Rather than lead a youth confirmation retreat this year, we experimented with a Sunday morning confirmation class, and around 15 kids came each week. Fourteen were ultimately confirmed. 

 

During Lent, in order to make formation offerings more accessible to working people, we offered two opportunities on Wednesdays: a weekly Eucharist and lunch with a guest speaker, and a weekly dinner club with regular small groups to discuss Kendall Vanderslice’s “Edible Theology.” Forty people attended the evening groups, and 30-40 attended the lunch most weeks. At least one of the evening small groups (mostly people who were newcomers to Trinity) still get together regularly.

 

Near the end of Lent, Kendall Vanderslice led a much-loved “Bake and Pray” workshop in Tuton Hall with seventy attendees.

 

I tried some new things with the women’s retreat: we moved from one night to two, and from Lake Logan to Valle Crucis (which was cheaper, and being a bit farther away, felt like more of a real get-away). Fifty-two women attended the retreat in April. The Rev. Dr. Lauren Winner led us in learning about “Excellent Women” from church history.

 

Father Scott went on Sabbatical this summer. While summer is typically a bit slower around here, we kept busy. Debbie Cox, Peter Hartwig, and I took eleven high school students on a “Footsteps of the Apostle Paul” trip to Greece with Footstep Ministry. Upon returning, I helped out with VBS (46 kids signed up!). The women’s Bible study held a special summer session on the “un-lectionary” texts – some of the passages that never show up in our Sunday morning readings. I also managed a difficult employee working as our parish administrator over the summer. When she left, I forwarded Jeff Cook’s resume to Scott, and his hiring has been a big boon to the office.

 

This fall, along with my regular leadership of Women’s Bible Study and various Sunday formation offerings, I’m pleased to be helping lead our midweek eucharists. I’m leading a two-part book club on Kelley Nikondeha’s Defiant. 

 

Some of our fall programming was derailed by Hurricane Helene, but in its place we have been working overtime to check in with those affected, organize donations, and provide special pastoral care. Our All Saints Evensong is a particularly lovely response to the devastation. Special prayers in this election season are also part of our plan. 

 

November brings our guest speaker, the very Rev. Timothy Kimbrough, as well as our diocesan convention, and then of course we’ll start afresh with Advent.

 

My regular weekly work includes working hand-in-hand with Scott in worship, teaching, pastoral care, and preaching. Debbie Cox and Beth Chestnut and I meet on a regular basis to plan for upcoming events for families and youth. I also oversee Creation Care and Grounds (chaired by Monte Gaillard) and lead the weekly Women’s Bible Study. I participate in Communication, Finance, Stewardship, Pastoral Care, and Worship team planning, as well as the search committee for the Music Director. 

 

Connection with the larger community and diocese is also part of my role here. I serve as the secretary for and a member of the Executive Council, meet with the Church Street Collaborative, and also meet with a group of interfaith area female clergy. I’m particularly happy about the way the Creation Care Committee has begun working with local farms (for Sunday eggs, and in hosting a CSA pickup, and toward rogation day prayers), and for the chance to help support local literary arts, as we did in hosting Jessica Jacobs’s book release party and in hosting an event in partnership with local publisher Orison Books in November.

 

Trinity is a vibrant and growing church, and I’m pleased and grateful to be a part of it.

 

Respectfully submitted, 

Amy +