Happy Stewardship Season, Trinity Church!
Throughout the next five weeks, we’ll celebrate a season perfectly made for our program theme, Grateful Hearts, Gracious Lives. It’s the season of “stewardship,” when we recall that all that we have, and all that we are, is a gift from our creating, redeeming, sustaining God.
We recall that we are stewards of God’s gifts, temporary yet trusted caretakers, and that we are invited to use these gifts to further God’s work in the world – right here, right now, at Trinity Church in the City of Boston.
Each fall, we commit our financial gifts for Trinity’s upcoming year of ministry. We “pledge” to give as generously to God’s church as we have received generously from God’s hand. By our pledges, all of us have an important share in every aspect of Trinity Church:
From our six geothermal wells stretching deep into the bedrock beneath us …
… to the cross high atop our central tower, a beacon at the center of the city.
From the sheet music that guides the song of our choir and congregation …
… to the sheet cake we share as a parish family at receptions on baptism Sundays
As we say during those baptismal liturgies, “we will, with God’s help.” During stewardship season, we likewise say, “we will, with your help.”
Each of us has a faithful gift to make! Your invitation to make your pledge for 2026 will be mailed this week. Please return your completed pledge card by mail or through the weekly offering plate – or make your pledge securely and confidentially through our website – as soon as possible. We will celebrate all pledges received to date on Pledge Sunday, November 16, with worship and festive fellowship to follow.
With grateful hearts,
Trinity’s 2025-2026 Stewardship Committee:
Harvey Davidson
Barbara Dortch-Okara, Junior Warden
Mark King, Co-Chair
Megan McNally
Austine Ometoruwa
Thomas Skehan
Christy Taylor
Sarah Tucker
Jackie VanderBrug, Co-Chair
Pam Waterman
Don’t Just Take Our Word for It! “Gracious Lives” Testimonials
“Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
In this spirit, this year’s stewardship testimonial effort takes on a new energy, moving out from behind the Eagle Lectern and into a variety of other formats! We want to hear your stories, what you love and what inspires you.
You can share your testimonial online at www.trinitychurchboston.org/graciouslives. At this link you’ll be guided through a series of eight brief prompts, taking fewer than 5 minutes to complete on average. You’ll have the option to choose whether your response might be shared with the parish, either with your full or partial name or anonymously, and whether we might include your photo along with your response. We hope to hear from MANY of you whose lives have been graced by the ministries of Trinity Church.
To begin, let’s hear from this year’s Stewardship Committee Co-Chairs:
What is your name?
- Jackie VanderBrug
- Mark King
Where do you come to Trinity from?
- Jackie: Reformed roots, with a journey through evangelical land and non-denominational social justice
- Mark: From North Carolina, fifty years ago
Favorite service, season, or celebration in Trinity’s church year?
- Jackie: Ash Wednesday
- Mark: Palm Sunday
Favorite hymn or other church music to feature on your life’s soundtrack?
- Jackie: “What Wonderous Love Is This”
- Mark: Too many to name
Meaningful story or passage from the Bible, or portion of liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer?
- Jackie: Prayer for a Married Couple, from the BCP
- Mark: Rite I Morning Prayer
One thing you love about Trinity?
- Jackie: It has held so me in so many moments of joy and sorrow, both large and small
- Mark: We’re growing again
What would you like others to know about why you pledge to Trinity?
- Jackie: I get to be a small part of a community which has lasted generations, a place where I see God
- Mark: To support Trinity making a difference in Boston
Now it’s your turn!
Learn Something New Every (Sun)Day! “Grateful Hearts” Forums
“O Eternal God … grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 824)
We look forward to seeing you in the Lloyd Forum for a series of upcoming forums. Not your typical pie-chart presentation on church finances, these forums will help us get right to the heart of thankfulness.
October 26
Grit and Gratitude: Faithful Thanksgiving for Gifts We Neither Choose nor Want
November 2
Gratitude Takes Practice: An Exploration of Gratitude Exercises for Daily Life
November 9
150th Anniversary Visioning Party, hosted by Trinity’s 150th Anniversary Committee – RSVP here!
November 16
Pledge Sunday: A Celebratory Reception (and Bread Sharing)
Hosted by the Stewardship Committee in Gratitude for All Pledges Received to Date
Let us pray for grateful hearts and gracious lives. May we pledge our resources to support God’s church as generously as God has entrusted them to us.