“[When] you catch the purpose of your being, and give yourself to God, and so give [God] the chance to give [God’s]self to you, your life, a living stone, is taken up and set into that growing wall. And the other living, burning stones claim and welcome and embrace it. They bind it in with themselves. They make it sure with their assurance, and they gather sureness out of it. The great wall of divine likeness through human obedience grows and grows …”
– The Rev. Phillps Brooks,
from his sermon, “The Pillar in God’s Temple”
published in The Candle of the Lord and Other Sermons, 1881.
Dear Trinity Church,
In the middle of Trinity’s Stewardship season a few years ago, I spent a very happy Saturday taking a dry stone wall building workshop. In the morning, we took apart a wall by hand. In the afternoon, we rebuilt it, piece by piece.
I have never looked at a stone the same way since. (My back hasn’t exactly been the same, either!)
A dry stone wall contains no mortar or cement; gravity and friction hold the stones together. There’s a shape to the work: double-layered on the vertical, wider at the base with a low center of gravity, stone stacked upon stone and tapered toward the top. “Through stones” are placed occasionally throughout, spanning both sides to provide anchor points. “Coping stones” are placed along the top, holding the top layer in place and protecting the core of the wall from the elements. The inner core of the wall is full of smaller, flatter stones called “hearting,” which give the bulkier stones added stability.
It all sounds remarkably like church to me.
Once again, it is Stewardship season at Trinity Church, and once again I am thinking of stones. Possibly our program year theme has prompted you to consider stones, as well! The forms and forces that hold us together, our shapes and our structures. The base stones and the coping stones, the through stones and the hearting.
From These Stones, God Is Able …
Later this week, you will receive Trinity’s annual stewardship packet in the mail. On Sunday, we will launch our Stewardship season in worship, recognizing our own center of gravity in giving thanks and praise to God.
In the weeks that follow, we will stack stone upon stone, with parishioner testimonials, forums, and an ingathering celebration to cap it off. The through stones of conversation will anchor us to each other and our beloved community. At the core, the hearting stones of our prayers will bolster us, as each of us considers how our pledge – our annual commitment of financial support – will contribute to the vitality and stability of Trinity’s congregational life.
Trinty’s goal for pledging households is 655+ for 2027, approximately 50 pledges above last year’s total.
We are building upon several years of sustained increases in the number of pledges received. Momentum for our 150th anniversary celebrations is growing. Sunday worship attendance continues to expand week by week, enlivened by the return of familiar friends and the joyful welcome of newcomers, alike.
On these strong foundations, Trinity Church is poised to make our next significant leap in faithful pledging. Your pledge will make a meaningful difference in meeting our goal and in meeting God’s hopes for this exciting season at Trinity.
In a wall, every stone is necessary to the whole. In a church, the same is true! The participation of every one is necessary to the strength of the whole. Every pledge from every faithful member and friend makes a difference, in spirit and in substance, in the life of Trinity Church.
We look forward to celebrating this season of Stewardship with you and to recording your faithful pledge among hundreds of others, living stones every one, the rocks upon which God’s church will rise in glory.
Gratefully,
Lonsdale Koester
Director of Stewardship
On behalf of Trinity’s 2026-27 Stewardship Committee
Jackie VanderBrug, Co-Chair, Eric Arcese, Co-Chair, Matt Diver, Junior Warden
David Davenport, Harvey Davidson, Anne Hager, Mark King, Megan McNally, Paula Narain, Tyson Shelby, Thomas Skehan, Sydney Smith, Sarah Tucker