And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.  
                                                                                                                                                        [Acts 2.2-4]

As some of you may know, we have a home in Boulder, Colorado where we used to spend every summer.  Pearl Street, the main road in downtown Boulder, is a pedestrian walkway, lined with stores and restaurants, and with children’s play areas scattered in the center of the mile-long stretch. It is a great spot for street entertainers, and one of the most popular was a juggler and acrobat who was also a fire-eater.  At the end of his act, he would light five torches, and after a few juggling tricks he would slowly take each torch to his mouth and swallow its fire.
 
I think this what we are called to be on Pentecost:   Fire swallowers.
We are not called merely to stand quietly while small flames flicker above our heads.
It is not enough merely to listen in confusion that becomes awe as disparate voices blend in an unlikely harmony.  On the contrary, we are called to swallow those flames, to open our bodies and our hearts and our minds to receive the burning and purifying fire of God so that we shine God’s light—dazzling and clarifying, awakening joy and wonder wherever we go.
 
This is especially important at this time, when the violent wind feels more like loss and earthshaking change than inspiration. All of us know someone who has died in the past two months.  Over 100,000 people have died from the coronavirus.  Over 30% of our population face unemployment.  Our children are restless, with nowhere to go.  Our young people face collapsing guideposts rather than the open roads that we promised would reward their hard work. We long for the touch, the hug, the shared meal that once brought the assurance of friendship.  Only fire swallowers can bring to light the Spirit-filled bonds that will be our compass, as they have always been.
 
The fire of the Holy Spirit is not a fanciful image from long ago. It is here, now, shining within us and all around us: a refining fire for those who are complacent, a hearth fire  for those who are lonely, a beacon for those who are lost.  We can trust that we will be understood by people we ourselves might not understand. We need not fear that we will make mistakes or cause injury by our stumbling. The promise of Pentecost is the promise that, having swallowed the Fire of the Holy Spirit, we will bring peace into a future that is at this moment unimaginable.  We are the Body of Christ. We are the Breath of God. We are the Flames of God. Earthbound . . . and with wings. 

Diocese-wide Virtual Pentecost Celebration:   May 31st 10 am
There will be no Sunday service at Trinity or meditation for this weekend.  The Diocesan service will be our shared worship this week.  Our own Peach Warren and Wayne & Beth Stochaj are participating in the virtual choir.   The access information can be found here.

Sunday School this week: 10 am on Sunday via zoom.
Contact Rachel Carpenter for the access information.  rcarp76@gmail.com.
 
​Responding to the coronavirus pandemic at Trinity
Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices:
Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Zoom Sunday worship at Trinity begins at 9 am on Sunday June 7th. We will have Morning Prayer  followed by a virtual coffee hour.  On June 7th we will recognize and honor the Sunday School students and Rachel Carpenter for the fabulous job she has done this year. We will send access information next week.

In-person worship is suspended at least through July 1st.  This does not mean that we will begin in-person worship in July:  There are many factors to be considered in order to make our sanctuary and our building safe for meetings and worship. We ask that you complete a survey that will be sent out this week so that your Vestry will know what is important to you. Click here for a copy of the survey for your review.

Vestry Meetings:  June 1st and 8th - Strategies for moving forward.

The Bishops of the Dioceses of Massachusetts and Western Massachusetts issued a joint Letter with guidelines for our churches.  Click here to read the guidelines.

Parish Zoom Events:
ZOOM Bingo on Sundays at 3 pm
FUN FOR ALL AGES
Go to zoom.us, and in the upper right corner click on "Join a meeting"
Meeting ID: 946 0462 5193    Password: 450074Make your own bingo cards, or go one of the following websites to print them:  (These are free.)  
https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator
https://print-bingo.com/
https://bingobaker.com/view/1228516
http://www.dltk-cards.com/bingo/bingo7.asp
Sarah Prevelige is our host. Please contact her for help in making cards or entering the game. 

Zoom-Chats: Mondays @ 7am & Wednesdays @ 8 pm
A time tor conversation about what's working and what's not, and including a meditation led by Cindi Scrimgeour. 
Go to zoom.us and in the upper right corner click “Join a Meeting”
Mondays: Meeting ID: 413315567    Password: 715478
Wednesdays:  Meeting ID: 474316522   Password: 744170
Sarah Prevelige will host the meeting via zoom. Please contact her for information on how to join the meeting drprevelige@gmail.com. 

Game Night: Tuesdays @ 7pm 
We will be playing FIBBAGE + new online games every week.
Meeting ID: 823 3526 2364     Password: 067862
Sarah Prevelige is the host. Please contact Sarah if you have any questions: drprevelige@gmail.com

Wednesdays @ 10 am: Morning Prayer & Fellowship via ZOOM
Meeting ID: 889-0515-8309   Password:  365669
Telephone: 929-205-6099

Fridays @ Noon: Lunch & Bible Study
Meeting ID: 834-5246-9212    Password:  516264  Telephone: 
This Friday we will end our discussion of the Gospel of Thomas.   Beginning in June we will discuss the Gospel of Matthew.  We will have a Challenge competition every Friday.  Watch for more information.

