On Sunday, March 25, The Right Reverend Ian T. Douglas, Bishop Diocesan of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, joined with the Trinity Parish family for a Pastoral Visitation to confirm 18 youth. Their months long Spiritual Journey was comprised of study, contemplation, writings, spirited interaction and Mentoring with an adult member of the congregation. Bishop Douglas presided at the Confirmation Service with Kathie Adams-Shepherd, Rector, John Satula, Assistant to the Rector, and Tom Mariconda, Deacon, assisting. During his Pastoral Visitation he met with the confirmands to take their questions, provide insights and address the congregation at large. After the service he joined with the Vestry, Trinity's Elected Leadership, for a luncheon and meeting together. Bishop Douglas talked about the expanding role of the Episcopal Church Missions worldwide, the role and ministry of the youth and the emerging role of electronic communications in the day-to-day life of the Diocese among other things. For additional information visit www.trinitynewtownct.org or call 203-426-9070.
It is a Trinity tradition that the first time a bishop visits, we make miters with the children in Children's Liturgy while learning about who and what a bishop is, what they wear, and what they do. On March 25th during Bishop Ian Douglas' visitation, the children made craft foam miters for themselves and one to give to the Bishop. Bishop Douglas liked his miter so much - he wore it for the remainder of the service and for the photos of the Confirmands afterwards!
Church School
April 17, 2012
January 13, 2011
Youth Participate in New Haven's Chapel on the Green
by Sue Vogelman with Photos by Rick and Mary Chamiec-Case
On the cold January 2nd Sunday, members of our Rite 13 Class participated in Chapel on the Green which is a mission/outreach program that ministers to the homeless of New Haven, CT.
Chapel on the Green (from their website)
In the summer of 2008, Trinity on the Green partnered with community agencies and clergy from other churches to launch “Chapel on the Green.” It is based on the Common Cathedral in Boston.
Every Sunday at 2:00 pm people gather on the Upper Green (directly behind Trinity) for a brief (25-30 minute) service of Holy Eucharist is all sorts of weather. We do not cancel services due to weather.
ALL are welcome!
This service has attracted a wide variety of people across New Haven: those interested in social justice, the homeless or anyone that does not feel comfortable in a church building.
Trinity youth helped pack up all the lunch supplies they had made, drove to New Haven with their chaperones, and set everything up when they arrived. There is a drum circle before the service which starts at 1:30 pm. Following the drum circle and worship service, our youth helped distribute bagged lunches to all those in need.
To prepare for this ministry, some of our Trinity youth in 6th and 7th grade made over 150 sandwiches (half peanut butter and jelly and half lunch meat) baked tons of cookies and packaged snacks in bags.
They met together at Trinity Newtown for a lesson led by Rick and Mary Chamiec-Case on what they might expect when they got to the green in New Haven and why they were going. Then they had an orientation from Chris Evans (Coordinator) on the green when they arrived in New Haven.
One of the drummers in the drum circle every week is the grandson of Trinity Newtown parishioner, Jean Kreitzinger, who says, "He never misses a Chapel on the Green service. He's there every week, rain or shine."
Here are some quotes from the Chapel on the Green blog about how our Trinity Youth did for their first time in this ministry:
Its been a pleasure working with Mary Chamiec-Case, the youth and parishioners from Trinity Episcopal Church, Newtown, CT these past weeks in preparation for today's service.
Breaking the 12,000 mark of sandwich lunches distributed on the Green, the 20 plus men, women and teen volunteers [from Trinity Newtown] brought an uplifting spirit of companionship to our service. Everyone was greeted with a smile, a program, a name tag and a "welcome."
I've never seen so many teenagers (and adults) so confidently "radically" welcome all who attended. No one was shy about playing drums or singing, reading the Collect of the Day, the Gospel.
And the lunch...well! A sumptuous buffet of a variety of sandwiches for all dietary tastes, healthy clementines, bananas and all the rest were warmly shared with all our visitors.
Trinity parishioners really showed their heart through their hospitality and engagement with so many congregants. Thank you for the gift of your presence!
Great job Trinity youth!!!
And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’
- Matthew 25:40
December 19, 2010
Trinity Youth Christmas Party
On December 12th, the Trinity Youth had a great time at their annual Christmas Party. This year's event was organized and led by Anna Moses and many youth attended.
Fun games were played including several "Minute-to-Win-It" events like this macaroni pick-up
cup stack, and m&m game.
December 23, 2010
Trinity Christmas Pageant
The Trinity Christmas Pageant 2010
Trinity Church held its annual Christmas Pageant on Sunday, December 19 at 4 p.m. Over 300 people attended this beautiful candlelit service of lessons and carols. The story of the Nativity was told in a tableau format with the 4th and 5th graders as the cast of angels, shepherds, King Herod, the 3 wise men and their pages. Pastor Kathleen Adams-Shepherd was the narrator and the music was provided by the youth choirs: The Trinity Choristers and the Primary Choir with Fiona Smith Sutherland as the director.
The gifts on the steps were brought in by the children who attended the pageant. They are for the children at Amos House - a transitional homeless facility in Danbury, and were taken there in time for Christmas.
Sue Vogelman, Minister of Children and Youth Education directed the pageant. “This was my 10th pageant as director and it was just beautiful. The kids did a great job as usual.” The Symes family portrayed the Holy Family with Christopher as Joseph, Heather as Mary, and 3 month old Ryder as baby Jesus. Mason Symes (2 years old) portrayed a little angel who flitted around the manger. Christopher Symes was also in the pageant almost 20 years ago as a shepherd. His parents (Curt and Connie Symes) were thrilled to see their own child and then their grandchild be in the Trinity pageant a few decades later!
