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Writings from Our Parish Members
The Christmas Pageant, 2007
Mississippi Adult Mission Trip, 2007
"YouTubing" at the Episcopal seminary, February, 2007
A Climb into Trinity's Secret Spaces, 2006
New Orleans Youth Mission Trip, 2006
Mississippi Adult Mission Trip, 2006
A Mission Trip to Haiti, 2006
The Nor'easter of 2006
Renovation of the West Window, December 2005
Reflections on Easter Morning, 2005
Acolytes visit Washington, October 2004
On Sunday, December 16, 2008, a big storm had hit the Midwest to the Northeast, and, compared with this particular Sunday in other years, church attendance was unusually sparse for one of Trinity's very special services - the Christmas Pageant. Frozen snow and sheet ice kept parishioners who live at a distance from church that morning, but Joe Dzeda lives a stone's throw away and tells us in words and pictures about this marvellous event at Trinity:
Dear Friends,
Notwithstanding the Cassandra-like predictions from the weather forecasters, the morning of December 16, 2007, proved to be an entirely appropriate backdrop for Trinity Church's Christmas Pageant. New Englanders are a hearty lot; a few inches of fresh snowfall, a touch of freezing rain, wind chill temperatures in the teens and an overcast sky, only serve to challenge our resolve. Taking our cue from the Shubert Theatre just around the corner, we agreed that "the show must go on!" And indeed it did.
Trinity's Pageant is a tradition that stretches back many decades. Organized and directed by a few mildly-stressed but nonetheless cheerful adults who take pains to remain in the background, the children of Trinity are recruited, coached, prodded, and encouraged to take part in the annual affair. Handmade costumes and props are hauled out of forgotten closets, and in a few short days Trinity's undercroft is transformed into a staging area for shepherds, wise men, and a bevy of angels attired in white gowns trimmed with gold fringe.
The Pageant is a traditional presentation in which the children act out the Christmas story in a series of tableaux vivants interspersed with relevant scriptural readings intermingled with Christmas hymns and carols. For many of us, it is the high point of the season. The children are delighted to take an important part in a Sunday worship service, and the adults in the congregation are glad to be magically transported back to their own childhood memories. Acting as head usher in the rear of the church, it is my pleasure to see several in the congregation discreetly digging into their pockets and purses for hankies, grateful for the lowered lighting in the nave.
This year, as every year, there were a few changes made, perhaps because the Pageant is an ongoing reflection of the evolving nature of Trinity Church itself. For example, the children who once filled the roles of tiny angels grow up and become Mary or Joseph or perhaps one of the wise men. This year we ventured a bit deeper into uncharted waters and, instead of a gently glowing 25-watt lamp in the crèche, a tiny and cooperative infant took the place of the baby Jesus. Also embellishing the production for the first time were some farm animals, likewise obliging in nature, despite some occasional bleating from the narthex, which served as their own private Green Room.
Words cannot adequately recreate the experience of Trinity's Christmas Pageant. The venerable church, which has witnessed 193 Christmases, is done up in wreaths and swags of greenery. Candles, both real and virtual, accent the sanctuary and window wells, their Tiffany creations glowing softly in the subdued winter light. The Aeolian-Skinner organ adds its hallowed voice, sometimes sending shivers up the spine with the "smothered fire" of the reeds emerging from under the rich foundation stops, other times melting away into haunting and gentle waves of sound that disappear into sheer nothingness. Christmas at Trinity is a timeless occasion, one that touches the soul and refreshes the heart.
The following snapshots are an attempt to capture that which cannot be recorded. With a little imagination on your part, however, you can furnish the missing details. May you have a very Merry Christmas!
THE MORNING SNOWFALL IS CLEARED AWAY
TRINITY'S TOWER PEEKS ABOVE THE TAFT APARTMENTS
TRINITY CHURCH-ON-THE-WHITE
SHEPHERDS AND KINGS PREPARE FOR THE PAGEANT
THE TIMELESS STORY IS ABOUT TO UNFOLD YET AGAIN
AN ANGEL ADJUST HER HALO
A MODERN-DAY SHEEP ARRIVES IN A PICKUP TRUCK
"ARE YOU SURE I'M SUPPOSED TO BE HERE?"
