Issue 729 March-April 2020 The Reverend Canon J. Fletcher Montgomery, Rector The Reverend Robert A. Osborne, Associate Priest The Reverend Jeremy G. Hole, Priest Emeritus Robert Bala, Publisher Inside This Issue: Holy Week Schedule Cover From the Rector 2 From the Associate Priest 3 Easter Music & Lilies Memorials 3 Springtime Celebration Steak Dinner 5 Gala Cubana 6 Nicholas Fichter in Concert 7 Celtic Service 7 Palm Sunday Concert 7 A Service of Compline 8 Family Ministries 8 Vacation Bible School 9 From the HTESG 9 Wednesday Prayer 10 Immigrant Ministry 10 Veterans Ministry 10 Where Thanks are Due 12 Decorating the Church for Easter 13 Ministry Spotlights 13 Parish Registry 14 Reminders 15 Parish Office Closure Dates 15 Shop Hours 16 100 NE 1st Street, Gainesville, FL. Main: 352-372-4721 Holy Week and Easter at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Sunday, April 5 Palm Sunday Liturgy of the Palms 7:45 a.m. Courtyard Liturgy of the Palms 10:15 a.m. Courtyard Liturgy of the Palms 6:00 p.m. Courtyard Wednesday, April 8 Holy Wednesday Healing Service 12:15 p.m. Chapel Thursday, April 9 Maundy Thursday Holy Eucharist 6:00 p.m. Church Friday, April 10 Good Friday Good Friday Service & Stations of the Cross * 12:00 p.m. Church Good Friday Liturgy 6:00 p.m. Church Saturday, April 11 Holy Saturday The Great Vigil of Easter 6:00 p.m. Church Sunday, April 12 Easter Day Holy Eucharist, Rite I * 7:30 a.m. Church Holy Eucharist, Rite II * 9:30 a.m. Church Holy Eucharist, Rite II * 11:30 a.m. Church Holy Eucharist, Rite II * 6:00 p.m. Church *Child Care Provided
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Issue 729 March-April 2020
The Reverend Canon J. Fletcher Montgomery, Rector
The Reverend Robert A. Osborne, Associate Priest
The Reverend Jeremy G. Hole, Priest Emeritus
Robert Bala, Publisher
Inside This Issue:
Holy Week Schedule Cover
From the Rector 2
From the Associate
Priest 3
Easter Music &
Lilies Memorials 3
Springtime
Celebration Steak
Dinner
5
Gala Cubana 6
Nicholas Fichter in
Concert 7
Celtic Service 7
Palm Sunday
Concert 7
A Service of
Compline 8
Family Ministries 8
Vacation Bible
School 9
From the HTESG 9
Wednesday Prayer 10
Immigrant Ministry 10
Veterans Ministry 10
Where Thanks are
Due 12
Decorating the
Church for Easter 13
Ministry Spotlights 13
Parish Registry 14
Reminders 15
Parish Office
Closure Dates 15
Shop Hours 16
100 NE 1st Street, Gainesville, FL.
Main: 352-372-4721
Holy Week and Easter at
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Sunday, April 5 Palm Sunday
Liturgy of the Palms 7:45 a.m. Courtyard
Liturgy of the Palms 10:15 a.m. Courtyard
Liturgy of the Palms 6:00 p.m. Courtyard
Wednesday, April 8 Holy Wednesday
Healing Service 12:15 p.m. Chapel
Thursday, April 9 Maundy Thursday
Holy Eucharist 6:00 p.m. Church
Friday, April 10 Good Friday
Good Friday Service &
Stations of the Cross * 12:00 p.m. Church
Good Friday Liturgy 6:00 p.m. Church
Saturday, April 11 Holy Saturday
The Great Vigil of Easter 6:00 p.m. Church
Sunday, April 12 Easter Day
Holy Eucharist, Rite I * 7:30 a.m. Church
Holy Eucharist, Rite II * 9:30 a.m. Church
Holy Eucharist, Rite II * 11:30 a.m. Church
Holy Eucharist, Rite II * 6:00 p.m. Church
*Child Care Provided
HOLY TRINITY PARISH NEWSLETTER ISSUE 729 PAGE 2
As we begin our third year together as pastor and people, I am grateful to look back
with you on 2019 as a year of growth in several areas, and of faithfulness in many en-
deavors. The year did not pass without some surprises and disappointments of course,
but I hope we learned from them, and that with forgiveness and forbearance we will all
be stronger for them.
I am so grateful for our excellent professional staff who serve us all day by day. The
Reverend Robert Osborne joined us last March, and has been a wonderful addition to
our team. I appreciate his friendship, his wise counsel, his patience, his willingness to
learn, his faithful preaching, and the genuine care he takes with our parishioners. At-
tending both Robert’s ordination to the priesthood and his marriage to Caroline gave me great joy in this past year.
