A very big thank you to all those who brought gifts to the gift service on Sunday 4th December. You brought in a wonderful selection of items which has given the filling of the bags much more variety. They will be very gratefully received.
- Margaret Butcher
The Christmas Fair raised just over £1,285. A big thank you to you all for your support – Jo Graham
42 Shoe Boxes - 6th November 2016
Today we sent off 42 shoe boxes all wrapped up and full of presents for Christmas to those in this world who would have none. May they bring the Joy and love of God in the world to those children who open them.
Harvest - 25th September 2016
People brought non-perishable food items on Harvest Sunday, Sept. 25th, for the Asylum Welcome Food Bank.
Even more asylum seekers are now needing help and last year 1121 bags of food were given out.
Asylum Welcome care for asylum seekers, refugees and detainees who have fled persecution and danger in their own countries and seek refuge in Oxford and Oxfordshire
Visit of the Revd. Kevin Watson to Trinity: 6th-7th May
2016
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, Revd. Kevin
Watson, visited Trinity Church during the weekend 6th-7th May.
There
were two occasions on which he lead us during the weekend:
1. On Saturday 6th May at 3pm, ''Alive and Still
Kicking' - ministry with the elderly' where Kevin shared his experiences and
Trinity members shared theirs.
2. Kevin conducted the morning worship on
Sunday 7th and spoke on our effect on the planet, and how we have a choice when it
comes to sin.
Experience Easterr
2017 marked our 8th and biggest yet Experience Easter, visited by
around 500 people. Between Wednesday 30th and Friday 31st March 390 school
children and their staff joined us, including groups from Kingfisher Special
School, who had their very own sensory Easter Encounter back at school.
Then on Thursday 30th March there was a Musical Easter Journey with Abingdon
Gospel Choir followed by a Family Open Morning on Saturday April 1st.
WITNESS - a new musical
Witness: On Sunday 9th April at Trinity Church, there was a Circuit Service in the form of a performance of the musical, Witness (composed by James Garnett).
Witness tells the Easter story from the perspectives
of those whose lives it touched, including bystanders, Jesus' disciples, those
in power, and - in particular - the crowd. Through songs and monologues we were invited to experience a range of responses from the excitement of Palm Sunday to the desolation of Good Friday and the wonder of Easter Day.
The performance
was watched by about 100 people. Refreshments were served afterwards, and there
was a retiring collection for charities chosen by the cast.
Gift Service and Trinity Fair
A very big thank you to all those who brought gifts to the gift service on Sunday 4th December. You brought in a wonderful selection of items which has given the filling of the bags much more variety. They will be very gratefully received.
- Margaret Butcher
The Christmas Fair raised just over £1,285. A big thank you to you all for your support – Jo Graham
42 Shoe Boxes - 6th November 2016
Today we sent off 42 shoe boxes all wrapped up and full of presents for Christmas to those in this world who would have none. May they bring the Joy and love of God in the world to those children who open them.
Harvest - 25th September 2016
People brought non-perishable food items on Harvest Sunday, Sept. 25th, for the Asylum Welcome Food Bank.
Even more asylum seekers are now needing help and last year 1121 bags of food were given out.
Asylum Welcome care for asylum seekers, refugees and detainees who have fled persecution and danger in their own countries and seek refuge in Oxford and Oxfordshire
Welcome Service
On 30th August there was a Welcome Service at Trinity for Rev Ian Griffiths, who
will be Minister of All Saints and Trinity. There was a large congregation and
many visiting ministers.
A big ‘thank you’ to everyone who contributed in any way to this joyous occasion for Trinity, All Saints and the Circuit. To judge from the wonderful spread of savouries and cakes provided for tea by both churches, All Saints and Trinity co-operate well on the catering front! We look forward to more opportunities to work together under Ian’s leadership.
Richard and Anne's Farewell Lunch
Richard and Anne's Farewell Shared Lunch was on Sunday 17th August in the Conduit Centre following Richard's last service at Trinity
Prayer written by Richard for URC 40th Anniversary.
Flowing river of love, on which we are carried,
taking us to places of renewal and refreshment;
we pray for the courage to trust the direction in which you take us.
For all the sights we have seen, all the stories we can tell;
we smile at your great skill and give thanks.
As we strain to see what lies around the corner,
may we also know when to set the oars of our boat at rest.
And when we have drifted enough to understand your direction;
and more fully appreciated the view of both shore and sky line;
may our energy meet with the current and carry us on.
In your love, in your way, in your creation.
Amen
Lent Project
Trinity helped raise money for the Street Child World Cup which Miriam
of Trinity Learning is involved with. Events included:
On Sunday, March 16th, the cake sale after the morning service raised £89.25 .
Sunday, April 30th - Quiz Sheet £1 - answered quizzes to be returned on or before Palm Sunday
Thursday April 3rd 10.30 - 12.30 - Coffee Morning at the home of Clare and Trevor James
April 13th (Palm Sunday) 7.30 Concert by the Gospel Choir
Tribute to Leslie Argyle
At Trinity Church on 17th January there was a Sevice of Thanksgiving for the life of Leslie Argyle. Leslie had been a member at Trinity since the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Ock Street Closed and joined forces with Trinity in 1945. He also worked for over 40 years at Trotman’s Bakery, and when that was taken over by Holmes, he joined Day's Bakery in Edward Street. He used to bake communion bread for Trinity and the special bread shaped like a sheaf of corn for harvest.
He had a love of music and dancing and joined the Abingdon Traditional Morris
Dancers in 1950 and was elected as Mayor of Ock Street (leader of Morris
Dancers) in 1980.
One of the hymns was "Lord of the Dance."
Church Meeting - February 20th
There was a report back from the recent meeting about inviting a deacon to the local Methodist Circuit now the number of ministers is to be reduced by one.
