Trinity Tidings April 2018

Easter Joy: A Season to Practice

By the time the Tidings newsletter is in your hands, a fresh, new Easter will be upon us. Christ who broke the stone cold tomb is risen, risen in our lives and in creation, and we now enter the Great 50 Days of Easter. That is in fact the name of the season we enter after Lent and Holy Week, a season that marks 50 days from Easter Day until the Feast Day of Pentecost (widely celebrated as the birth of the church). In early church tradition, the 50 days after Easter was a time to continue the formation of the newly baptized, who had been instructed during Lent. Thus, we have 50 days to celebrate the grace of the risen Lord. Shifts you might feel and notice in Sunday morning worship will be the return of Alleluias in the hymns, at the Fraction, and in the Dismissal. Gone will be the Penitential Order used during Lent to make us mindful of our fallenness and need for God’s fall. Gone, too, at least for the first few Sundays in Easter, will be the General Confession, as the grace of Easter is sufficient to cleanse us for a season. It is a season marked by joy, deep joy with the power to supplant the struggles of our day and anchors us in the divine flow of the resurrected Jesus. Indeed, such joy was contemplated in the Gospel of John when Jesus exhorted his disciples to abide in his love and said to them, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete (John 15:11).” Such joy springs from the power of the cross and resurrection. Difficult to comprehend, it is nonetheless real and working in our lives. The resurrected Jesus overcomes death and the grave so that all might have life in him on good days and bad, troubling and hard.

Engaging such joy takes practice. We so often link our joy to circumstances which can be fleeting. Joy refuses to be defined or confined by our circumstances and leads us to more lasting peace. While joy does not safeguard us from hard things, joy can guide us through hard things. Writing about this very idea with the Dalai Lama in The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, Archbishop Desmund Tutu offers this wisdom: “Discovering more joy does not save us from the inevitability of hardship and heartbreak. In fact, we may cry more easily, but we will laugh more easily too. Perhaps we are just more alive. Yet as we discover more joy, we can face suffering in a way that ennobles rather than embitters. We have hardship without becoming hard. We have heartbreaks without being broken.” Thus, as Christians practicing our faith through the Easter season, the question becomes how can we discipline our lives, in much the same way that we had Lenten disciplines, to embrace the joy that Jesus so freely offers? Again, in his conversation with the Dalai Lama, Bishop Tutu speaks from a Christian perspective on the ancient Buddhist eightfold path. Four points address how we think about things: perspective, humility, humor and acceptance; and four address the heart: forgiveness, gratitude, compassion and generosity. Space will not allow full development here, but here is one example. Bishop Tutu encourages us to consider our perspective the next time we are cut off in traffic and grow frustrated. Another perspective in that moment might be to realize that the other driver might have trying circumstances of which we are not aware. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t know exactly what they might have,” Tutu says, “but you know they are all suffering with worries and fears because they are human. And you can lift them up and bless them. You can say, Please, God, give each one of them what they need.” He calls this taking a “God’s-eye perspective.” All of this takes practice in all of the areas mentioned—how we view and respond to life, and how we view and respond to others around us. These approaches to life can be life-changing for us, and they spring from joy, the joy grounded in the cross and the resurrection. Thankfully, we have a whole season, even longer than the forty days of Lent, to practice.

Wishing you a blessed Easter season, The Rev. Marian D. Fortner+

Mark Your Calendar

Welcome Jan Moore back to Trinity! April 8, 2018

Reception for Jan will be held between services ________________________________________________________

Youth Sunday

April 29th

The Hattiesburg High School String Quartet will join us and perform for the 10:30 service on Sunday, April 29. Let’s show them a warm Trinity welcome and help them raise the funds needed to send these, the most talented students in the orchestra, to Connecticut to attend the prestigious Music Mountain Summer Chamber Music Festival. The cost is $1,500 per student, and we hope to raise enough money to sponsor one student. If you’d like to make a contribution, please make your check payable to Trinity Outreach, noting HPSD Strings on the memo line. You can place your check in the collection basket any Sunday between now and April 29, drop it off at the church office, or see Becky Monta-gue. That Sunday’s loose plate offering will also be contributed to the cause.

