News as of July 26th, 2010
Annual Report here. (click)
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No Sunday Evening Service During the Summer
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Sunday Forum at 9:00 am resumes a 2-part DVD on The Life of C.S. Lewis, author, professor, and Anglican Christian whose spiritual legacy has affected the lives of millions.
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Summer seminar Altars in the World continues Thursdays, 5:15 – 6:30pm in the Parish Hall. Everyday Sacred is a 7 week journey with Anne Bartlett and Martha Hutchison, exploring 12 practices so we may discover that "no physical act is too earthbound or too humble to become a path to the divine;" "altars everywhere we go, in nearly everything we do;” affirming "there is no way to God apart from real life in the real world." The above quotes are from Barbara Brown Taylor's book, An Altar in the World which serves as the basis for the class. We encourage you to get a copy of the book. Class Schedule: Thursdays, June 17th-July 29th, 5:15- 6:30 pm. Trinity Parish Hall.
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Father Doug Spence is at home and on hospice. The Trinity Pastoral Care Team asks that if you would like to bring a small meal or flowers or be available to do errands, please call Maggie McCartney who is coordinating Trinity’s care for Diana and Doug. Maggie’s contact info is:
541-488-5276; e-mail. If you would like to be on a group e-mail to receive occasional updates about Doug’s condition, send an e-mail to Maggie. We are trying to protect Diana from a flood of phone calls. If you would like to send a card, the Spence’s address is: 442 Guthrie St., Ashland. And of course, we hold Doug and Diana in our prayers.
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Education for Ministry St. Luke’s, Grants Pass will begin an EFM class, a four-year program of advanced Bible study, church history, ethics and personal reflection developed by the Episcopal School of Theology in Sewanee, Tennessee. The program, which will meet weekly, is structured as a small seminar and taught by a trained and certified mentor. If you are interested in exploring this opportunity, there will be an informational meeting on Sunday, July 25th at 5pm at St. Luke’s in their parish hall. Members of the southern convocation (that’s us, folks) who apply by August 1st will have priority of acceptance. The cost (partially subsidized by the diocese) is $350. Visit the EFM website.
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Needs at the Ashland Food Bank The food bank is in desperate need for paper bags. On a busy day we have 35-39 clients and that is around 150 bags a day. Please help by bringing paper bags to church and I will get them to the food bank. Thanks for all your help.
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Music, Music, Music. Our wonderful choir has only been on summer hiatus for a couple of weeks and many of us are already looking forward to their return. It is such a privilege to have this ministry to enhance and deepen our worship lives. Please remember to send a check in support of our music program. Your generosity will be repaid all through the year.
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New Photo Directory Coming! You’re Going to be in Pictures Photos for Trinity’s new picture directory will be taken at Trinity the week of August 16th. Sign up today for your preferred time slot. Look on the bulletin board by the Parish Hall door.
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American Bandstand II benefitting Family Nurturing Center. The second annual benefit event for Medford’s Family Nurturing Center is August 22, 6-9pm. The event will again be held at the Eden Vale Voorhies Mansion Gardens. Enjoy the music provided by Rhonda Loftis and her band Blue Lightning, and vocalist Dianne Strong. Sign up sheet is in the Parish Hall on the Adult Formation Board. Come one, come all. Bring your neighbors and friends!
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Gulf Coast Oil Disaster The Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting the activities of the Episcopal Community Services of Louisiana to help those devastated by the Gulf oil spill. If you would like to help, call 800-334-7626 ext. 5129, or visit www.er-d.org
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Who has the most ZANY FUN at Trinity? Why the Rummage Sale Committee of course! Come join our FUN as we plan our annual sale! The first committee meeting is Tuesday June 29th at 3:00pm in Parish Library. Please let Chair Emily Cox know if you want to be on the committee (emilyapcox@live.com or 541-621-1841). And start your “Blessing Others” pile of goodies to bring the week of the Rummage Sale (Aug. 24th – 28th).
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Trinity's Dedicated Food and Friends Drivers Continue to Serve the Home-Bound We are fortunate to have a number of parishioners whose dedication to the delivery of meals to the homebound has enabled us to fulfill our obligation to the Food and Friends program during the past year and a half, but we need a few more drivers. Although Trinity supports many Outreach efforts financially, Food and Friends is one of a few "hands -on" opportunities. One hour a week for a month is all it takes. There is a sign-up sheet in the Parish Hall. Contact Anne McCollom, 482-3356 or Maggie McCartney 488-5276.
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Coffee Hour Hosts are needed for the month of July. Please sign up in the Parish Hall.
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Signups, and notices, and more signups! Signup sheet for coffee hour hosts in the Parish Hall, a 2010 flower chart in the narthex, Food Bank volunteers for June in the Parish Hall. Check the bulletin boards.
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Food Bank Volunteers Needed Please sign-up for a shift or two in February at the Food Bank. A sign-up schedule is posted in the Parish Hall. For those who have never worked at the Food Bank, a short training session will be held on January 31 after the 10 o’clock service. Call Kathy Griffin or Patti Chase for more information.
