 Meditation for the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost October 25, 2020. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ [Matthew 22:37-40] Sunday’s gospel tells of the religious authorities challenging Jesus to choose between the Law as it is written in the Book of Deuteronomy and as it is written in the Book of Leviticus. Jesus’ response is in line with traditional Rabbinic teaching. Even as he recites the commandments, Jesus reminds the Pharisees--and us—that righteousness---living in right relationship with God—involves more than following the rules. It involves choosing an honest and self-giving relationship with God and with the people God has called to walk with us. And, perhaps the greater challenge for most of us, it involves allowing ourselves to be loved, accepting the love that is the core of being fully alive, as necessary—and as available-- as the air we breathe. How do we love, and allow ourselves to be loved? W. Paul Jones, tells a story that illustrates this point in Teaching the Dead Bird to Sing (Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, pp. xi-xii). One year when he was living in an apartment in Kansas City, he heard a scratching at the window. He looked out and saw a mourning dove inspecting the window ledge for a spot where she might make a nest. Day by day he saw her build a nest just big enough for one egg, and then to sit on it. One morning he woke up to see the mother feeding her new infant. But often when spring comes early to Kansas City, as it did that year, the temperature plunges suddenly and freezing rain destroys the newly flowering trees. About a week after the baby bird had been born, one of these storms swept through the city. Jones spent a restless night, worried about his 2 tiny friends; when he awoke at about dawn, he was relieved to hear the dove cooing. But when he peaked out the window he saw that the mother bird had propped upright her small infant-bird, frozen. Patiently and insistently, she was trying to teach the dead bird to sing. Jones tells this story to illustrate the insistent faithfulness of God’s love for us-- even when our hearts feel like they are frozen hard. even when we are overcome by the freezing rains that pummel us, that come upon us without notice and seem to take away all that matters to us. God is like that mother bird. God won’t give up on us--even when we give up on God. When we direct our own lives to be loving offerings to God and to our neighbor, we need to ask ourselves if our real purpose is to make ourselves lovable rather than to reveal God’s love. We need to be the mourning dove who never loses sight of the life of her baby bird, but we also need to be the frozen one who allows God to melt our hearts through the kindness and insight of someone else. Go, be healing to God's people; seek and share the saving call. Be the touch of Christ for others, be the voice of Christ for all. Lives are broken all around you, and Christ has no hands but yours; hold in them the ones who suffer so Christ's healing love endures. -Martin Willett Sunday Schedule for the Months of October & November 8-8:30 am Outdoor service of Holy Communion in the parking lot 9 am Morning Prayer on Zoom 9:30 am Zoom Coffee Hour 9:45 am Zoom Sunday School meets: grades pre-K - 5 10am–10:30 am Zoom Sunday School Class: grades pre-K - 5 10:45-11:15 am - Zoom Sunday School Class - grades 6-8 10:30-11:30 am Distribution of Holy Communion to individuals in the church Sunday afternoon - Home Communion for those who cannot come to the church MORNING PRAYER via ZOOM Ministers of the Liturgy The Rev. Dr. Judith Lee Elizabeth Klisiewicz, Toussaint Jackson, Hilary Stafford, Justin Varteresian Musicians: Randolph Bloom, Mary Johnson, Jeff Lukas https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82256827302?pwd=Z0E3ZlpXY0hIRFdIZHN0ZnltdXNlZz09 Meeting ID: 822-5682-7302 Password: 546896 Telephone: 929-205-6099 We will have a Profile Committee Discussion after the service. You may join at 9:30 am, using this same link. Please plan to take part in this important conversation. Sunday School Message from Rachel Carpenter: We will begin at 9:45 on Sunday on a separate Zoom meeting. Hi all! We would love for you to join us this Sunday for church school!!! Start your week off with making some new friends, having some fun and hopefully learning something new! Elementary ZOOM Church School 9:45 AM Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/94832771037?pwd=d3BYREU4Q3U3OVlNR1doOWZtNEJvdz09 Meeting ID: 948 3277 1037 Passcode: 435036 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jr HIgh ZOOM Church School 10:45 AM Please join us this Sunday (note - this is a different link than above!) