If We Love One Another!

Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34–35

Earlier this week, I was speaking with a Trinity member who shared a heartfelt concern: What about those among us who may be in need but don’t know how to ask for help—or who are afraid to? Her words lifted up an essential truth: life brings challenges, and none of us are meant to carry our burdens alone. At some point, each of us will need help, and each of us is also called to offer help. That’s what it means to live in Christian community—caring for and loving one another as Christ has loved us.

I once heard someone say that we are either coming out of a storm, in the midst of one, or heading toward one. Storms are a part of life, but the good news is that we don’t face them by ourselves. Through the ministry of pastoral care, we walk alongside each other, sharing God’s love in very tangible ways.

At Trinity, our pastoral care ministry and clergy are here to support you. But we can only respond if we know of the need. That’s where you come in. If you or someone you know could use care, please reach out. We have people who make home visits, who bring the Eucharist, who pray faithfully, who deliver flowers, and who show up with presence and compassion. We can also help with transportation needs, or even connect people with resources during financial hardship.

So, let this be a gentle reminder: if you have a need, or know someone who does, please let the clergy or pastoral care team know. And if we cannot provide the help directly, we will do our best to connect you with resources that can. Together, we embody the Gospel truth: by this everyone will know that we are Christ’s disciples, if we love one another.

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

Forward in Faith!

Dear Friends,

By the time you read this, I will have arrived in Michigan, where I will be serving the people of St. John’s Church in Harbor Springs for the next four weeks. During this time apart, please know that I will hold you close in heart and prayer—and I ask that you do the same for me and my family.

During this time, I invite you to reflect upon who we are as the people of Trinity Church, and how God is working in and through us in unique and beautiful ways. There is only one Trinity Church in Princeton—only one in the entire world. And we have our own distinct way of embodying and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe God is calling us to something meaningful in the year ahead—something that will bring life and light to the world.

In the weeks to come, I encourage you to reflect on the following quote from John O’Donohue’s book Eternal Echoes. Let it speak to your own journey, and also to our shared calling as the people of Trinity Church:

“There are no manuals for the construction of the individual you would like to become. You are the only one who can decide this and take up the lifetime of work that it demands. This is a wonderful privilege and such an exciting adventure. To grow into the person that your deepest longing desires is a great blessing. If you can find a creative harmony between your soul and your life, you will have found something infinitely precious. You may not be able to do much about the great problems of the world or to change the situation you are in, but if you can awaken the eternal beauty and light of your soul, you will bring light wherever you go. The gift of life is given to us for ourselves and also to bring peace, courage, and compassion to others.”

• Who is God calling us to become?

• How do we find creative harmony with one another—and with God?

• How do we meet the challenges of this moment in history with courage and hope?

• How can we awaken in ourselves a beauty and light that brings peace, compassion, and justice to others?

There is important and holy work before us. May we trust in the goodness, grace, and love of God to lead us into the fullness of life—for God’s glory and for the care of all God’s children.

Forward in faith!

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

Prayers for Our Nation

Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,

This week, we joined in celebrating the independence of our country—a time to give thanks for the gifts, possibilities, and opportunities this land offers. We honored those who have given their lives in service to our nation and those whose vision, wisdom, and courage shaped its founding ideals. We celebrated the best of who we are, and we acknowledged the ongoing work of becoming who we are meant to be.

At the same time, we recognized the imperfections and injustices that continue to mark our national story. We are still, in many ways, a young nation—growing, learning, and seeking greater wisdom. There is still much to heal, much to learn, and much to do as we strive toward deeper maturity: in leadership, in service, and in responsibility - both at home and abroad.

We have much to be grateful for. We also have much to reckon with—and to renew. May we live more fully into the dream God holds for this country, and for all who call it home.

I offer the following prayers for your reflection and hope they will guide our hearts in this season. 

Happy 4th of July!

Peace and Blessings to all,

Paul

[…]

For the Human Family

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and peoples may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

For our Country

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our
heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove
ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will.
Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and
pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend
our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes
brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue
with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust
the authority of government, that there may be justice and
peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we
may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth.
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,
and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail;
all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

For Peace

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and for ever. Amen

For our Enemies

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth:
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Mission of the Church

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you
through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him,
that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope

of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

One Heartbeat at a Time

Dear Beloved of Trinity,

This week, I had the sacred honor of officiating the funeral of a dear friend’s father, who lived to the remarkable age of 102. In the United States, only about 0.03% of people reach the century mark. His life was a full and generous one—rich with love, family, a successful medical career, community service, and global travels.

In stark contrast, a colleague presided over the funeral of a 19-year-old young man who tragically fell asleep at the wheel while driving home. He was at the top of his class, a varsity athlete, beloved by his classmates—an exemplary young man with a bright future.

