Trinity Stories

Dear Friends,

This weekend, we will usher in Daylight Savings Time at 2:00 a.m. EST on Saturday, March 9th, by “springing” our clocks ahead an hour. With it comes extended daylight hours and the anticipation of warmer weather. Spring is approaching.

Like all changes, there are challenges even when we anticipate and welcome them. We switch our external clocks an hour forward while our internal clocks lag a bit, trying to catch up. For many of us, our biorhythms take much longer to adjust to this hour shift.

Time, or the changing times, seems to have that effect on us. Whether we’re adjusting the hands of a clock or witnessing history unfolding before us, we can all agree that change is often an unsettling yet undeniable constant. Still, it endures, just as we do.

Lent is also upon us, just before our time change on Saturday. A sacred time of sacrifice, giving, and prayer. One could imagine no bigger change or uncertainty than Jesus’ experience as he walked into the desert ahead of his impending death. Alone, weary, tired, hungry, tempted, afraid, yet persisted for us and with us.

As we walk through our metaphorical clocks springing forward, watching the world in all its chaos swirl, let us be reminded of the persistence, faith, and hope of Jesus during his 40 days and nights in the desert. That the loss of an hour is no comparison to the loss of a life for us and our sins. However, we choose to sacrifice, give, or pray during this Lenten season, a time of change and a change of time, let it be knowing that we can do so with the assurance that no more tremendous sacrifice was made than that which he made for us. And he will rise, as will we. Through trials and uncertainties, chaos and hatred, he suffered, died, and was buried…but rose again. So shall we.

Karen Keune

Dear friends,

It is hard to believe that March is Saturday. After January lasting for three years, and February seeming to fly by, we look forward to the season of Lent and a time of exciting change. If, somehow, you have not heard, our new Rector Jon M. Richardson, and his husband Michael arrive on the 16th for their first Sunday. But before we get there, we have some exciting news about a new team member!

This Sunday you will see a few new faces around our humble corner of Adams and St. Clair, specifically in our nursery. I am excited to announce that Trinity has hired a new Nursery Attendant, and her name is Nichole Ramirez. Nichole is a Toledo native and is a graduate of Performing Arts School of Metro Toledo and went on to Albion College on a preforming arts scholarship.

Having worked at Children’s Discovery Center for a long time, Nichole has a lot of experience working with children from pre-school to middle school ages. She also has a little one of her own who will be here from time to time. Aside from spending all this time with children, Nichole really enjoys reading, attending live theatre, art museums, but really enjoys her time with her partner, daughter, and four cats. We are thrilled to say to Nichole and her family, WELCOME HOME!

Dear friends,

We’re coming up to my favorite liturgical season: Lent. Reading that, you probably fall into one of two camps: What’s Lent? or Lent’s Your Favorite? Really

What’s Lent? Even if you haven’t observed Lent in the past, you probably have heard stories of people who have. The stories I heard growing up were from Catholic friends, most commonly “I’m giving up chocolate for Lent.” When I asked my friends why they gave chocolate up for Lent, they invariably answered, “I’m suffering because Jesus suffered.” Back then, I knew very little about church traditions. What I’ve since learned is that Lent is the season that leads up to Easter, from Ash Wednesday through Maundy Thursday. Traditionally, this was a time of preparation for people wishing to be baptized at Easter and is associated with penitence and fasting. There are many spiritual practices associated with Lent: giving something up, taking something on, being intentional in spiritual reading, donating money to charity, and changing eating habits on some or all days of Lent.

If you made it this far, you may now be leaning to the other camp.

Lent’s Your Favorite? Really? Penitence and fasting don’t sound like much fun, so why is Lent my favorite liturgical season? Life is full of distractions, even distracting me from God. Lent lets me refocus my attention on God: Where am I falling short? What have I made more important than God? Where is God calling me to new life? Over the years, my lenten practices varied, such as coming to Wednesday soup suppers at church, being more intentional about daily prayer. Every year, I stumble over the same obstacles, like taking on the most challenging disciplines, so I can prove to God I’m serious, then feeling bad when I give up halfway. (Of all the things to give up for Lent, the hardest is ego-centered thoughts.) Lent is an intentional invitation to all of us to look at our relationships with God at the same time. Our faith community supports us, beginning with the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday (March 5).

Whether you are brand new to Lent or are looking for a refresh, join the Spiritual Formation Committee on Sunday, February 23, for What do you mean I don’t have to give up chocolate? An introduction to Lent. (It’s helpful to RSVP, but not required.) Grab a snack at coffee hour and meet in the Walbridge room. Bring your curiosity and your questions.

Maybe you’ll find your way to the third camp: Oh, Lent is My Favorite Season Too!

Jolene Miller
Chair, Spiritual Formation Committee

Dear Friends,

The Trinity Response Team (TRT) had their first gathering this past Sunday in My Brother’s Place to contemplate and act on many justice issues – gun violence, food insecurity, racism, and LGBTQ shaming – to name a few. This gathering was specifically to discuss appropriate actions and reactions to the new president and his administration these last two weeks.

Twenty-two of us attended and there were many contributions and ideas during our active discussion. Folks collected handouts that contained:

1. contact information for elected representatives and Senators in DC;
2. a description of “how to” speak to a staffer when one calls or writes an email/letter, and
3. a brief description of 10 Executive Orders (E.O.’s).

Postcards with the Trinity logo on one side were written to senators and representatives during our time together kindly stating our objections to the Executive Orders. Those were mailed out this week.

Those gathered agree this is just the beginning of TRT’s advocacy for people, both in our community and around the country, who find themselves excluded or oppressed by these E.O.’s. It was suggested that the TRT plan to meet monthly for continued advocacy and support. We will work on doing just that.

Please prayerfully consider whether you have a role to play in TRT. All people of goodwill are welcome! Please contact George Benson at Trinity with any questions, contributions, or concerns. george@trinitytoledo.org

God’s Peace,
Mark Dubielak