Email from Trinity Church

For Sunday March 30, 2025

Friends:

This Sunday, we hear in church the "Parable of the Father who had Two Sons," aka. the "Parable of the Prodigal Son." It's now not a secret that I consider it the most important teaching of Jesus in understanding our relationship with God.

Spiritually, we are meant to leave home, and we always have a home to which we can return. What the younger son does isn't bad, it's necessary and essential.

The Amish have a custom, the Rumspringa, which means in Pennsylvania Dutch, "Running around." Before Amish teenagers can join the church as a young adults, they must leave their protected enclave for two years to experience the world and all its delights and temptations. Some 90% of Amish youth return and rejoin the protected and separate Amish world.

I make much that the younger son, upon returning, cannot see his father running to him to welcome him home. That's because the sun is rising behind his father, and rising. The son is blinded by the rising sun of unconditional and accepting love.

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

The Belmont Memorial has arrived!

If you missed the first tour of the new Administration and Education Building, you will be able to tour it this coming Sunday after the 10:00AM service with the Senior Warden, Norris Commodore. It is exciting to see how well this project is coming together!

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

Hall Light $900

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

Easter Flower Donations

Do you love the beautiful spring flowers that adorn the church at Easter? Please consider making a donation in memory of a loved one. Your loved one will be listed in our Easter Day Bulletin. Your contribution provides the flowers and decorations we enjoy at Easter. All donations are directed to the Altar Society of Trinity Church.

Please contact Chris Pimentel, Flower Chair, at cap5182@cox.net

Tower Lighting Donations

Let us fill the 50 days of Easter with the Tower lit to God and in memory or thanksgiving of a loved one. Click here and “Make a gift to Trinity”. Select “Donation Drop-down Fund” and select “Easter Tower Lighting”. Please write down date of lighting (between Easter, April 20^th and Pentecost, June 8^th) and name of dedication. Please email the Parish Administrator with the details of the dedication and your name.

Easter Music Donations

Easter at Trinity means glorious music.

Whether it is our fantastic Choir, special soloists, or the brass heralds of the new Alleluia! there is something for everyone.

Please click here scan QR code and “Make a gift to Trinity”. Select “Donation Drop-down Fund” and select “Easter Music”. Please write down name of dedication or your name in “Memo”.

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.

Community Meal Needs Volunteers

Would you like to see an amazing Newport community service? Do you want an opportunity to work with fun good-hearted people and go home knowing you made a difference in a person’s day? Please consider volunteering at the Community Meals, the 1^st, 4^th and 5^th Monday of the month. You can sign up here: Community Meal Calendar Sign Up.

- D'arcy Carr.

SAVE THE DATE!

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

A/V Technician: Would you like to learn more about Audio Visual (A/V) Technology. It's not hard and Trinity has great A/V teachers. Please reach out to Norris Commodore to learn more.

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 & Celebrant: The Rev. Timothy Safford.

Assisting: Deacon Christine Cassels (8 a.m.).

Co-Music Director & Organist: Michael Bahmann.

Acolyte & Crucifer: 8:00AM Larry Pulice, 10:00AM Bob Smith.

Lector & Intercessor: 8:00AM Brad Carter, 10:00AM Diane Myer.

Ushers: Richard Alexander, Geer Isdale, John Gilmartin.

Altar Society: Lisa Trainor, Pam Alexander,

Terry Commodore and Jane Roach.

A/V: Norris Commodore.

Sunday School: Dolores Bauer & Melissa Moniz.

Coffee Hour: Phoebe Livingston & Sergio Lopez.

Trinity Church

1 Queen Anne Sq.

Newport, RI 02840