SNACKS IN THE GREEN ROOM
THE CHOIR OF MEN AND GIRLS PREPARES TO PROCESS
AN ANGEL AND THE MYSTICAL STAR
HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
AND A
HAPPY NEW YEAR
In May, 2007, fourteen adults from Trinity went to Mississippi to continue helping with the renewal efforts after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This is the second year Trinity has sent an adult team to the area.
Mississippi Mission Trip II
By Leigh Lindsay
The good news is that we found New Orleans and the Gulf region much improved; the bad news is there is still much work to be done.
As we landed in New Orleans we noticed immediately that there were many fewer blue tarps on rooftops, a sign of re-building. We also noticed leaves on the trees. Last year the trees were struggling to produce some scruffy leaves, this year everything was green and lush looking. Restaurants and bars were open; music of every type projected onto the streets, and throngs of college students walked around carrying Hurricanes or the bright green drink in a long, tall plastic glass.
Fourteen of us spent the next week in Long Beach, Mississippi at Camp Coast Care (CCC). Even CCC was looking up! The long awaited move out of the Coast Episcopal School gym and into the adjacent brand new facility had just been completed two weeks prior. The new volunteer space was hardly luxurious but a definite improvement with more bathrooms and a larger kitchen. The "dorm" contained rows of bunk beds with milk crates as nightstands but the place was clean and air-conditioned.
Similar to last year our group participated in a variety of projects. Many of us spent time at the Thomas house nailing up sheet rock, then mudding and taping to make the walls smooth. Robert was there working along side of us. He was a wiry man, very friendly and grateful. My favorite memory of my day there involved a trip with Mary Beth to the Porta Potty a couple of blocks away. As we took turns using the facilities a woman walked across the street, asked us where we were from, and gave us both huge hugs and thanks for not forgetting the people of the Gulf. She beckoned her friend over for more hugs and thanks. Mary Beth and I knew we were doing the right thing.
Another project involved building a deck and steps on a house that was up on the now required stilts. This house was one of only 2 or 3 actual houses on this street not far from the beach. Mostly there were trailers and the broken remains of small houses and sheds. This was a neighborhood that was not in great shape before the storm and Katrina did nothing to improve it. We did however! We (under the leadership of Claudio) built a beautiful deck, front steps, and a side landing and steps. The owner, Daniel came around a few times and gave his approval. We loved seeing his sense of whimsy in his choice of bright blue and purple paint for the bedrooms. Yellow paint was to go up next in the living room. At least now he had a way to enter his home without having to climb up the scaffolding.
A third "project" involved remaining at Camp and helping to maintain the facility. With many volunteers coming and going each week much effort needs to be put into cleaning the dorm, the bathrooms and the kitchen. In addition, although there was a paid cook, volunteers were needed to assist with the prep of three meals a day. Our group assisted admirably in the cleaning and especially the cooking.
In spite of working hard, often outside in the mid-May Southern heat, it was not all work. It seems that working hard all day lends itself to having a good time in the evenings. Our group did a brisk business at the local liquor store and at the nearby Mexican restaurant that had only been opened since Easter. We made good use of the fire pit behind the CCC building, enjoying cool evenings talking about our days and our lives.
For a video and photos of our trip visit: http://mission2miss.blogspot.com
Jake Dell, a parishioner, tells us:
I am working on my master's in ministry at an Episcopal seminary in Wisconsin. I just got back from a week there studying Church history. During term, it's arranged like an old English college, with professors and students vesting twice daily for morning and evening prayer. It's quite wonderful.
During my November trip (I go out there four times a year during the course of this two-year program) I "You Tubed" my experiences with a series of video clips. They've been pretty well received, and I am surprised to find to find out how many people have seen them. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jacobdelldell.