First Fridays @ 12:30 - ROMEOS 
Join the men of the parish for virtual lunch and conversation. Contact Dave Clinkman for more information.  clinkman@comcast.net
Meeting ID: 839-5217-3496    Password: 70828   Telephone: 929-205-6099
Magee will be in the office on Monday and Thursday to do essential work.  Mother Judith is working remotely and is available by email and by phone, and she is checking phone messages regularly.  
Please note: A member of the parish  received a message from someone claiming to be Mother Judith and  asking for money.  Please note her phone number: 716-949-8194 and confirm with her if you receive an unexpected or unexplained text or email  
 
For the weekly announcements, click here.

Profile and Search Committees:  Inviting Applications
On July 13th, the Vestry will appoint members of the Profile and Search Committees. It seems like a very long time since we invited applications, so we are asking again.  We have a new story to tell now, and perhaps new priorities.  Please consider whether you are called to serve on one of these committees.  Canon Simpson will meet with the Committees and Vestry on September 12th.  the work of the Profile Committee will take place in the fall; the work of the Search Committee will take place in the winter and early spring.  Please contact Ginny Starkis or Susan Edmondson if you are interested in learning more.
Click here for a copy of the Application
 
 Community Dinners
Thursday May 28th  Grab n Go Meals  4:30- 6 pm 
We will distribute  meals prepared by Oliva's from the parking lot at Trinity on  the last Thursday of the month throughout the summer: June 25th, July 30th, and August 27th. If you can volunteer to help with setting up and taking down the tables, distributing meals, and bring leftover meals to the Food Pantry, in June, July, or August, please contact Glen Peterson.   We will certify Community Service credit. 
We plan to continue arranging for meals to be delivered to our frontline workers once a month, and to distribute meals from Trinity monthly.  Our purpose is to support our local small restaurants and frontline workers as well as to provide for our neighbors.  We continue our strong partnership with the Food Pantry and with other local churches and community organizations. Please contact Glen Peterson if you are able to help in any way.

To contribute to this project, please send your check payable to Trinity Church with Community Dinners on the memo line or donate directly to Hopedale Unitarian Parish, who is managing the funds for this project, by going to https://hopedaleunitarian.org  and  pressing the Donate button. Please let Mother Judith know if you would like to participate in distributing meals.

Prayer List
Please send Magee the names of people you would like to be on the Prayer List. Our policy has been to remove names after 4 weeks, but we want to be sure we follow the wishes of families and friends.  Our prayer list is included in the weekly announcements . 

Pledges
Thank you to all of you who have been sending in your pledges.  Our deposits are being made on a different schedule these days, so there may be a delay in seeing the record of your payment.  Some of you are facing financial stress: if so, please give what you can; if not, please give a bit extra to support those who cannot.

How to keep up with Trinity news:  All notices, videos, and links can be found at www.trinitychurchmilford.org
Our diocesan website offers links to online worship in our diocese.  
https://www.diocesewma.org/
Worship from the National Cathedral is available online every Sunday at 11:15 am. https://cathedral.org/
Third season of The Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry podcast began on May 5th. Click here. 
Habits of Grace: An invitation for you, from Presiding Bishop Curry
A new video meditation will be posted on Mondays through May. Click here to view the latest.

Mission Matters: News from the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA latest issue can be found here.

Meditation for the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord [transferred]
Memorial Day Weekend
May 24, 2020
 
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened you may know what is the hope to which he has called you.    [Ephesians 1:17-18]

The town of Newfane, New York, where I served at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for ten years, did not have a Memorial Day parade. Everyone in town—and I mean everyone-- would gather on the center green on Memorial Day morning to share in prayers, songs, and stories to honor the men and women who had lost their lives in war.  Newfane is a small town, and different generations came together with a solemnity and reverence that was inspiring. I will never forget my last experience there when all the veterans were invited to come to the stage.  The group ranged from a woman in her twenties to a man in his nineties, from veterans of World War II to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan; some were able-bodied, while others were in wheelchairs or had artificial limbs; all had hidden wounds in various--invisible--stages of healing.  Each person in that group knew more than one person who had died in war:  fathers, grandfathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles.  This diverse group, one town’s gift to our nation’s ideals of freedom and justice, is for me a breathtaking image of generosity and loss, tragedy and hope, resilience and vulnerability. 
 
This weekend we pray that, with the eyes of our hearts enlightened, we will embody the grace that endures through all devastation, and that the spirit of wisdom and revelation given to us in baptism may guide our responses to the pain all around us. 
 
Almighty God,
you will make wars to cease in all the world,
you will break the bow and shatter the spear asunder
you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are set upon you.
We remember the men and women who gave their lives to preserve our freedom
so that we might be able to respond to all victims of war.
Keep them in your loving care.
Comfort their families.
Let their courage be remembered through the generations.
To honor them, may we renew our fight against cruelty and injustice,
            against prejudice, tyranny, and oppression.
For their sake, and for the sake of the generation to come:
            Grant that the nations of the world may learn your way of peace,
that all may have the chance to enjoy the life you have given them
and that your Spirit of Peace may be known among us.    AMEN.
Sunday School this week: 10 am on Sunday via zoom.
Contact Rachel Carpenter for the access information.  rcarp76@gmail.com.
 
 
Responding to the coronavirus pandemic at Trinity
Eternal God, by raising Jesus from the dead, you give us new and abundant life. On this Ascension Day help us not to be stuck rooted to the spot looking up to the sky for your return. Rather, help us to look at each other and find your presence there in the faces we see every day. We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our brother. Amen.
 
