Lent 4: March 14, 2010
Incumbent: The Rev’d Sherman Hesselgrave
Music Director: Becca Whitla Coordinator: Nola Crewe
Celebrant: Bill Whitla
Homilist: Sherman Hesselgrave – “The God Who Won’t Let Go”
Welcome to the Church of the Holy Trinity. We are delighted to have you with us this morning. Holy Trinity is an accessible, active, vibrant, justice-seeking, queer-positive community in the heart of downtown Toronto. We try to use language in our worship which includes us all, and we encourage the extensive participation of each person in the worship and life of the Church. At the Peace we move about freely, greeting one another. During the offertory hymn we will move to create a circle around the altar for the Prayers of the People. All are welcome to share in the Eucharist as they feel comfortable. To help you know Holy Trinity better, and to help you navigate through this service, be sure you have one of the handouts, Welcome to the Church of the Holy Trinity. A special welcome Newcomers!!!! Please fill out the Newcomers Form which will let us know how to reach you.
10 Trinity Square
Tor, Ont, M5G 1B1
Tel:(416) 598-4521
www.holytrinitytoronto.org
THE GATHERING OF THE COMMUNITY
We gather in our pews for the morning welcome
✜ Welcome
✜ Opening Meditation: Meditation by Nicholas Choveaux
✜ Opening hymn: (All rise, in body or spirit):
This Day God Gives Me
✜ Greeting:
All: May the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all.
✜ The Collect for Purity
All: All loving God to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily praise your holy name; through Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Confession:
One: For the absolution and remission of our sins and offenses, let us pray to God. Silence
One: God in your mercy:
All: Hear our prayer.
One: We are a forgiven people: God’s spirit is free among us.
All: Thanks be to God.
✜ The Exchange of Peace:
It is our custom to move about to exchange the peace. Please be mindful that it is flu season. Concerns about flu mean some people are uncomfortable shaking hands and/or hugging. A smile and nod, or the sign of peace “V” are other suggested alternatives.
One: The Peace of Christ be always with you:
All: And also with you.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
✜ Collect for the Day: God of the covenant, you call us to be fruitful servants within creation and to offer our lives as the foundation of your realm. We lay before you the desires of our hearts, that we may be transformed by their fulfilment. AMEN.
✜ The Hebrew Scripture: Joshua 5:9-12 Reader: Anne Grasham
after the reading
Reader: Hear what the Spirit says to God’s people
All: Thanks be to God
✜ Psalm 32 A Hymn, adapted, Ian Sowton
HAPPY are those whose sins are mercifully set aside,
the ones whose transgression is forgiven;
2 those who have no iniquity reckoned against them,
and in whose spirit there lurks no deceit.
3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away
to the sound of my groaning all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy on me day and night;
my strength dried up as if by heat of summer.
5 Then finally I admitted my sin to you,
and stopped trying to conceal my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgression to God,”
and you blotted out the guilt of my sin.
6 Then let all the faithful offer up their prayers,
so the floodwaters of distress will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place, preserving me from trouble;
you surround me with glad shouts of deliverance.
8 I will teach you, instructing you in the right way;
I will guide you with my counselling eye.
9 Do not be clueless, like some horse or mule
that requires bit and bridle so as not to stray.
10 The wicked are subject to all sorts of torment,
but steadfast love encircles those who trust in God.
11 Rejoice in your Creator, O justice lovers, be glad –
sound out! enjoy your happiness, all you of upright heart.
✜ Epistle: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Reader: Alan Gasser
Reader: A Reading from . . .
Reader: Hear what the Spirit says to the Churches
All: Thanks be to God Silence
✜ Hymn: “Healer of Our Every Ill” #619
All rise, in body or spirit for the hymn and Gospel.
✜ Holy Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Reader: Carole Clark
Reader: May God be with you All: And also with you
Reader: The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke
All: Glory to Christ our Saviour
after the reading
Reader: The Gospel of Christ All: Praise to Christ our Saviour
✜ Homily: “The God Who Won’t Let Go” Sherman Hesselgrave
LITURGY OF THE BREAD AND CUP
We gather in a circle around the altar to share the gifts of bread
and wine and other offerings, the symbols of our common life. All
are welcome. You may also remain seated and, if you wish, communion will be brought to you. Financial offerings will also be received. You may also join the many who give by Pre-authorized Donation; simply request a PAD form from today’s Coordinator.
✜ Offertory Hymn: “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” #333
✜Prayers of the People
In the Anglican Cycle we remember for The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean; in the Diocesan Cycle: Crosslink Housing and Support Services and the San Esteban congregation here at Holy Trinity. The community now offers its prayers, both spoken and unspoken. Please keep your prayers brief.
✜ The Great Thanksgiving (see orange book)
Presider: Bill Whitla
Please do not dip the bread into the wine. The bread and wine will be passed around the circle, but if you prefer you may receive at the gluten-free station at the altar.
✜The Saviour’s Prayer O God, our Mother and Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your reign come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
✜ Communion Anthem: Here is Bread
Glory to God: Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God, from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. AMEN.
✜Closing Hymn: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” #670
✜Dismissal: p. 36 in the green booklet
✜Postlude: Rondeau from Te Deum by Marc-Antoine Charpentier
(Josh Grossman, Trumpet)
Please join us after the service at the back of the church for soup.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
March 14, 2010
WEEKLY NOTICES
Please note: On Sunday mornings, if you have any concerns related to personal safety, please speak with our Incumbent Sherman Hesselgrave, Nola Crewe, our curate or the caretaker on duty.
