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For Sunday March 23, 2025

Friends:


In a culture stripped of grace, forgiveness is seen as weakness. In forgiving someone a debt, I don’t receive a payment due to me. That’s true in a financial way, but also emotional and spiritual. Why would I forgo something owed to me?


A more outrageous form of grace (we might say it’s “Amazing Grace”) is forgiveness granted without condition for a change of heart or attitude from the one doing harm. But, in God’s economy, we are asked to trust—because who could believe such a thing?—that God loves us first and so forgives us unconditionally. Because we are loved, we will change.


In Jesus’ teaching at the heart of the Lenten message—the misnamed Parable of the Prodigal Son— it is a scandal when the loving father forgives his wayward son when he comes home from the far country of dissolute living. No confession or repentance is necessary to be welcomed home and given back his status.

The older brother objects—rightly—that he is being treated unfairly. After all, he has not squandered his father’s love.


But the father, representing God’s love for us, tells the older brother, “I can’t love you any more than I love you, because I love you the most. Don’t you see that if I now love your wayward brother the most, which is as much as I love you, that this isn’t unfairness, it is a cause for joy?”


Yeah, it’s tough. I am still trying to understand it, too.


Timothy Safford, Interim Rector

SEARCH COMMITTEE UPDATE

The search committee is happy to report that we have 2 candidates to date with one interview scheduled and another anticipated. As we have explained before, we are not able to provide any details on candidates as we progress through the process. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and ask God to be with us all as we find a rector that God intends for Trinity Church.

-   Dolores Bauer Search committee chair

Community Meal Needs Volunteers


A warm meal and comradery can make a difference. We have been very busy this year and are serving about 100 guests per meal. We delight in providing a restaurant-like experience for our guests but need your help! Please consider joining the team (we have a lot of fun!) by signing up for the many open volunteer slots here: Community Meal Calendar Sign Up. We always serve on the 1st, 4th, and 5th Mondays of the month. - D'arcy Carr.

Trinity Serves Capital Campaign

  

Trinity Serves Capital Campaign

In an attempt to ensure that Trinity will not have a mortgage after the completion of the new Education and Administration Building, we are announcing a $75K Matching Challenge sponsored by members of the Congregation. The objective is to match $75K by Trinity Sunday. 

The total cost of the building and move-in expenses is projected to be about a total of $1.8M. The current projection is that we will have a July move-in date. We still need to raise an additional $240K to ensure that we will not need a mortgage after completion. If the challenge is matched, we will only have about $100K left to raise.

Help us meet the $75K Matching Challenge. While a donation in any amount would be greatly appreciated, please consider funding one of the following items. Help us add the finishing touches to our new Education and Administration Building.


New Construction Naming Opportunities: 

Phones (4) $250 each

Room WiFi Connections (3) $300 each

Network Power Supply $400

Mill St Outdoor Lights (2) $800 each

Hall Light $900

Frank St Outdoor Sconce (2) $1100 each

Main Entrance Chandlier $5,000

Internet Connection $7,000

Built-in storage (3)   $10,000 each

Restroom (2)    $10,000 each

Landscaping and planting  $20,000

 

Thank you, Norris Commodore, Senior Warden

Trinity Church Reading Group: The next meeting will be April 14, at 5PM. This group will be reading “A Woman of No Importance”, a novel, by Sonia Purnell. Please contact Anne Glenn if you are interested. Click on her name to write an email.

Pledge Envelopes



Pledge Envelopes can be found in the Parish Administrator's Office.

Please click Parish Administrator to coordinate a pick-up time during the week, Tues.- Friday, between 11AM-2PM.

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SAVE THE DATE!


Evensong ~ Fifth Sunday in Lent: April 6th. 4:00PM.

Music of Tallis, Blow and Mundy.


Palm Sunday: April 13, 2025. 8:00AM and 10:00AM Service.


Maundy Thursday: April17, 2025: 6:00PM, Emmanuel Church.


Good Friday: April 18, 2025. Noon Service.


Holy Saturday: April19, 2025. The Zabriskie Memorial Church of St. John the Evangelist invites all members to attend the Great Vigil of Easter.


Easter Sunday: April 20, 2025. 8:00Am and 10:00AM Service.


Baptism Dates: April 27, 2025: Easter II and June 8, 2025: Pentecost. Please contact the Parish Administrator for more information.



Bishop Visitation: April 27, 2025. Bishop of Rhode Island, The Rt. Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely will be visiting Trinity Church. There are scheduled baptisms and confirmations for that date. Please join us for a special reception afterwards. 

Become a Guide: If you have good communication skills, appreciate local history and architecture, enjoy meeting people from near and far, and can spare 3 hours of your time, please consider joining our “sitting saints” by volunteering to become a tour guide (April to October). Prior docent or public speaking experience is desirable but not necessary. Please here to contact Charlotte Johnson,

Tour Guide Coordinator.


How to get involved


Parish Administration Assistance: Please contact the Parish Administrator if you can spare an hour or two during that week.


Mens Bible Study: Meets weekly on Wednesdays, 12:00-1:00PM via Zoom. If interested in joining, please contact john_gilmartin@mac.com.


Choir Practices: If interested, please contact the Michael at michaelbahmann@yahoo.com or Fred at fred_jodry@brown.edu.


Prayer Shawl Group (PSG) This Group meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month, 1-3PM in the Hawes Room. The group creates Prayer Shawls, Baptismal Blankets and fellowship. All knitting and crochet talent welcomed.


Trinity Loves and Cares (TLC): If you would like to learn about pastoral care and helping others in our parish, please contact Pam Alexander. Sometime a phone call or card can keep us all connected.



*Should you have any questions, contact the Parish Administrator, Molly Chamberlain. 401-846-0660

Trinity Loves and Cares 

Trinity Loves and Cares is a ministry of pastoral care of praying for and providing support to members of Trinity Church for March 2025, the TLC coordinator is Jeff Clark. Click on his name and you can write him an email.



Message from TLC: "God alone knows the secret plan of the things He will do for the world using our hands." --Toyohiko Kagawa.

The Trinity Altar Society is happy to assist you in providing flowers as a beautiful symbol of what we offer to God in our worship. Whether to honor a loved one’s memory, to celebrate a special occasion, or simply in thanksgiving, it only takes a phone call or an e-mail to Chris Pimentel, cap5182@cox.net

Tower Lighting

The historic spire of Trinity Church is lit nightly. When you contribute to the cost of lighting, you may memorialize a person who has passed or give thanks for an event, like an anniversary or birthday. The traditional offering is $50, but please give as the Spirit moves! Contact Molly Chamberlain, Parishadmin@trinitynewport.org to make arrangements.  


Worship Participants

Preacher: The Rev. Timothy Safford

Celebrant: The Rev. Noël Robinson

Assisting: Deacon Christine Cassels (10 a.m.)

Co-Music Director & Organist: L. Frederick Jodry

Acolyte & Crucifer: 8:00AM, 10:00AM Karen Nash

Lector & Intercessor: 8:00AM Terry Commodore, 10:00AM Harle Tinney

Ushers: Norris Commodore, Larry Pulice, Terry Abbott

Altar Society: Lisa Trainor, Pam Alexander,

Terry Commodore and Jane Roach

A/V: Thomas Chamberlain and Charles Chamberlain

Sunday School: Dolores Bauer & Melissa Moniz.

Coffee Hour: Alexandra Day


Trinity Church
1 Queen Anne Sq.
Newport, RI 02840