Message from Father Steve
In first Kings, the prophet, Elijah is faced with martyrdom and does what any prudent prophet would do – he gets out of town! He finally finds refuge in a cave near the Mount of God in Horeb. Elijah is certain that he is the only one – the orthodox one – left. God invites Elijah to the mountaintop where the prophet is witness to earthquake, wind and fire. Finally, he hears a still small voice and realizes that it is here, in the calm, that God speaks.
Oftentimes, in the midst of a crisis or calamity, we feel that we are the only ones experiencing the situation or maybe even the only orthodox ones left. Part of the challenge is for us to listen to the still small voice and try to determine where it is God may be leading us. Trinity, at present, is attempting to once again find our place, both in the community of Newark and in how we are to be the church “…and proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ” as stated in our Baptismal Covenant.
On three successive weeks a number of people from Trinity will attend workshops at the Proctor Center. The first, on September 27th, centers on Christian Formation. The next, on October 4th, is a Treasurer’s Workshop; and finally, October 11th, the topic is Total Ministry. Each of these events will, we hope, have some impact on our congregational life. We are looking for ways to improve Christian Education (or Formation) for both children and adults. The Treasurer’s Workshop will help us to find ways to become as clear and transparent as we can about Trinity’s finances. And, as the name implies, the Total Ministry Workshop looks to involve more people in the ministries of the church in ways that are less “clergy-centered,” as has been tradition in the Episcopal Church, and more focused on the talents available within the congregation.
In the midst of our hopes and concerns, we are attempting to “hear” where God might be leading us. I invite your prayers and participation in any of the conferences, but most especially in the Total Ministry Conference on October 11th, as we seek to discern how we can better serve God, each other and the community in Newark. We are not the only congregation in the Diocese concerned about the future. There may be changes to come, but as Bishop Briedenthal observed, there is a liveliness here and a strong spirit. That spirit may be leading us in a new and exciting direction – different from our past and our present.
Pray for Trinity, that we might hear the voice of God in our deliberations.
Blessings,
Fr. Steve
