February 2022: Council's focuses this year.

February is essentially the start of a new council year at Holy Trinity due to the idiosyncrasies of our annual meeting date and usual council meeting dates. On Tuesday, the 15th the council that was elected to office in January met for the first time. And due to the idiosyncrasies of term limits, 4 of the seven council members were new to their roles, 3 of them being new to council. Steve Bauer is now the Vice President, Pam Shaw is the council member for “coming together” which includes fellowship and worship, and Tom Bernth is the council member for “growing in faith” which includes faith formation, the library and stewardship. Paul Karl, council member for caring and social ministries is continuing on for another year, and Erlinde Beliveau is continuing as secretary, Kristin Crawford is continuing as financial secretary, and I have assumed the role of president. Pastor Luther, who joined us in January, continues to provide leadership and guidance as we move forward.

As we began this new year, it was fairly clear that there were a few areas that needed our attention. Perhaps the one foremost on our minds is how we can facilitate and support the process to bring a new full time pastor to lead our congregation. The Transition Team has made great strides as they began with the introduction of the Congregation Assessment Tool (known as the CAT). Soon we’ll be progressing to the interpretation of those data. With the help of the NE Synod, the team will be learning how the results of the CAT and insight learned from other exploratory events will help us understand and describe the “personality” of our congregation.

This information will be the foundation for the next step which is preparation of the Ministry Site Profile. The MSP is the document that is sent to the Synod to help identify appropriate candidates for our church. The council will soon be identifying people who can help prepare our Ministry Site Profile. And of course, council will be identifying individuals who are willing to serve on the Call Committee which is similar to a search committee in the academic or business world. There’s a lot to be done, and we ask each of you to prayerfully consider how you might be able to help during this journey, and to pray for all those who are volunteering during this challenging time.

The council’s second focus for the start of this year is trying to gradually and safely introduce some less restrictive practices in our worship experience as we see the threat from Covid receding. Certainly, the virus remains a threat to those who have yet been vaccinated, but as we see the virus seemingly becoming less prevalent, we want to enrich our current worship practices. During the next few months we will be introducing some changes that we believe you will welcome. We will of course remain vigilant about the “numbers” and be ready to make changes if necessary. We welcome your feedback as we move forward.

We ask you to pray about how you might be called to participate in the work of Holy Trinity, and to pray for the council and our pastor, and all the team leaders and members who are donating their time and talents during this time.

Judy Evans, Council President

December 2021: Hear, prepare, cheer.

The words of Luke, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness. Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight” was read by Pastor Gerkin Nelson early this month and certainly helped me get into the wonder of Christmas. She spoke about the “noise” of the holiday season and other “noises” from work demands, COVID concerns, family needs, obligations, and world events. Some of us may be able to filter out the noise during the holidays so we can hear “the voice of Christmas” sift through and listen more intently and thoughtfully to be touched by Christmas joy.

Holy Trinity continues to share joy. Our worship is well attended via YouTube and in person as caring Supply Pastors bring hope and life to God’s words during this time of transition. Holy Trinity has many attendees who serve during worships, through ministries, and in the many jobs that need to be completed to maintain the workings of our Church. Our staff has kept us grounded in consistency through Mark’s worship production and the musicians and choir who lift our hearts in words and rhythm. Our Faith Formation Leader, Faith Bygd, creates an email entitled Growing In Faith Together (GIFT), which includes bible lessons, crafts, music, videos, and games for all ages and about 8 teens are attending the youth gathering in Minnesota next summer. We will come together on January 30th for our Reconciling in Christ celebration and our hard-working Transition Team meets weekly to prepare us for the CAT survey in January. As much as we would rather not hear a baby cry, the heart-melting fussing of a baby during a baptism can bring tears to some who reflect upon their own child’s entrance into God’s family. I hope you have opportunities to see, feel, or give the joy of Christmas into the season of Epiphany.

The Church Council met this week to discuss the part-time interim opportunities that have been presented by Steven Wilco, Associate to Bishop Hazelwood. Pr. Wilco will be our supply pastor next Sunday. He will hold a Q & A session about the Pastoral transition process in the sanctuary following worship. As always this will be recorded. If you are unable to attend in person, please send Mark your questions and we will do our best to have him answer them. The Church Council has also decided to make a few shifts in order to remain vigilant for the safety of as many attendees as possible. These considerations are not necessarily new to us and we hope the Congregation understands the reasons for these adjustments. Unfortunately, many systems in our Community are being challenged during this current surge. The following guidelines begin on Sunday, December 19 and will continue until case numbers decrease and significant winter weather has past.