In July, 2006, a group of Trinity's youth traveled to New Orleans on a mission trip to help rebuild people's houses. Here are comments from a chaperone and two youth participants:
- Hello everyone,
The mission trip was very rewarding...helping out others, reconnecting with the youth members at Trinity church and meeting new youth from different states. This trip also showed me how fortunate I am and it allowed me to reflect on how I would react if a similar disaster occurred to me. I would like to thank everyone who contributed their time in raising funds as well as those who contributed monetary funds to make this possible.
Germaine Andrews
- This mission trip was one of the most life-changing for all of us. Even though the devastation was great we treated it the same way that any other mission trip would be treated. From this trip I grew closer to God and the way that I believe that God is represented differently in everyone's lives. For me God is not just a once a week thing, but he has helped me find who I am and what I want to do with my life. Even thought I cannot see or hear him, I know that he is and always will be there for me. Other than closer to God, I have met so many others just like me that believe in the same thing. There is no other way to describe these mission trips other than faith. This to me means that the people's homes that we are working on, or the residents themselves, do have faith that we are going to be starting and finishing the job. We grow in our faith and those around us have faith that we will succeed.
Mackenzie Pikaart
- To everyone reading this, I'd like to say the trip to New Orleans was a great success in all the work we got done. Even though there were so few crews working there we still got a very good amount of work done in one week, and there are still more crews there working now...there have been since the beginning of the summer. The trip was a great experience for me and I believe it was for the rest of the group too. In the end it was a wonderful week during which many wonderful things happened.
Max Duenkel
Leigh Lindsay participated in an adult mission trip from Trinity to Mississippi in May, 2006. She reminisces about the experience:
As I looked out the window from the airplane as we approached the New Orleans Airport, I marveled at how many people had swimming pools in their backyards. As we got closer I realized the bright blue I was seeing was not pools but tarps covering as yet unrepaired roofs damaged by Hurricane Katrina nine months ago.
I was on my way to spend a week at Camp Coast Care in Long Beach, Mississippi, doing whatever volunteer work was asked of me. I was joined by eleven other stalwart members of Trinity. Since the end of August 2005 when the hurricane hit I had heard many reports of the damage and recovery efforts in the area, but I was still unprepared for the extent of the damage still visible and the work that needed to be done.
The clean-up part had largely been completed - that is roads were clear, tree limbs were neatly stacked or already removed, and tarps were tidily fastened to the roofs. But what I wasn't prepared for was the empty concrete slab where a home once stood or the abandoned shopping center with just a sign hanging crookedly. Trailers were parked in front of many homes that signaled the interiors were still uninhabitable. Many homes that were not actually flooded still had extensive water damage due to the wind damage of the roof. Apparently the waiting time for a new roof is still quite lengthy.
Our group spent time doing a variety of jobs: hanging sheet rock including mudding and sanding, some electrical work, caulking, painting and removing insulation, wiring, damaged paneling, and seemingly millions of nails from wall studs. Other jobs included rebuilding a fence and building 96 partitions to be used in a new camp to house youth volunteers this summer.
The work was sometimes physically difficult and always hot and sweaty. But these minor inconveniences paled in comparison to the struggles the people we met had been living with for nine months. We met a young couple that had only been in their new house for 2 weeks before the storm hit and blew the roof off their house. We helped an older couple re-build their long-time home that housed them and their extensive collections. And we helped a lively widow who was filling her spare time volunteering for the same organization we were.
In addition to helping people in the Gulf Coast area of Mississippi our group formed strong bonds of friendship and cohesion. We felt connected to each other and to this part of the world in a way that I did not expect. The joint Lutheran /Episcopal relief efforts of Camp Coast Care are expected to be needed in the Long Beach area for 5-7 years. I was deeply impressed by their efforts and the efforts of the volunteers we met from other parts of the country who came to put their faith into action. Check out the website for more information about their efforts: http://www.campcoastcare.com/.