Looking Ahead: Moving Forward
Diocese Virtual Pentecost Celebration:   May 31st 10 am
In-person worship is suspended at least through July 1st. 
The Bishops of the Dioceses of Massachusetts and Western Massachusetts issued a joint Letter with guidelines for our churches.  Click here to read the guidelines. At their meeting on June 8th your Vestry will discuss a strategy for next steps at Trinity regarding in-person worship and the Rector Search.

Magee will be in the office on Thursday this week to do essential work.  Mother Judith is working remotely and is available by email and by phone, and she is checking phone messages regularly.    
Wednesdays @ 10 am
Morning Prayer & Fellowship via ZOOM
Meeting ID: 889-0515-8309   Password:  365669
Telephone: 929-205-6099
You do not need a camera on your computer to join.  Please call Mother Judith if you wish to join by telephone.

Beginning on June 7th we will begin live-streaming Sunday Worship with Virtual Coffee Hour via Zoom & Facebook Live.  Watch for more information.  We are looking for volunteers to help with the videography and recording.  Please contact Ann Marie Lockwood if you are able to help.  Please contact Peach Warren if you would like to be a Reader on any of the Sundays in June.

Videos of Mother Judith’s reflections are posted on our website and on Facebook and YouTube on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We will continue to videotape a simple service of Holy Communion that will be available on our website by 9 am on Sundays.
For a copy of the Service Leaflet for Sunday click here.
For the weekly announcements, click here.
ZOOM ROMEOs
Friday May 22nd  1:15 pm
Meeting ID: 511-012-6825
Password: 899126
Telephone: 929-205-6099
We are going to resume our monthly meetings via ZOOM. This Friday, Mother Judith will join us to discuss the transitions and preparations for new ministry. Please call Kevin Keppler or Dave Clinkman for more information:
Zoom Lunch and Discussion: Noon - 1 pm The Gospel of Thomas
Meeting ID: 834-5246-9212    Password:  516264Fridays, noon-1 pm  
On Fridays in May (May 8th,15th ,22nd, and 29th )  Mother Judith is leading a discussion of the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of the sayings of Jesus that was found in 1945 among other Coptic manuscripts near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi. Many scholars believe that these sayings circulated before the canonical Gospels were composed. The Gospel of Thomas has been a very important source for studies of the historical Jesus, and it casts light on the diversity of early Christianity and on the various cultural forces shaping narratives of Jesus’ ministry.  You may join the conversation at any time.
For a copy of the text click here.
 
Zoom-Chats: Mondays @ 7am 
& Wednesdays @ 8 pm
Twice a week we gather and share what is working well and not so well as we shelter at home.  Anyone over 18 is welcome to join when you can.    You are welcome to participate once or often. Our evening chat is scheduled to be after dinner and chores and before we begin our evening routines, while our morning chat is scheduled before we begin our workday. Sarah Prevelige is sour with Laurel Pirelli and Cindi Scrimgeour joining her to facilitate our conversation.  In their professional lives they work with families and individuals of all ages and they are themselves parents of teens and pre-teens. 
Go to zoom.us and in the upper right corner click “Join a Meeting”
Mondays: meeting ID: 413315567    Password: 715478
Wednesdays:  meeting ID: 474316522   Password: 744170
Sarah Prevelige will host the meeting via zoom. Please contact her for information on how to join the meeting drprevelige@gmail.com. 
 
ZOOM BINGO  SUNDAYS AT 3 PM 
FUN FOR ALL AGESGo to zoom.us, and in the upper right corner click on "Join a meeting"
Meeting ID: 946 0462 5193    Password: 450074
Join friends from Trinity for  a weekly BINGO game on Sunday afternoons at 3 - 4 pm. We will be doing a classic 5 x 5 card array with a Free space in the center. (Numbers are 1-75) The game is open to all ages.  Members of each household  are welcome to play as a team or as individuals. We'll see how it goes, and perhaps add a second hour, or organize a tournament.

Make your own bingo cards, or go one of the following websites to print them:  (These are free.)  
https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generatorhttps://print-bingo.com/
https://bingobaker.com/view/1228516
http://www.dltk-cards.com/bingo/bingo7.asp
Sarah Prevelige is our host. Please contact her for help in making cards or entering the game. 
ZOOM Game Night:  Tuesdays at 7 pm  
We will be playing FIBBAGE + new online games every week.
                       Zoom Meeting ID: 823 3526 2364     Password: 067862
For an hour of laughter and fun for children and adults of all ages.You will need your computer to log into the zoom meeting.  You will also need a separate smart device (phone, tablet, ipad, etc) as your game remote control.   Once everyone is in the meeting we will form teams and a different code will be given to use your smart device/phone (where players will type and choose answers).  Eight people can play at once while the rest of us cheer and join in the laughter.  Come see what all the fun is about during our family friendly game night!!!  Sarah Prevelige is the host. Please contact Sarah if you have any questions: drprevelige@gmail.com

Community Dinners
Thursday May 28th  Grab n Go Meals  4:30- 6 pm 
We will distribute  meals prepared by Oliva's from the parking lot at Trinity on May 28th and on the last Thursday of the month throughout the summer: June 25th, July 30th, and August 27th. We have enough volunteers for this month, but  If you can volunteer to help with setting up and taking down the tables, distributing meals, and bring leftover meals to the Food Pantry, in June, July, or August, please contact Glen Peterson.   We will certify Community Service credit.
We plan to continue arranging for meals to be delivered to our frontline workers once a month, and to distribute meals from Trinity monthly.  Our purpose is to support our local small restaurants and frontline workers as well as to provide for our neighbors.  We continue our strong partnership with the Food Pantry and with other local churches and community organizations. Please contact Glen Peterson if you are able to help in any way.

