December 30th, 2020

A Meditation for the New Year
Click here.

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
​and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

[Isaiah 60:1]

Blessing   by Jan Richardson
 
From all that is broken,
let there be beauty.
From what is torn, jagged,
ripped, frayed,
let there be
not just mendings
but meetings unimagined.
May the God in whom
nothing is wasted
gather up every scrap,
every shred and shard,
and make of them
new paths,
doorways,
worlds.

January 3rd - Epiphany Sunday: 
Christmas Pageant on Zoom @ 9 am:
"Zooming to Bethlehem"
Youth Group Meeting on Zoom @ 7 pm
​

Ministers of the Liturgy
The Rev. Dr. Judith Lee
Reader: Emily Kee
Musicians:  Randolph Bloom, Mary Johnson, Jeff Lukas, Maddie & Kim Stochaj, Ann Marie Lockwood & Peach Warren
Zooming to Bethlehem:   Our Sunday School students, youth, & their parents:  Sebastian, Malachi, and Rachel Carpenter; Brandon, Allison, and Emily Kee; Nathan, Reis, and Laurel Pirelli; Teagan, Zoey, Justin, and Brigid Richards; Lauren and Lisa Ruggiero; Tessa Scrimgeour; Landon Sweet.
​

May Christ the Prince of Peace give you his Peace, 
and the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life
be with you always.
​

This week we will not show the leaflet or script on the screen during worship so that the readers, participants, and musicians will be visible on the screen.  If you prefer to read along, a copy of the script and leaflet are available here:
For the Sunday Leaflet, click here.
For the Christmas Pageant Script click here.
For the Weekend Announcements, click here.

​There will be no Sunday School this week.
The Zoom links will be available in the email that we will send on Saturday.

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Youth Group Meeting: This Sunday, January 3rd @ 7-8 pm
We will have a game night - be sure to have two devices available!
We will finish our planning for the Mission Project: Take out meals on Martin Luther King Day - January 18th
The Zoom link will be sent on Saturday.

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Stewardship: A Season of Thanksgiving
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever.                                               [Psalm 106:1] 

As of December 27th - 
           Number of pledges received:  87      
           Amount pledged:  $158,990 [87% of goal]
 
This year, especially, it's important to pledge so that we plan for the increased costs of 2021 and so that the new Rector candidates can see that we have a robust Stewardship commitment. 
                                     
We now have the option of pledging  by completing the confidential form at our website: 
 https://www.trinitychurchmilford.org/2021-pledge

A Prayer by Walter Brueggmemann: "Giver of all Good Gifts" 
         [from Prayers for a Priviledged People, pp. 123-24]
Stir us by your spirit beyond fearful accumulation toward outrageous generosity,
that giving bread to others makes for peace,
that giving drink to others makes for justice,
that giving and sharing opens the world
and assures abundance for all.
We pray this even as we ponder the gift of your Son
whom we ingest as bread and wine,
and tasting, find ourselves forgiven and renewed.

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​This Weekend at Trinity:
Sunday: A Christmas Pageant:  Zooming to Bethlehem @ 9 am on Zoom
    10:00-11:30 am   Private Holy Communion to individuals in the church
           7 pm  - Youth Group Meeting on Zoom: the link will be sent by email on Saturday
This Week at Trinity:
The Office will be open Monday–Thursday  10am – 2 pm.
Mother Judith is working remotely and can be reached by phone [716.949.8194]
Monday 7:15 am – Zoom Meditation: the link will be send by email on Sunday
Tuesday 7 pm – Finance Committee on Zoom
Wednesday 10 am – Morning Prayer on Zoom: the link will be sent by email on Wednesday morning
Thursday 4 pm  Grab n Go meals at Trinity
Friday – 11:30am – Bible Study on Zoom: The 12 Apostles
               12:30 pm  ROMEOs on Zoom. Please contact Dave Clinkman to learn more.
              The Zoom links will be sent by email

Next Sunday: January 10th: The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord
Holy Communion on Zoom @ 9 am
You may pick up consecrated wafers at the church or request that Mother Judith bring them to you.
At the Church:  both Sundays 8-8:45 am & 10-11:30am, Monday – Thursday 10am – 2pm 
  

Bible Study begins this week:  Fridays @ noon [this week at 11:30 am]
4 weeks:  The Twelve Apostles
The twelve men who were Jesus’ first followers were a motley crew. They are described in the gospels as ordinary men who stumbled and fumbled their way along the path to which Jesus called them. We may feel we have known some of them for most of our lives: Peter, John, Matthew, and Judas Iscariot. Some have briefer stories: Philip, Thomas, and Andrew. Others we know only by name: James son of Zebedee; James son of Alpheus; Bartholomew, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot.
 
In January, we will have a 4-week study on Jesus’ apostles. 
January 8th              The Calling of the Twelve (starting at 11:30am)
January 15th            Simon Peter
January 22nd           John the Beloved Disciple
January 29th            Philip, Thomas, & James the son of Zebedee
We will finish in time to begin a Friday Lenten Study of the Psalms. 
The Zoom link will be sent each week.

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Notice:  Annual Parish Meeting on Zoom     
Sunday January 31st  @ 9AM                                 

At this meeting we will express our appreciation to members of the congregation who have brought us together this year.       
This is not a contest - but  in this unusual year we may not have noticed what everyone has done. 
Please send the names of people you would like to recognize to Mother Judith or Ginny Starkis by January 15th.

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Our Prayers Are Offered For:
Parish Members & Friends: the Robeson Family; Liz Pekkala; Charles Gustavesen; Karin Tourtellotte; Allan Smat; Zak Gustavesen; Rachel Martin; Sharon Manoogian; Sal & Vas Ferreira; Laura Uretsky; Brad Gustavesen; Barbara; Michelle; Stephanie; Maureen Colvin; Rita & Dick Cronan;; Marco Weiss; Al Price; Robert; Mary Torian, Beth & Terry; Esther McKenzie; Lisa Wilson; Sandra Arbogast; Len Baird; Judy Shea; Robin Rowe; Skye Bayleigh Plaisted; Alex; Alisha Starkis Weddeke; Chrissy & Mark; Thomas Scano; the Canali Family; Sherel & Lou Frere; Craig Silverman; Justin Perkin; Dr. Stephen Janko; Tom Childs; Nancy Sharoogian; Bob Mezzadri; all those serving in the military and the Peace Corps, especially Avary DeRagon; Dan Consigli; Drew Beauchamp; Charles; Laura; Elena; Brendan Wood; Danielle & Joel Marsh; Tom Bento; Joel Joudrey; Justin Woessner and their families.
Homebound Parishioners: Verna Parente, and Wayne Morey.
Our Partner Dioceses: Kumasi and Asante-Mampong in Ghana
Those celebrating birthdays this week: Allyson Levesque; Ian McCarthy Austen Sholudko; Michelle Kerr; Donald Leverock; Chris Tattrie; Elaina Chambers; Dallas Montag; Andrew Greene; Beth Washburn; Jessica Nylander; Claire Mental; and Krista Tracy.

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​For Bishop Fisher's Christmas message click here.
For the Presiding Bishop's Christmas message, click here.
For news and access to Diocesan meetings and worship, go to https://www.diocesewma.org/ 
For news about events at Trinity and The Episcopal Church go to https://www.trinitychurchmilford.org