Be a Year-Round Steward

Dear people of Trinity,

For those who don’t know me, I am Stephen Singleton. I am honored to serve as a new member of the vestry and as the new Junior Warden of this parish. In my 25 years as a pledging member of this church I have served in a variety of ministries at Trinity including a previous 3-year term on the vestry where I first served as Junior Warden.

Due to the pandemic, Trinity Church is emerging from a very particular period in our 155-year history. As a result, this is an exciting yet challenging time for our parish and it is the reason why I was called to serve, once again, on the Vestry.

It seems fitting to me that we are back together this Easter season, this time of resurrection and renewal. Like our church garden, we as a parish family are experiencing a resurgence of energy and growth following a long winter of dormancy in our many ministries and programs at Trinity.

We celebrate how we recently answered the call to balance our budget. Committees, councils, and new programs are blossoming after almost two years of being dormant, all signs of new life.

What it all means to me, is that our Trinity family wants to resume being the parish that we have been for years. We are community of faithful, giving people that pray together, learn together, and acknowledge life’s struggles and challenges together. We do this as a parish family because we care and desire to embody our Christian values.

I think of Trinity Church as a community of stewards; stewards in the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to our care.

There are many ways at Trinity for us all to show how much we care. This spring and throughout the year, I urge each and every one of you to think of yourselves as year-round stewards in the careful and responsible management of some aspect of our life together as faithful people.

If reading from the pulpit interests you, there is a ministry for you. If you care to make this sacred space more beautiful for church holidays there is a ministry for you. If this very structure and our garden speak to you there is a ministry for you. Are you a new face at Trinity or do you notice all the new faces in the pews?

Perhaps consider greeting people at our red doors each Sunday. Explore the many ways available to share your time and talents with our youth. If hospitality speaks to you there are opportunities year-round to help with events of all sizes here at Trinity or to serve the less privileged in our local community.

I know from my own experiences in various ministries, including hospitality that spirit is at work whether in our kitchen, in a local family shelter or in our school building. It’s quite simple, to give is to receive.

Your time and your talent are precious; the demands on both are probably significant. So, I encourage you to ask about and to pray about how you can contribute to the care and management of this remarkable community of faithful people, offering your unique gifts of time and talent. If we all do this, our garden will be abundant, and we will thrive.

However you are led to be a year-round steward at Trinity may your gifts of time and talent come from a heart felt place of truly caring for the renewed life, energy, and growth of this Church.

Yours,
Stephen Singleton
Trinity Episcopal Church