Trinity Episcopal Church May, 2012 Lawrence, Kansas

THE TRINITARIAN

This issue of the Trinitarian is focusing on the many ministries that make Sunday

worship possible, and I was asked to talk about my role and responsibilities in that

regard. I suppose that, in light of the fact that so many people are so involved with

the process, my job is make sure that everyone has done their job. Thankfully this

is a very easy task on Sundays, because we are blessed with so many responsible

people here at Trinity.

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a conversation, or a article I read, or just some random event synchronizes with the

readings for that week, and becomes the core of the sermon's message.

But failing that (or in addition to that) I ask myself what one or more of those

passages are saying to Trinity Church. After preaching pretty consistently for ten

years, I have usually written at least three sermons on that Sunday's lesson, but a

previous sermon at another parish isn't always appropriate for this parish. I ask

myself, what does Trinity today need to hear about these passages of Scripture?

And I will say, I do think of the parish as a whole -- just in case you sometimes

thought I might be singling out a particular parishioner (maybe yourself). I also

ask myself if that message resonates for someone who might have just walked into

Trinity for the first time. Maybe he or she is coming into a church for the first time

in their lives that day -- what do they need to hear, in what might be the only

sermon to which they are exposed? It's a balancing act that all preachers need to

walk: writing to the people they know are going to be there in addition to the

people who might be there. This is important, because if we as a church don't

anticipate the newcomer, we will never have any.

But if there is one significant

personal contribution to the Sunday

worship, it is the preaching of the

sermon. It's a fairly well-known fact

that I don't write my sermons down

beforehand, and haven't for many

years. But this doesn't mean that I

don't know what I'm going to say

before I step into the pulpit! The

creation process of composing a

sermon begins for me first thing on

Monday morning, when I review the

readings for the upcoming Sunday.

Sometimes I have even begun

earlier because my preaching review

group works two weeks in advance.

But I am not looking for a sermon

topic right off the bat; instead I just

read the passages several times over

just to familiarize myself with them.

Then I wait. I wait and see what the

week brings to me. It's surprising

how often an offhanded comment in

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Most importantly, however, I listen to God. There have been some nights where I

am laying in bed on Saturday and I hear a voice saying, “You should talk about

this instead”, and I scrap the whole thing in favor of whatever new idea has

occurred to me.

So that's an admittedly pretty vague description of the process. When approached

about the topic of what I do on Sunday, I have to admit my first thought was one of

appreciation for all the people who do so much to make things go smoothly, both

staff and volunteers. Having to make sure everything is in its place is pretty easy

when people contribute continually and responsibly to do their part. This

Trinitarian is a chance for us to both learn and appreciate all that hard work.

T

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Dick Tracy, Rita Tracy, and Steve Segebrecht serve as Deacons to Trinity

Episcopal Church. The Deaconate is a full and equal order of ministry, especially

ordered to symbolize and enable Christ-like ministry to those often forgotten: the

hungry, the poor, the lonely, those persecuted, and all those living on the fringe of

society. A Deacon functions with the direction of the Rector, and is subject to the

oversight of the Bishop.

There are numerous liturgical responsibilities of a Deacon. In the Eucharist, the

Deacon may read the Gospel, may lead the prayers of the people, and may

Trinity’s Dedicated

Deacons

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introduce the confession. A Deacon waits on the table, assists with others in the

administration of the Eucharistic elements, dismisses the people, and in general

acts as herald and attendant. A Deacon performs at the Eucharist each Sunday

morning, and in the principal liturgies on Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Maundy

Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, Easter, and at other times, as the Rector

wishes. Our Deacons take the Eucharistic elements to the sick and homebound,

particularly at Christmas and Easter.

Trinity’s Deacons also assist from time to time at other liturgies in the Parish, such

as Holy Matrimony and the Burial Office, if needed. In the absence of a Rector,

Deacons may also officiate at Baptisms, Holy Matrimony, or at Funerals,

following the Book of Common Prayer.

Deacons keep an intercession list to include the prayers of the people, and they

help organize the praying of the prayers of the people. Deacons help the Rector

enable, encourage, recognize, and support our Parishioners to perform the servant

ministry that each has been given through baptism.

Our Deacons meet regularly with the Rector to discuss the servant ministry of the

Parish and of the Deacons, as well as any pastoral matters. When problems arise

which affect the welfare and unity of the parish, our Deacons bring them to the

Rector, and shall follow his counsel and advice. Deacons keep in communication

with the Bishop about the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world, and about areas

in which our Parish might provide ministry to the world. Our Deacons work in the

world to proclaim the gospel through their work, their family relations, and though

their examples. Our Deacons strive to bring to the attention of Trinity the needs

and concerns of the world by being closely involved with the needy and others.

