Notices and Announcements   As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. - Colossians 2:6-7

From Lee, Our Priest-in-Partnership

27 July 2010

Dear Friends,

This summer, Trinity is sponsoring a vacation Bible school along with the First Baptist Church, Wellspring of Life Church and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. The theme, Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from prison to palace, has lent itself to all sorts of creativity. In fact, the preparation for this week-long effort has been amazing: costumes for some thirty leaders, food preparation for a total of eighty participants, drawings, posters, a ‘market place,’ where people can make hieroglyphics, baskets and more. The organizers have thrown their hearts, time and talents into this project.

Upon registration, participants are placed in one of four ‘families,’ a small group with whom they will walk the course of the week. I stayed with the ‘per-bastet’ family, not knowing at the time, that the name is that of an Eygptian cat goddess, Bastet. It would seem that I landed in the right group!

The theme of each day provides for different activities. On the first and second days, people could make bricks out of mud and straw, reminding them of Israel’s time in Egypt. Later on in the week, participants wrapped themselves up as mummies. Along with all these activities designed for young and old, participants ate, sang, worshipped and learned.

Each day focused on a particular biblical verse or idea. The aggregate emphasizes God’s abundant love and gifts we receive from God: hope, special abilities, wisdom, forgiveness and the family of Christ. Visual aids reinforce this idea: an inflated paper balloon to explain how hope fills our hearts; colourful capsules that transform into cute critters to show how our gifts bloom with God’s help; receiving guidance from a friend to get through a maze to show God’s wisdom helping us; watching an ink stain disappear to show how God’s forgiveness works in our lives; connecting paper people to remind us of how we are part of God’s family. Throughout the week, people construct a pyramid that consists of ‘God sightings’: where we have seen and shared God’s love.

Even if you were not able to participate in the joint vacation Bible school this summer, think about the themes and questions it poses:

How has God given you hope? What does this hope look like? What might this hope look like for Trinity as we move forward in our second year of shared ministry?

What special abilities and gifts has God given you? How have you used them to the glory of God and service of your neighbour? What gifts do you bring to Trinity and how have you shared them with this particular family called Trinity?

With what wisdom has God graced your life? How have you used and shared this wisdom at home, work and at Trinity? What wisdom would you wish to receive from God?

What have you learned about forgiveness? Where have you extended it? Where in your life, at home or at Trinity, are there rough spots that still seek forgiveness? How can God’s grace help you toward extending and receiving forgiveness?

What are the various groups you call family? In how much of your life is Trinity involved as family? How can we together make Trinity stronger? How important to you is being a member of the body of Christ?

While we may not be walking with Joseph from prison to palace as did the vacation Bible school crowd, our journey toward understanding God’s hope, gifts of the Spirit, wisdom, forgiveness and family is life-long. Come walk with us, your family, this place called Trinity, and you will have ‘unique adventures’ (W.H. Auden).

In Christ’s peace,

(the Rev’d Canon) Lee Alison Crawford

a companion pilgrim

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and the Rev. Canon Lee Alison Crawford
at the 76th General Convention (c. 2009, Richard Schori)

Announcements

Prayer Beads

As a means of helping parishioners enrich their prayer lives and as a benefit to support the church, Tom & Joanne Williamson offer Trinity Prayers Beads for sale. Prices are $20 and a "senior price" (for people over 65). The entire "profit", after the cost of materials, goes directly to Trinity Church. Anglican prayer beads make a thoughtful birthday, confirmation or baptismal gift. Please speak with Tom & Joanne or call them at 775-0433.

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