THE STAFF - trinity-church.org

The Trinity TimesThe Mission of Trinity Episcopal Church:

We exist to love God and our neighbors!

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH • 430 JULIANA ST., PARKERSBURG, WV 26101 • 304.422.3362 • TRINITY-CHURCH.ORG

AUGUST 2021 T H E S TA F F

The Rev. Paul L. Hicks, Rector

Jim Full, Dir. of Communications

Marie Mallory, Dir. of Music Ministry

Paul Miller, Treasurer

Julie Rathbone, Administrator

Justin Warren, Dir. of Religious Education

T H E V E S T R Y 2021

Barbara FullLarry Nutter

Dennis Ramsay

2022Linda BennettKevin OliphantPaula Sellers

2023Mark Edwards

Bob HarrisMark Miller

TRUSTEES 2021

Forbes HiehleLarry Tucker

2022Denny Prather

2023J.T. Thomas

T I M E S E D I T O R Barbara Full

A Word from Your PriestAs we keep an eye over our

shoulder to make sure we are aware of the current Covid 19 circumstances, we continue to see a little more normalcy to our church activities. We have added back Acolytes for the 10:30 ser-vice and will be adding Worship Assis-tants real soon. Further, we are mak-ing plans to have a coffee hour after the 10:30 service in the near future. While we realize the pandemic is not over and we still have to be cautious, we do continue to move forward.

Something that is very exciting and is helping us a great deal in our forward movement, is the hiring of Justin Warren as our part time Direc-tor of Religious Education (DRE). The DRE’s primary role is to help resurrect the Christian Education here at Trinity and work with our youth and their families. As I men-tioned above, Justin has already re-instated the Acolytes and continues to look for those who have previously served or are willing to serve to cre-ate a current schedule until the next electronic schedule is produced start-ing in September. He is also very close to having nursery workers and hopes to have the nursery up and

running for both Sa tu rday n igh t 5:30 and Sunday 10:30 service in the first part of Au-gust. He also has a Church Picnic / Pool Party planned for Friday evening August 6. Look for more details in the Times. Please plan to come and bring a covered dish and family & friends. I understand there will be special music from our men’s quartet as well. We are very excited about adding Justin to our staff. But he will need your help. Please prayerfully consider ways in which you can help his important tasks.

So, let’s prayerfully consider what God is calling us to do to restore our church. At the very least we want to make sure we have a church that is alive and inviting to come back to. Because this is your Church. Be cre-ative and look for ways to be involved at what God is doing here at Trinity, and as always, include a friend. God bless you one and all.

Father Paul

Weekend Worship Attend.: 5:30/8:00/10:30 in-person/FBlive June 5, 6: 25/14/25/16 (80) June 12, 13: 26/16/23/6 (71) June 19, 20: 21/16/24/1 (62) June 26, 27: 20/21/25/0 (66)

Prayer Beads: 4, 6, 7, 6 Wed. Healing Service: 4,6,7,8 Comm. Res./ Thrive Partner-ship: 30 served, Util. assistance — 8 families

Trinity by the Numbers June

Highlights from July Vestry meeting

•The Diocesan-managed accounts gained over $14,000 in value in June, for a total increase of almost $148,000 for 2021. Some of the designated funds from the money market account were transferred to pay the balance due on the handicapped ramp, the down payment on the painting project, and the down payment on the bell controller. •Jr. Warden Mark Miller reported that Fr. Paul and he are currently meeting with four different companies for quotes on a new phone system. The Jr Warden has also received a quote on installing Lexan on the windows for Trinity Hall and the Memorial Library. He will be contacting Orkin Pest Control to look at the pigeon problem in the bell tower. A hardwired doorbell will be installed outside the conference room to allow people using the handicapped ramp to notify the front office upon their arrival. •The DRE Justin Warren has interviewed two nursery workers and they will undergo background checks and complete the diocesan training (Safeguarding God's Children: A Program of Sexual Misconduct Pre-vention Training) mandated for all paid lay employees who work with children. He also talked about the church picnic and pool party which is scheduled for August 6 at 6:00 p.m. •Under old business, Paula Sellers, Cara Bowen, & Denny Prather have volunteered to serve on an audit committee to review the 2020 financial year. •Under new business, the purchase of a new router was approved. •The Priest’s report included discussion about the use of trays with individual Communion cups. St. Luke's in Marietta can give us two trays, so the Vestry decided to try using the individual cups until the Common Cup is allowed again. Fr. Paul also reviewed the Bishop's letter on racism dated May 19, 2021. The letter lists "Seven Steps to Justice", and the Vestry will address one step each month before deciding on further action. Julie Rathbone, Registrar

As many of you know already, we have had technical difficulties for a few weeks trying to broadcast our Church service. Because of those difficulties we were forced to stop the broadcast. If there is anyone interested in taking over this ministry and helping find a solution, please contact Fr. Paul.