To contribute to this project, please send your check payable to Trinity Church with Community Dinners on the memo line or donate directly to Hopedale Unitarian Parish, who is managing the funds for this project, by going to https://hopedaleunitarian.org  and  pressing the Donate button. Please let Mother Judith know if you would like to participate in distributing meals.

Prayer List
Please send Magee the names of people you would like to be on the Prayer List. Our policy has been to remove names after 4 weeks, but we want to be sure we follow the wishes of families and friends.  

Pledges
Thank you to all of you who have been sending in your pledges.  Our deposits are being made on a different schedule these days, so there may be a delay in seeing the record of your payment.  Some of you are facing financial stress: if so, please give what you can; if not, please give a bit extra to support those who cannot.

How to keep up with Trinity news:  All notices, videos, and links can be found at www.trinitychurchmilford.org
Our diocesan website offers links to online worship in our diocese.  
https://www.diocesewma.org/
Worship from the National Cathedral is available online every Sunday at 11:15 am. https://cathedral.org/
 
Third season of The Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry podcast began on May 5th. Click here. 
Habits of Grace: An invitation for you, from Presiding Bishop Curry
 A new video meditation will be posted on Mondays through May. Click here to view the latest.
 
Beloved Community Commission Offers "Holy Conversation with Howard Thurman,"  author of Jesus and the Disinherited . Click here for more details.

Mission Matters: News from the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA latest issue can be found here.

​Meditation for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
Rogation Sunday
May 17, 2020
  
‘The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.  [Acts 17: 24-25]
 
This Sunday we will observe Rogation Sunday, an English tradition that may have originated in the ancient world.  On this day, rural communities ask God’s blessing on their newly planted crops, and traditionally the parish priest led a procession that marked off the boundaries of the church grounds, asking for God’s blessing on the community and giving thanks for the bounty of the earth.   On this day when we recognize our interdependence with those who produce and deliver our food and we ask God’s blessing on our own gardens. And we pray that the “seeds” we may plant in our lives may be fruitful and a source of beauty.
 
Paul’s teaching about “an unknown god” gives a meaningful context for this prayer during these days.  Paul recalls discovering among all the shrines in Athens a shrine “to an unknown God.”  This is the God whom the Jews worship, he tells the Athenians; this is the God who created all human beings so that we would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him even though he is indeed not far from each one of us. This is a profound moment of awakening for Paul, who had been among the most rigid defenders of Jewish orthodoxy.  Faith illuminates the interdependence of all nations and individuals by revealing the life and longing we share.  God is beyond our imagination or understanding, but faith in God brings us together in ways so surprising and unmistakable that we do not need to understand them.
 
O gracious Father,
you open your hand and fill all things living with plenty:
Bless the lands and waters, and multiply the harvests of the world;
let your Spirit go forth, that it may renew the face of the earth;
show your loving-kindness, that our land may give her increase;
and save us from selfish use of what you give,
that men and women everywhere may give you thanks;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Sunday School this week: Contact Rachel Carpenter for the access information.  rcarp76@gmail.com.
We will be playing a board game on ZOOM through screen share focusing on Rogation Sunday and taking care of God's creation:)  We will share what twe've been working on outside in our own gardens:  be ready to show pictures if you can!
 
Responding to the coronavirus pandemic at Trinity
Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy
in this time of uncertainty and distress.
Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may rejoice in your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
— Diocese of Exeter, Church of England
 
Looking Ahead: Moving Forward
Diocese Virtual Pentecost Celebration: 
May 31st 10 am
In-person worship is suspended at least through July 1st. 
To read the Bishop's Pastoral Letter click here.

Magee will be in the office on Mondays and Thursdays to do essential work.  Mother Judith is working remotely and is available by email and by phone, and she is checking phone messages regularly.    
Beginning next Week:  Wednesday May 20th  10 am
Morning Prayer & Fellowship via ZOOM
Meeting ID: 889-0515-8309   Password:  365669
You do not need a camera on your computer to join.  Please call Mother Judith if you wish to join by telephone.

In June we will begin live-streaming Sunday Worship with Virtual Coffee Hour.  Watch for more information.  We are looking for volunteers to help with the videography and recording.  Please contact Ann Marie Lockwood if you are able to help.  Please contact Peach Warren if you would like to be a Reader on any of the Sundays in June.

Videos of Mother Judith’s reflections are posted on our website and on Facebook and YouTube on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We will continue to videotape a simple service of Holy Communion that will be available on our website by 9 am on Sundays.
For a copy of the Service Leaflet for Sunday click here.
For a copy of the readings for Sunday, click here.
For the weekly announcements, click here.
ZOOM ROMEOs
Friday May 22nd  1:15 pm
Meeting ID: 511-012-6825
Password: 899126
We are going to resume our monthly meetings via ZOOM. This Friday, Mother Judith will join us to discuss the transitions and preparations for new ministry. Please call Kevin Keppler or Dave Clinkman for more information:

 