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Trinity’s Altar Guild

The Altar Guild prepares the chancel and the altar for each Sunday service. The

Guild consists of three teams, eight members each, who serve for the Sunday

morning services. A fourth, smaller team tends to the cleaning-up duties after the

Sunday Evening Solemn High Mass.

On Saturdays, members set out the Eucharistic Candles on the altar, the Missal

Stand, the Altar Book, the Gospel Book, and the Vested Communion Chalice.

Hymn numbers are posted in the Nave. The brass collection plates are polished.

The Cruets are filled with wine, and the Ciborium, with wafers. All of the candles

are filled with oil. Other items used in the service are the water pitcher, the lavabo

bowl, and the linen towel for washing the Celebrant’s hands. Other linens include

the purificators (small towels which a chalice bearer uses to wipe the rim of the

chalice); and the corporal, a square cloth which the Celebrant places on the altar

beneath the wine and wafers.

On each Sunday, after an 8:00 a.m. Service, the Altar Guild prepares for the 10:30

a.m. Service. Chalices and Purificators are washed. Wafers and wine are set out.

The Eucharistic Candles are refilled with oil. After the last Service, all of the

materials used are cleaned as required, and stored in cabinets or the safe in the

Sacristy. Laundering the linens is a responsibility of the Altar Guild, and each

team has designated members who do this very necessary task each week.

Altar Guild Teams each serve four months over the course of a year. The Altar

Guild Coordinator coordinates the annual schedule, which runs from July to June

of the next year. The Altar Guild Teams each have a Captain, who draws up the

schedule for his/her assigned months.

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The Altar Guild Coordinator meets monthly with Father Rob to discuss the

services coming up in the next two months in order to coordinate their special

needs. This information is then sent to the Captains. The Altar Guild Coordinator

procures the wine, wafers, candle oil, and cleaning supplies, and then oversees the

care of the vestments.

Two of the three Altar Guild Teams meet for a polishing session of the brass and

silver twice each year -- once on a Saturday morning in December (in preparation

for Christmas); and once in March (in preparation for Easter). Once each year, the

Guild gets together for fellowship and discussion of matters old and new. This

year, the annual meeting will be in September.

New members of the Altar Guild are needed, and always welcome. Training is

done by each Team Captain, a new member serves with a veteran. A manual with

instructions and illustrations of the duties is available as a training tool.

--Joan Ring, Altar Guild Coordinator

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Trinity’s Flower

Guild

The Flower Guild currently has

five members who volunteer to

buy and arrange flowers for the

Altar each Sunday, except during

Lent and Advent.

The Members of the Flower Guild also

coordinate with the Wedding and Funeral

Coordinators, to find out if there a wedding or

funeral the day before, which took place in the

Church, and whether those flowers could be

used for the upcoming Sunday Service. The

Members of the Guild rotate throughout the

year, so one Member coordinates the Altar

flowers about once a month. During the latter

part of the week, the designated Guild Member

purchases the flowers and the greenery, which

have been requested or specified, and arranges

them on the Altar and at the front of the Church.

There is a Flower Account which has been

incorporated into the Trinity budget to cover

these expenses, and individuals requesting

flowers for a special Sunday frequently donate

to the Flower Fund, as well.

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Usually on Saturday mornings, the flowers are arranged in two or more vases for

the Altar. On some occasions, such as Mother's Day, or at other special times, the

Flower Guild makes extra bouquets for individual tables in the Parish Hall. As

soon as Sunday’s Services are over with, the flowers are removed and placed in the

Flower Sacristy. Then, on Monday or Tuesday, the same person who made the

bouquets, discards the old, dead flowers; cleans the vases; and creates a couple of

bouquets with the leftover, good flowers. These bouquets are given to the Church

Office, or taken by the Deacons to deliver to shut-ins and those who are ill. The

Members of the Flower Guild generally do not hold formal meetings; however

they do have a Christmas Planning Meeting, to coordinate the Christmas

decorations. The Coordinator of the Flower Guild, Pat Kehde, assigns particular

Sundays to each member of the Flower Guild, and if the schedule is not workable

for someone, a member may trade with another to better fit her schedule.