Summer fun with the Trinity FISH kits

Cece and Cali enjoyed stopping in last Saturday to pickup their kits and wanted to make sure they thanked everyone for putting them together!

First I Serve Him kits are filled with scripture-based crafts, snacks, worksheets, and activities that feature a specific Bible lesson (for our Trinity kids, ages 4-10).

Evelyn and Clover had the best time doing the FISH kits. Thank you so very much for this blessing.

D.R.E. REPORT I would like to start by thanking Father Paul and the vestry members for their vote

of confidence in electing me as the Director of Religious Education. I also want to thank all those individuals, groups, and committees who have blessed us with their support for the upcoming pool party and church picnic. Trinity Men have agreed to run the grill. E.C.W. will be providing desserts. Monday Feeding has agreed to provide drinks as well as the supplies and utensils we will need to enjoy the meal. Dan Thomas and the attend-ing members of the Sunday morning quartet have agreed to bless us with some enter-tainment at the shelter, and Stephanie Yates has agreed to put together blessing bags for the children. Thank you all for your support! I look forward to seeing everyone (bring your friends) August 6, 2021, at 6:00 pm at City Park, Shelter #7.

On another note, I have been able to interview two nursery workers for Saturday and Sunday services. There is, however, a snag with the diocesan training program that is required for employees who work with children, but the program is supposed to be available by the end of July. If all goes according to plan, the nursery will be available, to those who wish to use it, by the middle of August. The ladies who will be supervising the nursery-aged children are Sonja Sellers, a returning employee, and Susan Bell. As an ef-fort to better protect our children and the nursery workers, there will be some policy changes regarding the way certain issues in the nursery will be handled. Those changes will be announced closer to reopening. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at the church Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 2:30pm or on my cell phone anytime at (740) 629-8769.

I am the process of choosing and developing curriculum and activities for the chil-dren’s Sunday School classes that will be starting the beginning of September, Lord will-ing. I need teachers! If you or anyone you know would like to work with a lovely group of preschoolers, please let me know. I would like to have at least two, and preferably three, teachers and assistants to help with this age group. If you are interested in working with the other age groups (six to eleven or twelve and up), contact me. Nursery will be provid-ed at this time, so if you have little ones and want someone to entertain them while you help in the classroom, that is an option.

I thank you all for this wonderful opportunity to explore my calling. Please keep this ministry on your minds and in your prayers. I look forward to working with those of you who are willing, and I am open to any ideas or suggestions you might have. God bless and keep you. Yours in Christ, Justin

Friday, August 6, City Park, Shelter #7

Evening Prayer and food at Shelter #7 Entertainment and Fellowship to follow Pool and Splash Pad will be open from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Fun for All Ages!! Please bring: Friends and Family Swimsuits, towels, and sunscreen Chairs (there will be 8-9 picnic tables) A covered dish (drinks, hotdogs, and dessert will be provided)

Contact the church office for further details and to give an approximate number of guests.

A U G U S T 2 0 2 1S U N D A Y M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y S A T U R D A Y

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T R I N I T Y E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H C A L E N D A R

PENTECOST 12

PENTECOST 13

Discretionary Sunday

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Diocesan Bishop Search Tours - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

11:00 am — Feeding Ministry 5:45 pm — Trustees 6:30 pm — Vestry

PENTECOST 14

PENTECOST 11

11:00 am — Feeding Ministry


10:00 am — Book sorting 11:30 am — Prayer Bead Ministry 12:15 pm — HE & Healing

11:00 am — Jack Dowling interment (Morgantown) 5:30 pm —Saturday Evening Eucharist 8:00 pm — AA


PENTECOST 10



10:00 am — Book sorting

8:00 am — Eucharist, Rite I 10:30 am — Eucharist, Rite II






8:00 am — Men of Trinity breakfast@Mary B’s Diner 10:00 am-12:00 pm — Clergy Bible Study 6:00 pm — Blenn. Stamp Soc.

