Coming this January...

Let Your Light Shine!

The Vicar and Bishop' Committees of Trinity and Christ Churches are focused on enabling and securing the health of our two congregations as we emerge into the future we believe God is opening for us. To accomplish that, we have put together an impressive team of individuals from both congregations to create and implement a joint stewardship program with an Epiphany theme: Let Your Light Shine!

Our collective goals for the Let Your Light Shine campaign, as well as the year ahead, will be threefold:

• To encourage 100% participation of our members and households in pledging toward the support of our two faith communities.
• To make each member of Christ and Trinity Churches aware of how our contributions enable a vibrant ministry to the Seacoast area.
• To create a nurturing environment for stewardship as an expression of our faith, no less important than our worship, our prayer, and our service to others.

We believe the success of this campaign is vital to our continued growth as a shared ministry. We must underwrite, with our generous financial pledges, the ministry we believe God is calling us to offer. While the campaign is offered jointly, each church will continue to have its own budget, and will continue to receive pledges from its own members. If our ministry is to grow, and our service to the Seacoast area is to flourish, we cannot approach our stewardship commitments half heartedly.

We are asking you to make your 2013 commitment with these key precepts in mind. Make your pledge...

• A faith-based decision, not just a financial one...
• Proportionate to your household's income...
• Sacrificial -an amount that stretches you...
• Given off the top, not off the bottom, of your household budget.

Surely, Trinity and Christ Churches have a wonderful opportunity in the coming year to revitalize our shared ministry as well as the unique expressions of faith found in each congregation. Our thanks for all you are doing to further God's work in our congregations. We are counting on your continued help and support.

Faithfully,

Fr. Chip on behalf of your Stewardship team...

Rusty Bridle (Trinity Church), Craig Davis (Christ Church), J.R. Bridle (TC), Kris Ebbeson (CC), Diana Jodoin (TC), Jim Sparrell (CC), Peter Wahl (TC), Patrice Wood (TC) and Chip Robinson (Vicar)

Overview of the Program

This year's program has three major elements:

• Five "ministry minute talks" by parish members, to be given each Sunday between Jan. 13 and Feb. 10; excerpts will be published in the mailings described below and the E-News.
• Three hard-copy mailings on Jan. 10 & 24 and Feb. 7; some E-News materials will be coordinating with these.
• A fun "event" at the conclusion of the campaign. It was agreed that this would be in the form of a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at Trinity Church.

There will be some liturgical elements coordinating with these in both churches, including bulletin covers and a stewardship prayer in place of the shared ministry prayer. Be watching your mail and e-mail in-box for more information in the coming weeks.

   -    The Rev. David "Chip" Robinson   

Investiture of Bishop Hirschfeld

The Right Reverend A. Robert Hirschfeld will be 
invested as the tenth Bishop of New Hampshire 

Presider: The Right Reverend Steven Lane,  
Bishop of Maine

Preacher: Canon Judith Esmay 

A reception with light refreshments follows in 
the undercroft of  Saint Paul's Church.

The Diocesan Election and Transition Committee
invites you to join us at this meaningful and enjoyable event.

No tickets are needed and no prior notice of attendance is expected.

Epiphany Service Schedule

Sunday, January 6                The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Morning Services

            Trinity Church              8:45 a.m.       Holy Eucharist, Rite II
                                                                        The Rev. Richard Siener, Guest Celebrant

            Christ Church              10:30 a.m.       Holy Eucharist, Rite II 

Evening Service

            Trinity Church              5:00 p.m.       The Epiphany Feast of Lights

                                                                       A moving, candlelight celebration of the
                                                                       manifestation of Christ to all the world

6:00 p.m.      Pot-Luck Supper to welcome the Robinsons 

Bring a dish to share as we welcome our new Vicar and his wife to our two congregations

The Epiphany Feast of Lights

Sunday, January 6 at 5:00 p.m. - Trinity Church

The Feast of Lights is one of the oldest observances of the Christian Church dating back to the Fourth Century after Christ. A moving, candlelight service, it celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the world.

The service begins with the Order of Worship for the Evening from the Book of Common Prayer, incorporating an ancient chant, The Epiphany Lucernarium. As the Lucernarium (a very simple dialogue chant between the Officiant and the congregation) is sung, various candles in the church are lighted. The Propers for the Epiphany are then read, concluding with the Gospel reading in which the Magi visit the Christ child under the guiding of the Star.

As the Order concludes, the lights and candles in the church are dimmed or extinguished. Then, in the darkness, the Paschal candle, which stands just behind the altar, is lighted, signifying the Light of Christ. From its light are then lighted twelve candles, which stand on the altar, symbolizing the twelve apostles to whom that light was first given. From there, a candle on the Pavement before the altar is lit, recognizing the singular achievements of St. Paul in spreading that Good News to the larger world.

Next, four candles in a wreath are lit, each symbolizing one of the great traditions of Christianity. The first is for Orthodox Christianity, the second, Roman Catholicism, the third, Anglican Christianity, and the last, Protestantism.

