News for the Week of May 3rd

A Meditation for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
May 3, 2020

     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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]. 
Please send any questions you’d like to discuss to Cindi Scrimgeour at [email protected] 

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: [email protected]Zoom 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.. v[email protected] 

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 [email protected]

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.