This week’s Tidings letter is written by Julie Canlis
Dear Trinity, We are over half-way done with our Sabbatical! The gratitude we feel, the deep-down refreshment, the renewed relationships (and even the joy at the thought of returning) all reflect the gift of this time for us. We knew we needed it, but we honestly didn't know how badly ... or the places in which we needed renewal the most. Thank you. I last wrote to you as our time walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain was coming to an end - with your blessings and prayers surrounding us and moving us forward into the next phase. And this middle phase has been a wonderful and wild ride! We spent time as a family in Barcelona with YWAM, we hosted Chapman's Westmont friends in France, Matt led these same seven young men on a pilgrimage to Scotland - while I and our three girls stayed in France and spent a week praying/singing in Taize. All this involved us deeply in the lives of young people - either our own family or their friends. Sometimes it felt like we were cooking to feed the 5000, but the joy in walking alongside young people at important transitions in their lives is always worth it (and they, of course, mentor us in ways that only people 30 years your junior can! if only to help us take life less seriously and more faithfully!) Which brings me to a trip highlight: being joined by Trinity's Evensong choir & moms for a week!
I will simply sketch for you our first day of walking - because it set a template for the rest of the trip (which seemed to be a perpetual overestimation of how fast we could walk!)
We set out on Tuesday from the Madley Church and Vicarage - where the amazing "rural pioneer priest" Simon Lockett (who pastors five rural parishes) led us on our path. We awoke in tents on his vicarage lawn, had morning prayer in the Madley crypt under the church, and then were fortified by a full British breakfast (sausages, bacon rashers, broiled tomatoes, eggs) cooked by two of his parishioners in the former church stables. Simon cut for each of us a staff from his hazel hedge, and after our "Pilgrim's Prayer" we set out through fields of wheat, corn, canola - hopping multiple styles, kissing gates, stone walls, and herds of cattle (or at least avoiding them!)
The group moved organically in twos and threes, reconfiguring as we went, and deepening relationships for that 10 hour walk. As it happened, we were walking through one of Simon's parishioner's lands - and so she hosted us to tea and treats (which may have also contributed to our slowness!) at her 600 year old farmhouse which she rents from her kindly landlord, Prince Charles!
We eventually arrived at our destination - only after climbing an absolutely vertical mountain which put us into Wales, passing a neolithic stone table (which inspired CSLewis), and causing us to arrive with barely enough time to wolf down our pub dinner, take off our hiking boots, throw on our black pantsuits, and launch into an unrehearsed Evensong performance in a fabulous old church ... We were so tired, we hardly noticed the cold stone floor of the church that night!
And this, in many ways, is what we did again... and again... and again...!
The joy of being able to give of ourselves to these small parishes (which always gave back more than we could give - whether by serving us tea and cake at every opportunity, or tea and toast for breakfast, or inviting us to play darts at the local pub) was the backdrop for the whole trip. We gave them something that we could give - carefully rehearsed song & prayer - and they gave us back themselves.
One woman at the end of the trip came up to us and said, "I had lost hope in your generation. You have given me hope back... You have done your generation and families a service." And as one of the moms accompanying this amazing group of young women, I can only agree.
Matt and I learned so much from our conversations with these women, and enjoyed the privilege of getting to know them on a much deeper basis - whether their faith questions, or boyfriends, or family lives, or just their wonderful free silly selves. (And by the way, having some of the mums was amazing as well!) It was a rich week that we will treasure for a very long time - and came at the midpoint of our sabbatical. To be put back in touch with Trinity in this way was pure delight!
And speaking of delight, we are in the home stretch. Last week Matt and I had the privilege of speaking at and attending a conference in Oxford (while Amie Kate and Iona volunteered and served and did dishes for 160 people) and now we are settling down into a routine at last in Cambridge. Please pray for this time to help us bring together all the threads of the past months, and to also give us deep time for reading / reflection / contemplation necessary as food for returning home.
We love you Trinity! We are so grateful for you!
Julie (& Matt - and family)
Let’s Prepare to Welcome Matt and Julie Back Home!
Hello Trinity family! The Canlises plan to come home in about 6 weeks!! To help welcome them home we will be putting together a gift basket in which we would love for you to consider contributing, but please feel no pressure.
Appropriate things for the gift basket could be:
- letters, notes, prayers, hand drawn or painted pictures, words of encouragement and welcome.
- gift cards for places to eat in town to re-aquaint them with Wenatchee and ease the transition
- home made jams, ect. to make them feel welcome
If you would like to take part you can bring your gift to church any Sunday from now until the end of August. There will be a box to put your gift in at the welcome table in the foyer. If you have any question feel free to reach out to Lauren Leith at laureneliseleith@gmail.com.
Scripture: 2 Samuel 6 Chapter: Chapter 14: Religion — David and Uzzah Preacher: Guy Evans
This week’s journeys with David bring us an uncomfortable warning. God kills a man for touching the Ark of the Covenant. What led to this disturbing death? What lessons can be learned from the incident? And how might the same scene play out today now that we live in and through a resurrected Jesus? Come and see.
Service Times: 8:30 and 9:45
Change in Address
A lot of changes have come along with the purchase of the building. We will now be receiving our mail at the church address and are shutting down the post office box as of August 1st. Please update your address for anything being sent to the church as soon as possible. The mailing address is now: 535 Okanogan Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801
New Phone Number
Our main church phone number has also changed! You can now reach the office at (509) 888-2957.
Last Call: Family Camp at Tall Timbers
August 12-14
Registration for Family Camp is now open for August 12-14th at Tall Timbers. Registration will be closed THIS SUNDAY, July 31st, so please be sure to register online before then. Here are a few things to consider about the weekend:
- You do not have to have a family or bring your family to come to the weekend.Singles, married folks, and families are all welcome. During the three teaching sessions there will be childcare provided for kids ages 2-10.
- The sleeping arrangements are somewhat flexible: you can request to have a cabin with only your family, you can ask for a room just for yourself, or you can let us know if you don’t mind sharing. We will try our best to work with your requests.
- We also want to share with you that we think family camp is so important that the church is covering half the price for everyone. Once you register, the prices reflected are half the actual cost of the weekend. We value this weekend and we want to make it as affordable as possible for all to come! If this price is still too high for your family please let us know and we will gladly help out! If you would like to sponsor a family to come who may be having financial difficulty please also let us know.
Housing Need
McAlister Buchanan is looking for a place to rent! If you know of anything available please contact her at (509) 387-1545
Key Info for Church this Summer
Our services are at 8:30am and 9:45am.
- Live stream our 9:45am services HERE - Watch past services on YouTube - Listen to Sermon audio