Dear Trinity family,

I’ve been a member of this parish all my life. My parents and grandparents were members, too. In fact, my grandparents were the first couple married in this church. So I’ve heard about–and witnessed–a lot of change. Perhaps some of you have, too. But one thing has remained constant. And that’s the spirit of generosity that exists here. In fact, “Together we grow in generosity” is a fundamental basis of life here at Trinity Pawtuxet.

This spirit of generosity is seen in many ways. From the enthusiasm evident at worship, the caring and concern for others via individual efforts and parish support groups, the making and distribution of food bags, to the gentle way that people care for one another. It is about saying the right thing at the right time or understanding that occasionally we should say nothing at all.

And because we are a village church, we seek to support our community. Whether individuals attend on a regular basis or only walk through our doors for a wedding, a funeral, or a neighborhood celebration like Gaspee Days or the Christmas in Pawtuxet service, they are welcomed. We find that the more we reach out in love and kindness, the more we endeavor to do so.

That applies to me, too. I’ve held numerous positions here at Trinity and in the diocese. I’ve found that the more I give of myself, the more I want to give. I’ve changed; I’ve grown.

Let’s grow in generosity together. Grow in the giving of our time and talent. Grow in spirit and in mission. And, through that growth, we’ll all become richer–creating welcoming spaces in our hearts and in our parish.

I am the eighth child in a family of nine, born and raised in Albany, New York.

My family was filled with love, which was such a blessing! In watching my hard-working parents, I learned, early on, to give back in any way I could. Because we had limited means, our gifts were less material and more gifts of caring and giving of ourselves. It became natural for me to be there for those I care about. It is now a core value of who I am.

Albany was a good place to grow up, but eventually I followed my love of New England and relocated to Rhode Island. Giving of my time to listen to and be present for others continued to be a strong driver. I understood the impact of having older siblings, so I volunteered for and became a Big Sister in my early 20s. Nina and I remain in touch to this day.

When I moved to the Gaspee Plateau section of Warwick, I was looking for a church that would resonate with my core values and also provide a sense of community. I found it here at Trinity. Once again, it became natural to give of my time. I’ve served as a part-time Sunday School Teacher and an usher, on the Altar Guild and on the Vestry. I co-led the Episcopal Charities drive in our parish for several years and volunteered to lead a new ministry that provided free laundry services– “Laundry Love”.

Through it all, my faith has kept my spiritual life moving in the right direction. I’ve learned that celebrating and supporting small communities–my family, my parish; my neighborhood–can accomplish big goals. Each act builds on another, concentric circles rippling outward to touch others.

My church family has helped me through some personal challenges along the way. I am grateful for the support and friendships I’ve made. Trinity Church is that place where I feel at peace and I have a strong connection with my fellow parishioners. I feel blessed to include my church family–to include you–in my daily prayers.

I am the eighth child in a family of nine, born and raised in Albany, New York.

My family was filled with love, which was such a blessing! In watching my hard-working parents, I learned, early on, to give back in any way I could. Because we had limited means, our gifts were less material and more gifts of caring and giving of ourselves. It became natural for me to be there for those I care about. It is now a core value of who I am.

Albany was a good place to grow up, but eventually I followed my love of New England and relocated to Rhode Island. Giving of my time to listen to and be present for others continued to be a strong driver. I understood the impact of having older siblings, so I volunteered for and became a Big Sister in my early 20s. Nina and I remain in touch to this day.

When I moved to the Gaspee Plateau section of Warwick, I was looking for a church that would resonate with my core values and also provide a sense of community. I found it here at Trinity. Once again, it became natural to give of my time. I’ve served as a part-time Sunday School Teacher and an usher, on the Altar Guild and on the Vestry. I co-led the Episcopal Charities drive in our parish for several years and volunteered to lead a new ministry that provided free laundry services– “Laundry Love”.

Through it all, my faith has kept my spiritual life moving in the right direction. I’ve learned that celebrating and supporting small communities–my family, my parish; my neighborhood–can accomplish big goals. Each act builds on another, concentric circles rippling outward to touch others.