 
Zoom Lunch and Discussion: Noon - 1 pm The Gospel of Thomas
Meeting ID: 834-5246-9212    Password:  516264Fridays, noon-1 pm  
On Fridays in May (May 8th,15th ,22nd, and 29th )  Mother Judith will lead a discussion of the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of the sayings of Jesus that was found in 1945 among other Coptic manuscripts near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi. Many scholars believe that these sayings circulated before the canonical Gospels were composed. The Gospel of Thomas has been a very important source for studies of the historical Jesus, and it casts light on the diversity of early Christianity and on the various cultural forces shaping narratives of Jesus’ ministry.  You may join the conversation at any time.
For a copy of the text click here.
Zoom-Chats: Mondays @ 7am
& Wednesdays @ 8 pm
Twice a week we gather and share what is working well and not so well as we shelter at home.  Anyone over 18 is welcome to join when you can.    You are welcome to participate once or often. Our evening chat is scheduled to be after dinner and chores and before we begin our evening routines, while our morning chat is scheduled before we begin our workday. Sarah Prevelige is sour with Laurel Pirelli and Cindi Scrimgeour joining her to facilitate our conversation.  In their professional lives they work with families and individuals of all ages and they are themselves parents of teens and pre-teens. 
Go to zoom.us and in the upper right corner click “Join a Meeting”
Mondays: meeting ID: 413315567    Password: 715478
Wednesdays:  meeting ID: 474316522   Password: 744170

Sarah Prevelige will host the meeting via zoom. Please contact her for information on how to join the meeting drprevelige@gmail.com. 
 
ZOOM BINGO  SUNDAYS AT 3 PM 
FUN FOR ALL AGESGo to zoom.us, and in the upper right corner click on "Join a meeting"
Meeting ID: 946 0462 5193    Password: 450074
Join friends from Trinity for  a weekly BINGO game on Sunday afternoons at 3 - 4 pm. We will be doing a classic 5 x 5 card array with a Free space in the center. (Numbers are 1-75) The game is open to all ages.  Members of each household  are welcome to play as a team or as individuals. We'll see how it goes, and perhaps add a second hour, or organize a tournament.

Make your own bingo cards, or go one of the following websites to print them:  (These are free.)  
https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generatorhttps://print-bingo.com/
https://bingobaker.com/view/1228516
http://www.dltk-cards.com/bingo/bingo7.asp
Sarah Prevelige is our host. Please contact her for help in making cards or entering the game. 
ZOOM Game Night:  Tuesdays at 7 pm  
We will be playing FIBBAGE + new online games every week.
                       Zoom Meeting ID: 823 3526 2364     Password: 067862
For an hour of laughter and fun for children and adults of all ages.You will need your computer to log into the zoom meeting.  You will also need a separate smart device (phone, tablet, ipad, etc) as your game remote control.   Once everyone is in the meeting we will form teams and a different code will be given to use your smart device/phone (where players will type and choose answers).  Eight people can play at once while the rest of us cheer and join in the laughter.  Come see what all the fun is about during our family friendly game night!!!  Sarah Prevelige is the host. Please contact Sarah if you have any questions: drprevelige@gmail.com

Community Dinners
Thursday May 28th  4- 6 pm Volunteers needed
At Trinity, we will distribute meals prepared by Oliva's.  Volunteers will set up tables, distribute meals, and take down the tables. We will certify  Community Service credit.
We plan to continue arranging for meals to be delivered to our frontline workers once a month, and to distribute meals from Trinity monthly.  Our purpose is to support our local small restaurants and frontline workers as well as to provide for our neighbors.  We continue our strong partnership with the Food Pantry and with other local churches and community organizations. Please contact Glen Peterson if you are able to help in any way.

To contribute to this project, please send your check payable to Trinity Church with Community Dinners on the memo line or donate directly to Hopedale Unitarian Parish, who is managing the funds for this project, by going to https://hopedaleunitarian.org  and  pressing the Donate button. Please let Mother Judith know if you would like to participate in distributing meals.

Prayer List
Please send Magee the names of people you would like to be on the Prayer List. Our policy has been to remove names after 4 weeks, but we want to be sure we follow the wishes of families and friends.  

Pledges
Thank you to all of you who have been sending in your pledges.  Our deposits are being made on a different schedule these days, so there may be a delay in seeing the record of your payment.  Some of you are facing financial stress: if so, please give what you can; if not, please give a bit extra to support those who cannot.

How to keep up with Trinity news:  All notices, videos, and links can be found at www.trinitychurchmilford.org
Our diocesan website offers links to online worship in our diocese.  
https://www.diocesewma.org/
Worship from the National Cathedral is available online every Sunday at 11:15 am. https://cathedral.org/
 
Third season of The Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry podcast began on May 5th. Click here. 
Habits of Grace: An invitation for you, from Presiding Bishop Curry
 A new video meditation will be posted on Mondays through May. Click here to view the latest.
 
Beloved Community Commission Offers "Holy Conversation with Howard Thurman,"  author of Jesus and the Disinherited . Click here for more details.

Mission Matters: News from the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA latest issue can be found here.

Responding to the coronavirus pandemic at Trinity
There will be no Digital Sunday School or Zoom Bingo this Sunday.

