TRINITY ePISTLE Sunday June 15th, 2025

WEEK OF SUNDAY, JUNE 15th, 2025
✢FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST✢

From The Lives of the Saints Gallus, Magnus, Otmar and Wiborada in German, 1451–60.

The Triune God

Dear Good People of Trinity Church,

This Sunday is uniquely ours—Trinity Sunday. It is the day we celebrate the magnificent mystery and the sacred simplicity of one of the greatest truths of our Faith: God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.

Since the fourth century, the Church has wrestled with the doctrine of the Trinity. It has been explored and examined, discussed and debated through the centuries. Theologians have written volumes, councils have convened, and believers have pondered. And yet, despite all our efforts to explain it, I wonder if we sometimes try too hard to understand something that is not meant to be fully understood but rather experienced.

We can dissect the Trinity with words and doctrines, but true understanding dawns only when we encounter the living God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in the depth of our lives. Once we experience the triune God, no theological argument can make that experience more real, and no debate can take it away.

The Trinity, I believe, is not merely something to be believed about—it is a divine reality we know, deep in our hearts, when we have encountered Love itself.

Fr. Richard Rohr once wrote:

“Many of us say we believe in the Trinity—but we really don’t, because we don’t know what to do with it. We can’t even imagine it; all of our metaphors are simply words trying to grab at the reality, at the experience of God that ultimately can’t be verbalized. It can only be experienced.”

Julian of Norwich, the 14th-century mystic, knew this well. In a time of illness and deep contemplation, she received a series of divine visions—what she called “showings.” In one of these, she encountered the Trinity so fully that her heart overflowed with joy. In the words of translator Mirabai Starr, Julian writes:

“In the midst of this showing the blessed Trinity also revealed itself to me and filled my heart to overflowing with joy. I realized that this is what it will be like in the world to come, for all beings, and for all time. For the Trinity is God, and God is the Trinity. The Trinity is our creator and our sustainer, our Beloved forever and ever, our endless joy and bliss.”

This Sunday, may we move beyond analysis and into awe. May we allow ourselves not just to contemplate the Trinity, but to encounter the Trinity—and in doing so, be transformed.

In the name of the Triune God,

Summer Schedule

Holy Eucharist Rite I at 8 AM

Holy Eucharist Rite II at 10AM

This Sunday’s preacher is The Rev. Cn. Stephen Connor STM (Canon to the Ordinary, Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey)

The Rev. Canon Stephen Connor is the Canon to the Ordinary. Rev. Connor recently served as Rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Ocean City from 2018 to 2024. He was co-chair of the Committee on Priesthood for 4 years. He attended General Theological Seminary for an Anglican Studies Year and completed a Master of Sacred Theology (STM). Rev. Connor was received into the Episcopal priesthood on June 30, 2018. Rev. Connor is a former member of The Paulist Fathers, a Roman Catholic religious community where he served from 1983 – 2005.

During his time with the Paulist Fathers, he received an M.Div. from Catholic University, and he was ordained to the Roman priesthood in 1989. Rev. Connor served in a variety of ministries with the Paulist Fathers including urban ministry, campus ministry, religious publishing, vocations, and a member of the Paulist Fathers leadership team. Leaving the Paulist Fathers in 2005, he worked for ten years in religious publishing for Loyola Press in Chicago as the Director of Adult Spirituality Resources leading a team of writers and editors. It was during his time in Chicago that he began attending the Episcopal Church.

Rev. Connor authored The Dynamic Leader: Balancing Faith & Work published by Renew International and Loyola Press in 2017.

SUNDAY READINGS

Sunday Forum: There will be no Sunday forum during summer.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our All Parish Pizza and Beverages on the Lawn at Trinity Church and Wine and Cheese Music Program at The Nassau Club.

Wine and Cheese Music Program was for those who sing in the choir or who are passionate about supporting Trinity’s beloved music program. The event was hosted with the support of Music Director Dr. Meg Harper. The evening celebrated the role of music in our worship and community life – and explored how the current compressive campaign will help sustain Trinity Church well into the future.

Father Paul and Meg Harper would like to thank you all for your support and presence at the events. Our beloved Trinity Church is enriched by your spirit of community!

CONTRIBUTION

Rooted in Faith. Moving Forward in Hope.

Trinity Church has stood as a beacon of worship, learning, and service in Princeton for nearly 200 years. As we prepare for the next chapter, we are launching a $7.5 million comprehensive campaign to ensure our ministries thrive and our historic campus is preserved for generations to come.

Inspired by the beloved hymn, God of Grace and Glory, this campaign reflects our gratitude for God’s past provision and our collective call to invest in Trinity’s future.