These are the guidelines:

• We are asking attendees to enjoy our worship and do your best to move to the beautiful outdoors for fellowship conversations. Please keep 3 feet away from people outside your “pod bubble” whenever possible.
• At this time, we are suspending the indoor coffee fellowship following our worship.
• Indoor air circulation will be increased whenever possible.
• The use of masks is “highly recommended” to protect others and ourselves. New masks are available at the entrance of the Church.
• The use of communion cups (i.e., wafer and grape juice) or gluten free options will be continued.

November 2021: Over the past four years with Pastor Tim.

Wow! What a ride it has been from Pastor’s very first children’s sermon! Does anyone else remember seeing shaving cream in front of the altar?
Over the past four years of Pastor Tim Krick’s pastoral leadership at Holy Trinity, I believe our Church has deepened our faith through his words, passion, and fortitude.

Through his words... He helped us gain an understanding when considering the (Go ahead, say it.) “context, context, context” of a scripture’s historical elements. Pastor’s words challenged us to reflect on how we could more actively live out our faith by highlighting the ways we can address our community needs. We appreciated the engaging activities that Pastor delivered in sermons. This helped us each hold a mirror to ourselves for reflection which lead to further reading and dialogue far after the benediction was delivered.
We savored the peaceful mid-week service, Bible Study group, conversations over coffee, different classes/forums of faith instruction, and discussions that encouraged us to listen and gain new perspectives which helped us “soften” any misguided beliefs we were harboring.
We felt the magic when we listened to the children’s honest, insightful, and joyful responses during the children’s sermon. This also brought smiles, insight, and hope for us not sitting on the carpet.

Through his passions... We gained a better understanding of diverse communities who we may not regularly intersect our daily life. Pastor’s intentional work in the Reconciling in Christ process provided us with the opportunity to learn about the challenges and inequities people who identify as being in the LGBTQIA+ community. We gained awareness of the importance to earnestly listen, ask questions, empathize, discuss, and adjust our understanding of complicated and sensitive topics.
We continued to financially support and participate in local and international ministries which provides different avenues for Holy Trinity to serve people living in situations of housing or food insecurity. Yes, Pastor’s departure brings us significant change after already experiencing months of pandemic concerns, yet we are also sending out his “gifts” of engagement, personal connection, and teaching to a far bigger community in need through his work with Lutheran World Relief.
We practiced living through awkward, unfamiliar, or unpredictable discussions and experiences because we were reminded we are a Christian first and we are capable of doing what we can now to love our neighbors.

Through his fortitude... Pastor provided Holy Trinity with a steadfast presence, diverse engagement, and loving concern through these ongoing months during the Pandemic. Despite being physically out of our Church, he helped us to remain grounded in the presence of God due to Pastor’s pastoral fortitude.
After months of online service, we understand that a vibrant church doesn’t have to be a traditional church setting. During the most challenging times of the Pandemic, Pastor’s vision provided experiences that helped to improve feelings of isolation and generated spiritual engagement.
We felt comforted and energized by the people we saw on Zoom when attending online services. The participation of individuals and families to read, sing, share faith stories, chat together in breakout rooms, or Adult Forums was a magnificent dance of creativity and collaboration by Pastor, Mark Donahue, our musicians, and others. One of my close friend’s favorite quote is by Martin Luther King is one you have probably heard. “The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they* stand at times of challenge and controversy.”
Christians understand that when we are given opportunities or choices, we are told to do what is right for those who happen to be living without a voice. A voice that may need resources, knowledge, mental or physical health, or just some plain “old’ good luck.” For reasons that you can obviously fill in, our Church Community finds itself in challenging and controversial times which makes it more important than ever to live through the lens of a compassionate Christian.
Let us keep God’s grace close as we make decisions of how we prioritize our time, energy, gifts, and financial support. Breathe in patience and an open heart as Holy Trinity moves through discernment and ask for your participation in the many months ahead. Let us live in the present and not let our concerns, worries, big aspirations, or expectations take over what we can do right now in our community and World as a caring, vibrant, and inclusive Church.

