Keep Trinity Humming Along
Dear Trinity Friends,
Some years ago, my dad did some consulting work for a company that manufactured microscope glass cover slides. I don’t recall all the particulars about the manufacturing process, but I do remember being impressed as he told me about how the machines which created those paper-thin pieces of glass had to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Every time a machine needed to be stopped for maintenance or repair, it was extremely costly—in terms of time, money, people and technology—to reboot the process. Stopping and starting was extremely complex!
Complex well describes our experience here at Trinity as we’ve come back to a process (indoor, in-person worship, education, work, and meetings) that pre-COVID we’d been doing for forever, and knew oh so well. Our return from the pandemic-induced diaspora has been a time of figuring out how to restart the ‘machinery’ of all the various ministries that support worship and fellowship, education and outreach, but in a very changed world. More than ever, we need to draw on the ingenuity, creativity, passion, and energy of every member of our faith community, and so I encourage you to think about how you might like to share your gifts to keep Trinity humming along!
If you’re not sure where to start, let me offer some ideas:
● Every worship-related ministry (ushers, greeters, readers, acolytes, prayer ministers, choir, altar guild, flower guild) would welcome new—or those with past experience—members into their midst. Training for all of these roles is available so that you can feel comfortable and confident doing what it is you’ve been called to do.
● Because we continue to offer live-streaming of worship for those outside of our geographic area, and for those who aren’t able or not yet ready to join in indoor services, we need a few individuals to join our “stream team,” doing the work of switching between the various camera positions set up in the church so that online parishioners get a good view of what’s going on. Although the design of the streaming setup took an awful lot of technical know-how (thank you, Brian Bargiel), you don’t need to be a tech wizard to run it. Again, training is available to make sure you’re equipped to do the job.
● This past Sunday, we re-introduced coffee at the post-service coffee hours. Pretty soon, we’ll be able to offer snacks, too, as well as coffee. But how do snacks and coffee happen? Without you, they don’t! If you’re interested in acting as a coffee hour host (arranging for snacks, making coffee) on occasion, we can let you know the details of what’s involved in making that happen. You can also pair up with a friend to act as hosts together.
● Volunteers are needed to support our children and youth ministries. Whether you’re interested in learning how to be a helper or a catechist in the CGS (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) program, or a youth group mentor, Diana Small (Trinity’s Director of Children and Youth), would be delighted to discern with you.
● Last week, Trinity kicked off a new feeding ministry, Dinner in the (Alameda) Park, where parishioners made and served a hot, homemade meal to people experiencing homelessness. Trinity will be responsible for this meal on the fourth Thursday of every month, and many hands are needed to help with food shopping, dinner prep, serving, and post-meal cleanup.
● On Sunday, September 19, following both the 8am and 10am services, you’re invited to a Parish Planning session, where you’ll learn about upcoming programs and events (including two different writing workshops, Sunday evening special liturgies and Episcopal 101 classes in preparation for Confirmation on November 6); maybe one of those offerings will beckon you? Or, perhaps you have an idea for an event or a ministry that you’d like to lead? (This is how the 2020 Mardi Gras celebration came about; someone proposed the idea at the Fall 2019 Parish Planning meeting.) As a special bonus, Trinity’s former interim rector, Gary Hall, will be our guest preacher that day!
● Participate and pray: Woody Allen is quoted as saying that 80% of life is just showing up. Even if you’re not yet ready or not able to participate in some of the ministry opportunities listed above, your presence—in worship, in fellowship offerings, in educational opportunities—is critical for the life of this community. We are the embodiment of Christ in the world, and the body is diminished when any of its members aren’t present. Lastly, please continue to pray for the mission and people of Trinity, that we may continue to be open and responsive to what God would have us do for each other, and for the world.
Adding to the rich complexity of our post-diaspora life have been changes to our staff roster. We welcomed our new sexton, Carlos Ruano, at the end of June, after bidding farewell to Miguel Toscano. We’re actively searching for a full time office administrator, to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Hannah Ruth Brothers and the death of Katrina Perez. A discernment team has been formed to help in the search and interview process for Trinity’s next Minister of Choral and Congregational Music, a position made vacant with the retirement of Grey Brothers. [You still have a few more days to complete the worship music survey.] We’ll also be adding a deacon to our clergy team when John Draper is ordained September 25; as we have additional details about that event, we’ll share those with you.
Stopping and starting—whether in manufacturing fragile glass pieces or living our tender lives—can be hard, but I find both inspiration and solace in the natural world as it cycles endlessly through its stops and starts, through death and new life, on its way to becoming more and more what the creator created it to be.
In faith and confidence and growth,
Elizabeth+
The Rev. Elizabeth Molitors
Rector
emolitors@trinitysb.org
