those we now name in our hearts; May your transforming love comfort and strengthen all who grieve. 8
Leader:
Oh God, source of radically transforming love, in your infinite generosity you have created a world with resources to sustain all of your children with abundance of food, work, safety and peace. Help us embrace transformation in our own lives so that every day we are living out the power of your love. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
The Confession of Sin & Absolution Priest:
Wonderings Through Life and Other Such Nonsense The prophet speaks of the coming light of God which calls all the people of the earth to come together in God’s realm of shalom. Let us confess the ways in which we have rejected God’s vision of wholeness.
Priest and People: God of light and darkness, we have seen the glimmer of your star-light beckoning to us, but we have turned away and followed other paths. We confess that we have not loved you with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us, Holy One. Strengthen our faltering steps and guide us in your holy way of peace.
Priest: People:
Lift up your eyes and see the grace of God poured out into our lives. The light of God shines through the darkness. Our hearts rejoice for Christ is in our midst. Amen.
THE PEACE Deacon: People:
The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you.
Announcements Offertory Go to our Giving page. www.trinitytoledo.org/online-giving/, choose GIVE NOW and Sunday, October 31. You can also text the word “Give” to 419-OMG-LOVE (419-664-5683) to make your weekly offering.
Offertory
Hold On (Offered by Trinity Choir)
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Yolanda C. Quartery
Lord’s Prayer
The New Zealand Prayer Book Led by Chuck Abood
The congregation is invited to join.
Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth! In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
May the rain fall off your shoulders when you’re caught in a storm. When the frost comes a callin’ may it find you safe and warm. May your place be set, and may your promises be kept. And may you never forget that you are loved.
Sending Song
Sing a New World (Trinity Singers)
Mary Louise Bringle
Sing a new world into being. Sound a bold and hopeful theme. Find a tune for silent yearnings. Lend your voice and dare to dream: Dream a church where all who worship find their lives and loves belong. Sing a new world into being; Sing as Christ inspires your song! Sing a new world into being where each gender, class and race Brings it’s rainbow gifts and colors To God’s limitless embrace; Where the lines that once divided Form instead the ties that bind. Sing a new world into being: Risk transforming heart and mind! Sing a new world into being where the homeless find a home, Where no children ever hunger but are filled in God’s shalom; Where all people work for justice, where all hate and vengeance cease. Sing a new world into being: raise the harmonies of peace. Sing a new world into being. Join the ancient prophets cry, For a time of health and plenty when all tears have been wiped dry; When compassion flows like waters, Pouring balm for all who grieve. Sing a new world into being: live the promise you believe. 10
Dismissal Deacon: People:
Let us go forth to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Trinity’s Daily Bread- As a community of faith, we are called to love and be loved; to serve and be served, to give and to receive. In short, we don’t want anyone to “fall behind or drop out.” In this season of connecting in new ways, we are introducing Trinity’s Daily Bread. Please let us know if you need prayer, assistance or connection by filling out our Daily Bread form on our website, www.trinitytoledo.org!
Trinity Episcopal Church Vestry Leadership Donna Steppe, Sr. Warden, Roberta Durham, Jr. Warden Leah Reed, Clerk, Jeffrey Albright, Dennis Degnan, Becky Koskinen, Fritz Hany, Bob Meeker & Jamie Paul Gary Franklin, Treasurer
Parish Staff The Rev. Dr. Lisa Tucker-Gray, Rector The Rev. Megan Allen, Transitional Deacon, Curate Heather Meyer, Director of Operations and Community Development Chelsie Cree, Choir Director Grace Mauk, Trinity@316 Accompanist, Brian Buckner, Trinity@Home Accompanist Lynzi Miller, Next To New Manager & Communications Coordinator ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & COPYRIGHT INFO: Collect of the Day Earth as the Original Liturgy by Christine Valters Paintner TWOTP. Used with subscription permission through The Work of the People, Liturgy Project www.theworkofthepeople.com. Readings and Gospel from: Revised Common Lectionary: lectionarypage.net, 2021. Psalm: From Psalms for Praying © 2007 Nan C. Merrill. Reprinted with permission of the publisher Continuum International Publishing Group www.PsalmsForPraying.com. Affirmation of Faith: From Ross Mackinnon, Glen Waverley Uniting Church Confession & Absolution: From Wonderings Through Life and Other Such Nonsense. Lord’s Prayer: The New Zealand Prayerbook. Bulletin Image: Artwork created by Brent Lohman from B-Creative Studios (921 Washington St, Toledo, OH 43604 - https://www.b-creativestudio.com) for Trinity, Toledo 2021 Pledge Drive. All printed music from The Hymnal 1982, Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing, My Heart Sings Out, Wonder, Love, and Praise was used by permission through purchase of riteseries.org. All other printed music permission through purchase of CCLI Copyright license #20577215 Size B Streaming License #20577284 Size B Secular music permission through purchase of CCS WORSHIPcast Copyright license #13190 All printed music from Gather permission through purchase of onelicense.net License # A-700000