(*The words “man” and “he” were replaced by “person” and “they.”)

Council's Update on Pastor Tim's announcement that he's leaving Holy Trinity

Hello Holy Trinity. I am writing to you because the Council thought it might be helpful for us to provide a short update following the announcement that Pastor Tim has accepted a position with Lutheran World Relief.

I’m sure some of us may be feeling many emotions today. Others of us may not be feeling any emotion at all because we are still processing the news. Whatever you may be feeling, Holy Trinity is in the loving hands of God and as some young people say, “It’s all good.”

Whatever you are feeling, the Council and I want you to remember that Holy Trinity is a Church that has gone through transitions before and we will be successful going through this one. We will be successful because we know how to come together and work together. We know how to serve and complete what needs to be done. We know how to support this work by our participation. We also know how to listen to one another, share our thoughts, and come to a decision that will serve the work God calls us to do.

We will be here together in person or virtually when supply pastors and others provide us with sermons that feed our soul with God’s words. We will be together when we begin the “Transition Phase” that asks us to reflect and participate in various events. This work will then lead us to the “Call Process Phase.”

I believe the Church Council is capable in carrying out the oversight that is necessary for this rather lengthy process. After our regular Council meeting last Thursday we met with Steve Wilco. Steve is the Associate to the Bishop, serving western MA, part of Connecticut and NY, Vermont, and NH. He will lead us through the process and will be here on December 19th as a supply pastor.

The Council will be meeting on November 1st to start forming the Transition Team. This group of 6-8 people will be involved in the initial phase of our pastoral transition (approximately 6-9 months). This team needs members who have a positive outlook, creative strategic thinking, strong communication, and organizational skills. Please prayerfully consider if serving on the Transition Team is something you would consider. Contact Mark in the office or me if you have questions or are interested.

At our meeting on the 1st, the Council will begin the “rollout” of the Congregational Assessment Tool (CAT). This is a survey that takes the “pulse” of the congregation. It will ask you about your experiences, perceptions, and aspirations of Holy Trinity. It can be completed online or on paper.

Finally, the Council will discuss the plans for Pastor’s Godspeed and Farewell event. His last service will be on Sunday, November 14th.

Peace, Cristina Dolcino

October 2021: "Monday Medley"

I occasionally receive the email entitled “Monday Medley.” This email contains is a calendar of events /news about the New England Synod, and sometimes a short informal video from Bishop Hazelwood. The heading for his September video was, “Can we be kind during these challenging times?” He recorded the video while in Syracuse, NY for the installation of a NY bishop. He mentioned that when attends these events, he has the opportunity to meet Bishops from around the country. In talking about some areas of the country, congregations are going through very challenging times due to the harsh, cruel, and mean encounters between church attendees. I think the depth and sustained hardship related to COVID has certainly tested my patience to appreciate what I have, ability to be flexible, respond empathetically to others, and breathe through my frustrations.

Bishop Hazelwood continued in the video to say that New England is doing a good job and thanked us for being helpful for showing love and caring for others. He wants us “to learn to engage one another in helpful, constructive ways” in ways that show “decorum, Christian Love, and care.” The angst, uncertainty, extra work, and fears, can sure make everything more difficult, yet he enthusiastically encourages us to take on this challenge.

Showing kindness means considering the perspectives of others before forming an opinion, nurturing patience for things we cannot rush, holding close God’s love as we are guided in different ways, and reaching out to others to engage for support, laughter, and fellowship.

September 2021: “Faith frees us up to take in new information about who I am, who God is, and my place in the World.”

In last Sunday’s gospel on St. Mark (Chapter 7:24-37), a woman asks Jesus, “to cast the demon out of her daughter.” In Pastor Tim’s sermon, he talked about his understanding of how Jesus grew in his wisdom after his interaction with the women. Jesus seems to begin his interactions with one understanding and then shifts to another. Why did this shift happen? Did he listen more carefully? Was he beginning to form a better understanding of the heartbreaking situation of her daughter? Did he simply realize his mistake of disrespecting the women after her initial request? Hypothesizing these “whys” of Jesus’s actions could make an interesting discussion, yet Pastor’s interpretation of Jesus’s responses was the focus of not just doing what was right, but to get to what was right. The “getting to” part is the process we go through to understand what is behind a response or action. I know I sometimes don’t take the time or gather this energy to “get to what was right.”