Calling all Tenors!

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!

Trinity Choir CD Sales

We will be selling CDs and records of the Trinity Choir through the years in the narthex this Sunday, before and after the 10:00 am service. $10 each. All proceeds will benefit the choir's 2026 trip to London.

We are still in need of adult and teen volunteers to run Vacation Bible School.

Please reach out to Annie Bryson

Vacation Bible School

Road Trip! On the Go with God: Vacation Bible School 2025!

Dates: June 23-27, 2025, 9:00 am-12:00 pm

Road Trip! VBS is based on Joshua 1:9, "The Lord your God is with you wherever you go." This verse reminds us that God's presence is always near, no matter where the journey of life takes us. Road Trip! invites us on an exciting journey as we discover new places, new friends, and ways that we can discover God's goodness and presence everywhere.

Road Trip! is set out on the open road in an imagination-powered vehicle which will take Travelers on amazing adventures to exciting destinations. During each session, Travelers will learn that God is with them in whatever situation they face. With the help of great stories from the Navigators' Guide (the Bible), Travelers will explore timeless Bible stories that show how people from the Old and New Testaments journeyed with God through many locations and situations and found strength in God's presence wherever they went.

Road Trip! VBS stations include Bible Stories, Music, Crafts, Recreational Games, and Science. Snack will be provided.

Registration is open to children in grades prek-6. To register, please complete this form: HERE

We need many volunteers to make this happen! We will need volunteers to sign up as both Station Leaders and Group Leaders. Teens are welcome and encouraged to volunteer as Group Leaders. To volunteer, please use this form: HERE

If you have any questions, please email Annie Bryson (brysona@trinityprinceton.org).

50th Trinity Church Rummage Sale

This is an amazing time for Trinity Church…

50 years, and going strong with the Rummage Sale!!!

Save the date: October 16th-18th 2025

Please start putting all your treasures aside this summer to support our sale! Collections will begin in September but start sorting your donations now! As always, we are not collecting furniture, pet items, baby items, broken electronics, and/or torn damaged goods.

Questions? Please email: rummage@trinityprinceton.org

Local Events:

PRAYER LIST:

Please keep the following individuals in your prayers: James Arnold, Boden, Peter Brown, Katherine Burke, Clark, Ruben C, Evon Cassier, Jason Clark, Shereese Clark, Donna Crafford, Cullen Creel, Patricia Domino, Bob Edwards, Don Edwards, Christopher Dismas Eldredge, Steve Evans, Gus Escher, Marty Fitzgerald, Pat Grabiec, Shane Greene, Kate H, William Hannan, Sissy Hoover, Charlie Huebner, Tamara James, Ellen Jane, Patricia Killian, Lerose, Charles Lewis, Lillie Lim, Jay Lipscomb, Makenna, Julie Meidlinger, Nancy Metcalf, Les and Joanne Miley, Candice Miller, Chris Moser, Clive Muncaster, Steven Murray, Rosemary Parish, Paul, Ed Perrott, Linda Perrott, Katrina Poskay, Kim Prior, Jason Chandler-Renfro, Freddy and Daneel van Rensburg, Michelle Romero, Roger Quinn, Kathy S, Amber Schuppan, Dianne Senko, Samantha Seto, Nancy Slade, Maria Smarsh, Isaiah Stevens, Marcia Thompson, Trisha Thorme, Phil Unetic, Anthony Wilmoth, Mike Zimmerman, Betty Zuray ➨ Please pray for the following souls who have recently passed: Jack Wallace

➨ If you want to add someone to the list, please email Annie Bryson at brysona@trinityprinceton.org.

RECOVERY MEETINGS: Looking for recovery meetings? See our list of recurring meetings here.

ZOOM EVENTS: Join all Zoom meetings, unless otherwise advertised, at ZOOM.US/J/2859819016 [By phone: 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 285 981 9016 Password: 1979].

ABOUT US: Trinity Church ➨ Est’d 1833 ➨ An Episcopal Church in the Diocese of New Jersey ➨ 33 Mercer Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 ➨ (609) 924-2277 ➨ The Rev. Paul Jeanes III, Rector; The Rev. Cn. Dr. Kara N. Slade, Associate Rector ➨ Website: trinityprinceton.org

“We believe God’s love is expansive and unconditional and that through Christ, God has called us to love one another as God loves us. We welcome all people of every gender, race, age, culture, ethnic background, sexual orientation, economic circumstance, family configuration, or difference of ability. We celebrate the worth, dignity, and gifts of every person as a child of God.”