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Squeeze In. On many Sundays we are blessed to have more worshipers at our ten o’clock service than we can comfortably handle. Please extend every courtesy to fellow parishioners and especially visitors by sitting 5 to a pew when it’s obvious that we need the room or when an usher gives you a certain look. Also, unless you have a physical challenge and need to be on the aisle, please ‘scooch’ in, moving left or right rather than making somebody climb over you. And, to the extent possible, please leave seats in the last few pews and the Narthex for our children, their teachers and parents who are participating in Godly Play, our church school program. and shhhh Finally, the office has received a number of requests that worshippers be asked to remain silent once they take a seat so as not to disrupt those in prayer or meditation. These common courtesies will help more parishioners have a more meaningful worship experience. Our excellent acoustics carry even hushed voices. Thanks for your co-operation.
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Malaria Nets for Africa Again this year the Diocese has chosen as its MDG project an ingathering from the parishes to support the Nets for Life purchases through the Episcopal Relief and Development fund. Last year Trinity’s response was overwhelming! Do you think we can do it again? $12 pays for one net. Make your checks to Trinity Church, with the notation Nets for Life. All funds will be taken to the Diocese in one check, presented at Diocesan Convention by our delegates.
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Centering Prayer Incorporate meditation into your life. Come enjoy Centering Prayer (Christian meditation) with fellow parishioners. We start by listening to a short recording of Gregorian chant; are silent for about 20 minutes; and then the chanting comes on again to bring us back to the room. It is special to share this time with each other. First-timers are most welcome. Call Julia Skai with any questions – 890-7994. 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 in the library.
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Hospice Unique Boutique After a year of planning, a special resale store opened in June. Ashland’s Hospice Unique Boutique is a not-for-profit shop that funds end-of-life care in Southern Oregon through Hospice. The Hospice Unique Boutique accepts high-end donations of clothing, furnishings, art and unique items to offer for sale at attractive prices. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Donation hours are 11 – 3 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. A paid part-time manager and assistant supervise the shop, which depends on a staff of volunteers to receive, sort, price, display, and sell. Many of the volunteers, who spend several hours each week at the shop, recognize the value of Hospice and wish to “pay back” for loved ones who benefitted from Hospice care.
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Parish Nurse Sandy Cruz is extending her office hours. She will now be in the office on Tuesday mornings from 11 to 12:30 and Thursday mornings 9:00 to 10:30. The Parish Nurses will continue to take blood pressure measurements on the 1st Sunday during coffee hour.
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Disaster Recovery The faith community plays an important role in both the response and recovery to a major disaster. Anyone interested in being trained to respond to a major disaster in the Rogue Valley on behalf of the faith community is invited to attend a class at the Medford Congregation UCC at 1801 E. Jackson St from 11:30AM - 1:00PM on Monday April 20th. This class is in preparation for a county wide simulation to be held on April 27th. For more information contact Paul Robinson, President of Rivernet at 840-5640.
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Ashland Food Bank has a surplus of some items and is short on others. Needed currently are: oatmeal, cereals (other than corn flakes), cooking oil, jams and jellies, spaghetti sauces. Now More Than Ever Remember to bring a jar of peanut butter, can of tuna, other nourishing canned or boxed foods, or toilet paper, for the food basket.
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Trinity’s Photo Gallery has some new additions inclusing the recent Tuscan Festival. Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/trinityec/ There are still a few parties with room left. See the sign up sheets in the Parish Hall and get yourself on the list. It’s all for our Outreach Ministry which has raised $15,000 from the 2008 parties. It’s a fun way to support this important ministry and terrific way to check out frriends' activities.
For photos of the Mt. Ashland Gourmeet Picnic hike click here.
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Recycling Bins The parish facilities have a number of recycling bins throughout the buildings. A new blue bin has been placed just inside the backdoor to the kitchen. Please use it to recycle all appropriate items. Materials that are acceptable in a co-mingled container include cardboard, aluminum and tin cans, thin catalogs, plastic bottles, waste paper, newspaper. A list of the items that may go in the container will be posted at its location.
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Special Offer on Prayer Books Church Publishing Corporation is offering reduced prices for The Book of Common Prayer, standard pew version as we have in the church, available at $14.25 with either a black or red cover. The Book of Common Prayer Hymnal 1982 Combination edition is available for $73.50. This represents a 25% savings on each book. Sale ends July 1. If you are interested in purchasing a book for yourself or as a gift, sign up on the sheet in the Parish Hall. The church office will place the order for you. Call the office at 482-2656 if you have questions.
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Funeral Planning Packets are available in the Office. The packets include suggestions for scripture readings and hymns, hints on some important steps, as well as an easy to complete guide for your preferences in service planning. . If you attended the planning sessions and have completed your form, don’t forget to turn it into the office.
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The Altar Flowers schedule for 2010 is in the narthex. Dedication forms are there as well. Designate flower donations to the Altar Guild. Forms and donations may be put in the offering or brought by the office.
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Day by Day devotionals booklets for July-September are available in the narthex, including large print copies. Donation of $1.00 is appreciated.