God of all creation, whose people prepared a tabernacle for you and carried it with them through the wilderness so they would never be alone:
If we must venture into a landscape transformed by crisis, may we be living vessels of your mercy, grace, and love.  Remind us to carry our treasure gingerly, with a respectful four cubits between ourselves and all the other tabernacles. Make of us big cans of friendliness, patience, and forgiveness in parking lots and the marketplace. May we be balm for the sick, isolated, and overlooked and a bitter pill for those in power who do not promote what is best for all your people. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
                                                                             -The Rt. Rev. John Taylor, Bishop of Los Angeles
 
Looking Ahead: Moving Forward
Diocese Virtual Pentecost Celebration:  May 31st 10 am – Watch for more information.
The Bishop has formed a committee of staff and the Deans to develop a phased plan for moving forward.  He will announce this plan after Trinity Sunday (June 7th), in order to give Vestries guidelines for making decisions for their communities.  We are coordinating our efforts with the Diocese of Massachusetts so that we will have a common plan across the state, guided by epidemiologists who have been working with the diocese.  Please share your questions or concerns with Mother Judith

Magee will be in the office on Mondays and Thursdays to do essential work.  Mother Judith is working remotely and is available by email and by phone, and she is checking phone messages regularly.    

Videos of Mother Judith’s reflections are posted on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We will continue to videotape a simple service of Holy Communion that will be available on our website by 9 am on Sundays.
For a copy of the Service Leaflet for Sunday click here.
For a copy of the readings for Sunday, click here.
For the weekly announcements, click here.
There will be no Sunday School this week.  For Mother's Day activities, 
 
Zoom Lunch and Discussion: Noon - 1 pm The Gospel of Thomas
Meeting ID: 834-5246-9212    Password:  516264
Fridays, noon-1 pm  
On Fridays in May (May 8th,15th ,22nd, and 29th )  Mother Judith will lead a discussion of the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of the sayings of Jesus that was found in 1945 among other Coptic manuscripts near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi. Many scholars believe that these sayings circulated before the canonical Gospels were composed. The Gospel of Thomas has been a very important source for studies of the historical Jesus, and it casts light on the diversity of early Christianity and on the various cultural forces shaping narratives of Jesus’ ministry.
For a copy of the text click here.

Zoom-Chats: Mondays @ 7am & Wednesdays @ 8 pm
Twice a week we gather and share what is working well and not so well as we shelter at home.  Anyone over 18 is welcome to join when you can.    You are welcome to participate once or often. Our evening chat is scheduled to be after dinner and chores and before we begin our evening routines, while our morning chat is scheduled before we begin our workday. Sarah Prevelige is sour with Laurel Pirelli and Cindi Scrimgeour joining her to facilitate our conversation.  In their professional lives they work with families and individuals of all ages and they are themselves parents of teens and pre-teens. 
Go to zoom.us and in the upper right corner click “Join a Meeting”
Wednesdays:  meeting ID: 474316522   Password: 744170
Mondays: meeting ID: 413315567    Password: 715478
Sarah Prevelige will host the meeting via zoom. Please contact her for information on how to join the meeting drprevelige@gmail.com. 
Please send any questions you’d like to discuss to Cindi Scrimgeour at cscrimgeour@gmail.com 

ZOOM BINGO  SUNDAYS AT 3 PM 
FUN FOR ALL AGES
NOT THIS SUNDAY - WE'RE TAKING A BREAK FOR MOTHER'S DAY
Join friends from Trinity for  a weekly BINGO game on Sunday afternoons at 3 - 4 pm. We will be doing a classic 5 x 5 card array with a Free space in the center. (Numbers are 1-75) The game is open to all ages.  Members of each household  are welcome to play as a team or as individuals. We'll see how it goes, and perhaps add a second hour, or organize a tournament.What to do:
Make your own bingo cards, or go one of the following websites to print them:  (These are free.)
 https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator
https://print-bingo.com/
https://bingobaker.com/view/1228516
http://www.dltk-cards.com/bingo/bingo7.asp
Sarah Prevelige is our host. Please contact her for help in making cards or entering the game. Here is the Sunday Zoom Meeting Information:
Go to zoom.us, and in the upper right corner click "Join a meeting'
     Meeting ID: 946 0462 5193    Password: 450074

ZOOM Game Night: 
Tuesdays at 7 pm 
We will be playing FIBBAGE + new online games every week.
Zoom Meeting ID: 823 3526 2364     Password: 067862
Join the hilarity of trying to stump your opponents with a fib.  Compete to see who is best at identifying fibs! You will need your computer to log into the zoom meeting.  You will also need a separate smart device (phone, tablet, ipad, etc) as your game remote control.   Once everyone is in the meeting we will form teams and a different code will be given to use your smart device/phone (where players will type and choose answers).  Eight people can play at once while the rest of us cheer and join in the laughter.  Come see what all the fun is about during our family friendly game night!!!  Sarah Prevelige is the host. Please contact Sarah if you have any questions: drprevelige@gmail.com

Community Dinners
Because we cannot plan to serve dinners, Trinity and our partners are funding takeout dinners from local restaurants for our first responders at the hospital, fire hall, police station, post office and grocery store. This week, we are coordinating with Johnny Jack's, Rose's Villa, and Paderia Brazilian Bakery to have meals delivered to the hospital, the Milford Post Office, and a local grocery store.  On May 28th, Oliva's will provide meals to be distributed from Trinity.  We have also donated $200 to the Food Pantry, which continues to be open to receive donations on Monday evenings. To contribute to this project, please send your check payable to Trinity Church with Community Dinners on the memo line or donate directly to Hopedale Unitarian Parish, who is managing the funds for this project, by going to https://hopedaleunitarian.org  and  pressing the Donate button. Please let Mother Judith know if you would like to participate in distributing meals.

Prayer List
Please send Magee the names of people you would like to be on the Prayer List. Our policy has been to remove names after 4 weeks, but we want to be sure we follow the wishes of families and friends.  

