TRINITY OUTLOOK

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH | WWW.FORTWORTHTRINITY.ORG DECEMBER 2013

WELCOME TO ADVENT

Welcome to Advent. This season of waiting in joyful expectation is marked by four Sundays before Christmas and brings special gifts of its own. To name a few: time, space, quiet reflection, prayer, and the opportunity to prepare inwardly for the coming of Jesus are just a few of the wondrous gifts of the Advent season. All of these gifts hold in common the ability to move us into God’s light.

Which gift calls to you? Starting with that question may help you to experience a more mean-ingful Advent. To answer it requires some evaluation of your spiritual life, brings the current state of your spirit into God’s light, and can help guide spiritual practices during Advent.

Choices of spiritual practice at Trinity are plentiful this Advent. Sunday Forums will focus on Advent themes. Wednesday night worship includes A Service for Healing and A Service for Peace and Comfort. Mother Barbara Crafton’s book, “Let Every Heart Prepare – Mediations for Advent and Christmas,” guides our individual daily prayer and reflection time. The Advent Quiet Day offers a period of deep peace and refreshment as reading, reflection, prayers, and a meal are all experienced in an unhurried quiet. Each practice is meant to assist your spiritual journey.

What do you plan to do with the gifts that Advent has for you? Where might God lead you in these weeks leading to the celebration of Christ’s coming into the world? How will God’s light illuminate the far reaches of your spiritual life? I am excited to see how God will work in our midst this Advent and I look forward to hearing about your Advent journeys.

Welcome to Advent where questions, seeking, and resting are welcome.

Grace and peace,

O house of Jacob, come let us walk in the light of the Lord! Isaiah 2:5

PICTURE THIS!—A LOOK BACK

GRAB A TAG FROM THE GIVING TREE

Trinity’s Giving Tree is up in the Parish Hall! On it you’ll find gift tags to benefit four groups: women and children through Opening Doors for Women in Need (ODWIN), lower-income stu-dents at McLean 6th Grade Center, and families through South Central Alliance of

Churches and AIDS Outreach.

We encourage you to select multiple tags off the tree. All gifts should be returned to the tree by Sunday, Dec. 15.

SHOP THE ALTERNATIVE GIFT MARKET

On Dec. 8 and 15 you can make a contri-bution to the charity of your choice and receive a Christmas card to pass along to your loved one stating that you have giv-en a gift in their honor. These are wonder-ful gifts in so many ways, and they have become more and more popular with the members of Trinity’s parish family. Your purchases are a tax-exempt offering to people in need and a priceless gift to those you care about.

Enter the holiday season with a heart full of thanksgiving as you assist those less fortunate than yourself.

SATURDAY SUPPER UPDATE

Our next Saturday Supper will be Dec. 21, 7 p.m., at the home of Kay West-Molyneaux and John Molyneaux, 4017 Edgehill Road, Fort Worth. Please bring a dish to share. Coffee and tea will be provided. This is a great way to get to know your Trinity family in a casual at-mosphere!

Trinity’s annual Cookie Bake and Sale are coming your way. Join the Trinity Cooks on Saturday Dec. 14 starting at 8:30 a.m. to begin the mixing, baking and packaging process. We welcome all com-ers for as long as you can stay—more bakers make quick work! You may also participate by making and packaging your own favorites and dropping them by the kitchen. (Please clearly mark the type.)

All baking will be done on Saturday with the sale starting Sunday morning at the 8 a.m. service. For more information con-tact Cathy Neece Brown: grahamsmom@sbcglobal.net.

IT’S COOKIE BAKE TIME!

HALFTIMERS HOST CHRISTMAS PARTY

The Halftimers Christmas Party is Satur-day, Dec. 14! The festivities will take place at Cafe Bella, 3548 South Hills Ave., 76109. Dinner reservations are at 5:45. After dinner, we will return to the church for a dessert buffet and ornament exchange. (Please bring a wrapped orna-ment!) Childcare will be provided for ages 6 weeks to 11 years old. Please bring a sack dinner for your child. Childcare be-gins at 5:30 p.m., and the doors will be locked at 5:45 p.m. The event ends at 8 p.m., and pick up will be completed by 8:15 p.m. Please RSVP to Brandy Bacon, mkbrandar@yahoo.com or 817-797-7796.

POTLUCK & WORSHIP: NEW YEAR’S EVE

Mark your calendars now and plan to join us on Tuesday, Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve Worship and Potluck Dinner from 8 to 10 p.m. Look for more details coming soon in your weekly e-newsletter and an-nouncement bulletin.

See page 6 of

this month’s

update for a

complete

listing of

Advent

Programs

CONTACT US @ TRINITY!