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7357990701?pwd=T0pNaTQxM0R5Z28wOFN3WXdIeEdLdz09 Meeting ID: 735 799 0701 Passcode: 1234 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm looking forward to seeing you all this Sunday!! Our youth are together planning projects for the year. We are asking our youth (grades 6 and up) to complete this brief survey. Thank you Click here for the survey. Senior High Youth We will meet at 7 pm on the First Sunday of each month November 1st - Grace Prevelige & Brandon Kee will lead the Profile Focus Group Discussion December 6th - Sarah Prevelige, Cindi Scrimgeour, and Mother Judith host a combination of Game Night, Mission Project Planning, and a meditation. This Week: The Office will be open Monday-Thursday, 10am-2pm. Mother Judith is working remotely and can be reached by phone [716.949.8194] or email. Tuesday 5 pm – Praying for an End to Gun Violence: A Service of Lament, Hope and Resolve Join Bishops United Against Gun Violence in an online service to address the difficult times in which America finds itself, lament the continuing gun violence epidemic in our country and offer an opportunity for attendees to take action and pledge to follow the path of nonviolence. The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington will preach. You can join the webinar on the Episcopalians United Against Gun Violence Facebook page or register to join the Zoom webinar. Join by phone by dialing 646.558.8656 and using ID 865 4994 764 Tuesday 7pm-8:30pm Sacred Ground on Zoom – Session #3 Wednesday 10 am Morning Prayer & Fellowship on Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83161138171?pwd=TitUUzdtRVhjZVFadjNZbFlxV1dhdz09 Meeting ID: 831-6113-8171 Password: 497792 Telephone: 929-205-6099 Wednesday 10:30-11:30am Profile Committee Profile Group Discussion: The same Zoom link as Morning Prayer - you are welcome to join Morning Prayer or join the group at 10:30. Please plan to take part in this important conversation. Wednesday 7 pm – Zoom Chat Wednesday 7pm – Service of Remembrance and Witness for Covid-19 Victims. Livestreamed - Link will be posted on our website https://www.trinitychurchmilford.org Thursday 4 pm: Grab n Go Meals Thursday 7:30 pm – Profile Committee on Zoom Friday Noon Lunch and Bible Study: Women of the Bible: October 23rd - Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna: The Gospel of Luke: Chapters 1-2 & 8, October 30th – Martha and Mary of Bethany Our Prayers Are Offered For: Parish Members & Friends: the Lambert, Pothier, Gustavesen, & Boover Families; Mary Torian, Brad Gustavesen; Sharon Manoogian; Sal & Vas Ferreira; Laura Uretsky; the Rev. Aileen DiBenedetto; Ryan Schmidt; Dorothy Lutterbaugh; Erick Guzman; Alan Smat; Somasundaram Ulaganayagi; Dave Clinkman; Elleana Shearer; Marco Weiss; Al Price; Amy Hendrick; 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; Chris Ketcham and their families. Homebound Parishioners: Betty Henneberry; Verna Parente, and Wayne Morey. The Deceased: Jean Conway and Karen M. Boover Our Partner Dioceses: Kumasi and Asante-Mampong in Ghana Those celebrating birthdays this week: Kyra Richards; John Ellis; Robert Kidder; Ralph Stafford; Meaghan George; Wendy Marino; Samuel Kennedy; Gregory Anderson; Michael Ruggiero; Bryan Gaffney; Jaylani Peguero; Willa Montag; Karen Carig-O’Neill; Charles O’Connell, Jr.; Jennifer Menges; and Lauren Masse. Pledges: Thank you to all of you who have been sending in your pledges. We are behind in pledge income by about $8000. If you are behind, please try to catch up by early November in order to give the Vestry a baseline as they prepare the 2021 budget. 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. Please note: Unscrupulous people have contacted parishioners claiming to be Mother Judith and asking for money. Mother Judith's only email addresses are jlee.trinitychurchmilford@gmail.com or lee.judith.mary@gmail.com and her phone number is (716) 949-8194 . She never asks for money! Other false emails from Mother Judith and other parishioners ask for you to reply because she needs to consult you. Please do not respond to any other email addresses or phone numbers. If you have a question about whether a request is REALLY from Mother Judith, please contact her first at these email addresses/phone number before sending any money. Thanks. A Message from the Presiding Bishop "It is a Christian obligation to vote, and more than that, it is the church's responsibility to help get souls to the polls. Cast your vote, not on a partisan basis, not based on your biases, but vote your values. Vote the values of human dignity and equality. Vote the values of the rock on which this country was built. Vote." -Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Click here to see Bishop Curry's full message. A Pastoral Message from Bishop Doug Fisher Click here to view.
How to keep up with Trinity news: All notices, videos, and links can be found at www.trinitychurchmilford.org and on the Trinity Church-Milford Facebook page. 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/ The Episcopal Church offers valuable resources for spiritual renewal. https://episcopalchurch.org/ Mission Matters: News from the Episcopal Diocese of Western MA latest issue can be found here.
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