We believe all people have a ministry they are called to. Lay-persons, bishops, priests, and deacons are all considered ministers. Our duty as laity is clearly stated in the Book of Common Prayer: “The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and His Church; to bear witness to Him wherever we may be; and, according to the gifts given us, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take our place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.”
A ministry is not choosing, something to do.” A ministry is a “call to be” and is derived from careful and deliberate prayer.
The following are some of our current and developing ministries (click to expand):
Our ongoing established food collection program to benefit the Ilse Marks/Stoughton Food Pantry. All are invited to bring in canned goods and other non perishable food items and place them in the large baskets in the narthex (lobby). Our donations are brought to the Food Pantry on Seaver Street on a bi-weekly basis and helps provide much needed food for those in need.
This year Trinity will celebrate a Harvest in-gathering day on Sunday, November 24th.
Semi-perishable items (squash, pumpkin, bags of potatoes, turnips and root vegetables) along with shelf packaged items (stuffing mix, canned goods, etc) can be brought in on November 17th to be placed around the altar. Perishable items (Fresh Breads, Fruit, etc) will be collected at our in-gathering on November 24th. Donations will be brought the next day to the food pantry.
The Pantry is also seeking other food donations weekly, and especially the following food items:
Canned Beef Stew, Tuna, Soups, Pasta and Sauces, Spam, Canned Vegetables.
To learn more about the food pantry, click the following link: Food Pantry Video
Trinity is embarking on an outreach project for 2016 to help support Evelyn House located in Stoughton, a shelter for homeless women and children. Part of Father Bill’s/Mainspring, Evelyn House provides a safe place for women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence and homelessness. They currently are providing a home like atmosphere for 16 families in need, some of which are veterans, placed by the VA center. Having to leave one’s home and move into a shelter is a traumatic and life changing experience. Evelyn House seeks to help maintain a warm safe environment for families to flourish, while also teaching basic skills through workshops on cooking, cleaning and homebuilding.
Donations of twin sized bedding, sheets, blankets, pillows as well as personal care items like toothpaste, shampoo and feminine care products are all gratefully appreciated. Small donations of other items are gladly accepted also. Donations brought to Trinity will be brought monthly to Evelyn House. As clients transition out of Evelyn House into permanent housing, these bedding and personal items go with them, helping them to start a new home.
Love of our neighbor is important at Trinity. Join us the second Sunday of each month at 10:15am as we walk next door to Copley at Stoughton, Nursing Care Center to celebrate the Eucharist with our neighbors. This is a wonderful ministry, engaging people in need with worship and conversation. Additionally we hold a monthly morning prayer service on the fourth Sunday of the month and bring communion weekly. The residents of Copley look forward to our visits and conversations.
Our Parish is excited to announce that a team of five members, including our priest and deacon travelled to the Dominican Republic for the 2019 Medical Mission to la barquita, Santo Domingo. Our Priest Fr. Harry has taken part in these mission trips for over a decade. While there, a medical team runs a week long clinic in a local Dominican Episcopal Parish. This clinic offers much needed help to a community without access to the most basic of medical care. As we expand on this work to help others, we are continually seeing people to help become part of the team; Doctors, Nurses and Translators who are fluent in Spanish. This is a tremendously rewarding ministry and you are welcome to ask us about it!
In addition to this yearly visit, our parish has embarked in an effort to deepen our relationship with the host parish, la Iglesia de San Pedro y San Pablo in the la Barquita barrio of Santo Domingo. Our hope is to assist their growing Episcopal School through scholarships for students and through donations for the parish.
Join us for a variety of Adult Ed programs often a combination of shared food, education and worship. We generally engage in conversation during our fellowship following services. Additionally, we offer periodic off-site museum and cultural experiences to take part in.
Our Children are taught using Godly Play, a wonderful program with an approach to help them to explore their faith through story, to gain religious language and to enhance their spiritual experience though wonder and play. Based on Montessori principles and developed using a spiral curriculum, the Godly Play method serves children through early, middle and late childhood and beyond. Classes begin on Sunday, October 6th and run through next Summer. Come join us!
Our parish actively engages in the creation and celebration of social events at Trinity, some as fundraisers for the parish, some as fundraisers for outside charitable organizations and many simply for fun, conversation and community engagement. In all our events, we seek to create an atmosphere which encourages getting to know one another and developing relationships with one another. Of particular note are our annual Roast Beef dinner, Italian night and Corned Beef and Cabbage events for Saint Patricks Day.
Trinity has embarked on the development of a Choral Evensong program, celebrating key saints through the beauty of evening sung worship. Join us for this beautiful event as our church is bathed in candlelight as a large choir of professional singers lead us in worship.