There was a wish to continue the link with a local URC Church, and to ensure regular visits from URC preachers.
Aston Tirrold URC was mentoned as a possible partner church.
Rev. Ian Griffiths' Welcome Service will be at Trinity Church on Saturday 30th August at 3:00p.m. when Rev. Peter Hancock, Chair of our District, will be the preacher.
There was a report by the Faith in Action Group. This Lent, Trinity will be supporting the Street
Child World Cup.
Plans for the fifth year of Experience Easter are well underway, and members were encouraged to help either setting up, or taking part.
Two new Hello Abingdon magazines have hit the streets!
After a marvellous visit to Abingdon Community Hospital, a group of Year 5 children from Thameside Primary School have produced "Thameside Tiger Hospital Care", a fully-illustrated introduction to the staff they met during their visit.
Thomas, Oliver, Miya, Harry, Jamal and Phoebe, from Year 6 at St
Nicolas C of E Primary School, interviewed Councillor Lesley Legge &
Heather Brown from The Choose Abingdon Partnership. Their magazine St Nicolas world of Abingdon explains some of the ways in which Abingdon caters for tourism.
Both magazines are the result of workshops run by TrinityLearning,
with the help of The Community Covenant. The project enables forces and
local children to find out about their community and work together as a
team. Thanks to the help of Welfare Officers at Dalton Barracks, every
family stationed there will receive a copy of both magazines.
New Minister for Trinity and All Saints
Following the successful visit by the Rev’d Ian Griffiths and his wife, Tabitha, and with positive responses from both churches, an invitation was extended to Ian by the Circuit Invitation Committee.
This is for an appointment commencing on 1st September 2014.
Ian has accepted the invitation and says that he will be delighted to come to Abingdon.
Trinity Annual Meeting and Report
The Annual Church Meeting will took place on Thursday, 21st November at 7.30pm. At the meeting the Annual Reports and the Accounts for the year 2012-2013 were presented.
The Annual Report details the activities of many groups in the church. For example
Revd Richard Bittleston writes about Home Groups
"This is one of the most active and enduring facets of Trinity life. I really enjoyed discovering the wealth and diversity of these groups early in the year. Over 60 people in the Trinity family participate on a regular basis in Home Groups that run the year round. They are hosted and facilitated in a most welcoming and friendly way, and the quality of fellowship is very special. My thanks to all those who open their living spaces to these groups, and to the facilitators who rise to the challenge of making sure that lively conversations take place."
Hall back in use after Summer Refurbishment
The hall in the Conduit Centre underwent a major redecoration during the 2013 summer break.The painting and woodern floor renovation were done professionally, but the initiative, organisation, preparation, repairing and replacement of hall furnishings have been achieved by a great number of church members working together. A huge THANK YOU to everybody involved.
The first major event in the hall was the Harvest Church Lunch on 29th September 2013.
Cafe Church
Instead of the normal rows and rows of seats in Trinity Church on 3rd February 2013 there were tables with pink or blue tablecloths for what was going to be a Cafe style service - the intention being to generate round table discussion, while people were served with tea or coffee, and find out what people most valued at Trinity, and their hopes for the future.
The sheets resulting from the discussions were collected in along with the normal collection, after communion had been served.
Trinity Learning - Our Life Newsletter
Moving into a new area can be difficult. You need to find your way around, make new friends and start new topics at school. That's why we thought it would be good for the children of forces' families based at Dalton Barracks to work with local children on a newsletter about Abingdon.
This newsletter has been put together by six pupils from Carswell Community Primary School.
The rain kept off on Tuesday 12th June for the opening of Carswell Community School’s Sensory Garden.
Academic, explorer, television presenter and local celebrity Dr George McGavin officially opened the garden by pulling aside a “ Very Hungry Caterpillar” curtain.
The area’s transformation from derelict concrete and scrub to a place of magical tranquillity for children and staff has brought together people from all over the community, in a project very much in keeping with the school’s title.
I am a Fitzharrys student in year 10 and this is my work experience diary/blog. I ended up in Trinity Church by accident to be honest, as I was originally meant to be at Milton Park ICT centre but unfortunately they had to drop me due to staff shortages. Trinity gave me a place so I didn't miss out.
On my first day here (Monday) I arrived at the gate outside feeling very nervous (...)
EXPERIENCE EASTER
Nearly 450 primary-aged school children, accompanied by almost 100
adults, took a journey back in time at Trinity last week.
They not
only heard the story of the first Easter, but experienced the events
of that week through a series of interactive workshops. They wrote
prayers on palm crosses, helped wash each other’s hands, shared
bread and rolled up fears into plasticine, as they explored how
Jesus and his disciples had felt and related this to their own
lives.
On Sunday, the congregation joined the children’s journeys as we
worshipped in the centre of the Easter Experience. We listened to
the stories & took part in the reflective activities.
Helpers shared
their experiences of the week and after communion, we shared the
peace by singing "Shalom my friend"
Monday 8th November marked the official launch of TrinityLearning’s
latest project, TrinityLearning News. as five young reporters from
Carswell Community Primary School, accompanied by Richard, Rosemary &
Head Teacher Sue Gore, interviewed Abingdon Mayor Duncan Brown.
The
youngsters were collecting material for their very own newsletter, about
and for their own community, to be distributed free to care homes and
day-centres in Abingdon. From content to format and distribution, the
group will make all the decisions and do all the work – in just six
two-hour sessions. Besides putting classroom skills into practice,
they’ll be learning life-skills like team-work, responsibility and
working to deadlines.
When their time with the project finishes, a new
group of youngsters from another Abingdon primary school will take their
place. The project is funded totally by a generous grant from The Big
Lottery Fund.