◆Assistive Hearing Devices are available at the rear of the church. This is an infrared system which works best if you face towards the front of the church.
◆Please help us keep tidy by picking up bulletins and hymn books after the service and returning them to the carts at the entrances of the church. Thanks
◆Prayers: Please feel free to light a candle at the chancel steps, or phone Sherman Hesselgrave with your special prayer requests.
◆Join Holy Trinity’s e-mail list! Contact Alison Kemper at:
<alisonkemper@yahoo.co.uk>
◆Scent Free Zone: Please refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, after-shave and highly scented personal hygiene products.
◆Personal Belongings should be kept with you at all times. Sadly, we cannot ensure their safety. Members, please help newcomers and visitors keep track of their belongings.
Services
Sundays
10:30 – festive contemporary Eucharist in inclusive language with music
2:00 – San Esteban misa en español – Spanish service with the community of San Esteban.
Wednesdays at 12:15pm brief spoken Eucharist with informal discussion of the day’s readings
Parish Groups and Committees
◆Worship Committee: Contact: Lee Creal: 416-466-4216
◆Refugee Committee: Contact Malcolm Savage: 416-421-7248
◆Congregational Care Committee: Contact: Sherman Hesselgrave
◆Property Committee: Contact: Jim Dolmage 416-531-26
Parish Activities and Announcements:
◆The Homeless Memorial is on the second Tuesday of every month at 12:00 outside the south doors of the church.
◆Please help keep our space looking sharp!! If your committee has a meeting or you are using the space for something else, please leave the space as it was when you started. Thank you very much.
◆Upcoming Services:
March 21 – Lent 5: Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8
Announcements for the Bulletin: A great way to share information with the community!! Please get your announcement for the bulletin to Becca by Monday for the following Sunday – thanks!
Parking Notice: The church itself has no parking, but parking is available, free of charge, on Sundays between 10 am and 1 pm, in the new City Hall underground parking garage. If you park at new City Hall, please remember to bring your parking chit and have it stamped at the church. Parking is also available in the parking garage at the Bell Trinity Building for a flat rate on Sundays of $5.00. Parking is also available at the Eaton Centre. We are wheelchair accessible at the south entrance of the church.
Lenten Book Study: The Work of the People: What We Do in Worship and Why (Marlea Gilbert, Christopher Grundy, Eric T. Myers, and Stephanie Perdew, published by The Alban Institute). It is a quick read, about 100 pages of text divided among four chapters, with discussion questions provided. There are four groups organized across the city or feel free to create your own group. Please speak with Sherman Hesselgrave if you’d like more details. He has copies of the book available for $16.
Hearing System: We regret that our hearing assistive system is not currently available for use. It is undergoing repairs and we expect that it will be available again within a couple of weeks. We apologize for any inconvenience.
HT CHOIR – Hymnody of Earth
The Holy Trinity choir is hosting a special choral project with three choirs this spring: We will be performing Hymnody of Earth on Sat April 17 at 8pm on the 40th anniversary of Earth Day (April 22). The composer, Malcolm Dalglish, will be here. Please mark the date in your book!!
For info, contact: bwhitla@holytrinitytoronto.org or 416-598-4521, ex 224
Massey College Presents:
An Arts Gala Benefit for Romero House
In collaboration with Holy Trinity, San Esteban and Romero House
Sunday, March 28 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $20
The concert will feature classical, jazz and blue grass musicians from Massey College as well as the Echo Women’s Choir, the Toronto Morris Dancers, a special song for Oscar Romero. During intermission there will be a bake sale, a magician and an art sale (thanks to Fran Sowton)
For info: www.MCpresents.blogspot.com
See Becca Whitla for tickets
Volunteers Needed for Bakesale:
Holy Trinity will host an arts gala benefit for Romero House, a residence for refugees in Toronto’s west end, on Sunday March 28 at 7:30 p.m. Apart from ticket sales, there will be a number of other fund-raising activities at this event. All proceeds will go to support the work of Romero House.
Holy Trinity and San Esteban have been asked to organize and run a bake sale at the intermission. We need several volunteers to help during the actual sale, as well as donations of baked goods, and “finger food” that can be eaten without utensils, such as cookies, cupcakes, cheese and crackers, empanadas, and cut-up fruit and vegetables. Items from the bake sale will be sold by donation and all proceeds will go to Romero House. We are expecting 200-300 people to attend this event.
If you plan to donate food, or if you are available to help at the bake sale, please contact Gail Holland at gailholland@sympatico.ca or 905-427-9668.
News from the Refugee Committee
We have been meeting with representatives of St. James Cathedral congregation and also members of St. Martin in the Fields. Together we have agreed to sponsor a refugee family from Iraq. This is the first time in recent years that the other congregations have sponsored refugees. We are quite excited about working together with these congregations. We will be sharing the costs as well as the excitement, fun and hard work that this involves.
LABYRINTH SPRING EQUINOX WALK
You are invited to experience the Spring Equinox with the Labyrinth Community Network.
Walk to the beat of live medieval music and to the pulsing new vigour of our long heralded spring.
Saturday, March 20
12:00 Noon
Toronto Public Labyrinth
Trinity Square Park
Everyone welcome
Fully accessible
Free of charge