Both lives, though vastly different in length, speak to the fragile and mysterious nature of our existence. There is often no clear rhyme or reason to how or why things happen. We like to believe we have control—and perhaps in some ways we do—but ultimately, life unfolds on its own terms, shaped by countless unseen variables.

At the end of the day, every life is lived in the same way: one heartbeat, one breath at a time. Whether we are granted 19 years or 102, each of us moves through life moment by moment. A heartbeat is a heartbeat. A breath is a breath. These are the sacred rhythms that unite us all—regardless of status, age, or circumstance.

So I invite you: pause for a moment. Become aware of your own heartbeat. Feel the breath moving in and out of your lungs. And give thanks to God for the simple, extraordinary gift of being alive.

“With each beat of the heart, God whispers: You are still here. You are still loved. Make this moment count.” — Unknown

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

It’s the Real Thing!

Dear Beloved of Trinity,

Recently, I was invited to speak at a conference. My presentation was titled In Search of Me: The Quest for an Authentic Life.  As I neared the end of my talk, I referenced an old Coca-Cola jingle from the 1970s. It’s the real thing. The way it should be. What the world wants to see. It’s the real thing.  That slogan still lingers—because it speaks to a deep human longing. We long for something real.

In our time, with the rise of artificial intelligence and its seemingly limitless ability to generate nearly anything—images, voices, even entire realities—the line between what is real and what is manufactured is getting harder and harder to see.

We live in a world of curated lives, projected images, and polished personas. Promises are made, truths are proclaimed, and yet so often, we’re left disillusioned, discovering that what we thought was real was just an illusion. A bait-and-switch. Smoke and mirrors.

Even in our own lives, we often fall into the same trap—constructing versions of ourselves that are more successful, more secure, more admired than who we really are. We chase dreams, accumulate things, wear labels… and yet deep down, so much of it feels hollow.

John Mabry, in his book Growing into God: A Beginner’s Guide to Christian Mysticism, writes:

“When the seed of God is planted in you, when you are given a glimpse of the Real, when you have seen what is essential and what is dross, how will your life change?”

That’s the question: What happens when we encounter something real?

We need truth, not spin.

We need beauty, not glamour.

We need hope, not empty promises.

We need love, not fleeting infatuation.

And we are offered all of that—not in a product, not in a program, but in the Gospel of Jesus Christ - The Real One.

When you’ve encountered Him—when you’ve truly experienced what is real—everything else begins to pale in comparison. You start to see the emptiness of the imposters.

Because … the real thing,

Is … the way it should be.

Is … what the world wants to see.

Christ is the real thing!

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

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,

Paul+

I Can See Clearly Now

Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,

In 1972 Johnny Nash recorded the hit song “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.” It’s light and joyful melody, wonderfully invites your body to sway and puts a smile on your face. I was reminded of this song while reading Passions of the Soul by Rowan Williams.  He writes that “our habitual mental and spiritual condition is one in which we quite simply don’t see clearly.” He continues on to say, “We don’t know things as we ought to know them; we don’t see them as we ought to see them.” Our brokenness - our sin - distorts our vision and understanding.  We struggle to see the truth of things as they really are, whether good or bad, beautiful or painful.

To help us see more clearly, Williams draws on the wisdom of Evagrius of Pontus, a 4th-century monastic theologian. Evagrius described three ways of seeing: the angelic way, the human way, and the diabolic way.

·       The angelic way is to see reality as it truly is “as things emerge from the hand of God.”

·       The diabolic way sees the world through the lens of self-interest and consumerism, where everything is reduced to its usefulness to us: “What can you do for me?”

·       The human way wavers between the two, struggling to see clearly but often sliding back into ego-driven perception, “stuffing the world into the bag of the self.”

Knowing this, we strive to see the world the angelic way. This does not mean wearing rose-colored glasses or pretending things are better than they are. Rather, it means seeing the world truthfully—through the redemptive lens of God’s love and grace. It means recognizing both the pain and brokenness of life and the beauty and possibility that can and will be in and through the love of God.

And one day, one glorious day, it really will be a bright, bright, bright, bright sunshiny day—for all of creation.

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

A Chance to Meet: Campaign Events

Dear Good People of Trinity,

We are thrilled to invite you to two special upcoming events as we launch God of Grace and Glory—a bold and prayerful comprehensive campaign for the future of our beloved church. (Event details are below.) 

We welcome you to join us for one or both events as we come together to celebrate our church and embark on this important journey forward.

You should have received a more detailed letter in the mail with additional information about the campaign and upcoming events. If not, keep an eye out—it’s on its way!

This is a truly exciting and hopeful time in the life of our church. As we cast a shared vision for the future, may we continue walking forward in faith sustained and guided by God’s grace and glory.

Peace and blessings,

Paul+