Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,

The hymn They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love has been running through my mind lately, and I can’t seem to shake it. Written in 1966 by Fr. Peter Scholtes, a Catholic priest serving on the South Side of Chicago, the song emerged during a pivotal time in the fight for civil rights and equality. Seeking a way to express the transformative work being done by the young people in his parish, Scholtes found himself unable to locate a suitable hymn for a series of ecumenical and interracial gatherings. So, he wrote one himself—giving voice to a movement of faith in action.

I have fond memories of singing this hymn regularly at All Saints’ Camp and Conference Center in Kentucky, where I served as the chaplain for youth summer camps. Its words, rooted in love as the mark of true discipleship, still resonate deeply with me today.

Even though this has that “summer camp song” with a guitar kind of feel, and just because it does not come from our rich Anglican choral music tradition - it should not be discarded.  This hymn is gentle yet powerful and profound reminder of who we are and what we are called to be. 

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord

And we pray that all unity may one day be restored

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side

We will work with each other, we will work side by side

And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand

And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love.

By our love, by our love

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

They will know we are Christians by our love

I often wonder: if you were to ask people on the street—especially those who are not Christian—"How would you describe a Christian? How do you recognize one?" what would they say? Sadly, I fear the responses would not be love, unity, and dignity. Instead, we might hear words like judgmental, divisive, hypocritical, closed-minded, anti-this, anti-that.  Not at all what we are to be. Not at all the message of the one whom we follow, Jesus Christ. 

I believe the way we see ourselves or understand ourselves is radically different from how we are often perceived and experienced in the world. 

One day, I pray, the world will know us by our love.  Yes, They’ll know we are Christians by our love. 

Peace and Blessings,

Join us on Wednesday evenings this Lent for special programming:

• 5:30pm Holy Eucharist

• 6:00pm dinner

• Class and discussion on the “I am” statements of Jesus, after dinner

Are you hoping to deepen your faith this Lent? Do you want to learn about what classic theology has to do with modern life? During Lent, a book group led by Madeline Polhill, one of last year’s seminary interns, will study former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams’ recent work, Passions of the Soul. In this short book, Williams explores Eastern Orthodox theology with a particular eye towards what this theology might have to do with the pressures, challenges, and worries of our lives in the 21st century. We will meet on Monday evenings, beginning March 17 and ending on April 14, at 5:30pm, now in the Trinity Church library and on Zoom at this link: https://zoom.us/j/2859819016?pwd=UjQrV0RFMHlHdTZIc1pFMWF0cWFwZz09.

Questions? Email Madeline Polhill at madeline.polhill@ptsem.edu. We hope to see you there!

Calling all tenors! Trinity's adult choir is in need of a couple volunteer tenors. If this might be you, please reach out to our Director of Music Meg Harper at harperm@trinityprinceton.org!

The Adult Confirmation Class will meet on Sundays at 2 PM starting this Sunday, March 9, in the George Thomas Room. Join us if you're interested in Confirmation, or if you'd like a refresher about the Episcopal Church. Adults should contact Kara at sladek@trinityprinceton.org.

The Adult Confirmation Class will meet on Sundays at 6 PM. Youth (or parents of youth) should contact Donte at milligand@trinityprinceton.org. 

In these turbulent times, I invite you to join me April 30 at 7pm for a conversation with Elizabeth Oldfield, author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times. As an Anglican Christian, Oldfield offers a thoughtful, faithful, and deeply insightful guide to soulful living, helping us navigate the challenges of being fully human and  fully alive. With refreshing honesty and humanity, she shares the truths of her own journey—its blessings and struggles alike—offering wisdom that is both accessible and profoundly moving.

Elizabeth Oldfield hosts The Sacred podcast and is the former director and now senior fellow of the think tank Theos. She appears across the media, including BBC Radio and television, UnHerd, the Financial Times, and beyond. Oldfield is also a contributing editor at Comment magazine, chair of Larger Us, and a coach and consultant working with purpose-driven individuals and organizations.

