What Good are Summers, for the Church?

Excerpted from my June Report to the Holy Trinity Vestry.

My seven years in campus ministry forced me to confront an uncomfortable question related to summers, namely, “What do you do with them?” The students were gone (mostly). Colleagues from other churches with whom I would ordinarily partner were taking turns on vacation (as was I). Why bother doing anything in the summer?

The answer I came to receive is that 1) it’s good to be confronted with seasons of reluctant rest and 2) the summer is an ideal time to try new things without the burden of unrealistic expectations. (Have y’all ever heard the “joke” about every Episcopal event being “The First Annual?” Ha.) But summer can be different, if we let it. We can explore. We can give the reigns over to new leaders, for a short-term project. We can invite members inside and outside of our faith community, maybe folks from different services who wouldn’t otherwise cross paths, to come together for, say, a Spanish learning class. In other words, we can experiment, have fun, and maybe discover a couple of things that will stick, in one form or another, when the rhythms of fall return. Imagined this way, summer is less about letting up and more about opening up – especially to the new possibilities of God.

All of the above is the spirit in which the events I’ve organized, under Adult Christian Formation, are conceived. I’ve been delighted to discover game planning partners, new leaders, and some familiar leaders taking on new roles! As we continue to share these pop-up opportunities, please participate as you are able (recognizing, again, it’s summer…), but also by encouraging the folks you see participating and leading in their different ways. It’s a discerning, for sure, and the planting of new seeds of faith.

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PARTICULAR MINISTRY NOTES

As ever, this report tries to limit itself to my 3 areas of primary responsibility: 1) Worship Coordination, 2) Adult Formation, and 3) Staff Development. 

WORSHIP

Since my last report…

o   We’ve seen the return of wine to Communion (cups and trays) and we’ve moved to ‘masks optional.’ I’m grateful to Kathy Roemisch, our fearless altar guild director, for her flexibility and patience as we fine tune the wine preparation process, etc. Our ushers and acolytes have likewise been wonderfully receptive to small tweaks I’ve introduced to streamline the process.

o   We’re singing again! The return of the choir has been a wonderfully emotional gift.

o   Newcomers and visitors continue to bless Holy Trinity’s doors. I can think of 7 folks, just from the last two weeks, with our informal 8 month tally at something like 30 folks. Fr. Keith plans to introduce a welcome committee, to support and continue the work of greeters, as well an Inquirers Class, in the fall.

ADULT CHRISTIAN FORMATION

Several things that, in the last report, presented as ideas now wonderfully exist as community-wide events. As you’re able, we’d love your participation and support:

o   June 19 Trinity River Trail Hike, meeting at 10am at the Joppa Preserve. I’m especially grateful to Bob Quimby for happily agreeing to help us spot native plant life along the walk! We’ll additionally look at the history of the river, how it has shaped settlement, and what all this means for loving our neighbors well.

o   July 10 Bonton Farm Service Saturday. I’m still lining up details for this event, but it will be a Saturday morning project (~9-12pm) in conjunction with their monthly Service Saturdays.

o   First Sundays at Santa Natividad. I am organizing monthly trips of interested parishioners over the summer months, for their 5am bilingual service. Remaining dates are July 4 and Aug 1.

o   Beginners Spanish brown bag lunches. Began last Thursday! We’ll continue through Thursdays in June and July. Huge thanks to Zoe Holmes for agreeing to teach (I think she kind of loves it). Interest has been strong, she’s a wonderful teacher, and it’s bringing people together from different corners of the parish.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

The staff gathers June 15 for our ½ day mini-retreat looking ahead to the fall. As Fr. Keith observed to me the other day, this is the first true fall I have been in place to prepare for at Holy Trinity (I arrived mid-August in 2019, and 2020 was, well, 2020). Add to that that Lauren and Jordan both arrived after me, the adjustments we have made as a staff around the communications position, and this is the first true fall for this team.

As many successes as we have to celebrate from this past year (and I believe there are many!), the season ahead represents new opportunities for HTbtL. We continue to grow in communication and connection, with each other and the congregation, and to a person we can’t wait to see what God would show us, how God would grow us, in the season ahead.

So grateful, as always, for each of you and the body we are together.

Every blessing, and God’s good peace.

Fr. J