CLERGY

The Rev. Carlye J. Hughes, Rector chughes@fortworthtrinity.org The Rev. Dr. Andrew R. Wright, Associate Rector awright@fortworthtrinity.org

STAFF & SUPPORT TEAM

Christopher Thomas, Operations Manager cthomas@fortworthtrinity.org Jackie Robinson, Business Manager businessmanager@fortworthtrinity.org Sarah Martinez, Communications Manager communications@fortworthtrinity.org Paula Gartman, Parish Administrator trinity@fortworthtrinity.org Kimberly Cooper, Children’s Ministry Coordinator childrensministry@fortworthtrinity.org Paul Morrissey, Sexton pmorrissey@fortworthtrinity.org Melissa Pannell, Director of Trinity Episcopal School mpannell@fortworthtrinity.org Debora Clark, Director of Music & Organist dclark@fortworthtrinity.org Alan Buratto, Choirmaster aburatto@fortworthtrinity.org Bob Hunt, Folk Group Co-Director bhunt@fortworthtrinity.org Paul Warren, Folk Group Co-Director pwarren@fortworthtrinity.org

EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF FORT WORTH

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

Tuesday, December 24

5:30 p.m. Rite II with Children’s Program Youth will help tell the Godly Play story of Christ’s birth; special chil-dren’s homily; candlelight

8 p.m. Rite I With music and candlelight

10:30 p.m. Join us in singing carols prior to the 11 p.m. Rite II service

11 p.m. Rite II With music and candlelight

Trinity Episcopal Church www.fortworthtrinity.org 3401 Bellaire Drive South Fort Worth, Texas 76109 Office (817) 926-4631 trinity@fortworthtrinity.org

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is a welcoming, Christ-centered com-munity of congregations committed to radical hospitality.

Participatory by everyone—laity, bish-op, priest and deacon.

Transparent in all we do. Accountable to God, one another, and

the wider church. Serving :: Accepting :: Worshipping ::

Reaching Out www.episcopaldiocesefortworth.org

The light of Love

Peace

Hope

Joy

CHRIST

Advent at Trinity Trinity Episcopal Church

www.fortworthtrinity.org

3401 Bellaire Drive South

Fort Worth, Texas 76109

817-926-4631

trinity@fortworthtrinity.org

Wednesdays in Advent

December 4

Service for Healing, 6:30 p.m.

This quiet service will focus on healing of mind, body and soul. There

will be two opportunities to come forward and offer your burdens to

God’s care and healing during the service. Anointing with Oil for Heal-

ing will be offered just after Confession and Absolution. After com-

munion, members of our trained Healing Prayer Teams will pray pri-

vately with those who need prayer.

December 11

Labyrinth: The Walking Prayer, 6:30 p.m.

Walking the labyrinth is a way of praying with the body that invites the

divine presence into an active conversation with the heart and soul.

Join us in the Parish Hall where Father Andrew Wright will facilitate a

prayer journey using the Labyrinth.

December 18

Service of Peace & Comfort, 6:30 p.m.

Trinity will hold a special service of peace and comfort specifically for

individuals dealing with trying circumstances during the holiday sea-

son. All are welcome, and visitors are encouraged.

Anticipation turns to joy as we begin to prepare the church for the

coming of the Christ child. Trinity parishioners of all ages are welcome

to help hang Christmas greenery throughout the church. Afterward, we

will gather in the Parish Hall for holiday refreshments and close the

afternoon with prayer.

Greening of the Church Sunday, December 22 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Churchwide Advent Meditations

Each morning during the sea-

son of Advent and Christmas,

we encourage you to incorpo-

rate the insight and inspiration

of Barbara Crafton into your

spiritual life by means of text

and audio versions of her new-

ly re-released book, Let Every

Heart Prepare: Meditations for

Advent and Christmas. The six

-week audio series will be emailed to subscribers daily and available as

a podcast series. Learn more here: http://episcopalcredo.org/

publications/credo-reflection-series/advent-2013/

Children’s Advent Bible Study Friday, December 6 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The Children’s Advent Bible Study (and

Parent’s Night Out) is a fun-filled even-

ing where your little ones will learn

more about this season of peace and an-

ticipation. In addition to Bible lessons,

children will enjoy music, dinner and

participate in a service project.

To register your children for this event,

please contact Kimberly Cooper,

Children’s Ministry Coordinator:

kcooper@fortworthtrinity.org. Or, call

the church office: 817-926-4631.

Advent Quiet Day Saturday, December 7 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Surround yourself with Advent peace during this time of reflection and

meditation. A simple lunch and childcare will be available.

December 1

Advent Wreath Making

Parish-wide preparation for Ad-

vent begins on Dec. 1 with an in-

ter-generational Advent wreath-

making session. Materials provid-

ed. Just bring your creativity!

December 8

Forum: Giving Without

Expectation

Many of our most precious

Christmas memories involve giv-

ing (and receiving) all gifts with a

joyful heart. Join us on a trip

down memory lane during the

10:40 a.m. forum hour.

December 15

Film: Truman Capote’s A

Christmas Memory

Truman Capote remembers back

to when he was about 10 years

old and it was suddenly decided

that “it was fruitcake weather.”

The task of baking 30 cakes for

mostly far away friends and other

rituals of Christmas time are

painted with loving and nostalgic

strokes—a truly beautiful Christ-

mas experience.

December 22

Advent & Christmas Traditions

Ever wonder where some of our

holiday customs and traditions

come from? Come to this Forum

led by Father Andrew Wright and

hear more about the origins of

Christmas traditions.

Sundays in Advent 10:40 a.m. Parish Hall