My church family has helped me through some personal challenges along the way. I am grateful for the support and friendships I’ve made. Trinity Church is that place where I feel at peace and I have a strong connection with my fellow parishioners. I feel blessed to include my church family–to include you–in my daily prayers.

Sunday dinner was an important meal in my house growing up. It was always a soul- warming meal that left us nourished and ready for the week. We would eat it in the dining room and the table would be set with the “nice napkins.” My mother always cooked more than would feed our family of four. She expected to have guests. If you were in the house when it was ready, there was a place set for you. All were welcome. There were times when it was just the four of us, and we ate the leftovers Monday evening. The best Sundays, however, were when we had guests. When friends, new and old, stayed the extra hour and shared a meal as a member of the family. The conversation was always more interesting, more enlightening, more exciting and just a change from weeknight dinners. Viewpoints, traditions and jokes were shared that we hadn’t heard yet. These dinners shaped me as a person.

When I think of church, I think of God’s house. When I think of Trinity Church, I think of home. God has set a place for all of us each Sunday. All God’s children are welcome at the table: to share the conversation, the community, the prayers, and Holy Communion.

Whether we have attended Trinity from birth, found it later in life, or are visiting for the first time, we can find a home here. The path that led us here is unimportant.

It is enough to be at home, together.

At the beginning of the year, I asked the members of Trinity Church to pray for peace–any form of peace.

To pray for individuals who have experienced loss, injustice, fear, anxiety, catastrophes, racism, or other forms of division. To pray for countries and the policy makers who work for peace and justice. For peace in the world. Although this was a new ministry at Trinity, I am convinced that many joined together in prayer, giving thanks and praise to God, the origin of true peace.

And since I believe that even the smallest effort, like the beating of a butterfly’s wings, can have an outsized impact, I give thanks for your efforts and I praise God for the many answers to our prayers..

But how can we judge the effect of our individual and cumulative prayers?

Close to home, I have seen that some family members are more at peace and less anxious. I give thanks every day for these changes. In our church, I witnessed many parishioners caring for others and sharing the work of building a better community.

On a larger scale–especially with the tensions we read about and encounter on an almost daily basis–it may be more difficult to judge. But I firmly believe that Trinity’s prayers have had an impact on the world stage as well. Because once you look closely, you’ll find individuals and groups spreading God’s love and promoting peace in even the most unlikely places. I am sure that our prayers for the release of Americans and captives in Gaza–added to prayers from others around the world–have helped.

Praying for peace can be as simple as, “I pray for peace, in Jesus’s name, amen.” Or it can be as complex as one wishes, naming specific people and situations. It matters not, as long as God is at the center. And now I make one special request: that you pray from now until Christmas for a worldwide moment of peace. Just imagine: one moment throughout the world.

I have been a member of many churches; at Trinity I feel at home. At peace. So I offer my talents as the designer of the weekly enews and as an usher at the 8:00 service. And a financial promise so that the work of the parish can continue.

Together—giving thanks and praise.

I am a caretaker, though not professionally.

I have a handicapped brother– my absolute world and my rock– who makes me a better person in this crazy life. I take care of him every day and wouldn’t trade it for the world. We are inseparable; he is truly my best friend. Caring for my brother who needs full-time support in his day-to-day life has taught me so much about patience and being caring and nice to other human beings. Why? Because everyone has something going on.

I also helped care for my dad–my best friend and my everything–when he was sick with cancer. He died seven years ago, which was and still is a tough one, but it taught me that life is too short to not care for or try to help those in need.

So how does this relate to my parish? My mom and dad taught me to treat others the way you would want to be treated. And Trinity Church does just that. We care about the well-being of those that need extra help and come together as a family group to make sure it happens. If someone is sick or needs a hand with something–whether to pick up groceries or cook or send a card–someone at Trinity is there.

Trinity also comes together to help care for the homeless and for schools by donating needed items like school supplies, underwear, hats, and mittens. We give to the local food pantry.
And our fundraisers and weekly financial gifts keep Trinity alive so we can continue to be there for each other.

My family gives what we can.

We know that when everyone pulls together, God uses all our gifts for good.