The Rt. Rev. Susan Brown Snook currently serves as the Bishop of the diocese of San Diego. Before she was elected bishop, she was a church planter in the Diocese of Arizona. In 2006, she planted the Church of the Nativity in Scottsdale, and she describes its beginnings this way: 

We began with a group of fourteen people meeting in a living room. Over the next few months, we continued to meet for prayer, Bible study, and visioning about the church we dreamed of planting. The committed core invited others to join our adventure, and our group of fourteen quickly grew to sixty-five enthusiastic members. We spent this visioning period laughing, dreaming, praying, and asking ourselves the three basic questions of ministry: Who are we? Who are our neighbors? Who is God calling us to become? 

We began Sunday morning worship services in September 2006 in an elementary school, making music on an electronic keyboard, teaching Godly Play in a portable classroom, taking all our furniture and equipment home with us each Sunday and bringing it back the following week. The work was hard, but we joyously devoted ourselves to the mission of helping God plant a church. 

The Church of the Nativity is now worshiping in its own building, with an average Sunday attendance of more than 200. 

I’m telling you this story for two reasons. The first is that I think it’s a wonderful example of vitality and new life in the Episcopal Church. And it started with three questions: Who are we? Who are our neighbors? Who is God calling us to become? At Trinity Church, we are reflecting on similar questions this summer, as we discern who God is calling us to become in the years ahead. We can discern this as a congregation, but we can also ask ourselves the same questions as individuals. Who am I - both the best of me and the worst of me? Who are my neighbors and how is God calling me to love them? Who is God calling me to be and how is God calling me to grow? What do I need to leave behind? What do I need to move towards? How do I need to be changed? 

The second reason I’m telling you this story is that Bishop Snook is very clear on who is responsible for Nativity’s success. She is the author of a marvelous book on church planting entitled God Gave the Growth, and the title gives the thesis away. There are things that we can do, both as a parish and as individuals, to create fertile soil for seeds to be planted. But ultimately, God is the one who sows the seeds of faith, and God is the one who gives the growth.

This is the crux of our Gospel passage on Sunday. The fruits of the Kingdom grow in accordance with God’s grace, not as the sole result of our efforts. And rather than take credit for ourselves, we can only stand in wonder at what God as done, and respond in love and praise. 

Want to know more? Join me this Sunday! 

In Christ,

July 13 - 19, 2024

Deadline to register: June 13, 2024

The Prosopon School of Iconology returns to Trinity Church for the (24th!) icon workshop. Beginning students will complete an icon of Christ Emmanuel during the workshop. Never held a paint brush? No worries! You will be given a drawing to trace onto the board, step-by-step instructions, daily demonstrations, and all materials. See the announcement for more information. Still have questions? Contact workshop coordinator and Trinity’s iconographer in residence, Maureen McCormick, at maureen@iconodulestudio.com.

• Dates: June 24-27 (Monday-Thursday)

• Time: 5-7:30 p.m. 

• Cost: FREE!!! 

• Location: Trinity Church (33 Mercer St, Princeton | Next to Princeton Seminary's Wright Library)

• Ages: PreK-Adult Programing

  Just Like Me! is an adaptable Vacation Bible School program that centers the deep and active faith lives of children and the real-world context our kids live in. In the parallel adult sessions, parents and caregivers will have the opportunity to dig into the theological underpinnings of the Just Like Me curriculum.

  This is a multi-church, ecumenical program sponsored by Princeton UMC, Mt. Pisgah AME Church, and Trinity Church. 

  We are so excited to bring you this program, and we look forward to seeing you in June! 

  If you have any questions, please email one of our program coordinators: Pastor Tayler Necoechea (tayler@princetonumc.org) or Carolyn Liverman (carolynliverman43@gmail.com). 

  Register here for Just Like Me!: Community Vacation Bible School 2024!!

  This form is for kids PreK-8th Grade only! 

  If you are an adult and would like to volunteer, please use this volunteer form. High school teens can also sign up as volunteers here.

  If you are an adult and would like to participate in our parallel adult program, you can register here.

Help our partner St. Michael’s Church in Trenton with their Fundraising Reception, Saturday June 29, 2024 

St. Michael's, Trenton is running a pair of urgent fundraising receptions, Sat. June 29th, from 1pm-5pm, and Sat. October 12th from 3-6pm. This winter our cast iron boiler sprung a leak-- and the upgrade to 21st century HVAC will will be costly. We are raising funds to demonstrate our fundraising capacity to cover their matching requirements for a matching grant from the National Fund for Sacred Spaces. To help us along the way, become part of the newly-formed "Friends of Old St. Michael's" by clicking on the following link and SUPPORT  ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH .  We'll put your name on our list for "free" entry to the June 29th reception, where you'll get to hear what's planned for the October fundraiser, as well as several new Broadway numbers from the St. Michael's Players radio-podcast, "Kovacs' Cafe in the Upper Room @ St.Michaels.”

Want to try singing in the choir? Are you a regular choir member who wants to make music over the summer? Join us in July and August for the Summer Pickup Choir! We'll meet in Ivy Hall on Sundays at 9 AM to practice, then sing during the 10 AM service. Contact Dr. Meg Harper for more information, harperm@trinityprinceton.org. 

Calling all instrumentalists!  During the summer, we will have opportunities for those in our congregation who play musical instruments to offer preludes and/or offertories for services.  If you play an instrument and would like to share your talents, please sign up on the digital form at this link:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NVTEWapN2oon5_D87IlAvv_wJuyNyf48_eloRrPT1XQ/edit?usp=sharing or on the paper sign-up in the narthex or at the front desk. Thank you!

Stay up to date with Paul’s Sabbatical updates here: https://www.trinityprinceton.org/sabbatical-updates.