Joe Dzeda, warden, emailed this piece to friends in 2005 and we share it with you, our visitors:
A couple of days ago I was asked to repair the reading lamp for the beautiful brass lectern in my church, Trinity Church-on-the-Green in New Haven. All that was needed was a new cord and a little TLC, so I took the fixture home for repairs that were easily done in a few minutes. In order to have the lamp ready for the Easter vigil service, I had to install it early in the morning before I went ahead with my usual Saturday routine. So I went to Trinity Church first thing in the morning.
There’s something special about the daybreak in general, and about daybreak at Trinity Church in particular. Consecrated 189 years ago, Trinity Church is one of the earliest examples of Gothic revival architecture in America. Its architect, Ithiel Town (1784-1844), was one of America’s foremost engineers and bridge-builders, and patented the wooden truss bridge in 1820. Trinity Church’s attic testifies to Town’s engineering prowess; his pegged wooden trusses are still holding up the roof almost two centuries after they were erected.
Like most old churches, Trinity Church has undergone several interior renovations along the way. A chancel was added in 1885, and the present altar was erected in 1895, beneath which lie the mortal remains of Abraham Jarvis, second Bishop of Connecticut. The beautiful stone reredos behind the altar was dedicated on March 24, 1912 and was designed by Charles Coolidge Haight of New York. Lee Lawrie, then an instructor in the Yale University School of Art, executed the stonework. Perhaps his most famous work, the spectacular reredos for St. Thomas’ Church in New York, was completed about the same time as Trinity’s smaller but equally splendid example.
Many Easter services have been celebrated at Trinity’s altar over the years. As I write these words, the dawn of another Easter Day is taking place. In a few hours Trinity Church will be filled with happy multitudes. Scores of well-trained musicians, accompanied by Trinity’s wonderful Aeolian-Skinner organ, will attempt to dislodge Ithiel Town’s old wooden trusses from their moorings as they joyfully proclaim the glory of the Risen Lord. Surrounded by sturdy Gothic revival architecture, Tiffany glass windows, and Lee Lawrie’s elegant carved stonework, the crowds will hear again the message of hope and renewal that is Easter’s eternal promise.
In the hope that you will enjoy them, I am enclosing a few photographs taken within Trinity’s old walls yesterday. They depict an old church waiting in patient anticipation for the celebrations of yet another Easter Day. So open your email window a bit and let’s take a little tour of Trinity Church.
TRINITY CHURCH WELCOMES YOU!
MORE THAN 4,000 PIPES READY FOR EASTER
GOLDEN ARCHES OF A DIFFERENT SORT
A GALLERY WINDOW FILLED WITH SUNLIGHT
A TIFFANY ANGEL SMILES AT DAWN
THE VIEW FROM THE GALLERY
THE CHANCEL READY FOR EASTER
THE BRASS EAGLE LECTERN
GOD’S HEAVENLY JEWELRY
EASTER LILIES AND DAFFODILS
ALTAR ANGELS AT PRAYER
I wish you a joyful Easter filled with the eternal promise of hope and renewal.
Joe
In February 2006, Ed and Margie Pikaart wrote:
A yearly tradition of a pre-tax season getaway led us to the beautiful island of Haiti. We went on a mission trip to the Haitian Health Foundation (HHF) with a group of eleven "pilgrims" as we were fondly called. Discussing the trip with friends and family prior to going was met with hesitation. Warnings about the political unrest and the problems in Haiti were the admonishments. After several phone calls and placing our safety in God's hands, we were off on a tremendous adventure.
The travel to Haiti included three plane rides, the last of which ended on a dirt runway. It was a scene out of Indiana Jones. We were greeted by a group of men who quickly loaded our luggage into several cars and off to the clinic we went.