8:00 am — Men of Trinity breakfast@Mary B’s Diner 10:00 am-12:00 pm — Clergy Bible Study




10:00 am — Bible Study (Conference Rm & Zoom)

5:30 pm —Saturday Evening Eucharist 8:00 pm — AA



6:00 pm — Pool Party & Church Picnic, Pksbg. City Park

10:00 am — Bible Study (Conference Rm & Zoom) 11:00 am — Knitters (Tr. Hall)

10:00 am — Bible Study (Conference Rm & Zoom) 6:00 pm — Blenn. Stamp Soc.


< - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Fr. Paul Vacation 8/23 Through 9/6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Fr. Paul Vacation 8/23 Through 9/6 - - - - -

Trinity Times Deadline

A U G U S T 2 0 2 1S U N D A Y M O N D A Y T U E S D A Y W E D N E S D A Y T H U R S D A Y F R I D A Y S A T U R D A Y

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

T R I N I T Y E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H C A L E N D A R

PENTECOST 12

PENTECOST 13

Discretionary Sunday

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Diocesan Bishop Search Tours - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

11:00 am — Feeding Ministry 5:45 pm — Trustees 6:30 pm — Vestry

PENTECOST 14

PENTECOST 11




11:00 am — Jack Dowling interment (Morgantown) 5:30 pm —Saturday Evening Eucharist 8:00 pm — AA

13. Barbara CraftCarter Currey

14. Van Simpers15. Betty Earl

Rob Parrish16. Mark Edwards

Edith NewmanKevin Oliphant, Sr.

22. Michael McKibben23. Scott Ramsay

25. Sean Curry27. Bill Bailey28. Caroline Bullock

Lynn VanFossenConnie Warren-Batten

29. Michelle Turner31. Everett Orem

Craig Curry

A N N I V E R SA R I E S 1. Linda & Larry Tucker8. Charlotte & Bill Bee

10. Mary & JT Thomas14. Becky & John Roberts

Michelle & Steve Turner 17. Elaine & Jim Dauphin

Devon & Brent Francis18. Jennifer & Judd Currey20. Becky & John Alkire

Linda & Fr. Art Bennett30. Marjorie & Dan Thomas


B I RT H DAYS 1. Andrew Bennett3. Katherine L. Brown

Fletcher ParsonsKatie Perrine

8. Bill Bee9. Ernie Thomas

12. Sarah BennettGwen Justice

PENTECOST 10



10:00 am — Book sorting







8:00 am — Men of Trinity breakfast@Mary B’s Diner 10:00 am-12:00 pm — Clergy Bible Study 6:00 pm — Blenn. Stamp Soc.









6:00 pm — Pool Party & Church Picnic, Pksbg. City Park

10:00 am — Bible Study (Conference Rm & Zoom) 11:00 am — Knitters (Tr. Hall)

10:00 am — Bible Study (Conference Rm & Zoom) 6:00 pm — Blenn. Stamp Soc.


< - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Fr. Paul Vacation 8/23 Through 9/6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Fr. Paul Vacation 8/23 Through 9/6 - - - - -

Trinity Times Deadline

THE EASY WAY TO ELECT A BISHOP by Paul Miller

“Then they drew straws. Matthias won and was counted in with the eleven apostles.” Acts 1:26 (The Message)

At the Diocesan Convention in October 2019, Bishop Klusmeyer announced his intention to retire and called for the election of a Bishop Coadjutor for the Diocese of West Virginia. This started a rather tortu-ous chain of events which will culminate sometime in early 2022. First a definition: A Bishop Coadjutor is like a vice-bishop with the right to succeed the diocesan bishop when he or she retires or resigns. This is different from a Bishop Suffragan, an assistant bishop for the diocese, who has voting privileges in the House of Bishops, but does not take over the leadership of the diocese when the bishop leaves (unless elected after going through the process outlined below). Since that is crystal clear . . . Since the responsibility for the election of a new bishop is one of the more onerous tasks of the Standing Com-mittee (which is similar to the vestry of the diocese), they promptly recruited the more gullible members of the clergy and laity to form a Search Committee and charged them to come up with a slate of worthy candidates.