The Flower Guild makes arrangements for special events, funerals, parties,

receptions, or other occasions, as requested by the Rector or members of the

Parish. Members of the current Flower Guild are:

Ann Elizabeth Bishop

Pat Kehde

Gerry Miller

Pam Paden

Mary Stauffer

-Pat Kehde, Coordinator Flower Guild

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Greeters, Membership, Hospitality and Kitchen

Committees

There are 32 Greeters at Trinity! Three of them are scheduled each Sunday.

Greeters are stationed at the front doors of the Church, and at the side door of the

Church. Their jobs are to greet all attendees, and to be particularly aware of any

newcomers or visitors who might be coming to a service. In the event there are

any newcomers, the Greeters will ask them to join the hospitality event after the

service.

Each Sunday after the 8:00 a.m. and the 10:30 a.m. Services, the Parish Hall

becomes the scene of food, beverages, and congeniality. Many volunteers of the

Hospitality and Kitchen Committee help to make this a success. Thirty Trinity

Parishioners are currently scheduled to coordinate and facilitate these activities.

There are many openings on the Committee which need to be filled for the rest of

the year.

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Lectors, Intercessors, and Chalice Bearers

The schedules for our Sunday Morning Services are mailed a week before the first

Sunday of the month. The schedules are prepared for three months at a time.

Those schedules are for the months of: December/January/February;

March/April/May; June/July/August, September/October/November.

In the scheduling process, it is helpful to use the previous schedules from the past

month, because it often works well to just change the dates and use the same

people. There is a list of people who do these jobs and their preferences for the

8:00 a.m. or the 10:30 a.m. service. It works well to assign people equal numbers

to serve during the quarter when possible.

It is necessary to check with Father Rob to inquire if there will be any special

services during a three-month period. When the lists are ready and complete,

copies are printed, and sent out to each Lector, Intercessor, and Chalice Bearer.

Copies are placed in the Sacristy and the Church Office for reference.

If changes are needed to the schedule, a phone call to the Church Office is

necessary to update the schedule.

--Marty Smith, Coordinator

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The Ministry Of Playing the Organ

When asked to write an article about the preparation of organ music for the Sunday

morning Eucharist, I was a bit overwhelmed because there are so many facets to

this position, many of which the average parishioner is probably unaware. The life

of a dedicated church organist involves far more than sitting at the console on

Sunday morning, flipping the on/off switch, and playing a few hymns. Join me as

we take a little trip into the weekly cycle of preparation.

Organ Solos at Prelude, Postlude, Communion. Organ preludes and postludes

(sometimes called “voluntaries”) are selected and appear in the Sunday bulletin

each week. This is the music that frames what we do in corporate worship. The

prelude helps to establish the mood of the Eucharistic celebration, while the

postlude provides a summary and conclusion. When I have the occasion to visit

other churches, I like to listen -- really listen -- to what the organist is playing for

the prelude and postlude because I know he or she has probably put a lot of

thought and practice into this offering of music.

In planning preludes and postludes, I usually map out several months’ worth at one

time. Sometimes this music is seasonal in nature and is based on hymn tunes for

Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Trinity. J.S. Bach

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wrote numerous works based on liturgical hymns. Even though the great Bach was

Lutheran and wrote for the congregations he served, many of the hymn tunes he

used are also sung by Anglicans. Aside from Bach, there are countless

contemporary composers who write liturgical music for the organ and their music

is also heard at our services. When the prelude and postlude is not hymn-based, it

is selected to express a feeling of the human condition, such as joy or

contemplation. Depending on the difficulty of the selected music, it may be

practiced for one or two weeks. It is not uncommon to hear a voluntary that has

taken six months or more to master. I am fortunate that in my organ studies at KU,

I am able to delve deeply into organ masterworks, most of which are liturgically

appropriate, and share them with you.

Solo organ music is also played following the reading of the gospel and at

communion. The “gospel walking music” as I call it, is my favorite part of the

service to prepare because it is generally improvised, based on the tune of the

Sequence Hymn that was sung prior to the reading of the Gospel, and expressed

the mood of the reading. Although this music only occupies 30 seconds, and is

used as a segue between the Gospel and the Sermon, it sometimes requires a

considerable amount of preparation time. I heard a counterpart to the “gospel

walking music” while on a trip to Germany a few years ago. It was their tradition

that the organist provide a full-length improvisation following the sermon. So, I

heard the Gospel proclaimed in spoken form, then explained through the sermon,

and reinterpreted through music.