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Spring Steak & Wine– Friday, May 4 at 6:00 pm

Steak-O de Mayo Bring your steak and favorite wine,

and we will celebrate with fixings and deserts! Trinity courtyard

Note: This event is for adults and friends 21 and over, please. On-site child care will not be available.

Vestry Highlights from March Meeting (Subject to formal approval at the April Meeting)

• Approved the purchase of an AED Defibrillator with assistance from Dr.

Brahan

• Junior Warden will seek two bids to do brick repair work in bell tower

• Youth Sunday set for April 29th with Hattiesburg Strings

• Senior Warden reported good progress on Capital Campaign

• Michael Watkins and Jan Housley to serve as Trinity’s co-chairs with As-

cension co-chairs for Annual Council 2019; Attended first meeting; Ex-

pressed need for lots of volunteers

• Calling and Caring Vestry Liaison, Tom Puckett, reported that Susan

Steadman will chair

• Christian Formation co-vestry liaison, Cathy Hopkins, reported that the

citywide Richard Rohr steering committee had met and is making plans to

offer a day retreat

• Cathy Hopkins reported that plans for a Trinity Girl Scout Troop, ap-

proved by vestry last month, are taking shape

• Rector reported that the Bishop and Standing Committee have released

Trinity’s rectory fund for unrestricted use, as requested by the Vestry in

December of 2017

• Associate Rector reported steady and increasing attendance at EYC and

ECUSM; preparing two students for confirmation at Bishop’s visit on

April 24th

Called to Care By Susan E. Steadman

Calling and Caring is all about loving our Trinity family as ourselves. It’s about reaching out and touching our congregation during illness, times of need or to celebrate life. It’s about love. For years I witnessed Gretchen Grimsley chairing the Calling and Caring Com-mission with grace and what looked like ease. Grateful for all the seeds she planted giving of herself as she gave to us. Now as I begin to try and dream about what Calling and Caring is – I think how the dynamics of our congregation have changed. I remember when the ladies of the guilds worked efficiently together and with a sisterly love made things hap-pen when any of us needed help. These matriarchs were strong in their need to serve. With the generosity of the Merry Marthas, we see that same spirit – yet we all need to help. At this moment Tish Line who is energetic and computer comfortable is establishing a TAKE THEM A MEAL, which gives all of us an opportunity to see a need. I have a dream that more of us would like to be a part of this ministry. Let Tish or me know if you feel called here. Another one of my visions is for Sunday School classes, EFM groups, DOK, the EYC to adopt a Shut-in. A few of our shut-ins are a part of that elite group of matriarchs that “took care of us.” Visits, cards, flowers enrich their days. Sending cards is one way of letting someone ill or grieving feel love. Mary Moore Conville dedicated so much to this wonderful part of our ministry. Grati-tude for the joy and faithfulness she always demonstrated. This simple act of kindness makes a big difference. Flower delivery is such a gift. Our altar flowers are so beautiful and prepared with so much love that taking them to a shut in or someone sick is a great joy. We really need more volunteers in this area to offer variety. Is this a place you would like to serve? Grateful for the opportunity to share my dream while reaching out. If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, please give me a call at 601-297-0965 or email me at sesteadman@aol.com. We are all CALLED TO CARE.