Finally, the light is spread to all the gathered worshipers, as each person in the congregation lights a candle, first directly from the Paschal candle, as the ultimate source, but then, as the light spreads, from one another. At the end, the whole church is ablaze with the Light of Christ, and by that light the Officiant offers the Epiphany Blessing and we sing together Christopher Wordsworth's great Epiphany hymn, Songs of Thankfulness and Praise.

*     *     *

A personal note from the Vicar:  

I was first introduced to this service at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Orleans, Massachusetts, thirty years ago - and they'd been celebrating it for at least two decades when I got there. Wherever I have served, I have offered it ever since. Over the years, the script that accompanies the candle-lighting ceremony has been revised - and variations in the music have been added - but one thing seems never to change: how moving and powerful this service has been. It remains a beloved tradition at Grace Church, Norwood, Massachusetts, a dozen years after I was first called to New Hampshire. I was pleased to see they continued to offer it at Our Saviour, Milford, after I left that parish. I now rejoice for the opportunity to share it with all of you.

                                                                                          - Fr. Chip

 

• Trinity Church 
• Christ Church 

Investiture of the Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld as the tenth Bishop of New Hampshire - See above  

Events in the area

"Leadership for a Rummage Sale"

2013 Woodbury Leadership  Workshop with Phyllis Tickle

Something new is emerging! We're not quite certain what it is yet, but it is definitely not the church of the 20th century. We see indicators of it in a variety of places, from the emergent church movement to the restructuring of traditional congregations, to the changing role of clergy. Much is happening and there's not much clarity, but somehow we have to deal with it, respond to it, interact with it. The 2013 Woodbury Leadership Workshop will provide resources to help you do this.   

Where: Andover Newton Theological School, Newton, MA
When: Friday, February 1, 2013 from 8:30 am - 4:30 am

Cost: The registration fee is $155. The discounted fee for registrations received prior to Dec. 14 is $140. The registration fee includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

 

The third Sunday in Advent is known as "Joy" Sunday.  In the Gospel For Kids program we will be making collages of things that bring us Joy. This will allow students to share what brings them Joy, and then we will talk about how on Christmas Day we celebrate Jesus Christ's birth, and how his coming to Earth brought joy to many.
 

 

Sunday Schedule

1st & 3rd Sundays

• At Christ Church: Godly Play (10:30 am) 
• At Trinity: Gospel Lessons for Kids (8:45 am) 

 2nd & 4th Sundays

• At Christ Church: Gospel Lessions for Kids (10:30 am) 
• At Trinity: Child Supervision (8:45 am)

Volunteers Needed: J. R. needs a volunteer to help out at each church to run the Gospel for Kids programs. This commitment is for two Sundays. If I could get six volunteers that would mean every volunteer would miss TWO Sundays the whole year to offer our expanded Sunday school offerings.    

We ask that you continue to pray for all those who are impacted by the storms, and please consider making a donation to the Hurricane Sandy Response Fund to support our partners in the US and the Caribbean.

Resources:

Episcopal Relief & Development Hurricane Sandy Response Fund 

EPISCOPAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT HURRICANE SANDY UPDATE SITE

EPISCOPAL NEWS SERVICE   

Alexis Zaricki, Music Director

• Trinity: 8:00 am - 8:30 am
• Christ Church: After the 10:30 am service

• Saturdays: Food Pantry at Hobbs House Trinity. 10:00 am - noon (Sandi Nickerson & Gordon Lane)
• Sundays: The Christ Church "Holy Roller" Bus (Chuck Ott)
• 1st Saturday of the month: Portsmouth Salvation Army Suppers, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm (Jean Wadman)
• 2nd & 4th Mondays of the month: St. Vincent Soup Kitchen, Hampton (Ginny Bridle-Russell & Phoebe Bischoff)
• 1st Sundays of the month: Pastoral Visit to the Oceanside Rehabilitation Center, Hampton (Bob Main & Belinda Wilkes)
• The Canister Ministry at Trinity. Have you ever walked out of Trinity Church, and noticed those random boxes by the exit? Were you curious to what that ministry was all about? Well there are actually several ministries being offered in a one drop stop. Learn more   

Contact Amanda or Aidan for clothing donation drop off or clothing needs 603.918.6816 or email dress4schoolsuccess@comcast.net.

 Content Submission Guidelines 

The Shared Ministry E-News is an electronic newsletter for members of Trinity Episcopal Church, Hampton and Christ Episcopal Church, Portsmouth. It is published weekly on Thursdays. We welcome submissions that have a connection to the ministry of these churches. Inclusion of submissions is at the discretion of Reverend Robinson.

Please email submissions to porthamp@gmail.com or mail to the office at Trinity Church, 200 High St, Hampton, NH 03842 or Christ Church, 1035 Lafayette Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801. Entries should follow the Submission Guidelines.

NOTE: The deadline to send a submission is Wednesday at noon.