Much to our surprise we got to the clinic to find we would be staying in rooms on the third floor of the clinic run by four nuns who are members of an order based in the States. Our meals were prepared by the staff each day and in the evening we would be treated to a cocktail hour where we shared stories of the day and learned more about the development of the HHF from the founder Dr. Jerry Lowney. Quite a warm and colorful character, Dr. Lowney has been traveling to Haiti for 25 years and has been instrumental in building the clinic which employs about 190 local people. The clinic opens each day and people come from all over to have health issues addressed. It was very amazing to me to see how well-dressed the visitors to the clinic were, given the extreme poverty. We learned that the Haitians are very proud people.
A highlight of our trip was the early morning walks through the village with Dr. Lowney. He is well known by the people and we would have a spontaneous parade following on our journey. We had an opportunity to see how the people live. Homes made out of sticks with thatched roofs set so close together that we "healthy" Americans had trouble fitting through. The floors of these houses were dirt and the cooking was done on an open flame in the room. Many people lived a single dwelling with little more than the floor or a small bed.
After a delicious breakfast, there were a variety of activities that were available for us to do. 140 remote villages are served by the HHF and visits were made to provide services including weighing babies, taking blood pressures, and pulling rotten teeth. The travel to these villages proved to be a test of one's bladder and backbone. The terrain was remarkable and challenging. Even more amazing was to see the Haitian people walking along the roads with large baskets balanced on their heads filled with goods to sell or water jugs for their homes. So much we take for granted on a daily basis!!! The majority of Ed's week was spent helping with an internal audit, and he was fondly called the "infernal auditor."
Three programs for donations are set up through the HHF. The goat program is similar to that of the Heifer foundation. "Happy Houses" are being built throughout the villages with the donation of $500. Save a Family is a program where $300 provides money for food clothing and rent to local families. On Saturday a line begins to form outside the gate of the clinic. Families walk long distances to the clinic to receive a voucher to go to the bank for money. We had a chance to go out to the villages to dedicate some goats and Happy Houses.
Our trip was quite amazing! So much that we take for granted isn't even available to these people. The work that is being done by the staff is remarkable, yet there is so much to do. At first glance in these towns and villages I would guess that any one of us might be overwhelmed, yet slowly and steadily the work gets done by the nuns and staff. Truly inspiring people! We are reminded how blessed we are!
Joe Dzeda took us to church on the day of the area's big snow storm, Sunday, February 12, 2006:
Today was one of those exceptional Sundays when New Haven was snowed in by the nor'easter that arrived last night. The streets were empty and silent, leaving only the sound of the falling snow to be heard. Every so often Mother Nature insists on taking control of our lives, asserting that she's in charge at least for a while, and today was one of those days.
Normally I'm thoroughly tired of snow by mid-February, but this has been an exceptionally mild winter thus far, and rather than take my car out of its garage, I decided to walk to church this morning. I knew that there'd be almost no one there; the choir had been dismissed for the day, and since many of our parishioners come from a distance, most would wisely elect to stay home and watch the snowfall from the warmth and comfort of their homes.
So I grabbed my camera and walked to church. I couldn't resist taking the usual pictures: my snow-blown stoop and doorway, Court Street in its snowy haze, my neighbors' colorful and distinctive doorways, people I met along the way, the New Haven Green in its mystical shroud of snow, Trinity Church-on-the-Green standing stalwart and inviting in the blizzard, and the friendly and warm people within who made an extra effort to be there.
I invite you to put on your gloves, warm coat and galoshes and come with me for a walk to Trinity Church on a snowy Sunday morning.
MY DOORWAY, HOME, SWEET HOME
COURT STREET LOOKING WEST
THE NEW HAVEN GREEN
TRINITY'S TOWER IN THE SNOW
TRINITY HAS STOOD ON THIS CORNER FOR MORE THAN 190 YEARS
A WARM WELCOME AWAITS WITHIN!
THE REV. ESTELLE WEBB PREPARES FOR THE SERVICE
Estelle Webb, our Associate Rector, decided to slightly modify today's Morning Prayer worship service to include communion. In all there were no more than sixteen people present, lending an intimacy and charm to the proceedings as the blizzard howled around the corners of the old church. We sat sparsely in the choir stalls, while Walden Moore furnished two haunting Brahms choral preludes before the service began. Three hymns were sung to his kaleidoscopic accompaniments, and Estelle delivered her prepared sermon with a charming and gracious informality that was entirely appropriate to the occasion.