Solo organ music is also played after the singing of the Communion Hymn, as

Parishioners receive the Eucharist and return to their pews for prayerful

meditation. Like all of the organ music discussed so far, the Communion Music is

either based on the hymn that was just sung, on other Communion Hymns, or is

contemplative in nature.

Hymns, Service Music, Psalm. The singing of Hymns, Service Music, and the

Gradual Psalm are some of the ways Parishioners actively participate in worship.

Much like the selection of organ solos, hymns are selected several months in

advance of their use. At present, Trinity’s organists meet to plan this music. The

Episcopal Church publishes The Episcopal Musician’s Handbook that offers some

direction in the choice of appropriate hymns, but we always read through each

Sunday’s Gospel Lesson, in order to select a Sequence Hymn (the hymn sung prior

to the Gospel Reading) that expresses some element of the lesson. In addition,

Opening Hymns, Closing Hymns, and Communion Hymns are chosen because of

their suitability for the particular Sunday. Besides selecting the hymns, we choose

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the Service Music (i.e., the Gloria, Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei). A set of

Service Music is usually sung for 6-8 weeks, and then another set is implemented.

There is a degree of continuity and familiarity in singing the Service Music for this

period of time without boredom. The music for the weekly Gradual Psalm is also

selected. This music is also alternated every 6-8 weeks, and may include what is

called the “Anglican Chant”, Double Anglican Chant”, and “Simplified Anglican

Chant”. When the choir is on vacation for the summer months, we select hymns,

service music, and psalm music that are absolutely familiar, and can be sung by the

congregation with ease.

Putting Everything Together. After the Preludes, Postludes, Hymns, Service

Music, and Psalm Music have been selected, they are typed into a manageable list

and emailed to the church office for inclusion in the Sunday bulletins. Given that

practicing of the Preludes and Postludes has been an ongoing process for weeks or

months, we come to the rehearsal for Sunday’s Eucharist which I like to do on

Saturdays. This rehearsal usually requires two hours. I play through each musical

facet of the service sometimes once, sometimes twice, or as much as it takes to get

it right. There are many creative aspects to an organist’s work, but my favorite is

selecting the stops. You’ve all heard the expression “pulling out all the stops”.

This saying refers to the selection of particular sets of pipes used in the playing of

the music. An organist chooses from flute-sounding pipes, string-sounding pipes,

reed-sounding pipes (e.g., trumpet, oboe, clarinet), and principal-sounding pipes

(the pipe organ’s own unique sound.). Organ stops are chosen or “registered” for

each piece of music and notated on post-it notes. The stops are often changed for

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particular verses of hymns and psalms to emphasize the text – a sort of musical

word painting. From a musical standpoint then, the formation of each Sunday’s

Eucharist is a unique creation.

Other Services. Besides the regular Sunday Eucharists, special services requiring

organ music are held on Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Thanksgiving, and

Christmas. In addition, the organist provides music for weddings and funerals.

Planning for weddings and funerals requires meeting the families and helping them

select appropriate music. It may require engaging a vocalist or other

instrumentalist, such as a trumpeter, and rehearsing with that person.

Other Duties. Playing the organ at the weekly Eucharist is just a fraction of the

organist’s responsibilities and time commitment. It is the only portion that most

Parishioners see. Other duties include attending weekly staff meetings,

accompanying choir rehearsals, and preparation of the music the choir will sing.

Just as organ solos require various amounts of practice time, so do choral anthems.

The Senior Organist and the Associate Organist have been coordinating the Choir

since Easter of this year. I am especially grateful to Judy Heller for graciously

directing the Choir for the 10:30 a.m. Service. Her guiding spirit has provided

direction for the choir, and has allowed me to do what I do best (i.e., play the

organ). Associate Organist, Filippa Duke, ably directed Trinity Consort (the choir

for the 6:00 p.m. Solemn High Mass) with the assistance of substitute organists.

Another responsibility is the coordination of special music during the summer

months when the choir is away. Singers from the Morning and Evening Choirs

have volunteered to sing solos, duets, and trios at the place of the usual Offertory

Anthem through the summer.

Organ Maintenance. By now, you are beginning to get an accurate picture of

what I do. Some tasks are done on a weekly basis, others are less often. One such

duty is the coordination of maintenance on the church organ. This typically

requires monitoring any mechanical malfunctions, keeping a “fix-it” list, and then

reporting these details to the firm that provides maintenance and tuning.