Pledges
Thank you to all of you who have been sending in your pledges.  Our deposits are being made on a different schedule these days, so there may be a delay in seeing the record of your payment.  Some of you are facing financial stress: if so, please give what you can; if not, please give a bit extra to support those who cannot.

How to keep up with Trinity news:  All notices, videos, and links can be found at www.trinitychurchmilford.org
Our diocesan website offers links to online worship in our diocese.  
https://www.diocesewma.org/
Worship from the National Cathedral is available online every Sunday at 11:15 am. https://cathedral.org/

Trinity GFS Scholarships are Available:  Deadline extended to this Wednesday May 15th
Each year, Trinity gives monetary awards to qualified members who are entering an institution of higher education. These awards recognize attendance and service to Trinity Parish during the applicant's high school years. The application is available to download on the Trinity Church website at www.trinitychurchmilford.org Applications must be received by May 15th  and the recipients will be notified shortly thereafter.  Please direct all questions to GFS Scholarship Committee a gfs@trinitychurchmilford.org

This Wednesday May 15th - deadline for Newsletter submissions.
 
Third season of The Way of Love with Bishop Michael Curry podcast begins May 5 with guest Jen Hatmaker. Click here. 

Habits of Grace: An invitation for you, from Presiding Bishop Curry
 A new video meditation will be posted on Mondays through May. Click here to view the latest.
 
Beloved Community Commission Offers "Holy Conversation with Howard Thurman,"  author of Jesus and the Disinherited . Click here for more details.

Mission Matters: News from the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA latest issue can be found here.

     I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.   [John 10:10]

This coming Sunday is often called Good Shepherd Sunday.  We are reminded that no matter how far we wander, how obstinately we resist, or how fearfully we cower, God’s compassionate watchfulness will protect us.

The Greek word that is usually translated as “good” (kalos) can also be translated as noble, beautiful, perfect, precious, wonderful. These variations help us to recapture the awe with which Jesus’ earliest followers would have listened to him and why, we are told, they did not understand what he was saying to them John [10:6].  They describe a prophet and a king they had experienced only in the stories at the core of their tradition.
 
Jesus’ words are a clarion call to us, especially in these days that challenge us to rethink what it means to “be church” when we cannot gather for worship or be present to the people who come to us in greatest need.  As the Body of Christ, we are called not merely to be good.  We are called to be noble . . .beautiful . . . wonderful. We are called not merely to feed the hungry, but to ensure that they feel fulfilled; we are called not merely to overcome self-destructive willfulness but to strengthen relationships that can be humbling; we are called not merely to make people safe, but to ensure that they feel empowered.  In the words of Jean Vanier:

 Jesus, Light of the world, calls his disciples to become light for the world.  Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls us to become good shepherds, to mature spiritually, to help others in need, and to seek out those who are lost, crushed, or oppressed, who have been pushed to the margins of society. . . To become a good shepherd is to come out of the shell of selfishness in order to be attentive to those for whom we are responsible so as to reveal to them their fundamental beauty and value and help them to grow and become fully alive.        [Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus through the Gospel of John, pp. 187, 189.]
 
Responding to the coronavirus pandemic at Trinity
May we who are merely inconvenienced, remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors, remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home, remember those who must  choose between preserving their health and making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close, remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips, remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market, remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home, remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country, let us choose love.
And during this time when we may not be able to physically wrap our arms around  each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors. Amen

A Death in the Extended Parish Family
We share with sadness that Yvonne Mack, mother of Steve Klisiewicz, passed away in Chicopee MA on April 27th after a courageous 4-year battle with cancer. Notes of condolence may be sent to the Steve, Elizabeth, and Julia at 309 North Main Street, Whitinsville MA 01588. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

Magee has returned to be in the office one or two days each week to do essential work.  Mother Judith is working remotely and is available by email and by phone, and she is checking phone messages regularly.   All parish meetings will be held remotely.
Public worship is suspended until further notice
 
Videos of Mother Judith’s reflections are posted on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We will continue to videotape a simple service of Holy Communion that will be available on our website by 9 am on Sundays.

For a copy of the Service Leaflet for Sunday click here.

For a copy of the readings for Sunday, click here.

For the weekly announcements, click here.

Sunday School: Rachel Carpenter will lead Digital Sunday School on Sunday at 10 am.   This week's discussion and activity will center on Jesus our Good Shepherd. .Please email Rachel  at rcarp76@gmail.com if you will be attending zoom Church school this Sunday.   Sunday school activities are available on our website by Monday morning.  www.trinitychurchmilford.org
 
Zoom-Chats: Wednesdays @8 pm 
& Mondays @ 7 am 
Twice a week we gather and share what is working well and not so well as we shelter at home.  Anyone over 18 is welcome to join when you can.    You are welcome to participate once or often. Our evening chat is scheduled to be after dinner and chores and before we begin our evening routines, while our morning chat is scheduled before we begin our workday. Sarah Prevelige will host, with Laurel Pirelli and Cindi Scrimgeour joining her to facilitate our conversation.  In their professional lives they work with families and individuals of all ages and they are themselves parents of teens and pre-teens. 
Go to zoom.us and in the upper right corner click “Join a Meeting”
Wednesdays:  meeting ID: 474316522   Password: 744170
Mondays: meeting ID: 413315567    Password: 715478
Sarah Prevelige will host the meeting via zoom. Please contact her for information on how to join the meeting drprevelige@gmail.com. 
Please send any questions you’d like to discuss to Cindi Scrimgeour at cscrimgeour@gmail.com 

