We won! We were selected as one of 15 congregations across America to receive the "Worshipping Communities Grant," funded by the Lilly Foundation (and distributed by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship). The proposal we submitted was called "Spiritual Formation: A Pilgrimage Through the Christian Year."
Left: Ancient church calendar in marble, 6th century
Right: contemporary french depiction of the church calendar
I (Julie) am excited to be your "pilgrimage leader" and will be offering over the next 12 months things like:
a book club (meeting by zoom once/month) that will walk through a book to help us more deeply engage the Church Calendar
new art for our sanctuary, with artists who will be commissioned to create art for Trinity Church for specific liturgical seasons
public lectures for our wider community at important junctures in the Church Calendar
fun feasts (and optional preparatory fasts) to bring our congregation together in preparing and celebrating aspects of the Lord's life for us
special musical services (like sung choral Evensong this summer - a more classical and polished version of what we began last summer)
every-other-week Liturgical "Pop Up" talks during church, explaining the theology and history of various parts of the Church Calendar and Liturgy
The primary questions I hope that we will together address this year will be:
- In what ways can the church calendar deepen our understanding of union with Christ (discipleship)?
- In what ways is our discipleship shaped not just by what we think, but by what we do?
I can't wait to share all that I have been learning with you! And I'm always looking for feedback (yes, honestly, ask Matt - I am!). Part of my experimentation with all the Liturgical Pop Ups over the years has led to the idea of creating a book of 52 meditations (one per week) on the Church Year. So guess who are going to be my guinea pigs for these mini-meditations? You all! Please give me feedback on what sat well with you, what was confusing, what inspired, what de-spired (ha! new word!) I'm even thinking about having a short "donut circle" on the lawn after services in order to facilitate feedback and continue discussion with anyone who wants to actively engage this journey on a bi-weekly basis. This would be a gift to me as I write for you, for our diocese, and other congregations.
Finally, please complete this very short survey so that I can assess where people are currently at, and (hopefully, after the grant) what they have learned.
Many thanks! Hooray!
Grateful - Julie
Backyard Church + Brunch Club
In the early days of Trinity Church’s rebirth, we started something called “Brunch Club” where everyone in church gathered in nearby homes once-a-month to tell stories, sing, pray, and eat. Last year during covid we started “Backyard Church” to do the same thing, and many of you said, “Once ‘big church’ begins, please don’t cancel backyard church!” One person said that in terms of fellowship, several years of gathering after church in the basement did not do what one summer of Backyard Church accomplished: “putting me face to face with God, my neighbors, and my true self in Christ!”
So three times this summer we are joining Backyard Church and Brunch Club together in homes Sunday mornings from 9am – 10:30am. This will happen the Last Sunday of June, July, and August. To help us organize the potluck brunch, sign up below, and please chose a home in your parish (East, West, or North Wenatchee) to build neighborly connections!
9:00 GATHER for Short Liturgy, Testimony, Song & Celtic Prayer
9:30 EAT Potluck Brunch
10:30 Go home and put kids down for naps!
Upcoming Events
Evensong Services
No registrations, just come!
Saturday June 26 @ 7pm
Sunday July 25 @ 7pm
Sunday August 29 @ 7pm
The whole service is designed to “tuck us into bed” with choral music, as well as comforting Scriptures about rest & God’s protection.
Summer Zoom Book Club:
The Whole-Brain Child
Tuesdays @ 7:30 pm
July 6 - August 17
Hosted by Julia Barger
The Whole-Brain Child teaches the science of brain development in an accessible and applicable format. I learned a ton helping me not only understand children but myself. Let’s get together over zoom and talk about your reflections from the chapter and how this research intersects with our faith and what we know from the Scriptures.