Following communion we concluded the service with the wonderful old hymn tune Hyfrydol with its stirring concluding verse:
Finish then thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be; Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee: Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.
As we left this old church, which has seen probably hundreds of similar winter storms, Trinity's beautiful set of Meneely bells pealed out their joy from the tower above. The timeless music was quickly absorbed by the still-falling snow as we departed for the warmth and security of our homes. There is peace and solitude in a snowy forest to be sure, but there's also something wonderful about an old-fashioned nor'easter that engulfs a New England town on a Sunday morning.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SERVICE; COME BACK AGAIN SOON!
Acolyte Trip to the National Cathedral in Washington, DC
October 8-9, 2004
Acolytes attending were Danielle Bean, Josh Bean, Max Duenkel, Carly Lindgren, Peter Omdahl, Elizabeth Pikaart, Malcolm Welfare, Maya Welfare.
The chaperones were Rick and Marybeth Bean, Erin Gustafson, and Dave and Margaret Phelps.
A Report from the Trip
My name is Peter Omdahl and I am an acolyte for Trinity. As some of you may recall, earlier in the month, a few of the Trinity acolytes were given the opportunity to participate in the Washington National Cathedral's Acolyte festival. In short, I'll be describing our trip for you.
To start off, the ride down was uneventful, aside from the Red Sox game and the 2nd Presidential debate. Navigating our way through New York traffic, we arrived in our room early the next morning and fell asleep almost immediately.
Now comes the dreaded morning:
The time is 7:00. The place is Bed. The amount of sleep we received last night was close to 5 hours worth. On a normal day, I might have doubts about getting out of bed. But on this day, we were pumped and ready to go. After all, this is the reason we came here. After a fulfilling breakfast, we hit the road and caught the beltway, which would lead us to our exit, which hopefully would lead us to Wisconsin Ave., which hopefully would lead us to the cathedral. While most direct, it was also the most active, with one car reporting that is was stuck in a bike race. Several exits and bike races later, we arrived at the cathedral and were awestruck. The statues, the spires, the cathedral itself...all this for the glory of God. I was very impressed. Having been shown where to sit, we mingled with the other acolytes and admired all the creative worshiping materials they brought with them. Among my favorite were some paper doves, suspended by wires which were attached to fishing poles. However, in the area we were sitting in, the greatest amount of attention was directed and shown to our very own parish banner. People approached it, looked at it, touched it, and showed that admiration for it. Combined with the acolytes themselves, Trinity had one of the best appearances there.
Once the service began, we all sang hymns of praise while the different groups of acolytes processed up the nave of the cathedral after being given a signal by the various vicars. Being able to walk up that nave with Trinity's cross, candles, and banner was a very exciting experience. Knowing that we were representing this church made it a very honorable one as well. Finally, we all were acknowledged by the Bishop of Washington with a simple nod of the head; while small, it was pleasing to know that we had fulfilled our 'mission' and had done it very well.
On our way out, we all noticed (thanks to a pamphlet) the carving of Darth Vader on one of the towers. Although barely visible with the naked eye, the aid of a digital camera was warmly welcomed. It is interesting to note that even on the house of God, Darth Vader has a place. Upon arriving, we changed and hopped right back into the car to catch the metro. We toured the mall of DC, and had a wonderful dinner thanks to the financial support of the Carpenters and Piehlers.
After dinner, we took the metro back home and settled into bed. The next morning we all woke up and after eating, took off back to Trinity. As you can see, we all made it back safely, thanks to the terrific efforts of the chaperones that went with us. In addition, I think a special thanks goes to Erin Gustafson and Dave Phelps, for they are always there for us, whether prepping us before the beginning of a complicated service, or being a good coffee-run companion.
Inside the Cathedral, after the service
Outside the Cathedral, before lunch.
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