The Reverend Jeremy Hole, our venerable Priest Emeritus, has served Holy Trinity in various roles for nearly four
decades. I am grateful for his gift of teaching, his holiness of life, his sweet and gentle spirit, and his wise counsel.
Dr. John Lowe continues to be perhaps our greatest evangelist, packing the church for various musical concerts and
events month after month and Sunday by Sunday. I am grateful for his friendship, his truly amazing talent, and his
willingness to be flexible when things sometimes (or often!) change at the last minute. John’s assistant organist, Dr.
Chris Goddard, along with our gifted choir scholars, all of our excellent volunteer musicians, and our Sunday evening
folk choir, make our weekly worship beautiful and joyful. Though I understand it’s falsely attributed to St. Augus-
tine, the saying holds true here at Holy Trinity: “those who sing pray twice.” My deep thanks to John and our entire
music ministry team for bringing so many to know the love of God through music and song.
Sarah Larsen wears two hats for one paycheck, serving cheerfully both as Parish Administrator and Financial Admin-
istrator. Her attitude each day is professional and helpful, and I am grateful for her loyalty and teamwork. Assisted
by Robert Bala in the mornings, and Joyce Rolle each afternoon, we are faithfully served in communications and fi-
nancial documentation.
Jaxon Crews, our Director of Family Ministries, joined us in June and hit the ground running! He is a teachable
teacher, a mature believer, and a very talented musician. He has a heart for children, teens, and their families. We
have been blessed to have him – and his new bride Elizabeth – with us at Holy Trinity this year!
Merle Hitchner, you all know, is a man of many skills, and great integrity. He and those who work with him love
Holy Trinity, and under his leadership they show that love in innumerable ways day by day. With Merle as our long-
time Senior Sexton, our buildings – and our people – are cared for with grace and care. Thank you, Sir, for your ded-
ication and service to this parish.
Others faithfully serve us quietly and without pay. Among the many, I think of Lorraine Holston who keeps our par-
ish library orderly, up to date, and easy to get around. Carolyn Horter looks after our growing collection of historical
documents and other archived treasures. Kim Curtis has lovingly picked up the mantle of funerals and other recep-
tions; Joyce Crawford and her delivery volunteers turn Sunday altar flowers into weekly bouquets for those in need
of a cheerful reminder their parish holds them in their thoughts and prayers; and Cyndee Park and her army of volun-
teers decorate the church for major feasts and holy days.
Time does not permit me to go on about our excellent lay worship leaders, our front desk and other office volunteers,
our vigilant ushers and greeters, our dedicated altar guild… So many of you come here day by day and week by
week to serve quietly and to share your gifts of excellence and expertise with the rest of us. I am grateful for you all.
(Continues on page 4)
From the Rector
I am approaching the anniversary of my first-year as an associate priest at Holy Trinity.
Recently I have started reflecting on my experience serving at our parish. So much has
happened in one year! It is hard to separate out the life events from my ministry experienc-
es. But perhaps that is part of the point. Ordained ministry intersects with day-to-day life in
such a way that the lines between work and the rest of life are very, very blurry. Perhaps,
looking back on years of priestly ministry, it will always be the case that it is hard to sepa-
rate life from ministry. Maybe that is the first lesson of my first year as a priest.
Another lesson is the importance of working as a team. This became abundantly clear to
me whenever Fr. Fletcher left town for vacation or other ministerial responsibilities. Step-
ping into that leadership role would have been close to impossible without the great team
of staff and volunteers we have at Holy Trinity, in addition to the graciousness of our parishioners. My time here has
given me the opportunity to see how a healthy team works and what an incredible difference that makes for the
church as a whole.
To be honest, I could list lesson after lesson – how to preach week after week, how to conduct a funeral, how to en-
counter and overcome unexpected obstacles, how to try a new idea but also be okay if it fails – but the summary of
them all is that I feel incredibly blessed to have this time here. I know several newly ordained priests who were thrust
straight into being rectors, and I struggle to think how difficult that would be right out of seminary. The learning
curve must be vertical!
Above all, as I reflect on this past year, I want you all to know what a gift it is to the wider Church for Holy Trinity
to raise up members of the clergy. Associate positions are mostly designed to assist the rector in the running of a par-
ish, but also to train members of the clergy to eventually go and serve as rectors elsewhere.
Did you know that, as of 2019, the average age of an Episcopal priest is in the low 60’s? We are racing toward a seri-
ous demographic crisis! When you, as a church, welcome, support, and train new priests, you are equipping them to
serve the Lord better, longer, and in a healthier manner. What a gift to the Church! I hope that someday, long after
my time at Holy Trinity, the parish will continue to foster the growth of newly ordained priests, and send them out to
serve with gladness and singleness of heart.
Robert
HOLY TRINITY PARISH NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 ISSUE 729
From the Associate Priest
Easter Music and Easter Lily Memorials
Easter Lilies that will adorn Holy Trinity
Church at Easter may be given in
memory or in honor of a loved one. You
may also make a gift in memory or in
honor of a loved one for the glorious mu-
sic.