December 09, 2010
Bishop's Fund Cocoa Sale
Posted by Sue Vogelman
On Sunday, December 5, 2010, members of our Rite 13 Class (with their teachers and parents) braved the cold December weather to help raise money for the Bishop's Fund for Children. They made hot cocoa and hot mulled cider to sell to the foot traffic up on Main Street. Since it was the Holiday Festival in town, there were many people walking right by Trinity's front lawn that day.
The kids worked together to make the drinks, set up the table, and promote their wares to the passersby. They ended up making nearly $100 for the Bishop's Fund which will go to support programs across Connecticut for at risk children.
All of our Church School classes are collecting money during Advent for the Bishop's Fund for Children using their mite boxes and activity calendars. Please see the Trinity Times Church School Newsletter for more information on our Advent Mite Box Outreach Project or see the Bishop's Fund website for more information. We are very proud of our Trinity youth for taking the initiative on this outreach project.
St. Nicholas Day
posted by Sue Vogelman
On Saturday, December 4, 2010, over 30 children and their families celebrated St. Nicholas Day at Trinity. Starting in the side hallway to line up their shoes, the children left hay and carrots in them as treats for St. Nicholas' horse.
Then we journeyed back into time through our Magical Dutch Village and when we arrived, we found St. Nicholas himself fast asleep.
The children awakened him and St. Nicholas told us a wonderful story about how he gave away his inherited wealth to help the less fortunate.
Then St. Nicholas gave each child a few gold covered chocolate coins before going on his way.
Everyone joined in at various centers to make ornaments, a jingle-bell necklace, a decorated bag and cookies, too!
There were games like Pin the Miter on the Bishop, Toss the Gold Through the Window, and Sneak, Sneak, Give.
A wonderful time was had by all - but especially by the children who when they went to retrieve their shoes, found them filled with small treats and toys from St. Nicholas!
Rite 13 Ceremony
Posted by Sue Vogelman
On November 21, 2010 Trinity welcomed four youth into their Journey to Adulthood through the Rite 13 Ceremony.
The Rite-13 curriculum assists young people as they take the first steps of passage away from their families and into their own lives. It begins with a liturgical celebration of the gift of womanhood and manhood that each child celebrates around their 13th birthday. During the next two years, the community acknowledges the gift of gender, celebrates the amazing creative power and potential of these young people, and creates a safe haven to explore new ideas, new interests and new abilities.
“Nothing Goes Without Saying”
How often do we think things like, “She knows I love her – it goes without saying” or “He knows how much I appreciate all his hard work – it goes without saying”?
Words can be a powerful affirmation, and the absence of the right words can leave a void that really hurts. The truth is, very little goes without saying, and the important things should NEVER go without saying. There are things we know, but sometimes we still need to hear them loud and clear.
We have a chance to say some important things to some of our 6th and 7th Graders as they arrive at the milestone of their thirteenth birthday. A few times a year, we celebrate an important rite of passage called “Rite-13” or “The Celebration of Manhood and Womanhood” with our teenagers.
This ceremony gives us a way of saying to our young people things we have meant to convey all along – things like: “We stand with you as you make your way on the journey; we’re here if you need us; we think you are terrific; we love you.” We often assume that our teens feel appreciated and accepted as a vital part of our parish, but adolescence can be such a time of uncertainty, and some things just can’t be said often enough.
Please keep these teens and their families in your prayers as they participate in this significant event in their lives.
November 18, 2010
The Saints Came Marching In
Members of our Church School Classes volunteered to dress up as historical saints for our All Saints Sunday procession into the 8:45 and 11:15 worship services on November 7, 2010. They are carrying banners made in 2001 by our Church School Classes.
8:45 Service Saints holding saints' banners
Then the saints marched into Children's Liturgy to tell their story to our youngest parishioners.
October 02, 2010
All Youth Kickoff Canoe Trip
The youth ministries programs kicked off 2010-2011 with a canoe trip to northwestern Connecticut. Peter Anderau organized the trip with Clarke Outdoors www.clarkeoutdoors.com for over 50 people. After a long ride up to West Cornwall, we ate lunch together (organized by Temple Whitaker) and then were driven to the launch point above the dam in Canaan, CT. Two hours of canoeing down the beautiful Housatonic river - and no one fell in! A few got turned around backwards and went zig-zagging down the river, but it was a safe and fun time for all! Here are a few photos of the fun.
Getting our instructions and life preservers:
The very steep launch site.
A beautiful day for all!
February 18, 2010
Sharing the Love
Trinity children, youth and adults have been busy sharing the love in 2010!
Our Church School children wrote and made Valentines to send to the troops serving overseas:
Our Youth helped pack up over 25 college Care Boxes to send to our current college students for Valentine's Day:
Our whole parish/community helped donate medical/sanitary items to send to Carrefour Haiti to be used at the Good Samaritan School's medical clinic for earthquake relief. For more information on the Haiti Relief at the Good Samaritan School, please see this website: http://www.ecolelbs.com/ .
Our Workcampers made and sold Valentine fudge and chocolate candy to help raise the funds needed to transport over 50 people to Clearfield, Pennsylvania this June.
Photo Albums
April 2012
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