In 1974, the first women were ordained as priests in the Episcopal Church. You can watch the acclaimed documentary on this pivotal event in our church's history at PBS from now until June. Here's a link if you want to watch on your computer, tablet, or phone: 

https://www.pbs.org/show/the-philadelphia-eleven/

You can also view it through the PBS app on your smart TV. 

Dear Trinity Church Members:

The Princeton University Chamber Choir’s upcoming concert is one not-to-be-missed: a complete performance of Joby Talbot’s 21st Century Masterpiece for unaccompanied choir - Path of Miracles.

Path of Miracles was composed by Joby Talbot in 2004 for the famed British choir Tenebrae, on a concept which I developed in partnership with Tenebrae’s conductor Nigel Short and the City of London Festival. In the twenty years since, it has come to be seen as one of the ultimate experiences of 21st Century choral music, embracing a thousand years of history and a dozen European languages on the pilgrimage route – the Camino Frances - from Roncesvalles in the Spanish Pyrenees, to the glorious Cathedral of St James in Santiago de Compostela. The music is truly symphonic in scale, and the extraordinary text, which connects ancient monastic fragments with modern verse, beautifully evokes the irresistible urge to see the world, to better know our fellow human beings, and to find answers to life’s most elusive questions. Here's a clip of the third movement, named for the city of Leon…

The performance takes place in Richardson Auditorium on Saturday March 29th at 7.30pm.

We are delighted to offer all Trinity Church members two free tickets for this event!

To obtain your tickets, visit tickets.princeton.edu and use the promo code CCSING for two free tickets.

Throughout history, religious beliefs and faith-based movements have played a crucial role in resisting authoritarianism, advocating for human rights, and inspiring social change. This event will explore the intersection of faith, dissidence, and political power across history and cultures.

On Wednesday, April 2, 6:30pm - 8:00pm., Harrington Spear Paine Professor at Princeton University Elaine Pagels and David C. Steinmetz Distinguished Professor of World Christianity at Duke Divinity School Lian Xi will discuss these themes and draw parallels between their recent books.

By comparing these two seemingly unrelated historical contexts, the discussion, moderated by Arthur Ross Director of the Asia Society Center on U.S.-China Relations Orville Schell, will shed light on the enduring power of faith, moral conviction and higher loyalties than to the state in the face of political oppression.

An author book signing will follow the discussion, and copies of Miracles and Wonder and Blood Letters will be available for purchase. The discussion will take place at the Asia Society and Museum, located at 725 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021. Tickets are $15 for non-members, $8 for members.

Buy Tickets or Visit the Event Page

Date & Time: May 3rd at 4pm

Location: Trinity Church, Princeton, NJ

It will be two times the beauty and two times the excitement when Voices Chorale NJ presents “Requiem x 2”. The concert will showcase two powerful musical settings of the requiem mass: the monumental Mozart Requiem, left incomplete by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1791; and the Requiem by Brazilian composer José Maurício Nunes Garcia, completed in 1816 and inspired by familiarity with Mozart’s masterpiece. Both works will be accompanied by the 21-piece Berks Sinfonietta orchestra.

Mozart tragically died before completing his Requiem, and this concert will feature a 1991 completion of the piece by brilliant musician and Julliard scholar Robert Levin. To help audience members better understand and appreciate the various completions of Mozart’s Requiem through history, a pre-concert talk will be presented by Dr. David McConnell, Voices Chorale NJ Artistic Director, at 3:15pm.

Both “Requiems” are dramatic and intensely moving compositions of choral art, and promise an unforgettable musical experience that will captivate and move the audience. Don’t miss this doubly-exciting concert experience!

With the growth of our Nights of Support in Princeton, Good Grief is now able to support more grieving children and families. We now offer peer support groups on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings.

With a new night added, we are looking for compassionate and kind volunteers who would like to become a peer support group facilitator. Our next facilitator training is May 2nd-4th at Good Grief in Princeton. Our facilitators make all the difference by creating a safe and caring environment where grieving children and their families can express themselves.

Interested individuals can contact volunteer@good-grief.org.