The envelopes will be available in the
parish office, and will also be inserted
into the Sunday bulletins on March 15,
22, & 29. Please carefully print the names of those you want remembered in the Easter bulletin. Also, if
you would like to designate your gift for the music or flowers, please do so on the envelope provided.
Deadline is April 2.
HOLY TRINITY PARISH NEWSLETTER ISSUE 729 PAGE 4
(Continuing from page 2)
Last, but not least, my sincere thanks and devotion to my strongest supporter and best friend, my wife – Sarah, who
has made my being rector here infinitely easier. She praises me far more than I deserve when something goes right;
she encourages me when I’m down; she suggests a way or two out of something when I have mis-stepped; she prays
for me; and she is my faithful partner in ministry here at Holy Trinity. Thank you for welcoming her as you have
welcomed me.
It is a privilege to welcome new members of all ages and family-types. As membership in the wider Episcopal
Church and across the other Main-Line denominations in the United States continues to diminish, Holy Trinity – and
the Diocese of Florida – continue to maintain measurable growth. This is a sign of life and of hopefulness. People
come here seeking community, seeking the Word of God in a relevant way, seeking the peace of the sacraments.
Thank you for helping me welcome newcomers in our midst week by week.
We want very much to pay careful attention to all of our parishioners and members – those who have been here for
many years, and those who are just making initial visits or early commitments to parish membership.
There is a plan afoot to begin quarterly “Aging with Grace” presentations on Sundays, which I hope will speak to the
needs and concerns of the older members of our congregation – please watch for an announcement about our first
such opportunity coming up soon.
What a blessing it is to see each familiar face – and each new face; to hear the laughter – and to dry the tears – of
young children, and to witness the quest for discipleship in Christ in each life, seasoned and new.
Last year you re-elected three of four outgoing Vestry members to second terms: Theresa Beachy, Bobbie Hall, and
John Jopling. They were joined by Anne Seraphine, who just completed her first year of Vestry service. Serving
their third year in 2020 are Ann Cawthon, Senior Warden Laura Gruber, Marilyn Peterson, and Bob Stripling. Our
thanks to Michele Markant, and to Junior Warden Dan Boyd for their years of Vestry service, ending this month. We
are also grateful for the service of our Diocesan Delegates – serving us the past two years, Ginny Maurer and Ray
Stanwix-Hay, and for another year ahead, Paul Fessenden and Janice Hamilton. Thanks, too, to Terry Fleming for
stepping in and serving as an Alternate Delegate at this year’s Diocesan Convention a couple of weeks ago.
With the excellent wisdom and advice our Finance Committee and our parish treasurer Linda Gendreau, we are in
good hands and looking at a bright and hopeful future. Giving towards ministry expenses in 2020 has been very gen-
erous thus far, and I am grateful for your investments – both big and more modest – in the day to day operations of
our parish. It is my personal hope that we will all experience changed lives in this place from year to year, such that
we won’t be able to help but give more and more with cheerful hearts for the work of God’s kingdom. The Vestry,
staff, and I pledge to spend carefully and wisely, and to be good stewards, with you all, of this wonderful parish and
its service to the world in Christ’s name.
I also want to commend to you the work and ministry of the Holy Trinity Foundation, which has a newly-expanded
Board, appointed by the Vestry for staggered terms. You will find several exciting, and I think gracious, things in
President Jim Salter’s report. I’m grateful to Jim for his years of leadership and vision; and I’m grateful to those who
serve alongside him to watch and to invest those funds carefully and faithfully for the good of the church.
Buildings and Grounds: Our venerable properties are aging and in growing need of maintenance and care. As happy
and fortunate residents of the Sunshine State (of which I myself am a proud native), we routinely deal with water is-
sues, the threat of storm damage, mold and mildew, leaks and other roofing needs, security, aging mechanical sys-
tems, and the basic stewardship and care of the properties God has entrusted to us. Even our reasonably new 25 year
old church will need a new roof. I understand our beautiful pipe organ is due for more than a routine check-up – an
overhaul, really. We are blessed and fortunate, and we are also called to responsible stewardship of all these things
for ourselves and for those who come after us. (Continues on page 5)
Springtime Celebration Steak Dinner
The Brotherhood of St. Andrew would like to invite all the men of the church
and their guests to a Springtime Celebration Steak dinner.
Saturday, March 7, 2020 starting at 6:00 p.m.
Don Beech and Theresa Beachy are hosting the dinner at the
Peaceful Paths complex—2100 NW 53rd Ave.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a donation of supplies to Peaceful Paths.
A list of needs will be provided to all who RSVP.
This is a potluck gathering with the Brotherhood providing steaks as the main course.
Please bring a side dish and favorite beverage to share. Ice tea and water will be provided.
Seating is limited for this event so please RSVP to Leo Dugger