ZOOM BINGO  SUNDAYS AT 3 PM
FUN FOR ALL AGES!
Join friends from Trinity for  a weekly BINGO game on Sunday afternoons at 3 - 4 pm. We will be doing a classic 5 x 5 card array with a Free space in the center. (Numbers are 1-75) The game is open to all ages.  Members of each household  are welcome to play as a team or as individuals. We'll see how it goes, and perhaps add a second hour, or organize a tournament.What to do:
Make your own bingo cards, or go one of the following websites to print them:  (These are free.)
 https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator
https://print-bingo.com/
https://bingobaker.com/view/1228516 
http://www.dltk-cards.com/bingo/bingo7.asp
Sarah Prevelige will host. Please contact her for help in making cards or entering the game. Here is the Sunday Zoom Meeting Information:
Go to zoom.us, and in the upper right corner click "Join a meeting'
Meeting ID: 946 0462 5193    Password: 450074
ZOOM Game Night: 
Tuedays at 7 pm [Note new time]
We will be playing FIBBAGE
Zoom Meeting ID: 823 3526 2364     Password: 067862
Join the hilarity of trying to stump your opponents with a fib.  You will need your computer to log into the zoom meeting.  You will also need a separate smart device (phone, tablet, ipad, etc) as your game remote control.   Once everyone is in the meeting we will form teams and a different code will be given to use your smart device/phone (where players will type and choose answers).  Eight people can play at once while the rest of us cheer and join in the laughter.  Come see what all the fun is about during our family friendly game night!!!  Sarah Prevelige is the host. Please contact Sarah if you have any questions: drprevelige@gmail.comZoom Lunch and Discussion: The Gospel of ThomasFridays, noon-1 pm  Beginning May 8th
On Fridays in May (May 8th, 15th ,22nd, and 29th ) leading up to the Feast of Pentecost, Mother Judith will lead a discussion of the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of the sayings of Jesus that was found in 1945 among other Coptic manuscripts near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi. Many scholars believe that these sayings circulated before the canonical Gospels were composed. The Gospel of Thomas has been a very important source for studies of the historical Jesus, and it casts light on the diversity of early Christianity and on the various cultural forces shaping narratives of Jesus’ ministry. The text of the Gospel of Thomas can be printed as a pdf for free from www.holytexts.com. 

​Community Dinners
Because we cannot plan to serve dinners in April or May, Trinity and our partners are funding takeout dinners from local restaurants for our first responders at the hospital, fire hall, police station, post office and grocery store. This week, we are coordinating with Christiano's. Gene's Variety Store, and Chipotle to have meals delivered to the hospital and to Stop n Shop.  We have also donated $200 to the Food Pantry, which continues to be open to receive donations on Padaria Braxilian Bakery for first  responders during the second week in May, and on May 28th we will distribute "Grab-n-Go" takeout meals purchased from local restaurants at Trinity.  To contribute to this project, please send your check payable to Trinity Church with Community Dinners on the memo line or donate directly to Hopedale Unitarian Parish, who is managing the funds for this project, by going to https://hopedaleunitarian.org  and  pressing the Donate button. Please let Mother Judith know if you would like to participate in distributing meals.

Prayer List
Please send Magee the names of people you would like to be on the Prayer List. Our policy has been to remove names after 4 weeks, but we want to be sure we follow the wishes of families and friends.  

Pledges
Thank you to all of you who have been sending in your pledges.  Our deposits are being made on a different schedule these days, so there may be a delay in seeing the record of your payment.  Some of you are facing financial stress: if so, please give what you can; if not, please give a bit extra to support those who cannot.

Face Masks
Now that we are required to wear face masks in public, Trinity wants to help provide them. Several people have inquired about how to make masks, and others have inquired about how to get them.  Ginny Starkis is coordinating our efforts to locate materials and to distribute masks.  Please contact Ginny if you would like to participate in this project.. vstarkis@verizon.net 

How to keep up with Trinity news:  All notices, videos, and links can be found at www.trinitychurchmilford.org
Our diocesan website offers links to online worship in our diocese.  
https://www.diocesewma.org/
Worship from the National Cathedral is available online every Sunday at 11:15 am. https://cathedral.org/

Trinity GFS Scholarships are Available:  Deadline extended to May 15th
Each year, Trinity gives monetary awards to qualified members who are entering an institution of higher education. These awards recognize attendance and service to Trinity Parish during the applicant's high school years. The application is available to download on the Trinity Church website at www.trinitychurchmilford.org Applications must be received by May 15th  and the recipients will be notified shortly thereafter.  Please direct all questions to GFS Scholarship Committee a gfs@trinitychurchmilford.org

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s Word to the Church: What Would Love Do?
In the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic, we are now at another one of those threshold moments when important and significant decisions must be made on all levels of our global community for the good and the well-being of the entire human family. In this moment, I would ask you to allow me to share with you a Word to the Church: What Would Love Do? Click here to view his message.

Habits of Grace: An invitation for you, from Presiding Bishop Curry
 A new video meditation will be posted on Mondays through May. Click here to view the latest.
 
Beloved Community Commission Offers "Holy Conversation with Howard Thurman,"
author of Jesus and the Disinherited . Click here for more details.

Mission Matters: News from the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA latest issue can be found here.