Hymns for April April 1 179 “Welcome, happy morning” 210 The day of resurrection 305 Come, risen Lord 213 Come away to the skies 204 Now the green blade riseth 207 Jesus Christ is risen today April 8 203 O sons and daughters, let is sing 490 I want to walk as a child of the light 178 Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord 318 Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face 205 Good Christians all, rejoice and sing April 15 193 That Easter Day with joy was bright 492 Sing ye faithful, sing with gladness 343 Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless 184 Christ the Lord is risen again 182 Christ is alive! Let Christians sing

April 22 208 Alleluia! The strife is o’er 708 Savior, like a shepherd lead us 316 This is the hour of banquet and of song 645 The King of love my shepherd is 525 The Church’s one foundation April 29 47 On this day, the first of days 529 In Christ there is no East or West 513 Like the murmur of the dove’s song 487 Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life 657 Love divine, all loves excelling

Please Note: On April 29, we will welcome the string quartet from Hattiesburg High School as they play the opening and closing voluntaries for the 10:30 service.

April Commission and Guild Meetings

Daughters of the King April 8 1:00 p.m. Finance Committee April 16 5:15 p.m. Vestry Meeting April 18 5:15 p.m. Heavenly Hands Wednesdays 3:00 p.m. Teach Them to Fish Wednesdays 5:30 p.m.

EYC Sundays 4:30p.m. ____________________________________________________________

Outreach Meeting

April 12th We will be holding an Outreach meeting on Thursday, April 12th at 5:15 pm in

the parish hall to discuss and implement plans for service in our community. Help us to love our neighbors through your presence and participation.

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Sunday School Notes

Nursery – Up to Age 3 Caroline Ratliff, Nursery Worker

Brooklyn Mills, Nursery Worker

Age 3 – Atrium Jennifer Landry

Ages 8-11 – Room 7 Ward Conville

Ages 12-17 Marshall & Tiffany Wall

Lectionary Class, Library Stan Hauer and Tom Fortner Richard Rohr Discussion Group — Room 2 Cathy Hopkins & Ellen Ruffin ______________________________________________________________

.Treasured Trinitarian: Robert Brahan

By Susan E. Steadman

The gift of healing comes in many forms. As I focus spiritually on the first anniversary of my mother’s death, my heart is filled with gratitude for this month’s Treasured Trinitarian. He was a beacon of light as he shared humor with her during her last days. He not only prolonged her life through his medical skills to make it quality, he was her friend through it all. It was a gift to watch their interactions. Dr. Robert Brahan is one of us who lives his faith in the world around us. So, leaving behind my emotional observations, now I will focus on his relationship with Trinity and what makes him a treasure. His first memory of Trinity was meeting Rev. Ben Bell. It became his place to land because “I was a Methodist and Ree a Catholic and it was a nice blend.” He appreciates Trinity because of the open, liberal theology. And his prayer for Trinity is that we continue to be ourselves and welcome newcomers, especially children. We see him ushering and as a member of the Vestry, but he lists among the things that have nurtured him spiritually, liturgy, music and the lectionary class. His favorite hymn: Joy to the World.

Again, thank you Dr. Brahan, you are a treasure to us all. (Watch next week for part two of the Brahan family as we feature Ree Brahan. Be warned that there will be editorializing there too.)

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Baptisms

We give thanks for the baptism of William Franke Samuels, son of Alley and Alex Samuels, grandson of Marian and Tom Fortner, Ed and Vicki Samuels,

and Great-grandmothers, Lola Fortner and Carolyn Samuels.

We give thanks for the baptism of Jonathan Stephen Sabin, son of David Harold and Carrie Jean Sabin, grandson of Jim and Sharon Sabin.

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Upcoming Baptismal Dates:

April 24 – Bishop Visits

May 20 – Pentecost

The Bishop will visit April 24th and confirmations will be at

Trinity Episcopal Church.

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We extend our sympathies

We extend our sympathy to Karl and Betty Moore, on the death of

Karl’s mother, Janet Moore.

Give to the departed eternal rest.

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our weekly announcements inserted in the Sunday Bulletin DEADLINE each week is Monday.

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Please put in the subject line: Weekly News. __________________________________________________________

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We will fold the tidings Wednesday, April 25th

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