Pastor also mentioned that, “Faith frees us up to take in new information about who I am, who God is, and my place in the World.” I couldn’t help but think about all the new information I have gained during these last 18 months of COVID. And I can’t imagine anyone not having to change their life in even a small way given new information. I know I have never experienced a sustaining worry about my health before and this is without a significant threat to my family. I can’t also help but think of the different ways we have helped others which has also helped us get through this difficult time. So many of you contribute to others at Holy Trinity and in our community... through your time, energy, baking, offerings, creativity, conversations, questions, kind words, prayers, church maintenance, communion visits, and quick smiles and hellos. We have also taken time to gain knowledge, hold discussions, acknowledge errors or misunderstandings, adapt as needed, and do what we can to enrich our lives through Jesus’ examples.

July 2021: Supporting our community, near and far.

I was in a small city on the northwest this summer for a family vacation. It’s a lovely place that seems to be family friendly, offer many outdoor activities, receives one snowfall a winter, and supports public education. I think it’s hard to accurately get the pulse of a city when you are staying for a short time, yet I think there is something to be said about ones initial “take” of a place. In this small city there is a significant population who are housing insecure (for individuals and families who are homeless.) There are probably many reasons why this problem exists, but I am guessing the lack of harsh, wintery weather is probably one significant reason. As I was driving through downtown one early evening, I saw a barefoot, unkempt young man looking through trash bins on the sidewalk. He appeared to be disorientated and was talking to himself. I wondered if he had a family? Did they know about his situation? If so, I thought how hard it must be for them to know this? What will he be doing in a year?

The city is actively working on this problem but as we all know, house insecurity involves more than just not having a bed. We know this problem carries wide ranging issues like mental illness, substance use, disease, trauma, domestic violence, and lack of affordable housing. It’s really hard to see people in difficult situations because it makes me uncomfortable and guilty that I’m not helping in some way. Fortunately at Holy Trinity we have many different ways to support our community near and far. One of the local organizations that will be starting up again in September is 68 Hours of Hunger. This organization began in Dover by Claire Bloom. She saw a need in a Dover public school to provide meals to children between Friday school lunch and Monday school breakfast. Since 2011, this program has spread into over 7 other states and is 100% volunteer run. A bag of food, averaging $10, is given to children K-12 on Friday. Holy Trinity’s Social Ministry Fund supports the purchasing of food along with the monthly packing of bags in less than an hour by Holy Trinity. As you may have read in a recent Tidings, the 68 Hours of Hunger program provided 3,400 meals to Portsmouth children during the 2020-2021 school year. It’s hard to imagine that some children worry about food or worse yet, are hungry over the weekend as parents work, juggle responsibilities, and prioritize financial necessities. What great work is being done and as we approach the start of another school year maybe you’ll feel the call to pack bags with food. Shortly after seeing this young man on the street, we left to return home. I was unable to directly help him. I hope and pray he can eventually find his way to mental and physical stability.

May 2021: Returning Home

Growing up as the oldest of five children, I was eager to leave home when it was time to go to college. While college was only 45 minutes away from home, I remember the first time I returned after about a month of being away. My father picked me up and I started thinking about the things I missed about home. Interactions with my siblings, our yard, my mother’s food, my high school friends, my bed... I was looking forward to the things I missed while at college. As we got closer to my hometown, I thought about the things I would do. This return home was enjoyable, but my experiences didn’t happen the ways I envisioned. I won’t say it was disappointing or insignificant, just different from what I remembered and had created in my heart and mind while driving home.

“Returning home” in my early 20’s feels a little like returning back inside Holy Trinity for service. I have attended two in person services. It was wonderful to hear music, enjoy the light shining through the stained glass, see familiar faces, join in to laugh with others, and reflect upon the sermons. Sure, there were things that felt a little different than a year ago, yet I felt enriched, comforted, and lifted up. I may not be alone in the way I anticipate how I will encounter my memories and experiences. As I maneuver through recent and ongoing shifts related to COVID and other guidelines, I am trying to keep in mind that my memories are just that, memories. I appreciate and value them for the purpose they service. What I know may not fit into my small slice of the world right now given all the changes and unknown outcomes. In time, and after some perspective, I believe these experiences and memories will gain their own significance.