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH PROGRESSIVE INCLUSIVE CREATIVE
DOWNTOWN
316 Adams Street, Toledo, OH 43604
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(419) 243-1231 www.trinitytoledo.org Facebook.com/TrinityEpiscopalToledo
Trinity Episcopal Church Progressive Inclusive Creative Downtown 316 Adams Street, Toledo, OH www.trinitytoledo.org
Trinity Pages TODAY 10/31, 10:00am, Coffee Hour– You are invited to join us for a 30-minute virtual coffee and conversation immediately following our 9:00 online worship service every Sunday. The Zoom MEETING ID is on our website and the PASSWORD will be shared by Lisa during service announcements each Sunday morning! TODAY 10/31, Names DUE for Necrology!– We celebrate the feast of All Saints’ Day on Sunday, November 7th during which we will remember loved ones who have died, especially those who have recently passed on. Our service will include chanting a necrology, a list of the departed from our lives. The bulletin will include the necrology with names of any special loved ones whose loss feels particularly acute. To include the name(s) in the necrology, please email their first and last name to Lynzi at lynzi@trinitytoledo.org by Sunday, October 31st. Saturdayy,11/6, 10:00am, Worship Leader Training- Lisa will offer Worship Leader Training on Saturday, November 6th. Whether you have been a part of our in-person worship leadership team in the past (serving on our Greeter, Reader or Eucharistic Minister Guilds), or are brand new to our community, we invite you to join us at 10:00am in the sanctuary. Sunday,11/7, 6:30pm, Trinity Book Club- Join us for our next Book Club gathering on November 7, 6:30-8:00pm via Zoom. We will discuss Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. All are welcome and wanted! Saturday, 11/13, 9:00am, Men’s Bible Study- Join us for our next Men’s Bible Study gathering on Saturday, November 13th at 9:00am at Rick’s City Diner (5333 Monroe St, Toledo, OH). All men in the Trinity community and their guests are welcome to join. You can view the Bible passages we will be discussing on our website.
Tishie Bozeman Katie Justin Myers Lou Woellner Zach Wabeke Patty Long Deb Wentz
Please remember those who have asked for our prayers: Sheilah Wilson Sherre Owens Smith Greg Bulach Chico Martinez Nancy Owens & daughter Jo Stanovcak Stan Johnson Douglas Romstadt Ray Levey Sue Smitley Filby Family Meyer & Ballmer Family Sully Sullivant Barbara Scott & Becky Walker
To add your name or the name of someone you love on the Prayer List, please email lynzi@trinitytoledo.org.
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Birthdays
Anniversaries
11/3 Kelsey Echelbarger 11/12 Taylor Tennant 11/20 Kate Habekost
11/7 Vickie Kuhr 11/13 James Petlow 11/22 Brad Tansel
11/10 Chelsie Cree 11/19 Erin Miller 11/29 Kyle Kuhr
10/31 Donna Steppe & Jolene Miller To add your birthday or anniversary to our12 list, please email lynzi@trinitytoledo.org.
Robert Ingersoll once said, "we rise by lifting others." Evidence of these words resonate throughout the history of Trinity Episcopal Church, Toledo. We are in awe of the very deliberate and mindful manner by which Trinity offers up our giving, both within our church family and beyond, to our community at large. Giving is exactly what is extended to us by Christ when we renew our baptismal vows, when we lend a helping hand to our neighbor, and yes, when we contribute monetarily to support the efforts of the ministry. It is not lost on us we are asking for a monetary commitment for the year ahead during a time of uncertainty in our community, country, and world. And, our work goes on, inspired by the words and actions of Jesus. Living through a pandemic has changed us forever, and despite the rising challenges of our times, we continue looking forward, finding additional ways to serve our community through following the Way of Love, leaning into Radical Transformation. We have constructed the 2030 Vision plan, built a robust online presence for weekly worship, and we maintained our commitments to community partners. Through the 2021 Annual Pledge Drive, we will share our stories, learn about our growing ministries, and be encouraged to reflect on how generosity supports our spiritual lives. All of who we are is needed to ensure Trinity’s historic presence in Downtown Toledo remains a steadfast beacon for all looking for a place to call home. We hope you will join us this year by making an annual pledge.
Karen L. Keune & Bob Meeker Trinity 2021 Pledge Drive Co-Chairs
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