The Search Committee consisted of four clergy, three candidates for ordina-tion, and eight ordinary people. In addition, the committee included a Stand-ing Committee Liaison to make sure the committee was doing its job, a Consultant from the Office of Transitional Ministry to make sure the Liaison was doing her job, and a Chaplain to referee any fights. This team of 18 saints was scheduled to begin its work in early April 2020 with an organizing retreat, but Covid-19 had other plans.

When the pandemic did not abate in the next few months as expected, the Committee was forced to conduct business on Zoom. This did not deter them, however, from doing what every committee does—form the first three of an insufferable number of sub-committees: Information Gathering, Profile Writing, and Communication. The sub-committee for Information hired a firm called Holy Cow to conduct a survey of the diocese in Sept/Oct 2020, which was answered by over 600 people in the diocese. This was followed by small-group sessions held throughout the state, although these were not very successful due to Covid again. The information was distilled into the Profile by that committee and disseminated online at wvbish-opsearch.org by the Communication committee. (If you haven’t watched the video, you’re in for a treat) With the successful completion of the Profile, the Search Committee went into its second phase by appointing four new sub-committees: Communications; Interview; Reference Checks; and Retreat. Questions were devel-oped and added to the bishop applications, and the nomination process was opened. Seventeen priests from all around the country (and one foreign country) returned (no joke) the 20-page application consisting of Office of Transition Ministry profiles, resumés, references, and answers to the questions developed by the Committee. Of these applications, six did not appear to “meet our requirements at this time” and were eliminated.

The Consultant was now required to talk with the bishop of each of the remaining candidates to see if there were any “red flags.” The rules of confidentiality will not allow me to elaborate but let me just say that some of the bishops were surprised. Now the Interview sub-committee got to work and Zoom-interviewed the remain-ing candidates. While only the sub-committee members participated in the inter-view, the rest of the Committee had to watch a recording of the questioning put on You Tube. Ten hours of watching recorded Zoom interviews or Hell? Let me think on that one. The whole committee then selected seven candidates who interested us enough to want to continue our conversation. But first we needed to check out their refer-ences to see what their closest friends and colleagues really thought of them. This was not as exciting as one might hope, but luckily, one of these candidates dropped out of the running at this point. This left six candidates who were invited to attend the Retreat held in July at the St. John XXIII Pastoral Center in Charleston. The retreat was an opportunity for the Search Committee to get to know the candidates and their personalities, to listen to short homilies they presented, and to ask still more questions developed by still more sub-commit-tees on Leadership, Missions, and Pastoral Care. It was also a time for the candidates to get a feel for the area, meet Bishop Klusmeyer, learn about the financial aspects of the diocese, and be grilled by the Chancellor (the lawyer for the diocese) on everything that might have occurred in their past from parking tickets and unpaid credit cards to drug abuse and sexual misconduct. At the conclusion of the five-day retreat and after much prayerful discussion, the Search Committee selected a slate of three candidates which was presented to the Standing Committee for approval. Here endeth the Work of the Search Committee which received the undying gratitude of the Standing Committee, but nothing else, if you know what I mean. In late August, the remaining candidates will return to West Virginia for the Walk-abouts (aka the Dog and Pony Show)—four meetings held at strategic points throughout the state (Wheeling, Martinsburg, Charleston, and Beckley) designed to allow the people of the diocese to meet them and hear their answers on yet another round of questioning. These sessions will be made available online for those unable to attend in person. The election of the new bishop will take place at the 2021 Diocesan Convention to be held in Morgantown at the end of September. If a quorum of both clergy and churches represented by delegates is present, balloting begins and continues until one candidate receives a majority from both the clergy and the lay delegates. But we wouldn’t want to make the process too easy, so even after one candidate comes out on top, he or she must be accepted by a majority of both the House of Bishops and the Standing Committees of the diocese in the Episcopal Church. It is hoped that, after this simple process is completed, the new Bishop Coadjutor for the Diocese of West Virginia will be consecrated in March or April of 2022.

So there you have it—the easy way to elect a bishop in twenty steps.

?