April 2021: “Last Sunday, I discovered a bouquet of daffodils tucked inside my gardening shoes”

I would first like to say thank you to all the individuals who contributed to meaningful Lent, Holy Week, and Easter activities and services. Pastor Tim’s diverse and reflective services along with Mark Donahue’s capable media production were appreciated by parishioners who attended Holy Trinity in person and online. The musicians (both instruments and vocals) complemented the peaceful and beautifully decorated sanctuary and the glass-still water set the tone for a memorable sunrise Easter service.

Last Sunday, I discovered a bouquet of daffodils tucked inside my gardening shoes that live on my doorstep as soon as the snow melts. It was a lovely gift that reminded me of the beautiful Easter we had the previous weekend. The inklings of new beginnings and life grew out of Lent’s time of questions and reflection. During Pastor’s sermon on March 21st, he mentioned one of his favorite movies, Amazing Grace. The protagonist of this movie is the historical figure, William Wilberforce, who was the driving force in the English parliament to pass the Abolition Bill in 1789. Pastor made connections between Wilberforce’s quote, “You can choose to look the other way, but can never say again you did not know” and the charge Jesus asks of us to do messy, challenging, and uncomfortable work. Pastor also mentioned that Jesus’s rebirth breaks through the sadness of life to encourage hope, goodness, and compassion. I can remember past opportunities when I looked “the other way” from my neighbors because that was the easier, more convenient, or less scary. We are reminded that taking opportunities that could increase someone’s feeling of hope, goodness, or compassion is what Jesus asks us to do. Making shifts in my life to try and “live” the church out in the world can feel uncomfortable and overwhelming. Those daffodils emerged through the last inches of snow, matted leaves, and cold soil. Their determination to bloom year after year may encourage you to open up to new ways of “looking” toward our neighbors. Opportunities exist at Holy Trinity for serving others by using your phone or computer, supporting neighbors with food insecurity, and meeting with new neighbors who face immigration challenges. Please contact Mark in the Church office myself or should you be curious about learning about these ministries.

March 2021: New England Synod meeting of Council Presidents

Two weeks ago, I attended a Zoom meeting for Church Council presidents in the New England Synod with Bishop Hazelwood. The Synod Council has begun to hold discussions about the future of ministries in our Synod. Mr. Bill Parchen (St. Matthew, Avon, CT) and Pr. Erica Kennedy (Trinity, Chelmsford, MA) are moving forward in supporting churches to connect and learn from one another. It was decided to begin with a Zoom meeting with the Council Presidents. The purpose of this evening was to have a “conversation around the future of the church,” to connect with one another, learn some best practices, and share resources. As you can imagine, I considered this a meeting not to be missed. Approximately 100 council presidents attended.

Bishop Hazelwood spoke about the importance of Councils making decisions based on the unique characteristics of each church. He mentioned the value of providing opportunities to engage, make connections, and serve our church members and community in safe ways. A significant amount of time was spent in small breakout rooms. We discussed our experiences over the last year as well as, our struggles, successes, and concerns as we shift to warmer weather, vaccinations, celebration of life services, youth programming, and community outreach ministries. Many council presidents spoke about both successes and failures in how their churches are able to access the Internet, use technology, and find individuals with the skills necessary to support churches’ increased online presence.

A significant number of service offerings were discussed ranging from shared recorded services between churches to in-person services that began at the end of last year. The methods that members stayed connected within congregations seemed to be more challenging based on the small variety of opportunities mentioned. I explained our different service formats, music, ongoing ministries, and faith formation initiatives available to parishioners for use in their homes. When I speak to people outside of Holy Trinity, I share my gratitude for the creativity, capabilities, and commitment of Pastor, Mark D, musicians/singers, ministry leaders, and the numerous congregational members who have supported ideas and initiatives that continue to sustain us as a Church and strengthened our community.

Lent is an opportunity to weed out habits or distractions, allowing time and space for reflection, service, everyday prayer, meditation, journaling, movement, etc. I initially yearn for my usual activities, but soon I find this shift brings a renewed reminder of balance and intention. What I then find challenging is maintaining this practice or commitment for longer than the days of Lent.