Lightning Strike. With the lightning strike that recently disabled the organ,

adaptability was the name of the game. The small digital piano in the choir loft

was our source of music for several weeks. Music that would have been played on

the organ was useless with the piano. The piano and organ both have keyboards,

and that is where the commonality stops, as the writing style of each instrument is

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vastly different, as well as the technique to play each instrument. The Reuter

Organ Company of our hometown came to the rescue by providing a loaner pipe

organ now positioned in the balcony. They not only made modifications to this

instrument to make it more useful for our purposes, but also worked quickly and

efficiently – installing it just two weeks after the fateful lightning strike. In the

meantime, we will have the necessary time to consider what options are best for

the organ that has served Trinity faithfully since 1956.

Conclusion. I am sometimes asked what I do the remaining six days of the week.

Many times, I’ve heard the statement, “I bet you are really busy with Christmas”.

Actually, my vocation keeps me busy throughout the year, and I am blessed that

my work is, in some ways, like a hobby. For me, it involves a life commitment

and lots of creativity. I am rarely far from it. An organist’s duties are varied and

multi-faceted. What you see and experience on Sunday Mornings is just the final

product of all the activities that have occurred behind the scenes.

--Mark Stotler, MM, Senior Organist

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Trinity’s Solemn High Mass

During the school year, Trinity holds a Solemn High Mass at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday

evenings. We have a predominately-student Choir which conducts a final

rehearsal an hour before the start of the Service.

The group of people preparing the meal for the congregation following the service

arrive early to begin the food preparation. Usually, Vashti Winterburg works in

the kitchen during the service, joined later by David Severance. The Master of

Ceremonies and others also arrive early to set up for the service: checking to make

sure that the charcoal is lit; the vessel for the Asperger (water sprinkling) is filled;

the Hymns on the boards are correct; the appropriate vessels are at the back of the

Church for presentation at the Altar during the Offertory Procession; and making

sure the appropriate form of the Canon is on the Altar, along with other

miscellaneous items. The Deacon and Priest arrive, and Father Baldwin blesses

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the water for the Asperses, the Clergy and Acolytes vest, and gather with the Choir

members for prayers before the Opening Liturgy and Processional. Ushers and

Greeters pass out service leaflets, and welcome members of the congregation.

After the Service, the Altar Guild Members clean up, G.I.F.T. cards are sold,

Ushers lock up the church, dinner is served, and the dishes are washed and put

away.

Preparation, the actual Service and Dinner, and clean-up involve the participation

of several Volunteers and Congregants, beginning at about 5:00 p.m., and lasting

until about 8:30 p.m.

--Patrick Musick

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TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH

1027 Vermont Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66044

Phone: 785-843-6166 Fax: 785-843-6984

Email: office@trinitylawrence.org

Website: www.trinitylawrence.org

Worship Schedule

Holy Eucharist, Rite I, Sundays, 8:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Sundays, 10:30 a.m.

Solemn High Mass, Sundays, 6:00 p.m. (during school year)

Morning Prayer, Mon, Tue, and Wed, 9:00 a.m., Matthews Chapel

Wednesdays at Trinity, Wed, 6:30 p.m., Meal and Prayer

Clergy:

The Reverend Rob Baldwin, Rector

Dick Tracy, Deacon

Rita Tracy, Deacon

Stephen Segebrecht, Deacon

Vestry:

Patricia Henshall, Senior Warden

Steven King, Junior Warden

Maria Thompson, Clerk

Rev. Rob Baldwin, Ex Officio

Proctor Crow

Lindy Eakin

Dave Griffin

Brian Haupt

Pat Kehde

Terry Mandle

Donna McCain

Patrick Musick

Debbie Pitts

Staff:

Marilyn Bean, Parish Administrator

Patty Johnson, Financial Secretary

Bill Benso, Church Treasurer

Ruth Turney, Parish Librarian

James Ralston, Music Dir. Emeritus

Mark Stotler, Senior Organist

Susan Ralston, Youth Music Director

Chris Worley, Office Assistant

Filippa Duke, Associate Organist

Jasmyn Turner, Nursery

Natalie Wilkins, Nursery

Diane Leming, Sexton

David Paden, Sunday School Coord.

Sandra Willey

Our Vision: To be One in Christ, To Love, Listen, and Learn

Our Mission:

To love one another as Christ loves us through:

Listening and Responding to the Holy Spirit;

Welcoming and Nurturing all People;

Learning and Teaching the Gospel;

Caring for, and Sharing, God’s creation.