Monday Feeding MinistryWe can hardly believe it is August and the days of summer are drawing to an end. The Feeding Ministry has been preparing for the beginning of indoor dining. We will begin the first or second week of August to welcome everyone in. In June we served 245 meals at a cost of $1.83 per meal. The feeding and baking ministries are true blessing to those we serve through our simple

act of kindness. We touch so many in need and are so thankful to those who help support and lift us up in prayer. Simple words of “thank you” and “God bless you” as we pass out meals are meant for all those in our church family. We ask fo your continued prayers for our volunteers and ministry. We miss you Joan and pray for you to be back with us soon. Thank you all for your support and prayers. God’s blessings! Michelle and Steve Turner For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me! Matthew 25:35

Acolytes Now that restrictions have lifted, we are reimplementing the acolyte program. All those who have previously been a part of this ministry are encouraged to contact Justin or Julie to let us know you still want to serve, so we can put you on the schedule. Please let us know if you have never been an acolyte but are interested in learning. Watch for upcoming announcements for training sessions. !ank you for your participation in this important and rewarding ministry.

Junior Warden’s Report• Received first quote for phone system and will receive two more• Received quote for plexiglass for Trinity Hall and library• Received approval to cap exterior wall of kitchen • Plan on installing video ring doorbell on handicap ramp• Contacted Joe Johnson Construction about pigeon removal and screening bell tower• Attempting to get Canterbury Electric over to make sure wiring will handle new chime

system

The Lady Is Getting All Dolled Up — Isn’t She Lovely?

Book Sale news

The book sale is back on the agenda! Before you turn around it will be time for the next annual Trinity Used Book Sale. It will take place Wednesday through Saturday, November 3-6, 2021. We began sorting and storing books on Wednesday July 14. Be ready to work this wonderful sale in some capacity! A member of the Book Sale Committee will be calling to schedule your time to help with the sale that week in November. Please con-sider helping because this sale is valuable to the com-munity organizations, as well as our own programs at Trinity. I want to thank you in advance for your willingness to help, and for the tireless, endless work of the book sale committee. Also going on during the sale will be lunch being served Wednesday through Friday from 11:00-1:30 PM. The Food for Thought and Christmas Gift table will also re-turn. There is something for everyone to be a part of. Wednesday through Friday the book sale times are 11:00AM-6:00PM, and Saturday 8:00-12:00. Please help us get the community reading! Lynn Fury, Book Sale Chairman

Every morning before 5 a.m., my great aunt Gladys rises to bake bread for the small island of Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas. She’s been doing this six days a week for some 50 years. She shapes loaves in a small bake house behind her home and makes enough coconut bread,

cinnamon raisin, and white sandwich loaves to sell at the store near the ferry’s dock. While the loaves rest during the fi rst rising, Aunt Gladys goes off to Bible Study. When she returns, the loaves are prepped for the second rise and fi nally baked, bagged, and sent off to be sold. Aunt Gladys has put her children through school, supported missionary needs around the globe, and will tell you without prompting that she has never wanted for anything. When I think of sacrifi cial love and sacrifi cial giving, her strong hands kneading pounds of dough before sunrise come to mind.

The scriptures prompt me to ask the question: What is the relationship between love and sacrifi ce? In one instance we have the widowed and vulnerable Ruth sacrifi cing any kind of security that might be remaining among her own people in a time of famine choosing instead to embrace a new faith and make a new life by casting her lot with the widowed and vulnerable Naomi. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is tested again by the scribes to see if he has the right understanding of the fi rst and greatest commandment. Jesus correctly off ers the ritual prayer that is reckoned as more important than any burnt off erings and sacrifi ces. “Hear O Israel, you shall love the Lord your God…” and not only that, one must love neighbor as oneself. Jesus makes clear that love is greater than the sacrifi ces off ered ritually in the temple but he, as love incarnate, will also be off ered up for the reconciliation of the world.

Any sacrifi ce I’m called to make seems to pale in comparison to these scriptures. To speak of sacrifi cial love, sacrifi cial giving, and self-off ering is to expose the complicated relationships we have with our money, material resources, and other people. And yet, we are called to have the commandment to love God with all we have and to love our neighbor as much—or more—than we love ourselves wri en in our hearts so that our entire lives become the off ering. Giving and living sacrifi cially become less a choice than a daily decision to live as Jesus lived and love as Jesus loved.

Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows is Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis.

Deciding to Live and Love as Jesus DidBY THE RT. REV. JENNIFER BASKERVILLE-BURROWS

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THE STAFF - trinity-church.org